Italian GP Report - Redressing the balance

To think that we were convinced that someone, somewhere, was smiling on Lewis Hamilton just lately. I guess this one in Monza you can file under redressing the balance. Yin and yang.

Against the form of most of the weekend,
Nico Rosberg triumphed
Photo: Octane Photography

For most of the Italian Grand Prix weekend though it appeared that Lewis wouldn't need any of the luck that he might have been benefiting from in recent times. He looked on utterly dominant form, and rather relishing the fact too. Almost gleefully braking later than late and throwing his car expertly through Monza's chicanes. He certainly looked gleeful out of the car. And it all added up to a half second advantage over his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg next up in the final qualifying order, a margin between them almost unprecedented. And at a track with but a handful of corners.

And the two Mercedes were as per Sebastian Vettel's lucid words "in a world of their own". As with the gap between the two Mercs, this also was the expected situation but was manifesting itself to a greater extent than usual this time.

Yet even in the afterglow of Lewis's qualifying effort paths that diverged from his imperious march to victory could be, and indeed were, charted. The run to the first turn is a very long one here; the Mercs' starts have been of variable quality in 2016 thanks to an 'inconsistent' clutch.

Monza Qualifying - Lewis's full beam

Lewis Hamilton bounced into the Monza press conference room, only to rather stop on his heels, confronted by a flat screen TV. It was showing onboard footage of his pole position lap for the Italian Grand Prix. Every perfect, and late, braking point. Every chicane negotiated with elan rather like the Mercedes was a yo-yo being expertly controlled on the end of its string.

Lewis Hamilton took pole position
and positively beamed about it
Photo: Octane Photography

Lewis stood aside and turned to the room of assembled hacks pointing at the screen with the broadest of grins and a satisfied nod of his head. The message was clear - did you see what I just did? Good, wasn't it? It was Lewis. It was.

Respective second and third-placed men Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel even with this sideshow trudged in what seemed a while later. It felt appropriate on a few levels.

Yep, if the Mercs this weekend at ultra-fast Monza were in Vettel's words "in a world of their own", similar could be said about Lewis in relation to his team mate. He's simply been on another level to everyone from around the mid-point of Friday, and if anything has seemed to stretch his advantage ever wider since.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Belgian Grand Prix Review/Italian Grand Prix Preview

The latest episode of the Lights to Flag podcast is here, and in this one we look back at the Belgian Grand Prix as well as look ahead to Monza.

Host Ewan Marshall and I reflect on a Spa weekend and race that gave us plenty to talk about. And yes, Max Verstappen does feature... We also look ahead to the Italian race and just what is so very special about the Monza venue. You can listen by clicking play below.

As before too do let us know what you think, we're very keen to hear feedback. You can also interact with the podcast, such as by suggesting questions or letting us know your comments, via the Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too.

Italian Grand Prix Coin Collection by Rosland Capital

You may recall a few weeks back me writing about premier precious metals asset firm Rosland Capital releasing and distributing The Formula One Collection, a new limited edition series of F1 themed coin collections.

The limited edition gold coin celebrating the Italian Grand Prix

This collection includes individual one-quarter ounce gold coins to celebrate four of the most prestigious modern-day Grands Prix specifically.

And of course there are few as prestigious as Monza's Italian Grand Prix which takes place this weekend, and the limited edition .25oz gold coin celebrating the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix is now available.

Minted by Swiss-based PAMP and distributed by Rosland Capital, the front of each coin features the official Formula 1 logo, a striking representation of a 2016 F1 car, and the name of the event in Italian - Gran Premio d'Italia™. The obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the legal tender value of the coin, the year of issue, and the metal fineness.

You can follow Rosland Capital's Twitter page to stay up-to-date on more Formula 1 coin news, with releases for the Brazilian and United States Grands Prix to come.

And if you'd like more information or are interested in purchasing one of these then you can visit this page on Rosland Capital's website.

The Italian Grand Prix coin in its presentation card

The observe side of the presentation card

Belgian Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Perfection is not enough

I know I've said it plenty before, but Nico Rosberg must really wonder by now what he has to do. If the Goddess Fortune was smiling his way in the opening few rounds of this season, her gaze definitely has been elsewhere more lately.

