Spain has produced some stunning races over the years. Circuit de Catalunya, a 40 minute drive from Barcelona is a highly technical circuit and it can lay bare all the shortcomings of a car.

A visit to Barcelona was long overdue ( after the footballing trip in 2012 ) and I am so glad I chose to do it this year. I was a guest of the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team for the 3 days.

As always, I start off with Day 1 i.e. Friday, this being the First Post from the "Paddock Club Diaries" from Spain.

Photos from Sony HX-400V, Samsung Note 5 and the GoPro Hero4 Black.

Passes for the Weekend :

Enroute to the Circuit, getting in and out of the circuit is a breeze. If one can spend, taking taxis to and fro is the best way to travel.

Shots from the First Pit-Lane Walk, early in the morning. Very Few Guests and one can get a lot closer to the cars during this time :

Shots from the Ferrari Garage :

I also got a chance to have a great conversation with Mr. Nick Chester, Renault Sport F1 Team's Technical Director :

Here are some Video Links of various engines being Fired up before the start of Free Practice 1 which immediately follows the Pit-Lane walk :

Jenson Button :

Daniil Kvyat :

Fernando Alonso :

Kimi Raikkonen :

A Quick Systems Check on Kimi Raikkonen's Car ( Video Link ) :

Post the walk, it was time to enter the Paddock Club building and here is a view of the Paddock from there :

Ferrari F1 Club, the Hospitality Suite of Ferrari :

View from the Club :

Kimi Raikkonen Supporters! C'mon Kimi!!

The Standings Board :

The Pit Walls getting busy for Free Practice 1 :

I had the opportunity of being in the Garage for a short period of time during Free Practice 1. Ofcourse Photography is banned in the Garage.

Shots from FP1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Free Practice 1 :

Chequered Flag :

Enjoying FP1 ( GoPro Shots ) :

Video Link of the Interview :

I was invited by my Italian Friend and Trainer in the GP2 / GP3 series to visit the Support Race Paddock and meet Mr. Mahaveer Raghunathan, the First Indian entrant in GP3. Frankly, it was my first time in the Support Race Paddock and feel like kicking myself for not going on previous occasions.

Mahaveer Raghunathan & his Father. RESPECT the man who has made so many sacrifices to fulfill his son's dream :

My Friend Federico Stirpe :

The Menu for lunch :

Lunch!

I didn't get much time as I got late from the Support Race Paddock and apologies for only a few photos from the 2nd Pit Lane Walk :

Jock Clear ( Ex-Mercedes ), Senior Performance Engineer for Ferrari :

Romeo Bonucchi of Ferrari :

Shots with the GoPro :

Free Practice 2 began in full earnest, the First Half of which Drivers ran Qualifying Simulations followed by Race Simulations.

Photos Galore from FP2, ENJOY!!

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during FP2 :

GoPro doing a brilliant job again in FP2 :

Chequered Flag :

FP2 ended with Nico Rosberg topping the timesheets for Mercedes. Kimi Raikkonen was only two-tenths off his time. Lewis Hamilton & Sebastian Vettel completed the top 4.

The Stands bearing a deserted look at the end of FP2 :

Post FP2, it was time for GP2 Qualifying :

I decided to head down to the F1 Simulator with my friends in the Paddock Club. The Simulator now features the Oculus Virtual Gear, quite a nifty piece of equipment :

It was soon time to head back to Barcelona after an eventful Friday :

2016 is the longest season in F1 with 21 Races. Plans were drawn early in the year for me and Spain, Monaco & Hungary remained the European Circuits that I still needed to be at. Spain & Hungary were the ones chosen for this year and I couldn't wait to be at the Circuit De Catalunya in Montmelo, a 40 minute drive from Barcelona.

First Up, The Circuit is a must do for every fan. Its easiest to get to in terms of access and I got to meet practically everyone from the grid!

This should be the longest "Gallery of Memories" to date.

Photos shot with GoPro Hero4 Black, Samsung Note 5 by a new Friend Mr. Toni Mengibar!

Ok so here goes!

Nick Chester, Renault F1 Team Technical Director :

Mahaveer Raghunathan! The First Indian to be racing in GP3, the Support Series :

Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer at Scuderia Ferrari :

Romeo Bonucchi of Scuderia Ferrari :

Jean-Eric Vergne, Reserve Driver for Scuderia Ferrari :

Mario Isola, Pirelli's Racing Engineer :

Karun Chandok :

Carlos Sainz!

Federica Masolin from Sky Italia :

Antonio Boselli from Sky Italia :

Bob Fernley from Sahara Force India :

Moko, one of Kimi's Closest Friends :

Jennie Gow from BBC F1 :

Sir Frank Williams, Founder & Team Principal of Williams F1 Racing Team :

Alex Lynn, DAMS GP2 and Williams F1 Development Driver :

Franz Tost, Team Principal of Scuderia Toro Rosso :

Simon Rennie, Racing Engineer for Red Bull Racing F1 :

Carlos Sainz Jr., Scuderia Toro Rosso Driver :

The Honey Badger! Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull Racing F1 :

Monisha Kaltenborn, Team Principal for Sauber F1 Team :

John Booth, Scuderia Toro Rosso ( Formerly team principal for Marussia )

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Felipe Nasr of Sauber F1 Team :

Cyril Abiteboul, MD of Renault Sport F1 Team :

Alain Prost, The Perfectionist :

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing in his debut weekend for his team :

These were photos from Saturday Evening. Now for those from Sunday!

Piero Ferrari, Son of founder Enzo Ferrari :

Does this man need an introduction? Kimi Raikkonen! Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team!

Marcus Ericsson, driver for Sauber F1 Team :

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 and 3 time World Champion!

Sergio Perez, driver for Sahara Force India F1 :

Nico Hulkenberg, driver for Sahara Force India F1 :

Nico Rosberg, one of the fastest guys on the grid driving for Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Valtteri Bottas, Williams Martini Racing Driver :

Felipe Massa, Williams Martini Racing :

Jolyon Palmer, 2014 GP2 Champion & Renault Sport F1 Team Driver :

Esteban Ocon, Reserve Driver of Renault Sport F1 :

Daniil Kvyat, formerly a Red Bull Racing driver and now a Scuderia Toro Rooso Driver ( felt he was wronged ) :

Jenson Button! McLaren F1 Team Driver :

Double World Champion and McLaren-Honda F1 Racing Driver, Fernando Alonso!

Romain Grosjean from Haas F1 Team :

Esteban Gutierrez of Haas F1 Team :

Michael Latifi, Nicholas Latifi's ( DAMS GP2 Racer ) Brother :

Paul Hembery, Motorsport Director of Pirelli!

Maurizio Arrivabene, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari F1 :

Sebastian Vettel, 4 time World Champion and Scuderia Ferrari F1 Driver :

Ferrari achieved a double podium with Kimi Raikkonen finishing 2nd & Sebastian Vettel 3rd. However we couldn't get photo opportunities with the Trophy.

However I bumped into Mark Arnall ( Kimi Raikkonen's Physio ) who obliged with a quick selfie with the packed trophy!

Spanish Arts Administrator & Podium Interviewer for the Spanish GP Placido Domingo :

Nicolas Todt, FIA President Jean Todt's Son :

Eric Boullier, Racing Director of McLaren F1 Team :

Britta Roeske, Sebastian Vettel's PR :

Pascal Wehrlein, Manor F1 Racing Driver & Mercedes Development Driver, a really nice guy!

Stoffel Vandoorne, 2015 GP2 Champion & McLaren F1 Reserve Driver :

Susie Wolff, Formerly Test Driver for Williams F1 Racing and Mr. Toto Wolff's wife :

Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing F1 :

Rio Haryanto, Race driver for Manor F1 Team :

Hosts from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club :

Dani Clos, Driver of now Defunct HRT Racing F1 Team :

Made New Friends over the weekend : Darren, Toni, Chris, Maurizio & Roberto

It had been a great weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix. Ferrari getting a double podium was the Icing on the cake! Ofcourse there is the disappointment of not being able to hold the Trophies like the Podiums in 2013 for Lotus F1 in Nurburgring & India but Kimi is performing well and that is important.

