In-season Formula 1 testing was banned in 2009, but after 3 years the ban has been scraped. The F1 paddock will visit the Mugello circuit in Italy for 3 days of important testing. This article is basically updating you on the driver line ups for that test, a preview of the circuit and what kind of things we can expect from them.

Driver's were outraged when the ban of in-season testing came about, complaining that it will hinder development of the cars. However it was banned for a reason, money. Around this time the FIA set rules to cut costs in F1 and that was one of the sacrifices. This year we return to testing during a season because the pre-season tests have sacrificed a day each to keep the number of test days below 12.


The Circuit
Mugello will host the 3 days of Formula 1 testing, from the 1st to 3rd of May.

The Mugello circuit is a 3.3 mile circuit, which is mainly used for MotoGP and DTM. The track is owned by Ferrari so it often gets used as a test circuit for the F1 giant. It has a total of 15 corners which mainly consist of medium and high speed bends, with only a few hard braking points. This year will be the first year that a full F1 grid will get to test out the circuit. Some admitted it was a surprise to see it being chosen, but it offers alot of things and will test the car, yet still be able to test new components.

The Teams
It is crucial for a team to pick the right drivers to go testing with, they give back all the feedback and that really determines whether of not the updates they bring are working. They also want someone consistent and someone who will not throw it off the track. Here is the line up:

Mclaren: The British squad will take their two test drivers, Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey, to the test, to try out the MP4-27. These two are both very different, Gary being an experienced tester and Oliver being the new boy. They will both get 1 and a half days in the car to test out Mclaren's Spanish GP updates. There was concern in the Mclaren camp that Hamilton was not happy with the decision, Button the complete opposite, but they have confirmed Lewis will not be testing the car in Mugello.

Sauber: The Swiss squad will take their current driver line up to the test. They will hand over the C31 to Kobayashi for the first 2 days, with Perez having 1 sole day of testing to himself.

Caterham: The Norfolk based team will give their test driver a run in the CT01 on the opening day, Rodolfo Gonzalez who is currently racing in GP2. Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov will then get 1 day each to test for the team, who are hoping their updates can help close in on the midfield.

Ferrari: The Italian squad are returning home for the test session, giving them a slight home advantage. They have given 2005 and 2006 F1 world champion Fernando Alonso 2 days in the car, with under performing Brazilian Felipe Massa having just 1 day.

Force India: The Silverstone based F1 team will be taking Jules Bianchi, Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg to the test. They will each have 1 day in the car, in the order listed above.

Williams: Like Force India, the Grove based squad will kick off the test with their 3rd driver Valtteri Bottas. Both their F1 race drivers will get their hands on the car, with Senna and Maldonado driving on day 2 and 3 respectively.

Lotus: The E20 will be driven by their 3rd driver Jerome d'Ambrosio on the first of May. He will then hand the car over to Kimi Raikkonen and Romian Grosjean who will both have 1 day each.

HRT: The Spanish team have already made the decision not to test at Mugello. The team said they had a "slightly rushed" start to the season and are concentrating on getting the Spanish GP upgrade ready, as well as relocating to Madrid.

What to expect

The teams will focus on developing their Spanish GP upgrades and gathering relevant data on whether or not they will work. They have just 3 days so running will be common, expect lots of laps. They will also be wanting to test the reliability of their cars and upgrades, as well as some teams giving their 3rd drivers their chance to drive the car.

Category: articles

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In-season Formula 1 testing was banned in 2009, but after 3 years the ban has been scraped. The F1 paddock will visit the Mugello circuit in Italy for 3 days of important testing. This article is basically updating you on the driver line ups for that test, a preview of the circuit and what kind of things we can expect from them.

Driver's were outraged when the ban of in-season testing came about, complaining that it will hinder development of the cars. However it was banned for a reason, money. Around this time the FIA set rules to cut costs in F1 and that was one of the sacrifices. This year we return to testing during a season because the pre-season tests have sacrificed a day each to keep the number of test days below 12.


The Circuit
Mugello will host the 3 days of Formula 1 testing, from the 1st to 3rd of May.

The Mugello circuit is a 3.3 mile circuit, which is mainly used for MotoGP and DTM. The track is owned by Ferrari so it often gets used as a test circuit for the F1 giant. It has a total of 15 corners which mainly consist of medium and high speed bends, with only a few hard braking points. This year will be the first year that a full F1 grid will get to test out the circuit. Some admitted it was a surprise to see it being chosen, but it offers alot of things and will test the car, yet still be able to test new components.

The Teams
It is crucial for a team to pick the right drivers to go testing with, they give back all the feedback and that really determines whether of not the updates they bring are working. They also want someone consistent and someone who will not throw it off the track. Here is the line up:

Mclaren: The British squad will take their two test drivers, Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey, to the test, to try out the MP4-27. These two are both very different, Gary being an experienced tester and Oliver being the new boy. They will both get 1 and a half days in the car to test out Mclaren's Spanish GP updates. There was concern in the Mclaren camp that Hamilton was not happy with the decision, Button the complete opposite, but they have confirmed Lewis will not be testing the car in Mugello.

Sauber: The Swiss squad will take their current driver line up to the test. They will hand over the C31 to Kobayashi for the first 2 days, with Perez having 1 sole day of testing to himself.

Caterham: The Norfolk based team will give their test driver a run in the CT01 on the opening day, Rodolfo Gonzalez who is currently racing in GP2. Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov will then get 1 day each to test for the team, who are hoping their updates can help close in on the midfield.

Ferrari: The Italian squad are returning home for the test session, giving them a slight home advantage. They have given 2005 and 2006 F1 world champion Fernando Alonso 2 days in the car, with under performing Brazilian Felipe Massa having just 1 day.

Force India: The Silverstone based F1 team will be taking Jules Bianchi, Paul Di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg to the test. They will each have 1 day in the car, in the order listed above.