Photo: Octane Photography

And it seems she instead saves her grin instead for Nico's team mate. While Lewis Hamilton starting in 21st (due to a myriad of engine penalties) and coming through to finish third sounds like a spectacular run, really it wasn't. Really, things came to him. Just as if the afore-mentioned Lady Luck had her eyes right on his Merc.

Nico's Spa race was perfection, and he did his best to put a brave face on it all. But even he let on as to the frustration that Lewis, somehow, came out of the Spa weekend rather smelling of roses...

I give my take on it all in my latest Motor Verso race review, which you can read here: http://www.motorverso.com/belgian-gp-2016-review-perfection-not-enough/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Both Mercedes Drivers Got Lucky In Spa

Yes, we're the first ones to say it - both Mercedes drivers got lucky in Spa. Nico Rosberg won his 20th Grand Prix because of Lewis Hamilton's grid penalties. In the same breath, we've got to agree that Hamilton was lucky to make it to the podium (from P21) thanks to the Safety Car period and the red flag. Though we wonder why Lewis Hamilton didn't win the 44 lap Grand Prix, if 44 is his lucky number! Only 9 points separate the duo, which way will the remainder of the season go?

Formula 1 returned after the summer break with a bang at Spa - it was a race of collisions and crashes (mostly into Ferraris). Was Vettel at fault at the first corner? Vettel should have a 'How to Overtake Max Verstappen' class with mandatory attendance for Raikkonen.

Max Verstappen has been accused of dangerous driving, but of course the FIA won't do anything about it. He's THE crowd puller, at the moment. Though Niki Lauda believes that Max needs to visit a psychiatrist! Lauda says that he will call Jos if Max does not listen - Parent Teacher Meeting for the teenager in Monza? Also, did the young sensation not win the 'Driver of the Day' in Spa because his entire Orange Army was at the race track? Of course, Hamilton did find support in his Barmy Army.

Force India love affair with Spa continued, though Hulkenberg may have been robbed of a podium finish. The team's survival is in question if Sergio Perez moves teams in 2017. Maybe finishing 4th in the Constructors' Championship will earn them the deficit.

Will Kevin Magnusen be fit for Monza - and if not, will Renault make the popular decision of getting Carmen Jorda to drive? And was Fernando Alonso's P22 to P7 more noteworthy than Hamilton's recovery drive? With newer talent gaining popularity and faster cockpits, will Alonso have a chance for his final flourish at all?

Over the summer break, we learnt that Bernie Ecclestone plans to sell Formula 1's radio messages (with a premium charge for listening to Raikkonen's radio?). On that note, Minttu signed up for a lifetime of realtime Raikkonen humour! Hamilton hung out with Nicole over summer, and she was a real-life Pussy Cat (Doll). Also, our favourite moment of the summer break, Ricciardo calling bullshit on Hamilton's tweet!

Nico Rosberg has never won at Monza, will it be yet another 'first' for him? And will Hamilton equalise Fangio and Senna's record for maximum poles? There's a lot of Formula 1 this week and on our podcast, tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 27)

Monza Preview: F1's soul survivor

The modern F1 calendar, to put it euphemistically, divides opinion. But in this two-week period after the summer break these days you will hardly find a murmur of objection. The stops-offs suddenly feel recognisable and wonderful; embodying a lot of what F1 is, or should be. We've just been to Spa of course, and this weekend coming we'll be in Monza, the venue for the Italian Grand Prix. And so a lot feels right in F1. Enjoy it while it lasts.

What is it about Monza? Well, if you need to ask...
Photo: Octane Photography

So what is it about Monza? Why does just about anyone whose heart has beaten a little faster for a racing car anticipate this round like no other? On a certain level it's a tricky one to explain as there are a good few things not to like about it. The venue lacks the gleaming modernity of the newer ones. The place has never entirely shaken its sense of vague chaos. Certain aspects of the crowd aren't to everyone's taste. Unlike Spa's its layout isn't all that much of a driving challenge these days. It can't even really be counted on to produce a wonderful race.

