F1 2011 review from gamespot

F1 2011 finally released!

Lotus Renault GP extends Robert Kubica’s “deadline”

Lotus Renault GP extends Robert Kubica’s “deadline”

According to Renault’s owner Gerard Lopez, the team will give the young Pole some more time in order to improve his fitness and get in the best shape for the upcoming 2012 Formula 1 season.

At first it was announced that the team has given Robert Kubica a deadline for making a decision regarding his race seat with the team for 2012.

However, Lopez claims that the team will take him if he is fit to drive for 2012 and they are not going to let him go that easily.

“If Robert is on the market then of course we will take him. Our commercial model requires success on the tracks. Also we paid Robert's salary this year, although he drove no races with us. We will look at the matter at the beginning of November. Robert will have a car to show us what he can do. The data analysis is now so good that you can see with another car whether he is physically able to return,” Lopez told Auto Motor und Sport.

Keeping that in mind, Kubica’s manager also announced that the Renault driver will be fit to return to the sport in 2012 and that is his main goal as he was unable to take part in the 2011 Formula 1 season due to a near fatal injury he received earlier on this year.

What would Michael Schumacher say if he got the chance to talk to God?

As we all know that Michael Schumacher is the best driver Formula 1 has produced 'statistically' without a shadow of doubt. He has 7 championships under his belt with the help of 94 wins and 154 podium positions. The German legend also proved that he is the fastest driver in the sport as well as he took 68 pole positions in an almost 17 year old career. But God just can’t give anyone everything now can he? You know what they say, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Michael is one of those people who believe that they have everything and no one can be more versatile than them. Well he is wrong. He is clearly not the most versatile driver in the sport; in fact he might be the least versatile driver in Formula 1. Schumacher has won 5 out of his 7 championships with Ferrari and yes, it was amazing. But Michael ruined it for himself after openly being helped by his teammate Rubens Barrichello back then and scoring an abundance of gifted points.

However, the German was thrashed by Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006 and the Spaniard did it without his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella’s help. After that, Michael decided to retire from Formula 1, which seemed like the best option for him as he ended his career on a high note. But our dear friend Michael Schumacher just can’t live without ruining something he has achieved.Schumacher returned to the sport in 2010 with Mercedes GP led by one of his oldest friends; Ross Brawn.

The season was... disastrous in every way for Michael. However, since the German driver is so stubborn and immature, I am pretty sure he blames no one but God.One has to wonder, what Michael Schumacher would tell God if he gets the chance to talk to him after failing so badly in 2010?

Michael Schumacher:“Hey God. What’s up?”

God:“Hello Michael. I have been waiting to talk to you.”

Michael Schumacher:“Save it God, You owe me a championship.”

God:“Well that is what I wanted to talk to you about. I have decided that I will not help you anymore Michael. I talked to Rubens Barrichello and Nico Rosberg about it as well. I believe that it is their time to shine now and they won’t help you either.”

Ross Brawn:“NO!!!!!!!!!”

Michael Schumacher:“Ok don’t give me the usual “bling bling” talk. Shine? What is that supposed to mean? You took Hitler away from us and now I believe that it is time that I carry on the legacy, but in the form of motorsports.”

God:“Well I gave Sebastian Vettel a championship title. I believe he is carrying on the legacy now isn’t it?”

Michael Schumacher:“Oh please! Do you think he can carry on Hitler’s legacy with that uneven wheat-like beard of his?”

Sebastian Vettel:“I heard that Michael!”

Michael Schumacher:“Haha! I am just kidding Sebastian! You’re the man! *whispers* Why did you dial a conference call God? It was supposed to be our thing?!?!?”

God:“Hold on Michael I have another call, hey Alonso what’s up ma man!?

Fernando Alonso:“I think I should win the championship next year.”

Michael Schumacher:“What? Is that Fernando? Ok, Now you’re going to ditch me God? Oh that’s quite professional of you now isn’t it?!”

God:“Listen Michael the point is, Felipe Massa won’t help Fernando ever! I think you can take on Alonso yourself now can’t you?”

Felipe Massa:“For sure I will be the 2010 Formula 1 champion.”

God:“What’s wrong with you Felipe!?!?! 2010 is over.”

Michael Schumacher:“Don’t you remember what happened in 2005 and 2006? Fernando literally stripped me in front of the whole world! I don’t want that to happen!”

God:“I believe there is no other option but retiring.....again.”

Rubens Barrichello:“Please say yes! Please say yes!”

Michael Schumacher:“I am not a quitter! Ross Brawn and I will come up with something! Who needs God by his side?? I am going to come back once again in 2011 and win the title. YOU’LL SEE!!”

Adolf Hitler:“After what Michael did in 2010. I wish I wasn’t a German.”

