The pace of the final phase of the season is relentless, with races paired up in back-to-back events - last week we had the traditional high speeds of Japan's brilliant Suzuka circuit, and this week we don't. Instead replacing the idyllic corners with a plateau of unused land somebody decided to stick a race track to. In the short space of time between races not too much has had time to elapse, no more drive change confirmations, as the world is still waiting on the final decision on Massa, many assume that he will remain there in a Ferrari, while others remain slightly skeptical. Here at blog HQ however, we've noticed a significant improvement in Felipe's driving and has been scoring well in the bonus points stakes in the past two races. Duelling two wide across the Andersson Bridge in Singapore is a reflection of that, maybe this can be traced to a degree of confidence in his future job security. Or on the other hand, a desperate attempt to rescue it.
Elsewhere Ricciardo is staking his claim to a continued drive in the sport down in Toro Rosso, the Australian has been more competitive than Vergne, despite both drivers being graduates of the British F3 Series. However Toro Rosso does have a habit of binning drivers on a regular basis, the entire 2011 squad was flushed out of the system despite both putting in some strong drives, Jaime Alguersuari even did quite well in the bonus points standings. However this time things are a little different, Red Bull doesn't have the same quantity of development drivers to swap in - previously their program was over-populated leading to instablity. There are still drivers in the system, the likes of Carlos Sainz Jnr for example in British F3, but for now the team does need consistency to move forwars, instead of being a development factory for the main Red Bull team.
But before those questions can be answered, the series rolls into Yeongnam - for the third running of the South Korean GP.
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| Circuit graphic credit to the FIA |
The Korean circuit is one of stark contrasts, and unfulfilled promises - back in 2010 when the track and location were announced we were shown all manner of 3D graphics of the plans for development and the final targets. Those videos looked interesting, an implementation of a unique topology, instead of taking the road network of a city and attemting to thread a track through it, Korea planned to do the opposite. First build the track with the pit facilities and other infrastructure requirements, and then surround it with hotels, villas and leisure activities. Inevitably this lead to compromises in the layout where certain structures were going to be constructed, but steered away from the endless strings of 90 degree corners that often plague street circuits.
Has any of that happened, well no, not by a long margin - none of the planned structures have even started production - from reports on the internet it seems no-one has even been to the track since it was used last year. Citing problems like weed propagation in the paddock area, illustrating that the track is highly underused and not particularly well maintained. In 2010, there were concerns about the track not being ready in time, and we arrived to find some of it looking a little like a building site, but to find the same thing two years later is a little disappointing.
Despite the track having as desolate of a social life as I have here at Blog HQ, it is the layout which is the most important thing, the teams tend not to turn up planning to race in the spectator areas. However there isn't too much to write home about here - granted it is a lot better than what Valencia had put together - but it seems a little forced and artificial. The opening sector has no driving challenge or excitement value about it whatsoever, only existing to provide a place for cars to overtake - erasing any requirement for innovation of intution. Making it obvious where the next pass is going to occur, exacerbated by some questionable design ideas - the pit exit road is a key flaw. Turns 4-6 for example come across as completely unecessary, I can see they tried to emulate the final sequence at the now booted Istanbul circuit but it really hasn't worked. Of course the original idea is not exactly a work of art to start off with.
After that however things do start to improve (well it couldn't get too much worse) as the initial corners of the second half of the track are quite nice, gentle inclines mixed with high speed corners. Aided by the fact they are not all simple full speed kinks, a little bit of thought is needed to stay on the road, because this phase was designed to be outside the resort complexes. As the track returned to the realm if imaginary development relics of the unfinished project start to become visible - for example the positioning of conrete walls at the side of the track. Something which still seems alien on a permanent circuit, it would be like deciding to coat the entire Arena section at Silverstone with immovable barriers....hmm on second thought. Anyway the layout and configuration of these coners just seems to be a little out of sync, you expect Spa and Suzuka to flow seamlessly, while Montreal and Albert Park are more of a stop-start format. Korea sits awkwardly in the middle of the two, the same can be said of Abu Dhabi as well, maybe it will take some getting used to - as in comparision to other circuits it is one I have completed few laps on to find a decent line through.
