The shiny lights of HD have a rather strange effect on the presentation of the track the drivers and by proxy us folk sitting on varied chairs and sofas across the nation, including the little corner that is Blog HQ. It almost looked good, and interesting to drive around in, but one can not be fooled by the extra pixels, even Webber has stated that the track is not exactly one of his favourites. It is not entirely difficult to perceive why, as the man stated all the corners are very samey and in contrast to the requirements of a current era racing car. Where the whole circuit is made out of foolish slow speed corners that are all pretty much the same, even the GP3 race was a little on the dull side - and those are normally manic. Yet the GP2 series event went through a phase of complete madness when a rear wing landed on the track and caused the first safety car, leading to a car being flipped on the restart and further safety car interventions. If tomorrow works out like that it might be considered miraculous - but recent races I think hands Valencia the accolade of highest ratio of upside down competitors.
But that is not what this corner of the internet is here for, as the other session of the morning needs taking care of, and that session was indeed rather interesting, throwing up some stranger results then we have been used to over the past couple of races. Yet by comparison there was some degree of commonality in the form as the very front of the grid does pay some resemblance to what we saw in Canada, likely as a result in the vague similarity between the style of track. Of course the layout in Montreal is a lot more engaging and fulfilling to compete on, even though the last effort did leave a lot to be desired. Today though Valencia did defy the expectations in producing a very close and competitive qualifying, where only two tenths covered 13 cars in Q2.
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| image credit to F1Fanatic.co.uk |
The day started with a plan to be awake to catch FP3 with about of playing worms before qualifying as was the normal plan when racing was on the BBC all season for the European events, but that plan didn't come to fruition as sleep lasted longer than expected and to top things off, one of the siblings here at blog HQ had borrowed the console so that I couldn't fire combustible bananas at invertebrates even if I was awake. But I did manage to escape the nocturnal theatre of lies that presents itself during sleep in time to catch the main session of the day so all was not lost on that count. What was most interesting about the pre-race show was Massa and DC having no idea which corner was which on the track guide and having to wave down Michael on his scooter to figure out the turn numbers. Because all the corners look the same and numbers are assigned to things that are not really corners. A process which lead to a moment of complete genius from the resident mother here at Blog HQ. An individual who doesn't know too much about the world of motor-racing has devised a plan of greater intelligence than the entire track personnel and authorities. Brace yourselves for this... why don't we paint the turn numbers on the concrete walls around the Valencia lap - complete genius.
Back to the track and the beginning of Q1, and it was Daniel Ricciardo who was to set the first benchmark lap, while Maldonado and Marussia's only runner Pic took to the track. As Glock was suffering from an illness which prevented him from taking part, but hopes to be on the grid for tomorrows race. Because Timo was one of the lower teams there was still a single place available to capture one car from an established team. Teh Massa was the first of the leading cars to hit the front of the time sheets, while Alonso powerslided his car through one of the anonymous corners. Oh Sch..umacher had a smaller slide on the outside of the final corner but still managed to take the lead away from the Ferrari. The Brazilian made a second charge at retaking the top spot but Hamilton's McLaren was just that little bit faster as Alonso moved into third.
Down in the relegation zone, both the Red Bulls were yet to move into qualification positions, but Webber was in more of a difficult position as his DRS system had falied preventing him from using it on any lap. As a result his times were much slower and the Australian couldn't make it through into the next zone. As this stage it was assumed that Mark would be the only established driver to be booted out of the session, but as the time ebbed away and more teams moved onto the softer compound things were about to change. Force India were showing well up in the top ten, but it was the Caterham of Heikki Kovalainen who broke out of relegation beating the Torro Rosso of Vergne who has spent more time in relegation than out of it this season.
We move on now to the insanely competitive realm of Q2, as a grid where 0.5s can often separate the top 15 cars all compete for 10 places in the final session and the Valencian version was probably the closest one this season. It was kicked off by Q1 champion and winner last time we visited Spain, Pastor Maldonado, followed by the local hero Alonso. The timesheets rapidly became very changeable as Di Resta took the lead only to be defeated by new orange juice fan Kamui Kobayashi, who in turn was usurped by Nico Rosberg. Within moments Hamilton and Raikkonen placed themselves right into the mix on very similar times towards the front of the records. Button added his name to the list and we ended up with the top seven all separated by 0.2s.
