The Official Formula One Fantasy League News/Results Thread.

[Brainy]

Australia Preview - Round 1

Formula1.com

If you ever needed a testament to the power of development in Formula One racing, consider the ban on traction control and the comments of the men who are arguably the three fastest in the business: Ferrari world champion Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, and former double champion, Renault’s Fernando Alonso.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Albert Park race, none of them think the ban will make much difference. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same!

“I think there was a big difference when we tried before Christmas for the first time with last year’s car,” Raikkonen admitted in Melbourne on Thursday. “It was a lot more difficult but then with the new car we improved in the areas where it was less good and it helped a lot. Now with new tyres you do not feel the difference on the one lap whether you have traction control or not. I think when it is a difficult condition, wet or slippery, then it will be much more tricky but you don’t really notice.”

Hamilton agreed: “It was not really too much of a problem. As I said when they tried to introduce it I thought it was a good idea because all the other categories I have driven in we did not have traction control. I am not going to say if I prefer one to the other because they are both quite different to drive but this one is a challenge and everyone is in the same boat. I think they have done a really good job in working with all the controls but I am sure we will keep on improving. And development has definitely minimized the difference. So time-wise I think you will see that we will all do similar times to when we had traction control.”

“It’s made less difference than I thought, to be honest,” Alonso said. “The first time I test was in Jerez and I was expecting more problems than we had. Okay, in the long run you feel the drop in the tyres and you feel the loss of traction and the braking stability but nothing too big, similar with some times we had last year as well, so as I said not a big difficulty. But it still does change circuit to circuit and at some circuits there is nearly no difference compared to last year and at some others it is a little bit more, so I imagine that every circuit will be different and maybe Monaco and places like this will be a big difference compared to last year. But we will see.

“All the teams are working to try and get the mechanical side and the aero side to what we lost in terms of electronics, so for sure with the set-up and all the other things around the car we are trying to deal with the loss of the electronics.”

None of them says they have changed their driving style to compensate for the loss of the electronic aid, or for engine braking control for that matter.

The one place there could be a problem is at the start, which might see grids reshuffled before first corners. “I could see at the moment much more chance to lose some places now,” Raikkonen admitted, referring to getting off the line. “Before it was more or less automatic. You had a good start or not so good but it was always very close. Now it is up to you and if you make a mistake you are going to be very slow off the grid and you can gain but you can also lose. I think when it is wet conditions it is quite tricky to get a good start.”

All three of the protagonists seemed happy in their own way, as each chases a different goal in 2008. Raikkonen may be the most fulfilled of the three, as the reigning champion. Hamilton looked the most relaxed. And Alonso showed slight traces of tetchiness as he fended off questions about his relationship with Hamilton.

A year ago Raikkonen was about to start his first race for Ferrari, and to win. Twelve months down the road, he returns to Albert Park a champion, and the pre-season favourite. “For sure it is much easier to come now,” he conceded. “It is different because I know the team, know the people, so ... Last year went very well for us. Now it should be easier as I know the team.”

But he isn’t playing up the favourite tag and says he isn’t bothered about the pressure. “No, but I think we have not even started the championship yet, so let’s see what happens. We will do the best job we can but for sure we expect to do well in our team. I think the two main teams seem to be a bit ahead of the others and four drivers, so anything can happen.”

Hamilton was a rookie this time last year, and comes back as the man who nearly won the title in his debut season. “I think it is better,” he said, referring to his situation as de facto McLaren team leader. “There is better preparation. Last year I and my trainer were both rookies and we did the best job we could which was good but there were areas we could improve on and we have done.

“I don’t think there is more pressure, I think there is less pressure than last year. Last year there was a huge build-up and just a lot of weight hanging on my shoulders, really, because no-one really knew if I was going to do well or what. And neither did I. It is a slightly different feeling. I think I know even more now knowing what a season feels like. I am even hungrier and I feel even more determined and just more excited about racing. It has been too long a break. It really has seemed to drag along even though the race is a little bit earlier. It just seems forever since we raced last.”

Down at Renault, Alonso admitted that some of the title-winning confidence was sapped away by last year’s disappointments. “Maybe a little bit,” he said. “Of course after winning two years in a row when I left in 2006 they were confident and they were believing in themselves a lot. Now for sure you know no good results last year, maybe a little bit lacking in confidence now but I think they know that were are able and they are able to do good things. They have nothing to prove to anybody, so it is just a matter of time and good work with everybody to put in a better place again.

“I will try to do the best job we can. For sure coming back to Renault for me is a great challenge and for them too I think because they are extra motivated this year to have the success we have had in the past and I am extra motivated as well so we all have the same goal and the same target.”

On Friday, we will finally see the first true patterns of the season start to emerge, perhaps find out how close to the stars their respective team mates are likely to get. At long last, the season will truly get underway.

[Brainy]

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.572 1:25.187 1:26.714 14

2 4 Robert Kubica BMW 1:26.103 1:25.315 1:26.869 15

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.664 1:25.452 1:27.079 13

4 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:25.994 1:25.691 1:27.178 12

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:25.960 1:25.518 1:27.236 16

6 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:26.427 1:26.101 1:28.527 17

7 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:26.295 1:26.059 1:28.687 21

8 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:26.381 1:26.063 1:29.041 18

9 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:26.919 1:26.164 1:29.593 17

10 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:26.702 1:25.842 No time 18

11 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:26.369 1:26.173 13

12 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:26.907 1:26.188 10

13 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:26.712 1:26.259 13

14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:26.891 1:26.413 13

15 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:26.914 No time 8

16 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:26.140 3

17 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:27.207 9

18 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:27.446 10

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:27.859 9

20 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:28.208 9

21 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:28.330 6

22 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:29.059 9

[Brainy]

