The Official Formula One Fantasy League News/Results Thread.

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Round 9 - Silverstone

Formula1.com

Ferrari and McLaren go head-to-head at Silverstone this weekend in a race that may well prove crucial in the world championship campaign of local hero Lewis Hamilton. The fast Northamptonshire track has recently favoured Ferrari, but McLaren have been happy all season with their MP4-23’s behaviour in high-speed corners and, following last week’s test of new aerodynamic parts - notably a new front wing - specifically for this race, Hamilton was even happier after lapping in 1m 19.1s. That’s eight-tenths of a second faster than his 2007 pole position time, despite the ban on traction control and automated engine braking.

"The test was really encouraging," Hamilton said as he prepares to try and reduce his 10-point deficit to series leader Felipe Massa. “The changes we've made in the last few tests have really improved the car. I haven't back-to-backed the new parts so I don't have a benchmark, but the car feels strong around here and I can't wait to be racing in front of my home crowd again."

Ten thousand spectators attended the test, and Hamilton said he could already feel then the lift he will get from his fans this weekend: "Driving into Silverstone felt really cool - I couldn't believe how many fans were at the track so early in the morning; they're pretty special, the most dedicated F1 supporters in the world.

"At lunchtime I couldn't believe the amount of people that were waiting outside my garage - it was insane! And while I couldn't say hi to all of them, their support always gives me a special lift at this place."

Ferrari, meanwhile, are very strong and were very quick in the test courtesy of Massa. Team mate Kimi Raikkonen, who will use up his ‘complimentary’ engine change at Silverstone following his exhaust problems in France, says that he expects the F2008 to be quick this weekend: “I hope it will be. McLaren are always strong here, and I'm expecting that this weekend. I think it's going to be quite close between us and I don't see the other teams being close enough for the win, but with them (McLaren) it is going to be a tight fight.”

Regarding their title battle, he adds: “It helps for sure if you are consistent. If you are not fast enough then you still need to try and win the races, and get there. If you can score points in every race, then you are always going to be in a strong position.”

BMW Sauber hope to bounce back after their disappointing showing in France.

"Silverstone has a great history and is a very nice track,” said former points leader Robert Kubica. “It is very important to have good downforce here, especially in the high-speed first sector. Later on in the lap the track has some low-speed corners. From a driver's perspective, the circuit is a good mix that makes a lot of different demands. Wind conditions are always a big factor, and they can have quite an effect on the car in the first sector. Furthermore, British weather is always unpredictable, but I have been to races in Silverstone three or four times and never had rain. So let's wait and see."

Honda have engine, chassis and aerodynamic modifications for the RA108s that local hero Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will run. Force India will also be presenting a new look with a heavy revamp of the VJM01 which features new sidepods, barge boards, diffuser, front wing, engine cover, inerter damper and suspension modifications.

Bridgestone have brought along their medium and hard tyre compounds this weekend. As far as set-up goes, although Silverstone is very quick, it requires around 80 percent of maximum available downforce. Drivers need a lot of confidence to tackle the swift Copse and the series of very fast sweepers that follow through Becketts and Maggots and then Stowe. But then come the slower Club, the Abbey chicane and the final complex, and it is in the latter that the lack of traction control made itself most felt in the recent tests.

The greatest challenge, however, lies in that first section. “It is almost like being on the straight, except that you feel the G forces on one side of your neck and then on the other,” Kubica says of the change of direction at Maggots and Becketts.

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1 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.957 1:19.597 1:21.049 15

2 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:20.982 1:19.710 1:21.554 16

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.370 1:19.971 1:21.706 18

4 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:20.288 1:19.537 1:21.835 13

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:21.022 1:19.802 1:21.873 16

6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:20.998 1:19.992 1:22.029 15

7 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:20.818 1:20.115 1:22.491 19

8 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:20.318 1:20.109 1:23.251 16

9 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:20.676 1:20.086 1:23.305 16

10 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:20.444 1:19.788 no time 12

11 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.224 1:20.174 14

12 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:20.893 1:20.274 14

13 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:20.584 1:20.531 16

14 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:21.145 1:20.601 13

15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:21.407 1:21.112 14

16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.512 9

17 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:21.631 11

18 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:21.668 6

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:21.786 9

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:21.885 8

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British Grand Prix:

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 60 Winner 4 10

2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 60 +68.5 secs 5 8

3 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 60 +82.2 secs 16 6

4 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 59 +1 Lap 3 5

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 59 +1 Lap 1 4

6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 59 +1 Lap 6 3

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 59 +1 Lap 14 2

8 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 59 +1 Lap 15 1

9 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 59 +1 Lap 20

10 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 59 +1 Lap 2

11 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 59 +1 Lap 13

12 12 Timo Glock Toyota 59 +1 Lap 12

13 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 58 +2 Laps 9

Ret 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 39 +21 Laps 10

Ret 16 Jenson Button Honda 38 +22 Laps 17

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 35 +25 Laps 7

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 26 +34 Laps 19

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 10 +50 Laps 18

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 0 Spin 8

Ret 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 0 Spin 11

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Round 10 - Hockenheim, Germany

Formula1.com

Can Lewis Hamilton and McLaren pull off another dramatic triumph as Mercedes-Benz race in their homeland? Will Ferrari get their campaign back on track after the brief hiatus at Silverstone? Or can BMW Sauber spring another surprise on their home turf?

And who will be at the head of the drivers’ world championship points table at Hockenheim on Sunday afternoon? As Formula One racing tips past its mid-point and into the second half of the season, there is no shortage of questions to occupy race fans.

McLaren tried an anvil fin engine cover in the test here last week, when Hamilton was once again very quick, but like Toyota (also racing on ‘home ground’ near their Cologne base), they won’t be using it for the race after the Englishman suggested that it did not make much difference to the car’s performance.

Ferrari are adamant that their strategic errors in England were a one-off and see no reason to panic. They have a healthy lead still in the constructors’ world championship, and both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa are confident that they can run at the front again. The Brazilian is particularly anxious to put the memories of his five spins at Silverstone behind him!

Both teams tried new things on their cars in the test, and both are crucially aware of the need to do well, to score points even if they cannot win.

Asked whether he thought McLaren have pulled level with, or possibly even ahead of, Ferrari since Silverstone, Raikkonen said last week: “I don't know. I haven't looked at what lap times they are doing. We have enough work of our own to do so maybe you know better. For sure McLaren will be fast. I think we have a good package and we haven't lost any speed, we just need to have a good weekend.”