I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari for their Hospitality in the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club and a Big Thank you to Edge Global Events for all the arrangements made for the weekend!

This was by far the Best weekend ever as I got to meet so many from the F1 Fraternity. This post is just the beginning. There is more on the way!

Watch this space!

2016 has begun and the days were counting down for the season opener in Australia. We are less than 24 hours away from Free Practice 1 and the 2016 season already promises loads of excitement.

Teams have come to terms with the new Turbo era now and focus should shift more towards performance.

There are new entrants vying for the Constructors' crown, new drivers in some teams and yes another revision in some regulations.

The season will be the longest in F1's history, having a total of 21 races with Baku, Azerbaijan being the latest entry under the guise of the European Grand Prix.

A quick look at some rule changes : ( Source : www.fia.com )

1) Tyre supplier Pirelli will introduce a 5th tyre compound known as "ultrasoft",with the manufacturer stating that they would only be available on street circuits.Pirelli will change their approach to tyre supply in 2016, bringing three dry compounds to races instead of two. The compounds will be made public two weeks before each event. Pirelli will assign two "choice" compounds, and a third set (the softest available regardless of Pirelli's selection) will be given to teams reaching Q3. Drivers will select their remaining ten tyre sets for the event between the three compounds and must use at least any two dry compounds of their choosing during the race, so long as at least one set is of the two Pirelli "choice" sets.

Video Link explaining the new tyre rules by Chain Bear F1 :

A Very Complex Rule change but it will definitely spice things up in both Inter and Intra Team battles as drivers mix their tyre strategies in order to find the right balance between pace and longevity.

2) The FIA has opted to increase the number of tokens available for power unit development starting in 2016. While the initial plans would have given manufacturers 15 tokens for the season, the number was raised to 32, the same number as 2014, in order to allow struggling manufacturers such as Renault and Honda to improve their development. This decision also allows further development on parts that were initially planned to be closed off, including the upper and lower crankcase, valve drive, crankshaft, air-valve system and ancillaries drive.

A Welcome Change to bring more parity in the field ( in Honda's case ) and hopefully an opportunity for Renault to catch up.

3) Any driver who causes the start of the race to be aborted will be required to start the race from pit lane at the restart.

Quite Harsh on the driver in case of a Technical Failure.

4) The procedure for issuing gearbox penalties will be amended so that penalties are applied in the order that they are awarded, bringing the system in line with the wider grid penalty system.

The Penalty System has become interesting and clarity will come when it comes into effect during a race weekend.

5) The Virtual Safety Car system will be used in practice sessions as well to avoid the unnecessary use of red flags and session stoppages.

An Important change in the sessions and will allow continuity in the case of minor incidents like stoppages on track.

DRS which is deactivated when under Virtual Safety Car periods and full-course yellow flags, will be available as soon as a Virtual Safety Car period has ended allowing drivers to start racing immediately after green flag conditions are restored.

6) The process new drivers go through in order to qualify for F1 for a super license has changed.

7) Qualifying has seen a big change.

The qualifying process was heavily revised two weeks before the season opener. The Q1, Q2, and Q3 format that has been in place since 2006 will be retained, but with a progressive "knock-out" style of elimination. Drivers conducting a lap at the end of each session will still be allowed to complete their lap, though this does not apply to mid-session eliminations.

a) Q1 will last 16 minutes, with the slowest driver being eliminated every 90 seconds after the first 7 minutes until 15 cars remain.

b) Q2 will last 15 minutes, with the slowest driver being eliminated every 90 seconds after the first 6 minutes until 8 cars remain.

c) Q3 will last 14 minutes, with the slowest driver being eliminated every 90 seconds after the first 5 minutes until pole position is determined.

This means that no driver will have a respite and everyone has to be on the limit to stay afloat. Its going to be a lot of fun. I am reminded of the now defunct A1 GP Series which ran a similar qualifying format.

As Stated earlier, Baku is the new entrant making this the longest season in F1. The Calendar has gone through some revisions as well. Malaysia has been pushed back to October while Russia moves up into May becoming Round 4. Germany will be the last race before the Mid Season break in July.

On the Teams side, Lotus F1 Team has been rechristened as Renault Sport F1 Team, Haas F1 make their debut and Red Bull Racing will sport a Tag Heuer Branded Renault Engine after Renault and Red Bull parted ways ( sort of ) at the end of 2015. Manor Racing is the new name for Marussia for 2016.

2016 will not feature the reckless Maldonado, Roberto Merhi, Will Stevens & Alexander Rossi.

So who drives for who? How did the teams fare in pre-season tests? Who are the contenders for the crown? I hope what follows does justice and addresses these questions.

2015 was the 2nd year in the new era of F1.

2015 saw teams ironing out issues from the previous year and even forming new partnerships. 

2014 Champions Mercedes AMG Petronas had high hopes for 2015, Ferrari were determined to take the fight to the Mercs while Red Bull were hoping to have a faster and a more reliable engine with Renault.

Lotus F1 saw it wise to switch to Mercedes power for 2015, Toro Rosso to Renault while Sauber & the new entrant Manor F1 ( formerly Marussia ) stuck to Ferrari Power.

McLaren welcomed the return of Honda to F1 and became the works team. Experts said the First year for Honda would be tough but McLaren had hopes of rolling back the years to Senna - Prost era.

Hamilton who became a Double World Champion in 2014 hoped to replicate his form in 2015 while Rosberg promised to leave no stone unturned in his challenge. Sebastian Vettel said goodbye to Red Bull and switched to Ferrari to partner the Iceman and his close friend Kimi Raikkonen.

Alonso moved onto a new challenge and rejoined McLaren to partner Button while Kvyat graduated to the Senior Red Bull Team and the Junior sported very young and inexperienced drivers.

The removal of double points for the final race was a welcome change.

Enough of the teasers, time to assess the performances of teams and drivers alike in 2015.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Mercedes flattened the opposition in 2014. The Constructors' Championship was like a "Walk in the Park". Lewis Hamilton prevailed against his team-mate in the final race to win the 2014 Drivers' Title. 2015 promised to be no different. The 2nd year of the V6 era would see the Works Team produce a faster and more refined version of its predecessor. Constructors' Championship was an easy feat to achieve. Barring a blip in Singapore alongwith a couple of retirements, the W06 was a highly reliable car. Lewis Hamilton sealed his 3rd Drivers' Title in United States while Nico Rosberg finished strongly in the 2nd half of the season. Lets take a quick look at the driver performances.

Lewis Hamilton had the measure of Rosberg right from the start. Once he won the Championship, it looked like he let his foot off the gas. Hamilton was on it right from the start of the season, notching up 5 wins, three 2nd places and one 3rd place in the first half of the season. Post the Mid-season break, Hamilton won 5 out of 6 races, Singapore a retirement for the Brit. Hamilton sealed the deal in United States matching the number of titles of his childhood hero and legend Ayrton Senna! Hamilton did lose some momentum finishing 2nd best to his team-mate in the last 3 races but he had performed when it mattered. He proved his mettle on the Sunday, more often than his team-mate making the most of the opportunities for the 2nd consecutive year. Hamilton scored 381 points.

Nico Rosberg hoped to take the battle to Hamilton and won 3 races in the first half of the season, besides 5 podium finishes. He didn't have an answer after the break unfortunately being beaten fair and square by his team-mate. 2 retirements, engine failure in Italy & throttle failure in Russia almost ended his title hopes. An uncharacteristic error in USA meant curtains. Rosberg found a gear in the final 3 races and turned the tables winning them all, too little too late though. The results should galvanize him for 2016, boost confidence and make him believe that his team-mate can be beaten. Rosberg worked hard but Hamilton just had that edge. Rosberg had a tough battle with Vettel for 2nd place in the Championship but sealed his place with his victories in the end. Rosberg scored 322 points.

Mercedes had the quickest car on the grid but Ferrari gave them a reality check in 2015. Mercedes had to dig deep to maintain their advantage and smashed the record for the points scored in a Constructors' Championship with a mammoth tally of 703 points! Mercedes remain favourites for 2016 but I do see them nervously looking over their shoulder hoping to keep the Scarlet Red cars at bay.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ferrari had a shocker in 2014. They had got everything wrong in the inaugural year of the V6s and a change of guard at the helm was brought about with the hope of restoring some order. Fernando Alonso chose a move to McLaren seeking a new challenge, which he might regret now. Raikkonen was joined by friend and neighbour, not to mention a 4 time World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Hopes were high and Ferrari had a quiet confidence about themselves going into 2015. 2 race victories ( minimum ) was the target set. Ferrari clearly was the team that took the fight to Mercedes AMG F1 and were the "best of the rest" on the grid. Vettel won the team-mate battle comfortably.

