Day 3 of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix. D Day. The Day that matters.

Ferrari had faltered in Qualifying but their Race Simulations showed good pace on Friday.

I was pretty optimistic!

Photos shot with Sony HX400V, GoPro Hero4 Black and Samsung Note 5.

Enroute to the Circuit :

I decided to stay outside the Paddock area and hoped to meet some more famous people. My wish was fulfilled!

Piero Ferrari, Son of founder of Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari :

I was then able to have a moment with the man I adore and follow with zeal. MR. KIMI RAIKKONEN!!

Marcus Ericsson, driver for Sauber F1 Team :

Soon I noticed commotion in a corner. I was wondering what was going on. Then I realized it was Lewis Hamilton! He had ridden to the circuit on his MV Augusta Brutale 800!

What a stunning bike!

A moment with the Triple World Champion :

Sergio Perez, driver for Sahara Force India F1 :

Nico Hulkenberg, driver for Sahara Force India F1 :

Daniel Ricciardo ( Red Bull Racing ) again!

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 and 2009 World Champion!

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

Romain Grosjean from Haas F1 Team :

Esteban Gutierrez of Haas F1 Team :

The Trophy for the Race Winner :

The Paddock on Sunday Morning :

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

I made it to the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club and we were joined by Paul Hembery, Motorsport Director of Pirelli :

We were soon joined by Maurizio Arrivabene, Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal in the Suite :

Video Link :

A Moment with the Boss :

Arrivabene left and it was time for Sebastian Vettel to visit the Suite. His Helmet and Race Suit :

Sebastian Vettel :

Vettel Q & A in the Suite ( Video Link ) :

A moment with the Quadruple World Champion!

Time to binge :

I didn't have much time during the Pit Lane Walk and was more concerned with getting a good view for the start of the race :

The grid being set up :

Cars out on sighting laps :

Cars being rolled to their grid spots :

Shots of the grid :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 on the grid :

Selfies with the GoPro :

The Kids who sang the Spanish National Anthem :

Some more shots :

Drivers & Team Personnel getting ready :

Cars ready for the formation lap :

Formation Lap - 2016 Spanish GP Video Link :

Lining up for the Race Start :

The 5 Red Lights illuminate and the Spanish Grand Prix is a go!

2016 Spanish Grand Prix Start ( Video Link ) :

The race started and Nico Rosberg lead Hamilton into T1 but both had a shocking coming together and got taken out at lap 1 much to the delight of the crowd at the race; guess they knew we would see one of the best races ever!

Safety Car was deployed to clear the mess :

Safety Car Deployed ( Video Link ) :

Race Restart after the Safety Car ( Video Link ) :

Shots from the Race! Got loads this time. Ricciardo lead the way only to lose the lead to Max Verstappen due to an extra pit stop. He was running 4th after that. Vettel too had an extra pit stop and fell back to 3rd while Kimi Raikkonen moved up to 2nd.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during the race :

The Pit Wall was busy with giving important info to the drivers :

Video Links of 5 Pit Stops ( Total ) for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen ( in chronological order ) :

Kimi's 1st Stop :

Seb's 1st Stop :

Seb's 2nd Stop :

Kimi's 2nd Stop :

Seb's 3rd Stop :

Kimi Raikkonen was chasing down Max Verstappen throughout the race. However the Red Bull was fantastic out of the final turn so the DRS on the Start Finish Straight proved ineffective.

Daniel Ricciardo was catching Vettel after his third stop and he did try a bold move which didn't come out right. Unfortunately he picked up a puncture in the fag end of the race and had to pit on the penultimate lap.

Ricciardo coming in to pit ( Video Link ) :

Max Verstappen held on to take the chequered flag and victory on his debut race for Red Bull! Unbelievable! Spare a thought for Dany Kvyat who was demoted to Toro Rosso for the same weekend. Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel drove strong races and finished on the podium for Ferrari! A Highly Successful weekend considering the state of affairs on Saturday Evening!