But still the original question puts in mind, as Louis Armstrong said when asked to define 'swing', that if you have to ask then you'll never know...

Belgian GP Report - Bittersweet Symphony

It was difficult to ask for more from Nico Rosberg in today's Belgian Grand Prix.

Nico Rosberg took a fine win, but it was bittersweet
Photo: Octane Photography

His was an imperious race right from the copybook. His identity as victor never seemed in doubt, despite a fair helping of chaos happening behind him as well as a mid-race red flag stoppage. He scampered off pronto at each start, then his consistent pace to add incrementally to his already healthy advantage was superb. This included even when on a slower tyre compound as everyone got going again after the stoppage. Most thought he may be put under pressure, at least initially. Not a bit of it.

There wasn't the tiniest mistake that I saw from him. He proceeded as if on rails, and won with about as much inevitability as one on a railroad. It also was his first triumph at this ultimate driver's track. And he did it all too on that day we'd anticipated for months as a vital opportunity for him, on which his Mercedes stable mate and chief title rival Lewis Hamilton started at the back thanks to his myriad of engine-related grid penalties.

And yet. Even with all of this it likely ends up feeling like a slightly bittersweet day for him, as with it all Nico only got ten points back on his team mate.

Spa Qualifying - Not so unfamiliar

We are at Spa, but in many ways it was nothing like Spa. The weather for one - unusually hot to the point of being more redolent of Abu Dhabi. Moreover the usual required waterproofs for the annual Ardennes visits have this time not been required at all.

With an open goal, Nico Rosberg fired the ball
into the empty net to bag pole
Photo: Octane Photography

Motor racing at this revered Belgian track usually guarantees drama too, but this time for qualifying at least a major source of it was removed before we'd even got started. We knew in advance that Lewis Hamilton would in effect be scratched.

Long in advance - his grid penalty from taking additional engine parts was pretty much inevitable since his technical failures in the first handful of 2016 rounds, while also it transparently made most sense to swallow them here. His resultant 55 (really) place drop means he starts tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix from the back. It also meant that in today's session there was no incentive for him to do other than set a time within 107% of the front in Q1 so to guarantee his place on the grid, and otherwise sit out to save engine mileage and tyres.

Not all of what we got was unusual though. Much of what we got seemed very usual indeed, starting with this precise matter of grid drops and drivers therefore being best served by putting their feet up rather than do their thing on track. Drafting regs in this game is never easy for a multitude of reasons, but that the upshot was it all seeming to militate against the show on offer to the paying public was one we've heard a few times before.

A Very Brief History Of F1 (1920-1980) - a guest article by Gemma Gale

F1 is a sport which has been going for a long time. Many of us will have detailed knowledge about portions of F1 history - but may not be aware of the entire story. As such, here is a brief overview of F1 from its beginnings to its current state. (Note - if you want to go into a few of the eras mentioned in more detail, there are plenty of informative articles to be found in the 'Looking Back' section of this website!)

The First Races

Motor sport quickly became popular - this is
the 1928 Le Mans 24 Hours race
By Agence de presse Meurisse - This image is available from
Gallica Digital Library under the digital ID btv1b9040626q
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the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required.
See Commons:Licensing for more information.English |
Français | Magyar | Italiano | Nederlands | Slovenščina |
Українська | +/−, Public Domain, https://commons.
wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39594110

Modern Formula 1 racing can trace its origins back to the Grand Prix road racing which was popular back in the 1920s and '30s. These were exciting affairs which, while not as high-speed as modern races (engines and car design had a long way to come!), nonetheless provided a thrill for the glamorous flapper set. With few rules and no real governing authority, the races served as the perfect outlet for the wilder passions of some. People flocked to Le Mans in France and Indianapolis in the USA to witness faster vehicles than those to which they were accustomed tearing up (quite literally!) the tracks, and aristocratic drivers expressing grievances with their rivals through the medium of racing. Scandal and sensation were de rigueur for the Grand Prix set, and this formed much of the appeal for the public. Crashes and deaths were surprisingly common, considering that it took a long time for any Grand Prix car to exceed 70 mph. However, with the advent of the supercharged engine, the Grand Prix scene was to change dramatically.