Sunday finally arrived. I had 2 wonderful days at the Paddock Club and Sunday would be the icing on the Cake.

Day 3, the day of the Race!

I left early in the morning and still encountered some traffic near the circuit. The Journey though was smooth over all 3 days. KUDOS to the Organisers!

Enroute to the Circuit :

I was in awe of the F1 Village, the only covered facility I have seen so far. One must admit that the Germans are very organised. I spent some more time exploring and buying some merchandise :

The Paddock Club finally opened and the First Surprise of the Day was Mark Webber's appearance in the Red Bull Hospitality Area.

He spoke about the circuit in general and events that led him to believe that the time was right to retire from the sport and explore other endeavours

The Motorhomes on Sunday Morning :

The Paddock Club on Sunday Morning :

Tyres being Readied for Battle ( although Wets would not be used ) :

Valtteri Bottas made an appearance in the Williams Hospitality :

The Lotus Guests were soon joined by Romain Grosjean who was in a cheerful mood as usual :

A Moment with Romain :

The First Race of the Day was the Porsche Super Cup :

Lunch was fairly early in the afternoon to make time for the only Pit Lane Walk on Sunday :

Starters :

Main Course :

After a hearty meal, it was time to burn some calories and watch the teams prepare ( up-close ) for the Grand Prix.

Shots from the Lotus F1 Team Garage :

I returned from the Pit Lane Walk and was in for a pleasant surprise. The team took me down to the garage to witness all the preparations going on 30 minutes prior to the race start. I was there till Lap 8. I took some photos but cannot share them as they are the ownership of the Lotus F1 Team.

However there is one : Kimi walking to his Lotus E21 on the Grid :

Once I returned to the Paddock, I was shocked to see the unfortunate incident of the Cameraman being hit by a loose wheel from Webber's Car unfold right below me. Thank God he has recovered from the incident and the FIA has taken bigger steps to improve safety within the Pit-Lane.

Shots from the Early Part of the Race :

Kimi pitted early but Romain continued his charge and set a series of Fastest Laps in the lead!

Hamilton became a nuisance for the Early Stoppers but Kimi disposed him off with ease to start his charge towards the Front. Fernando though wasn't so lucky.

Kimi had to play catch-up to bring down the gap :

Jules Bianchi suffered an Engine Failure and had to leave the car in a jiffy. ( Lap 23 ). However a Lap Later the Marussia started rolling backwards onto the Track triggering a safety car situation. This led to a flurry of pit-stops and Kimi was able to negate the 10 sec lead that Vettel had.

The Safety car came in at Lap 30 and Vettel started pulling away slowly. Romain and Kimi kept him in sight but Alonso could not keep up with the Trio.

Nico Hulkenberg pitting :

The Pit Lane Poker at the front started with Romain Grosjean being the first one to pit on Lap 41 :

Hamilton and Rosberg pitted soon after :

Kimi Raikkonen got a free track after Vettel pitted and the fight for the front was a wide-open one.

Kimi finally pitted on Lap 50 to switch to Soft Tyres ( Options ), Alonso followed suit. The Order though at the front remained unchanged.

Kimi on the Option Tyre started catching the duo at front and Alonso too seemed to be joining the party. 

Kimi passed Romain on Lap 55 but not before the latter being informed about the Finn being on the option tyre and the team request to not hold him up ( Championship Contender )

Kimi wasted no time in closing the gap to Vettel and reduce his lead to less than second in the penultimate lap :

Alonso too closed in on Grosjean but the latter held on for a deserved 3rd place. Kimi tried his best but had to settle for 2nd place. Vettel admitted that he was glad that the race ended on Lap 60 and not 61 or 62 else Kimi would have been the sure winner!

The Team Personnel and Fans rush towards the Podium :

The Podium Finishers and a Pensive Kimi :

The Team ensured that all the Paddock Club Guests got a photo opportunity with the Trophies!!

The Team Members with the Trophies!

The Trophies :

The Team Trucks and The Personnel began their work of Dismantling everything :

It was time to say goodbye to the Team after 3 days of being together...

A Big Thank You to Sophie, Luca, Gaby, Anne-Charlotte and James for hosting me and being extremely hospitable and gracious.

A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson for all the assistance offered. Really missed his presence at Germany.

Finally a Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean for such a rocking weekend and fantastic results.

I hope the team goes from strength to strength from here on!!

Monza, Italy, The Land of the Tifosi is my next stop. The Paddock Club Diaries continue then....

