The Formula 1 season starts in 10 days time. I wonder who will win the Championship this year!

Does anyone watch it? If so, who do you think is going to win?

Car Expert

Oh, I had forgotten all about this.

I have been brought up watching it. I used to like Damon Hill (infact when I was about 8/9, I wrote I liked him on my wall, and my friends have teased me since!). I once sent him a birthday card I had made and got a t-shirt and a letter to say thankyou. *ahem* *blushes*

Are there any new people this year?

Yes, I do watch it occasionally. Think it might be Kimi Raikonnen's year for the Championship.

• Rosberg (Williams)
• Speed (Toro Rosso)
• Ide (Super Aguri)

Car Expert

Speed...hahaha

Pretty apt name for an F1 driver!

He's an American. Believe he was in F2 racing last year. Toro Rosso is the team formerly known as Minardi.

Nicki - I also have a letter from Damon Hill. I hasten to add this was not in response to a hand made birthday card!! I was lucky enough to enjoy a VIP trip to Silverstone the year he won the title - although sadly he spun out of the race right infront of me. I also got to sit in an F1 car - weird as your feet are higher than your head (oh golly, that does NOT read well!!!!) Alas, I failed in my endeavour to get a clipping of Damon's chest hair - shame! I lurrrrrrrrrrrve F1 although I despise ITV's coverage with a passion - it really is ghastly. Nothing could top the double act of Murray Walker and the late great James Hunt ....

Not thought about this year's championship but the McLaren sure LOOKS gorgeous.

Right, back to my trusty Citroen Saxo.....mmm...not QUITE the same but hey, I get 0-60 in half an hour with a following wind....

Bag xx

Great - F1 is back soon!!

My kids are resigned to the fact that everything stops on Saturday lunchtime (Qualifying) and Sunday (usually) afternoon for up to 3 hours! Although we're not quite so desperate that we get up early to watch the Aus & Japan races - after 40 we need our sleep!

What amazed me was my then 3 yr old daughter telling me in Welsh that Michael Schumacher's car was number 7 (it wasn't) but it was when he was driving for Benetton and had "Mild Seven" splashed across the rear wing. Who says that subliminal tobacco advertising doesn't affect kids?!

This daughter is now 13 and today asked brotherinlaw if his field was ok for her to learn to drive one of Dad's old X1/9 wrecks! She can't wait to be mobile - probably comes from living in the middle of nowhere, on a hill (snowed in this morning!) at least a mile both up and down hill from the nearest bus-stop! In her opinion legs are for working pedals not for walking!

My personal F1 current driver favourite is Giancarlo Fisichella, but I do have a bit of a thing about Italians (cars as well as men) - best experience in Italy was in a queue of 40+ X1/9s being excorted through Torino city centre by 4 uniformed, booted and very macho Carabinieri on their motorbikes, topped by driving on the test track on the top of the Lingotto factory (see it done in the original Italian Job movie) - wow those bends are banked!

Yay, glad to know I am not the only one
What was your letter about? I also have a book about him. Chest hair, nahhh, his eyes/eyebrows were the best bit. Murray Walker really was the best even if he said the wrong things half the time
*laughs* at Bag's last comment.

I once met damon hill - ive still got the picture - i must have been about 6 - i can only vaugely remember it.

I very rarely watch it, if I am, it means that my dad has control over the remote.

. I once went to a Donington Park thing where he was racing, but didn't see him

Ah, good point about the eyes Nicki - particularly penetrating (gulp). When I was little I remember being fascinated by Graham Hill - same eyes. I have a Damon T Shirt so his eyes are permanently on my chest! Ho ho.

Right. Off for a cold shower.

Bag x

*laughs* I have one somewhere Never worn it though

Anyone going to the British Grand Prix this year? My brother is going!

Nope!

Neither am I!

Me three, although I would like to go one day!

Car Expert

I thought you might CE!

The only problem I would have with going to a Grand Prix is : if you were there, live, wouldn't you just see various car-shaped 'blurs' zooming past you, and little else?

I have been to some car races, including some at Donington, and you can see the cars...you can definitely hear them

Yes, you can definitely hear them! I don't like noisy cars. My car is so quiet sometimes I can't hear the engine running!

My car is silent






(yes, I know it is invisible)

A Toyota Prius by any chance?

Car Expert

I only watch about 5 laps of Monaco and Suzaka when it was there because they are/were fun but 50-odd laps is too much for me, I have better things to do like be on these forums for example!

Nope!

Here is the timerable for the Formula 1 season this year:

1. 12th March = Bahrain
2. 19th March = Malaysia
3. 2nd April = Australia
4. 23rd April = San Marino
5. 7th May = Europe
6. 14th May = Spain
7. 28th May = Monaco
8. 11th June = Britain
9. 25th June = Canada
10. 2nd July = USA
11. 16th July = France
12. 30th July = Germany
13. 6th August = Hungary
14. 27th August = Turkey
15. 10th September = Italy
16. 1st October = China
17. 8th October = Japan
18. 22nd October = Brazil

Car Expert

And here is the list of drivers and teams:

Renault

• Fernando Alonso
• Giancarlo Fisichella

McLaren

• Kimi Räikönnen
• Juan Pablo Montoya

Ferrari

• Michael Schumacher
• Felipe Massa

Toyota

• Ralf Schumacher
• Jarno Trulli

Williams

• Marc Webber
• Nico Rosberg

Honda

• Rubens Barrichello
• Jenson Button

Red Bull

• David Coulthard
• Christian Klien

BMW Sauber

• Nick Heidfeld
• Jacques Villeneuve

Midland

• Tiago Montiero
• Christijan Albers

Toro Rosso

• Vitantonio Liuzzi
• Scott Speed

Super Aguri

• Takuma Sato
• Yuji Ide

Car Expert

For those formula 1 fans amongst us, here is the grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix!

There is an error with your link Barry.

Car Expert

Just corrected it CE! Should work ok now!

Nice to see a Ferrari front row for once. Wonder how well Schumacher and Massa (and Button) will do tomorrow.

Car Expert

So, what time is the race tomorrow?

*reads article* What! Not more new qualifying rules...again!

11:30

Car Expert

An hour to go! Can't wait!

Car Expert

The qualifying rules make me

Me too. I saw the qualifying results on barry-clari's link, and I thought "what is going on here?"

Car Expert

According to Dad, they ALL go out at once, then the slowest 6 are eliminated, they do it again, and the next slowest 6 are eliminated, then they do it again to dechiper who is on pole. Bit silly if you ask me

I know!

I wonder how the new teams replacing Minardi and Jordan will do!

Car Expert

I don't know. I REALLY can't afford to watch it all, as have work to do, so will watch about an hour of it.

Does it actually start at 11 or is that when the programe about it starts?

The programme has just started now, and the race starts at 11:30.

Just read that the Super Aguri team is going to use four-year-old Arrows cars until a new car comes out. Strange!

Car Expert

Humph. That means I can only watch 1/2 hour before I have to go and do some work.

Amazingly, I've got a Sunday when I'm not doing something else, so I can watch the Grand Prix!

its nearly started - they are one thier warm up lap now!

I am going back to watch it...

Here's the result of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Nice to see that there appears to be several teams this year capable of winning races!

Go Renault!!

It's the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend. I wonder what will happen!

Car Expert

The drivers will drive their cars round the circuit at very high speed...

Seriously though I thought the GP was every fortnight, or has two weeks evaporated more quickly than usual?

Usually it's every two weeks, but sometimes there are two GPs week after week.

Car Expert