Chequered Flag ( Video Link ) :

Team Personnel, media and the fans running towards the podium to celebrate :

Hosts from the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Club :

Red Bull Team Personnel Celebrating the win :

Final shots of the Paddock :

I left the Paddock Club and decided to hang around for sometime to see if I could get the opportunity of meeting some more people. I was happy that I stayed back!

Mark Arnall ( Kimi Raikkonen's Physio ) who obliged for 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 :

Susie and Toto Wolff were so kind to a young fan named Heilly :) The Couple are the nicest people in F1

Rio Haryanto, Race driver for Manor F1 Team :

Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing F1 :

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

Returning to Barcelona :

It was a Fantastic Sunday at the Spanish Grand Prix. If the Two Mercedes AMG cars had not taken each other out, we wouldn't have seen Ferrari get a double podium. The Fans went home happy. Raikkonen had a great outing and I was so proud of the Iceman. The win still eludes him but I stay positive. His time will come! Verstappen won on debut for Red Bull Racing while Daniil Kvyat struggled post his demotion to Toro Rosso. Do feel for him.

However, for Many this was the best race up until that point.


I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari F1 and the Hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club for all their Hospitality shown to me. The only disappointment was that the guests at the club didn't get a photo opportunity with the trophies ( unlike Lotus F1, now Renault Sport F1 ). I wish it was different.

A Big Thank You to Edge Global F1 for a hassle free, memorable experience! Flawless Service!

The Spanish Grand Prix experience doesn't end here, the experience at the First day of Testing still remains!

More to come!

Friday at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix was a memorable one. Saturdays start early with Team Pit-Stop Practice and then Free Practice 3 followed by the Qualifying Session. This just wasn't any other Saturday..

The Saturday experience starts now!

Photos from Sony HX400V Camera, GoPro Hero4 Black & Samsung Note 5.

Early Morning Start to the day, enroute to the circuit :

Reach the Circuit and walk straight to the Pit Lane for the First Pit Lane Walk of the day.

Shots from the Note 5 Camera :

GoPro :

Shots from the Scuderia Ferrari Garage :

The Pit Lane Walk ended and I came across a really expensive parking lot! DROOL :

Breakfast in the Paddock :

The View on Saturday Morning as the FP3 session goes green :

The Helicopter in Position for overhead shots :

FP3 features most cars running qualifying simulations. On some occasions drivers who had their Friday compromised run race simulation for a short time :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team in Free Practice 3 :

Shots of the GoPro :

Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel had less than two-tenths of a second between them while Kimi Raikkonen was a second off the pace in 6th. It seemed like Mercedes had sold Ferrari the dummy again!

We were soon joined by Ferrari Reserve Drive Jean-Eric Vergne in the Suite :

A Quick selfie with the Flying Frenchman!

Pirelli's Racing Manager Mario Isola Interview in the Suite :

Video Link :

A moment with the man :

Pirelli showcasing Miniatures of all the Tyre Compounds used for the season :

Lunch :

Soon it was time for the Pit Lane walk before Qualifying. Some shots :

Guess who popped in for an interview with Sky Italia? Jorge Lorenzo! 2015 MotoGP Champion!

Shots from the Pit Lane walk with the GoPro :

Karun Chandok, ex-F1 Driver from India, now with Channel 4 :

The Track ready for battle!

Q1 underway :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Q1 :

Chequered Flag :

Returning to the pits :

Nico Rosberg topped the timesheets in Q1. Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were 5th and 6th respectively.

Shots from Q2 :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 during Q2 :

Chequered Flag :

Jenson Button walking down the pit-lane after Q2 and after elimination.

Lewis Hamilton upped his game and topped Q2. Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel were 4th and 6th. Red Bull were in the mix. Q3 was going to be one big battle!

Q3 begins :

Scuderia Ferrari F1 in Q3 :

Chequered Flag :

Media getting ready on Parc Ferme :

Lewis Hamitlon grabbed Pole Position. Nico Rosberg and Daniel Ricciardo completed the top 3. Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel finished 5th and 6th, much to the disappointment of the tifosi.

