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With low fog, pouring rain and a lot of standing water on the Fuji Speedway, race director Charlie Whiting listened to the teams and elected to start the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix from behind the safety car. Driven by Bernd Lammers, the Mercedes led the pack over the start/finish line, every competitor having been told to use extreme wet weather tyres. Fast forward 67 laps, and it was Lewis Hamilton who converted his mighty pole position into a well-deserving ten points in his title campaign. But what happened in between could not have been more interesting. Continue Reading…

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As reported yesterday afternoon, a number of concerns have been raised by the drivers concerning the fast entrance to the pitlane at the remodeled Fuji Speedway. The drivers met and discussed the issues yesterday, which appear to revolve around the fast right-left flick as the cars leave the circuit at high speed. While a number of competitors suggested shifting the speed limit forward, others wanted to see the pit lane entrance re-shaped, possibly into a simply straight run-in, just like at Monza. The FIA promised to take a look yesterday evening, and today they have said they are not in a position to make any changes. Continue Reading…

As the heavens opened on Fuji Speedway, the battle for the drivers title has gone into overdrive with only three races left to run and four drivers still mathematically able to take the glory. Today was a battle that may prove decisive in this epic Formula One season, and it was rookie driver Lewis Hamilton who once again came out on top. His McLaren team mate and reigning world champion Fernando Alonso wasn’t too far behind and reveled in the poor conditions, while Ferrari, although ominously present, couldn’t quite match the pace of the Mercedes-powered duo. Continue Reading…

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After unanimous agreement from the Formula One drivers, the FIA are to inspect the pitlane entrance at the Fuji Speedway this evening. According to the drivers, the fast left-right kink that confronts the drivers as the enter the lane from the circuit could prove disastrous if a driver made even the tiniest of errors. This concern about pitlanes follows disgruntlement from several drivers with Spa Francorchamps remodeled pitlane area. Although nobody crashed in the pits in Belgium, a lot of drivers voiced their concern, despite it falling on deaf ears. This time though, the FIA have said they will take a look. Continue Reading…

Kimi Raikkonen set the pace at the remodeled Fuji Speedway this afternoon in Japan. The Finnish driver was joined at the top of the tables by his team mate Felipe Massa, the pair separated by almost 0.4s. The McLaren duo were next up, the experience of Fernando Alonso getting the better of Lewis Hamilton. The Woking racers were split by 0.15s and dominated the session until the second half when Ferrari came back. Continue Reading…

As this season has progressed, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of young McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton. He has shown a lot of skill behind the wheel of a Formula One car, and his presence on the circuit has done a lot of good for the sport. For sure, the young man has slipped on occasion, mainly relating to the PR side of things, but on the track his performances have been spectacular for someone with so little experience. So I was surprised when I read of his comments this morning concerning the team and his team mate. Is it time for Lewis to put his head down and concentrate? Continue Reading…

Amidst the controversy and shady exploits of some of Formula One’s top-earners, it was reported that Fernando Alonso and boss Ron Dennis were no longer on speaking terms. Fernando’s admission of knowing about the leak of data from Ferrari has been blamed for the breakdown in relations, and thus, the media have been going crazy in attempts to speculate what the future might hold for the reigning World Champion. But today Alonso has tried to quell the intense questioning by stating that he has a contract with McLaren next season, and intends to see it out. Continue Reading…

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