Mclaren Appeal Set on 15th November

The appeal lodged by Mclaren is set to be heard by the FIA Court of Appeal on 15th November.

Mclaren had lodged an appeal against the results of the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton, who finished 7th, lost out on the Drivers' Championship title to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen by just one point. It was later found out that Williams' Nico Rosberg, BMW's Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld had fuel that was below the allowed temperature (it has to be at most 10 degrees below track temperature), thereby giving them a boost in their performance (lower temperature meant more fuel stored). Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld finished 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

If Mclaren's appeal is successful, it could mean that Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld could all be stripped off their positions, thus handing the 4th position to Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton would then have enough points to beat Finnish Kimi Räikkönen and win the Drivers' Championship title on his debut season.

However, FIA president Max Mosley has played down speculations that Lewis Hamilton could be handed the Drivers' title even if the trio were found guilty.

Certainly, if the FIA decides to strip Kimi Räikkönen of his first title and hand it over to Lewis Hamilton, it would be a cruel blow to the Finn, as well as possibly cause an uproar against the FIA's decision.

Singapore: Permanent Racetrack to be Built

The motorsports fever in Singapore is in fullswing as the government opened up a site in Changi for proposals to build it into a permanent racetrack.

This race track however, will be a Grade 2 racetrack* and will not be able to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Motorsports fans in Singapore can look forward to races like the A1GP, MotoGP, Japan GP, as well as many other races. Testing of cars and driving training courses can also be conducted on the race track.

The race track should be between 2.8km to 3.5km or more, making it one of the most compact and efficient race track in Asia. The government is looking at a seating capacity of 15,000 or more, with the possibility of adding temporary structures to accomodate more seatings.

With the seafront location, the track is set to be one of the most scenic in the region. The estimated cost is set to be around $84 million, with no government funding, and is expected to be completed by 2011.

The government has also indicated their clear interest in pursuing a motorsports industry in Singapore, with plans to not only involve Singaporeans as spectators, but a chance to develop motorsports talent in the Republic. "A chance for a driving school perhaps... some kind of academy that'll give the driver a chance to get on the pathway. It will allow the masses to enjoy this, not only as a spectator but also to drive," said Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Council.

*Grade 2 FIA-approved motor sports racetrack capable of hosting any motor race for both motorcycles and cars, other than Formula One. Also includes a Grade 1 FIA-CIK-approved karting track.

Singapore Grand Prix 2008: Night Race is On!

Singapore will be hosting the inaugural night race of Formula 1 after the plans for the floodlit plans submitted were approved by the FIA.

The Singapore Grand Prix, which will be held on the 28th September 2008, will be a street-circuit that will feature prominent icons of Singapore, including the Swissotel, the Esplanade as well as the old Parliament House.

The US Grand Prix in Indianapolis will not be featured in the 2008 calendar, while the German race will be in the Hockenheim. Valencia, another new feature and a street circuit concept as well, will be the second of the two races in Spain (the first being in the Circuit de Catalunya) and will be called the Europe Grand Prix.

Brazilian GP:Kimi Räikkönen Wins Race, Wins Drivers' Championship Title

It was an epic buildup to the race, and the race itself certainly did not disappoint with the dramas that happened.

Right at the start of the last race of the 2007 season, Felipe Massa, showing he is a worthy teammate to Kimi Räikkönen, moved right in front of Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton, allowing Kimi to move up right beside the Brazilian. Going into turn 1, Massa went ahead while Kimi slotted in neatly behind his teammate's Ferrari. Mclaren's other driver Fernando Alonso did not make things any easier for his teammate Lewis Hamilton by overtaking him and forcing the young British driver to make a mistake and ran wide. Several cars overtook him as he steered back on track.

The two Ferraris pulled away gradually after 3 laps when Fernando Alonso's Mclaren could not keep up with their pace anymore. Lewis Hamilton then shortly suffered gear box problems and coasted around the track on neutral gear for nearly 40seconds. By the time he managed to get his car to working condition again, he was already down in the 18th place and effectively out of the title race.