Sebastian Vettel was in the title hunt for quite sometime until the engine penalty ( planned ) in USA ended his title hopes. Vettel was involved in a see-saw battle with Rosberg for 2nd place until the German got his act together to win the last 3 races and squash the challenge. Vettel gained the love and support of the team and the Tifosi fairly quickly with his stunning performances. Mistakes were sparse and Vettel had the joy of being on the top step of the podium in 3 races - Malaysia, Hungary and Singapore. Vettel suffered 2 retirements, one due to a dangerous tyre blowout denying him a 3rd place in Belgium and a crash in Mexico which followed a series of errors. Vettel had 10 podium finishes besides the 3 victories to finish 3rd in the Championship with 278 points.

Kimi Raikkonen, the Iceman had a better 2015 but not an ideal one in his own words. Raikkonen finished 4th after winning a hotly contested tie with Bottas, 138 points behind his team-mate. The points disparity was huge but the Flying Finn had his wings cut more often than not in races - A loose wheel in Australia, puncture in Malaysia, accident in Austria, Wrong tyre call in Britain, MGU-K Failure in Hungary, Gear-box Failure in Belgium GP Qualifying.

Raikkonen had committed mistakes too, the one in Russia on Bottas and the spin in Montreal handing the same man a podium. The Worst misfortune was when his car stalled on the grid at the start of the Italian Grand Prix. Raikkonen had qualified 2nd in front of the Tifosi and hopes were high for a Ferrari victory.

Many wanted the Finn sacked but Raikkonen showed his class and ability by finishing 2nd ( season best ) in Bahrain and  notching up two 3rd place finishes in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Raikkonen eventually prevailed in his battle with Bottas to finish 4th in the Championship with 150 points.

James Allison, Ferrari's Technical Director praised Raikkonen and defended Ferrari's decision to retain him rightly pointing out that Raikkonen was faster than Vettel on many occasions, qualifying being the only gremlin that needed to be addressed. Raikkonen also had reliability issues that denied him better race results. 2016 should be a better year for the Finn.

Ferrari had a satisfactory 2015 but knowing Ferrari, the goals for 2016 will be much higher. The duo of Vettel and Raikkonen changed the atmosphere within the team. Retaining Raikkonen was the right decision and will maintain stability besides strengthening the challenge for 2016. As a Raikkonen Fan I dare to believe that he will be a close contender for the crown in 2016. Remember he belongs to the select few who won a Drivers' Championship in their debut year!

Williams Martini Racing F1 Team :

Williams was the quickest customer team of Mercedes in 2014. The duo of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa humbled the mighty Ferrari, a victory of sorts especially for Massa. Williams had their work cut out for 2015 and the benchmark was raised. Massa and Bottas would bear the load of carrying the team through in 2015. Williams however weren't able to replicate the form of 2014. Williams was always playing catchup with the Mercedes Works team and Ferrari. They were able to capitalize on the mistakes of their rivals in a few races but other than that they were the 3rd best team on the grid. Silverstone was their best chance at a double podium and possibly a victory. Tactical errors robbed them. Lets take a quick peek at how their drivers fared.

Bottas won the team-mate battle and the gap of 15 points is deceiving. The Finn wasn't able to start in Australia due to a mechanical failure but scored a chunk of points consistently from thereon. Two 3rd Place finishes in Canada and Mexico helped him keep pressure on Raikkonen for 4th place in the Championship. Bottas and Raikkonen came together in Russia and both were robbed of a potential 3rd place. Kimi was blamed for the incident and penalized. The duo came together again in Mexico with Kimi being the aggrieved party but Bottas escaping penalty. Bottas suffered just one other retirement in USA. A dismal final race in Abu Dhabi denied Bottas a shot for 4th place. Bottas scored 136 points to finish 5th in the Championship.

Massa had a roller coaster season in 2015. From the highs of finishing 3rd in Austria ( Thanks to Vettel's slow pit stop ) & Italy ( Thanks to Raikkonen stalling on the grid ) to the lows of 2 retirements in Singapore and USA and disqualification at his home race in Brazil due to discrepancies in tyre pressures, Massa has experienced it all. Massa had a good 2015 nonetheless and would hope for a better year in 2016. He scored a total of 121 points and finished 6th in the Championship.

2015 was somewhat of a step back for Williams and the team would be hoping to be a lot closer to their competitors in 2016. They have the funds and the people to accomplish this. 2016 will be interesting for them.

Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull Racing, works team for Renault had a topsy-turvy 2014. The Team hoped for a change of fortunes in 2015 but it was worse than 2014. The Relationship that saw the team bring 4 Consecutive World Championships ( Drivers and Constructors ) was fractured and eventually destroyed over the course of 2015. Red Bull were not happy with the Renault power units which besides misfiring were extremely unreliable. Claims of improvement post upgrades produced next to nil results. The tie was severed for 2016 and 2015 just became a season that had to be "finished" for the team. The latter stages of the season featured being peppered by the media about the engine deals the Milton Keyes based outfit were exploring. Mercedes deal fell through, Ferrari refused 2016 spec engines from the fear of competition, Honda had no intentions and the threat of a withdrawal loomed for the team. It was sad to see the focus shifting from the performances of 2015. I must not repeat the mistake. So, returning to 2015, Daniil Kvyat joined forces with Daniel Ricciardo, the Russian replacing the highly decorated and loved Sebastian Vettel who jumped ship to switch to the red overalls of Ferrari. Ricciardo had beaten the outgoing Vettel in 2014 and it was interesting to see how he would cope with his quick and young team-mate. Ricciardo lost the battle this time, albeit a very closely contested one. Red Bull finished 4th in the Constructors' Championship with 187 points.

Kvyat finished 7th in the Drivers' Championship narrowly beating his team-mate Ricciardo. The Russian was at home in his car and didn't let the disappointment ( Did Not Start ) of his debut hamper his performances. Scoring consistently, his efforts were rewarded with a 2nd place finish in Hungary.  Kvyat finished with 95 points.

Ricciardo didn't lag behind in his performances and matched Kvyat in many races. He scored 2 podium finishes too ( 2nd in Singapore & 3rd in Hungary ) but 4 finishes outside the top 10 hurt him bad. 92 points and 8th place in the Championship for the Honey Badger. Ricciardo has his work cut out for 2016 now and I would like to see him get the upper hand this time.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen" summarizes the state of Red Bull Racing. The ruptured relationship with Renault almost left them without an engine supplier until an understanding was reached when they confirmed a deal to run TAG Heuer branded Renault engines in 2016. The travails of Red Bull don't end here though. The loss of revenue, their say in the future structure of the sport leaves their future in balance. All this could change if the team returns to the pedestal which would be really good for the sport!

Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Force India have been in F1 for a fairly long time. The aim to move up the grid never was a walk in the park but the team has kept at it and produced their best season in F1. 5th place in the Championship is a big thing considering the resources on offer. Force India had to wait for their B-Spec car and they greatly benefited post its introduction. Nico Hulkenberg & Sergio Perez form a quick pairing for Force India . There was a time when they had the more successful and moolah laden Red Bull Racing nervously looking over their shoulder and many believe the Mercedes powered team could have beaten them but for the lack of finances. Force India scored 136 points in 2015

Sergio Perez won the team-mate battle in 2015. Perez had almost a trouble-free 2015 with just one retirement. His 3rd Place Finish in Russia saw Force India return to the podium for the first time since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix. Perez finished in the points in 11 other races. Perez finished 9th with 78 points.

Nico Hulkenberg didn't have smooth sailing in 2015. 4 retirements and a "Did Not Start" in Belgium ( Engine Failure ) hurt his chances of a 9th place finish badly. Hulkenberg was a tough nut to crack and produced great results when he had a proper functioning car under him. Him best finish was 6th, thrice in the season - Austria, Japan & Brazil. Hulkenberg completed the top 10 with 58 points.

