Suzuka Preview: Big in Japan

They don't make 'em like they used to.

Inimitable Suzuka
Photo: Octane Photography

Such a claim isn't always true, but it sometimes is. And you might argue that it applies particularly to the F1 circuit. It certainly applies to Suzuka, the welcome stop-off for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Of course some of the sport's newer venues are better than others, but none have got even close to quickening the pulse among drivers and aficionados alike as happens when cars circulate this venue. In fairness, not that many of the older tracks have either.

This is mainly because the Suzuka layout is dominated by challenging, snaking, undulating turns, the sort that separate the great from the good, the sort that would most likely be laughed out of court were they proposed from the ground up.

Malaysia Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - A Tale of Two Engines

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Photo: Octane Photography

Yes Charles Dickens references are to the fore after an astonishing Malaysia Grand Prix. It pivoted on something that makes motorsport unique, but the accompanying injustice can be crushing. And with it the title race pivoted too.

But also with it we got rather a popular and overdue race victor. That one about the best and worst of times again... A tale of two teams. And two engines.

I give my take on all of this in my latest Motor Verso race review, which you can read here: http://www.motorverso.com/malaysia-gp-2016-review-tale-two-engines/

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.

Malaysian GP Report - This is F1

This is F1. It's why we watch it. It's why also as well as it being the most compelling companion it can also - even in the same moment - be the cruellest ogre.

Daniel Ricciardo eventually won out in Malaysia
Photo: Octane Photography

This applies to most sports of course, but motorsport is different. In this game things literally aren't over until they're over. In football for example everything along the way counts and is permanent - the goals you score can't be scratched. Even the mightiest implosion likely won't threaten your win if you are four-nil up with 10 minutes remaining.

In this Malaysian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was the F1 equivalent of four-nil up with ten minutes remaining. But it was indeed an implosion, one of his Mercedes power unit, that left him in a blink with nothing. It lost him the race and all points; it could well lose him the world championship too. That's another F1 perennial, that even the very biggest prizes can hinge on such things. They often do in fact.

Sepang Qualifying - Twist and shout

We should have known really. It was absolutely in keeping with the season. With the title race. And with Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton hit back in the finest style with a
stunning pace for pole position
Photo: Octane Photography

Following the much-documented momentum against him in recent weeks, in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix today he hit back today in the most devastating style, showing the astonishing pace and joie de vivre that he delivers at his best. His team mate and title antagonist Nico Rosberg was left rather breathless, and was reminded not for the first time that no matter the purple patch Lewis has reserves - accessed when all is right with the world for him - that Nico can't live with probably. If it's any sort of comfort almost no one else can either. This is a title race full of twists and turns. And this was the latest.

This twist felt like one of the knife though. Sepang is the happiest of hunting grounds for Lewis, especially on a Saturday. No one in the same car has bettered him in qualifying here for six years, and that was a crazy rainstorm-jumbled session. And he never looked like being beaten today by anyone in the same car or not. He was quickest for much of practice, and it remained that way in each part of qualifying.

The latest Lights to Flag Podcast - 2016 Singapore Grand Prix Review and Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

The latest episode of the Lights to Flag podcast is here. There's no me on it this time due to some connectivity problems, but we were delighted that Ewan was joined by Luke Smith from NBC Sports and many more things besides!

Ewan and Luke to look back at a rather stunning - in more ways than one - Singapore Grand Prix, as well as look ahead to the Malaysian Grand Prix. You can listen by clicking play below.

As ever you can interact with the podcast via its Twitter account and on its Facebook page. If you want to appear on it give us a shout too. And if you have comments then get them to us via the various channels and we'll read out the good ones on a future episode!

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Tim Cook To Replace Ron Dennis At McLaren?

Yes, another one of those titles where we urge you to judge our podcast by the title, or not. Disclaimer: we're only having fun and we hope you do so too. In the Apple-McLaren story, we wonder if Tim Cook could be the man to turn McLaren around. And how is it that despite attracting iconic brands such as Honda, Fernando Alonso and now Apple (possibly), McLaren isn't able to repeat its iconic performances.