At the end of the lap, there is another rather odd feature, where a curved concrete corridor was planned to curve around the circumferance of a marina section. As with the rest of the plans, there is no marina section and I doubt there ever will be, as a result the corner exists completely on it's own, collecting dust between the barriers making it an interesting challenge. Are the flashes of greatness enough to presever the event's position in the calendar, probably not - a list of countries are wanting to join the championship and there is limited time during the year to vist them all. Therefore some venues will be under pressure to improve or risk being replaced, Istanbul and Valencia have been the recent losses, so will Korea follow them through the exit. I guess it all depends on Bernie, he'll have the competing offers from Russia, South Africa and a crazy proposal I sense coming from Greece.
Before Korea is banished never to return it might be a good idea to release this weeks video, brought to you this time in full 1080p HD - things have changed a little at blog HQ in the hardware department. But all the extra power still didn't prevent me from trying to upload the content at 2am this morning, only makes the recording process a lot smoother and in much shinier detail, so here is the introduction to the Korean GP.
Well the track is a significant world away from the format of last week's race in Suzuka, but there are still some elements which are transferrable, especially away from the dull opening sector. As a result it can be assumed that Red Bull will be very strong as the updates they applied in Japan were successful in producing a major performance update. The margins will be closer to the rest of the field, allowing McLaren and Ferrari a chance to challenge for the win over the course of the weekend, something that should please Alonso after the monumental cut his lead took last time out. In terms of the championship, well the less important one governed by FIA points, it will likely be Raikkonen who will lose out in the Lotus unless of course the team have a few secrets hidden away.
As the season progresses the boundaries between the divisions become increasingly blurred with mid-field teams scoring podium finishes and significant points hauls. But in this group there has been a emerging shift in the heirachy, Sauber have risen to the front of the group, getting both cars into the top ten in qualifying more regularly. In their ascendency they hace pulled foward Force India who also took strong results in Spa and Singapore with 4th places in both events, this leaves Williams who are falling back a little - not quite Toro Rosso far back but a long way from where they were earlier in the season. Maldonado has managed to draw some impressive qualifying results from the car, but on balance development has stalled out in comparison to the immediate competition. This should come as an incentive to the STR team, who like in 2011, have produced a better car at the end of the year, Korea was a strong race for them last season so the compression in the mid-field is set to increase. Applying pressure on the likes of Mercedes at the tail end of the front divsion.
Down here at the back of the grid some degree of normality has been restored, in Singapore the Catherham team were caught in qualifying and then overtaken during the race - losing their place in the championship. But back on a more traditional track in Japan the order returned to its former form, where Marussia were in second behind the green machines battling with HRT in their own little world. This weekend however presents a half way medium between Singapore and Suzuka as such, and therefore the margins between the cars back here could be just as intriguing.
The Blog prediction effort
Well I started this additional feature for the first race of the season and can conlude that it has been a complete and utter failure, it bears no relevance and has no contextual value, all it does serve to do is demonstrate that after writing down all these words every weekend I still have no idea what is going to happen. In a way that is a testament to the amount of fluctation in form and performances that has evolved this season, so I shall press on and have a go at sorting out the Korean GP
- Button
- Vettel
- Alonso
- Hamilton
- Raikkonen
- Webber
- Rosberg
- Massa
- Perez
- Hulkenberg
- Red Bull - Vettel
- McLaren - Hamilton
- Ferrari - Alonso
- Lotus - Grosjean
- Mercedes - Rosberg
- Sauber - Kobayashi
- Force India - Hulkenberg
- Williams - Maldonado
- Caterham - Kovalainen
- Marussia - Glock
- HRT - De La Rosa
Despite presenting some of the most unimaginative layout design in the history of the universe the track does have some redeeming and interesting features posing unique challenges to the drivers, and in contrast to some modern facilities little room for error in places. One slight downer is that the race weekend is predicted to be dry in its entirity, and it is a venue that could benefit from a little moisture, perhaps not to the extreme extent that the 2010 race was plagued by, but enough to make it a bit more exiting. Overall there is a vague promise that the event can be exiting and dynamic, so until next time this is farewell from the blog.
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