Hamilton also suggested that it was too soon to draw any hard conclusions, but added: “Somehow I've been very strong on the most challenging races this year, but even if you look at Montreal - we were blindingly quick there and it is just a shame that we didn't win. We clearly had the quicker car, it was unfortunate, then having the penalty in Magny-Cours it put us in a worse position.

“If I hadn't crashed in Montreal then we would have won the race, we would have gone to Magny-Cours without the 10-place penalty and we probably would have finished in the top three and the championship positions would have been different. But that is just the way racing is and that's what makes thing exciting.”

Meanwhile, as Robert Kubica aims to put his uncharacteristic Silverstone error out of his mind, BMW Sauber team mate Nick Heidfeld is looking forward to his home grand prix. “Hockenheim is a very special race for the whole team, while a lot of Swiss fans have traditionally made the trip across the border to give their support. I personally have a lot of good memories of the Hockenheimring, especially the old circuit with its long straights through the forest. Those sections were really unmistakeable, but the new track is, of course, significantly safer and better for the spectators - and I appreciate it for those reasons. Plus, a good overtaking opportunity has been created in the Parabolika. I've driven at Hockenheim in Formula Ford, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Formula One, and can't wait for this Grand Prix.”

Team boss Dr Mario Theissen summarised their feelings, however, when he said: “This is the only F1 race being held in our home country in 2008 and naturally we're very much looking forward to it. However, you can't afford to let that disturb your concentration - after all, we don't get any more points here just because it’s our home GP.

“The circuit has lost some of its allure since they cut out the straights through the forest, but the atmosphere should be fantastic after a year without Formula One. It is sure to be an extremely exciting race. Three drivers are tied at the top of the drivers' standings, while Robert is only two points behind them. Nick is not far away either, and his strong performance at Silverstone has given him an extra boost. You could not have written a better script for our home GP.”

Besides Toyota and Timo Glock, Williams’s Nico Rosberg regards this as his home race, as does Adrian Sutil who was given two days of testing here last week by Force India in preparation. They, together with Red Bull’s Mark Webber and David Coulthard, and Toro Rosso’s local hero Sebastian Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais, will all be working hard to make up for their respective disappointments in the British Grand Prix.

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1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.218 1:14.603 1:15.666 13

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:14.921 1:14.747 1:15.859 16

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.476 1:14.855 1:16.143 17

4 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:15.560 1:15.122 1:16.191 21

5 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:15.917 1:14.943 1:16.385 19

6 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:15.201 1:14.949 1:16.389 19

7 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:15.985 1:15.109 1:16.521 20

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:15.900 1:15.481 1:17.014 20

9 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:15.532 1:15.420 1:17.244 22

10 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:15.975 1:15.338 1:17.503 20

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:15.560 1:15.508 17

12 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:15.596 1:15.581 14

13 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:15.863 1:15.633 16

14 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:15.993 1:15.701 15

15 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:15.927 1:15.858 15

16 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:16.083 10

17 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:16.189 7

18 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:16.246 10

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:16.657 10

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:16.963 10

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German GP

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 67 Winner 1 10

2 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 67 +5.5 secs 17 8

3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67 +9.3 secs 2 6

4 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 67 +9.8 secs 12 5

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 67 +12.4 secs 3 4

6 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 67 +14.4 secs 6 3

7 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 67 +22.6 secs 7 2

8 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 67 +33.2 secs 9 1

9 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 67 +37.1 secs 4

10 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 67 +37.6 secs 13

11 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 67 +38.6 secs 5

12 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 67 +39.1 secs 15

13 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 67 +54.9 secs 10

14 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 67 +59.0 secs 20

15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 67 +60.0 secs 16

16 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 67 +69.4 secs 19

17 16 Jenson Button Honda 66 +1 Lap 14

Ret 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 50 +17 Laps 18

Ret 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 40 +27 Laps 8

Ret 12 Timo Glock Toyota 35 Accident 11

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Round 11 - Hungary

Formula1.com

Can Lewis Hamilton and McLaren continue their triumphal progress on the track at which the Englishman was so dominant in 2007? That is one of the big questions of the weekend, together with whether Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa can get their championship campaigns back in the groove as they challenge the silver arrows.

Testing in Jerez last week tended to be clouded by the fact that several teams chose once again to run 2009 slicks with 2008 aero packages, but both of the top teams are confident of strong performances this weekend. Massa and Raikkonen do not believe there is anything fundamentally wrong with their Ferrari F2008s, while Hamilton believes McLaren have made serious progress in the past month.

Last year the Englishman was embroiled in that celebrated inter-team spat with Fernando Alonso in qualifying, which appeared to have cost the former his shot at the pole until Alonso was docked five grid places. It’s unlikely that Heikki Kovalainen will be anything other than 100 percent supportive of his team mate this time out, but for sure qualifying will be crucially important on a circuit on which overtaking is traditionally so difficult.

The track could also suit BMW Sauber, since it requires similar downforce settings to Monaco, which, walls apart, it so closely resembles in many ways. Nick Heidfeld was on the podium here in 2006 and 2007, and Robert Kubica would like nothing more than to satisfy the strong Polish contingent and to win again on the second anniversary of his Formula One debut. A strong result will also keep his championship hopes on track.

“For sure we can expect a lot of Polish fans in Budapest,” Kubica said. “The Hungarian Grand Prix is the closest race to my home country, so in some way it is my home race. The Hungaroring is the track where I had my first Formula One race in 2006. As a driver you always have a special relationship with the track where you had your first Grand Prix.

“However, it is not for these reasons alone that I like this track. For most of the lap you have some steering angle, which means you rarely get a break, and this is made worse by the fact the straights are very short. The Hungaroring is a difficult track, but then Formula One is about challenges.”

At Renault, Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet will also have anniversaries in the back of their minds.

“I won my first Formula One race at this circuit with Renault in 2003 and it’s a place were I have always gone well,” the Spaniard said. “So I’m happy to go back there again this year and determined to bounce back after my result in Germany.”

The driver who did so well there, Piquet, is on a roll and has fond memories of the Hungaroring GP2 event in 2006.

“That was very special because I won the feature race on the Saturday from pole position and then the sprint race on the Sunday, as well as setting the fastest lap in both races,” he said. “It was definitely one of my best weekends in racing. It’s quite a rewarding track to drive if you can find a good rhythm and it seems to suit my driving style.”

Yet another man pondering anniversaries here is Jenson Button, whose sole Grand Prix success to date came in the rain at the Hungaroring in 2006.

"The Hungarian Grand Prix will always be a special race for me as the venue of my first win in Formula One but obviously I would much prefer to be going back with the chance to challenge for the win again,” he said. “The new parts which we tested in Jerez last week are a small step forward, so it will be interesting to see how this places us in the midfield pack for the race weekend.