Williams: Like Force India, the Grove based squad will kick off the test with their 3rd driver Valtteri Bottas. Both their F1 race drivers will get their hands on the car, with Senna and Maldonado driving on day 2 and 3 respectively.

Lotus: The E20 will be driven by their 3rd driver Jerome d'Ambrosio on the first of May. He will then hand the car over to Kimi Raikkonen and Romian Grosjean who will both have 1 day each.

HRT: The Spanish team have already made the decision not to test at Mugello. The team said they had a "slightly rushed" start to the season and are concentrating on getting the Spanish GP upgrade ready, as well as relocating to Madrid.

What to expect

The teams will focus on developing their Spanish GP upgrades and gathering relevant data on whether or not they will work. They have just 3 days so running will be common, expect lots of laps. They will also be wanting to test the reliability of their cars and upgrades, as well as some teams giving their 3rd drivers their chance to drive the car.

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Not only is Will Buxton one of the funniest people on my twitter feed, he is also an accomplished Journalist and commentator. With Sky Sports F1 now containing the GP2 and GP3 season, Will's voice can be heard by even more as he commentates on those important F1 feeder series.

Will has worked in motorsport for 10 years now and is a popular guy around the paddock. His knowledge of F1 and GP2 is truly amazing and he has worked hard to get a career in his favourite sport. A life long F1 fan, he was inspired by Ayrton Senna and was hit hard in 1994 when one of motor sports legends died. He went to University and studied the politics of F1, before moving on in hhs career.

In this exclusive interview, Will describes his journey to his current role as GP2 and GP3 commentator and SPEED F1 pit lane reporter as well as giving me some of his predictions and views.


1) Hi Will, thanks for answering these questions, firstly how did you get involved in Formula 1?

Wow, where to start? I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. I grew up idolising Ayrton Senna. I was 13 in 1994, a very impressionable age I guess. His death really hit me hard because I think in some way he was such a hero that I always thought of him as being immortal. I bought my first copies of Motorsport News and Autosport that week, and in their pages discovered answers to my questions and voices that spoke to me of their love for my hero. Nobody at school understood why I was so upset, but these Formula 1 writers knew exactly how I felt. It was then that I knew what I wanted to do with my life. From that point on there was only one job I ever wanted to do. I went to University to study politics, because I didn't want to do a journalism degree and wind up as an identical writer to everyone else on my course. Politics would teach me to research, form my own arguments, write cohesively... that kind of thing. I wrote my thesis on the politics of F1. Those marking it thought it was rubbish, but David Tremayne gave me a job straight out of Uni as Staff Writer at Bernie's F1 Magazine. I'd been writing the occasional article on Joe Saward's GrandPrix.com during my final days at Uni, but the F1 Mag gig was my first real job in motorsport. That was a decade ago, and I've been here ever since.

2) Where you always a fan of the sport? Whats your first memory of F1?

Always. My first memory of motorsport is my Dad taking me to the Prescott hillclimb when I was about 4 or 5. I fell over a  huge tent peg and still have the scar on my shin. As for F1? My first memory is of watching white and red flashes through a forest. Must have been 1987 or 1988, those Marlboro McLarens, at either Monza or Hockenheim on a Sunday afternoon on TV after a huge roast lunch.

3) You moved from F1 to GP2, how did that change come about?

Formula 1 Magazine was closed down with about a week to go before the start of the 2004 F1 season. I was 23 and had just been made redundant from the only job I'd ever wanted. My parents came to the rescue and loaned me enough to purchase a campervan and I went on a tour of Europe that season, driving from race to race. 2004 was the first season that the calendar had gone way over 16 races (a whopping 18 in 2004) but ten of those were still in Europe so driving to every one was an affordable way to cover the majority of the year. Towards the end of the European season, Stephane Samson, who had been appointed head of PR at GP2 approached me about becoming press officer for the championship. He thought the campervan thing was pretty Rock n Roll, and very GP2. With no jobs in journalism opening up, I thought a few years working in PR with the young drivers who would shape the future of F1 was just about the best career move I could make. And it was.

Oh, and I did repay my folks, little by little over the last 8 years, finally paying the last instalment off about a year ago as I recall.

4) What are the main differences between GP2 and Formula 1?

How long have you got? I think the main difference is you've got 13 teams who each run the same car, engine, tyres... it really does all come down to the driver and how he works with his engineer. It's a great preparation for F1. GP2's birth was also pretty tough with a number of mechanical issues in the early days and that really helped create a community as teams helped each other out in the first few races to ensure all the cars got on the grid. If they hadn't, and the championship had failed, their investments would have been for nothing. So the teams pulled together, GP2 pulled itself together, and by the Nurburgring in that first season the vast majority of the creases had ben ironed out and we had a fabulous championship.

That feeling of community still exists. Drivers, engineers, media, team bosses... even the occasional F1 driver, sit together, eat, talk, laugh... it is a very relaxing atmosphere off track in the hospitality unit.

5) Looking back at the GP2 series, have there been any drivers which you knew would make it to F1, from their first race?

Lewis is the obvious one. Effortlessly fast and graced with the kind of ability that made his moves look choreographed. Hulkenberg was impressive from the off, Grosjean too.

Robert Kubica tested for Durango at the end of 2005. Although he never raced in GP2, you just knew from that test that he was going to be amazing. Simona de Silvestro impressed me when she tested for Campos, too.

What has surprised me however were those I truly hoped would make it that didn't. Giorgio Pantano remains the greatest lost talent of our generation. I truly believe that. Juan Cruz Alvarez had something special, so too did Hiroki Yoshimoto and Luca Filippi. Adam Carroll was balls to the wall quick, and I still believe that if we lived in an era of open testing, Lucas di Grassi would be the most fought over development driver in F1. There have been some incredible talents in GP2, but for as long as the likes of Grandpa Schumacher want to carry on trying to get a podium to prove to themselves they've still got it, there won't always be space for them over the road in F1.

