McLaren led the first free practice and that was the last time that anyone was close to Red Bull Racing all weekend. Red Bull led the way in the last two practices, qualifying and walked away with near maximum points. Mark Webber led from the start lights to the checkered flag while Sebastian Vettel overcame more reliability issues to finish third. Meanwhile, teams used their three-week break to make the first major updates to their cars and Mercedes was the most radical of the constructors with their changes. Continue reading
Red Bull
F1 Malaysian GP: No Problems? No Problem.
A little bit a rain during qualifying? Not a problem. High heat which makes your engineers worry on the formation lap? Not an issue. Trying to win from third on the grid? Clearly, no troubles there. Sebastian Vettel got the lead into the first turn and never looked back as he had his first trouble free race of the season. The man that led the most laps of the season heading into this weekend finally led the most important one as Red Bull and Vettel scored their first win of the year with a 1-2 finish. The race was actually interesting because there was passing and mechanical failure throughout the field. The former was probably helped by a rain-soaked qualifying session that left some frontrunners starting from the back. Continue reading
Formula One: Barcelona Testing Recap
The final pre-season test was the only one at a track on the 2010 F1 calendar. The Circuit de Catalunya plays host to the Spanish Grand Prix, the fifth stop of the F1 circus in 2010, and the final stop of preseason testing. Four group tests have brought us closer to a picture of how the 2010 Formula One World Championship will shape up. The conditions were mostly dry which gave teams ample opportunity to get their cars fine tuned for the first race of the season at Bahrain. So who was fastest in the final test of the year and who looks strong for the season? Times and analysis after the jump. Continue reading
Formula One: Jerez Test Week 2 Recap
After four days of nearly total wet weather running last week, eleven of this year’s F1 entrants were back at the Jerez Circuit in Spain for four more days of testing. For the second straight week, it was supposed to be a wet winter week in Spain as the teams battled the weather and each other for testing supremacy. However, everyone caught a break as the final two days dried out and the speeds picked up. This week also saw the debut of Lotus to run alongside fellow new entrant Virgin F1. The week’s testing time and analysis after the jump. Continue reading
F1 Abu Dhabi GP: All’s Well That Ends Well
It was both a last and a first yesterday at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. It was the last race of the 2009 Formula One season but it was the first race at the Yas Marina Circuit and the first F1 race that started in daylight and ended at night. The adventure into the dusk and desert of the United Arab Emirates was about the only drama heading into this race. It wasn’t helped by Sebastian Vettel walking away for his fourth win of the season in a largely dominant victory. Continue reading
F1 Japanese GP: Domination Is Now Spelled “Vettel”
With the Drivers’ Championship within his reach, Jenson Button wasn’t able to close the deal at one of his best tracks. Likewise, Brawn GP fumbled their chance to lock up the Constructors Title in Japan. Despite having a pretty difficult weekend between their two teams, Red Bull was able to score a win with Sebastian Vettel taking the checkered flag from pole. Meanwhile, silly season is starting to pick up with Ferrari finally confirming their 2010 driver lineup. Continue reading
Wednesday Link-Off: Alcohol is the Answer
Headlining the post in Jessiqa Pace. She was on a sign for Martini & Rossi at the Monaco Grand Prix. The drivers insisted that the sign was changed or taken down because they found it distracting. I can understand why. After the jump, ESPN synced the tapes of Lebron’s game winning three and the Cleveland news crew watching it in the studio.
We all know celebrities like to use their connections to get good seats at sporting events. Apparently, Drew Barrymore doesn’t just have ticket connections but also some with the beer vendors. (Steady Burn)
Speaking of booze, the taps will be dry in Rome for this afternoon’s EUFA Champions League final in Rome. Another shot in the war against hooliganism. (BBC) Our Lowdown radio soccer expert is in Rome. He’s likely crying into his near-beer as we read. Nah, he’ll be hammered by now.
What do you do when your bank gives you £4 million more than you asked them for? You transfer it offshore and get the hell out of the country. (Guardian)
This is a textbook example of irony: A man named as the most litigious man in the world by the Guinness World Records people is suing them. He claims they’re printing false information and calling him unflattering names. (Spokesman-Review)
While everyone complains about how expensive tickets are to the new Yankee Stadium, there is an upside. One Time Magazine reporter found a loophole in the all-you-can-eat food deal you get with Legends Suite seating. (Time)
Text messaging is destroying today’s youth. OMG! Won’t somebody spare a thought for the parents who may be paying for it. (New York Times)
4Chan is at it again. They uploaded a bunch of porn on to YouTube but hid it under titles like “Hannah Montana” and “Jonas Brothers”. I would insist that someone think of the children but, using my theory of kids finding out stuff, they would know about that before they’re teenagers. If the internet doesn’t get them, sex ed will. (BBC)
A nudity complaint about a topless bar? Is that really necessary? Wait, it was a topless donut shop? How has that not caught on in Canada, the home of the donut? (AP/Yahoo)
The plasticine garden just won’t go away. Especially now that it is going to be turned into a permanent exhibit at a location to be disclosed later. It’s a made-for-TV-special monster. (Daily Telegraph)
Coca-Cola would be proud. Traces of cocaine were found in Red Bull cola. Cola historians would know that Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine, hence the name “Coca”. (Daily Mail)
It’s a new world record! A grandmother in Atlantic City broke the world record for the longest craps roll by over an hour. (WPVI)
If they can’t spell their team’s name right, did you think that the Washington Nationals could spell the name of a former president? (D.C. Sports Blog)
Men all over the world will shed a tear when they hear about this. Hef is considering selling Playboy. (Daily Telegraph) Continue reading
Formula 1: How Does a Diffuser Work?
Tomorrow, the whole Formula One season will be turned on its head. Either six cars from Brawn GP, Williams, and Toyota will have their controversial diffusers found illegal which will cause them to be disqualified from the first two rounds of the world championship or they will be deemed legal forcing the other seven teams to play catch-up.
So before we get to Tuesday’s game changing meeting of the international court of appeal, I thought I would be a good idea to look at how a diffuser works on an F1 car and why the solutions the three teams under protest have developed are so far ahead of the competition. Continue reading
The Lowdown 