Australia Race Results

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 58 1:34:50.616 1 10

2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 58 +5.4 secs 5 8

3 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 58 +8.1 secs 7 6

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 58 +17.1 secs 11 5

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 58 +18.0 secs 3 4

6 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 57 +1 Lap 13 3

7 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 55 +3 Laps 17 2

8 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 53 Engine 15 1

Ret 4 Robert Kubica BMW 47 Accident 2

Ret 12 Timo Glock Toyota 43 Accident 18

Ret 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 32 Transmission 19

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 30 Accident damage 20

Ret 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 29 Engine 4

Ret 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 25 Accident 8

Ret 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 19 Electrical 6

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 8 Hydraulics 22

Ret 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 0 Accident 14

Ret 16 Jenson Button Honda 0 Accident 12

Ret 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 0 Accident 21

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 0 Accident 9

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 0 Accident 16

DSQ 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 58 +52.4 secs 10

[Brainy]

Malaysia Preview - Round 2

Formula1.com

Don’t for a moment imagine after the Australian Grand Prix that McLaren are going to get complacent, or that Ferrari have let their heads drop. Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo might have said, after engine failures stymied Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in Melbourne: "It was a healthy dose of humility." But, he also said: "I'm looking forward to Malaysia when I expect to see the real Ferrari."

And new team principal Stefano Domenicali added: "The result speaks for itself. Unfortunately it was a dreadful weekend. Nothing went as planned, so it was difficult. But if you remember, in 2006 we had a similar start with the two non-finishes and we were able to catch up again.

"We weren't phenomenal guys before this race and we are not stupid after it, so we really need to analyse in all the details what has happened. And of course the main concern is to understand the reliability problems. We had two engines fail so this is the main issue to understand. But we need to stay cool, calm and concentrated. We need not be too emotional now because it's very easy to go down that route. We need to stay very rational."

McLaren never underestimate Ferrari, and are not expecting another relatively easy run in Sepang this weekend.

"Every Grand Prix team experiences difficult weekends," said team principal Ron Dennis, who will miss this race because of family commitments in England. "They have got a lot of depth and we are under no illusions that they will come back and will be very competitive in Malaysia and for the rest of the season. All we can do is try and stay focused on our own efforts and that is what we will do.”

The indications in Melbourne were that the two top teams have similar pace. What was also exciting, however, is that Nick Heidfeld’s best race lap for BMW Sauber, who finished second in Albert Park, was only three-tenths of a second off McLaren, and the same as Ferrari.

“We were very pleased with the way things went,” admits technical director Willy Rampf with a big smile. “We did not get the best from the cars on Friday, but we were happy with the set-ups on Saturday and I think that showed in our performance then, and in the race. But we are cautious. Sepang is a different kind of track to Melbourne, so we must wait and see how well it suits our cars.”

Nevertheless, don’t write off the chances of Heidfeld and front-row starting team-mate Robert Kubica, in their F1.08s.

Likewise, Williams are feeling very chipper after Nico Rosberg’s strong performance won him his first F1 podium. The FW30 looked very impressive last weekend, and Kazuki Nakajima also earned points to place the team second overall ahead of BMW Sauber. On the downside, Nakajima will be hamstrung by an automatic ten-place grid demotion at Sepang, a penalty for the Japanese driver colliding with another car in Melbourne.

Then there is Red Bull. Mark Webber got no chance to show what the RB4 could do in the race, and is hungry to correct that this weekend. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is also out for further points. The Renault R28 may not yet be a front-runner that can challenge McLaren and Ferrari, but the Spaniard’s driving in Australia, especially when he overtook Raikkonen and Kovalainen in one swoop, served as a reminder that he has lost none of his skill or motivation.

“Sepang really is my favourite track,” the former champion says. “I took my first pole position there in 2003 with Renault, and I have won this race twice. It’s a circuit that I enjoy and I always tend to attack a little bit more.”

Renault’s executive director of engineering, Pat Symonds, is not alone in believing that it will take the next two races before the true picture of 2008’s pecking order emerges in Spain.

The challenge of Sepang lies in its fast sweeping turns, especially Turns 4 through to 8, which demand a well-balanced chassis. Good traction is also important, especially on the exit of Turn 9, the tight left hander. The opening combination of Turns 1 and 2 is also a difficult challenge for the drivers, but they get compensated by Turn 14 which demands genuine skill with its tightening entry which is approached under braking.

The high ambient temperatures also place a premium on adequate cooling, and the track is tougher on tyres than Melbourne. Bridgestone’s offering in Malaysia will be the medium and hard compounds, as opposed to the soft and medium used in Australia. That, and the ban on traction control, will force drivers to look after their rear tyres, which already tend to wear quickly here. Throw in the changes to the electronic engine braking systems, which have tended to make the cars trickier to handle under braking, and we could have another race like Melbourne with drivers getting caught out by mistakes.

As a subtle warning to the opposition Dennis added, in reference to Lewis Hamilton after Australia: “He was very fresh, and he was very comfortable. And he was saving the engine. It was very easy! I think we have shown we have a very competitive car, so we will go to Malaysia with a very positive mood.”