6) You now provide international commentary for the GP2 series, what have been your favourite races to commentate on?

They're usually always good to be honest... especially at Tilke tracks. Bahrain has always been especially good. A few years ago I ended up on my knees screaming my head off on the final lap, and at the first weekend in Bahrain this year the Sprint race saw Valsecchi take the lead on the last lap from 8th on the grid and I went crazy.

One of my favourite races to commentate was a actually the Feature GP3 race in Spa in 2010. It started raining in the final sector, with only a few laps to go and almost everyone except for Wickens, the race leader, pitted. Wickens smashed into the pitwall and I remember saying that his team and he had thrown it all away. But he carried on, somehow, with no front wing, on slicks, in water an inch high. The clock was ticking down and the safety car was due to come in, and Wickens did the smartest thing I've ever seen. He ran the clock down. Because he could pace the field as the leader behind the safety car, he just wound it down, the clock went to zero, he crossed the line and bingo... race winner. I was going nuts in the commentary box over how clever that was.

Last season was a real joy, as for the first time I had a co-commentator and that makes life so much easier, as you have time to gather your thoughts and listen to their insight. Last year it was my good friend Karun Chandhok, whom I had got to know through GP2. We had a lot of fun together, but the race that stands out was our first together in a full season, in Barcelona with a moment that ended up doing the rounds on You Tube when I uttered the words, "Shut up, that's ridiculous" as Grosjean passed three cars in one corner. It was a hell of a move and Karun and I couldn't quite believe what we'd seen. That was a nice moment.

This year I have Jerome d'Ambrosio alongside me, and after two weekends our relationship is really starting to come together on air. His insight is fabulous, but he's very different to Karun. Karun's pants used to light on fire along with mine, but Jerome is horizontal. Totally chilled out. I'll be going crazy and he's just really relaxed about it all. I love the contrast. It makes me laugh, and it makes him laugh and that is wonderful. We are having a really great time and I can't wait to share the season with him.

7) You celebrate 10 years of employment in the Motorsport industry this year, what have been the highlights from the last decade?

So many. Too many. I just think I am incredibly lucky to be living the life that I am and to be able to do a job that I love. I'm constantly scared that someone will turn around and tell me it is all over.

I have met some wonderful people and made some incredible friends.

And it is due to the sport that I have my incredible daughter, so for her and for everything else in my world and all the amazing people who have become a part of my life through this insane sport, I will be forever thankful.

8) Looking at the current GP2 season, who is your tip for the title and also who will be the next driver to get an F1 drive?

After just a few races it is too early to say. This will be the longest GP2 championship in history and there are always so many factors that go into creating the perfect season. If you look at last year you'd have said Grosjean would walk the title after the first weekend, but when Filippi moved to Coloni, he outscored Grosjean in the second half of the season. Things can change very quickly. One thing is certain, Dams have a very fast car which is very good on its tyres. Lotus also looks very competitive and I have never seen Luiz Razia look fitter or be more mentally together. Last season I would have said that with Pirelli tyres we would never see a rookie champion again, but Calado and Nasr are impressing me tremendously right now.

If it ends up being a fight between the experienced heads of Valsecchi, Razia, sophomore Gutierrez and rookies Calado and Nasr, then we've got a great season in store. Throw Van der Garde, possibly Coletti and, who knows, maybe even Ericsson into the mix and it'll be even better.

Next for an F1 drive? It all depends where the seats open up. If Perez moves to Ferrari as expected, then I would fully expect that Gutierrez will line up at Sauber in 2013.

9) And now looking up to F1, what do you think of this season? It is alot closer!

This season looks incredible. We've got three or four teams who are genuine contenders at the front, and it all seems to be falling down to tyre management. I'm sure that the three day test in Mugello will help the teams get on top of their tyre issues and moving to Europe with relatively steady temperatures should also help to give us a clearer image. Some people will whine and say that F1 shouldn't be about managing tyres, but I disagree. You have to look after your car, drivers are constantly being asked to change engine maps to look after their power unit, so what almighty commandment is there in the greater concept of what F1 should be that has, "thou shalt be able to abuse thine tyres in any way thou sees fit" written in stone? It is one extra variable to play with and it is a variable I love.

The rules are the same for everyone. The quality of drivers across the grid has never been better. It's time to stop complaining and get racing because, let's face it, can you remember an era this exciting? Those with rose tinted glasses will always hark back to those halcyon days of yore, but I honestly think that we are living through one of the greatest eras in Formula 1 history.

10) Who is your tip for the 2 titles in F1 this year, or is it to difficult to predict?

I predict that one of the drivers and one of the teams currently racing in Formula 1 will win the titles this year.

Honestly, I have no idea. I don't think anyone does. Mugello will give us a few answers, as will Barcelona... but then we have Monaco and Montreal and we're not going to learn much from either of those. Perhaps we'll have an idea by the end of the European season but then we get into random territory with the fly-aways again. If you ask me this question in Brazil, on the grid... I still don't think I'll have an answer. Because if this championship plays out the way we all think and hope it might, we could have 5 or 6 drivers still in contention at the final race.

Thanks to Will for answering my questions, such an interesting read. Completely agree, it is too hard to predict a winner in both GP2 and F1. Follow him on twitter @WillBuxton

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Not only is Will Buxton one of the funniest people on my twitter feed, he is also an accomplished Journalist and commentator. With Sky Sports F1 now containing the GP2 and GP3 season, Will's voice can be heard by even more as he commentates on those important F1 feeder series.

Will has worked in motorsport for 10 years now and is a popular guy around the paddock. His knowledge of F1 and GP2 is truly amazing and he has worked hard to get a career in his favourite sport. A life long F1 fan, he was inspired by Ayrton Senna and was hit hard in 1994 when one of motor sports legends died. He went to University and studied the politics of F1, before moving on in his career.

