Nascar vs. F1

(click on the YouTube -logo to watch it in full screen on youtube)

I've heard of this video before and forgot all about it. Now I checked it out and it was very entertaining seeing Lewis Hamilton and Tony Stewart in this video representing their own sports.

I have watched Nascar races but it's almost always the same. They put the pedal to the medal and turn their wheel to the left. This is almost everything they do in every single race! Maybe I am missing something here so please tell me what else there is to see in Nascar. Don't tell me anything that has already been said in this video. Tell me something new.

I love racing but for me just going fast isn't proper racing. Anybody could just jump in a car and start pushing the pedal down. And if you can crash into somebody and push each other on the track then that's just for drivers who can't overtake like a real driver.

My grandmother could also push the pedal down and crash into somebody but why is that good racing? I love it when in F1 your mistakes show easily how bad you are. And only the good drivers can continue the race and score points. It's about superb drivers, surviving and hi-tec/super fast cars.

Alonso and Räikkönen are the best two drivers to avoid accidents. How many times has Alonso crashed into somebody? And the last time Räikkönen has retired a race was in 2009! Yes I know he didn't drive 2010-2011 but still.

Hamilton is also getting better. A few years ago he crashed a lot cause he was in my opinion a bit too aggressive. He has made a lot of progress though. Keep it up Lewis!

Maybe I am not the best person to talk about which sport is better (F1 or Nascar) cause I am one of the biggest F1 fans ever. It would not be fair so maybe somebody who likes both sports equally could do this. Please let me know if you see somebody writing or talking about this with a "neutral" perspective.  I would like to hear all of the thoughts from a fans point of view and not the drivers (Lewis and Tony).

Caterham F1 Team racing the streets of Moscow

Heikki Kovalainen driving in the streets of Moscow at the Moscow City Racing -event.
The video is filmed with GoPro-cameras so the material is very nice. You can watch it in HD (720p) if you like but only if you change the quality yourself from the settings.

Press the YouTube -logo first to see it on full screen and to change settings.

These kind of events are awesome if you live in a country that don't have a F1 Grand Prix.
In 2006 I went to the Helsinki City Grand Prix to see the Toyota F1 team and 4 time rally world champion Juha Kankkunen drive around the Helsinki Railway Station Square. They had screens all over so you could see the incar-camera as well.

I was very excited to see Jarno Trulli drive by me with his Toyota. It was nice to see the car but why did he drive so slowly? They asked him about it and the answer was that the road was too bumpy..
I know it can be difficult but come on! You are a racing driver who has won in Monaco! Put the pedal to the medal!

Juha Kankkunen was no disappointment. He was so fast with the rally car and how he drove in to the corners! Wau! What a sound! He has not lost his touch at all.

I know it was probably harder to drive the F1 car but anyways. Jarno Trulli should have shown a little speed at least. The guy is famous for his qualifying speed but at that event he did not impress me.
I used to like Trulli a lot but when he became Kovalainen's teammate I saw how much better Heikki was.

Sometimes city's can not handle events like these so they do something else. For example they display cars in shops or malls so people can take pictures. I have also seen cars (turned into simulators) in arcades walking by quickly without knowing who's they were.

Here is a list of cars and where I saw them:

• In Turkey I saw a yellow F1 car so it was probably a Jordan. 
• In Macau I saw a red and white car so it was probably an old McLaren or maybe a F3 car from the early 90's.
• In Helsinki I saw Heinz-Harald Frentzen's car at a shopping mall and Kimi Räikkönen's 2012 Lotus at a jewelry store. Räikkönen's car was probably a replica because the car looked so new.
• In Hong Kong I could not believe my eyes when I stood in front of a McLaren sports car store. I saw AYRTON SENNA'S CAR!!!!

Keep your eyes open! Because you never know who's car could suddenly be in front of you. Even though your city or country doesn't have it's own grand prix.

Ayrton Senna documentary on YouTube - The right to win

I have seen so many Ayrton Senna documentarys even before his death and I never get tired of these.

This is the full version so you don't have to play around with clips. The video has english subtitles as well. This is not the 2010 documentary called "Senna" so don't get confused. 

Click on the YouTube logo to watch it full screen on YouTube. Enjoy!

How to watch F1 when you are far away from home

Every now and then it happens that you are somewhere else when you should be at home watching F1. I always plan ahead situations like this so I don't miss anything.

First I have a F1 live streaming-software on my phone that I use in situations where I am sitting on a bus or working etc. Live streaming is good for free practice sessions or saturday qualifying but I could not watch a GP from a stream! I must see the whole thing. I could pay a lot of money just so I wouldn't miss anything.

It's possible to watch GP's from the internet by paying about 5 euros. But this works only if you are carrying a laptop and you have access to the internet. There are also sites that show the GP's for free but there are usually commercial breaks and signing in etc. I would rather pay the 5 euros to see everything without interrupting and with my favorite commentators.

I don't usually have a laptop with me so I try to find bars that show Formula 1 or check if my hotel has channels that show it. For example I saw the last GP in Hong Kong at a bar. First I went a few days earlier to a british pub and asked them if they would show the Grand Prix. The girl at the bar said that she didn't know and asked a guy named Adrian if they did. He said absolutely and I thanked them for the information.