Marc Gene claims Fernando Alonso the most "complete" driver on the grid

Ferrari's test driver Marc Gene has recently stated that Fernando Alonso is the most complete driver on the Formula 1 grid before admitting that Sebastian Vettel truly deserves this year's title.

"There's no doubt that Sebastian has driven at the same amazing level as his car: he's had a perfect year. This weekend I've heard interviews with Hamilton, Fernando and almost all the drivers here in Singapore, and they acknowledge that Sebastian has driven at an incredibly high level. All the drivers are very good in Formula 1, but I particularly like three of them: Fernando, Hamilton and Vettel," Gene told .formulasantander.com.

Vettel requires just one more point in order to secure the 2011 Formula 1 drivers' title and it is believed that the championship would come to a close for good at this coming weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

However, Gene believes that Alonso is already a world champion and maybe that is the reason why he does not feel the pressure anymore when it comes to racing.

"The fact that he's second in the Championship just proves it, if you ask me, although you can't say that Vettel is champion just because of his car. It's him too; he's earned it. I think he already feels that he is world champion and so he is driving almost without any pressure. However, in my opinion, I still think the number 1 driver is Fernando; he's the most complete driver of all," he added.

Other than that, the test driver is aware that Ferrari does need to improve and that Alonso's leadership ability might help the team in securing much better results in the future.

Ferrari is currently in 3rd place in the constructors' standings over 200 points behind the championship leaders Red Bull Racing Team and they are around 100 points behind McLaren as well who are currently in 2nd place in the constructors' standings.

Senna admits Renault's 5th place in under threat

Lotus Renault GP's Bruno Senna has recently admitted that the team's 5th place in the constructors' standings is currently under threat as Force India has been improving and scoring a lot of points since the past couple of races which is not a good sign for Renault.

"We need to stay ahead of the teams behind us, in particular Force India. If we can close the gap to Mercedes GP in fourth, that would be a real boost for the team but primarily we must hold on to fifth position. My prerogative is adding more points to my name. If we can still add to the car a little bit here and there, that will help," he said.

Renault at first lost its 4th place to Mercedes GP and it seems that scoring the 4th place again is not going to be possible for Renault anymore as they are way behind in terms of points.

Nevertheless, Senna believes that his team must improve its performance and at least defend its 4th place before Force India gets any closer.

"That hurt us a little bit, but with the updates that we have planned for Suzuka we should be strong there, and get both cars in the points again - that's where we belong. I'm convinced that will be the case. The low-speed nature of Singapore made it the worst circuit for us in terms of performance," he added.

The team has not been able to secure a single point at the previous race at the Marina Bay but they aiming for much better results for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

Ricciardo drives a Red Bull showcar in New Delhi for the build-up of the Indian Grand Prix

Hispania Racing Team’s Daniel Ricciardo has recently driven a Red Bull showcar as a part of the build-up for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix which is expected to take place on the 30th of October this year.

With 2 Indian drivers expected to be on the grid for the race, it is believed that the Indian Grand Prix is going to be one of the biggest events of the Formula 1 calendar this year.Earlier on, Lewis Hamilton also drove his championship winning 2008 McLaren car the MP4-23 in front of approximately 40,000 Indian fans.

Nevertheless, Ricciardo claims that his experience was truly exhilarating keeping in mind that he might be replaced by Narain Karthikeyan for the Indian Grand Prix and might not be a part of the first ever Indian Grand Prix.

“It was a proud moment for me to be the first F1 driver to race down the Rajpath. Today's drive was truly exhilarating especially with the legions of cheering fans who lined up the road. I've never seen anything like this before but I'm sure that Red Bull has set millions of pulses racing as India waits for the lights to turn green at the grand prix later this month,” he said.

Ricciardo drives a Red Bull showcar in New Delhi for the build-up of the Indian Grand Prix

Hispania Racing Team’s Daniel Ricciardo has recently driven a Red Bull showcar as a part of the build-up for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix which is expected to take place on the 30th of October this year.

With 2 Indian drivers expected to be on the grid for the race, it is believed that the Indian Grand Prix is going to be one of the biggest events of the Formula 1 calendar this year.Earlier on, Lewis Hamilton also drove his championship winning 2008 McLaren car the MP4-23 in front of approximately 40,000 Indian fans.

Nevertheless, Ricciardo claims that his experience was truly exhilarating keeping in mind that he might be replaced by Narain Karthikeyan for the Indian Grand Prix and might not be a part of the first ever Indian Grand Prix.

“It was a proud moment for me to be the first F1 driver to race down the Rajpath. Today's drive was truly exhilarating especially with the legions of cheering fans who lined up the road. I've never seen anything like this before but I'm sure that Red Bull has set millions of pulses racing as India waits for the lights to turn green at the grand prix later this month,” he said.