God Bless Everyone!

Day 1 at the German GP was a memorable one. Saturday would feature the Saturday Practice and the Qualifying Sessions for F1. Teams would try to get some more clarity about their race pace and more importantly run "Qualifying Simulations" in the Practice.

Enroute to the Circuit ( A different route this time ) :

I started early in the morning but couldn't make it in time for the Team Pit-Stop Practice. The Saturday Practice was pretty early in the morning to give the teams ample time to prepare cars for Qualifying.

Some shots from the Saturday Practice :

The Lotus F1 team going about their job :

Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Kimi 6th and Romain 8th Fastest

The Top Bosses from Auden McKenzie shared the table and we were soon joined by the 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill. A healthy discussion was followed by lunch. Meeting the legend all over again was a great feeling  :

Lunch, forgot to click the Main Course in the excitement of meeting someone special ;)

The Lunch also overlaps the 2nd Pit Lane Walk timings. We all rushed to the pitlane to prepare for the arrival of the one and only ICEMAN KIMI RAIKKONEN!!

A quick Meet and Greet event. I was also able to give Kimi the gift I had made for him.

THE ICEMAN COMETH :

Jean-Eric Vergne's Car being wheeled back to the garage post FIA Checks

The Main Grandstand here is a lot closer than other tracks. Helps the Fans to be closer to the action!

It was time for the Qualifying to start! The Session that would decide the Race Grid.

Shots from Q1 :

Lotus F1 Team in Q1 :

Felipe Massa surprised everyone with the Fastest time. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 9th Fastest

Q2 began a few minutes later. The 2nd elimination would separate the Top 10 for the Final shootout in Q3.

Some Shots from Q2 :

Lotus F1 Team in their quest to make it to Q3 :

Felipe Massa was the Fastest again. Kimi was 2nd and Romain 4th Fastest.

Q3 was the final shootout for the Final 10 drivers. I was taken down to the Garage to be with the Team for Q3. However I was able to capture some stills.

The Final 10 minutes was a game of strategy. Everyone wanted to have their final stint as late as possible.

Q3 ended with Lewis Hamilton on top. Kimi made an error in the First sector that denied him a front row start. Kimi was 4th and Romain qualified 5th.

Both had strong qualifying positions and the signs looked good for the race.

We Returned upstairs and were soon informed that Sebastien Vettel was coming to the Red Bull Hospitality Area. I couldn't get too close but managed to capture some canny shots :

Eric Boullier and Alan Permane looking relaxed after the session. So Happy to see both Cheerful!

The New Wheels of the Lotus F1 Team :

It was a memorable Saturday and it was time to return in the evening. The Roads are very scenic. You have to love the Autobahns.

A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality shown and a special thanks to Oliver Anderson too for all the help.

The Events that unfolded on Sunday shall be updated soon. God Bless Everyone!

I start a new series today. Its called the "Paddock Club Diaries". I shall be documenting my experiences from the various Paddock Clubs at the Grand Prix I have had the privilege of being at. The Silverstone GP in 2012 was already documented. The Indian GP ( 2012 ) shall be done soon but first I shall be sharing my experience of The Paddock Club of the German GP held at the Nurburgring from 5th July to 7th July 2013. The Circuit is nestled amongst the hills in the Eifel Region and has a great history in Motor-racing. The Circuit's chance of hosting the GP was almost jeopardized but Bernie Ecclestone ensured that this did not happen.

Once again as a guest of the Lotus F1 Team I was able to have the privilege of seeing my favourite driver KIMI RAIKKONEN up-close.

My passes were delivered a day before the GP - Elegant as ever :

All preparations done, it was time to leave for the circuit early in the Morning. Enroute to the circuit :

Nurburgring, Friday Morning :

The Paddock Club wasn't ready for its guests yet but the Pit Lane was open for the Pit Lane Walk and it was time to explore the garages up-close! As a guest of Lotus F1 , I had the privilege of entering their garage!!

The Lotus F1 Mechanics preparing the Cars for Battle :

The Pit Lane Walk lasted 45 minutes and we were then ushered into the Club Suite. The Location of the Suite was perfect and offered fantastic vantage points to view the sessions!!

Before we knew it, the First Friday Practice Session was already upon us! FP1 saw teams tinker with various setups and upgrades to monitor car performance. Some Shots from the FP1 :

The Iceman doing his job!

The Teams monitoring all the data :

Lewis Hamilton was the Fastest in the session, Kimi Raikkonen was 5th and Romain Grosjean 9th.