Qualifying ended and we were soon joined by the man I was waiting to get a glimpse of : KIMI RAIKKONEN. Didn't get a decent picture with him though. Photos taken by the team host in the suite :

Kimi Raikkonen Q&A ( Video Link ), Kimi sharing about qualifying and the prospects for Sunday :

Kimi left and it was time for the GP2 Feature Race on Saturday!

GP2 Formation Lap ( Video Link ) :

GP2 Feature Race Start ( Video Link ) :

GP2 Feature Race Chequered Flag ( Video Link ) :

I decided to head to the Support Race Paddock during the GP2 Feature Race to see the preparations before Race 1 for GP3 teams and Mahaveer Raghunathan. Amazing Access and Exposure!

GP3 Race 1 Start ( Video Link ) :

The Paddock closing time neared and I made my way to the exit only to meet a host of F1 Fraternity. So who did I have the privilege of meeting?

Carlos Sainz Sr.

Federica Masolin from Sky Italia :

Antonio Boselli from Sky Italia :

Moko!

Jennie Gow from BBC F1 :

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

Alex Lynn, DAMS GP2 Racer and Williams F1 Development Driver :

I then decided to walk to the other Gate and I had the privilege of meeting Drivers and Senior Personnel of various teams.

Bob Fernley, Deputy Team Principal, Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Franz Tost, Team Principal, Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Simon Rennie, Racing Engineer for ( Daniel Ricciardo ) 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 :

The Sky was overcast for quite a while and then the rain came pounding down!

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 :

Having a good laugh with Pascal Wehrlein, Manor Racing F1 Driver and Development Driver for Mercedes!

It was a brilliant and a very eventful Saturday at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Qualifying positions were far from ideal for Ferrari but Sunday is what matters and race pace has always been our forte!

I would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari F1 for all the hospitality shown to me and also to Edge Global F1 for ensuring a hassle free weekend!

Sunday post to follow. Soon!

Thank you once again for your support!

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 :

Sebastian Vettel tried to leave the pit lane before the session ended. However the Pit Lane lights turn red and he had to stop at the end of the Pit Lane only to be wheeled back by the mechanics :

Enjoying FP1 ( GoPro Shots ) :

The Ferraris were flying at the end of FP1. Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen led the standings, only a tenth separating the two. Rosberg was another 0.5 second away.


We were soon joined in the Suite by Marc Gene, Test / Development Driver for Ferrari. He was pretty optimistic about our chances.

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 :

Ferrari had a strong Friday and the gap to Mercedes seemed pretty small but everyone was wary and rightly so. Mercedes have sold Ferrari the dummy many times on Friday so Saturday would give us the true story.

I would like to thank the Hosts at the Ferrari F1 Club and Scuderia Ferrari for their Hospitality.

A Big Thank you to Edge Global Events for ensuring all arrangements were in place and I didn't face any hassles.


Saturday and Sunday to follow, thanks for your support!

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.

Mercedes AMG F1 Team :

Favourites to win it all this year again, Mercedes have flexed their muscles, although not completely in the pre-season tests. The Team has the most number of laps to its name and reliability doesn't seem to be an issue for now. The team does have something in reserve and maybe masked their true pace. Their pace advantage, if any will come to the fore in China and Bahrain.

Hamilton and Rosberg will be at it this year and both have worked hard in the pre-season tests. Its a very close call between the two for 2016 again. Hamilton does have an edge when it comes to statistics but Rosberg had the momentum at the end of last season. Can the German recreate that form? Its a tough ask but he is capable. On his day the German is unbeatable. Will those days outnumber Hamilton's? I have my doubts.

The Mercedes duo don't just have to contend with each other...



Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team :

Ferrari had a strong 2015. "Strong" is a word not good enough at Ferrari. You have to win it all and you don't rest until your goal is reached. 2016 should be that year. Ferrari have played second fiddle long enough. Pre-season results promise a fantastic 2016. The SF-16H is more than just a strong contender. Vettel and Raikkonen have been fastest on their respective days ( albeit on Ultra-softs ), Raikkonen being the fastest overall but just. Ferrari didn't clock the same number of laps as the Mercedes but they will be the only worthy contender according to me. The Car is also kinder on its tyres so the team could adopt more aggressive strategies and match the Mercs on pace.