Force India, just like Lotus F1 show a lot of promise. Progress is slow and the battles get tougher higher up the grid. Force India dare to dream and I do see them challenge that elusive 4th place in the Constructors and the benefits that come with it. How much will they have in the wallet for 2016 remains the big question.

Lotus F1 Team :

Lotus F1 had a dismal 2014. 2015 saw them switch engine suppliers from Renault to Mercedes. Romain Grosjean & Pastor Maldonado continued their partnership & the team hopes to have a better outing. The Lack of finances meant that the frequency of upgrades was low and progress slow. The team also suffered from delayed arrival of freights on race weekends, not to mention being locked out of their Hospitality units due to non-payment of dues. This occurred more often than not in the second half of the season. However these off track issues didn't deter the team from producing stunning results come Sunday. The team displayed amazing grit and will power to keep fighting and finished a commendable 6th in the Constructors' Championship. How did the drivers fare?

Romain Grosjean, unsurprisingly was the more successful of the duo. Grosjean was on the edge of point scoring positions in many races but Belgium saw him score a fairy-tale 3rd, rewinding back the time to 2012 and 2013. Grosjean scored a total of 51 points and finished 11th in the Championship. His performances proved to be pivotal in the battle with the Toro Rossos.

Maldonado on other hand attracted the ire of Fans and Media alike with his reckless moves on co-drivers. 5 out of the first 6 races were retirements. The 2nd Half of the season yielded better results but the final tally still don't justify his place in the pinnacle of motorsport. 7th was the best Maldonado could conjure, albeit 3 times this year - Canada, Austria, Russia. He finished 14th in the Championship tied on 27 points with Nasr, the latter's better finishing position at Australia giving him the upper hand.

Lotus F1 is a team I shall always love and support. It was nice to see them recover from the shock of 2014. There isn't a team like them and I am so happy to know that Renault have taken over the reigns for 2016. This will not only address financial issues but also provide the bright minds at Enstone the much needed money to build a more than capable challenger. The Driver Lineup sees a change as well with Palmer partnering the misfiring Maldonado. Prospects will be explored in the 2016 Preview.

Scuderia Toro - Rosso F1 Team :

Toro Rosso were at the centre of media attention throughout the season. The Team hired the services of two youngsters one a minor. Both had Fathers who raced in F1 and maybe that fast-tracked their entry into F1. Carlos Sainz Jr. made a name for himself in the lower categories and was soon justifying the backing of the Red Bull Driver program. Max Verstappen landed the 2nd seat after being the test driver in 2014. The Dutch Youngster completed only 47 races, Formula 3 being the only series he had raced in before F1. Experts and media alike were skeptical of this new pairing. Questions were raised about the inexperience of both drivers since Red Bull had drivers racing in GP2 the feeder series.
However the performances of both the drivers would leave everyone impressed.

Max Verstappen quickly developed a reputation of a fearless but not reckless rookie. He was fast all season, seriously fast! The youngster learned quickly and pulled off some sensational moves. He refused to abide by team orders on a few occasions too but these decisions helped him stay ahead of his team-mate and score 49 points with 4th being his best finish twice in the season ( Hungary & USA ). Max is young but has been on a rapid learning curve and 2016 will see him go from strength to strength. Respect to the Dutch Stallion for proving doubters ( including me ) wrong!

Carlos Sainz Jr. another Red Bull protegee and a fan of Alonso earned a name for himself in the lower categories and landed a seat in 2015. Sainz matched Verstappen in terms of pace but suffered from reliability issues more than his team-mate ( 7 to 4 ) and that hampered his 2015 campaign. Verstappen grabbed all the news but Sainz always managed to put in solid shifts and please his employers in his rookie season. Sainz best finish was 7th in USA and he scored a total of 18 points in the championship which was less than hald of what Verstappen achieved. Verstappen was the bolder one and was willing to take risks. Sainz was more calculative in his approach and I hope to see him do substantially better in 2016.

Toro Rosso have a talented lineup and 2015 saw them outperform the A-Team in some races too. Upwards is the only way for them for 2016.

Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber hired the services of Nasr & Ericsson for 2015. However Sauber's early season preparations were disrupted by a series of legal challenges from former Caterham driver Giedo van der Garde, who claimed that he had a contract to race that was signed in June 2014. Van der Garde went to court in an effort to force the team to replace one of their drivers with him at the opening round in Melbourne, with the court finding in his favour. Van der Garde later agreed to not participate in the event, with the driver and team settling the dispute for an undisclosed sum to terminate the contract following the first round.

Backed by Ferrari power, Sauber hoped for maximizing points all season long to bring in the much needed revenue for survival. However the team has seen contrasting performances at different race tracks. The car has dialed in pretty well on some and had been totally at sea in the others.

Nasr was the better of the 2 drivers at Sauber. 5th was his best finishing position with 5 other races in the points. Nasr finished 13th in the Standings with 27 points. Ericsson, a lot slower than his Brazilian Team-mate finished 18th in the Championship with just 9 points, 8th being his best finish in Australia.

Sauber suffered funding issues all season long and with Sahara Force India launched a formal complaint at the European Commission raising concerns about funds distribution in F1. The lack of funding meant that development was slow and I doubt this will change going into 2016. Sauber hopes to enjoy a better share of the pie in 2016 and I hope they do with their case at the Commission.

McLaren Honda F1 Team :

McLaren reignited an old partnership with Honda as the engine supplier. Honda the new entrant in the Turbo Era had a mountain to climb. The Power Unit Allocation was reduced from 5 to 4 for 2015 but Honda being a new supplier, got the comfort of a 5th unit. However they would need many more! McLaren's longest continuous testing session lasting twelve laps in Barcelona and Problems started from the season opener in Australia. Alonso's injury gave Magnussen a race but an engine failure for him didn't allow him to even reach the grid. Both cars suffered multiple retirements, grid penalties all season long and Honda invited the ire of Alonso over team radio on a few occasions. Honda top brass remained adamant that they were making progress.

The Balance of Performance and Reliability had to be reached and the team were fortunate to score some points over the course of the season, thanks to the misfortune of others or rapid weather changes. Nevertheless it was a dismal year for McLaren. The Team also lost some valuable sponsorship to rivals Mercedes and Red Bull ( for 2016 ). McLaren finished only above Manor and suffered a huge loss in terms of revenue & performance in 2015. A team of McLaren's history and stature shouldn't be lingering in 9th in the Constructors' Championship.

Jenson Button & Fernando Alonso featured in the 2015 lineup. The Former World Champions struggled to get to grips with their cars all season long. Button prevailed in the team-mate battle scoring 16 points with 6th place in USA being his best finish. Alonso scored a meagre 11 points best being 5th in Hungary.

13 retirements combined for both the Drivers in 2015 and doubts prevail for 2016. It will be intriguing to see how patient McLaren & Co. are going to be in this new partnership.

Manor F1 Team :

Manor, the Old Marussia F1 under new ownership hired the services of newbie Roberto Merhi and Ex-Caterham Driver Will Stevens. GP2 driver Alexander Rossi also got to race in 5 events - Singapore, Japan, USA, Mexico, Brazil. Although neither of the 3 scored points, Merhi & Rossi were classified above Stevens in the championship due to their best finishing positions of 12th ( Britain for Merhi, USA for Rossi ) to Stevens' 13th in Britain. 

The Team had a decent outing in 2015 with the resources they had. The team was unable to participate in the opening round in Australia but ensured their participation in all other rounds. 2015 had not been smooth sailing for them with top personnel leaving and new ones being added. The Drivers too were instrumental in bringing in some sponsorships to keep the team afloat all season long. 

I really hope to see Manor back on the grid in 2016 and in a much more competitive avatar.

The Big Day had arrived! It was the day of the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix! Saturday was a disaster for Ferrari and Kimi but Sunday was the day that mattered and with renewed hopes I set out early in the morning hoping to catch up on some action before the race!