William's Nakajima, in his debut race, was unable to control his race car to a stop effectively in the pit, knocking over one of the mechanics who had to be transported to the hospital but looked visibly alright other than a hurt left leg.

Felipe Massa built a small lead over his teammate after the first pitstop, however, a mistake by the Brazilian allowed Kimi to close in on him slowly and steadily. With a few marvellous laps while the Brazilian was having his second pitstop, and a brillantly executed pit stop for the Finn saw him overtook his teammate in the pits for the second time of the year.

Even when his Ferrari crossed the line, all Ferrari's supporters and Kimi himself were left holding their breaths as the other cars crossed the line. Lewis Hamilton was in the 7th place and if he remained in that position, then the Drivers' Championship would be Kimi's to take. Despite Williams' Nico Rosberg and the two BMWs of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica engaged in a fierce battle, they did not take out one another to the relief of the Red team and kept Lewis in his seventh spot.


Kimi Räikkönen, grateful for teammate Felipe Massa's help (who could have enjoyed a home victory but understood his position in the team and showed great teamwork when it mattered), got out of his car and thanked his teammate immediately.


The newly crowned World Champion Kimi Räikkönen with former 2 times World Champion Fernando Alonso on the podium. The Iceman, as Kimi is known for his cool and calm demeanor, showed rare smiles on the podium and looked visibly delighted.



Perhaps that was the defining difference between the two teams - Mclaren Mercedes, which looked like they had the two championships in the bag at the start of the season, and Ferrari, which showed great teamwork and unity when it mattered. Mclaren's team principal and rookie Lewis Hamilton will be left wondering about all the what-ifs and what went wrong for them this season when they had such a strong start.

Brazilian GP Results:
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:28:15.270
02 F. Massa Ferrari + 1.493
03 F. Alonso McLaren + 57.019
04 N. Rosberg Williams + 1:02.848
05 R. Kubica BMW + 1:10.957
06 N. Heidfeld BMW + 1:11.317
07 L. Hamilton McLaren + 1 laps
08 J. Trulli Toyota + 1 laps
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1 laps
10 K. Nakajima Williams + 1 laps
11 R. Schumacher Toyota + 1 laps
12 T. Sato Super Aguri + 2 laps
13 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso + 2 laps
14 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 3 laps
Did not finish
15 A. Sutil Spyker F1 + 28 laps
16 R. Barrichello Honda + 31 laps
17 H. Kovalainen Renault + 36 laps
18 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 37 laps
19 J. Button Honda + 51 laps
20 M. Webber Red Bull + 57 laps
21 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 + 69 laps
22 G. Fisichella Renault + 69 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Brazilian GP Qualifying: Felipe Massa in Pole Position

Times
01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:11.931
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:12.082
03 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:12.322
04 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.356
05 M. Webber Red Bull 1:12.928
06 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:13.081
07 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.129
08 J. Trulli Toyota 1:13.195
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.272
10 N. Rosberg Williams 1:13.477
11 R. Barrichello Honda 1:12.932
12 G. Fisichella Renault 1:12.968
13 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:13.058
14 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:13.251
15 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.315
16 J. Button Honda 1:13.469
17 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:14.078
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:14.098
19 K. Nakajima Williams 1:14.417
20 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:14.596
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:15.217
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:15.487

Source: PlanetF1



Home hero Felipe Massa did not disappoint the Brazilian fans. Fastest in Free Practice 3, Massa carried his wonderful form into the final qualifying of the 2007 season by clinching the pole position ahead of Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari teammate Kimi Räikkönen.

Lewis Hamilton was embroiled in more controversies as he was allegedly blocking Kimi Räikkönen on his flying laps twice as he came out of the pits to do his installation laps. However, the stewards did not conduct any investigations, nor were there any formal complaint filed by the Scuderia Ferrari team.

Mclaren's Fernando Alonso managed a 4th position, and will line up behind his teammate. He admitted that the hopes for any championship title is grim now, and blamed having to start Q3 behind his teammate, "The main problem was starting behind my team-mate as usual," he told Italian television RAI. He would certainly be hoping for some miracle to happen as he believes that the two Mclaren would be on identical pit-strategy, so Lewis Hamilton will have the upperhand on him by starting in the front row.