“The Hungaroring circuit itself has a good rhythm and a nice mix of slow-speed and high-speed turns. A lap around the circuit is actually quite a challenge because there is no respite and no opportunity to relax your hands, so you are gripping the steering wheel hard the whole time. As a city, Budapest is fantastic and definitely one of the most exciting places that we visit during the Formula One season, with a great atmosphere during the Grand Prix weekend, both in the city and at the circuit.”

The Hungaroring changes throughout a race weekend. It begins dusty and cleans up gradually, so teams have to keep changing set-ups to keep up with its improvement. The possibility of the usual high temperatures and rain could add to the unpredictability of this weekend’s race.

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Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.376 1:19.473 1:20.899 12

2 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.945 1:19.480 1:21.140 16

3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:19.578 1:19.068 1:21.191 16

4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:20.053 1:19.776 1:21.281 19

5 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:19.980 1:19.246 1:21.326 24

6 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.006 1:19.546 1:21.516 19

7 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:20.229 1:19.816 1:21.698 15

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:20.073 1:20.046 1:21.732 18

9 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:19.942 1:19.486 1:21.767 20

10 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:20.583 1:20.131 1:22.371 19

11 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:20.157 1:20.144 17

12 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:20.888 1:20.332 15

13 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:20.505 1:20.502 16

14 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:20.640 1:20.963 16

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:20.748 10

16 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:21.045 7

17 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:21.085 9

18 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.332 8

19 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:21.670 9

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:22.113 10

Hungarian Grand Prix 1 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 70 1:37:27.067 2 10

2 12 Timo Glock Toyota 70 +11.0 secs 5 8

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 70 +16.8 secs 6 6

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 70 +21.6 secs 7 5

5 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 70 +23.0 secs 1 4

6 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 70 +32.2 secs 10 3

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 70 +36.4 secs 9 2

8 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 70 +48.3 secs 4 1

9 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 70 +58.8 secs 8

10 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 70 +67.7 secs 15

11 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 70 +70.4 secs 13

12 16 Jenson Button Honda 69 +1 Lap 12

13 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 69 +1 Lap 16

14 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 69 +1 Lap 14

15 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 69 +1 Lap 18

16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 68 +2 Laps 17

17 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67 Engine 3

18 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 67 +3 Laps 19

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 62 +8 Laps 20

Ret 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 22 +48 Laps 11

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Round 12 - Valencia

Formula1.com

Valencia is alive with Formula One racing, with tangible excitement that the sport is taking to the bespoke course down by the famed port that has been home to the America's Cup races in recent years. The key word on everyone’s lips has been ‘urban’ rather than ‘street’, reflecting the wide nature of the track which so strongly differentiates it from Monaco.

It boasts 25 corners that snake around the Juan Carlos I Marina, offering fast, wide and sweeping bends and, it is hoped, several potential opportunities for passing. It is 14 metres wide at the minimum.

Official simulations estimate a top speed of more than 300 km/h at the end of the main straight and a lap time in the 1m 37s bracket, with an average speed around 200 km/h. That should put Valencia on a par with a venue such as Bahrain with its average of 214 km/h. By contrast, Monaco’s average is only 151 km/h.

Valencia will be the European Grand Prix’s fifth home since its inception in 1983, the others being Brands Hatch, the Nurburgring, Donington Park and Jerez.

Lewis Hamilton is raring to go and to preserve his world championship points lead after the surprise Ferrari and Felipe Massa handed out in Hungary.

"I already spend quite a lot of time between the races analysing the data and keeping fit. This summer break gave me the opportunity to get away from that and focus on just recharging my batteries,” the McLaren driver says. “Looking back at the season so far, it feels like a different championship compared to last year: 2007 was very intense and consistency was incredibly important. This year, everybody’s results have been more varied and every driver who has won a race has also failed to score on at least two other occasions. That’s made getting strong results even more important, but I think we’ll see consistency becoming crucial as we head towards the end of the season."

McLaren are no stranger to the city of Valencia, having launched the MP4-22 there last year, and everyone has tested at the old Ricardo Tormo circuit. “Going to a new circuit doesn’t really change my preparations: everybody’s in the same situation so I don’t treat things very differently,” Hamilton continues. “Of course, we’ve done some preparation back at the McLaren Technology Centre ahead of this race, but our main focus will still be the three free practice sessions ahead of qualifying. I’ll be working closely with my engineers to make sure we start the weekend with a good baseline and work hard to strengthen it as we go through the weekend. I enjoy visiting new race tracks and I’m looking forward to getting into the cockpit on Friday morning. It looks like being an amazing track."

Team mate Heikki Kovalainen, the winner in Hungary, says of the new track: “It looks pretty fast, to be honest. You get used to street circuits being quite slow, with lots of slow- to medium-speed corners and very short straights, but this is almost the opposite. There are a lot of fast kinks and esses, a couple of decent straights and lots of high-speed stuff. It’s too early to say yet whether there will be opportunities to overtake around here, but there are a couple of hairpins where it might be possible."

Ferrari will be looking for a more fruitful weekend than they enjoyed in Hungary and world champion Kimi Raikkonen knows he must rediscover his practice and qualifying form if they are to take maximum advantage of the expected hot conditions.

“We have to start well at Valencia, where it's more important than in other places to drive with continuity from Friday on,” says the Finn. “I hope I'll have a trouble-free weekend to try to set up the car the best way possible, especially for the qualifying lap. The qualifying will be extremely important, although I think that there are some possibilities on the track to overtake. If it's hot that will help Ferrari.”

Former 2008 winners BMW Sauber also need to bounce back from Budapest, where their pace mysteriously deserted them, but team principal Mario Theissen is optimistic that there is more to come from the F1.08.

"The short summer break after the race in Budapest has benefited everyone,” he says. “Now we are embarking on the remaining three European races and four overseas GPs with renewed vigour. Our aim is to continue on from the good results of the first half of the season. We still have a few arrows in our quiver.”

Further down the grid Force India will debut their new seamless-shift gearbox, a change they hope could bring them as much as three-tenths of a second per lap.

There are already indications that the circuit will be very dusty for the first day before it begins to ‘rubber-in’, and as in Budapest, that means drivers and engineers will be chasing set-up all through Friday’s crucial practice sessions. More than one engineer has remarked on the need to stay calm and let the track come to them rather than working the other way around.

Bridgestone have brought along their soft and super-soft tyres for the event, and regardless of who wins it will mark their 200th Grand Prix appearance since they came into the sport in 1997.