However, if Apple do get involved, let's hope that their creative team comes up with something better than iMcLaren - eek! Also, is Apple's main interest Fernando Alonso's radio messages being available for download via iTunes? And just by the way, we're already on iTunes, so here's where you can subscribe: http://bit.ly/insidelinef1podcast

Fernando Alonso - is he penning an autobiography? We love the Alonso 2.0 at McLaren and let's hope he publishes his funny radio messages, if nothing. And, our love for him shot through the roof after he declared that he wouldn't be interested in Pokemon GO!

As for Honda, they've expanded operations to supply to a second team in Formula 1 in the near future. Is this the real reason behind their expansion? Well, our investigative reports indicate otherwise. Oh and they also say that they're ahead of Toro Rosso. While this claim may defy some logic, we try to prove their point.

A decade since Lewis Hamilton's first ever Formula 1 test. We talk about his legendary career and hope that we don't lose his talent to Hollywood or Music! A Hamilton vs. Vettel vs. Alonso vs. Raikkonen vs. Verstappen battle would be stuff that dreams are made of. Would Liberty Media have the liberty to engineer such duels in the near future?

We also bring focus to Anthony Hamilton's views on Motorsport and how expensive Motorsport already is, how a draft selection policy would be good for Formula 1 but could be too cool for Formula 1 to implement. But, if drivers had performance targets, Kimi Raikkonen would've been shown the door this year. Yes, we talk serious stuff too, here's proof!

Formula 1 plans to exploit their gaming and gambling potential. We tell you who their Chief Gaming Officer could be, but no points for guessing the one man most worthy of the Chief Gambling Officer for the sport.

Have you seen Daniel Ricciardo smile all by himself in pre-podium ceremony? We tell you the secret of his laughs. Shockingly and boldly enough, Ricciardo has rallied his support behind Nico Rosberg for the Drivers' Championship title. We've a short piece of advice for the Honey Badger - beware of the trolls this week!

Is Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the Pastor Maldonado of Grand Prix circuits? With Malaysia coming up this weekend, will Rosberg's 'FOMO' drive him to yet another 'first ever' win? But before you pick your winner, remember: Hamilton has always finished ahead of Rosberg at Sepang, will it be any different this Sunday?

(Season 2016, Episode 31)

Sepang Preview: After the watershed

Sepang was the future once. When the then-gleaming new venue from the pen of architect of choice Hermann Tilke arrived on the calendar in 1999 the great leap forward, leaving all existing hosts breathless, was conspicuous. Bernie Ecclestone quickly hailed the facility for the inaugural (in the F1 World Championship at least) Malaysian Grand Prix as "the best in the world".

The distinctive Sepang venue represented a great leap forward
By Eriang87 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creative
commons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

And any F1 venue history will need to have this one as its fork in the road. Much of what is here became the template for the new Tilke-dromes that have popped up almost inexorably since. Not merely that it was Tilke's creation. Not merely either that it was built from scratch on a greenfield site it that familiar way. Nor that the architecture was giant, innovative and distinctive - here indeed the grandstand roofs are shaped like Hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower, something that even now still attracts many a camera lens.

There also is a clear fingerprint with the circuit layout - a long straight book-ended by tight corners intended to provide overtaking opportunities (this track has at least two of them indeed), as well as a fair variety of types of turn including a high speed esses section.

Even the motivation was the same as what was to become grimly familiar - the Malaysian Prime Minister of the time wanting to promote the country as an industrial and business destination and deciding to bankroll the round to this end.

New Grand Prix Times article: History repeating - the divergent tales of Felipe Massa and Nico Rosberg

Photo: Octane Photography

Last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix felt like an important one. The title battle had been close already, but you'd hardly know that we had one. That was until Nico Rosberg's triumphant time of it, which unlike his previous wins caused a rather frantic recalculation of his potency.

