The teams’ tales of Japanese Grand Prix (Part 1)
The Japanese Grand Prix held at Suzuka this Sunday took the 2010 Formula One championship another step forward. This year has seen a sizzling and heated battle of the cars and drivers on as well as off the track.
Let’s peep into the Formula One caravan closely to know the tales of the teams as they return from the sixteenth race of the season.
Red Bull:
What could you expect from a team that, apart from owning a car faster than all its rivals, is on a track which suits them perfectly and also has a pair of drivers who are both in great form? Well, if you answered ‘a crash’, you are absolutely correct.
After what happened at the Turkish Grand Prix, ‘a crash’ is exactly what was expected of the two Red Bull drivers as they led the rally of cars this Sunday at the Suzuka Track. However, unlike the last races, both drivers were softer on each other and gave
a brilliant 1-2 finish to the team.
Sebastian Vettel conquered the track, repeating his last year’s finish at Suzuka while his team-mate, Mark Webber finished at second place. This dazzling finish called for more celebrations at the Red Bull Headquarters as the team had their throne of the
Constructors’ Championship.
McLaren:
I can safely call this the poorest week for the McLaren team not because of how many points they have scored this weekend, but because of their prevailing situation in both the championships. The twenty-two points might have been a good weekend four months
back but at this part of the season, these might become fatal for their hopes of the title.
After having a row of poor weeks, the team was looking at the Japanese round for better but this weekend pushed them even further into anxiety and frustration.
The first practice of Friday was the beginning of their bad times as both the team drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, went too wide off the track and ended with two damaged cars in the McLaren garage while a sleepless night for their mechanics.
More hard luck was on their way as Saturday morning brought heavy rainstorm, halting the teams from practice or qualifying. Finally, the British team met Sunday with almost no practice.
Earlier, some important updates were to be tested on Friday but as the drivers’ stunts did not allow that, the team ran the race without the up gradations scheduled for this round. Moreover, the 2008 Champion, Hamilton faced gear problems on the final race
day. With all this, the fourth and fifth place finish by Hamilton and Vettel respectively doesn't seem to be a surprise.
Now, the fight for the title has become tougher for the team that had already been facing lack of speed as compared to its closest rivals, Red Bull and Ferrari.
With three more races left, only a thin ray of light is visible for them. Only if at some point from now on, Fernando Alonso or the Red Bull men fall short of luck or make a big mistake, the dying hopes of McLaren would be able to breathe again.
BMW Sauber:
Prior to the race, all eyes were glued on the team and their Japanese driver, Kamui Kobayashi, who was running his first home race with Formula One. The driver was able to keep the tradition of his countrymen alive.
As an old habit, the Japanese drivers perform pretty well at their home races which is why their home fans are always high spirited and welcoming for them.
So, it was no surprise to see Kobayashi shine on the tack and give a soothing 7th place finish to the team, which was evenly complimented by his team-mate, Nick Heidfeld, who finished at eighth place.
This weekend marked the best for the team after a long struggling 2010 season.
(To be continued....)
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