Vettel had an edge over Raikkonen in 2015, the Finn being riddled by misfortune and reliability problems. 2016 should be a more even battle between the two. As a Raikkonen Fan I am confident that he will justify Ferrari's decision of retaining him in 2016 and will be a strong contender for the Drivers' crown.
Vettel has been on the pedestal 4 times so he is no stranger to winning it all. Vettel will be on the limit right from day 1 and has the knack of getting under the skin of the Mercedes duo.
Both drivers have to be consistent throughout the season to maintain pressure and I am confident that the Prancing Horse will shine again.



Williams F1 Team :

Williams were the best of the rest ( excluding Mercedes and Ferrari ) in 2015 and the strongest Mercedes Customer Team. Pre-season Tests suggest that challenging the Works teams would be difficult and Williams would have to be wary of other customer teams breathing down their necks. Both drivers haven't been particularly quick on the softer compounds but could Williams be holding back? Only time will tell.

Massa and Bottas stay with the team for 2016. It was a well contested battle for supremacy between the two, Bottas getting the better of his team-mate. Massa had a not so memorable second half of 2015 and has to step up his performances to not lose his seat to younger drivers. Bottas on the other hand has to optimize results if he garners hopes of making it into a Works Team in the future. Bottas should have the edge in this year's team-mate battle according to me and if Williams can bring him close to the Mercs and the Ferraris, he will be more than a handful.



Red Bull Racing F1 Team :

Red Bull had an eventful 2015. Reliability issues and a misfiring power unit bogged the team down. The boss Christian Horner was extremely critical of Renault which led to their eventual fall-out at the end of the season. The search for a new engine supplier never materialized after talks stagnated with Mercedes and an understanding could never be reached with Ferrari. Finally it was agreed that the team will run a Tag Heuer branded Renault engine for 2016. Aston Martin has also joined the long list of sponsors for the team. Something brewing? Maybe. Red Bull will be strong at street circuits but making it to the top 10 could be quite challenging elsewhere. Aerodynamically Red Bull are brilliant but the Power Differential is too big to bridge the gap with the Mercs or the Ferraris. They could spoil the party though with aggressive tyre choices.

Kvyat and Ricciardo finished 2015 with just 3 points between their respective tallies, new graduate Kvyat outshining the Honey Badger. Red Bull would be really pleased with their driver choices as the duo were instrumental in holding off Force India's challenge with consistent finishes. 2016 will see a close quarter battle but Ricciardo should pull this off this time. I eagerly wait to see Red Bull return to the sharp end of the grid and this duo is capable of capitalizing when the opportunity comes knocking at the door.



Sahara Force India F1 Team :

Force India a team that came close to beating the mighty Red Bull in 2015 will hope to carry the momentum into 2016. However the bosses have dominated headlines in News Dailies for all the wrong reasons. There is a Management Reshuffle on the cards and how it will affect the team remains to be seen. That said, Force India have been flying in Pre-Season Testing as the 3rd Fastest Team on the timesheets. Powered by Mercedes again, 4th place in the Constructors' should be achievable but Force India have to maintain a steep development curve and stay in touch with the bigger spending teams. Do they have that Financial Prowess? I hope they do.

Perez and Hulkenberg continue their partnership and both are quick and reliable. My Money is on Hulkenberg although Perez pipped him to 9th place in the Championship last year. Mr. Consistent Hulkenberg is on the shortlist of bigger teams but his height and lack of sponsorship works against him. Perez on the other hand is pretty mercurial in his performances but on his day is unbeatable. I can't wait to watch the 2 battle it out on track.



Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team :

Toro Rosso the sister concern/B Team of Red Bull Racing had an exciting 2015. 2 youngsters who jumped the ranks to land themselves a F1 Seat bowled over fans and experts alike with their amazing performances in 2015. Toro Rosso switch to Ferrari power for 2016 and this year should be no different. Toro Rosso had a very potent chassis in the rain and caused a lot of upsets last year. Ferrari power should help them make a few more places in 2016. Toro Rosso were the 4th Fastest team in Pre-Season Tests ( Albeit on ultrasofts )

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. have learned a lot about the sport in 2015. Both have to raise the bar in 2016 as this year will test their maturity and guile in F1. Both have the desire, the fire, the passion and the pace. Now to bring home the results. I am sure either one could get a call to move up within the next couple of years. Verstappen won the team-mate battle last year and might do the same again but I promise you this will be a hotly contested and well followed battle. Bringing home strong finishes should help the team fight for 5th place in the Constructors, probably with the Mother Red Bull team.



Renault Sport F1 Team :

Renault parted ways with Red Bull Racing at the end of 2015. Renault then took over Lotus F1 Team to ensure not just their presence in the sport but also save the team from certain bankruptcy. Renault have a roadmap for making their way back up the grid and its no secret that they are here to stay. A Little Birdie told me Renault's plan for the coming years : 2016 will be a struggle, 2017 aim for 7th place, 2018 aim for 5th, 2019th 3rd and 2020 be a Championship Winning team.

Lotus on the other hand had a decent outing in 2015 with Mercedes Power and had to terminate its contract with Mercedes due to the takeover. Renault's 2016 Challenger is the 2015 Car with loads of upgrades. It was too late to build a new car due to the delayed process of the takeover.

Renault hired Kevin Magnussen to join 2015's reserve driver & 2014 GP2 Champion Jolyon Palmer. Magnussen was released by McLaren midway through 2015. Palmer on the other hand might only remain with the team for one year but you never know what conspires over the duration of a season. Magnussen with his past experience of F1 should fare better than Palmer. He was quicker during the pre-season tests as well. 2016 will be a tough year for the team according to me due to the under-powered Renault unit but I would be overjoyed if the team ( the  I love so much ) grabs some podium finishes.



McLaren Honda F1 Team :

McLaren had a horrendous 2015. Honda struggled to come to terms in their first year of the New Turbo era. Reliability problems bogged the team down all season long. 2016 Pre-Season did see them clock a considerable number of kilometres but the latest challenger isn't flawless. Both drivers had their fair share of breakdowns. The power disparity might cost the team valuable points as reliability remains priority in 2016. The team is addressing every gremlin one at a time and when they finally iron out these issues, they would be right up there with the high-fliers.

Alonso and Button form a formidable partnership. Their vast experience will help the team optimize points scoring. Button outscored Alonso but only just in 2015. 2016 will be an even contest. Alonso is a driver who can extract everything from a car so beating him consistently will be tough. Alonso has backed his decision of switching to McLaren this year, hope the stance doesn't change at the end of 2016. The increase in the number of tokens should help Honda improve their power units throughout the season.



Sauber F1 Team :

Sauber had a torrid 2014 & 15. The Lack of Funding hasn't helped their cause either. However Sauber keeps soldiering on and a big salute to their indomitable spirit. Sauber retained the services of Nasr and Ericsson for 2016. Nasr was faster of the duo in the pre-season tests and agonizingly close to McLaren's fastest time on a slower tyre. Initial reports suggest that Sauber should be the 8th fastest team on the grid. Nasr will be the stronger of the two ( personal opinion ). I do hope Sauber brings in efficient upgrades throughout the season to help propel them up the grid and maximize their point scoring chances. It won't be easy sailing in 2016 either.



Manor Racing F1 Team :

Manor, formerly Marussia sport a brand new lineup of drivers in GP2 graduate Rio Haryanto ( First Indonesian in F1 ) and DTM Champion / Mercedes Protegee Pascal Wehrlein. Manor switch to Mercedes power for 2016 and have undergone a huge management reshuffle. Scoring points and finishing races are of paramount importance for the team. Both drivers are well funded and should help the team stay above water. For Pascal this is like an internship, for Rio his hope to move up the grid. Pascal might just pip Haryanto as the lead driver.