And it had a strong echo from the recent past, eight years ago prior to it with Felipe Massa's rise to oh-so nearly win the title then. The parallels were uncanny indeed.

In my latest article for Grand Prix Times You can have a read here: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/id/12919

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Pokemon GO Monsters At Formula 1 Races?

With Jenson Button's help we've cracked the perfect idea to bring younger audiences to F1 races – install Pokemon Go monsters at every Grand Prix! Maybe they're already working on this and decided to live test in Singapore on the perfect target audience, Max Verstappen. Yes, we are referring to the 'Godzilla' on track. Although, this novel idea of ours may lead to more jaywalkers on track - like the marshal in Singapore (but seriously, shouldn't the FIA be penalised for this incident?)! After encountering the Hulk at the start of the race on Sunday, young Verstappen did have the perfect teenager of a weekend.

Nico Rosberg won in Singapore, but the race went down to the wire. In an attempt to bring Lewis Hamilton back on the podium, did Mercedes jeopardise Rosberg's win? What if the situations were reversed? There'd be carnage!

It was also Rosberg's 200th Formula One start – and another driver's 300th, tune in to find out who. As the Drivers' Championship battle continues, we're not taking sides yet - 6 races or nearly 1/3rd of the season yet remaining. But Ferrari, what were they thinking? Or were they thinking at all? After being butted off the podium, maybe Kimi Raikkonen tipped the Singapore cops about Maurizio Arrivabene's cigarette butt, we think.

Ferrari praised Raikkonen's race as a 'World Champion' effort, but they didn't act like a World Champion team. We'd not blame them though; it's been nearly a decade since their last crown. While we missed Raikkonen's uncomfortable waving on the podium and the mumbling, the Iceman did get some overtaking practice in Singapore along with some opportunity for to play his radio classics.

We thank Red Bull Racing for allowing us to enjoy the Max Verstappen vs. Daniil Kvyat battle on-track without issuing team orders. Although, we were almost certain to hear back a 'NO' had they instructed Kvyat to move over. In some ways, did this 'personal' battle help Kvyat get some closure on the unceremonious demotion? Let's hope so. And of course, thank you to Red Bull Racing for livening up the last 14 laps of the race with a well though of tyre strategy for Daniel Ricciardo, who is increasingly becoming our choice for the 'Driver of the Season' and should've won 'Driver of the Day' in Singapore.

We are impressed by Niki Lauda's humour, top marks for his comeback to Max Verstappen on their ongoing "psychiatrist" banter. A new but expected power struggle seems to be brewing in Formula 1 between Bernie Ecclestone and Chase Carey, which way will things go? Carey's biggest short-term task will be to retain Fernando Alonso after 2017. In the meanwhile, we're happy to enjoy some hilarious jokes at Mr. Chase Carey's expense. Are we the first ones to do so?

NASCAR has named a race 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles', will Formula 1 ever get so cool? And if it ever thinks of doing so, let's call the Singapore Grand Prix night race the 'The Dark Night'! Finally, we congratulate Alex Zanardi, a true champion and remember one of our greatest - Keep Fighting Michael! Tune in!

(Season 2016, Episode 30)

Singapore Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Singapore Swing

It wasn't supposed to happen. And yes, it felt a lot like a watershed. Or at least a mass re-calibration of assumptions.

Photo: Octane Photography

Heading into the Singapore Grand Prix you'd hardly know that there were but two points separating the two drivers atop the championship table. As after all, they said, the one behind had only got that close by default. The one ahead was quicker all things being equal. Particularly so at this Marina Bay circuit, possibly the toughest challenge of the year. Order would soon be restored.

But just as was the case eight years ago at this venue, the much-maligned chaser put in a performance to make even his greatest detractors stop and think. And presumably reconsider.

I give my take on all of this in the Singapore weekend in my latest Motor Verso race review, which you can read here: http://www.motorverso.com/singapore-gp-2016-review-singapore-swing/

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.