.:: 2010 Spanish GP - 7-8-9 May ::.

.:: 2010 SPANISH GRAND PRIX ::.

Welcome to the 2010 Spanish GP Thread. cjek and mjk1 will keep the thread updated with the latest times as they happen.

RANDOM FACT

Under the new points system, Jenson Button would've already eclipsed his actual 2009 tally by the end of last year's Spanish GP.

CIRCUIT STATS

2010 Race Number: 5
Circuit Event Number: 20
Circuit Length: 2.892 miles
Number of Laps: 66
Lap Record: 1:21.670 [K.Raikkonen, 2008]

2009 Podium
1. Jenson Button (Brawn GP)
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brawn GP)
3. Mark Webber (Red Bull)

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

1. Major upgrades are being made, especially for the new teams - can Lotus remain top of the new teams, or will HRT or Virgin make the jump?
2. With testing taking place at the circuits in Spain, does the country need a new circuit which isn't tested on to provide more on-track action, or should the Circuit de Catalunya remain host of the Spanish GP?
3. Do you feel Alonso can repeat his 2006 success now he's in a Ferrari, or will it still be an uphill battle against the Red Bulls?
4. How much of an impact will the mirrors moving make for those teams who have to place them on the cockpit?

SCHEDULE FOR WEEKEND (All Times UK)

Fri 7 May: Practice 1 0900-1030; Practice 2 1300-1430

Sat 8 May: Practice 3 1000-1100; Qualifying 1300

Sun 9 May: Race 1300

WEEKEND WEATHER

FRIDAY: Light Rain Shower, Max. 17 deg. cent.
SATURDAY: Heavy Rain Shower, Max. 21 deg. cent.
SUNDAY: Light Rain Shower, Max. 21 deg. cent.

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY:Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso), Pedro de la Rosa (BMW Sauber), Bruno Senna (HRT) & Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull). 1PM BST.

FRIDAY:Ross Brawn (Mercedes), Aldo Costa (Ferrari), Sam Michael (Williams) & Nick Wirth (Virgin). 2PM BST.

QUALIFYING:Mark Webber (Red Bull), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) & Lewis Hamilton (McLaren).

RACE:Mark Webber (Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) & Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull).

BBC CIassic GP's
1977 | 1988 | 1994 | 2006 | 2009
Extended Highlights: 1994 | 2009

The Red Light: Spanish GP Preview

BBC Presents the 2010 Spanish GP: The Race

PREVIOUS SESSIONS
Friday Practice 1
Friday Practice 2
Qualifying
Race
Forum

1. I see Lotus staying in front unless Virgin has done something crazy in the three weeks off to accomodate the larger fuel tank which may have (if they were clever and learnt from their first tub) and improved the qualities of the chassis.
   
2. They have many F1 grade circuits, but none of which are any good for racing on... Valencia port, Valencia (the actual race circuit they test on), Jerez and Catalunya. Valencia port is a street circuit which almost rules out overtaking just because it IS a street circuit. Jerez is too twisty for good racing. Catalunya is just... well it's never really worked. It just doesn't haha and as for the permanent circuit of Valencia I don't think I've ever actually seen it :S
   
3. Red Bull are still the team to beat in my eyes so it would take something a bit radical for Alonso to get the win here.
   
4. Not an ounce.

I'm liking Kimi's lap record, very casualRacky_rules

Ya know, I'm really getting sick of GS' 8) being 8 ) (anywhere else, it's at least (H) - keep with the program GS!)

How does (H) imply cool-face?XSamFisherX

No idea. Does on Windows Live Messenger though.

According to planet f1 there is a chance of rain the weekend, altough by the sounds of it friday will be the worst effected with light showers on saturday and sunday

Couple of pieces of news before this weekends race:

• Due to the ash cloud Virgin only managed to finish one new car with a larger fuel tank meaning Di Grassi will have to use the old one
• Ferrari have been allowed to modify parts of there engine to help resolve there reliability issues that hampered the first 4 races. The Italian team has also spent a day doing straight line tests as they assess there own version of the f-duct in preparation for this weekends gp.
• Lotus have a massive update coming this weekend which they believe to be worth 1.5-2 seconds. More info can be found here.
• This weekend will see Derek Warwick take over the role as the former F1 driver assigned to help the stewards.

GAH!

I just wrote a REALLY long piece on the Spanish GP... and it DELETED ITSELF!

Welcome to Gamespot a land about as reliable as the Ligier LSJ9.KimisApprentice

Nope, this was WordPress this time (where I do my race previews).