Enroute to the circuit :

Walking to the circuit from La Source. There are driving experiences available at Spa Francorchamps :

La Source from the Paddock Club :

GP2 grid being readied for the Sprint Race :

Shots of the Ferrari F1 Club with the GoPro Hero4 Black :

1 Minute to Formation Lap :

Video Link to the GP2 Sprint Race Formation Lap :

GP2 Sprint Race Start ( Video Link ) :

GP2 Sprint Race Lap 1 ( Video Link ) :

Shots from the GP2 Sprint Race :

GP2 cars going around Blanchimont and into the Bus Stop Chicane :

Shots of the GoPro!

A Quick Selfie of Sorts with Lewis Hamilton :

Maurizio Arrivabene later joined by Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari F1 Club :

Video Link to Arrivabene and Raikkonen Interview. Apologies for the poor sound quality :

Both looking in different directions. EPIC SELFIE FAIL :

Maurizio Arrivabene being gracious as always :

Lunch before the final Pit lane walk of the weekend :

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Trackside photos before the grid fills up!

Photos from the Pit Lane Walk with the GoPro Hero4 Black :

Drivers returning from the Track Parade :

A Moment with Kevin Magnussen. Hope to see him return to the grid.

Grid Girls making it to the Grid :

Some Photos with the GoPro! We all had to pick our places!

Martin Brundle's Grid Walk :

Kimi Raikkonen and other drivers make it to the front of the grid for the national anthem :

Some More Shots of the Grid Preparations :

Ferrari's Race preparations in full swing :

Final Minutes of Preparation :

Kimi Raikkonen had to undergo a gearbox change but due to the numerous penalties around him, his effective grid position was 14th.

The Countdown to the Start of the Formation Lap ( in Minutes ) :

Cars roll out for the Formation Lap :

Blanchimont to the Bus Stop Chicane onto the Start Finish straight. The final leg of the Formation Lap :

Formation Lap Video Link ( GoPro Hero4 Black ) :

Kimi moves into his grid slot :

Hulkenberg suffered a power unit failure and tried to limp to the grid for the start of the race. However his engine gave up the ghost on the grid. As a result, the start had to be abandoned for another Formation Lap

2nd Formation Lap :

2nd Formation Lap Video Link :

Mechanics rolling Hulkenberg from the grid back to the pits ( Video Link ) :

Video Link for the Start of the Belgian Grand Prix ( GoPro Hero4 Black ) :

Video Link for the Start of the Belgian Grand Prix ( Sony HX400V ) :

Video Link for Lap 1 of the Belgian Grand Prix ( Sony HX400V ) :

Video Link for Lap 2 of the Belgian Grand Prix ( Sony HX400V ) :

Shots from the Grand Prix :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during the race :

Daniel Ricciardo suffers a retirement and brings out the safety car period :

Mechanics moving Ricciardo's car to safety :

Shots after the Race Restart :

Scuderia Ferrari after the Race Restart :

Mark Sutton the famous photographer busy at his work. Daniel Ricciardo returns to the pit wall to monitor progress of his team mate :

Chequered Flag :

Video Link for the Chequered Flag :

Lewis Hamilton took victory from Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean. Sebastian Vettel looked set for a 3rd place finish but a tyre blow out just after Eau Rouge on the penultimate lap brought about his retirement. Kimi battled his way to P7. It was nice to see him finish the race after the disaster at Austria.

Cars returning to Parc Ferme ( Video Link ) :

Track Marshalls taking Daniel Ricciardo's stricken car to safety after the race :

Track Invasion. Love Europe for this!

The Podium Finishers ( Video Link ) :

Podium Interviews underway :

Video Link :

Sky Sports F1 Crew :

Post Race Interviews by various drivers :

Track full of Fans!

Some more photos of Fans on Track :

Fans of the Iceman and they weren't less in number :

Its always nice to have a chair next to the track and who doesn't love superheroes and minions for company :

Panaromic Photos :

Mechanics wrapping up to head to Italy :

The Hosts as the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club :

The gate was open and the fans had track access!

A Selfie with the Shell Logo!

Relaxing at the La Source Hairpin :

Time to put on the Ponchos as the rain beats down!

Final Shots from Trackside :

The heavy traffic and the inability of my transfer service to make it to the circuit for the return pickup on Sunday meant that I had to meet it in a new place in the track vicinity. Radisson Blu in Spa was the meeting point. I was switching cars when I spotted Kimi Raikkonen in the Hotel Lobby and rushed to get a quick photo with him.

Saturday is a very important day on an F1 Weekend.  Teams run Qualifying Simulations and ready themselves for Qualifying for the race on Sunday.

The Day starts early with team pitstop practice and I wanted to be there.

Enroute to the Circuit :

Some Exotic Cars enroute :

Shots from the Saturday Morning Pit Lane Walk :

Shots of the Podium with the GoPro Hero4 Black :

Shots of the Scuderia Ferrari Garage :

Selfie Time in the Garage :

The Pit Lane walk got over and I met Mr. Mattia Binotto, Power Unit Director of Scuderia Ferrari.

The Paddock on Saturday Morning :

View from the Suite :

The GP3 session underway :

Once GP3 got over it was time for the Free Practice 3 session. Red Bull Pit Ball full with personnel :

Shot from FP3 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in FP3 :

Lewis Hamilton came to the fore and set the fastest time of the session from team-mate Nico Rosberg & Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen was 4th fastest and everything looked perfect going into Qualifying.

Post FP3, it was time for some lunch :

Before the Final Pit Lane walk of the day, the Paddock Club is visited by many drivers. I had the rare privilege of meeting Felipe Massa!!

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

GoPro Photos :

Qualifying got underway and as always the slowest 6 cars are eliminated in Q1.

Shots from Q1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Q1 :

Chequered Flag for Q1 :

Lewis Hamilton was the quickest in Q1. Vettel and Raikkonen were P6 & P7 respectively.

Q2 began and Raikkonen suffered gearbox trouble which brought an end to his qualifying. I was so shattered! A promising weekend down the drain again! As Kimi headed back to the pits, I was invited by Ferrari to be in the garage and watch the rest of the Qualifying.

A Few shots from Q2 :

I returned only after Qualifying got over. Lewis Hamilton was on pole from Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas. A mistake by Vettel dropped him down to 9th. It had been a very poor qualifying session for Ferrari.

Post the session we were joined by Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari F1 Club :

Video Link :

It was also time for the start of the GP2 Feature Race.

The grid being readied :

Shot from the GoPro :

Cars rolling out for the Formation Lap :

Video Link to the Formation Lap Start :

Driving to the Bus Stop Chicane on the Formation Lap :

Lights out and the GP2 Feature Race is a go :

Video Link :

Lap 1 of the GP2 Feature Race ( Video Link ) :

Daniel De Jong suffered a heavy crash in his accident with Pierre Gasly through Blanchimont. The Race ran under the Safety Car for a lengthy period.

Safety Car Periods ( Video Link ) :

The Race underway again :

Video Link :

Shots from the Furthest part of the track :

The GP2 Feature Race was soon followed by the GP3 race. However I didn't stick around for the same.

Returning to my Hotel in Masstricht :

It was a bad Saturday for Scuderia Ferrari as a whole. The poor Qualifying Positions meant a long race on Sunday. But Sunday is what mattered! We were still optimistic. We had to be!

Once again, a Big Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring a hassle free process for the weekend.

A Big Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari, The Ferrari F1 Club and its Hosts for the kindness and graciousness shown to me on Saturday specially with the time in the Garage during Qualifying!

A Special Mention of praise about the abilities of the GoPro Hero4 Black with the LCD BacPac & Wifi Remote.

Highly Recommended!

2015 Belgian Grand Prix was the 2nd race of the season that I had the opportunity of being at. Austria had been brilliant barring the result for Kimi and I was really looking forward to Belgium. Kimi Raikkonen has won here 4 times and I was really hopeful for  a better outing here.

I stayed at the Novotel in Maastricht, Netherlands. Spa Francorchamps was only 45 minutes away by car.

I Start of with the Friday ( Day 1 ) experience in the Ferrari F1 Club.

Enroute to the circuit :

I had to enter the town to pick up my passes and I must admit, it was a beautiful detour!

Shots from Spa, the Town :

Ferrari F1 Club Passes for the weekend :

After the drop off, it was quite a long walk to the Parking Lot. A message to those planning a visit. A Parking Pass is a MUST here. The Walk can be very confusing and its very easy to get lost.