Michael Schumacher hoping to score some serious points at Suzuka

Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher has recently stated that he is hoping to score some serious points at the Japanese Grand Prix this coming weekend keeping in mind that he crashed out of the Singapore Grand Prix after colliding with Sergio Perez’s Sauber.

“Suzuka is a very special circuit, and one which has held great races, and great memories, for me over the years. I always enjoy the challenge of driving here and getting the technical set-up of the car right to get the best from the demanding layout of the track,” said Schumacher.

The 7 time former world champion has been scoring some pretty decent results this year with a couple of P5 finishes but now he is hoping for even better and is hoping to finish ahead of his teammate Nico Rosberg in the drivers’ standings.

“A great first sector, high-speed turns, and interesting corner combinations all make Suzuka one of the best race tracks of the year, and definitely one of my favourites. We will be working hard to make the most of our weekend here, and hopefully we can come away with a strong performance and some more points,” he added.

Jenson Button wants to win the Japanese Grand Prix “badly”

McLaren driver Jenson Button has recently stated that Formula 1 can bring a ray of “hope” for the people of Japan since the country was struck by an earthquake earlier on this year.

Keeping in mind that Button is currently dating a Japanese model Jessica Michibata, really wants to secure a win at this year’s Japanese Grand Prix which is taking place at the legendary Suzuka circuit.

“Japan is a place very close to my heart. Obviously, it's going to be a very emotional experience for me to be racing in Japan for the first time since the events of last March. I'm very proud the Formula One World Championship will put Japan on the world's sporting stage next weekend,” said Button.

However, it is quite clear that this even is going to be quite legendary as all of the drivers are quite motivated and emotional about this year as they want to at least try to entertain and help the Japanese people at the same time.

“While the country is collectively rebuilding itself, I'm deeply aware sport can play a significant role in helping to restore hope and normality to communities that were torn apart by the earthquake and tsunami. For everyone who follows Formula One, I hope we can put on a great race to bring further strength to the people of Japan,” he added.

Besides that, the championship is already over for Jenson Button but still winning is winning and McLaren and Ferrari are still going to keep pushing until the very end of the 2011 Formula 1 season for good results before heading into the factories for the development of their respective 2012 cars.

“In the last few races, I think we've shown that we have extremely good pace and that we've been the team most able to take the fight to Red Bull. On paper, I think it's a circuit that will suit the Red Bulls, particularly in the high-speed sweeps that make up the first sector of the track, but I certainly don't think people should under-estimate our package. We showed at Spa that we have a car that's very effective in high-speed corners,” said the 2009 world champion.

HRT’s Daniel Ricciardo expected to be replaced by Karthikeyan for the Indian Grand Prix

Hispania Racing Team’s Daniel Ricciardo is expected to be replaced by Narain Karthikeyan for the inaugural Indian Grand Prix which is expected to take place on the 30^th of October.

The Indian Grand Prix is Karthikeyan’s home race as a result of which the team has decided to give the Indian a chance just for a weekend.

He signed for a race seat with the team before the beginning of the 2011 Formula 1 season but he was replaced by the young test driver of the team mid-way through the season

“I am not sure 100 per cent sure what's happening but at least I will be driving in the practice session. When it (making way for Karthikeyan) is part of the deal and agreement, you follow it. I still have lot of races left in the season and you look forward to many more things when you do not race,” Ricciardo told the Press Trust of India.

Nevertheless, the upcoming Indian Grand Prix is going to be quite an experience for Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok, another Indian driver who drives for Team Lotus as a test driver.

It has been confirmed that 2 Indian drivers will be driving at their home race but since both of them are driving for back-running teams of the sport, they might not be expecting a point scoring finish by the end of the day.

Mark Webber claims taking on Alonso at the Marina Bay required "support"

Red Bull Racing team driver Mark Webber has recently admitted that he had support during his overtakes over Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso during the 2011 Singapore Grand Prix which took place last weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Webber finished in 3rd place ultimately after overtaking Alonso twice in a single race but he has admitted that the Spaniard was not in a good position during both of those overtakes.

“I had another battle with my old mate Fernando. I seem to have spent a lot of time in his company on the track recently. I had to pass him twice in Singapore. The first time was on lap 10, when he was running out of grip from his tyres. I got him into turn 15 after setting him up in turn 14,” Webber told BBC.

Besides that, Ferrari were nowhere near the pace of McLaren or RBR throughout the Singapore Grand Prix weekend and one has to credit Alonso for even finishing in 4th place right behind Webber.

The Italian team has had a disastrous season this year and dragging pace out of it has been the most difficult task for the two Ferrari drivers throughout the 2011 Formula 1 season.

The Spaniard has been criticised for not doing anything against Mark Webber during his second overtake but the Aussie claims that there was nothing he could do either as he was blocked by Jaime Alguersuari’s Toro Rosso.

“The second time looked more spectacular, into the turn 10 chicane, which is not normally a passing place. I heard a few people saying I caught Fernando napping but, to be fair, he was blocked by the Toro Rosso in front of us,” he added.