Mark Webber was a surprise in his Red Bull, taking the 5th grid, but perhaps the recent races have shown Red Bull's improvement, while his teammate David Coulthard qualified on the 9th position. Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica's BMWs were normal in their performance taking the 6th and 7th spot, while the 8th was taken by Jarno Trulli in his Toyota.

Williams' rookie Kazuki Nakajima, replacing Alex Wurz who retired with immediate effect after the Chinese Grand Prix, managed a lowly 19th position, while a surprisingly horrible performance by Renault's Heikki Kovalainen put him in the 17th position on the grid.

Brazilian GP Prac: Home Hero is Fastest

Times
01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:11.810 22 laps
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:11.934 18 laps
03 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:11.942 21 laps
04 M. Webber Red Bull 1:12.446 14 laps
05 J. Trulli Toyota 1:12.461 23 laps
06 R. Barrichello Honda 1:12.478 24 laps
07 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:12.579 25 laps
08 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.594 12 laps
09 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:12.767 18 laps
10 N. Rosberg Williams 1:12.823 20 laps
11 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:12.893 20 laps
12 G. Fisichella Renault 1:12.913 20 laps
13 J. Button Honda 1:13.015 22 laps
14 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.046 23 laps
15 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:13.090 20 laps
16 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.117 12 laps
17 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:13.299 16 laps
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:13.331 16 laps
19 K. Nakajima Williams 1:13.474 17 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.525 14 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:13.684 21 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:13.872 21 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Homegrown hero Felipe Massa topped the timesheet for the first time this weekend in his homeground. On a contrary condition from yesterday's weather, today's third practice session was held on a dry track in a sunny weather.

Lewis Hamilton, Mclaren's hope for a Drivers' Championship in 8 years (their last Drivers' Championship crown was obtained in 1999), set the second fastest time during the last 3 minutes of the timed session. Ferrari's other driver Kimi Räikkönen was the third fastest, while the other title contender Mclaren's Fernando Alonso was a lowly 8th.

Robert Kubica faced technical problems when his car around Bico de Pato, bringing out the yellow flags.

With just half an hour to go before the final qualifying session of 2007, 3 title contenders, who will get the pole position?

Will Felipe Massa attempt a shot at glory in his home race, or would he help teammate Kimi Räikkönen by playing shotgun? Will Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton lose their cool?

Only time will tell!

Three Drivers to go Unpunished for Tyre Error

Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Takuma Sato will all heave a sigh of relief as they are all not penalised for the tyre error committed during Practice 1, where they each used 2 sets of wet tyres instead of a set of wet and a set of extreme weather tyre as stipulated in the regulations.

Each team, Mclaren (Lewis Hamilton), Honda (Jenson Button) and Super Aguri (Takuma Sato) will instead be fined $15,000 euro and have a set of wet tyres confiscated. It is considered a light penalty in light of what could have been if the stewards decided to impose penalties on the drivers instead, considering that Lewis Hamilton would need all the points he can get to ensure that he gets his first Drivers' Championship, with teammate Fernando Alonso 4 points behind, and Kimi Raikkonen a further 3 points back.

Lewis Hamilton's Title Hope Hangs by a Thread

Lewis Hamilton, current leader in the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship, will be investigated after he was found to be using 2 sets of wet tires during Practice 1.

Ron Dennis admitted that it was a "100%" Mclaren's fault, and now Lewis Hamilton, for the third time of the year, will be at the centre of controversies as he faces a steward's hearing.

According to article 25.3 of the F1 Sporting Regulations: "No driver may use more than one set of wet and one set of extreme weather tyres during P1 and P2." Other than Lewis Hamilton, Honda's Jenson Button and Super Aguri's Takuma Sato are all guilty of this offence. All three will be holding their breaths to see what punishment or penalty would be meted out to them as there has been no penalties set for the breach of this offence yet.