[Brainy]

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:35.347 1:34.412 1:35.748 17

2 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:35.645 1:34.188 1:36.230 13

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.227 1:34.759 1:36.613 12

4 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.392 1:34.627 1:36.709 18

5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:35.205 1:34.825 1:36.711 18

6 4 Robert Kubica BMW 1:35.794 1:34.811 1:36.727 13

7 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:35.729 1:34.648 1:36.753 13

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:35.440 1:34.967 1:37.009 18

9 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:35.983 1:35.140 1:38.450 18

10 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:35.891 1:35.000 1:39.656 20

11 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:35.847 1:35.208 15

12 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:36.058 1:35.408 12

13 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:36.074 1:35.562 12

14 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:36.198 1:35.622 15

15 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:36.111 1:35.648 15

16 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:35.843 1:35.670 13

17 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:36.240 9

18 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:36.388 9

19 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:36.677 8

20 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:37.087 9

21 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:37.101 10

22 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:37.481 9

[Brainy]

Malaysia Race Results

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 56 1:31:18.555 2 10

2 4 Robert Kubica BMW 56 +19.5 secs 4 8

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 56 +38.4 secs 8 6

4 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 56 +45.8 secs 3 5

5 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 +46.5 secs 9 4

6 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 56 +49.8 secs 5 3

7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 56 +68.1 secs 6 2

8 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 56 +70.0 secs 7 1

9 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 56 +76.2 secs 12

10 16 Jenson Button Honda 56 +86.2 secs 11

11 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 56 +92.2 secs 13

12 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 55 +1 Lap 17

13 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 55 +1 Lap 14

14 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 55 +1 Lap 16

15 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 55 +1 Lap 21

16 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 54 +2 Laps 19

17 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 54 +2 Laps 22

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 39 +17 Laps 15

Ret 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 30 Spin 1

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 5 +51 Laps 20

Ret 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1 Accident 10

Ret 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 0 Spin 18

[Brainy]

Bahrain Preview - Round 3

Formula1.com

BMW Sauber do not want to commit themselves to any hierarchical order at the moment, to quote technical director Willy Rampf, but there is absolutely no doubt that they head into this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir determined to keep up their good work and to do everything that they can to challenge the dominance of Ferrari and McLaren.

Can they do it? The performance of the BMW Sauber F1.08 in Australia and Malaysia suggests that they will at worst be able to keep up the pressure on their rivals.

"Our bottom line after the first batch of overseas races looks pretty good: we're very happy with our two second places in Melbourne and Sepang, our first fastest race lap in Malaysia and 19 points in the championship," team boss Mario Theissen said this week. "So, after a brief pit stop back home, we will be heading for Bahrain well motivated. We aim to keep up the same level of performance as we've shown so far."

Ferrari are feeling very confident once again, following Kimi Raikkonen’s dominant victory in Sepang. “We showed there what we are really capable of,” said team principal Stefano Domenicali. “We believe that our title challenge is now well and truly launched.”

Ferrari may have an advantage, together with Toyota, having tested here previously this year. McLaren, meanwhile, insist that not testing here will not disadvantage them.

"Of course we would have liked to test in Bahrain but we do have to prioritise where we spend our time,” says their Formula One CEO Martin Whitmarsh. “Over the winter we have improved the aerodynamic efficiency of the car and cooling generally so it’s not currently one of our vulnerable points. We have good data from running at the Bahrain track in previous years so we are confident it will not prove too much of a disadvantage."

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton loves the place: "Bahrain is a really cool circuit; it is quite different to any other because you are literally driving round the desert. There are no trees or buildings as you are driving round, just desert. I really like the track, there are a lot of opportunities to overtake, for example Turns One, Four, Seven, and 10. With all the straights you can do a lot of slipstreaming and then make sure you get good exits. So in terms of racing it is a very good track.

“The layout is a great design, starting off with a very long straight, then down to a very tight first gear corner and then you accelerate through a slight kink before going up another long straight. It is a curvy circuit with lots of kinks and gradient changes that are quite large in some areas. Also the wind plays a big part, bringing sand on to the track that means any part that is off line is very slippery. It is very hot in Bahrain, as in Australia and Malaysia, so it is ideal that these three are together at the beginning as they are all very physically demanding and you can prepare for them all at one time.

"I love the Bahrain race, it is one of the ones I really look forward too, like Monaco and Spa. I have a lot of good memories of the track; last year I had a fantastic race. It was great fun and I took my third podium in Formula 1 and took the joint lead of the World Championship, it was a bit unreal. The best memory is from 2004: I recovered from a disastrous qualifying in F3, and I ended up in 23rd. I worked my way back up the grid to win the race. That was one of the most emotional races I had been involved in up to that point."

Elsewhere, Red Bull and Toyota are seeking to continue their improved performance, Renault are looking for more on a track where the R25 and R26 models were previously victorious, and Williams are desperate to put the nightmare of Sepang behind them and run back at the head of the midfield as they did in Australia.

Like the Circuit du Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Sepang is very tough on brakes, with some heavy braking at the end of the high-speed straights, and the effect of wind and sand blown on to the track as a result can lead to sudden changes in grip levels. It is also tough on engines. All teams take precautions against the ingress of sand, and because of the way that the four long straights are each followed by tight corners, the engine’s load profile is in the medium range with two thirds of a lap run under full throttle.

In the 2008 drivers’ championship chase, Hamilton leads with 14 points from Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld on 11 and Heikki Kovalainen on 10, while the constructors’ table sees McLaren on 24, BMW Sauber on 19 and Ferrari on 11.

