Absolutely.

Und also, very interesting ...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qf6Sv3A9zs[/media]

Sorry I don't mean that literally. I just can't even think something is very interesting without this in my head

 

Interesting article on how Ferrari are squeezing more power out of their engine.

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1...-jet-ignition/

 

Does this mean petrol engines are biting back at diesels in terms of efficiency let alone in the emissions arena?

 

I would have thought that type of system would increase emissions (particularly hydrocarbons) so not entirely convinced it is immediately a road car technology but quite an interesting read non the less

 

Sochi. A name to darken the spirits of any Formula 1 fan, and one of those places where Bernie Ecclestone isn't the slimiest and most manipulative creature in the paddock.

Two things of note so far: There is a significant problem on Vettel's Ferrari in FP2, and won't get any meaningful running in. And in FP1 Daniel Ricciardo gave Red Bull's 'aeroscreen" an airing for a lap.

It looks a bit odd, and a bit rubbish, but less odd and less rubbish than the "Halo" which Ferrari have already run:

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/229850/...the-track.html

 

With Hamilton and Vettel both starting out of position there won't be any lack of overtaking among the front runners.

Still a rubbish circuit, though.

 

and rubbish Ch4 presenters

 

I wouldn't know about that. Sky's coverage is excellent, though.

I'm not sure what's going on between Vettel and Kvyat, other than the latter having to make a name for himself and show that he can mix it with the big boys in order to save his seat, which may already have :Max Verstappen" pencilled on it for 2017, but he's doing it wrong. You can't win races at the first corner, but you can lose them, and in this instance make yourself look a bit desperate.

To hit Vettel once might be considered unfortunate, but to do it a second time looks rather like carelessness.

As far as Mercedes domination goes, Hamilton's performance showed that in traffic, even though he was fast, the car doesn't like hot turbulent air. From the limited radio messages, there was genuine concern that the engine might wilt, and Niki Lauda admitted after the race that they still don't know what's causing the recurrent MGU-H problems. All of these issues were completely absent on Rosberg's car, which he only extended in the closing laps, setting new lap records to stave off boredom.

Sky's coverage featured a trip to Baku to look at the circuit under construction there, which looks interesting, as it's based around the old city, so isn't some featureless "slow corner leading into long straight with a hairpin at the end".

Meanwhile, it's Spain next. A proper circuit, and one for which the teams have mountains of data, because it was the venue for all of the pre-season testing. The first European race of the year also sees major car upgrades and the traditional first appearance of the "Paddock Palaces" which become ever more elaborate and outrageous year on year.

 

I prefer the C4 coverage as a) I like DC and Lee McKenzie, b) it wastes less of my life than the full length live coverage, and c) any program in which I don't have to listen to David Croft, surely F1's answer to Alan Partridge (in his old On The Hour sports commentator days), has to be better ...

 

I have no problem with DC and Lee, but that Welsh twat is really irritating. How and why on earth did he get the job?