Posted on 05/19/2011 4:09:54 PM PDT by Chode
Venue: Circuit de Catalunya, Montmelo
Date: Sunday 22 May
Lap length: 2.892 miles
Race laps: 66
2010 winner: Mark Webber (Red Bull)
First grand prix: 1991
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Despite admitting that overtaking had become too easy as a result of new technology introduced to Formula 1 this season, McLaren's Jenson Button feels change is vital to create a more level playing field and maintain the excitement of a sport he believes is "the most competitive it has ever been." Button also revealed he is planning on getting a fourth tattoo, but refused to divulge what it is or when he will have it inked on.
Full story: London Evening Standard
Button has also revealed on Twitter that he gave himself a slightly slower experience of the Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday, by travelling round it on his bike. "I've had a busy few days doing sponsor activities now on to the serious stuff!! did a few laps of the circuit on the bikes this morning," he told his Twitter account.
Full story: Jenson Button on Twitter
McLaren will have more than 10 new upgrades for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, according to engineering director Tim Goss. The British team are also planning to implement the updates they did not use in Istanbul after Goss felt they would not be fully reliable over a race distance.
Full story: Autosport
F1 chiefs are considering a move to make the Indian Grand Prix the season finale on 4 December, as a way of slotting the Bahrain GP back on the calendar. Reportedly, the current plan being favoured, should Bahrain be given the green light to return to the schedule, is for the Middle Eastern race to take India's current October 30 slot.
Full story: Autosport
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn says they have "ambitious plans" for the future development of their car. Brawn is also hopeful the upgrades made ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix will prove more effective than those of their rivals. "We've got a new aero package for Barcelona - some things we're doing on the suspension - so I'm confident we'll move forward," he said.
Full story: espnf1.com
Fernando Alonso believes his Ferrari team are showing clear signs of improvement heading into this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, where they hope to secure a second successive podium finish after the Spaniard's third place in Turkey. "The road is still long, but I believe we have at least started down it going in the right direction," said Alonso.
Full story: Ferrari official website
Pirelli motorsport director Paul Hembery has predicted that the new specification "hard" tyre, which is due to be used for the first time at this weekend's Spanish GP, will lead to teams adopting more "creative strategies" during the race. "The new tyre reduces degradation and improves tyre wear. It's not a huge step over the original hard tyre but it does mean that there is a bigger gap between the soft and the hard tyre, which will definitely make things even more interesting on race day," said Hembery.
Full story: Grandprix.com
Lewis Hamilton is targeting back-to-back victories in Spain this weekend and at Monaco a week later as he bids to reel in championship leader Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull. "We're optimistic we'll again be back in the fight for the big points this weekend," said the second-placed McLaren driver, who trails Vettel by 34 points in the drivers' championship.
(Press Association)
Hamilton rates fellow Brit Jenson Button as the best team-mate he has had in Formula 1. The McLaren duo are into their second season together, against the backdrop of suggestions from last year that they do not get on. "It's about your presence in the team, the comments you make, your persona and your behaviour when you win and when you lose. Jenson is definitely the best overall package I've been up against," said Hamilton.
Full story: the Sun
Rubens Barrichello believes the lack of point-scoring finishes this season has put his Williams team under pressure. The Grove-based squad is enduring its worst ever start to a season, having failed to score any points in the first four races of the year.
Full story: Autosport
Michael Schumacher has been facing more questions from the media in Spain keen to know if he is regretting his comeback for Mercedes. Schumacher had a poetic answer in Barcelona, saying: "At the end of a storm the sun always comes out."
Full story: Press Association correspondent Ian Parkes on Twitter
I love F1!
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Laps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Mark Webber | RBR-Renault | 1:23.619 | 1:21.773 | 1:20.981 | 12 |
2 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | RBR-Renault | 1:24.142 | 1:21.540 | 1:21.181 | 13 |
3 | 3 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:24.370 | 1:22.148 | 1:21.961 | 12 |
4 | 5 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:23.485 | 1:22.813 | 1:21.964 | 15 |
5 | 4 | Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:24.428 | 1:22.050 | 1:21.996 | 12 |
6 | 10 | Vitaly Petrov | Renault | 1:23.069 | 1:22.948 | 1:22.471 | 14 |
7 | 8 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:23.507 | 1:22.569 | 1:22.599 | 14 |
8 | 6 | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:23.506 | 1:23.026 | 1:22.888 | 15 |
9 | 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Williams-Cosworth | 1:23.406 | 1:22.854 | 1:22.952 | 14 |
10 | 7 | Michael Schumacher | Mercedes | 1:22.960 | 1:22.671 | 12 | |
11 | 18 | Sebastien Buemi | STR-Ferrari | 1:23.962 | 1:23.231 | 6 | |
12 | 17 | Sergio Perez | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:24.209 | 1:23.367 | 9 | |
13 | 19 | Jaime Alguersuari | STR-Ferrari | 1:24.049 | 1:23.694 | 9 | |
14 | 16 | Kamui Kobayashi | Sauber-Ferrari | 1:23.656 | 1:23.702 | 8 | |
15 | 20 | Heikki Kovalainen | Lotus-Renault | 1:25.874 | 1:25.403 | 6 | |
16 | 15 | Paul di Resta | Force India-Mercedes | 1:24.332 | 1:26.126 | 13 | |
17 | 14 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:24.648 | 1:26.571 | ||
18 | 21 | Jarno Trulli | Lotus-Renault | 1:26.521 | |||
19 | 11 | Rubens Barrichello | Williams-Cosworth | 1:26.910 | |||
20 | 24 | Timo Glock | Virgin-Cosworth | 1:27.315 | |||
21 | 23 | Vitantonio Liuzzi | HRT-Cosworth | 1:27.809 | |||
22 | 22 | Narain Karthikeyan | HRT-Cosworth | 1:27.908 | |||
23 | 25 | Jerome d'Ambrosio | Virgin-Cosworth | 1:28.556 | |||
24 | 9 | Nick Heidfeld | Renault | ||||
Q1 107% Time | 1:28.767 |
Narain Karthikeyan has explained how he was injured in Sundays Spanish Grand Prix, with a melting seat slowing his drive to 21st position. Five laps down at the chequered flag, the Indian was the sole Hispania finisher after team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi was struck by gearbox problems.
Good race. I’d been thinking that the KERS/DRS combo was giving too large an advantage to the trailing driver, ‘til watching Seb, minus KERS and without outrageous jinking, hold off Louis for lap after lap put that thought on hold for now.
Biggest shocker? Alonzo getting lapped, especially as he’d done such a brilliant job at the start — OUCH!
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