FP2 was still a couple of hours away so I dug into some sweets

Lunch was served on time and was delicious as always :

We were joined by Davide Valsecchi, the Lotus F1 Reserve Driver post lunch. A Very Humble and Gracious person indeed!

His Departure was soon followed by the 2nd Pit Lane Walk.

The 2nd Pit Lane Walk saw more guests and some teams had a lot more on display :

The Podium and the Safety Car :

Williams F1 were celebrating their 600th GP Weekend. A Big Congratulations to them!

FP2 finally began and I was able to capture some great photos. FP2 is a session that teams utilize to monitor Race Pace. Qualifying Simulations are also run. Some more stills!

Kimi Raikkonen flying again!

Sebastien Vettel was the Fastest in the session, Romain Grosjean was 4th and Kimi Raikkonen 5th.

Finishing my Desserts during FP2 :

FP2 ended and it was time for the GP2 Qualifying Session. The Train of Cars :

The Club Suite. A Fantastic Place to enjoy an F1 Weekend!

The Team Motorhomes from the Paddock Club :

I was also taken down to the Team Garage on 4 occasions. I was able to see the team work up-close during the sessions, the race engineers conversing with their respective pilots and the mechanics making setup changes and doing practice pit-stops. It was an amazing experience! ( Photography forbidden within the Team Garages )

The Paddock Club shut at 6:30 pm and I had some time to explore the F1 Village. This is the First Covered Village I have seen. The arrangements done by the organisers must be commended.

The Journey back to the Hotel :

It was a great day at the Paddock Club, a really memorable one.

A Big Thank You to the Lotus F1 Team for all the Hospitality. A Big Thank You to Oliver Anderson too for all the help. Really appreciate it!

The Saturday experience shall be coming soon! Watch this Space!!

The Cards are on the Table. The Time has come for speculations to start. The Time has come when Driver Lineups are being planned for next season.

Who Stays ? Who Goes ? Who Won't Go ? - Well, it shall be examined right here, right now!

The Situation is fragile at all the top teams barring Mercedes AMG Petronas and McLaren Mercedes.

Mark Webber Leaves F1 :

Mark Webber has decided to call it quits at the end of the 2013 Season. He has decided to retire from the sport altogether and will switch to Porsche in the Le Mans. The Australian has had a rough ride and his deteriorating relationship with team-mate Sebastien Vettel has been one of the causes of his departure. Red Bull are already in the market searching for a worthy replacement. Daniel Ricciardo has been impressive in the Scuderia Toro-Rosso, the Red Bull-B team effectively. Promoting himself ( Ricciardo ) into Webber's seat would be the final step in his endeavour to get to the top. Kimi Raikkonen and maybe Fernando Alonso ( Maybe just a rumour ) are also being considered for the seat. Clarity should come by the end of the Mid-Season break. I see Ricciardo grabbing this seat as he would play the perfect support role to Vettel.

The Situation at Ferrari :

Ferrari has suffered a big slump in form. Fernando Alonso seems to be unhappy and has stressed the importance of getting their act together. When asked on his birthday as to what he would want as a gift, Alonso said " Someone Else's Car ". The Presence of his manager in the Red Bull Motorhome in Hungary also sparked rumours of a possible switch at the end of this season. The Speculation has definitely unsettled the top bosses at Ferrari.

On the other hand, the team is running out of patience with Felipe Massa who has been producing mediocre results. The Possibility of seeing two new drivers at Ferrari ( next season ) can't be ruled out.

Raikkonen has been offered the 2014 seat. Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta are also being shortlisted as replacements. I don't see Alonso leaving but I don't see Massa staying either. Hulkenberg would be a worthy replacement for Massa.

Lotus driver lineup?

Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are both out of contract at the end of this season. Kimi Raikkonen is hot property for 2014 with Lotus F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari vying for his signature.

I have explored his options in detail in my previous post : http://tech-know-crat.posthaven.com/where-art-thou-goeth-iceman

Romain Grosjean's future hinges on Raikkonen's. Lotus Team Principal "Eric Boullier" has admitted that he wants to hold onto at least one driver for 2014. Grosjean would have to improve his on-track results if he wants to justify his job at Lotus should Kimi stay. Kimi's departure to another team would definitely boost Romain's chances of holding onto his seat.

Hulkenberg, Maldonado and Davide Valsecchi ( Lotus F1's Reserve driver ) have been shortlisted as potential replacements. I would like to see Valsecchi get the seat. He is the current GP2 Champion and his work for the development of this car has been commendable. He deserves a drive in 2014.