[Brainy]

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 4 Robert Kubica BMW 1:32.893 1:31.745 1:33.096 12

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:31.937 1:31.188 1:33.123 12

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:32.750 1:31.922 1:33.292 13

4 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:32.652 1:31.933 1:33.418 12

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.057 1:31.718 1:33.488 12

6 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 1:33.137 1:31.909 1:33.737 15

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:32.493 1:32.159 1:33.994 19

8 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:32.903 1:32.185 1:34.015 22

9 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:32.793 1:32.362 1:35.057 17

10 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:32.947 1:32.345 1:35.115 17

11 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:33.194 1:32.371 12

12 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:32.944 1:32.508 12

13 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:32.800 1:32.528 15

14 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:32.975 1:32.790 15

15 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:33.415 1:32.915 15

16 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:33.386 1:32.943 15

17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:33.433 7

18 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:33.501 5

19 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:33.562 9

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:33.845 6

21 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:34.140 9

22 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:35.725 5

[Brainy]

Bahrain Race Results:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 57 Winner 2 10

2 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 57 +3.3 secs 4 8

3 4 Robert Kubica BMW 57 +4.9 secs 1 6

4 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW 57 +8.4 secs 6 5

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 57 +26.7 secs 5 4

6 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 57 +41.3 secs 7 3

7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 57 +45.4 secs 11 2

8 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 57 +55.8 secs 8 1

9 12 Timo Glock Toyota 57 +69.5 secs 13

10 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 57 +77.1 secs 10

11 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 57 +77.8 secs 12

12 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 56 +1 Lap 18

13 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 +1 Lap 3

14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 56 +1 Lap 16

15 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 56 +1 Lap 15

16 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 56 +1 Lap 21

17 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 56 +1 Lap 22

18 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 56 +1 Lap 17

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 55 +2 Laps 20

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 40 +17 Laps 14

Ret 16 Jenson Button Honda 19 +38 Laps 9

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 0 +57 Laps 19

[Brainy]

Spain Preview - Round 4

Formula1.com

If you were hoping that the times set during the recent test session at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya were going to provide a meaningful index to performance in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, you no doubt you came away disappointed.

Felipe Massa was fastest for Ferrari on the first day, but ran on 2009-specification slicks. Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello each had a day atop the timesheets, for Renault and Honda respectively, and Mark Webber dominated the wet final day for Red Bull.

What did it all mean in the end? Only that everyone had a chance to do what they wanted, and in some cases that was not to set fast lap times.

Ferrari had a ‘new’ nose, with an air release slot not dissimilar to that pioneered on Formula One cars in 1968 as designers sought to exhaust hot air from front-mounted radiators, and very close to the purely aerodynamic function of the 1980 Lotus 80. Whether it will make a dramatic difference is currently open to debate, but the team’s aerodynamicist Nicholas Tombazis was careful not to let people get over-excited about it.

“The influence on car performance of the slotted nose has been greatly over emphasised,” Tombazis told reporters. “You cannot measure the effect of one component in isolation and the nose is just one part of a bigger package and in fact, its effect is not that big. Overall, we expect the new aero package to produce some improvement in performance, but it would be wrong to call it a race-winning item.”

Everyone nevertheless hopes that their upgraded mechanical and aerodynamic packages will make them more competitive here. McLaren were cautious, after what appeared to be an inconclusive test. Lewis Hamilton did not set particularly quick lap times, but said he remains buoyant ahead of the start of the European season despite the errors that made Bahrain his worst-ever showing in Formula One racing and cost him his lead in the world championship as he failed to score.

“For sure, you learn something in every race, even if you win,” he said as he prepares to bounce back. “I think we have come a long way and looking into the next race I feel very confident that we can do a better job.”

Referring to the updates on his McLaren MP4-23, he said: “There were a few but not a lot, but we definitely made some steps forward and I think at this test everyone is doing something different. Some people are running slick tyres and some people are running grooves. We just focused on our job and I think the car feels a little better and I feel a little bit more comfortable in it. We feel quite strong here.”

BMW Sauber are riding the crest of a wave of unexpected success right now, and lead the constructors’ championship, but boss Mario Theissen isn’t getting carried away just yet.

"The next race in Barcelona will be pretty interesting for two reasons,” he explained. "The track is very relevant to what we see for the rest of the year, and on the other hand, every team will have a development package for Barcelona. So after Barcelona we will be able to say where we really are.”

Honda and Williams made encouraging noises about their performance, as did Red Bull, Toyota look quietly effective yet again, but Renault frankly admitted that the performance of the updated R28 disappointed, Alonso’s fastest time notwithstanding.

Ferrari may be the current pacesetters, but they say they are expecting a tough fight. “We come to Spain with every reason to be optimistic, after wins in Malaysia and Bahrain,” said team principal Stefano Domenicali. “Testing here went well and we hope to keep our momentum moving forward. However, our rivals have not been twiddling their thumbs either, so we can expect a tough fight which we will tackle as usual with maximum concentration at every stage of the weekend.”

Kimi Raikkonen relishes coming to Europe as championship leader for the first time in his career, and is keen to repeat is 2005 victory. “We have all the components in place to be very competitive,” he says but, echoing his team boss, he adds: “It will be a very tough weekend.”

Back in Australia, and again in Malaysia, McLaren boss Ron Dennis stressed that the true picture of the 2008 world championship would not become apparent until the start of the European leg. “We don't really know what our pace is at the moment,” he said in Melbourne. “We won't really know how competitive our car is until after Barcelona. Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain are very different circuits and do not reflect the true pace of the car. Barcelona will be where it is all at.”

Welcome to the latest showdown.

