[sheps]

What an incredible weekend. Any F1 fan, or motorsport fan in general, needs to sample this. Puts the rest of the world to shame. Unbelievable venue, has been a fantastic weekend. Coming again, without doubt. The while of Yas island is party central tonight, every hotel bar is rammed and for a 'dry' country there's no shortage of booze.

Schumi/Liuzzi smash happened 39ft from my seat, 3rd row back from the track. Two things that surprised me most about the racing that I've never picked up on in all the GP's I've been to before; 1) all the drivers are so repeatable in the lines they take, but all the lines are marginally different. 2) how different the cars sound-watching it on telly you don't appreciate how each car is different, they all sound the same. In real life, that close each car is totally different - McLaren's sound unbelievable!

Top weekend, two days left to go, visiting Ferrari world tomorrow. Vids and copious amounts of photos to follow.

[- Paul -]

Originally Posted by sheps

visiting Ferrari world tomorrow. Vids and copious amounts of photos to follow.

Not jealous.........well, maybe a little bit....

[dxb335d]

Well,

What a drive by Vettel. The kid done good!!!!!!!! Drove a champions race. Alonso made many mistakes although he was trying hard.

Petrov in my eyes has vindicated himself today. He did well to keep Alonso behind and not succumb to pressure.

I have had faith in Vettel for 10+ years.

Thoroughly deserving World Champion. 10 Pole positions, wow. 5 wins that should have been 8 if not for failures at Bahrain whilst leading, Brake failure at OZ whilst leading and also Engine failure whilst dominating Korea.

Thats not forgetting the points lost in Turkey and Spa. Ok mistakes were made.

Silverstone should have been a win as should have Hungary.

Youngest ever driver in F1.

Youngest ever driver to score a point

Youngest ever driver to score a Pole position

Youngest ever driver to Win a Grand Prix

Youngest ever driver to WIN the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Handled the pressure very well. Webber lost his head in Korea really, and since hasn't looked like a World Champion in the making.


Alonso has driven well this year, although he has had a lot of luck. He won Bahrain due to Vettel's car failure. Won Germany again because of team orders . Korea due to Vettel car failure again.

He did drive like a champ that he is at Singapore and Monza however.


However the best man won this year, just a shame he didn't wrap it up two odd races ago.

Great year for F1!

[Gibbo]

Who won the championship under the 2009 points system?

[Mani59]

I *think* under the top 8 finish points as per 2009, it is:

Vettel 104
Alonso 101
Hamilton 100
Webber 96
Button 87

[M3-FAST]

Sheps, so looking forward to the pictures mate - to say I was tempted when your tickets were for sale was an understatement!!!!

Carlos, fully agree mate, he 100% deserved to win it and as long as mardy Alonso didn't, I was happy!!

[Gibbo]

Originally Posted by E90_330i

I *think* under the top 8 finish points as per 2009, it is:

Vettel 104
Alonso 101
Hamilton 100
Webber 96
Button 87

Thanks, interesting to see it did not change the result.

[Oli]

Great finish to an excellent season. Well done Vettel, interesting that this was his first time at the top of the table all season. Deserved to win, he's a great driver, and with a more mature head on his shoulders could be one of the best we've seen. 5 world champions in F1 next season - bring it on.

I loved the bit when, on the podium, they tried to spray the 'champagne' - hilarious!!!!

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by Oli

Great finish to an excellent season. Well done Vettel, interesting that this was his first time at the top of the table all season. Deserved to win, he's a great driver, and with a more mature head on his shoulders could be one of the best we've seen. 5 world champions in F1 next season - bring it on.

I loved the bit when, on the podium, they tried to spray the 'champagne' - hilarious!!!!

Well lets not forget he should have won the first 3 races, he would have topped the tables and probably stayed there.

More mature? Can't get much more mature than the past 4 races.

Alonso lost his head, as did the more ''mature'' webber.

Seb can only go from strength to strength.

He has proved he can handle massive pressure, and also a very quick team mate.

Bring on 2011 I agree mate.

[Mani59]

I loved the bit at the end of the race when Alonso pulled along side Petrov and started having a finger debate on weather he should have just moved out of the way

[dxb335d]

I know!!!!!!!!! What a joke. He didn't need to act like that.
They were racing for position end of.

[Oli]

Alonsa did make up for it in the post race interview, though, even though he was such a cock to Petrov.

And Vettel has , in my view, had quite an immature season, he can be such a brat at times.

However next season will be class.

[sheps]

A few from practice/quali yesterday (over 400 pictures taken).
Please forgive the general quality: I'd like to blame limited editing/upload facilities but the fact is my enthusiasm for photography far outweighs my talents. Many more (including vids) to follow if you're interested...

Ferrari world, as viewed from inside the circuit (it's f*cking massive and I would have sold my Grandparents, parents, wife and probably my anal virginity for the metal roofing contract on that bad boy - it is vast)




Looking back up the track from my seat.
The speed at which the cars approach this complex and then brake is amazing; watching F1 live and up close reinforces how hard these guys work in their cars under braking and cornering. Us mere mortals would be ruined after 1/2 lap....





(before Will comments, "catalogue man" in the vest top was nothing to do with me!)

The corner right in front of my seat where Luizzi and Schumi would come together on race day:



Quali begins, cars negotiating hairpin. The sheer speed at which they pass, (unbelievably quick considering the fact they are negotiating a 180 degree bend) makes keeping focus (for someone with my photography skills) massively difficult; forget Gorilla pods, interchangeable lenses, F-stop and depth of field, I'm struggling to keep them in the viewfinder!























Towards the end of quali, the sun begins to set, the light fades and the circuit take on a whole new demeanour. Amplified on race day when the start of the race happens at 5pm local time, equal to the end of the qualifying period. Surprised some teams didn't opt for Cibies... Amazing atmosphere, the continual explosion of camera flashes in the grandstand must be distraction to the drivers.

[Mani59]

Wow awesome shots...very jealous

Look forward to some shots of inside Ferrari World!

[E902717]

Looks great mate! i was so tempted for your spare tickets!! The wife would have

when I was younger through my dads business he use to get get free VIP tickets for Silverstone every year I use to absolutely love it!! The supplier is tight now so we get sod all!

The noise the beasts make is out of this world!!

Looking forward to more pics!

[creepy coupe]

What a boring race it was, apart from the start, I felt like I was watching paint dry.

[misterS3]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ck/9185704.stm

The roller coaster that Sheps will be going on......unless he wimps out.

[dxb335d]

Great pics Si, looks like you had a fantastic weekend. Wow what a place. The concerts good ?!

[sheps]

Originally Posted by misterS3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ck/9185704.stm

The roller coaster that Sheps will be going on......unless he wimps out.

I did it boys. And Oh My God.
The missus took me to Alton Towers in September of this for my birthday, so I have a fairly recent frame of reference for quick rollercoasters, but this is different gravy.

Will upload photo's and stuff when I'm back on Wednesday.

Amazed at how quiet it was - seriously dead.

[briers]

One of my favourite F1 seasons

Thoroughly deserving world champion, a legend in the making.

Alonso showed his true colours with that gesture to Petrov, but big credit for keeping him at bay.

Just wish they would sort that circuit. For the final race it isn't entertaining enough. They should swap it round with Brazil, that assuming it goes down to the last race again.

[dxb335d]

[effone]

here's a few from me, taken from the 'other' side !!















cheers !!

Ian B