Sauber Ferrari have been under great financial duress. Their situation has compelled them to release Hulkenberg from his contract, allowing him to join another team with immediate effect. However the German who hasn't been paid for some months now has decided to stay with the team. His drives now would be more like an audition to switch to another team next season.

Sauber Ferrari have got Russian Sponsors to give them the financial backing that they need. As a compromise, they are going to offer a young but unknown quantity a drive next season; a Russian named Sergey Sirotkin. The 17 year old is currently plying his trade in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series.

Scuderia Toro-Rosso have shortlisted Carlos Sainz, Jr. who has taken part in the Young Driver's Test at Silverstone should any of their current drivers leave for Red Bull.

Mercedes AMG Petronas, McLaren Mercedes would have the same driver lineups.

The Next Couple of Weeks would be crucial. Kimi Raikkonen's decision should get the ball rolling for the rest.

Till then we wait.....

"Flying Finn", " Iceman", "The King of Spa" are some of the nicknames that he is associated with. Love him or Hate him, he is a character you can't stop talking about in F1, be it his uninteresting though straightforward answers to the media or his rant on the pit radio in the races. As Natalie Pinkham once said " We know that he knows what he is doing ", one must admit that Kimi Raikkonen is from a different planet altogether.

Kimi has been hounded by the press recently who want to know his future plans. Kimi is without a contract at the end of the season.

Steve Robertson, Kimi Raikkonen's Manager has admitted that Kimi would stay in F1 in 2014. It is clear that the Iceman has enjoyed his second stint in F1. Lotus F1, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari are all vying for Kimi's Signature. Where will he end up?

Let's explore his options...

The 2012 Season was a season to remember. 2013 promised to be a great season and it has not disappointed.

2013 saw the absence of Michael Schumacher after the German decided to retire for good. Valencia ( European GP ) withdrew from the 2013 season, Spain's financial status to blame for the loss. So 2013 would feature 19 race weekends.

The First 10 has brought its fair share of controversies and even chaos on some occasions. Lets do a quick review of what has conspired in the first half of the season for the teams.

Red Bull Racing :

Red Bull lead the Constructors' Championship by 69 Points. Vettel leads the Drivers' Championship by 38 points over Raikkonen while Webber is 5th at 105 Points.
Its been a satisfactory first half for the team but it has not been a smooth ride. Vettel and Webber had a big disagreement at the Malaysian GP and the friction between the two is still at an all time high. Vettel has been consistent notching up 4 wins and 3 podiums. He suffered one retirement at Silverstone ( Gearbox failure ). Webber has been very unlucky and some questions have been raised about the Australian being provided with inferior machinery compared to his team-mate. 3 Podiums ( One sure victory was robbed ) coupled with one retirement have left him down in 5th. He leaves at the end of the season and the talk of who replaces him have been dominating the Paddock.

Red Bull might not be strong in Spa and Monza but the car's capabilities come to the fore in the final fly-away events. Still Favourites for the Title

Mercedes AMG Petronas :

Mercedes have had a mercurial First Half. Inspite of Multiple Pole Positions, they have failed to hold on and win races. Tyre Degradation has been their Achilles' Heel and they tried to address the situation post the Spanish GP. The Illegal Test attracted a reprimand and a ban from the Young Drivers' test at Silverstone. The team has openly admitted their inability to understand the tyre performance and degradation but their recent victory at Hungary suggests that their bad days are behind them.

Lewis Hamilton is 4th in the Drivers' Championship and got his first victory with the team at the recently concluded Hungarian GP. He also managed 3 podiums. Nico Rosberg is in 6th on 84 points and has won 2 races. If the team has been able to resolve their tyre problems, ( there have been false assurances earlier ), then Red Bull have a fight on their hands.

Ferrari :

Ferrari made a solid start to the season but seem to have lost their way a bit. The lack of a wind tunnel for testing has meant that the upgrades have failed to deliver the required results. The technical progress has stagnated and the team has hired James Allison ( Ex-Lotus ) to help them overcome the problems. He joins the team from the Italian GP weekend.

Fernando Alonso is 3rd in the standings with 2 victories and 3 podiums. The Spaniard has done well in the Ferrari so far. His recent rant about the car's lack of performance has not gone down well with Ferrari's top boss.