[Brainy]

1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.701 1:20.784 1:21.813 17

2 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:21.347 1:20.804 1:21.904 18

3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:21.528 1:20.584 1:22.058 16

4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:21.423 1:20.597 1:22.065 13

5 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.366 1:20.825 1:22.096 14

6 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.430 1:20.817 1:22.231 15

7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:21.494 1:20.984 1:22.429 19

8 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:21.158 1:20.907 1:22.529 19

9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:21.466 1:20.815 1:22.542 20

10 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:21.409 1:20.894 1:22.699 18

11 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.548 1:21.049 12

12 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:21.690 1:21.117 15

13 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:21.757 1:21.211 12

14 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:21.427 1:21.230 16

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:21.472 1:21.349 15

16 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:21.540 1:21.724 15

17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.810 6

18 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:22.108 10

19 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:22.516 11

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:23.224 8

21 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.318 9

22 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.496 9

[Brainy]

Spanish Grand Prix Result:

1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 66 1:38:19.051 1 10

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 66 +3.2 secs 3 8

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 66 +4.1 secs 5 6

4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 66 +5.6 secs 4 5

5 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 66 +35.9 secs 7 4

6 16 Jenson Button Honda 66 +53.0 secs 13 3

7 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 66 +58.2 secs 12 2

8 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 66 +59.4 secs 8 1

9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 66 +63.0 secs 9

10 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 65 +1 Lap 19

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 65 +1 Lap 14

12 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 65 +1 Lap 17

13 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 65 +1 Lap 22

Ret 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 41 Mechanical 15

Ret 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 34 Engine 2

Ret 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 34 +32 Laps 11

Ret 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 21 Accident 6

Ret 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 8 +58 Laps 21

Ret 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 7 Accident 16

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 6 Accident 10

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 0 Accident 20

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 0 Accident 18

[Brainy]

Round 5 - Turkey

Formula1.com

Ferrari scored a solid one-two at the last round in Spain, but neither McLaren nor BMW Sauber are letting their heads drop. Both came away from the Circuit de Catalunya - having finished third and fourth respectively - feeling encouraged, and both expect to challenge the red cars in Istanbul this weekend.

"The three quickest teams looked to be very closely matched; and Renault have taken a major step forwards, too," says McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh. "It looks good for the sport, but we have to build on our own solid performance. We know we have some more developments coming through and we have to make sure we get them as soon as we can.

"During the second and third stints Lewis (Hamilton) was as quick as the Ferraris and able to catch up, but trying to pass a rival car at the Circuit de Catalunya is another matter altogether."

Meanwhile, BMW Sauber team principal Mario Theissen says: "Our targets for the Turkish Grand Prix are clear: we want to consolidate our position among the leaders, where Ferrari is currently the yardstick. For the fifth race of the season we will be making detail improvements to the F1.08 again. The layout of this ultra-modern circuit on the Asian side of Istanbul is a real achievement and presents a true challenge. The race has been moved from the height of summer to this earlier date, which should make quite a difference to the demands on the teams and their material. Last year we had to contend with air temperatures of 36 degrees on race day.”

Ferrari may have had the advantage in Barcelona, but team principal Stefano Domenicali is exhorting his team to work ever harder to keep ahead of their rivals. “We saw that they are pushing like hell," he says in reference to McLaren’s and BMW Sauber’s performance in Spain.

"It was a very difficult race with two safety cars that interrupted the pace at which we were progressing. But we did need to keep up the pace and we don't need to lose control of the reliability, because they were only three seconds behind us. The pace will be very tight and the championship is with us leading both, but it will be very, very long, believe me."

World champion Kimi Raikkonen, the current points leader, likes Istanbul Park, having won there from pole in 2005. “It’s a terrific circuit, demanding on the cars, but great fun to drive.” And his team mate Felipe Massa loves it because he has won there the past two years. It is a place that really suits Ferrari.

All of the teams will have minor package changes to optimise their cars for the track, but interestingly Ferrari have revealed that they will not be racing their Lotus 80-style aero nose here, due to the relatively low downforce requirements.

Besides the top three, Renault entertain high hopes after their upturn in performance in Spain, Red Bull and Williams are looking for more points, and Toyota have a regular points contender too in their TF108. Ross Brawn says that the overall smoothness of Istanbul Park will also suit the Honda RA108s much more than Barcelona did with its bumps; that’s a point worth noting since Jenson Button set the race’s fifth-fastest lap on his way to sixth place in Spain.

Elsewhere, Toro Rosso have confirmed that they will run their STR2B for one more race, before debuting the STR3 in Monte Carlo and, of course, Super Aguri will not be present after team principal Aguri Suzuki withdrew the outfit from competition on Tuesday.

All of the drivers love the Istanbul track because it is technical and presents such a great challenge. There are lots of different types of corner, a couple of straights and some elevation changes. All the ups and downs of the track don’t really affect the set-up; they just make it more interesting to drive. There are some chances to overtake, such as going into the first corner, and along the long stretch that heads into the low-speed Turn 12. The corner that everyone talks about is the multi-apex left, Turn Eight. That really sorts the men from the boys.

“It’s bumpier than expected, and because it is such a long, fast corner if you don’t get the line exactly right or lift or accelerate at the wrong moment you will get bounced off the circuit,” Raikkonen says. “We exit the turn flat out at 310 km/h, and it is vital to have been able to get to this speed as it takes you on to one of the short straights at the back of the track.”