Brazilian GP Prac 2: Lewis Fights Back

Times
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:12.767 27 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:12.889 28 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:13.075 30 laps
04 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:13.112 30 laps
05 G. Fisichella Renault 1:13.579 22 laps
06 R. Kubica BMW 1:13.587 34 laps
07 N. Rosberg Williams 1:13.655 33 laps
08 K. Nakajima Williams 1:13.664 38 laps
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.706 30 laps
10 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:13.785 44 laps
11 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:13.829 29 laps
12 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:13.879 28 laps
13 R. Barrichello Honda 1:13.892 45 laps
14 J. Button Honda 1:14.095 44 laps
15 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:14.152 33 laps
16 J. Trulli Toyota 1:14.179 25 laps
17 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:14.409 37 laps
18 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:14.431 27 laps
19 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:14.477 31 laps
20 M. Webber Red Bull 1:14.543 35 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:15.095 35 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:15.715 32 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Practice 2 saw the Mclaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso topping the timesheet, a stark contrast from Practice 1 where they only managed a 5th and no-timing respectively. Kimi Raikkonen, the man who had set the pace on the first practice, managed only a disappointing 4th, behind his teammate Felipe Massa.

The session was without any rain, but the track was wet when they started, and was nearly totally dry towards the end of the session.

Brazilian GP Prac 1: Kimi First on a Wet Session

Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:19.580 9 laps
02 F. Massa Ferrari 1:20.062 10 laps
03 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:20.829 19 laps
04 N. Rosberg Williams 1:21.064 14 laps
05 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:21.121 10 laps
06 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:21.243 22 laps
07 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:21.598 22 laps
08 M. Webber Red Bull 1:22.104 12 laps
09 J. Trulli Toyota 1:22.104 26 laps
10 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:22.250 17 laps
11 R. Barrichello Honda 1:22.434 23 laps
12 J. Button Honda 1:22.477 22 laps
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:22.667 16 laps
14 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:22.929 19 laps
15 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:23.248 30 laps
16 K. Nakajima Williams 1:23.261 26 laps
17 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:23.551 20 laps
18 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:24.366 25 laps
19 N. Heidfeld BMW no time 1 laps
20 R. Kubica BMW no time 1 laps
21 F. Alonso McLaren no time 1 laps
22 G. Fisichella Renault no time 2 laps

Source: PlanetF1


Kimi Raikkonen came up on top of the timesheet for the first practice of the Brazilian Grand Prix. As predicted, it looks like we could be in for a wet race in Brazil following the wet ones of the Japanese Grand Prix and the Chinese Grand Prix.

Championship title contender Lewis Hamilton looks lacklustre in his first Brazilian GP by setting a time that only puts him on the fifth place, while his Mclaren teammate Fernando Alonso, together with BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica, as well as Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella failed to set a timing.

Singapore Set to be the Regional Racing Hub?

Plans to bring more forms of motorsports to Singapore are roaring ahead with the latest being the possibility of bringing in the Volvo Ocean Race here.

According to a report on The Straits Times, discussions to bring in the Volvo Ocean Race (one of the largest competition for 70-foot racing yachts) are already in the final stretch with a contract signing to be done next month.

Similar to Formula 1, the Volvo Ocean Race would mean huge media coverage for Singapore during the 10-month duration of the event. The event takes place once every 4 years.

Another big event that looks possible to take place in Singapore in the near future is the high-profiled Red Bull Air Race. If Singapore fulfils the bidding criteria, we could be considered as a 2009 circuit. Again, the media coverage would be extensive on the host country, especially with one of the criteria being that "the host city should be easily recognisable to the watching millions world-wide".

With the Formula 1 race in Singapore happening next year September 28, it should not be a problem for the country to meet that criteria, as the race is set within the heart of the city and numerous key buildings will be captured during the course of the race as the cars zip around the street circuit.

Singapore F1 GP Names Lighting Contractor

SINGAPORE : Organisers for the inaugural Formula One race in Singapore have picked a company based in Italy as the lighting contractor.

The decision came after two lighting tests were conducted in July and September at the Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track in Le Castellet, France.

Organisers have also got the go-ahead after submitting a proposed system to the Federation Internationale de I'Automobile (FIA) in Paris.