Teams will employ similar levels of downforce to Hockenheim, and the brakes will take a caning with three times each lap when drivers have to haul speeds down from 300 km/h to 80. That will put it on a par with Montreal, which is notoriously demanding in that area.

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Valencia qualifying

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:38.176 1:37.859 1:38.989 19

2 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:38.464 1:37.954 1:39.199 15

3 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:38.347 1:38.050 1:39.392 18

4 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:38.703 1:38.229 1:39.488 21

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:38.656 1:38.120 1:39.937 18

6 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:38.141 1:37.842 1:40.142 19

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:37.948 1:37.928 1:40.309 21

8 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:38.738 1:37.859 1:40.631 19

9 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:38.595 1:38.336 1:40.721 18

10 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:38.622 1:38.417 1:40.750 18

11 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:38.667 1:38.428 15

12 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:38.268 1:38.435 12

13 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:38.532 1:38.499 14

14 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:38.559 1:38.515 15

15 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:38.787 1:38.744 15

16 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:38.880 6

17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:39.235 9

18 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:39.268 10

19 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:39.811 10

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:39.943 9

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Valencia race results

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 57 Winner 1 10

2 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 57 +5.6 secs 2 8

3 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 57 +37.3 secs 3 6

4 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 57 +39.7 secs 5 5

5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 57 +50.6 secs 7 4

6 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 57 +52.6 secs 6 3

7 12 Timo Glock Toyota 57 +67.9 secs 13 2

8 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 57 +71.4 secs 9 1

9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 57 +82.1 secs 8

10 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 57 +89.7 secs 10

11 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 57 +92.7 secs 15

12 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 56 +1 Lap 14

13 16 Jenson Button Honda 56 +1 Lap 16

14 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 56 +1 Lap 18

15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 56 +1 Lap 11

16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 56 +1 Lap 19

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

Ret 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 45 +12 Laps 4

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 41 +16 Laps 20

Ret 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 0 Accident damage 12

[Brainy]

Round 14 - Spa

Formula1.com

Who doesn’t love Spa-Francorchamps? Ask any of the drivers, and they will tell you it ranks at the top, or very close to the top, of their favourite tracks.

Located in picturesque Hautes Fagnes region of the heavily-forested Ardennes, the original Spa was dropped from the calendar in 1970 amid growing fears that Formula One machinery had outgrown its original configuration. Now the dramatically revised track, commissioned in 1979, has successfully retained much of the original’s demanding uphill and downhill swoops while halving the length to a more manageable 7.004 kilometres (4.352 miles).

“It’s one of my all-time favourites,” says championship points leader Lewis Hamilton, whose McLaren team are celebrating the 40th anniversary of founder Bruce McLaren scoring the marque’s maiden victory here on June 9, 1968.

“Even before I first came here, which was back in 2002 for a Formula Renault race, I played it on my computer - it was always one of the best tracks. It has probably the most exciting corner in Formula One, Eau Rouge, and it’s one of the few circuits where you really feel like you’re actually going somewhere; you blast off into the forest and get to the top of the hill and can feel the whole circuit beneath you. It’s one of the best challenges in Formula One.

"I prefer the more historic circuits like Monza, Silverstone and Monaco. You really feel the history of those places whenever you race there; they have real character. Each time they are refurbished, they lose a little more of their individuality - but they are made safer, so we can continue to race on them - so that’s a good compromise."

Both Ferrari drivers love Spa, too. “I have won here,” says Kimi Raikkonen, “and that always feels like a major accomplishment. It is something special at a place like this.”

“How can you be a racing driver and not love this place?” says European Grand Prix winner Felipe Massa, who aims to add Spa to the growing list of venues on which he has been successful.

Over at Renault Fernando Alonso, who won here in F3000 in 2000, admits: “Spa is one of those exceptional circuits on the Formula One calendar. Like all the older tracks, there is always a very special and warm atmosphere. For the drivers, it is an unbelievable challenge and is a very enjoyable place to drive a Formula One car. I have never won at Spa [in F1] and hope that one day I can add a win here to my list of achievements.

“It’s a very long circuit, which generally emphasises the gaps between the cars. It requires a very complete car and so we will have to work hard on the set-up to make sure we are competitive in the quick sections as well as in the slower corners.”

Jenson Button, who has high hopes with Honda if, as seems likely, it is wet this weekend, says: “All the drivers love going to Spa, and for me, it is one of the most beautiful circuits that we race on with fantastically green surroundings. For a driver, the circuit has one of those layouts which has everything and gives you a real buzz to drive, just like Suzuka and Silverstone.

“Eau Rouge is a legendary corner and the feeling when you hit the bottom of the hill, the car touches the ground and you shoot straight back up again is amazing. It's a crazy corner in the dry and even more so in the wet. The weather can play a big part in the race weekend, which is great for us as the car goes well in the wet. It can be raining at one end of the lap but completely dry at the other so you have to be ready and react quickly to whatever the weather throws at you."

The Spa lap contains every type of corner and some long straights, and thus requires a compromise when it comes to aerodynamic set-up. Cars that are quick in sector two, the twisty middle section of the lap from Pouhon to Blanchimont, tend to have an advantage because they can then tune their downforce levels for the straights that dominate sectors one and three. If a car is not so strong in sector two, there is little choice but to put on more wing and that inevitably increases drag and thus affects straightline speed.

Since the introduction of the 2.4-litre V8 engines Eau Rouge has been comfortably flat in top gear for everyone. However, drivers have to be careful not to scrub off too much speed through the corner in order to maintain momentum on the crucial climb which follows all the way up to Les Combes.

Bridgestone are bringing their medium and hard rubber compounds for the race, so graining should not be an issue for anyone. Ironically, given the high-speed nature of the track, it is one of the easiest on brakes, but the engines run at full throttle for 68 per cent of the lap. After their recent failures, that must be something that concerns Ferrari.

