The qualifying session featuring low-fuel runs was quite exciting and it was nice to know that the top-ten drivers were driving at the limit with fresh Bridgestone and the minimum fuel. What’s annoying is the ten cars that went through into Q3 must race the same set of tyres as in qualifying. Will we see something different in the race strategies in the opening few laps as the ten drivers at the front struggle with grip? The best position is either to qualify with the hard compound for better durability or in eleventh with a fresh sense of tyres.

As for overtaking, I really hope the cars can pass each other due to the different fuel loads and tyre wear. The heavy fuel should increase the braking distance but will the double diffuser play a significant part in prevent cars passing one another?

Pit-stops are going to pass by in blur. With some teams able to change four sets of tyres in around two seconds! Just like last year, the drivers must race the two compounds.

Right, time to stop all the speculation and news on the build-up to the Bahrain Grand Prix and enjoy the excellent BBC coverage. This season is going to be amazing!

While I hope the spectacle of; Shuey being back, the reigning and ex world champion in the same team, massive Ferrari line-up and the excitment of seeing how Brawn do with a budget is all there for us to see. I have a nasty suspicion that after a few weekends of the new rules, it’ll settle down, and we wont see what we all hope for.
The reason I say this, is that the aero design rules allow waaaaay to much fiddly bits. Those front wings are ridiculous! And with the FIA STILL going with double diffusers, the dirty air still remains and so all that crap on the wings will STILL do sweet FA with cars STILL not being able to get on the arse of the car in front ( which wont be a Toyota! ).

So Shuey then. Well I don’t really like him. Now I admire his skills ( back in the day ) as they were just stupidly good and on another level compared to the rest of the field for all his years he was in F1. But it will be good to see him back, and despite any drop in skill level, he still knows EXACTLY what to do to a car to make it the best it can be. His direction for Mercedes GP will be a massive boost providing it shows that he can a be a better driver the Nico. If Nico out paces him a lot, then Michael may struggle to get his voice heard like it was with the Red Team. While he and Ross had the most incredible time at Ferrari, Ross aint daft. If Rosberg is consistently better then I fear the returning partnership may never come back. One things for sure, as Eddie jordan said on one of the videos on the Beeb website, he’ll never make it 3 years. Least not as a driver, I just cannot see him being better than another free driver during those three years, that a booting him out wont be beneficial to Merc. Also I believe that there must be a clause in his contract that is performance based, I mean come on; if we’re talking about his age VS skill, then surely Merc MUST have done?! Three years is a long time to have a sub par driver tied to you.

Of course this could be completely wrong. Shuey could be very good! A world champion driver is never going to happen, it just wont, but he could still show everyone that writing him off is mental and so races I think he is definitely capable of winning. However, if it were me, I’d never go back. I know he got so close when Massa got hit, but really? After sooooo many championship wins, so many great races and such a risk that’ll you’ll be completely out classed? The press ready ponce on every mistake? Nah, it is a mental decision and one which I think the heart totally out ruled the brain. But he must think he can do the job justice. Remember, his huge ties with Ferrari are now cut and gone, so that maybe of been his biggest decision. Knowing what that would mean to his fans and the team will make for much anger even if he does do well!

What I am really looking to is fuel, or to be precise, the lack of it. I do remember ( back in the day ) of seeing the cars just get faster and faster and faster as the race went on. This did make for some tense finishes so i hope the draw of a bigger points loss, and the huge variations of tyre performance, will overcome the stupid dirty air producing rear ends of the cars.

So here’s to a great season and one despite so big changes, will prove to be a worthwhile watch. I think even if the races are not as good as they could be, the many contenders we’ll have will make for an interesting championship table.

It’s so close now, that you can taste it!

Time has yet again run away tonight so will post more views tomorrow. What I will say now though, is that it’s going to be a great to see the new season with such big changes the THAT driver.

But of course, all the good stuff has been ruined by the FIA. Flying qualies, but your crippled by starting on the same tyres!?!?!

Then there’s the cost saving. Well sort of. As mentioned by Eddie Jordan I think, on the Beeb F1 website, how stupid are the FIA? They say the double diffusers were a bit dodgy last year. So to this year they said yes you can have them. So all the teams have designed new ones, at great expense. So next year, they are to be banned!? So all that unnecessary cost, is OK then? Twats.

Fewer sets of tyre’s means what then? Oh THAT’s an OK saving then? Jesus, I heard some comment that it could improve racing by evening out the grid! How? All it means is that the cars will have crappy tyre’s and slip slide all over the place. But the fast cars and drivers will still be faster and quicker than the slow teams with poorer drivers.

Anyways, FIA rant over for tonight. Tomoz will be about the the teams, and is Shuey bonkers for returning? ( Hint : Yes )

Plus Autosport’s in-depth preview to the 2010 Formula One World Championship:
http://f12010.autosport.com/

First practice takes place this Friday (March 12th) at Bahrain. I cannot wait!

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81828
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/03/03/us-f1-officially-out-and-no-room-for-stefan-gp-as-2010-entry-list-confirmed/

As for Campos, the team have been re-branded as HRT F1 – Hispania Racing F1 Team – following Jose Ramon Carabante’s acquisition of the Spanish outfit last month. More can be read here:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81821

So tough break for USF1. And if you are wondering why it all went wrong with this ambitions American team, then take a look at this news report plus interview with Ken Anderson courtesy of Autosport.com.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81830
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81831