Singapore plans to hold the world's first night race next year and has teamed up with Italy-based Valerio Maioli S.p.a, which specialises in the engineering of lighting and telecommunication system.

Lighting plays an important part in the race and the company said it will use lights to guide the drivers.

The entire track will be fitted with close to 1,500 projectors, placed 4 metres apart.

This makes it almost four times brighter than an average sports stadium.

But the brightness will not be too glaring for the drivers.

This is because the projectors will be erected 10 metres above the course.

The power surge will not result in any power outage or blackout, thanks to the 12 twin-powered generators.

The lights will be brought to Singapore in early January to be tested in a controlled environment.

Contractors will then take approximately two to three months to set up the system, so the lighting system will likely be up in the second quarter of 2008.

Meantime, all eyes will be on the announcement whether Singapore gets the go-ahead to hold the world's first night race.

"It's never happened before so it's very exciting for the world, and everybody's waiting for this night race. For instance, there are 400 reporters going for each grand prix. For Singapore, probably 600 are coming, almost double the number, because of the interest," said Colin Syn, President of Singapore Grand Prix.

The decision on holding the night race will be known early next year.

- AFP /ls

Source: Channel News Asia

Ferrari Extends Felipe Massa's Contract Till 2010

Ferrari has extended Brazilian Felipe Massa's contract till 2010, effectively ending any further speculation of Mclaren's unhappy driver Fernando Alonso's chances of ending up in a Ferrari seat. Kimi Raikkonen, the other Ferrari driver, is currently ia contract up till 2009.

Mario Theissen All for Night Race

Mario Theissen, team principal of BMW, has shown his support for a night race in Singapore provided that the drivers' safety is taken care of. Joining a number of drivers who have already expressed their interest in a possible night race, Dr Mario (as he is affectionately called) compared the attractiveness of a night race to that of a football match held in a stadium lit with floodlights.

According to him, he felt that "it's no rocket-science to create a fail-proof lighting system". Testings have already been conducted in the US Indianapolis track in June was deemed a success with the help of American company Musco Lighting, which provides lighting to a couple of US races like the Nascar, Champ Cars and Indy series.

Mclaren driver Fernando Alonso was the only one so far to have explicitly expressed his unwillingness to race in a night-setting.

Liuzzi Loses Appeal to Keep Fuji Point

Toro Rosso's Vitantonio Liuzzi, who came in 8th place during the Japanese Grand Prix two weekends ago, failed in the appeal against the point stripped from him after he was found guilty of overtaking Spyker's Adrian Sutil under yellow flags.

The FIA stuck by their decision to penalise the Toro Rosso team, which would have scored their first point finish during the Japanese Grand Prix if not for the 25-second penalty handed out to Liuzzi, and awarded the single point to Spyker's Adrian Sutil. A week later, in the Chinese Grand Prix, Toro Rosso showed that they might be a force to reckon with in 2008 with a strong 4th place finish by rookie Sebastian Vettel and a 6th place by Liuzzi.

Renault Denies Alonso Links

French team Renault has issued a half-hearted statement denying the reports of a possible return of Fernando Alonso in 2008. Renault issued the following statement: "The team will not comment on the speculation that has appeared in the media,"

"We will announce our drivers for next season when we are ready to do so."

Fernando Alonso Set to Return to Renault in 2008?

Fernando Alonso has reportedly signed a letter of intent to rejoin Renault in 2008, with his exit strategy and contract to be worked out soon.

The Spaniard who is currently driving for Ron Dennis' Mclaren team, is still under contract with Mclaren till 2008, with the option of continuing in 2009. However, his bad blood with team principal Ron Dennis and teammate Lewis Hamilton have quashed any hope of him remaining in the Mclaren outfit next year, with his latest accusation of the team over-inflating his tires on purpose during the Chinese Grand Prix qualifying session so that advantage can be given to his teammate Hamilton.

Toyota, desperate for a good break, has also indicated their interest in the current world champion by offering him "(US) $150 million for a three year deal; a comparable amount of money to that earned by Michael Schumacher at Ferrari towards the end of his illustrious career" as reported by F1-Live.

