9 posts tagged “honda”

Three of my favorite Formula 1 drivers are on top of the Canadian GP and I’m pretty satisfied with the qualifying results. Hamilton is in pole position, followed by Robert Kubica, and next is Raikkonen. These three representatives from the three elite names in F1 will definitely give their viewers in Montreal a great race. The 70-lap circuit of Montreal and the domination of the ace drivers of McLaren, BMW, and Ferrari, will definitely give the rest of the F1 community a must-see race. If I’m going to rate it from one to ten, ten as the highest, I’ll be giving the upcoming Canadian GP an eight. Here’s my preview on each team regarding their performance during the qualifying race.

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  Lew hamilton in montreal
  McLaren – the team has been very consistent and I love the way Hamilton has carried his team all the way to the top. But despite the Brit’s success, his Finnish teammate Heikki Kovalainen remained pretty quiet and getting the seventh spot on the grid. That’s not really bad for the team, but if Kovalainen remains incompetent the McLaren team will soon say goodbye to the number one spot on the constructor’s standings.
• BMW-Sauber – I know I should be talking about the word consistency when talking about the infamous red team of F1. But as far as my eyes can see, the team who’s been very consistent during the previous races was blue team. Yes, BMW is a consistent team and that’s all because of Kubica. I know I’m a bit overrating the blue team despite Nick Heidfeld in eighth place. But you see, with our eyes glued to McLaren and Ferrari, we have forgotten about BMW and how good and consistent they’ve been. I’m definitely going to watch for these two as soon as the Canadian race begins.
• Ferrari – well, well, well. The domination of the red team has wavered since Raikkonen failed to be inconsistent. His teammate, Felipe Massa, remained competent but I don’t think it would be enough to keep the team among the top teams. If Raikkonen continues to be ineffective, Ferrari will have to start thinking for a solution.
• Renault – I was expecting the Renault team to do well in Montreal mainly because of Fernando Alonso. Alonso has an outstanding record in Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and I know he’ll do well this Sunday.
• Williams – I just don’t know what to say for this team. They’ve literally had their ups and downs and that made the team appear like a wall between the good and the not-so-good teams.
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  Rubens barrichello
  Honda – I don’t expect much from this team. After Rubens Barrichello left Ferrari, which I’m glad he did, he’s been performing poorly. I know both Barrichello and Jenson Button are good drivers but I don’t think their cars are good enough for them.
• Red Bull – Mark Webber has expressed his pleasure for his car but that eventually ended after his car went slightly off the track. This kept him out of the remaining sessions of the qualifying race and the actual race.
• Toyota – the team is literally struggling and I think they cars need a little refurbishing here and there.
• Force India – the team, I think, is satisfied with their place in the race and that’s being mediocre. And I also think they’ve thrown a lot of chances on getting a pole position. Wake up Force India!
• Toro Rosso – this unlucky team just experienced their worst qualifying race ever and I think their going to experience a lot worse in this Sunday’s race.

So, these are my team previews and I think I’ll have to watch out for the Sunday’s race, where I expect the unexpected.

Formula 1 is the first auto racing I watched and still the only racing event I’ve learned to understand. I seldom watch NASCAR and WRC, so, I really have no idea how these racing events are won. There’s this F1-like race called the A1 Grand Prix. It’s actually like F1 but instead of automakers, the teams that participate are from different countries. My problem about A1 GP is that I don’t know what channel it is being broadcasted. Don’t once I get to watch, I’ll be featuring A1 here. Okay, back to F1. F1 is now down to just 10 cars. With the withdrawal of the Super Aguri F1 team, the question that lingers in mind is, “are there any other teams that are on the verge of withdrawing from F1?” I can’t imagine a race with only 15 cars racing. There’s no excitement there.

I agree with what Mr. Ross Brawn, the Honda team principal, said that F1 can’t afford to have another Super-Aguri-like exit. He also said that Nick Fry did all his best with regards to Super Aguri’s deal with the Magma Group. Now, I understand why the guy was so flustered with the issues that were thrown to him. I hope there will be no more teams that are going to withdraw from the race. F1 will still be the best auto racing for, ever.

I feel really sad when I think about what is happening to the Super Aguri F1 team. They have withdrawn from Formula 1 but I’m still hoping for a miracle to come and bring the team back into action. I know it sounds easy, but with the way things are turning for SAF1 team, coming back from insolvency is difficult. But we all know, that problems have a corresponding solution and I think Takuma Sato is working for a solution by pleading to the Honda chiefs to give the team a chance to continue racing. "We have showed over the past two years how efficient we can be as a very little team and given the chance and support I believe we can be very competitive," Sato said.

Honda has powered the cars of the Super Aguri team and they certainly have the power to keep the team racing until the talks about the team’s future is set. I think that is probably one of the reasons why Honda is quiet at the moment. "We need Honda support more than ever now and I am just hoping that they will be able to find a satisfactory solution. Honda are famous for their 'Racing Spirit' and I am sure this will not desert them now," added by the Japanese driver. Of course, they will focus on their F1 team first before they focus on other teams and I think Honda has some other issues about Sato’s team. But don’t you think it will help Honda gain a very good reputation if they help the SAF1 team? The Turkish GP is on Sunday and time is running out for Sato and his team. Well, I guess I’ll just have to set my mind that there will only be ten teams that is going to race in Istanbul.  I just don't  want to  expect.