In this exclusive interview, Will describes his journey to his current role as GP2 and GP3 commentator and SPEED F1 pit lane reporter as well as giving me some of his predictions and views.


1) Hi Will, thanks for answering these questions, firstly how did you get involved in Formula 1?

Wow, where to start? I've been a fan for as long as I can remember. I grew up idolising Ayrton Senna. I was 13 in 1994, a very impressionable age I guess. His death really hit me hard because I think in some way he was such a hero that I always thought of him as being immortal. I bought my first copies of Motorsport News and Autosport that week, and in their pages discovered answers to my questions and voices that spoke to me of their love for my hero. Nobody at school understood why I was so upset, but these Formula 1 writers knew exactly how I felt. It was then that I knew what I wanted to do with my life. From that point on there was only one job I ever wanted to do. I went to University to study politics, because I didn't want to do a journalism degree and wind up as an identical writer to everyone else on my course. Politics would teach me to research, form my own arguments, write cohesively... that kind of thing. I wrote my thesis on the politics of F1. Those marking it thought it was rubbish, but David Tremayne gave me a job straight out of Uni as Staff Writer at Bernie's F1 Magazine. I'd been writing the occasional article on Joe Saward's GrandPrix.com during my final days at Uni, but the F1 Mag gig was my first real job in motorsport. That was a decade ago, and I've been here ever since.

2) Where you always a fan of the sport? Whats your first memory of F1?

Always. My first memory of motorsport is my Dad taking me to the Prescott hillclimb when I was about 4 or 5. I fell over a  huge tent peg and still have the scar on my shin. As for F1? My first memory is of watching white and red flashes through a forest. Must have been 1987 or 1988, those Marlboro McLarens, at either Monza or Hockenheim on a Sunday afternoon on TV after a huge roast lunch.

3) You moved from F1 to GP2, how did that change come about?

Formula 1 Magazine was closed down with about a week to go before the start of the 2004 F1 season. I was 23 and had just been made redundant from the only job I'd ever wanted. My parents came to the rescue and loaned me enough to purchase a campervan and I went on a tour of Europe that season, driving from race to race. 2004 was the first season that the calendar had gone way over 16 races (a whopping 18 in 2004) but ten of those were still in Europe so driving to every one was an affordable way to cover the majority of the year. Towards the end of the European season, Stephane Samson, who had been appointed head of PR at GP2 approached me about becoming press officer for the championship. He thought the campervan thing was pretty Rock n Roll, and very GP2. With no jobs in journalism opening up, I thought a few years working in PR with the young drivers who would shape the future of F1 was just about the best career move I could make. And it was.

Oh, and I did repay my folks, little by little over the last 8 years, finally paying the last instalment off about a year ago as I recall.

4) What are the main differences between GP2 and Formula 1?

How long have you got? I think the main difference is you've got 13 teams who each run the same car, engine, tyres... it really does all come down to the driver and how he works with his engineer. It's a great preparation for F1. GP2's birth was also pretty tough with a number of mechanical issues in the early days and that really helped create a community as teams helped each other out in the first few races to ensure all the cars got on the grid. If they hadn't, and the championship had failed, their investments would have been for nothing. So the teams pulled together, GP2 pulled itself together, and by the Nurburgring in that first season the vast majority of the creases had ben ironed out and we had a fabulous championship.

That feeling of community still exists. Drivers, engineers, media, team bosses... even the occasional F1 driver, sit together, eat, talk, laugh... it is a very relaxing atmosphere off track in the hospitality unit.

5) Looking back at the GP2 series, have there been any drivers which you knew would make it to F1, from their first race?

Lewis is the obvious one. Effortlessly fast and graced with the kind of ability that made his moves look choreographed. Hulkenberg was impressive from the off, Grosjean too.

Robert Kubica tested for Durango at the end of 2005. Although he never raced in GP2, you just knew from that test that he was going to be amazing. Simona de Silvestro impressed me when she tested for Campos, too.

What has surprised me however were those I truly hoped would make it that didn't. Giorgio Pantano remains the greatest lost talent of our generation. I truly believe that. Juan Cruz Alvarez had something special, so too did Hiroki Yoshimoto and Luca Filippi. Adam Carroll was balls to the wall quick, and I still believe that if we lived in an era of open testing, Lucas di Grassi would be the most fought over development driver in F1. There have been some incredible talents in GP2, but for as long as the likes of Grandpa Schumacher want to carry on trying to get a podium to prove to themselves they've still got it, there won't always be space for them over the road in F1.

6) You now provide international commentary for the GP2 series, what have been your favourite races to commentate on?

They're usually always good to be honest... especially at Tilke tracks. Bahrain has always been especially good. A few years ago I ended up on my knees screaming my head off on the final lap, and at the first weekend in Bahrain this year the Sprint race saw Valsecchi take the lead on the last lap from 8th on the grid and I went crazy.

One of my favourite races to commentate was a actually the Feature GP3 race in Spa in 2010. It started raining in the final sector, with only a few laps to go and almost everyone except for Wickens, the race leader, pitted. Wickens smashed into the pitwall and I remember saying that his team and he had thrown it all away. But he carried on, somehow, with no front wing, on slicks, in water an inch high. The clock was ticking down and the safety car was due to come in, and Wickens did the smartest thing I've ever seen. He ran the clock down. Because he could pace the field as the leader behind the safety car, he just wound it down, the clock went to zero, he crossed the line and bingo... race winner. I was going nuts in the commentary box over how clever that was.

Last season was a real joy, as for the first time I had a co-commentator and that makes life so much easier, as you have time to gather your thoughts and listen to their insight. Last year it was my good friend Karun Chandhok, whom I had got to know through GP2. We had a lot of fun together, but the race that stands out was our first together in a full season, in Barcelona with a moment that ended up doing the rounds on You Tube when I uttered the words, "Shut up, that's ridiculous" as Grosjean passed three cars in one corner. It was a hell of a move and Karun and I couldn't quite believe what we'd seen. That was a nice moment.