[Brainy]

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:46.887 1:46.088 1:47.338 12

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:46.873 1:46.391 1:47.678 16

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:46.812 1:46.037 1:47.815 16

4 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:46.960 1:46.298 1:47.992 14

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:47.419 1:46.311 1:48.315 18

6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:47.154 1:46.491 1:48.504 18

7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:47.270 1:46.814 1:48.736 19

8 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:47.093 1:46.494 1:48.763 20

9 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:46.777 1:46.544 1:48.951 19

10 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:47.152 1:46.804 1:50.319 16

11 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:47.400 1:46.949 13

12 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:47.052 1:46.965 15

13 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:47.359 1:46.995 13

14 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:47.132 1:47.018 15

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:47.503 1:47.429 12

16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:48.153 9

17 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:48.211 9

18 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:48.226 9

19 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:48.268 9

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:48.447 9

[Brainy]

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 44 1:22:59.394 2 10

2 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 44 +9.3 secs 5 8

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 44 +10.5 secs 1 6

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 44 +14.4 secs 6 5

5 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 44 +14.5 secs 10 4

6 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 44 +15.0 secs 8 3

7 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 44 +16.7 secs 9 2

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 44 +42.7 secs 7 1

9 12 Timo Glock Toyota 44 +67.0 secs 13

10 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 43 Transmission 3

11 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 43 +1 Lap 14

12 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 43 +1 Lap 15

13 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 43 +1 Lap 18

14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 43 +1 Lap 19

15 16 Jenson Button Honda 43 +1 Lap 17

16 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 43 +1 Lap 11

17 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 43 +1 Lap 20

18 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 42 Accident 4

Ret 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 19 Gearbox 16

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 13 Accident 12

[Brainy]

Round 14 - Monza

Formula1.com

The world championship could scarcely be more closely poised (albeit pending McLaren’s appeal against Lewis Hamilton’s Belgian Grand Prix penalty) as Ferrari head back to their home ground determined to avenge defeat here at the British team’s hands a year ago.

“I love racing here,” says Felipe Massa, who was declared the winner at Spa after Hamilton’s penalty, and the crash which took out his team mate Kimi Raikkonen on the penultimate lap. “The tifosi is a unique breed of race fan, and to race knowing that so many people are on your side is just amazing!”

The Brazilian’s second recent win leaves him only two points adrift of Hamilton, 74 points to 76, with Robert Kubica climbing up to third for BMW Sauber on 58. Raikkonen is fourth on 57, with Nick Heidfeld moving up on 49 and Heikki Kovalainen on 43.

Monza is a circuit on which anything can happen, given its ultra-high-speed nature and the strain it puts not only on engines but also the brakes. Drivers are on full throttle for up to 16 seconds on the pit straight alone, and there are three other sections round the lap where the same applies. Maximum speeds can peak at over 350 km/h. Drivers then have to shed around 270 km/h under braking for the first chicane, for example.

It requires a low-drag aerodynamic set-up tuned almost exclusively for speed on the long straights, but additionally cars must be able to ride the chicane kerbs without upsetting their equilibrium so that the driver can record competitive lap times. That is not always an easy task for the engineers to achieve.

The tyres also take a beating here. Traction out of the slow corners is another requirement at Monza, so the rear tyres in particular suffer. As a contrast to Spa, the weather in Italy is usually hot (though there may be showers this weekend), and the tyre blistering seen at this venue last season means that this year Bridgestone are bringing harder tyres, the hard and medium compounds, as opposed to the medium and soft used in 2007. The long straights mean that tyre pressure is an area that teams will have to monitor closely. If there is too little pressure the tyres will overheat along them, but if there is too much pressure grip through the corners will be compromised.

After Spa, Monza is another place where qualifying is all-important as overtaking is extremely difficult and most teams wait for their pit-stop strategies to work out and enable them to pass. Hamilton, however, demonstrated last year that you can overtake here, by squeezing past Raikkonen in the first chicane.

"If you’re trying to pass somebody, you have to stay as close as possible through the last corner,” Hamilton says. “If you can get a good tow out of Parabolica, then you can slipstream down the straight and have a look up the inside at Turn One. That’s your best chance of making a move. You can also try if you get a good exit from the first chicane and have look up the inside into the second chicane - but that’s not so easy.

"People say Monza is just about power and top speed - but it’s also a driver’s track, which is why I like it. It’s not as straightforward as it seems because you run with very low downforce, which means you rely heavily on the tyres and the car’s mechanical grip - but you’re also attacking the kerbs, which requires a softer set-up. You also need plenty of stability under braking and as much grip as possible for the corners. The key is to run the car as low to the track as possible without having it bottom out."

Both Ferrari and McLaren are feeling confident, after strong performances in the recent test here, but so are BMW Sauber who would like nothing more than to hit back with their second win here this weekend.

"What is crucial in terms of performance is a good aerodynamic package that doesn't generate much drag. Nowhere else does the car carry as little wing, and our team normally does a pretty good job of providing us with this special aero package. Testing in Monza was encouraging, and I'm looking forward to the Italian Grand Prix," says Nick Heidfeld.

"For me personally, Monza is very special as I achieved my first podium there in 2006 in only my third Formula One race,” says Robert Kubica. “To mark this special point in my career I will again have a slightly different helmet design in Monza. As I grew up as a driver in Italy, I know a lot of people here and quite a lot of Italian fans will be cheering for me. I also expect plenty of Polish fans to be here."

Besides the top three, watch out for the increasingly tough fight for fourth place between Toyota, Renault and Red Bull. The Japanese team have 41 points and a car that should be strong here, but Renault have 36 and Renault-powered Red Bull cannot be discounted yet with 25. Look out too for strong performances from Toro Rosso, who have made a lot of progress recently and enjoy Ferrari horsepower.

[Brainy]

Italian Qualifying

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps

1 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:35.464 1:35.837 1:37.555 28

2 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.214 1:35.843 1:37.631 24

3 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:36.001 1:36.306 1:38.117 23

4 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:35.543 1:36.175 1:38.445 28

5 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:35.485 1:35.898 1:38.767 28

6 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:35.536 1:36.676 1:38.894 29

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:35.906 1:36.008 1:39.152 26

8 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:36.297 1:36.518 1:39.751 28

9 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:35.737 1:36.525 1:39.787 28

10 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:35.709 1:36.626 1:39.906 26

11 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:35.553 1:36.697 21

12 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:36.280 1:36.698 19

13 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:36.485 1:37.284 21

14 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:35.965 1:37.522 21

15 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:35.394 1:39.265 19

16 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:36.510 12

17 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:36.630 13

18 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:36.653 13

19 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:37.006 13

20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:37.417 12

Italian Race

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 53 1:26:47.494 1 10

2 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 53 +12.5 secs 2 8

3 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 53 +20.4 secs 11 6

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 53 +23.9 secs 8 5

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 53 +27.7 secs 10 4

6 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 53 +28.8 secs 6 3

7 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 53 +29.9 secs 15 2

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 53 +32.0 secs 3 1

9 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 53 +39.4 secs 14

10 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 53 +54.4 secs 17

11 12 Timo Glock Toyota 53 +58.8 secs 9

12 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 53 +62.0 secs 18

13 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 53 +65.9 secs 7

14 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 53 +68.6 secs 5

15 16 Jenson Button Honda 53 +73.3 secs 19

16 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 52 +1 Lap 13

17 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 52 +1 Lap 16

18 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 52 +1 Lap 4

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 51 +2 Laps 20

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 11 Accident 12

[Brainy]

Round 15 - Singapore

Formula1.com

Few races have been quite so keenly anticipated as the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix. It will be the first night race in Formula One history, and the sport's first-ever street race in Asia.