[Brainy]

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:25.994 1:26.192 1:27.617 16

2 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.736 1:26.290 1:27.808 16

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.192 1:26.477 1:27.923 15

4 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:26.457 1:26.050 1:27.936 17

5 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:26.761 1:26.129 1:28.390 17

6 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:26.773 1:26.466 1:28.417 17

7 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:26.836 1:26.522 1:28.422 18

8 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:26.695 1:26.822 1:28.836 20

9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:27.107 1:26.607 1:28.882 20

10 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:26.939 1:26.520 1:29.959 16

11 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:27.367 1:27.012 13

12 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:27.355 1:27.219 13

13 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:27.428 1:27.298 14

14 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:27.442 1:27.412 15

15 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:26.614 1:27.806 15

16 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:27.547 9

17 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:27.568 7

18 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:27.621 8

19 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:27.807 10

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:28.325 9

[Brainy]

Turkish Race Results

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 58 1:26:49.451 1 10

2 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 58 +3.7 secs 3 8

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 58 +4.2 secs 4 6

4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 58 +21.9 secs 5 5

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 58 +38.7 secs 9 4

6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 58 +53.7 secs 7 3

7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 58 +64.2 secs 6 2

8 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 58 +71.4 secs 11 1

9 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 58 +75.2 secs 10

10 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 58 +76.3 secs 8

11 16 Jenson Button Honda 57 +1 Lap 13

12 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 57 +1 Lap 2

13 12 Timo Glock Toyota 57 +1 Lap 15

14 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 57 +1 Lap 12

15 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 57 +1 Lap 17

16 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 57 +1 Lap 19

17 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 57 +1 Lap 14

Ret 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 24 Spin 18

Ret 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1 Accident damage 16

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 0 Accident 20

[Brainy]

Round 5: Monaco

Formula1.com

A year ago, after finishing second to McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton subtly let it be known that he was angry not to have won. It was the first manifestation of the underlying tensions that would later create problems within the team and result in Alonso going back to Renault.

Hamilton narrowly missed out on pole position to the Spaniard, but later it transpired that he had up to six laps’ more fuel onboard. He hounded Alonso throughout the race, and was staggered when he was called in to refuel three laps sooner than he had expected, thus nullifying the advantage he believed would win him the race. He made sure everybody at the post-race conference knew about it with a seemingly benign comment registering his surprise at McLaren’s tactics.

“Monaco is my favourite race,” Hamilton says this time around, and he is dead set on winning it. “You have the history all around, you can just feel it, and the atmosphere is fantastic. It is the Grand Prix that every driver wants to win. Being a street circuit it is very exciting to drive, there is no room for any error all weekend. To be quick you need to use every centimetre of the circuit, this even includes touching the barriers at some points.

“Unpredictable is the word that sums up Monaco from a performance perspective. It was a great race in Turkey, we know the performance is there, but at Monaco literally anything can happen. The set-up is quite a lot different, the primary requirement is fantastic traction, to ensure you can get out of the corners well. Because there are no straights, we put as much downforce as we can on the car as we don’t need to, and aren’t able, to reach the speeds of any other track.

“It is so tight, and very difficult to describe how it feels in the car because you are so low. You are hitting some corners at 180 mph, as you are braking down you know there is no run-off area, you can’t see the exit. All you can see is directly what is in front of you, probably about 50 metres. In some corners it is almost a guess, you are guessing where the car should be, hoping that you are in the right place, relying on your instinct and memory.”

Monaco is also about glitter and glamour, but he says he keeps himself as clear of that as possible: “It’s not a distraction in any way. As with any race I am just fully focused on getting the job done. Monaco weekend more than any other is about being 100 percent in the zone and so I just keep myself to myself.”

Hamilton wants to even the score to two wins apiece with the Ferrari teamsters Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. But it will be tough. All of the teams ran at Paul Ricard last week, on the shorter circuit made up to simulate the corners of Monaco, and the two top teams were only a tenth of a second apart. McLaren had an advantage last year, but Ferrari believe they will have the upper hand this time in the tight corners that abound in the Principality.

“For sure last year was okay,” says Turkish Grand Prix winner Massa. “I finished third but McLaren were very strong there. We have been working a lot on the set-up for Monte Carlo for this year, so hopefully we will have good chance to win there as well.

“Even being on the podium would be good as you always want to score as many points as possible. We know Monte Carlo is a track which can be very tricky, especially without traction control. But I am looking forward to being very strong there as well.”

Raikkonen says he has already moved on from a disappointing race in Istanbul. “Afterwards it's always easy to say what we could have done. But I never do that and this case is closed. We'll have two days of tests in France to test the solutions for the Monaco GP, and are very motivated to try to be strong on a track where we were not competitive last year.”

BMW Sauber chief Dr Mario Theissen strongly believes that his drivers Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica will be in the hunt in Monaco too, but McLaren CEO Martin Whitmarsh said Hamilton’s fighting second place in Turkey had boosted his team’s confidence at a time when they desperately need another win.

“Lewis had an extraordinary sprinting race in Turkey. He's going to Monaco now, where I think we'll have a competitive car...we've worked pretty hard on that and it's a circuit that both of our drivers like. Lewis has won in F3 and GP2 there and clearly feels he could have had a crack at winning last year, and will be very keen to do that this year.”

Other points of interest are Giancarlo Fisichella’s 200th race, and the arrival of Toro Rosso’s new STR3 chassis in the hands of Sebastian Vettel and crowd favourite Sebastien Bourdais.

[Brainy]

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:15.190 1:15.110 1:15.787 20

2 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:15.717 1:15.404 1:15.815 19

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.582 1:15.322 1:15.839 20

4 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.295 1:15.389 1:16.165 25

5 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:15.977 1:15.483 1:16.171 18

6 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:15.935 1:15.287 1:16.548 24

7 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:16.646 1:15.827 1:16.852 20

8 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:16.306 1:15.598 1:17.203 21

9 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:16.074 1:15.745 1:17.343 19

10 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:16.086 1:15.839 no time 18

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:16.285 1:15.907 16

12 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:16.259 1:16.101 13

13 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:16.650 1:16.455 14

14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:16.756 1:16.479 16

15 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:16.208 1:16.537 12

16 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:16.806 9

17 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:16.933 8

18 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:16.955 11

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:17.225 12

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:17.823 8

[Brainy]

Monaco Grand Prix:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 76 Winner 3 10