Yes, the qualifying round is over and the final lineup for tomorrow’s race is set. I really thought Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes would battle it out during the qualifying round, I was wrong. McLaren-Mercedes dominated the Albert Park getting pole position. This is the final lineup in tomorrow’s race, the driver’s name and his corresponding team:

1          Lewis Hamilton - McLaren-Mercedes

2          Robert Kubica - BMW

3          Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren-Mercedes

4          Felipe Massa - Ferrari

5          Nick Heidfeld - BMW

6          Jarno Trulli - Toyota

7          Nico Rosberg - Williams-Toyota

8          David Coulthard - Red Bull-Renault

9          Timo Glock - Toyota

10        Sebastian Vettel - STR-Ferrari

11        Rubens Barrichello - Honda

12        Fernando Alonso - Renault

13        Jenson Button - Honda

14        Kazuki Nakajima - Williams-Toyota

15        Mark Webber - Red Bull-Renault

16        Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari

17        Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India-Ferrari

18        Sebastien Bourdais - STR-Ferrari

19        Adrian Sutil - Force India-Ferrari

20       Takuma Sato - Super Aguri-Honda

21        Nelsinho Piquet - Renault

22        Anthony Davidson - Super Aguri-Honda

I really thought Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes will battle it out for pole position during the qualifying round. I was wrong. The only Ferrari that I see near the top spot is Felipe Massa. Kimi Raikkonen is nowhere to be found at the top. I am a K Raikkonen fan, so, I was a bit frustrated to see him at the 16^th spot. But like MotoGP, being on the pole position does secure a win. The win would still depend on the driver’s skills and the team’s strategy. So, I really expect Ferrari to kick some butt as soon as the race starts.

This image is the best I got of the Albert Park Circuit. Goodness, I am really excited about the upcoming season of Formula One. At least now I have a lot of things to write in my blog. Okay, back to F1. The Australian Grand Prix is about to start very soon and F1 drivers are definitely gearing up. These are the names of the teams that are about to race to the finish line: Ferrari, BMW, Renault, Williams-Toyota, Red Bull-Renault, Toyota, STR-Ferrari, Honda, Super Aguri-Honda, Force India-Ferrari, and McLaren-Mercedes. All scores are back to zero.

Before the real race, the drivers get to practice on the circuit. To simply get the picture of the whole circuit and be able to master it before the qualifying round which is the day before the race. Sorry, I forgot to mention about the qualifying round, my bad. The qualifying round that I am talking about is the day where the drivers race for pole position. When you have pole position, it only means that you are starting at the front of the pack. There is also the grid position, which the car’s position during the start of the race. This is also determined during the qualifying. The car with the fastest lap gets the first position, and then the second best goes to the second position, and so on. Nice eh!

The phrase “every second counts” is applicable during the qualifying round. This is where the practice pays off. If the driver has done well during the practice, it is likely that he will do great during the qualifying. But anything can happen. I have watched F1 and I have seen engine fails during races and cars not starting before the actual race starts. Anything can happen and you really cannot do anything about the time that time you have lost.

I cannot find a better picture of the Albert Park circuit, but I do remember it. It is the circuit with a long straight. Yes, I remember. The pit stop lane is the one close to the tight corner (#16). Drivers go for pit stops to refuel and change tires. Using the pit stops could make or break a team’s lead. But I can assure you that during pit stops, you will see the strategic skills of the team and its driver.

Kazuki Nakajima is not the only one that debuts in the upcoming season of Formula One. Force India, established in 2007, debuts as the newest racing team in F1. Before the name Force India came up it was called Jordan then Midland and after that it became Spyker. It may have changed names but the objectives of the team remain the same. I am not going to list the details of team objectives. With the team’s cars ready, the drivers too are geared up. Force India drivers include Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella. With the Schumacher era long gone, everyone has a shot for winning championships in F1 even the Spyker-turned-Force India team could surprise us.

Super Aguri. Does the name ring any bell? Yes. Of course, they are not very new in the Formula One. But they still have a lot to prove. The team has had troubles with the engines and other pieces of their cars. Hey, who could blame them anyway? They’re just started out in 2006 and there are still a lot of improvements to be made on their cars. But for sure, Super Aguri will kick some butts in the race soon and that’s what we have to watch out for.

The previous season wasn’t really good for the McLaren-Mercedes team. They’ve lost all their points which only mean one thing - no championship. The team has presented their new car and is absolutely ready for coming season. And this year’s objective is to win. Because winning each and every race is the best way to secure championships which was elusive last season with all that’s happened to the team.