Massa has had a disappointing season with only one podium at Catalunya. Ferrari have reiterated their faith in him but the Brazilian would have to step up his game and deliver some really strong results to have any chances of retaining his seat next season.

Lotus F1 :

Lotus F1 are 4th in the Constructors' and only 5 points behind Ferrari. The Enstone based team has embarassed many bigger spending teams with their amazing performance this year. The Race Pace has been exceptional and Tyre Degradation has been less compared to other teams. The Team have come close to victory on many occasions this year but have won only one race. They need to work on their Qualifying Pace ( One Lap Runs ) to start higher up on the grid and improve their chances of winning even more.

Kimi Raikkonen has finished every race ( but one ) in the points since his return to F1 in 2012. He is 2nd in the Drivers' Championship at 134 points. One Victory ( Australia ) and 5 Podiums where he has finished 2nd have shown that the team could have scored more had their Qualifying Pace been stronger. Kimi's consistency has helped him stay in the title hunt.

Romain Grosjean has had another mercurial season this year. He is 8th in the Championship on 49 points and has had only 2 podiums. He has made less mistakes compared to last year but he too like Massa needs to better his results to keep his seat for 2014 if Kimi stays.

Force India :

Force India are 5th in the Constructors' Championship on 59 points and have had a great first half so far. The team uses Mercedes' Engines and McLaren's Gearbox Technologies and have managed to keep the latter behind them up until this point.They have been really strong at certain circuits and that has helped their charge up the standings.

Neither Di Resta Nor Sutil have got on the Podium but the team has earned points in almost all races up until Silverstone. The Recent slump in Germany and Hungary has meant that the McLaren have gained ground on them.

McLaren Mercedes :

McLaren Mercedes have had a Horrible Season so far. A Team of their Stature and Spending Ability shouldn't be languishing in 6th, 220 points behind the leader Red Bull. The Car has not been good enough and heavy upgrades have come in to improve performance The Woking based team are making steady progress but Damage Limitation is all that they can expect from this season

Jenson Button has been steadily delivering points. Sergio Perez took some races to come into his own. Neither has enjoyed a podium so far.

Toro Rosso - Ferrari, Sauber - Ferrari & Williams - Renault :

Toro Rosso have had a better season compared to 2012 and Ricciardo and Vergne are locked in a battle for supremacy. The Former though is a better performer and might just edge out the latter towards the end.

Sauber Ferrari have had a horrendous first-half. Their performance is nowhere near last year's. Financial Crunches have meant that the upgrades have been meagre. Hulkenberg has not been paid and been released from his contract. A Russian Sponsor had promised financial influx but the promise is yet to be fulfilled. Hulkenberg and Gutierrez though have done well with whatever machinery they have had.

Williams Renault has suffered the same fate as Sauber. Their Performance is nowhere near 2012 where Maldonado even won a race. The team has had forgettable races, thanks to reliability issues and mistakes committed throughout the season. Maldonado and Bottas have faced an uphill task. The former brought the team their first point this season at Hungary. I don't see an improvement happening in the near future.

Marussia Cosworth, Caterham Renault :

These Teams might be the back-markers or the ''also-rans" but both deserve to be applauded for their efforts so far. Marussia have outperformed Caterham for many races. However the new construction of tyres has meant that the latter has gained some ground. What follows in the second half would be intriguing to watch.

I still believe that Lotus F1 is the Dark Horse in the Constructors' battle. If they can sustain their challenge in the second half then a 2nd place finish isn't too far from their reach. Do they have the finances to sustain such a challenge is the question...

Mercedes can trouble Red Bull if they have put their tyre troubles to rest. Ferrari right now seemed to be lost but one cannot discount their abilities. I believe they shall recover but will it be too late a charge?

McLaren Mercedes are on the road to recovery and their financial position should help them surpass Force India. Catching the ones in front would be a different story. However they might just play spoil-sport in the latter half of the season.

Sebastien Vettel seems favourite for the crown this year too but it won't be a walk in the park. Lewis Hamilton has added more spice into the mix and Vettel's lead of 38 points can vanish very quickly if he fails to finish races. Kimi Raikkonen will remain consistent as long as he has a strong and reliable car under him. Fernando Alonso shall continue producing gutsy drives for Ferrari. He must get a competitive car to challenge those at the front to have any hopes of winning his 3rd championship.

The Second Half only promises to be more exciting. The wait for the Belgian GP continues...

We are halfway through the 2013 F1 Season and I had the privilege of being at the Malaysian GP thanks to Tourism Malaysia.