Haas F1 Team :

Haas F1 garnered a lot of interest even before their formal entry into the sport. The New Kids on the block have hired the services of 2 experienced drivers in Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez. Grosjean left Lotus ( now Renault ) at the end of 2015 wanting a new challenge. Gutierrez, ex-Sauber and Reserve Driver for Ferrari will be auditioning for the prancing horse seat with Haas it seems. Both are intelligent drivers and will provide valuable feedback for the team. Its going to be a steep learning curve for the team ( as Pre-Season results suggest ). Reliability first, performance later should be the approach. I do hope Haas finish some races in the points, which for now seems a long shot.




To sum it all up, Tyres are going to dictate play over a race weekend. Aggressive Tyre Strategies will throw the cat amongst the pigeons at many races. I am sure we shall see drivers out of position more often trying to make right the wrongs done during qualifying.


There isn't much to choose in terms of pace between the Williams, Force India & Renault. Can McLaren return to the sharper end of the grid this year? Haas F1 would hope for a strong start to the season. Renault likewise.

God willing, I would like to attend 3 races - Barcelona, Hungary and Abu Dhabi again ( if Kimi does leave at the end of 2016 ) this year.


Ferrari is closer to Mercedes than ever. Battle Royale Beckons!

I can't wait for the season to being. F1 returns and so does sanity.

We have waited long enough! Its time for the 2016 Formula 1 Season!!!

C'mon KIMI!!

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.

2015 saw faster cars in the new era of F1. It was interesting to see the drivers finish in pairs ( two by twos ) in the first 10 places in the Drivers' Championship, some team-mate battles being hotly contested ones.

Mercedes reigned supreme again with Ferrari being the only challengers to the crown; Williams enjoyed being on the sharp end of the grid, Red Bull amazingly finished 4th despite their issues with the Renault Power Units, Force India had their best season in F1, Lotus recovered from a dismal 2014, Toro Rosso was the surprise package while Sauber, McLaren and Manor have a lot of catching up to do.

Lewis Hamilton now a 3 Time World Champion in his Three Pointed Star Machine will hope for a repeat in 2016. Will Rosberg mount a bigger challenge? I definitely think so!

I hope to see Raikkonen in the mix in 2016 and notching up a few victories too.

2015 was a great year and I had the privilege of being in Austria and Belgium, 2 stunning race locations, highly recommended!

Plans for 2016 might feature Barcelona, Canada and Hungary...time will tell.

The 2016 Season Preview will follow post pre-season tests.


Congratulations to the Three Pointed Star - Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes AMG F1 Team!!!

Happy Holidays everyone!

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.

Barring the Rain at the end of the weekend and the loss of a podium for Scuderia Ferrari, it was a brilliant 2015 Belgian Grand Prix.

Spa Francorchamps, nestled in the beautiful Ardennes mountains is a must visit for every F1 Fanatic! Breathtaking views!

I was really happy to see Lotus F1 return to the Podium with Romain Grosjean. Refreshed memories of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix.


Edge Global Events were professional in arranging everything for the weekend and making it a memorable one.

The GoPro Hero4 Black with the Smart Remote and the LCD BacPac was a brilliant piece of equipment and I learnt the lesson of removing it from the waterproof case if I wanted good audio from a distance.

The Sony HX400V lived upto its reputation of being a brilliant camera with a mega super zoom! Captured Cars in its frame with relative ease.

Finally a Big Thank you to the Ferrari F1 Club Hosts and More Importantly Scuderia Ferrari F1 for hosting me throughout the weekend and being so gracious!

This might be the last of the Paddock Club Diaries for 2015. The Diaries might return this year, if not 2016 will be better I promise!

Thank you to YOU too for all the support shown to me.

Flying Diaries have some updates coming! SOON!

God Bless you all!!

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!

The Sony HX 400V Cybershot Camera was instrumental in helping me get brilliant shots of the cars!

The Sunday Diary coming up..soon!