F1 - 4 - LIFE

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

2014 Austrian Grand Prix preview

Austrian GP 1997

The Austrian GP is back after 11 years! I have been in Austria and I absolutely love the whole country. A very special and beautiful place so why not combine it with Formula One? ;)

A1 Ring, now known as Red Bull Ring (or something like that) looks like this:

The previous Austrian GP was in 2003 and Michael Schumacher was fighting for the championship with Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya. They were no match for Michael and his Ferrari so of course he won the race. Kimi was second and Juan Pablo retired from the race.

If we look at the current drivers who have raced in Austria there is Kimi Räikkönen who I mentioned earlier, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. From these drivers Kimi has been the most successful there so keep an eye on him. He even took a 4th place with Sauber in his first year. Back then Sauber never got podiums so that was a very good result.

What kind of memories do I have from this track then? I remember in 1998 when Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard took a 1-2 for McLaren and Schumacher was 3rd. Those three were fighting for the championship in 1998. In the end it was just Mika vs. Michael.

Usually I talk more about memories and the track but this time the only thing on my mind is Michael Schumacher. I am sitting here and I'm trying to remember stuff from Austria and the only thing I can recall is Michael standing on the podium smiling.

I am very glad he has woken up from his coma but still, you never know in what kind of condition he is. It is very hard to think about it. Let's send him some warm positive thoughts and hope for the best.

I think Michael will be in everybody's minds this weekend. Maybe the race winner will even dedicate the win to him? We shall wait and see.

Then it's time for my predictions.

Pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

The race:

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

Fastest lap: Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari

Surprise: Ferrari will show some improvement.

Remember to post your own predictions to our F1-4-LIFE PREDICTORS LEAGUE.

The rules:

POINTS:
1st - 3
2nd - 5
3rd - 10

HOW IT WORKS: the aim of the game is simply predict who comes where in the race (top3). A total of 18 points can be won on a race day. If you get winner and and 3rd place right but 2nd wrong you get 13 points same if you get 1 correct. eg. 2nd you get 5 points. If a driver wins the race and you said he would come 2nd or 3rd no points would be awarded. Same if he came in another position, and you predicted that wrong. A table will be posted up every race weekend. The point scoring system will change once the cars become more competitive. Everyone will say a merc 1,2 so it won't be close or fun.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR PREDICTIONS: send an email to f14lifeblog@gmail.com or message the Facebook page to submit your predictions. You have until lights out to make them. If you submit them when the race has started they won't count. So be quick! like the Mercedes.

THE PRIZE: the winner of the league will win themselves a admin place on the F1 4 LIFE page along side JT, AE & MW. If you don't want to be an admin you are welcome to participate anyway. We may also come up with some other prize if it helps.

THIS TIME YOU ALSO GET BONUS POINTS! PREDICT POLE POSITION AND FASTEST LAP CORRECTLY TO EARN 2 EXTRA POINTS!

That's it for today and if you want to send me feedback then email me: f14lifeblog@gmail.com

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Caterham confirm Stevens for post-race Silverstone test

Caterham have announced that test driver Will Stevens will drive the team’s CT05 on the first of two days of testing at Silverstone following July’s 2014 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix.

Stevens, currently fourth in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series with 68 points, made his F1 debut with the Leafield-based squad during last year’s young driver test at the Northamptonshire venue and has since played an integral role in developing their driver-in-the-loop simulator. The 22-year-old Briton has also provided race weekend support to Caterham in his role as the team’s test driver.

“It’ll be great to be back in an F1 car for the first time since the 2013 Silverstone test and with the amount of time I’ve already spent in the virtual car in the simulator, I can’t wait to see how it compares to the real thing,” said Stevens.

“I’m sure we’ll have a busy run-plan set for the day and my focus will be on doing the best job I can for the team, building on the work I’ve been doing all year in the sim at Leafield.”

The Silverstone session is the third of four in-season tests in 2014 and runs from July 8-9.

(source: f1.com)

Monday, June 16, 2014

Schumacher out of coma, leaves hospital

Michael Schumacher, who suffered serious head injuries in a skiing accident last December, is no longer in a coma, according to his management.

Furthermore, the seven-time world champion has now left Grenoble’s University Hospital in France to ‘continue his long phase of rehabilitation’.

“His family would like to explicitly thank all his treating doctors, nurses and therapists in Grenoble as well as the first aiders at the place of the accident, who did an excellent job in those first months,” read a statement.

“The family also wishes to thank all the people who have sent Michael all the many good wishes to Michael. We are sure it helped him.”

Schumacher, 45, was placed in an induced coma after falling and hitting his head on a rock during a family ski trip. The German’s medical team began reducing his sedation at the end of January.

“For the future we ask for understanding that his further rehabilitation will take place away from the public eye,” concluded Monday’s statement.

With seven drivers’ titles, 91 Grand Prix victories and 68 pole positions, Schumacher remains the most successful driver in Formula One history. He retired at the end of the 2012 season.

(source: f1.com)