My First Paddock Club of the season was at the German GP at Nurburgring with the Lotus F1 Team.

3 Fantastic Days and a double podium for the Team was the Icing on the Cake!! Met many new faces in F1.

As always, let the pictures say it all!!

Davide Valsecchi, Current GP2 Champion and Lotus F1 Reserve Driver. A Great Guy, extremely humble and definitely Championship Material!! GO DAVIDE!!!

Damon Hill, 1996 F1 World Champion!! Had a nice chat about the Tyre Crisis.

KIMI RAIKKONEN!!! THE ICEMAN COMETH again & again & again!! Go KIMI!!

Sebastien Vettel too made an appearance

Romain Grosjean, The Flying Frenchman!!

Mark Webber visited the Paddock on Sunday Morning. He will be missed!

The Team enjoyed a double podium!! So had the opportunity to get photos with the Trophies!!!

The Team Members with the trophies!!!

Photo - op with the Team Members!

Our Beloved Accolades that No One can take away from us!!

Hi Friends!!

Sorry for such a long silence. I attended the German GP on 7th July and returned last week. However have been recovering from a viral infection and have not been able to document my experience till now. I am on the road to recovery and an update should come in soon!!

So watch this space

God Bless you and Take Care

3 weeks have gone by since the Canadian GP weekend on 9th June. The long break also meant that a lot would happen outside the track as well.

In the weeks leading upto the British GP weekend many talking points have emerged and the British Grand Prix itself has caused more unrest in the world of F1.

1) The International Tribunal Verdict on the "PirelliGate" scandal :

The Verdict was out on 21st June after the hearings in Paris. Mercedes AMG Petronas & Pirelli received reprimands and the former was excluded from the Young Driver's Test to be held at Silverstone.

Mercedes would view the verdict as fair but the others felt it was a big let-off. Ferrari and Red Bull made their feelings known publicly but the verdict was given. The results of the last 3 races ( including Silverstone ) clearly indicate that Mercedes has gained an advantage through the tyre-test held at Catalunya. Hamilton was successful in carrying out a 2 stop strategy ( including the damage tyre stop ) to finish 4th after being bumped down to 22nd due to a tyre burst at the British GP. His race pace clearly suggested that the team had made giant leaps and seemed to have ironed out their tyre degradation problems.

The results have helped them leap-frog both Ferrari and Lotus F1 to 2nd in the Constructors' Championship and Hamilton has closed in on Raikkonen for 3rd place in the Driver's Championship.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal was livid when news emerged that Ferrari were planning to run a similar test on a 2011 chassis with 2013 aerodynamic parts. He has written to the FIA wanting clarifications on the prerequisites of a legitimate test and what chassis should be allowed to run.

2) Mark Webber announces his retirement while Vettel extends his deal for another year at Red-Bull :

Mark Webber chose Silverstone as the appropriate weekend to announce his retirement from the sport. He shall switch to Le Mans with Porsche. Red Bull were caught unawares and will have to move quickly for a replacement. Vettel extended his contract for another year and it was no surprise for the 3 time F1 World Champion. 2014 though see new power units so he has kept his options open for 2015. The Incident in Malaysia and his non-cooperation in helping Vettel for his 3rd Title would have

The Big Talk in the Paddock though is : "Who should replace Webber for 2014? "

The Canditates : Kimi Raikkonen, Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne.

Daniel and Jean-Eric drive for the sister Red-Bull ( Toro - Rosso ) and have moved up the ranks in the Red Bull Driver Program. The duo definitely will make the promotion to the " A " team one day but a move in 2014 would be a bit premature. Kimi Raikkonen is the favourite to land the seat.

I feel that Kimi Must Stay at Lotus F1 for 2014.

Kimi has finished every race since his return to F1. He has beaten Michael Schumacher's record of 25 consecutive points finishes. Its a big feat considering that Kimi didn't finish as many races ( let alone in the points ) even in his championship winning year in 07. He was riddled with incidents and unreliability in his past seasons but Lotus has helped him finish all races since his return. Kimi has claimed that he enjoys life at Lotus. A Blunder in Silverstone might not cause him to defect but it will definitely cause him to lose some confidence in the team. It is paramount for the team to hold onto a driver like Kimi. He is a World Champion and his contribution over 2 seasons has helped a mid-table team become a top team in F1. The team can attribute their position in this year's championship to his consistent performances. Grosjean has been mercurial and still needs to develop as a challenger to the title. Kimi would be irreplaceable and another driver of his calibre might not come to Lotus. Maldonado is being looked at if a replacement is needed but he would not be a Kimi. I also dread the prospect of having Maldonado and Grosjean in one team considering the reprimands and penalties both have incurred in the past 2 seasons. The Team must do a rethink if such a move is being hinted at.