2 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 76 +3.0 secs 5 8

3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 76 +4.8 secs 1 6

4 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 76 +19.2 secs 9 5

5 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 76 +24.6 secs 19 4

6 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 76 +28.4 secs 14 3

7 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 76 +30.1 secs 13 2

8 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 76 +33.1 secs 4 1

9 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 76 +33.7 secs 2

10 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 75 +1 Lap 7

11 16 Jenson Button Honda 75 +1 Lap 11

12 12 Timo Glock Toyota 75 +1 Lap 10

13 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 75 +1 Lap 8

14 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 72 +4 Laps 12

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 67 Accident 18

Ret 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 59 Accident 6

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 47 Accident 17

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 36 +40 Laps 20

Ret 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 7 Accident 15

Ret 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 7 Accident 16

[Steven]

Do I get my money back?

[Brainy]

Round 7 - Montreal

Formula1.com

Back in the lead of the world championship after his victory in Monaco, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton is determined to become 2008’s first three-time winner on the circuit at which he took his maiden Grand Prix triumph last season, as the Formula One circus moves to Canada.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are similarly searching for their third victory of the season and after the Italian team’s disappointing Monte Carlo result, both will be out to make amends at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

“Winning at Monaco is the highlight of my career, it was a very emotional victory for me as it is something I have dreamed of since I was a kid,” says Hamilton. “I will never forget the moment, but now my only focus is Canada. We have good momentum right now and we are pushing to keep that going and to keep developing.

“The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of my favourite tracks and following last year it is a very special place for me. I hope that we will be quick there again this year. It is renowned for its difficult track surfaces, particularly with tyre graining, and the walls. Despite being very fast, it can feel like a street circuit with the barriers very close, but it is good fun to drive.”

Twelve months on from his first pole position and victory, Hamilton reflected recently on how his career has developed.

“Last year in Canada was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, to take my maiden pole and victory in Formula One was incredible. Since then I think I’ve matured a lot. I have grown stronger as a driver and have become closer to the team.”

Similar things might be said of Massa, who is beginning to emerge as a real force at Ferrari. “I think we have gone very well in the recent test at Paul Ricard, with the car set-up for Canada,” the Brazilian says. “I think we will be a lot better there than we were last year, and I think we can fight for the win.”

Team mate Kimi Raikkonen, who won in Montreal for McLaren in 2005, needs a strong result after Monaco. He is convinced the F2008 will work better than last year around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, when Ferrari had a relatively poor Canadian Grand Prix, with the Finn taking fifth place and Massa being disqualified for a pit lane infringement.

“Traditionally Canada is a good race for Ferrari,” says Raikkonen, “so let's hope that we can continue this tradition. It's possible to have strange races there, too, because it's very possible that the safety car will be employed, but we're ready for every kind of situation.”

Meanwhile, the BMW Sauber pairing of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld (a podium finisher here in 2007), are also hungry, the German-Swiss team currently just a point shy of second-placed McLaren in the constructor standings.

"Last year's race was very special for me,” Heidfeld says. “We put in a very strong showing in 2007. I came third in qualifying and finished second in the race on my own merit. Initially that result was obviously overshadowed by Robert's accident. Only when we knew he was okay were we able to celebrate.”

The Pole says that he has no qualms about the place despite the massive accident that befell him here in 2007.

“I don't think there will be any emotions for me,” he says. “Like always at every Grand Prix I will try to do my best. And after the accident of last year there was no effect - there was no effect until now so I don’t expect anything.”

The teams always run low downforce here because of the long straights, so mechanical grip becomes even more important. Brake performance and durability is also critical, as this is the toughest circuit of the season in that respect.

"It is very heavy on the brakes and we have to pay special attention to make sure they last the race,” says Heikki Kovalainen, who will be looking for his first victory with McLaren. “It is also definitely key to a good lap at this track to be able to ride the kerbs well; basically you are trying to straight-line them so you can go faster through the corner. The most important thing is being able to take those bumps and the hits well and for it not to disrupt the car too much. So in general the car needs to be quite soft."

The track has been modified at the point on the back straight where Kubica crashed. The wall that he hit on the outside has been moved closer to the track to reduce the angle of impact if a car goes off there in a similar accident. Improved debris fencing has also been added to reduce the possibility of debris being thrown across the wall into the path of cars exiting the hairpin.

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve gets little use during the year so the surface tends to be very slippery until it cleans up with use and ‘rubbers in’. Thereafter, the grip level increases significantly.

Bridgestone will have their soft and super-soft tyres again, as in Monaco, but the indications from the weather forecasts are that they may well need their wet-weather rubber instead. A chance of thunderstorms is predicted for all three racing days.

[Brainy]

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:16.909 1:17.034 1:17.886 19

2 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:17.471 1:17.679 1:18.498 14

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:17.301 1:17.364 1:18.735 23

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:17.415 1:17.488 1:18.746 22

5 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:17.991 1:17.891 1:18.844 26

6 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:17.231 1:17.353 1:19.048 23

7 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:17.287 1:17.684 1:19.089 25

8 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:18.082 1:17.781 1:19.633 21

9 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:18.256 1:18.020 1:20.848 25

10 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:17.582 1:17.523 no time 15

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:18.321 1:18.031 19

12 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:17.638 1:18.062 19

13 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:18.168 1:18.238 19

14 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:18.039 1:18.327 16

15 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:18.505 1:18.393 18

16 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:18.916 10

17 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:19.108 12

18 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:19.165 12

19 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:23.565 3

20 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari no time 0

[Brainy]