This year I have Jerome d'Ambrosio alongside me, and after two weekends our relationship is really starting to come together on air. His insight is fabulous, but he's very different to Karun. Karun's pants used to light on fire along with mine, but Jerome is horizontal. Totally chilled out. I'll be going crazy and he's just really relaxed about it all. I love the contrast. It makes me laugh, and it makes him laugh and that is wonderful. We are having a really great time and I can't wait to share the season with him.

7) You celebrate 10 years of employment in the Motorsport industry this year, what have been the highlights from the last decade?

So many. Too many. I just think I am incredibly lucky to be living the life that I am and to be able to do a job that I love. I'm constantly scared that someone will turn around and tell me it is all over.

I have met some wonderful people and made some incredible friends.

And it is due to the sport that I have my incredible daughter, so for her and for everything else in my world and all the amazing people who have become a part of my life through this insane sport, I will be forever thankful.

8) Looking at the current GP2 season, who is your tip for the title and also who will be the next driver to get an F1 drive?

After just a few races it is too early to say. This will be the longest GP2 championship in history and there are always so many factors that go into creating the perfect season. If you look at last year you'd have said Grosjean would walk the title after the first weekend, but when Filippi moved to Coloni, he outscored Grosjean in the second half of the season. Things can change very quickly. One thing is certain, Dams have a very fast car which is very good on its tyres. Lotus also looks very competitive and I have never seen Luiz Razia look fitter or be more mentally together. Last season I would have said that with Pirelli tyres we would never see a rookie champion again, but Calado and Nasr are impressing me tremendously right now.

If it ends up being a fight between the experienced heads of Valsecchi, Razia, sophomore Gutierrez and rookies Calado and Nasr, then we've got a great season in store. Throw Van der Garde, possibly Coletti and, who knows, maybe even Ericsson into the mix and it'll be even better.

Next for an F1 drive? It all depends where the seats open up. If Perez moves to Ferrari as expected, then I would fully expect that Gutierrez will line up at Sauber in 2013.

9) And now looking up to F1, what do you think of this season? It is alot closer!

This season looks incredible. We've got three or four teams who are genuine contenders at the front, and it all seems to be falling down to tyre management. I'm sure that the three day test in Mugello will help the teams get on top of their tyre issues and moving to Europe with relatively steady temperatures should also help to give us a clearer image. Some people will whine and say that F1 shouldn't be about managing tyres, but I disagree. You have to look after your car, drivers are constantly being asked to change engine maps to look after their power unit, so what almighty commandment is there in the greater concept of what F1 should be that has, "thou shalt be able to abuse thine tyres in any way thou sees fit" written in stone? It is one extra variable to play with and it is a variable I love.

The rules are the same for everyone. The quality of drivers across the grid has never been better. It's time to stop complaining and get racing because, let's face it, can you remember an era this exciting? Those with rose tinted glasses will always hark back to those halcyon days of yore, but I honestly think that we are living through one of the greatest eras in Formula 1 history.

10) Who is your tip for the 2 titles in F1 this year, or is it to difficult to predict?

I predict that one of the drivers and one of the teams currently racing in Formula 1 will win the titles this year.

Honestly, I have no idea. I don't think anyone does. Mugello will give us a few answers, as will Barcelona... but then we have Monaco and Montreal and we're not going to learn much from either of those. Perhaps we'll have an idea by the end of the European season but then we get into random territory with the fly-aways again. If you ask me this question in Brazil, on the grid... I still don't think I'll have an answer. Because if this championship plays out the way we all think and hope it might, we could have 5 or 6 drivers still in contention at the final race.

Thanks to Will for answering my questions, such an interesting read. Completely agree, it is too hard to predict a winner in both GP2 and F1. Follow him on twitter @WillBuxton

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Pepe Jeans is recognised worldwide as one of the best jeans retailers. They are also one of Red Bull Racing's sponsors and have teamed up with them to get your butt to F1.

They have devised this cheeky, FREE competition with some incredible prizes. You could win 2 tickets to a Grand Prix of your chosen choice or a signed pair of Pepe Jeans (by Vettel and Webber). One of the hottest denim brands is giving you the chance to see F1 in 1 simple way.

To enter the competition you have to be at least 18 years old and have your own Facebook profile. You then choose the Grand Prix of your choice and upload an image of your butt wearing Pepe Jeans. This will automatically create your own profile and people will vote for you to win.
It is so simple and one of the worlds most iconic brands could take your butt to a Grand Prix. You have until Mid-June to get your entries in, good luck!

Click here to enter: ENTER THE COMPETITION
Also check out this amusing promotional video from them: THIS IS MY BUTT
Terms and Conditions: THE RULES
You can also follow them on Twitter: @PepeJeans

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Pepe Jeans is recognised worldwide as one of the best jeans retailers. They are also one of Red Bull Racing's sponsors and have teamed up with them to get your butt to F1.

They have devised this cheeky, FREE competition with some incredible prizes. You could win 2 tickets to a Grand Prix of your chosen choice or a signed pair of Pepe Jeans (by Vettel and Webber). One of the hottest denim brands is giving you the chance to see F1 in 1 simple way.

To enter the competition you have to be at least 18 years old and have your own Facebook profile. You then choose the Grand Prix of your choice and upload an image of your butt wearing Pepe Jeans. This will automatically create your own profile and people will vote for you to win.
It is so simple and one of the worlds most iconic brands could take your butt to a Grand Prix. You have until Mid-June to get your entries in, good luck!

Click here to enter: ENTER THE COMPETITION
Also check out this amusing promotional video from them: THIS IS MY BUTT
Terms and Conditions: THE RULES
You can also follow them on Twitter: @PepeJeans

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The stewards have deemed Nico Rosberg's aggressive deffensive moves on Hamilton and Alonso were within the rules.