“This is going to be a fantastic event, and I am really looking forward to competing in it and, hopefully, making a little history,” says Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who leads the title challenge against McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. They go into the event a single point apart after the latter’s appeal against their Belgian Grand Prix penalty failed in Paris this week.

As he showed on 2008’s other new street circuit in Valencia, where he won easily, Massa will be a formidable contender this weekend on a track that should suit the Ferrari F2008. But Hamilton also believes that his McLaren MP4-23 will be highly competitive.

"I’m looking forward to visiting the country, trying the food, seeing what the track is like, seeing what it will be like to race on,” he says. “It is going to be an exciting weekend. The race will be quite a fun challenge, and I like a challenge! I’ve never raced at night before, but I don’t think it is going to be a problem.

“It doesn’t seem to be a problem in other sports and there have been huge preparations for this, so I think it will be great. We are racing on another street circuit, which are a particular favourite of mine. From what I understand it is wide and fairly flowing in nature, which is not what you usually expect from a street circuit, but it sounds like it will be pretty spectacular."

The anti-clockwise, 5.067-kilometre track winds through one of the world’s most charismatic cities, using public roads that pass such landmarks as the historic Anderson Bridge, St Andrews Road and Raffles Boulevard. The circuit also passes directly underneath a grandstand at one point.

With 23 turns and a mix of short, sharp straights and longer ones where maximum speeds will exceed 280 km/h, Singapore promises much. There are 10 right turns and 13 left, with Turns 10 and 12 likely to pose the greatest grip problems. Turns One, Seven, Eight, 10 and 14 are likely to offer the best opportunities for overtaking.

The race will inevitably be compared with that other famous street race in Monaco, but where the Monte Carlo circuit is tight and sinuous, Singapore’s is appreciably wider and significantly faster. An average speed of about 175 km/h has been calculated, compared to Monaco’s average speed during qualifying this year of about 160km/h.

The temporary lighting system is a major feat of engineering. 108,423 metres of power cables, 240 steel pylons and some 1,500 light projectors have been installed, creating light that is four times brighter than that used at sports stadiums.

All of the teams have developed bespoke packages to maximise their track performance here, and will have the choice between Bridgestone’s soft and super-soft tyre compounds. The biggest challenge, however, will be for each to organise themselves into ‘night mode’ and get acclimatised for the unusual time schedule.

"Singapore is going to be a unique challenge for every member of the team,” Hamilton says. “Our doctor has prepared a very precise schedule for the drivers to stick to because all the sessions are so late in the day. Essentially we must not acclimatise to the local time, which is totally different to how we normally operate.

“Our training programmes ensure that over a race weekend we are at peak performance during the afternoons and as a result we are going to be staying in European time so this does’t get disrupted. Apparently not acclimatising is much harder than adapting, because your body naturally wants to change.

“For the drivers, our meal, waking and sleeping rhythms will all be in European time, for example we will get up early afternoon for breakfast, have supper at 1am and go to bed at around 3am. It will be very different preparation to any other race but we’ll try and do the best job we can."

The drivers will try out the track for the first time in Friday’s opening free practice which starts at 1900 hours local time. Qualifying is the latest session of the weekend, kicking off at 2200 hours on Saturday, and the race starts at 2000 hours on Sunday. The local time in Singapore is eight hours ahead of GMT.

[Brainy]

Singapore qualifying

1 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:44.519 1:44.014 1:44.801 16

2 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:44.501 1:44.932 1:45.465 14

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:44.282 1:44.232 1:45.617 16

4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:44.740 1:44.519 1:45.779 18

5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:44.311 1:44.207 1:45.873 19

6 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:45.548 1:44.520 1:45.964 19

7 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:45.042 1:44.261 1:46.244 15

8 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:45.184 1:44.441 1:46.328 21

9 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:45.103 1:44.429 1:46.611 17

10 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:45.127 1:44.826 1:47.547 20

11 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:45.642 1:45.038 12

12 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:45.660 1:45.133 14

13 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:45.493 1:45.212 12

14 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:46.028 1:45.298 16

15 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:44.971 no time 6

16 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:46.037 6

17 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:46.389 6

18 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:46.583 7

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:47.940 10

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari no time 2

[Brainy]

Race:

1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 61 Winner 15 10

2 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 61 +2.9 secs 8 8

3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 61 +5.9 secs 2 6

4 12 Timo Glock Toyota 61 +8.1 secs 7 5

5 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 61 +10.2 secs 6 4

6 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 61 +11.1 secs 9 3

7 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 61 +16.3 secs 14 2

8 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 61 +18.4 secs 10 1

9 16 Jenson Button Honda 61 +19.8 secs 12

10 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 61 +26.9 secs 5

11 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 61 +27.9 secs 4

12 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 61 +29.4 secs 17

13 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 61 +35.1 secs 1

14 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 61 +43.5 secs 20

15 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 57 +4 Laps 3

Ret 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 50 +11 Laps 11

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 49 +12 Laps 19

Ret 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 29 +32 Laps 13

Ret 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 14 +47 Laps 18

Ret 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 13 +48 Laps 16

[Brainy]

Round 16 - Fuji

Formula1.com

This weekend Formula One racing returns to the revamped Fuji International Speedway near Gotemba, in the shadow of Mount Fuji, for the 16th of the 18 races that will decide this year’s world championship.

And the title battle between McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will get even hotter as the Brazilian seeks to claw back some of the seven-point advantage the Englishman opened up at the Singapore Grand Prix.

“Seven points to make up in three races?” Massa asks. “That can be a lot or it can be a little. We have the potential to do well, as we saw in Singapore and we will give it our best shot. We mustn’t give up and I’m sure we won’t.”

Ferrari will revert to a traditional lollipop system for their pit stops, after the debacle in which Massa lost the race in Singapore during his first refuelling stop.

Hamilton remains highly upbeat about his own chances of increasing his lead, and believes the MP4-23 will be very competitive on the track on which he won in such style in the rain last year when the race transferred from Suzuka.