Just saw this image of the mercedes engine cover. Any thoughts KA

PRACTICE 1

Pos  Driver         Team                   Time              Laps
 1.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.134            21
 2.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.672  + 0.538   14
 3.  Schumacher     Mercedes               1:21.716  + 0.582   12
 4.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault       1:22.011  + 0.877   27
 5.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault       1:22.026  + 0.892   22
 6.  Rosberg        Mercedes               1:22.070  + 0.936   19
 7.  Kubica         Renault                1:22.202  + 1.068   22
 8.  Alonso         Ferrari                1:22.258  + 1.124   19
 9.  Petrov         Renault                1:22.397  + 1.263   23
10.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari         1:22.492  + 1.358   26
11.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:22.588  + 1.454   24
12.  Massa          Ferrari                1:22.975  + 1.841   22
13.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1:23.030  + 1.896   21
14.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:23.110  + 1.976   31
15.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes   1:23.284  + 2.150   19
16.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth      1:23.312  + 2.178   22
17.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth      1:23.471  + 2.337   20
18.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth         1:25.329  + 4.195   17
19.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth         1:26.244  + 5.110   20
20.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth        1:26.340  + 5.206   23
21.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth        1:26.694  + 5.560   24
22.  Klien          HRT-Cosworth           1:27.250  + 6.116   26
23.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth           1:27.752  + 6.618   27
24.  de la Rosa     Sauber-Ferrari         No time              3

All Timing Unofficial

AUTOSPORT

PRACTICE 2

Pos Driver Team Time Laps

 1.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault         1:19.965            24
 2.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault         1:20.175  + 0.210   35
 3.  Schumacher     Mercedes                 1:20.757  + 0.792   28
 4.  Alonso         Ferrari                  1:20.819  + 0.854   30
 5.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes         1:21.191  + 1.226   23
 6.  Kubica         Renault                  1:21.202  + 1.237   36
 7.  Rosberg        Mercedes                 1:21.271  + 1.306   27
 8.  Massa          Ferrari                  1:21.302  + 1.337   25
 9.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes         1:21.364  + 1.399   26
10.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes     1:21.518  + 1.553   32
11.  de la Rosa     Sauber-Ferrari           1:21.672  + 1.707   37
12.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes     1:21.904  + 1.939   32
13.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari           1:21.931  + 1.966   29
14.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari       1:22.184  + 2.219   37
15.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth        1:22.192  + 2.227   33
16.  Petrov         Renault                  1:22.435  + 2.470   35
17.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari       1:22.449  + 2.484   34
18.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth        1:23.765  + 3.800   7
19.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth           1:24.209  + 4.244   26
20.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth           1:24.894  + 4.929   22
21.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth          1:25.066  + 5.101   30
22.  Chandhok       HRT-Cosworth             1:25.972  + 6.007   23
23.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth             1:26.152  + 6.187   25
24.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth          1:26.596  + 6.631   21

All Timing Unofficial

SP RED-FLAGGED AT 11:20AM LOCAL TIME.

SESSION RE-STARTED AT 11:28AM LOCAL TIME.

For UK viewers, there is a extended news bulletin at midday on BBC One, which means qualifying coverage doesn't start until 12:45. However, if you're able to, get on the red button, where coverage will start at 12:15, giving an extra half-hour of build-up.Redders1989

Thanks for the heads up. 

PRACTICE 3

Pos  Driver         Team                   Time              Laps
 1.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault       1:20.528            15
 2.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault       1:21.232  + 0.704   11
 3.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.348  + 0.820   14
 4.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.376  + 0.848   16
 5.  Schumacher     Mercedes               1:21.583  + 1.055   14
 6.  Massa          Ferrari                1:21.749  + 1.221   16
 7.  Rosberg        Mercedes               1:22.013  + 1.485   14
 8.  Alonso         Ferrari                1:22.091  + 1.563   15
 9.  Kubica         Renault                1:22.242  + 1.714   20
10.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1:22.377  + 1.849   12
11.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:22.400  + 1.872   18
12.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari         1:22.412  + 1.884   11
13.  de la Rosa     Sauber-Ferrari         1:22.527  + 1.999   20
14.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth      1:22.634  + 2.106   16
15.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:22.926  + 2.398   20
16.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth      1:22.953  + 2.425   16
17.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes   1:23.597  + 3.069   12
18.  Petrov         Renault                1:23.896  + 3.368    5
19.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth         1:24.610  + 4.082   14
20.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth         1:24.745  + 4.217   11
21.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth        1:25.722  + 5.194   15
22.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth        1:25.855  + 5.327   14
23.  Chandhok       HRT-Cosworth           1:26.611  + 6.083   18
24.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth           1:30.246  + 9.718    6

