The 2012 Spanish Grand Prix Thread

[Ed]

This is the place to discuss everything related to the fifth round of the 2012 season taking place at Barcelona between the 11th and 13th of May.

To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Spain click here, to register in the competition click here

Track Layout



The event timetable for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Friday
1st Practice 10:00 local time - 08:00 GMT
2nd Practice 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Saturday
Practice 11:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
Qualifying 14:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

Sunday
Race 12:00 local time - 12:00 GMT

For the latest Formula 1 News check out the F1 news page

[Ed]

1st Friday practice: Alonso was quickest ahead of Vettel and Kobayashi - Full results

[Ed]

2nd Friday practice: Button was quickest ahead of Vettel and Rosberg - Full results

[Thaddeus]

Finding it really hard to predict qualifying. Hamilton's tipped Button for pole. Is that serious, or mind games?

Also, Button kept complaining about understeer in P2... but also posted the fastest time. Was the problem solved, or was he moaning a bit more than he ought to?

In commentary Alguesuari suggested understeer was a must-have because the surface's abrasive and understeer enables the rear tyres to last more than five minutes.

Red Bull also look fast on softs, and on long runs I think Lotus could again challenge for victory. Be interesting to see how Mercedes and Ferrari do as well.

[Ed]

Hamilton takes pole in Spain from an impressive Maldonado in the Williams and Alonso in a much improved Ferrari

3 cars out of the top 10 didn't set laps times. Kobayashi has a hydraulic problem at the end of Q2 while Schumacher and Vettel opted not to set times as both had no more new softs

Full results

3rd Practice times

[Ed]

Lewis Hamilton has been stripped of pole due to running out of fuel and wasn't able to get back to the pits.

Hamilton will start from the back. This is another team error that has affected Hamilton.

It means that Maldonado will start from Pole with Alonso alongside him with Grosjean and Raikkonen now on the second row

Full story

[Thaddeus]

I think that that's really harsh on Hamilton. A 5 place grid penalty would've been fine.

That said, Whitmarsh's argument of Force Majeure was so bad it's practically satire.

Out of interest, does this mean for the Pole 'n' 10 competition that Maldonado 'won' pole?

[Ed]

Congratulations to Pastor Maldonado and the Williams team on winning the Spanish Grand Prix. It is the first win for Maldonado and the first fo the Williams team since Brazil 2004.

Alonso finished second ahead of Raikkonen, Grosjean, Kobayashi, Vettel, Rosberg, Hamilton, Button and Hulkenberg make the top 10

Full Results

[Thaddeus]

Voted for Maldonado as driver of the day. I really didn't think he stood a chance.

Mind you, Fisichella very nearly won for Force India a few years when he qualified on pole (I think) and finished second.

Kobayashi also had a very good race.

[Jim Watt]

Another brilliant race! Kudos to Maldonado; he did everything he was asked. Makes me wonder about racer's luck, though. Look at how much longer it took Jenson and Nico to get a win!

The Merc team definitely missed Ross today & Michael was embarrassed.

Lewis drove a great race, one you could put against some of Michael's come-from-last-place runs. But the McLaren Team looks lost.

Once again, Kimi drove like a demon, but his team's decisions worked against him. He could have pitted just five laps earlier on his final stop and possibly got a step higher on the podium, maybe even two steps higher. That said, his team's pit stops were solid. They need to do something to help him when the tank's full; once the car lightens up, he's blinding.

Ferrari's pit stops were just brilliant --and Fernando added supporting evidence to the claim that he's the best of the best these days.

Now I have a question for Maranello --and all of you little Felipe fans: Fernando is tied for the W.D.C. with 61 points after five races. Felipe has 2. Yes, 2 points. How long do we have to wait for them to act?!?

Look at the list of drivers who could finish, consistently, no more than one or two places behind Fernando.

Never mind Maldonado; there's Hulkenberg; Grosjean; Kobayashi; Ricciardo; diResta; Perez --they could buy any one of those guys with a single phone call & 'lil Phil' can come to Indy and drive in a circle with Rubens.

On to Monaco!

Jim Watt
_________________
My Racing Gods: Fangio, Vukovich; Senna & Mears --all racers all the time; graceful winners & generous in defeat, but never giving up!!

[Axey]

I voted for Kobayashi purely because he slid under the radar and he did a stunning job to finish 5th and most of you will all pile the credit on Maldonado and rightly so

(no biased choice here ofc)

Overall it was a solid race not great but solid
_________________
Sauber FTW
Massa FTW
any ex Sauber driver FTW
Perez and Koboyashi FTW
btw did i mention i like Sauber

[Thaddeus]

I must agree, Mr. Watt.

Massa was great in 2008, but he's never regained that form. He's doing worse than Kovalainen did as Hamilton's team mate. I'd axe him and consider the Force India drivers or Perez as potential replacements.