Hamilton says he learned something while trapped behind David Coulthard’s Red Bull in Singapore. “There was less pressure to achieve a victory because of the unusual circumstances, which meant I was actually able to start thinking of the world championship. I hate driving for points, but I think we can all see the benefit of that approach at the moment.

“I love Japan. Last year might have been difficult because of the wet weather and the poor visibility, but I actually really enjoyed that weekend. The Japanese fans are some of my favourite in the world: so passionate, but really polite, charming and respectful. As for the race, one of the questions I get asked most is whether I prefer to drive in the rain: my answer is always the same, I’ll race in the wet or dry, I don’t mind.

“But it’s always easier for us drivers to race in the dry; I’d always prefer a dry race. This weekend, I’ll be hoping for dry weather for another reason - I want the fans at the track to have the best weekend possible and to enjoy the atmosphere of one of the season’s best races.”

The race will also be crucially important for Toyota and Honda.

"Singapore was a good race for me and I was pleased to score five points but we still lost ground in the constructors' championship so we want to hit back immediately and that means scoring plenty of points in the Japanese Grand Prix,” says the former’s Timo Glock who, with team mate Jarno Trulli, will be battling Singapore-winning Renault for fourth place overall. “This will be my first visit to Fuji Speedway and I am looking forward to it, especially as I am a Toyota driver and I'm sure we will get a lot of support.”

Once again, Jenson Button took part in the annual Tokyo Motorsports Festival in Odaiba last weekend to demonstrate a Honda RA108. "The Japanese Grand Prix is always a special weekend for the team as our second home race of the season,” the Englishman says. “Racing for a Japanese team, we always have fantastic support and the fans are so enthusiastic that it makes for a great atmosphere. For me, the true home of the Japanese Grand Prix is Suzuka, which is just one of the best circuits in the world, and I can't wait to return there next year. However I did enjoy driving at the Fuji Speedway last year and the circuit has a nice mix of twisty corners and the high-speed pit straight. A lot of the corners have a very late apex, which is quite unusual.”

Fuji demands similar medium downforce levels to Spa-Francorchamps, and has the longest straight in Formula One racing - 1.5 kilometres past the pits. That inevitably necessitates a compromise on set-up: the need for low downforce and minimal drag on the straight versus the need for sufficient downforce to deal with the twisty and tight sections of the track with their predominantly first and second gear corners.

Oversteer is a common sight, wet or dry, and the car that behaves predictably through the numerous direction and camber changes around the lap will be the quickest. Unpredictable weather is also another factor at Fuji, as proved to be the case last year. Bridgestone will bring plenty of standard wet and extreme wet-weather tyres, as well as their medium compound ‘prime’ dry tyre and the softer compound ‘option’. These will have special green grooves to mark Bridgestone’s support of the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign.

[Brainy]

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:18.071 1:17.462 1:18.404 15

2 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:18.160 1:17.733 1:18.644 20

3 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:18.220 1:17.360 1:18.821 22

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:18.290 1:17.871 1:18.852 19

5 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:18.110 1:17.287 1:18.874 18

6 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:18.684 1:17.931 1:18.979 20

7 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:18.501 1:17.541 1:19.026 23

8 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:17.945 1:17.670 1:19.118 24

9 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:18.559 1:17.714 1:19.638 21

10 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:18.593 1:18.102 1:20.167 20

11 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:18.303 1:18.187 16

12 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:18.300 1:18.274 11

13 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:18.372 1:18.354 13

14 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:18.640 1:18.594 16

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:18.740 1:18.672 16

16 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:18.835 9

17 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:18.882 9

18 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:19.100 11

19 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:19.163 10

20 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:19.910 10

[Brainy]

1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 67 1:30:21.892 4 10

2 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 67 +5.2 secs 6 8

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 67 +6.4 secs 2 6

4 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 67 +20.5 secs 12 5

5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 67 +23.7 secs 7 4

6 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 67 +39.2 secs 9 3

7 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 67 +46.1 secs 5 2

8 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 67 +50.8 secs 13 1

9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 67 +54.1 secs 16

10 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 67 +59.0 secs 10

11 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 67 +62.0 secs 15

12 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 67 +78.9 secs 1

13 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 66 +1 Lap 17

14 16 Jenson Button Honda 66 +1 Lap 18

15 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 66 +1 Lap 14

Ret 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 21 Gearbox 20

Ret 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 16 Engine 3

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 8 Puncture 19

Ret 12 Timo Glock Toyota 6 Accident damage 8

Ret 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 0 Accident 11

[Brainy]

Round 17 - China

Formula1.com

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton goes into the most important race of his life this weekend focused and determined to put the setback in Japan last week firmly behind him. With a five-point lead over Ferrari’s Felipe Massa in the world championship, he could theoretically clinch the title in Shanghai.

On Wednesday he made two things clear: he isn’t stressing about either last year’s race here, or last week’s in Fuji.

"Sometimes I’ve been on YouTube and seen a video clip or a picture of me in the gravel last year and thought, ‘Damn! That shouldn’t have happened’. But it was a learning mistake. I can still move forwards from it; things like that happen for a reason and it taught me a lot. Last year, the last couple of races taught me a lot about my personality and my life. And I’m stronger for it."

And Fuji?

“I’m not going to change my driving style. I made a small mistake in Fuji by arriving at the first corner and asking too much of the brakes, and I won’t make that mistake again this weekend. But I am still winning to win both of the last races, as safely as I can.”

The weather for Shanghai currently looks mixed, and Hamilton remains adamant that he isn’t worried either way. "I’ve said before that I don’t mind racing in the wet or the dry. Of course, it’s safer in the dry and I guess those are the conditions that racing drivers prefer. But having said that, I would just prefer it if the weather wasn’t too changeable during the weekend; when the track starts drying out, or it starts raining during the race is when things become a real lottery. At this stage in the season you need things to be as reliable as possible for you."

But he says that he will most definitely make an earlier pit stop if his tyres get as worn as they were in Shanghai last year. “I have the experience to do that, for sure. If I feel the car behaving the way it did then, I’m coming in straight away.”

If Massa fails to finish, Hamilton needs to score only six points for third place to clinch the title in his second season. If Hamilton were to finish fourth and leave with a 10 point lead, a win for Massa and a non-finish for Lewis in Brazil would tip the title in the Brazilian’s favour; they would be equal on points but Massa would have six wins to four.

"As far as the Japanese Grand Prix was concerned, it’s always important to score more points than our closest rivals at this point in the championship, with just two races to go, so we can be pleased that we managed to do that,” explained the Brazilian.