M Schumacher may have retired but not his former teammate Rubens Barrichello. R Barrichello is driving for the Honda racing team with his new teammate Jenson Button. Even with the experience and skills of its drivers, Honda still had a terrible run on the previous season due to its “eco-friendly” car. That was a drastic and brave move for the team but it just does not work on F1. Being eco-friendly is no use if you cannot finish off first. It’s no wonder they only earned 6 points last season. Winning is a crucial factor in F1 and if they continue on to race with their “eco-friendly” car, they would definitely find their team at the bottom of the pack.

The FW29 was the secret to the Williams-Toyota’s feat last season which placed them at the 4^th spot. But I think it is more than just the engine that brought them closer. It is the team’s strong will to achieve supremacy. The addition of the newbie K Nakajima doesn’t guarantee anything for the team. They’d have to work doubly hard to achieve a higher position, which is a constantly dominated by McLaren-Mercedes and Ferrari.

Everybody dreams to be successful. In F1, teams actually dream of seeing their drivers standing at the podium after every race. That is what the entire Toyota team dream of. But winning every race just seems so hard to achieve for Toyota. If the TF108 could do well, then, I think the flaw is somewhere else. The flaw could probably on the car’s design or on the drivers. What do you think?

Ferrari. Who wouldn’t know the name? I pity you if you don’t. But seriously, Ferrari is no ordinary name in F1 because of its domination on almost every race. Experience, excellent aerodynamics, powerful engine, and skillful drivers are the advantages that carry the team to victories. But of course no team is perfect, not even the Ferrari team. They simply have their own approach of dealing and working out their flaws. That is why Ferrari wins championships, it is because of their passion and drive in winning.

For now, these are the teams that I am featuring. The remaining teams will be featured the tomorrow or probably the next day, when I'm in the mood.  Have a nice day to you my reader and I hope you'll come back again for the latest Formula One news. Ciao!..

When I heard that Michael Schumacher has retired, I was actually glad because Formula One is gonna be exciting. I admit, I got bored with Formula One because M Schumacher always wins and none of the opposing teams could take him out even for just a single race. Even his teammate, Rubens Barrichello, is boring. So, I switched to MotoGP, which has actually started and the next race will be in Spain. I am not saying that he’s not good. I am just saying that the race just gets boring every time he wins. It is like doing the same things everyday or like watching Titanic for a hundredth time. With M Schumacher nowhere near the race track, F1 is going to be more exciting.

With the start of the F1 drawing nearer, teams prepare their race cars and their drivers for the practice. And like the NBA, F1 teams change their drivers. These are the following teams racing for the upcoming F1 season:

• Ferrari - Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa
• BMW - Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica
• Renault - Fernando Alonso, Nelsinho Piquets
• Williams-Toyota - Nico Rosberg, Kazuki Nakajima
• Red Bull-Renault - David Coulthard, Mark Webber
• Toyota - Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock
• Toro Rosso - Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastian Vettel
• Honda - Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello
• Super Aguri - Takuma Sato, Anthony Davidson
• Force India - Adrian Sutil, Giancarlo Fisichella
• McLaren-Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen

You are not probably familiar with Kazuki Nakajima. It is because he’s a newbie in F1 racing who is replacing the retired Williams-Toyota driver Alexander Wurz . If you’ve been watching GP2, which is a type of auto racing, you have probably seen him or known him. Among the GP2-turned-F1-drivers are teammate Nico Rosberg and McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. After finishing his GP2 career in 5^th place, K Nakajima is set to race on one of the most prestigious auto racing in the world.

For aspiring F1 drivers, Kazumi Nakajima is one lucky guy. No, I guess I shouldn’t be saying he’s lucky because he’s really worked hard to get to where he is right now. He’s used to racing but F1 is no ordinary auto racing. He’ll have to try his best to win championships or earn points together with his Williams-Toyota teammate, N Rosberg. Best of luck to Nakajima!

The outset of auto racing came decades ago. Auto racing or car racing, whatever it may be called has become one of the popular sports in the world. There are actually a lot of auto racing which includes the Formula One. Formula One or just F1 is a prestigious race where top names in the industry such as Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, Williams-Toyota, BMW, Honda, and other constructors display their edge. But there is a name that I really wish to see race in F1 again, Porsche. Porsche have done it before, so, I just wish that they could race again and prove that they are not just a major race car manufacturer but one of the best in the world. Well, it is not like they have not proven their superiority for the past years. All right, maybe I am just excited about the idea of watching Porsche race in the F1.

To drive your attention away from all my thoughts of Porsche-racing-in-Formula-One-someday, I will introduce you to the Porsche GT3 RSR. The GT3 RSR is directly related to the GT3 Cup and the GT2 Cup S but is more superior when it comes to performance.

As you can see, the interior of the Porsche GT3 RSR is built for racing. Its 6 cylinder engine is not like the V12’s of the Ferrari but could still create an incredible amount of 465 bhp (brake horsepower). It is also loaded with a new and lighter 6-speed sequential gearbox which was made for the RS Spyder. With all these state-of-the-art features, no wonder it is considered to be one of the most influential of the 911 dynasty.