All Timing Unofficial

AUTOSPORT

QUALIFYING - SPANISH GP

Pos  Driver         Team                   Q1        Q2        Q3            
 1.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault       1:21.412  1:20.655  1:19.995 
 2.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault       1:21.680  1:20.772  1:20.101  
 3.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.723  1:21.415  1:20.829  
 4.  Alonso         Ferrari                1:21.957  1:21.549  1:20.937  
 5.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1:21.915  1:21.168  1:20.991  
 6.  Schumacher     Mercedes               1:22.528  1:21.557  1:21.294  
 7.  Kubica         Renault                1:22.488  1:21.599  1:21.353  
 8.  Rosberg        Mercedes               1:22.419  1:21.867  1:21.408  
 9.  Massa          Ferrari                1:22.564  1:21.841  1:21.585  
10.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari         1:22.577  1:21.725  1:21.984  
11.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes   1:22.628  1:21.985    
12.  de la Rosa     Sauber-Ferrari         1:22.211  1:22.026    
13.  Hulkenberg     Williams-Cosworth      1:22.857  1:22.131    
14.  Petrov         Renault                1:22.976  1:22.139    
15.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:22.699  1:22.191    
16.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1:22.593  1:22.207    
17.  Liuzzi         Force India-Mercedes   1:23.084  1:22.854    
18.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth      1:23.125
19.  Trulli         Lotus-Cosworth         1:24.674
20.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Cosworth         1:24.748
21.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth        1:25.475
22.  di Grassi      Virgin-Cosworth        1:25.556
23.  Chandhok       HRT-Cosworth           1:26.750
24.  Senna          HRT-Cosworth           1:27.122

All Timing Unofficial

AUTOSPORT 

Maybe it was the camera, as they have one to the left of the engine cover and another on top of the roll hoop. From the first one you can see the driver whereas the second normally only shows the top of the steering wheel

Good point. Toro Rosso hasn't seemed to have had the troubles of Ferrari or Sauber this year with that engine.

And those were 2 pretty intense moments when Schumacher got by Button coming out of the pits and Hamilton on Vettel.

Let's be honest here - Fernando Alonso has been the luckiest driver this year. Exclude the engine failure in Malaysia, he's inherited SO much:

- Vettel loses power in Bahrain, Alonso inherits a win;
- Alonso jump starts in China, able to finish 4th after an unnecessary 2nd Safety Car;
- Vettel troubles and Hamilton puncture allow Alonso to go from 4th to 2nd.

I won't count the climb in Australia as that was done on merit. Still... Alonso should not have as many points as he has. Still, make the most of your opportunities I guess.

Votes for Driver of the Day and Star of the Day can now be made.

DotD: Mark Webber
SotD: TV Director - whenever Webber's leading a race, TV directors just hate him, haven't you noticed?

Alonso is always there to pick up the spoils when those around him faulter. All of 2005 was a classic example as well as Japan 2008. Give him a whiff of something vaguely podiumy and he'll take it with both hands and put it beneath a three headed dog, a deadly vine, a real life chess board, a set of poisons and fire and then lastly stuck within a magical mirror... wait... what?

Same could be said of Button 2009 being dropped into the best car ;)

Poor Vettel's rotten luck continues, Schumacher bounces back to show the world what he's made of. Hamilton finally races like a good little boy and gets rewarded with an exploding tyre, poor poppit. Alonso drove well to second. Webber dominated the bejesus out of the race. Alguersuari had an unfortunate brush with an HRT when he forgot how long the Toro Rosso was but managed to pick up a point which is good for him. Sauber faulters once more and don't make the most of a good qualifying aaaaaaaaaaaand that pretty much sums it up.

Oh yeah, Nico done not so good (Both of them) Barrichello did well to fight back for 9th.

DotD: Webber - blitzed the field for an excellent win.

SotD: Proxima Centauri for being the closest non sun star to earth.

Not as much of a borefest as was predicted - absolutely gutted for Hamilton!!

DotD : Webber for a flawless masterclass

SotD : Barrichello : excellent race making up for yesterday's mistakes

Dotd: Schumacher. Firstly because he drove really well to keep Button behind him and secondly I've been waiting since the start of the year for Schumi to have a good race and who knows when the next one will be.

Sotd: Webber. Flawless drive, nothing more you can add really.

Btw your point about Webber not getting every coverage when he wins is probably because every-time he wins he disappears off into the distance and he always seems to win when there is plenty of action going on behind him. Out of interest were you that disappointed about the lack of coverage about Webber last year in Brazil?