Walking up to the circuit :

I reached the parking lot after a 20 minute walk and hopped into one of the Paddock Club Shuttles to the Paddock Club entry.

The Time for the first pit lane walk was over and I head straight to the Suite.

The view from the Ferrari F1 Club :

Shots of the GoPro Hero4 Black :

I had a quick coffee and a croissant before getting ready for Free Practice 1.

Shots from Free Practice 1 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Free Practice 1. I also got to visit the garage during the session :

Shots from FP1 from another angle :

The Pit Walls busy during the session :

Chequered Flag - FP1 :

Nico Rosberg topped the practice session with Lewis Hamilton a close second. Kimi Raikkonen & Sebastian Vettel were P4 & P5 respectively. A great session for Scuderia Ferrari.

With FP1 over, we were joined by Ferrari Test Driver, Marc Gene

Marc Gene in the Ferrari F1 Club :

Marc Gene discussing about the team's chances in the Ferrari F1 Club. Video Link :

Marc Gene on the new start procedures. Video Link :

Marc Gene left and it was time for the GP2 practice session.

The GP2 Practice Session in progress :

I was soon ushered down to the Paddock for a visit to the Paddock area and the Team Garage.

Shots from the Paddock Tour :

Ferrari completes 900 GPs in F1 and had their Motorhome adorned with the signs :

Shots from the Paddock :

Scuderia Ferrari Mechanics working ( from the Garage Tour ) :

Shots with the GoPro Hero4 Black from the Garage Tour :

I returned to the club and I was famished. Thankfully it was time for lunch!

A Quick lunch and it was time for the 2nd Pit Lane walk of the day!

Shots from the Pit Lane Walk :

Shots with the GoPro Hero4 Black :

I was walking back from the Pit Lane Walk and got to meet Johnny Herbert again!

Free Practice 2 followed shortly after :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during FP2 :

Shots with the GoPro during FP2 :

Kimi Raikkonen's Engineer holding the Pit Board for him :

Nico Rosberg suffered a high speed rear-tyre failure and it halted FP2 for sometime.

The Helicopter Cam doing its rounds :

Cars coming into the Bus Stop Chicane :

Kimi Raikkonen & Sebastian Vettel into the Bus Stop Chicane!

Some more shots from FP2 :

Chequered Flag :

Nico Rosberg stayed on top in the session. However he lost out on some valuable time for race simulations. Raikkonen was P5 and Vettel P10.

FP2 finished and it was time for Esteban Gutierrez, Ferrari's Reserve Driver to visit the guests in the Ferrari F1 Club :

To commemorate 900 GPs, Scuderia Ferrari had a twitter campaign with the handle #redseason and it was a pleasant surprise to see my post on the Ferrari Wall.

The models of all the Tyre Compounds used by Pirelli for the 2015 Season

GP2 Qualifying Session :

The Ferrari F1 Club in the evening :

As I left the club, I chose to stop by and take some shots of Paddock from the Club :

GP3 cars negotiating the latter half of Eau Rouge into the Kemmel Straight :

Trying a hand at the Simulator in the General Hospitality area :

Returning to Maastricht :

2015 is the 2nd year of Kimi's contract at Scuderia Ferrari. Many speculated it to be the last. Kimi has been mighty at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium and it was my dream to see him race there.

Sure enough the time had come to draw plans and be there! The day I flew out on began with some great news! Kimi Raikkonen had been retained by Scuderia Ferrari for another year!

The Joy I felt was unspeakable! Ferrari were celebrating 900 Grand Prix in F1 which was no mean feet to achieve, considering those who have left the sport in its lifetime.

Part 10 of the Gallery of Memories and the First Post from the 2015 Belgian Grand Prix begins now!

Marc Gene in the Ferrari F1 Club. He spoke about Ferrari's chances over the weekend and the new start procedures for the drivers

A Moment with the "900 GPs" Tribute on the Ferrari Motorhome wall :

I got the opportunity of meeting Johnny Herbert again during the 2nd Pit Lane Walk on Friday :

Esteban Gutierrez in the Ferrari F1 Club :

Saturday Morning starts early as always. I met Mr. Mattia Binotto, Power Unit Director of Scuderia Ferrari. A Moment with him :

Returning from the Pit Lane Walk I met Mr. Felipe Massa. Surreal!!

Sunday Morning and the Paddock saw a lot of activity. I couldn't get a photo with Lewis Hamilton but this was the closest.

Maurizio Arrivabene joined by Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari F1 Club!

Kimi Raikkonen leaving..A Funny photo :

Maurizio Arrivabene, the Ferrari Team Principal is a very kind and patient man. He took time out to offer autographs and even click photos with whoever requested. So happy to meet him again!

I ran down for the final Pitlane Walk on Sunday and fortunately got a great place to get some photos with the Drivers returning from the Track Parade!

Roberto Merhi, Manor Marussia :

A Long wait, but I got my photo with Kevin Magnussen, McLaren Honda reserve driver :

A Quick photo with the Hosts of the Ferrari F1 Club :

The heavy traffic and the inability of my transfer service to make it to the circuit for the return pickup on Sunday meant that I had to meet it in a new place in the track vicinity. Radisson Blu in Spa was the meeting point. I was switching cars when I spotted Kimi Raikkonen in the Hotel Lobby and rushed to get a quick photo with him.

It was quite an eventful Belgian Grand Prix and I have a lot to write in the Paddock Club Diaries. A Special Mention of praise about the abilities of the GoPro Hero4 Black with the LCD BacPac & Wifi Remote. I was cursing myself for not having my GoPro on me for my photo with Kimi. It is the ultimate in shooting 4K videos ( Video Links in future posts ) and in taking selfies.

Highly Recommended!

A Big Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring a hassle free process for the weekend. A Big Thank you to Scuderia Ferrari, The Ferrari F1 Club and its Hosts for the kindness and graciousness shown to me!

2015 has been quite a year for F1. The Introduction of new venues, more reliable Engines in the new era of F1 but the most important, entry of youth in the pinnacle of motorsport.

The rookies have impressed in 2015 so far and their abilities have silenced the doubters.

At the Mid point of the season, rumours are rife in the paddock about potential driver lineups for 2016. Not many seats are up for grabs but for some, time to prove their worth is running out.

Who is safe and who is not, time to have a run through.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 :

The Fastest team in F1 ( Currently ) has steered clear from any paddock chatter by locking down the current lineup of Hamilton and Rosberg with long term contracts. Rumours about drives being available would be the last thing the team would want for themselves as well as for their drivers in their battle to maintain their edge in the current formula.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 :

The Loss of Jules Bianchi has hit both the Team and the F1 Fraternity hard. Sebastian Vettel has a contract. Kimi Raikkonen, as always is in the news about his future in F1. The Finn's contract expires at the end of 2015 and Ferrari has the option of extending it for another year based on the performance this year. 2015 has been a better year for Raikkonen but there is a considerable gap ( 84 points ) to his team-mate which isn't doing his chances any good.

Valtteri Bottas, Williams F1 Driver is being shortlisted as a replacement for Raikkonen and the rumours gathered a lot of steam in the past couple of months. However no formal announcement was made in this regard. Max Verstappen too has emerged as a contender in the past week but for 2017.

Ferrari have emphasized on multiple occasions that Kimi's contract extension / replacement isn't a priority at present. Recent developments suggest that the Maranello outfit will renew Kimi's contract for another year.

Kimi has the speed. In James Allison's words "Kimi is as quick as Seb, only difference is that Kimi has made a couple of mistakes in qualifying to Seb's one." Kimi has also been on the wrong end of reliability in 2 races. Add those results and he would be in contention for 3rd place in the Drivers' Championship.

Raikkonen's decision is the most pivotal in the market and can trigger a lot of movement. Else Status-quo.

Raikkonen has proved his mettle on more than one occasion. He remains Ferrari's Last Champion. Belgium beckons and being the most successful driver there, I am hoping to see the "King of Spa" do well.