However, given the promise of the number one status in the Renault team, as well as an enticing 3-year contract and as escape route, Fernando Alonso is more likely to be joining Renault, where he won 2 world championship titles in seasons 2005 and 2006.

Fernando Alonso Quizzed by Italian Prosecutors, Discussed Contract with Renault

Fernando Alonso, who on Sunday claimed that Mclaren over-inflated his tires, has created news yet again as he volunteered information about the Stepneygate incident in a two-hour session with the Italian police.

The driver is not under any investigation, but was apparently interviewed by the Modena Magistrate Giuseppe Tibis as a potential witness to the spy incident. He was quizzed mainly about the email correspondence with test driver Pedro dela Rosa over the Ferrari information given by Nigel Stepney to Mike Coughlan.

Renault meanwhile is hard at work to attract their ex-driver by showing Fernando Alonso the details of Renault's car next year, the R28. Spanish sources claimed the he was involved in a meeting with Renault team boss Flavio Briatore and technical director Pat Symonds for a possible 2 - 3 years contract. Autopista, a Spanish magazine, also claimed that Fernando Alonso's teammate is not likely to be the underperforming Giancarlo Fisichella, who is touted to replace Williams' Nico Rosberg, who in turn will be joining the Mclaren camp in Fernando Alonso's spot.

Chinese GP: Kimi Raikkonen Ultimate Winner of the Weekend

Chinese GP Results
1 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:37:58.395
2 F. Alonso McLaren + 9.800
3 F. Massa Ferrari + 45.800
4 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 53.500
5 J. Button Honda + 1:08.600
6 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso + 1:13.600
7 N. Heidfeld BMW + 1:14.200
8 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1:20.700
9 H. Kovalainen Renault + 1:21.100
10 M. Webber Red Bull + 1:24.600
11 G. Fisichella Renault + 1:26.600
12 A. Wurz Williams + 1 laps
13 J. Trulli Toyota + 1 laps
14 T. Sato Super Aguri + 1 laps
15 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 laps
16 N. Rosberg Williams + 2 laps
17 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 + 3 laps
Did not finish
18 R. Kubica BMW + 23 laps
19 L. Hamilton McLaren + 26 laps
20 R. Schumacher Toyota + 31 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 + 32 laps
22 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 45 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Lewis Hamilton's bright beginning to the Chinese GP ended off with a dramatic and tragical sizzle. At the start of the race, light rain began to drizzle down the track and the teams all opted for the Intermediate tires. Lewis Hamilton kept a strong hole on the first position, and at one point, even opened up a wide gap between him and 2nd placed Kimi Raikkonen.

The top 4 drivers - Lewis, Kimi, Fernando and Massa went into the pits and made the decision not to change their intermediate tires (which were beginning to become slick tires given their wear-and-tear) since it looked like the track was beginning to dry up. Massa began to experience problems with his intermediate tires first as he struggled for grip on the track. Fernando Alonso had a couple of run-offs but managed to keep his third place, while Lewis Hamilton, under the tremendous pressure from Kimi Raikkonen, lost out the most.

As he was coming into the pitlane for tire change, he was unable to stop his car from sliding off the track and into the gravel at the pitlane entry. He was unable to get his stuck car out of the gravel even with the help of race marshalls. That was the end of the race for him, and he collected no points at all.

Kimi Raikkonen then went on to collect the 200th victory for Ferrari, which is also the 600th time a Ferrari driver has gotten onto the podium, while his teammate Felipe Massa finished in third place, behind Mclaren's Fernando Alonso.

Sebastian Vettel, with an impressive one stop strategy, finished in the 4th spot ahead of the Honda of Jenson Button, while the other Toro Rosso Vitantonio Liuzzi finished in 6th place. Toro Rosso had a really great weekend as they collect their first points finishes. Nick Heidfeld managed a disappointing 7th position, having struggled all weekend, while Red Bull's David Coulthard took the last point-finishing spot.