There was a short interval while the drivers pulled in an prepared for their second runs and life was going to be a lot closer for all involved. When the teams released the drivers the times were shifting faster than the continuous cycle of driver rumours involving Felipe's future. Beginning when Di Resta moved into second 0.015s off pole, and the under pressure Massa finished 0.08s outside the top 10 behind his team-mate. As the session closed in on the finale, the top drivers were all within a tenth of a second and 0.2 covered the top 14 cars making it more of a lottery than a matter of skill and pace. When the flag fell at the end of the session and the timing screens finally settled down Grosjean had gone fastest and both the Ferraris had been relegated both less than a hundredth away from making it through. A little further back Heikki was on form once more beating the second of the Torro Rosso's to claim 16th from Ricciardo.
That left only 10 drivers remaining, and rather ecclectic mix of Force India, Williams and Sauber joining the party when three spots opened up as Ferrari and Michael didn't make it. Maldonado who previously was considered to be a Monaco specialist now adopting more of a penchant for Spanish circuits opened the session pursued by the Lotus of Raikkonen. Kimi set the initial pace but was beaten by Rosberg as Pastor got it all squirly approaching the final corner and ended in the pit lane after running rather wide. McLaren claimed a one-two headed by Button of the four cars that took part in the opening run of the session.
It was time for the second runs and more cars took to the track and it was Grosjean who went fastest after getting all sideways in some section - no-one has painted those numbers on the walls yet so no idea where. But shortly after we had another temporary pole-sitter as Maldonado was up front, as more change seems likely from an unlikely source with Di Resta setting purple sectors but lost time in the last sector and fell to seventh. Teammate Hulkenburg however got himself up into fourth, so we had a Lotus, a Williams and a Force India up in the top five, an illustration of the competitiveness and closeness of this season, even on a track which can only have been designed by accident. While inebriated at that. But back to the action and it was time for Vettel to take to the track and when the first sector time came up on the screen all the rules of logic and reason disintegrated in an instant finding more time over the current fastest time than separated the majority of the grid in Q2. When the German Bloke crossed the line pole position couldn't have been more secured, as Hamilton and Maldonado completed the top three. Team Lotus lined up next, Romain ahead of Kimi, with Orange Juice fanatic Kobayashi beaten to sixth by Rosberg and Hulkenberg brought the first force India home in 8th. The back end of the top ten was an all British affair with Button leading from Di Resta.
The bonus points championship points winners.
The track may be about as entertaining as daytime television or any film that cites 'romance' as a selling point although that would be a little harsh. Those crimes against filmography should be banned from the surface of the planet and cast into the fires of the sun. Anyway firery vengeance aside there are some points that are to be awarded for today's action.
10pts - Heikki Kovalainen - not only escaped Q3 on pace without the other teams messing up but defeated the second Torro Rosso in Q2.
8pts - Paul Di Resta - No idea where that pace came from today, could have been in the top three, and for knowing the number of the corner that caught him out
6pts - Pastor Maldonado - Back in Spain and the Venezuelan is up at towards the front once more
5pts - Sebastien Vettel - Has to have some points for finding that much time in taking pole
4pts - Romain Grosjean - Showing strong form again, including finding a lot of time in Q2 when it was so close in that session
3pts - HRT - for getting both cars ahead of the Marussia team even though only Pic was running
2pts - Mother - for the plan to add painted numbers to the walls in Valencia, completely genius
1pt - Kamui Kobayashi - for another mad idea, to replace the champagne with his new favourite orange juice,
There are no other sections to be added this week as there are neither any penalty or penalties to be assigned after the first part of this weekend. But given the fact there are walls everywhere and if the GP2 event was anything to go by, the tables will see some action tomorrow morning.
Looking to tomorrow
Well I can't exactly promise too much for the events of the afternoon to come, Valencia isn't really known for being a realm of excitement - there was some in the support event but that is probably the exception rather than the rule this weekend. I can announce that it hasn't been so dull that I have entered a comatosed state even the surprise furniture reconfiguration here at Blog HQ didn't have that effect. So maybe, just maybe there is some hope in this race yet. The results from qualifying may help turn the tide on what is frankly normally a poor race. Because we have much faster cars a out of position on the grid - most significantly Webber down in 19th, behind the Caterhams, last time that happened at Valencia Mark went for a flying lesson.
With those factors in mind, it might not be all bad - add in the changing temperatures and the tyre strategies and it might actually be interesting. Now that is a statement the blog didn't imagine itself typing on the post before a race around the port, Valencia being interesting. That's the thing with this season we frankly have no idea what can happen meaning even the dullest of occasions on paper can turn into something biblically awesome. So Spain I challenge thee to be more interesting than we expect to be, while we wait for that to materialise this is farewell from the blog until then.
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