Nevertheless, it seems that the battle for second place in the drivers’ standings is getting quite fierce now as Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton want to be the best of the rest very badly in order to have the upper hand psychologically before the beginning of the 2012 Formula 1 season.

HRT announces Karthikeyan's participation for Friday practice sessions at Suzuka

Hispania Racing Team have recently revealed that Narain Karthikeyan will take part in the Free Practice sessions for the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix which is expected to take place next week at the legendary Suzuka circuit.

This is the second time in a row that the Indian driver is taking part in the practice sessions during a grand prix weekend and it is believed that these practice sessions are his preparatory sessions before the inaugural Indian Grand Prix where he is expected to race as a race driver.

It has been revealed that Karthikeyan is going to replace Vitantonio Liuzzi for these sessions and the Italian driver claims that Suzuka is one of his favourite circuits.

“We're reaching the final straight of the championship with the next event in Japan. Suzuka is one of my favourite circuits and definitely one of the nicest tracks. It is a really fast and technical circuit where set up and aerodynamics are key to having a good result,” he said.

He added that it is not going to be an easy race for HRT as Suzuka is a very difficult circuit to drive on but the team is going to push as hard as it can in order to score the best possible results.

“We are really motivated to keep on pushing until the end of the season. Weather conditions are uncertain, which could be interesting since experiencing difficult weather conditions in Japan may give us a better chance of achieving a good result,” said Liuzzi.

Other than that, the Italian driver is expected to donate a specially designed helmet to the charity of Japan as a token of support for the victims of the earthquake which hit Japan in March 2011.

HRT have not been performing up to the mark since the beginning of the 2011 Formula 1 season but it seems that they are really pushing hard and trying their best to defeat Virgin Racing Team and Team Lotus in order to prove their worth as a back-running team as well in the sport.

Mark Webber optimistic about the "Suzuka challenge"

Red Bull Racing team driver Mark Webber has recently stated that he is looking forward to the challenges of Suzuka at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix.

The Suzuka track requires a car to be completely on the limit and that is what he plans to do in order to secure his first win of the 2011 Formula 1 season.

“Rhythm is very important there as well; you have to make sure you have the car completely on the limit for all the corners and you have to get certain sections absolutely right. It's a good challenge for the drivers and there are some good elevation changes as well - I'm looking forward to it,” he said.

His teammate Sebastian Vettel has been dominating the 2011 Formula 1 season quite effectively and it seems that defeating him is not going to be easy at all especially when a driver is using the same technology as he is.

Webber has secured a couple of pole positions in 2011 and RBR have a perfect pole position scoring record for the season. The Aussie’s rivals Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have already secured victories this year and keeping in mind that Webber has a faster car than him, it is quite disappointing that he has not won a single race in 14 races.

However, Mark is quite excited about the Japanese Grand Prix and claims that he is aware of the technicalities of Suzuka.

“It has a sensational combination of corners; it's very quick in the first sector. It's quite a narrow track, so you have to be very, very accurate,” he added.

Other than that, he stated that this Formula 1 race in Japan should also have a positive effect on the country keeping in mind that a massive earthquake struck there in March 2011.

It is indeed going to be a memorable race for the drivers and winning such a historic race after one of the most tragic incidents in Japan might turn out to be the most special win this year for any driver.

Boullier states that Renault is over their Singapore GP result

Lotus Renault GP team principal Eric Boullier has recently stated that his team is now over its Singapore Grand Prix result but admitted that it was a very disappointing weekend for the team as Vitaly Petrov finished behind Heikki Kovalainen’s Lotus.

“To be honest we've all put this experience behind us. We fully understand why we performed so poorly and the explanation is simple: slow corners in the 60-100km/h range just don't do it for the R31. It is written in its DNA. We could have worked three weeks on the set-up but we would not have found a second in laptime,” he said.

Even Bruno Senna was unable to score a good result and that is quite disappointing for a team which wants to become a top-running team of the sport in a couple of years’ time.

Team Lotus are a back-running team but they have been performing really poorly. Finishing behind them was a very disappointing result for the team as Renault are a championship winning team and even this year, they are currently in 5th place in the constructors’ standings behind Mercedes GP.

During the early stages of the 2011 Formula 1 season, Renault were doing a terrific job but it seems that they did not improve their car with time as a result of which they are now losing a lot of time and have already lost to Mercedes GP a number of times.

“Things should get better for us on quicker tracks and Suzuka is one of them. In Japan, we expect to return to the level of performance we saw in Belgium and Italy. Our mission will be to focus on getting both cars into Q3,” he added.

The team is optimistic about the rest of the races this year and Boullier believes that Renault are now big enough to get over such experiences.

Let’s see how Renault fare in the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix scheduled to take place on October 9, 2011.