With just one race left, the drivers head to the Brazillian Grand Prix in 2 weeks' time with this standing:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 107 points
2. Fernando Alonso- 103 points
3. Kimi Raikkonen - 100 points

Just 7 points separate the top 3 drivers.

For Lewis Hamilton, all he needed to do is to finish ahead of both Fernando and Kimi to win his first championship title.

For Fernando Alonso, he needs Lewis Hamilton to finish 5 points behind him, and Kimi Raikkonen to finish behind him.

For Kimi Raikkonen, he would need a victory for himself, Lewis Hamilton to finish 6th or below, and Fernando Alonso to finish 3rd or below to collect his first, and long awaited drivers' championship title.

Chinese GP Qualifying: Lewis Hamilton Takes Pole

Qualifying Times
01 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:35.908
02 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.044
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:36.221
04 F. Alonso McLaren 1:36.576
05 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:37.619
06 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:38.013
07 M. Webber Red Bull 1:38.153
08 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:38.455
09 R. Kubica BMW 1:38.472
10 J. Button Honda 1:39.285
11 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:36.862
12 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:36.891
13 J. Trulli Toyota 1:36.959
14 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:36.991
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:37.247
16 N. Rosberg Williams 1:37.483
17 R. Barrichello Honda 1:37.251
18 G. Fisichella Renault 1:37.290
19 A. Wurz Williams 1:37.456
20 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:38.218
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:38.668
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:39.336

Source: PlanetF1

Lewis Hamilton once again convince the world why he is deserving to be the youngest world champion at his debut season, with a strong show in the Chinese Grand Prix qualifying session. Never having set a single fastest timing throughout the practices (Kimi Raikkonen took the P1 in all 3 practices), Lewis stunned the crowd with an impressive performance.

Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, could not match the rookie's timing and could only settle for the second spot. Ferrari's other driver Felipe Massa took the third position, while Mclaren's Fernando Alonso managed only a fourth position surprisingly, given his practice timings.

Red Bull looks set for another great weekend with David Coulthard getting the 5th position, ahead of Ralf Schumacher's Toyota, and David's teammate Mark Webber took the 7th position. Nick Heidfeld's BMW was disappointing and the German could only just manage a 8th place ahead of his teammate Robert Kubica. Jenson Button finished up the top ten position in his Honda.

Chinese GP Practice 3: Kimi Fastest But Hit By Reliability Issues

Practice 3 Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.100 15 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:36.126 13 laps
03 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.227 14 laps
04 F. Massa Ferrari 1:36.405 14 laps
05 R. Schumacher Toyota 36.959 18 laps
06 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:36.964 13 laps
07 R. Kubica BMW 1:37.024 23 laps
08 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:37.106 14 laps
09 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:37.176 18 laps
10 M. Webber Red Bull 1:37.315 13 laps
11 N. Rosberg Williams 1:37.323 16 laps
12 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:37.463 18 laps
13 J. Button Honda 1:37.564 19 laps
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:37.679 20 laps
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:37.732 15 laps
16 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:37.759 19 laps
17 G. Fisichella Renault 1:37.791 17 laps
18 R. Barrichello Honda 1:37.920 20 laps
19 A. Wurz Williams 1:37.926 16 laps
20 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:38.577 16 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:38.868 20 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:39.517 21 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest timing for the third practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix, however, it looks like he was hit by reliability issues as he went back early into the pits and spent some time talking to his engineers.

Fernando Alonso sets the second fastest timing for the third time of the weekend, and has beaten his teammate Lewis Hamilton again. Ferrari's Felipe Massa took the fourth spot.

Williams has indicated their decision to drop Alex Wurz from the team line up next season. In an interview, Frank Williams, team principal of the Williams team has said that while Wurz "has been reliable" he is not sure if he is going to give him a chance to race again in the next season.