They released statements on both incidents, deeming that they were safe and within the rules that they have set. The incidents were both moved to after the race, obviously so the stewards could review the data. They gave these two statements:


Hamilton Vs Rosberg

'1) The driver of Car 8 commenced his move to the right after the exit from T3 and moved to the right in a constant and continuous straight line manner, not making any sudden movements (as evidenced by telemetry and video evidence) and;
'2) At the time he commenced his move, Car 4 was behind him and no part of his car was alongside Car 8 and;

'3) The driver of Car 8 made the move to the right prior to the driver of Car 4 making the same move and;

'4) For more than half of the distance travelled by Car 8 in moving in a straight line towards the right hand edge of the track, Car 4 remained behind Car 8 and;
'5) Because the delta speed between the two cars was quite significant it was difficult for Car 8 to detect the exact position of Car 4 in relation to his own car;

'6) Had a significant portion of Car 4 been alongside that of Car 8 whilst Car 4 still remained within the confines of the track, then the actions of Car 8 may not have been considered legitimate.'

Alonso Vs Rosberg

'1) The driver of Car 8 commenced his move to the right after the exit from T3 and moved to the right in a constant and continuous straight line manner, not making any sudden movements (as evidenced by telemetry and video evidence) and;

'2) At the time he commenced his move, Car 5 was behind him and no part of his car was alongside Car 8 and;

'3) The driver of Car 8 made the move to the right prior to the driver of Car 5 making the same move and;

'4) For more than half the distance travelled by Car 8 in moving in a straight line towards the right hand edge of the track, Car 5 remained behind Car 8 and;

'5) Because the delta speed between the two cars was quite significant it was difficult for Car 8 to detect the exact position of Car 5 in relation to his own car;

'6) No part of Car 5 was alongside that of Car 8.'

In my view Hamilton and Alnnso were not fully alongside but Rosberg was very aggressive on his sweep across, he made that move too late.

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The stewards have deemed Nico Rosberg's aggressive deffensive moves on Hamilton and Alonso were within the rules.

They released statements on both incidents, deeming that they were safe and within the rules that they have set. The incidents were both moved to after the race, obviously so the stewards could review the data. They gave these two statements:


Hamilton Vs Rosberg

'1) The driver of Car 8 commenced his move to the right after the exit from T3 and moved to the right in a constant and continuous straight line manner, not making any sudden movements (as evidenced by telemetry and video evidence) and;
'2) At the time he commenced his move, Car 4 was behind him and no part of his car was alongside Car 8 and;

'3) The driver of Car 8 made the move to the right prior to the driver of Car 4 making the same move and;

'4) For more than half of the distance travelled by Car 8 in moving in a straight line towards the right hand edge of the track, Car 4 remained behind Car 8 and;
'5) Because the delta speed between the two cars was quite significant it was difficult for Car 8 to detect the exact position of Car 4 in relation to his own car;

'6) Had a significant portion of Car 4 been alongside that of Car 8 whilst Car 4 still remained within the confines of the track, then the actions of Car 8 may not have been considered legitimate.'

Alonso Vs Rosberg

'1) The driver of Car 8 commenced his move to the right after the exit from T3 and moved to the right in a constant and continuous straight line manner, not making any sudden movements (as evidenced by telemetry and video evidence) and;

'2) At the time he commenced his move, Car 5 was behind him and no part of his car was alongside Car 8 and;

'3) The driver of Car 8 made the move to the right prior to the driver of Car 5 making the same move and;

'4) For more than half the distance travelled by Car 8 in moving in a straight line towards the right hand edge of the track, Car 5 remained behind Car 8 and;

'5) Because the delta speed between the two cars was quite significant it was difficult for Car 8 to detect the exact position of Car 5 in relation to his own car;

'6) No part of Car 5 was alongside that of Car 8.'

In my view Hamilton and Alonso were not fully alongside but Rosberg was very aggressive on his sweep across, he made that move too late.

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It has been one of the most controversial stories coming out of F1, but the Bahrain Grand Prix is going ahead. After the cancelation of the Grand Prix in 2011, Bernie Ecclestone decided that it was safe to go to the Gulf state, despite the on-going civil unrest.

All images (C) Sky Sports F1

Protestors and police have clashed numerous times over the last few years, but the unrest has been turned towards F1. Protestors threatened to disrupt the race and march to the gates of the Sakhir circuit but F1 drivers and Teams are just thinking about the race.

The F1 and Bahraini world collided when a car containing 4 Force India mechanics was caught up in a clash between protestors and police, where petrol bombs exploded near to the car. It forced 2 of the team to head home, read more here.

Bahrain has been the biggest f1 question mark for some time. After Rosberg’s stunning win in China there was just 1 week to celebrate for the German before the teams flew to Bahrain. The circuit has not been on the F1 calendar since 2010 when they raced on a long, extended track. Now the track layout returns to the 2004-2009 specification and with high temperatures, tyres will be crucial in Bahrain.

FP1

Lewis Hamilton topped the first Bahrain Grand Prix practice session in 2 years. The Mclaren driver put the British team in to the mix with a lap time of 1m33.572, 3 tenths ahead of reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Paul Di Resta finished the session in 3^rd after changing to the softer Pirelli tyres at the end of the session, one of the only drivers to do this. Nico Rosberg went 4^th, with the Mercedes Super DRS helping them on this circuit.

Jenson Button and Nico Hulkenberg finished 5^thand 6^th respectively, 7 tenths off the front running time of Hamilton. Hulkenberg vaulted up the order, like team mate Di Resta, after they changed to the soft tyres. The rest of the field spent the entire session on the white marked harder tyres, mixing short and longer runs. It was seen that the higher track temperatures, around the 27 degree mark, meant that degradation was higher than normal.