Williams Martini F1 :

Williams should be happy with their current lineup of drivers. They have performed exceedingly well since 2014. Massa will continue into 2016. Bottas' future though is questionable. The Finn is young and fast besides being consistent. His performances have caught the attention of Ferrari and seems to be the favourite to sign for them. Bottas has reiterated that no deal with Ferrari is in place and such rumours should stop doing the rounds. Williams on the other hand were instrumental in bringing Bottas into F1 but that shouldn't hamper his chances of moving higher up the grid given the opportunity.

There were some rumours of Nasr stepping up but they were written off when Sauber renewed his contract.

Another rumour that surfaced was that Button was considering a switch to Williams. ( Discussed later ). Alex Lynn, formerly belonging to Red Bull's driver program, signed up with Williams as a development driver. It won't be long before he is ready to step up into F1. So Williams have their hands full.

The Possibility of Bottas to Ferrari looks pretty certain but I feel Ferrari will hold stations for another year.

Red Bull Racing F1 :

Red Bull Racing seems to have their Driver Contracts sorted for next year inspite of talk of a potential offer for Ricciardo. Sometimes the media links every driver with a Ferrari Seat. Red Bull would like to continue with their current crop of Kvyat and Ricciardo considering the position they are in. Losing their Quadruple World Champion Vettel to Ferari didn't do them any good. Red Bull must keep their lineup stable to rebuild and mount a new challenge.

Sahara Force India F1 :

Force India too preserved their lineup of Perez and Hulkenberg for 2015. Both Drivers performed well so far. Perez has been overshadowed by Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg is another candidate for the Ferrari Seat for 2016 but substantial sponsorship backing besides a height disadvantage is hurting his chance of moving higher up the grid. Haas F1, a new team in 2016 with Ferrari Power should consider him as a candidate. If none comes calling, the Hulk will stay at Force India. Perez is best suited to Force India with the abilities he possesses. Perez should continue with Force India as he enjoys a great relationship with the team.

GP2 has some candidates willing to take the big leap but I feel the team must stick with their old guns and build a solid platform for the future.

Lotus F1 :

Grosjean and Maldonado continued into 2015 for Lotus F1. Grosjean should continue in Lotus. I don't see him going elsewhere. Maldonado has been reckless to be frank and its high time for Lotus to open up a seat. Maldonado might have a fat sponsorship with him but his failure to bring him consistent results is costing the team dear. Jolyon Palmer, the reserve driver is the current GP2 Champion and has every right to graduate into F1. This might be the last year for Maldonado according to me. Palmer seems favourite to land a drive in 2016.

Scuderia Toro Rosso :

Toro Rosso, Red Bull's "B" Team recruited 2 rookies in Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. Verstappen joining F1 at a tender age of 17. Both have performed well so far in the season and Toro Rosso might opt to retain them both, maybe until the time is right to move to the Big League.

It would be very difficult for any driver from the Red Bull Program to grab a seat in 2016. The Best anyone can manage would be to become the 3rd Driver.

Sauber F1 :

Sauber F1 has been instrumental in bringing the best into F1. Many greats began their careers in F1 through Sauber. The Team dismissed any rumours about their drivers fairly quickly by confirming new contracts for Nasr and Ericsson. Marciello, a Ferrari Driver Program graduate, might have to wait another year and prove his mettle in GP2 if he wants a seat with the team, courtesy of Engine Suppliers Ferrari.

2015, the second year in the Turbo Era of F1. In 2014, Mercedes AMG Petronas flattened the opposition with their dominance.

Would 2015 be a repeat of the same? We have reached the mid point of the season and the F1 Fraternity take a 4 week break before returning for the Belgian Grand Prix.

A quick look at how the season has conspired so far.

Mercedes AMG Petronas :

Mercedes have preserved their dominance in the new era but its not been easy sailing this time. Hamilton leads the Championship from Rosberg by 21 points. Reliability has been the forte for the team this year. Bahrain was the only race where the limits ( Brakes ) were tested for the team. No Retirements this year, the duo featured on the podium at every race barring the recently concluded Hungarian Grand Prix. Mercedes lead the constructors with 383 points on the board. One can say they have one hand on the Constructors' trophy.

Hamilton won 5 Races ( Australia, China, Bahrain, Canada & Great Britain ) to Rosberg's 3 ( Spain, Monaco & Austria ). One might argue that Rosberg was handed victory at Monaco thanks to Hamilton's tactical error but points are points. Hamilton was destined to lose his lead to Rosberg at Hungary after his hasty move on the German ( at the start ) bumped him down from 4th to 10th. Rosberg was set for 3rd place when Ricciardo clipped his rear tyre and caused a puncture. Hamilton retained his lead going into the break and looks favourite to retain his title.

Mercedes have the edge for now. Ferrari are close but not close enough.

Scuderia Ferrari :

2015 saw a change in the driver lineup for the Maranello based outfit. Vettel joined forces with Raikkonen as Ferrari began hunting down the leaders with full earnest. Ferrari are the closest contenders to Mercedes and have been since the start of the season. They seem to have overcome the problems of last year and show a marked improvement, particularly on the powertrain side. Results improved by far and the team has already met their target of 2 victories for the season. Upgrade Tokens were used before Canada but the upgrades have yielded mixed results. Ferrari still linger in outright pace in comparison to Mercedes. The first couple of races in the 2nd half will be of utmost importance for the team. Mercedes always keep something in reserve. Monza, Ferrari's home race, will be a reality check.

Sebatian Vettel joined Ferrari after winning 4 titles at Red Bull. He is following his idol Schumacher's Footsteps. Vettel has been brilliant this year and is definitely on course to becoming a legend at Ferrari. The German with his tremendous racecraft has outfoxed the Mercedes duo on a few occasions; with 2 victories under his belt, he still is in the reckoning for the Driver's Title. Hungary was a brilliant outing for him and victory cut down the deficit to Hamilton to 42 points. It still is a tall order, but Vettel chooses to believe.

Kimi Raikkonen, The Iceman. What can I say. Its been a funny year for him. In his own words "its not as disastrous as last year" The Finn has been on the wrong end of reliability on a couple of occasions. Strategy & Variable weather conditions have cost him dearly. Honestly the results are not as good as 2013 but way better than what they were last year - Three 4th Place finishes, One 5th, 6th & 8th with a brilliant 2nd Place in Bahrain. Kimi is known to be stronger in the second half of the year and I am hoping to see him silence his critics come Belgium.

I had the privilege of supporting him live in Austria, unfortunately the first lap crash cut short his race. Kimi is the King of Spa and I shall be in Belgium to support the Iceman! Praying for a better outing! Keep Flying Iceman!

Williams F1 Racing :

Williams were a revelation in 2014. Come 2015 and they still are the Strongest Mercedes Customer Team on the grid. Williams have surprised their bigger spending rivals with some sparkling performances this year - Red Bull has been displaced, Ferrari are looking over their shoulders and Mercedes got a reality check in a couple of races. Williams must learn to be decisive in their decisions though and winning races should always be a priority. Silverstone was a harsh lesson but other than that its been another good year for the team. 3rd Place will match their performance from last year and quite honestly 3rd is the best this team might achieve. Ferrari have been pretty strong in the first half and catching them will be no walk in the park.

Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa, one of the strongest pairings in F1. There is little to choose between them. Only 3 points separate the team-mates with Kimi Raikkonen sandwiched in between. Both ensured that after Ferrari, they are the next best team on the grid, sometimes even beating the Prancing Horse. A 3rd place for each and finishing on the sharper end of points underlines the consistency. The strategy coupled with weather cost the duo a double podium and possibly victory in Britain. Hungary was a disaster too and only the 2nd time that Williams didn't take home any points ( Monaco was the other ). Williams are stronger at power tracks. There are still a few in the 2nd half of the season. They can definitely spring a surprise, so eyes open rivals!

Red Bull Racing F1 :

Red Bull lost their prized quadruple World Champion Sebastien Vettel to Ferrari at the start of 2015. Daniil Kvyat graduated from Toro Rosso to partner Daniel Ricciardo. Red Bull are a mere shadow of themselves in the Turbo Era. The Renault engine has hampered their chances and the team is struggling hard to bring home results. The Team predicted that Hungary and Singapore are 2 races they would be the strongest at. Hungary was a brilliant outing with a double podium. Strong Points haul every other weekend is the target for the team and 4th place looks cemented for them. Williams in 3rd aren't out of reach but it may be too big a task even with the resources the team possesses.