Later I got worried because it has happened before that when I am abroad people always say that they are showing it and then they realize that they don't even have the channels for it. So I found a backup bar for watching F1 just in case the first one didn't show it for some reason.

Sometimes they just say anything to get customers. At Cyprus last year I changed bars twice and the third didn't bullshit me about actually showing the GP. In Turkey they said sorry we don't have the channels anymore and when people started to leave suddenly they said that they had the channels. Why would they do that?! Maybe they wanted to watch something else them selves?

In Hong Kong at the british pub it was a bit different. I went there early to get good seats in front of the big screen TV. But then the bartender asked me if I was there to see "the game". I said that I was waiting for the GP and that they had promised me that it would be possible to see it at that bar.

The bartender looked at me and asked "what GP?" THIS WAS A DISASTER AGAIN! But he offered to show the Grand Prix from another smaller TV without sound next to the front door.

I was not ready to sit there and try to ignore 50 crazy football fans scream next to me while I watch F1 from a smaller TV without sound!

Then I remembered the other smaller bar and ran over there like Carl Lewis! And then I saw a big screen TV showing F1 preview shows. What a sweet sight! The second I walked in to the bar the bartender turned the music off and turned up the volume on the TV. Thank God!

Sometimes they show F1 at hotels or even in your room. In London they showed the GP at our hotel restaurant and in Dubai I could have watched it in my room. Instead I jumped in a taxi and went to Abu Dhabi (taxi's are really cheep in Dubai).

It took me an hour with the taxi and it cost me less than what I paid from my apartment to the airport back at home. The tickets to the GP were about 340 euros. Damn! And I got the cheapest tickets there was!

The tickets allowed you to see the qualifying, the GP2 race (not a part of the GP2 series) and the F1 race. After all of this there was a concert with various artists including Paul McCartney. I just went to see the F1 race cause I didn't have time to go to Abu Dhabi 2 days in a row. The race was the main thing anyway..

The feeling when I saw my first F1 race live was incredible. I felt like a teenage girl at a Justin Bieber concert (only I am a man who likes racing and hates Justin Bieber). "There's Schumi! that's Button! hey Hamilton! Alonso and Vettel!" Unfortunately Räikkönen was not at that race cause it was the 2011 season. But anyways I highly recommend it to all of you F1 fans out there.

Williams car features with Valtteri Bottas

I watched these videos today on YouTube and they were pretty interesting.

I'm listing all videos (episodes 1-5) below for you to see. Take a look!

Car features with Valtteri #BOTTAS - Part 1 of 5 - DRS

Car features with Valtteri #BOTTAS - Part 2 of 5 - Engine

Car features with Valtteri #BOTTAS - Part 3 of 5 - KERS

Car features with Valtteri #BOTTAS - Part 4 of 5 - The seat

Car features with Valtteri #BOTTAS - Part 5 of 5 - Steering wheel

2013 Young driver's test and the Red Bull-situation

First we have all the test times combined below

• 1. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1min 32.894
• 2. Daniel Ricciardo Australia Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min 32.972
• 3. Carlos Sainz Jr Spain Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min 33.016
• 4. Daniel Ricciardo Australia Red Bull-Renault 1min 33.187
• 5. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes 1min 33.242
• 6. Nicolas Prost France Lotus-Renault 1min 33.256
• 7. Carlos Sainz Jr Spain Red Bull-Renault 1min 33.546
• 8. Davide Valsecchi Italy Lotus-Renault 1min 33.554
• 9. Davide Rigon Italy Ferrari-Ferrari 1min 33.592
• 10. Kevin Magnussen Denmark McLaren-Mercedes 1min 33.602
• 11. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 1min 33.624
• 12. Jean-Eric Vergne France Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min 33.647
• 13. Paul di Resta Britain Force India-Mercedes 1min 33.774
• 14. Antonio Felix Da Costa Portugal Red Bull-Renault 1min 33.821
• 15. Oliver Turvey Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1min 33.864
• 16. James Calado Britain Force India-Mercedes 1min 33.957
• 17. Daniel Juncadella Spain Williams-Renault 1min 34.098
• 18. Pastor Maldonado Venezuela Williams-Renault 1min 34.116
• 19. Johnny Cecotto Venezuela Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min 34.193
• 20. Robin Frijns Netherlands Sauber-Ferrari 1min 34.236
• 21. Nico Hulkenberg Germany Sauber-Ferrari 1min 34.224
• 22. Gary Paffett Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1min 34.294
• 23. Susie Wolff Britain Williams-Renault 1min 35.093
• 24. Giedo van der Garde Netherlands Caterham-Renault 1min 35.155
• 25. Daniil Kvyat Russia Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1min 35.281
• 26. Charles Pic France Caterham-Renault 1min 35.576
• 27. Kimiya Sato Japan Sauber-Ferrari 1min 35.642
• 28. Alexander Rossi America Caterham-Renault 1min 35.651
• 29. Will Stevens Britain Caterham-Renault 1min 36.082
• 30. Rodolfo Gonzalez Venezuela Marussia-Cosworth 1min 36.339
• 31. Tio Ellinas Cyprus Marussia-Cosworth 1min 36.676
• 32. Jules Bianchi France Marussia-Cosworth 1min 36.744
• 33. Max Chilton Britain Marussia-Cosworth 1min 38.347

Everybody was keeping an eye on Daniel Ricciardo and in my opinion he is not ready to challenge Sebastian Vettel with an identical car. Or is that what Red Bull is looking for? Is Ricciardo a better number two driver than Webber was? Maybe Räikkönen could be a very big threat to Vettel and maybe that is not what Red Bull is looking for.