Drivers also had to deal with a slippery and dusty track. The circuit often has dust layered over it due to its location in desert surroundings. This meant that many drivers had off track excursions or spins, mainly at turn 1 or turn 10.

Ferrari had a poor session, Alonso in 13^th and Massa in 15^th. They were 1.8 and 2.1 seconds off the pace, mixing it with the Toro Rosso and Williams drivers. There were variation in lap numbers, Leader Hamilton doing as few as 11. This contrasted with the two Force India drivers who lapped the Bahrain circuit 26 times each.

FP2

Chinese Grand Prix victor Nico Rosberg topped the 2^ndfree practice session of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The main news, however, was that Force India did not make it out in FP2 after deciding to skip running and get ready for FP3 early, so the team could leave the circuit before it went dark. This is after a petrol bomb exploded near a car carrying 4 of their mechanics, causing 2 of their team members to leave Bahrain and head back to England.

Nico Rosberg topped the session when the chequered flag fell, with a lap time of 1m32.816. This time meant he was well clear of Mark Webber in 2^nd, 4 tenths behind. The Mercedes was extremely fast in the final sector, made up of 2 corners and 2 straights. Vettel and Hamilton were 7 and 9 tenths off Rosberg’s leading pace.

Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button completed the top 6. The track conditions were better than in FP1, with temperatures more or less the same and increased grip on the circuit after the removal of the dust.

Sauber finished 7^th and 10^th, with Kobayashi and Perez sandwiching 2005 and 2006 world champion Alonso and Chinese Grand Prix point’s scorer Romain Grosjean. Cars ran between 26 and 38 laps, bar Force India who completed none.

Caterham will be encouraged by their pace, with Petrov and Kovalainen in 16^th and 17^th positions. Despite being 3 seconds off the pace they were just 4 tenths behind Maldonado and ahead of Bruno Senna in the Williams.

FP3

Free Practice 3 is the last chance for teams to test and get their data, ready for Qualifying and the race. The 60 minute session was set under hazy and sandy conditions and drivers struggled primarily with locking.

Nico Rosberg topped the times on the soft tyre, the teams switching to low fuel, soft tyre qualifying simulations towards the end of the session. His best lap time of 1m33.254 was just under 2 tenths faster than Sebastian Vettel in the improving Red Bull RB8. Webber and Hamilton were around 5 tenths behind Rosberg in 3^rd and 4^th, with Schumacher and Button behind them.

Alonso and Massa finished the session in 10^th and 16^th, with Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta in the Force India behind each of them respectively. After missing FP2, the Force India drivers had a busy session and could only finish 15^th and 19^th, Hulkenberg behind Kovalainen in 18^th.

The field spread from Rosberg (1^st) to Karthikeyan (24^th) was around 6 seconds, so HRT closing slightly.

Q1

The first qualifying session of the Bahrain GP saw the usual suspects fall out. The 20 minute stint on the race track saw the front runners run once on the harder tyre, while the midfield and “newer” teams switch to the softs in an attempt to miss that dreaded 18^th place.

By the chequered flag it was Jean-Eric Vergne and a surprise of Michael Schumacher missing out on the cut into Q2. Schumacher felt he was safe and stayed in the pits, but a stunning lap from Angry Birds powered Heikki Kovalainen meant that Caterham moved into Q2 for the first time in 2012.

Perez topped the times on a 1m33.814 ahead of Ricciardo, Webber, Grosjean and Kobayashi. Both Red Bull’s had to go out again while the midfield pack moved onto softs, with the track evolution and step up in grip from the soft tyres meaning the midfield made the difference up. Rosberg, Alonso, Button, Hamilton and Schumacher were the ones who went for 1 run, with the latter missing out on the cut.

It was an extremely impressive performance for Heikki Kovalainen as he mixes it with the midfield, where Caterham want to be.

Q2

The 15 minute session, Q2, are some of the most hotly contested minutes of a race weekend. With only 10 slots available in Q3, 7 people will be left disappointed.

Lewis Hamilton topped the times on a 1m33.209 and was only 0.010 seconds ahead of Nico Rosberg. Grosjean, Webber, Alonso, Button, Di Resta and Vettel were safe with Romain, Alonso and Di Resta improving later on with their 2^nd runs. Ricciardo and Perez just made it into Q3, with the Sauber driver eliminating his own team mate.

Raikkonen, Kobayashi and Hulkenberg were eliminated, contrasting with their team mate’s fortunes. Massa and Senna were also out, Felipe knocked out in Q2 for the 4^th time in a row. Kovalainen finished the session 16^th, with Maldonado not even completing a time as he faces a 5-place grid penalty for a gearbox change.

It is clear to see that the race track evolution is higher than we all predicted, making for an interesting Q3.

Q3

10 minutes of racing action saw Webber, Hamilton, Button and Vettel lead out as the green light went on at the pit exit. These top teams started their first runs, most likely of 2.

After using 3 sets of new soft tyres each, Ricciardo, Grosjean and Di Resta were on tyre saving mode. After the first runs Hamilton led from Button, on 1m32.6 and 1m32.7 respectively. Webber and Vettel were 3^rdand 4^th and close behind them. Alonso emerged from the pits to set some sector times, before moving back to the pits.

Rosberg and Grosjean joined the circuit as the evolution started. The top 4 soon followed for their second runs, as did Di Resta, Perez and Ricciardo.

At the flag Sebastian Vettel took his first pole of 2012 with Hamilton just behind. Webber went 3^rd and Button went 4^th, backing out of his final lap. Rosberg took 5^th on the grid while Ricciardo, Grosjean, Perez, Alonso and Di Resta rounding out the top 10.