"It was definitely not the race we had expected to have, but in the end, it was a reasonable result, with the team moving back into the lead in the constructors' championship and for me, reducing my gap to Lewis in the drivers' from seven to five. But there are still those five points, so we need to recover even more, but I think, the Japanese result was better than nothing.

“Last year, in Shanghai, I finished third in a race that began in the wet. The track itself is quite interesting and everything there is on a very big scale, although the journey to and from the circuit can be a bit painful at times with the heavy traffic. I had quite a good run last year and hope to do even better this time. I like the circuit and I think it will suit the F2008, so of course we will be aiming to get a one-two finish."

Title outsider Robert Kubica is taking things quietly, with none of the expectation heaped upon him that Hamilton and Massa have. “I haven't had much luck at this circuit so far,” says the BMW Sauber driver. “I hope that changes this time and I can pick up some important points for the world championship."

The Shanghai International Circuit measures 5.451 kilometres and is shaped like the Chinese character 'shang,' meaning 'high' or 'above'. It comprises seven left and seven right turns and features numerous overtaking opportunities, such as Turn One or the corner at the end of the back straight where the cars brake from more than 320 km/h on the section between Turns 13 and 14.

It is a low to medium-downforce track, and this weekend Bridgestone will be supplying their hard and medium compound tyres.

[Brainy]

China:

1 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 1:31:57.403 1 10

2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 56 +14.9 secs 3 8

3 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 56 +16.4 secs 2 6

4 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 56 +18.3 secs 4 5

5 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 56 +28.9 secs 9 4

6 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 56 +33.2 secs 11 3

7 12 Timo Glock Toyota 56 +41.7 secs 12 2

8 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 56 +56.6 secs 10 1

9 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 56 +64.3 secs 6

10 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 56 +74.8 secs 15

11 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 56 +85.0 secs 13

12 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 56 +90.8 secs 17

13 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 56 +91.4 secs 8

14 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 56 +92.4 secs 16

15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 55 +1 Lap 14

16 16 Jenson Button Honda 55 +1 Lap 18

17 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 55 +1 Lap 20

Ret 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 49 +7 Laps 5

Ret 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 13 +43 Laps 19

Ret 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 2 +54 Laps 7

[Brainy]

Round 18 - Brazil

Formula1.com

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Felipe Massa go head-to-head in the world championship title decider in Brazil this weekend, and it is still impossible to predict who will triumph.

The odds favour the Englishman, who has a seven-point lead after winning last time out in China. However, that was what he had over rival Kimi Raikkonen coming into this race last year, and still it all went awry at the 11th hour.

Technically, Hamilton needs only finish fifth even if Massa wins, in order to beat him by a single point. However, there is an additional complication as McLaren are still fighting Ferrari for the constructors’ championship, in which the red team have 156 points to the silver’s 145. BMW Sauber are third, but out of the overall reckoning now, on 135. McLaren thus have to push hard and need a one-two finish to have any realistic chance of securing both titles, whereas a third and eighth would secure the constructors’ crown (but not the drivers’) for Ferrari.

"I don’t need to win the race, but that won’t stop me from going into the weekend looking to be as strong as possible," says Hamilton, who will benefit from a new rear wing on his MP4-23. "Shanghai was a good example of that: we hit the ground running on Friday morning and never looked back. Our aim wasn’t to push too hard, but we found ourselves in a position at the front and took it comfortably from there. That’s what I am hoping to achieve in Brazil - a straightforward weekend that allows me to just focus on my car and my driving."

Ferrari have been dominant in Interlagos for the past two years, when Massa and Raikkonen respectively won. If it is dry that may remain the case, though the signs are that McLaren have made good progress in the latter part of the season. If it rains, however, as is forecast, the odds surely favour Hamilton even more given his wet-weather form in Monaco and Silverstone, where the Ferraris struggled.

Massa has been keeping his cool and says that the pressure is off him because of Hamilton’s lead. He must win with Hamilton either scoring sixth or lower or failing to finish at all. In this respect he may be helped by the Englishman’s need to run his engine for a second time after China.

"Yes it's true I have a tougher job than Lewis in terms of the points situation, but my own objective for the weekend is much more straightforward than his," the Brazilian said. "I only have to focus on winning the race, hopefully with my team-mate second. The only thing I am thinking about is winning. After that, the matter is not in my hands and we will have to wait and see exactly what and how much we have won.

"For sure, Lewis will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose.

In the second McLaren, Heikki Kovalainen must play a key role this weekend in support of his team mate, for Raikkonen will undoubtedly back Massa strongly. The Hungarian Grand Prix winner will have a fresh Mercedes engine in his McLaren. "I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary," he says, "but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front. The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors’ championship."

While the fight for the crown will inevitably grab all the headlines, there are plenty of other things to be resolved this weekend. There is still a mighty scrap for third place in the drivers' championship between Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen, who have 75 and 69 points respectively. And Nick Heidfeld’s fifth place on 60 could prove vulnerable if Fernando Alonso wins again for the improving Renault team. The Spaniard has 53 points, but may himself fall victim to Kovalainen who has 51. Elsewhere, Sebastian Vettel and Jarno Trulli are battling for eighth with 30 points apiece.

Besides the Ferrari-McLaren fight for constructors’ honours, BMW Sauber could still snaffle second from McLaren. Renault are safe in fourth and Toyota fifth, but there is a big fight between Toro Rosso (34), Red Bull Racing (29) and Williams (26) for sixth.

The race will also be notable as David Coulthard’s last. At the same time, venerable race engineer Steve Hallam is also on the last lap as he will be leaving Formula One for NASCAR for 2009.

From a technical perspective, Interlagos poses two main challenges to the teams. It is 800 metres above sea level, so engine power is reduced as a result of the drop in atmospheric pressure. That also has a negative effect on aerodynamic performance.

The other problem has traditionally been the bumpy surface, though a complete resurface for 2007 caught teams by surprise since the tarmac was relatively smooth. However, some bumps remain, particularly in the braking area for Turn 4, Descida do Lago. To avoid bottoming out on these, cars have to run with increased ride heights, which reduces the effectiveness of their diffusers.

There are two favoured overtaking points. The first is going into the S do Senna at the start of the lap after a driver has been able to get a good slipstreaming run up the hill from the vitally important final corner, Juncao or Turn 12. The second is under braking for the Descida do Lago left-hander at the end of the back straight.

This year Bridgestone are bringing their medium and soft compound tyres after discovering last year that their super-soft was not quite durable enough to suit the track’s unusual characteristics. They are expecting a lot of graining early on thanks to the twisty infield section, and the initial ‘greenness’ of the track before it cleans up and rubbers in.