Selepas 2 tahun menyepi

Kembali selepas 2 tahun tidak kemaskini blog ini. Banyak perkara berlaku dalam 2 tahun lepas. Tetapi seperti biasa cerita kali ini berkisar kepada perkembangan F1.

Tahun 2010 & 2011 adalah detik kegemilangan Sebastian Vettel & team Redbull Renault yang telah dinobatkan selaku juara. Ia merupakan satu pencapaian yang memberansangkan Vettel yang masih muda telah bergelar juara dunia F1 dua tahun berturut-turut. Tahniah Vettel!!!

6 Juara Dunia F1

Perlumbaan tahun 2012 kali ini mencipta sejarah unik tersendiri apabila 6 orang yang pernah bergelar juara dunia F1 bersaing iaitu M Schumacher, F Alonso, K Raikkonen, L Hamilton, J Button & S Vettel. Kemasukkan semula Raikkonnen yang berehat selama dua tahun dari kancah perlumbaan F1 sebelum ini, diharapkan dapat menambah rencah dan menyemarakkan lagi perlumbaan pada tahun ini.

Perlumbaan tahun 2012 juga merupakan perlumbaan yang paling sengit setakat ini. Tiada satu pasukan pun yang boleh dianggap favourite kerana sehingga 6 perlumbaan setakat ini, sudah ada 6 orang pemenang. Bermakna pemenangnya adalah pemandu yang berbeza. Di mulai Button (GP Australia), Alonso (GP Malaysia), Rosberg (GP China), Vettel (GP Bahrain), Maldonado (GP Spain) dan terkini dimenangi oleh Webber (GP Monaco). Oleh itu boleh dikatakan saingan tahun ini agak menarik kerana setiap perlumbaan ada sahaja kejutan dan sukar membuat andaian siapa yang akan menang.

Nantikan perlumbaan seterusnya di GP Canada awal Jun depan. Diharapkan pelumba lain yang akan memenangi perlumbaan agar persaingan bertambah sengit.

   

F1 2010 Half Season Review

Begitu pantas masa berlalu, begitu banyak perkara yang berlaku, begitu banyak benda yang dilakukan, sehingga tidak berkesempatan untuk kemaskini blog ni.

Seperti biasa blog ini berkisar tentang rencah perlumbaan kereta berteknologi terhebat dunia, F1. Namun untuk musim 2010, sedikit kesuraman dirasakan dengan ketiadaan WDC2007, 'Iceman' Kimi Raikkonen, very cool, fast and less political driver.

Season 2010, setakat 10 perlumbaan sehingga kini, persaingan masih terbuka antara L Hamilton, J Button, M Webber dan S Vettel. Untuk F Alonso dan lain-lain pelumba, peluang masih ada tetapi mungkin sukar kerana jarak mata semakin jauh. Kereta Ferrari macam tahun lepas, tak selaju McLaren dan RedBull.

Legend F1 yang keluar dari persaraan, M Schumacher juga tidak banyak memberi kesan kepada prestasi Mercedes GP, malah tahun ni dilihat nak naik podium pun sukar, apalagi untuk memenangi perlumbaan. Tapi ini sekadar half season review. Masih ada 9 perlumbaan untuk tahun ni. Apa saja boleh berlaku dalam F1. Tunggu dan lihat.

Schumacher returns to F1 join Mercedes

Seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is back. The motor-racing legend has signed a three-year contract to drive in 2010 with Mercedes GP, ending three years in retirement.

The announcement comes 11 days ahead of Schumacher's 41st birthday on January 3, easily making him the oldest driver in next year's championship.

Schumacher said: "The motivation is pretty straightforward. I got a call from Ross (Brawn, team principal) at the beginning of November asking me to race again, telling me Mercedes were going to be involved.

"I've never left the race track, and after three years I regained the energy I'm feeling now.

Schumacher was poised to make a comeback with Ferrari in the summer to fill in for the injured Felipe Massa, but had to back out because of a neck injury which he now insists is not a problem.

Sources: Planet-F1

Wow, will be exciting race next season. But hard to see Kimi Raikkonen not in the F1, switch to rally.

Mercedes confirm Rosberg

After months of speculation, Mercedes confirmed that Nico Rosberg will race for the team next season.

Rosberg made his debut for Williams in 2006 off the back of his GP2 championship success and dominated his various team-mates in his four-year stint with the team. While the German racer only secured two podium positions from his 70 starts, his strong 2009 season put him in pole position for the Mercedes drive following the buyout of the Brawn team.

Mercedes has not revealed the length of Rosberg’s contract with the team and has yet to confirm the identity of Rosberg’s team-mate for 2010, although fellow German Nick Heidfeld remains an option.

Sources: F1-Live

Button move to McLaren. Hope Kimi will drive for Mercedes next year, but seem it won't come true.

Jenson Button – 2009 world champion!!

Jenson Button has joined the elite group of race drivers to have won the world championship. Button is the tenth British champion following in the footsteps of Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and the out-going champion Lewis Hamilton.

His string of six wins from the first seven races equalled a record set by Clark and Michael Schumacher and formed the foundation of his championship campaign.

Button has had his fair share of critics for his performance in the second half of the championship, but had he started the season with points paying finishes and ended the season with a string of victories, his success would have, arguably, been seen in a differing light.

Sources: F1-Live

What's going on with the driver market right now? Just wait and see.

Williams announce Toyota split

After weeks of rumour, Williams has confirmed that they will end their three years engine-supply relationship with Toyota at the end of the season, but have yet to announce a replacement deal.

Meanwhile, the decision to split with Japanese manufacturer is bad news for Toyota protégé Kazuki Nakajima who is now expected to be dropped by the team.

The Grove-based squad has been linked to a supply of Renault engines - currently used by Red Bull - for next year, as well as a switch to Cosworth.

Sources: F1-Live

Could Button will wrap up the titles at the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekends? Hope not too soon and eager to see they'll fight World Championship until the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Renault sign Kubica

The second major domino in the driver market has fallen with confirmation that Robert Kubica will drive for Renault next season. He replaces the Ferrari-bound Fernando Alonso. Kubica joined the Swiss-based team in 2006 as test driver and graduated to the race seat following the dismissal of former champion Jacques Villeneuve at the Hungarian Grand Prix the same year.

He went on to finish fourth in the championship last year and also recorded the team’s sole grand prix victory in Montreal. With BMW deciding to leave the sport at the end of the 2009 season, Kubica made clear he too would be moving on.

The announcement leaves Toyota still looking for its star driver, while Renault has yet to confirm the identity of Kubica's team-mate for next season.

Sources: F1-Live.com

Waiting for Kimi Raikkonen news, either he still racing or quit F1 next season.