Horner has said many times that they want Räikkönen but that they need to agree on some things. Räikkönen said that money matters but isn't that important anymore. In 2007 only Tiger Woods made more money than Räikkönen of all the athletes in the world so he doesn't need money anymore. He has even said after the Lotus finance problems that he has got enough money if they couldn't pay his salary. 

If money isn't the issue with Räikkönen then what is? What do they have to agree on?

Lotus lets him have alot of spare time and he does much less PR than anyone else. Is that the main thing here? Is Räikkönen free when he is with Lotus and does he feel like a prisoner with the other teams?

I would be very happy to see somebody beat Vettel at last! It's like when Senna came to McLaren in 1988. He showed Prost who is who and won him on his first year at McLaren when people thought that Prost was unbeatable.

Some people said that Räikkönen could not be champion with any car cause he didn't win with McLaren. They messed up at least 2 titles for him and even Ron Dennis admitted that. After retiring all the time with McLaren he went to Ferrari and became world champion on his first year.

I believe he could win Vettel on his first year with Red Bull too if he got the chance! Webber was often close to Vettel in the races and qualifyings. Räikkönen is in my opinion a better driver than Webber even thou he is very good as well.

Red Bull is making their decisions in August. Let's hope they announce it as soon as possible. The last time we have had a showdown like that was in 2007 when Alonso and Hamilton were in the same team. Unfortunately (for their sake) Kimi won them both in the end with his red beauty.. Next year it's time for a Red Bull instead! 

2013 Hungarian GP Preview

OK F1 fans! The wait is almost over. In one week it's time for the Hungarian Grand Prix. A track where it's hard to overtake and also a place were surprises are more than welcome. 

We all remember one of the biggest surprises - Jenson Button's first victory back in 2006 with Honda. It was a very exiting GP and in my opinion the excitement started when Räikkönen retired from the lead. Liuzzi (as a backmarker) braked to fast in front of him and Kimi smashed his silver arrow into his back almost flying over him.  

Later Renault had a bad pitstop with Alonso therefor he lost a wheel and needed to retire. Alonso did not retire very often back then because Renault was a very good and reliable car just like Red Bull is today.

Fisichella and Schumacher could have had a good race but they spun of the track ruining it.

Another driver who could have ruined his GP but didn't - Pedro de la Rosa! He was second which was his best result ever. Pedro had replaced Montoya after he had made his last mistake with McLaren by crashing into Räikkönen in the American Grand Prix. Now in 2013 Montoya is racing in Nascar.

The 2006 Hungarian GP was also Robert Kubica's first race in F1. I knew right away that this guy is going to be a star! Unfortunately he is not driving in F1 anymore because of the rally accident in 2011. Kubica scored his first 2 points in his first GP but was disqualified after his car failed to meet post-race minimum weight requirements. 

But in the end we all remember this face! (picture below)

Last but not least a "few" words about the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Which drivers are usually good in this race? -Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton.. and maybe Jenson Button if there is surprises but let's focus on Lewis and Kimi.

2001 - Kimi was 7th with Sauber which was pretty ok with that car.

2002 - Kimi was 4th leaving him just barely outside of the podium.

2003 - Kimi was 2nd after starting from 7th on the grid.

2004 - Kimi retired after having electrical problems with his McLaren

2005 - Kimi takes the checkered flag 35,5 seconds faster than Schumacher and wins!

2006 - Kimi retires from first position overtaking nervous back-markers on a very slippery track.

2007 - Lewis wins in Hungary for the first time! And guess who was 2nd? Kimi!

2008 - Kimi was 3rd when Heikki Kovalainen took his only victory with McLaren.

2009 - Lewis wins again and guess who is 2nd this time? Kimi again!

2010 - Lewis had gearbox issues and Kimi had left F1 in the end of 2009.

2011 - Lewis was fourth when his team mate Jenson Button took another victory in Hungary.

2012 - Lewis wins for the third time in Hungary and after coming back to F1 Kimi is again 2nd only 1 second behind Lewis. The press asked Kimi if the victory was possible if there had been one more lap? Kimi answered "Yes but there wasn't and I didn't win". Lewis said to Kimi "You guys (Lotus) were really fast!"

Not much have changed after last year. The cars are pretty much the same only Lewis is driving for Mercedes which isn't as good as McLaren was last season.

My guess is..

1 - Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus

2 - Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

3 - Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Fastest Lap - Fernando Alonso

Possible surprises - I believe McLaren will remind us that they are still in this sport.

Bonus - 2012 Hungarian GP Race Edit (F1.com)