Kimi enjoys being No.1 in the team and enjoys life outside F1 too. He has many interests and was on a leash during his time at Ferrari. Lotus has allowed him to pursue other interests and brought in the people he enjoyed working with ( Mark Slade who was his engineer at McLaren ). Red Bull might not follow the same philosophy and Vettel has been the favoured driver throughout his time there. Dr. Helmut Marko wants to land Raikkonen and I see it more like a stop-gap arrangement for Red Bull until the time is right for the Younger Toro - Rosso Drivers to make the big leap. Red Bull is the best car on the grid but is prone to Failures, the most recent being Gearbox Failure for Vettel at Silverstone. However Kimi will do what he thinks is best and our opinions won't really matter.

"Just Leave Me Alone, I know what I am doing" - Right, Kimi !

3) Suspension Change for Lotus F1 before Nurburgring, Launch of "The Device" :

Lotus F1 was reported to the stewards by McLaren Mercedes after the latter spotted an anomaly in their suspension. Article 10.5.2 of F1's Technical Regulations states: "The loads from the suspension members and wheel bearings must individually and entirely be carried by the suspension upright. Exceptionally up to three suspension members may be connected together by titanium, aluminium alloy or steel components before their load is passed into the upright."

It is suggested that the Lotus design could be interpreted as having four suspension members connected together, rather than the maximum three.

The Team has been instructed by the FIA to modify the same prior to the Nurburgring Grand Prix next week and the team has agreed to do so. The Effects of such a modification would only be known by the end of next week.

The Team also ran their talked-about innovation at Silverstone - The Device or the Passive DRS. Kimi Raikkonen ran this configuration on his car's rear-wing throughout the weekend. The Race Pace was good and a strategic mistake caused him to lose a sure podium. The performance though of the system cannot be doubted and will definitely aid team performance on faster circuits like Italy, India.

4) De-lamination at Silverstone, Pirelli pulled up :

Pirelli has already been at the centre of controversy due to the "PirelliGate"  Scandal. They came into Silverstone hoping to put the worst behind them but their problems haven't left them. Perez Suffered a left rear de-lamination in the Final Practice and the Race Saw 4 Tyre Bursts - Hamilton, Massa, Vergne and Perez. Hamilton was the biggest loser as the tyre burst robbed him of sure victory. Massa too missed out on the podium after a strong start in the race.

The Tyre Burst for Hamilton jeopardized Track Safety causing the Safety Car to come out and other 3 drivers also suffered on track. Pirelli were left red-faced and Paul Hembery was summoned by the FIA President Jean Todt and Race Director Charlie Whiting over safety of the tyres. Reports are also hinting at Razor-Sharp Kerbs at turn 4 close to where 2 of the blowouts occured. Cuts on the Tyres were also reported so Pirelli might not have to bear the brunt but a change in construction would now be mandatory.

Pirelli had expressed their desire to replace the Steel Belt with a Kevlar Belt to improve tyre durability but Lotus F1 and Ferrari voted against such a move and the plan was scrapped. A Steel Belt Construction also helped Pirelli to keep costs in check but a change is imminent now starting from the Hunagarian GP. Lotus F1 and Ferrari would feel hard done by such a move as their cars are kinder on their tyres. Tyre Bursts occured with the usual suspects but Pirelli can't shy away from the incident.

Anthony Davidson of Sky Sports F1 also pointed out a change in construction of the tyres. Video Evidence Shows that Tyre De-Lamination at Bahrain wasn't as damaging as the ones in Silverstone as Pirelli had a wider belt in Bahrain allowing Cars to maintain form unlike Silverstone which caused extensive Floor Damage.

5) Introduction of Mid-Season Testing for 2014, Point Systems for Penalty applied :

The Decision for Mid-Season Testing has been made and it makes a return for good. The Young Driver Tests, held to allow teams to evaluate potential drivers, will be abandoned in favour of a return of mid-season testing. Four European venues will each host a two-day test in the week following the Grand Prix held at the circuit. The move will definitely rule out the possibilities of secretive tests and encourage healthy competition.