1 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 70 1:36:24.447 2 10

2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 70 +16.4 secs 8 8

3 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 70 +23.3 secs 13 6

4 12 Timo Glock Toyota 70 +42.6 secs 11 5

5 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 70 +43.9 secs 6 4

6 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 70 +47.7 secs 14 3

7 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 70 +53.5 secs 9 2

8 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 70 +54.1 secs 19 1

9 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 70 +54.4 secs 7

10 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 70 +57.7 secs 5

11 16 Jenson Button Honda 70 +67.5 secs 20

12 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 70 +71.2 secs 10

13 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 18

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 51 Accident 17

Ret 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 46 Accident 12

Ret 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 44 Accident 4

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 39 Brakes 15

Ret 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 19 Accident 3

Ret 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 19 Accident 1

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 13 Gearbox 16

[Brainy]

Round 8 - France

Formula1.com

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen is busy telling the world that he wants to satisfy his lust for winning; BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica is quietly determined not to lose his lead in the world championship; and Lewis Hamilton has been admitting to the pressure he is feeling as McLaren’s (and his country’s) golden hope for title honours.

Frankly, the odds favour the Ferrari and BMW Sauber teams in Magny-Cours rather than Hamilton, as he will be given the 10-place grid penalty for his gaffe of running into the back of Raikkonen recently in Canada.

Raikkonen proclaimed earlier this week: "I don't remember when I had such a great lust for winning. The team had prepared a car, which was able to be strong on all the tracks, but it didn't go well during the last races.

“I don't like looking back and think about what happened at the last race. I don't carry bad thoughts with me, because that would just make me lose time, as you can't change the result anyway. It's much better to concentrate on the upcoming GP and try to get the best result possible."

The Finn won here last year, of course, and needs a strong result to contain the increasing challenge not just from Kubica but also from team mate Felipe Massa who drove storming races in Monaco and Montreal. For his part, Massa believes the F2008 will be well suited to Magny-Cours, though the Brazilian remains wary of the BMW Sauber threat.

“It is a nice track that usually suits the characteristics of our car,” he said. “In recent years, people would say that Canada and Monaco suited McLaren better than Ferrari, while it was the other way round in France and Britain, but I don't think that is really the case this year, as apart from any other factors, we have to consider the BMW team in this equation.”

Meanwhile, Hamilton told British broadcasters the BBC: “The sport is fun, but there's a way you have to learn to enjoy it. There's so much pressure, and I can't begin to explain how much pressure I have on my shoulders.”

The grid penalty will make it almost impossible for Hamilton to win at Magny-Cours, a circuit that historically favours the Ferraris and on which it is horribly difficult to overtake. However, there may be one thing that could disrupt anticipated form and that’s the weather. Severe thunderstorms are currently predicted for race day, after rain for qualifying.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself, and when you don't succeed it doesn't feel so great," Hamilton acknowledged. "But these are character-building days and the days that make you stronger. I didn't win the last race but I'm loving this. I get to come back here, work with the guys and push forward, and there's a great atmosphere, always pushing to get better and I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm really enjoying myself."

He has put down his mistakes earlier in the year to the fact that he put a lot of pressure on himself. "Too much. And that led to mistakes, being too on the limit. I wasn't really enjoying it, to be honest."

Kubica, like Raikkonen, keeps his emotional cards close to his chest and never gives much away. Barely alluding to his lead in the world championship for drivers, he said: "For many people Magny-Cours is a boring place, but I like the track quite a lot. This is the place where I came back last year after my accident. It's an interesting track because it has all kinds of corners - high-speed, low-speed, high-speed chicanes, a hairpin and heavy braking. So I'm looking forward to the race and I hope that I can do as well as possible here, as I have done in most of the Grands Prix since the beginning of the season.

“I hope we will again have some improvements on the car that will help us to close the gap to Ferrari and McLaren. My goal is to score as many points as possible and to still be in a strong position after the race.”

Bridgestone will bring the 'soft' and 'medium' tyre compounds from their 2008 range to this race, which, with characteristics akin to Monaco, is known to be particularly tiresome for rubber.

[Brainy]

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:15.133 1:15.161 1:16.449 16

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:15.024 1:15.041 1:16.490 17

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.634 1:15.293 1:16.693 15

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:15.754 1:15.483 1:16.840 18

5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:15.521 1:15.362 1:16.920 19

6 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.965 1:15.639 1:16.944 18

7 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:15.687 1:15.723 1:17.037 19

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:16.020 1:15.488 1:17.233 18

9 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:15.802 1:15.654 1:17.426 19

10 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:15.727 1:15.558 1:17.596 24

11 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:15.848 1:15.770 12

12 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:16.006 1:15.786 14

13 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:15.918 1:15.816 17

14 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:16.072 1:16.045 17

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:16.085 1:16.235 12

16 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:16.243 9

17 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:16.306 9

18 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:16.330 6

19 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:16.971 10

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:17.053 9

[Brainy]

French GP Results

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 70 1:31:50.245 2 10

2 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 70 +17.9 secs 1 8

3 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 70 +28.2 secs 4 6

4 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 70 +28.9 secs 10 5

5 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 70 +30.5 secs 5 4

6 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 70 +40.3 secs 6 3

7 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 70 +41.0 secs 9 2

8 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 70 +43.3 secs 3 1

9 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 70 +51.0 secs 7

10 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 70 +54.5 secs 13

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 70 +57.7 secs 8

12 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 70 +58.0 secs 12

13 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 70 +62.0 secs 11

14 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 69 +1 Lap 20

15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 69 +1 Lap 15

16 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 69 +1 Lap 19

17 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 14

18 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 17

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 18

Ret 16 Jenson Button Honda 16 +54 Laps 16