Daniel Ricciardo has been the more consistent and became the new leader in the team. The Aussie continues to impress in 2015 and the latest result in Hungary proved his driving prowess. Ricciardo is locked in battle with his team-mate for 7th in the Drivers' Championship but he will eventually move up the list by the end of the season. 3rd place in Hungary was his best finish so far.

Daniil Kvyat had a much better outing in 2015 albeit in a stronger car. Kvyat has cemented his place in the team with the performances produced in the first half of the season. He will go from strength to strength thanks to an able ( & Young ) Challenger in Ricciardo. 2nd Place in Hungary, his best finish taught him many things as a driver. He might not be able to replicate this finish this year but he has played the perfect support role to his team-mate this year.

Sahara Force India F1 :

Force India retained their 2014 lineup and 2015 has been a mixed season so far. Barring the debacle at Hungary, the car is reliable. The updated chassis was introduced in Britain and it remains to be seen how effective it is going to be. The setup prior to the B-Spec was solid and the team produced consistent results. 5th place seems to be a realistic target but Force India needs a strong second half to ensure they are untouched.

Nico Hulkenberg deserves to be in a team higher up the grid. His performances have been nothing short of brilliant. The German is in the top 10 with 4 points finishes so far. If the car has the speed, he could spring a surprise at the end of the year.

Sergio Perez had a tough 2015 so far. He has been on the cusp of points finishes on a few occasions. Although he has 5 points finishes, the aggregate points are 9 less than his team-mate's. Perez has a formidable rival in Hulkenberg and needs to move up a few gears for the remainder of 2015 - both for himself and the team.

Lotus F1 :

Lotus F1 had a dismal 2014. A Change in the Engine Supplier seemed to have helped the team this year. Lotus is locked in battle with Force India and Toro Rosso for 5th place. Securing their target would help them to bring in more sponsorships aiding their development for 2017. The Team still suffers from gremlins and their main aim should be to increase reliability for the second half of the season. Lotus has enough personnel to produce the results they desire. I do feel 5th place in the Constructors will be too much to ask considering the team's current roster of drivers.

Romain Grosjean has been more successful than his team-mate and unsurprisingly so. Grosjean showed that he has the speed provided the car given to him is reliable. The Frenchman finished in the points 5 times in the first half of the season. The Team would be really dependent on him to produce the results in the 2nd half as compared to Maldonado who is very mercurial with his performances.

Pastor Maldonado earned a reputation of being the bad boy of F1 and this season he hasn't done anything significant to shake off this perception. Retirements and crashes have damaged his season badly. The team needs serious reconsideration for 2017 as the Venezuelan doesn't look cut out for the sport. Maldonado has brought home only 12 points with 2 Seven Place finishes so far.

I really hope that Lotus does well this year. I have great respect for the team and their work - ethic. They have a talented bunch of people in Oxfordshire and deserve to be racing in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Scuderia Toro Rosso :

Toro Rosso got 2 rookies for 2015. Max Verstappen, son of Ex-F1 Driver Jos Verstappen and only 17 years old. Carlos Sainz Jr. joined the team from the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Toro Rosso have struggled so far in 2015 primarily with reliability issues. The Drivers have produced impressive drives and made a strong case for themselves. One can safely say that they have silenced the doubters. Toro Rosso will be looking to Renault to address their reliability and performance issues so that they can start producing better results and move up the grid in the second half of the season. Funding from Red Bull is of paramount importance too.

Verstappen has outperformed his team-mate so far. As a rookie, the mistakes are few and the Belgian will definitely be championship material in a quicker car. His best finish was 4th at Hungary besides being in the points on 2 other occasions ( Malaysia & Austria )

Carlos Sainz Jr. suffered more retirements than his team-mate and seems to be overhauled by him this year. Sainz Jr. has been in the points in 4 races, the best being 8th in Malaysia. The Spaniard needs a strong second half to preserve his seat in Toro Rosso, competition from GP2 is definitely closing in.

Sauber F1 :

Sauber hired Felipe Nasr & Marcus Ericsson for 2015. The Financial influx is more than welcome for Sauber as they strive to survive in a sport that is getting expensive day by day. The Team benefited from the revamped Ferrari Unit and did well in he early part of the season. However they have fallen back after China and are struggling to bring home the much needed results. The Chances of holding onto 8th in Constructors seem bleak and Sauber might end up being 9th and only faster than Manor by the end of the season. They need some upgrades soon to stay in touch with the competition around them

Nasr the rookie has finished in the points only thrice this season, his best finish being 5th at the season opener in Australia. Nasr has a lot to learn from the remainder of the season and I doubt he would be able to challenge his immediate rivals.

Marcus Ericsson who bagged the 2nd seat has performed slightly better than his previous year with Caterham. Ericsson's best finish was 8th in Australia. He also bagged a point each in China and Hungary. In comparison to his rookie team-mate, Ericsson has a lot of catching up to do. Some might even question his abilities to hold onto his seat for 2016. Only time will tell.

McLaren Honda :

McLaren switched from Mercedes to Honda for 2015. The Lineup saw a change too with Fernando Alonso returning to the Woking based Outfit to partner Jenson Button. Magnussen stepped down to become the 3rd driver. The faithful are hoping for a return of the Glory Years when Honda dominated the Sport in the Turbo era with Senna & Prost. However Honda's renewed partnership with McLaren has been anything but successful. The team struggled first with reliability issues and then started running short on the number of engine allocation units for the season. The change in the regulation allowing a new engine manufacturer to have an extra power unit in its first year has failed to provide any respite either. The team has taken baby steps in addressing reliability issues and now slowly shift their focus to performance.  2015 is a leaning year for McLaren and they would love to bring home as many points as they can.

Alonso suffered a crash in pre-season testing and had to sit out for the season opener in Australia. Magnussen took his place only to not start the race with an engine failure. Alonso had to endure a series of retirements besides losing a new engine in his crash with Raikkonen in Austria. However the last 2 races have brought about a change of fortunes. Alonso finished 10th in Britain and took an unthinkable 5th in Hungary, the team admitting to have run the engines at maximum performance.

Button's season hasn't been any different. Although Button has more finishes this season, he has finished in the points only twice - 8th in Monaco & 9th in Hungary. He would be hoping for a better 2nd half to the season with McLaren seemingly addressing their reliability issues.

Manor Marussia :

Manor became the new owners of Marussia for 2015 and sported a new lineup of Roberto Merhi & Will Stevens. The Team has had a decent outing so far with the limited resources that they have. Roberto Merhi produced the best result for the team with 12th Position at the British Grand Prix with Will Stevens 13th.

There isn't much the team can expect from this year. A points finish would be a blessing but the lack of funds isn't going to help their cause

A LEGEND GOES HOME :

Safety has been paramount in the world of F1 since Ayrton Senna's demise in 1994 at Imola. However a severe crash ( in Japan ) with a extrication vehicle ( sent to retrieve Sutil's stricken Sauber ) saw Jules Bianchi of Marussia F1 Team ( now Manor ) suffer serious heading injuries eventually sending him into a coma. Battle for Survival ensued with many hoping for the young Frenchman to return to the sport. However 9 months later, on 17th July 2015, Jules Bianchi passed away, the first fatality of the sport after Senna.

Jules Bianchi was a brilliant driver, a talent well spotted by Ferrari and inducted into their driver program. The aim was to eventually replace Raikkonen with him and Bianchi had ticked all the right boxes. The 9th Place in Monaco for Marussia was a testimony of his God gifted abilities. However Bianchi went home and left the F1 Fraternity and the fans broken.

Hungary was an emotional weekend for F1 Personnel and Fans alike. Emotions still run high as I type this. A Young Talent lost...

Its the Drivers that make F1 the sport that it is. The men who take to the grid are the best in the world. Bianchi was one of them. He will live on in the annals of F1 history as a Legend.

Jules, you will be missed. JB17, JB17 FOREVER. CIAO JULES!

The Summer Break is a time for the Teams and Drivers to take a much needed break and recuperate before the start of the final 2 European Races and the Fly Away Events.

Belgium will see everyone refreshed and ready for the 2nd half of the season. 

As a Fan, I can't wait for F1 to return!