The teams agreed upon the introduction of a "penalty points" system for driving offences. Driving offences would carry a pre-determined points value based on their severity that would be tallied up over the course of a season, with a driver receiving a race ban after accumulating twelve penalty points. The points would stay for 12 months and there would be a possibility of drivers carrying the same into the next season which I am a bit skeptical about. More changes have been introduced, most notably a downgrade from the 2.4l V8 to 1.6l V6. Drivers shall have only 5 engines as against an allocation of 8. A 21 Race Calender shall not help teams putting immense strain on the resources and personnel. Hopefully Racing isn't compromised amongst all this.

A lot has conspired in the 3 weeks gone by. A lot of unrest has been caused and the Sport is going through a rough phase. However the racing has been fantastic and hopefully will stay that way.

I look forward to the German GP Next Week as I shall have the privilege of being in the Paddock with the Lotus F1 Team and meet my hero Kimi Raikkonen again.

F1 was missed, Welcome Back!!

Go-Karting is a sport and an activity that Racing Fans love. It makes an average fan feel like a race car driver. Professionals would remember their Karting days. Their fathers would gift them karts enabling them to race in domestic and then continental championships en route to their dream of making it to the pedestal. 

I have always relished the prospect of getting behind the wheel and testing my skills. Karting opportunities are sparse in Mumbai and I couldn't resist the opportunity of getting behind the wheel during my holiday in London.

Team-Sport UK offer some stunning tracks to race on and I visited two, one the Tower Bridge and the other at Edmonton. All are indoor tracks, so the threat of weather doesn't jeopardize your karting experience.

Tower Bridge :

Track Layout : ( Image Courtesy Team-Sport UK )

This track offers electric karts which are faster than the petrol karts. 2 tracks of 400m spread over 2 levels can be joined ( weekends ) making it a humongous 800m with amazing gradient changes.

The First turn is a left-hander going down and entry into the next turn is crucial which is a slow left going into a small uphill into a very slow right-hander. Carrying too much speed into the corner will cause oversteer and the backend will go away from you spoiling your entry and momentum uphill into the right-hander. A Short flat-out run leads into a hairpin and onto the section where you basically floor the throttle. The Final turn is a fast left-hander and the momentum can be carried into the first turn for the next lap. ( Based on the way I started in 4th in a dummy race ).

This track is a real challenge and you need to have knowledge about racing lines in order to keep competitive lap times. Overtaking is extremely difficult and one must wait for mistakes to fancy a chance. Closing in on someone who is struggling is easy but passing them with ambitious maneuvers might backfire. The maximum slip-ups were seen in the 2nd left-hander as the track goes away from you and the gradient changes just compound your error.

The Grip levels do increase and Lap times do come down as more rubber is laid on track. The Ambient temperature isn't affected by the weather outside which definitely is a boost for the drivers.

I had Chris Ellis, a dear friend accompanying me. It was his first time out and in his words "I don't want to stop karting. Lets do it again."

We visited the track on 12th December 2012 but the memories are very fresh.

Well time for some photos!!

At the Reception for signatures :

Nice Collection of Helmets :

The Walkway to the Dressing Room and the Track :

Time to Suit Up :

Post Briefing, we were shown our Karts :

My Lotus E21 (Kart 41 ) :

Chris rearing to go ( Kart 36 ) :

Push Push Push :

First Session done, 4th - 28.062 sec. Chris - 7th - 28.570 sec.

Fastest - 26.385 sec. 

A Brief Break and we were back into our karts for the next session. Kart 37 for me and Kart 33 for Chris.

This is exactly what I meant earlier. Its easy to close in on a slower car but overtaking on such a track is another story. I had to fend off another karter after a couple of laps.

Finally I got past him :

Chris Holding onto track position :

Another session done, 4th again - 26.490 sec, Chris - 5th - 26.596 sec

Fastest - 25.571 sec

The Third Session was a grid start and thanks to Chris who tailgated me, I was relegated to 8th and last and had to work real hard to recover. Kart 36 for me and 40 for Chris.

Mistakes by others helped me recover.

Chris didn't have a clean session and made contact with the barriers on a couple of occasions

End of Session :

Still in 4th!! - 25.565 sec, Chris in 3rd!! - 25.550 sec

Fastest - 25.191 sec

Final Session, Kart 40 for me, Kart 36 for Chris ( basically we switched karts ) and I must say that I struggled with this kart. It could be that Chris drove the wheels of this kart in the previous session while I followed a more cautious approach in mine in the last session. I simply didn't have the grip going into corners and lost the backend a couple of times. It wasn't the best end to the Karting session.

The slides :