Chinese GP Practice 1 and 2: Kimi Sets the Pace

Practice 1 Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:37.024 23 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:37.108 18 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:37.128 21 laps
04 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:37.210 20 laps
05 N. Rosberg Williams 1:37.707 23 laps
06 R. Kubica BMW 1:38.055 23 laps
07 J. Trulli Toyota 1:38.208 30 laps
08 G. Fisichella Renault 1:38.217 16 laps
09 K. Nakajima Williams 1:38.270 30 laps
10 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:38.445 13 laps
11 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:38.551 17 laps
12 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:38.661 23 laps
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:38.700 25 laps
14 J. Button Honda 1:38.942 18 laps
15 R. Barrichello Honda 1:38.945 22 laps
16 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:39.238 23 laps
17 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:39.497 22 laps
18 M. Webber Red Bull 1:39.535 23 laps
19 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:39.539 20 laps
20 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:39.898 24 laps
21 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:40.126 27 laps
22 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:40.149 26 laps

Practice 2 Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.607 31 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:36.613 28 laps
03 F. Massa Ferrari 1:36.630 29 laps
04 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.876 33 laps
05 J. Trulli Toyota 1:37.151 36 laps
06 M. Webber Red Bull 1:37.450 34 laps
07 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:37.524 32 laps
08 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:37.617 27 laps
09 N. Rosberg Williams 1:37.646 36 laps
10 G. Fisichella Renault 1:37.970 32 laps
11 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:38.062 21 laps
12 J. Button Honda 1:38.205 41 laps
13 R. Barrichello Honda 1:38.304 40 laps
14 R. Kubica BMW 1:38.379 39 laps
15 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:38.388 16 laps
16 A. Wurz Williams 1:38.531 32 laps
17 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:38.975 38 laps
18 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:39.062 36 laps
19 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:39.224 37 laps
20 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:39.360 37 laps
21 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:39.404 34 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:40.051 38 laps

Source: PlanetF1

FIA to Investigate Lewis Hamilton

Yet another post-race activity set the F1 world in a frenzy again.

A video taken by a spectator from the grand stand,showed the current championship leader Lewis Hamilton slowed his car down dramatically behind the safety car, which in turn led to Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel pulling up beside him, before the Red Bull and the Toro Rosso drivers collided, resulting in the end of the race for both of them.

Sebastian Vettel was later deemed guilty by the race stewards and will be punished with a 10 place penalty in the upcoming Shanghai Grand Prix this weekend.

Franz Tost, the Toro Rosso team principal, alerted the FIA to the footage in a bid to appeal against Sebastian Vettel's penalty. The incident was not caught on official race footage, but this video could prove to be a key evidence for the incident.

Hamilton was slammed by Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, as well as several other drivers down the field such as Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso. The lead car was supposed to keep within 5 car lengths from the safety car, but Hamilton, on several occasions, had been braking the car to almost a standstill, resulting in those behind him to bunch up, before zooming off again.

If found guilty, Hamilton could either find his 10 points earned deducted, or be demoted 10 grids for the Chinese Grand Prix, and both are not going to be beneficial in his bid to become the youngest world champion by this weekend.

Ralf Schumacher Set to Leave Toyota

Yet another of the worst-kept secrets of this crazy F1 season has been confirmed by the man himself - Ralf Schumacher, after 3 years of less-than-impressive performance, has decided to part ways with the Toyota team.

He has yet to announce where he is headed next, with no team having explicitly expressed their interest in the German driver. Ralf said that he would announce his plans at the end of this season, and has also mentioned that money will not be an important factor in his new job search.

Meanwhile, the Toyota team would be on the lookout for a new driver to replace Ralf. Nico Rosberg, from the Williams-Toyota team, looks to be a prospective candidate, but Toyota would face a fierce competition from Mclaren and any other team eager to land their hands on this rising star who has proven himself worthy (and pipped to be as good as Lewis Hamilton by team boss Sir Frank Williams) more than often this season.

But of course, now everyone will hold their breaths to see what reigning world champion (soon we probably wouldn't be using it on him anymore)Fernando Alonso would do. Renault has supposedly offered him a contract with a likely promise of the Number 1 status in the team (and probably partnering Heikki Kovalainen). If Fernando Alonso choose to take that, Renault would have to buy out the remaining 2 years of his contract with Mclaren, and Giancarlo Fisichella could be left without a job and Mclaren would be looking for a partner for Lewis.

It's all one big driver-movement circus.