Pos Driver                          Team                       Time
1.  Sebastian Vettel      Red Bull-Renault       1m32.422s 
2.  Lewis Hamilton        McLaren-Mercedes       1m32.520s  +  0.098
3.  Mark Webber           Red Bull-Renault       1m32.637s  +  0.215
4.  Jenson Button         McLaren-Mercedes       1m32.711s  +  0.289
5.  Nico Rosberg          Mercedes               1m32.821s  +  0.399
6.  Daniel Ricciardo      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m32.912s  +  0.490
7.  Romain Grosjean       Lotus-Renault          1m33.008s  +  0.586
8.  Sergio Perez          Sauber-Ferrari         1m33.394s  +  0.972
9.  Fernando Alonso       Ferrari                No time
10.  Paul di Resta         Force India-Mercedes   No time
11.  Kimi Raikkonen        Lotus-Renault          1m33.789s  +  1.367
12.  Kamui Kobayashi       Sauber-Ferrari         1m33.806s  +  1.384
13.  Nico Hulkenberg       Force India-Mercedes   1m33.807s  +  1.385
14.  Felipe Massa          Ferrari                1m33.912s  +  1.490
15.  Bruno Senna           Williams-Renault       1m34.017s  +  1.595
16.  Heikki Kovalainen     Caterham-Renault       1m36.132s  +  3.710
17.  Michael Schumacher    Mercedes               1m34.865s  +  2.443
18.  Jean-Eric Vergne      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m35.014s  +  2.592
19.  Vitaly Petrov         Caterham-Renault       1m35.823s  +  3.401
20.  Charles Pic           Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.683s  +  5.261
21.  Pedro de la Rosa      HRT-Cosworth           1m37.883s  +  5.461
22.  Pastor Maldonado      Williams-Renault       No time
23.  Timo Glock            Marussia-Cosworth      1m37.905s  +  5.483
24.  Narain Karthikeyan    HRT-Cosworth           1m38.314s  +  5.892

The Race

After years of controversy, doubt and unrest the Bahrain Grand Prix of 2012 arrived. Racing in the desert is a rare affair, with hot track temperatures and mixed corner styles hopefully producing an exciting Grand Prix.

After an impressive qualifying session, which saw a Red Bull on pole again, the grid looked interesting, always key for a good race. Impressive performances from Mclaren, Caterham, Lotus and Sauber meant there were lots of drivers to keep an eye on at the start.

After the uncertainty of the race, it was finally the day people had been waiting for, some wanting it to be over and put back into the past.

The engine rev’s rose, the red lights came on, the tension increased and the lights went out. Go, Go, Go in Bahrain. Off the grid Vettel streaks away, with Hamilton and the rest getting away cleanly. Button drops back behind Alonso, Grosjean and Rosberg but it’s clear at turn 1, dust being kicked up. Rosberg drops back too, yellow flags being waved as Kovalainen slows. Another one who went backwards was Daniel Ricciardo, falling from 6^thto 16^th.

After the first lap Vettel had an impressive lead, with the midfield vying for position. Kovalainen pits after an impressive qualifying, with a puncture. By lap 2 it’s Vettel from Hamilton, Webber, Grosjean, Alonso, Button, Raikkonen and Massa. However the latter two change around after a move on the Iceman at turn 1.

With DRS activated on lap 3, Grosjean takes Webber for 3^rd. Without DRS help though, Raikkonen re-takes his position. Vettel had a massive lead by nearly 4 seconds, just 5 laps in as he streaks away from Hamilton.

Grosjean was a man on the move in the early stages. After taking Webber for 3^rd he overtook Hamilton for 2^nd, the Lotus finding some pace. Further back Button was takes by Raikkonen, DRS being very effective on the Sakhir circuit.

Ricciardo is the 2^nd person to pit, after Kovalainen, on lap 8. He changed his front wing and tyres, getting some fresh rubber on as Button radios complaining about his rear tyres. By lap 9 Button, Massa and Rosberg pit for new tyres. The former comes out in clear air, while Rosberg gets stuck behind Pic in the Marussia. Up front Raikkonen takes Alonso in the DRS zone, turn 1 being the favourite overtaking place.

The rest of the teams respond, Hamilton, Webber, Alonso and a few midfield drivers pit. Hamilton has a problem in his stop, meaning its 9.6 seconds long and sees him he lose out to Alonso and Webber, plus his own team mate. Hamilton is involved in a high speed incident as Lewis is forced onto the sandy AstroTurf by Rosberg, the Brit desperate to get past.

By the time the leaders of Vettel, Grosjean and Raikkonen pitted the order had calmed down. Jenson Button sets a new fastest lap but is displaced by Sergio Perez, Hamilton and Rosberg being investigated for their incident.

Alonso is past by Button on lap 12, Hamilton just behind after that poor stop. After Raikkonen’s impressive pace on older tyres, he leap frogs the Mclaren/Alonso fight. The next lap Raikkonen passes Webber into turn 11, Lotus finding some good speed. The next pass is Hamilton, Alonso falling back.

Di Resta pits on lap 14 from 2^nd, the Force India finally getting some airtime after not being shown on TV in qualifying. Moving on to lap 21, as the drivers settle down, Di Resta passes Maldonado and Perez in 1 move. Up the front, Raikkonen moves in on Grosjean and they both close in on Vettel.

Hulkenberg and Perez pit for the second time, with Button the first of the front runners on lap 23. Rosberg and Massa follow suit, just as they did in the first stops. At the front Raikkonen takes Grosjean, both on different tyres, in an easy move. Lap 24 see’s Webber, Hamilton, Alonso and Schumacher pit again. However Hamilton has an identical left rear problem at his stop, this time stationary for 12.2 seconds. He moves behind Massa, what is the problem? They had an identical problem in China too.

Rosberg and Alonso were in an aggressive duel, Nico already under investigation. After turn 3 Alonso made the move and swept to the right to overtake, but Nico moved over and forced him onto the sandy edge of the track. Maldonado has a 360 spin after a puncture, just behind the Alonso incident.

There were 2 retirements in the space of 2 laps; Maldonado pitting and being pushed into the garage. Charles Pic also stopped out on track.

Moving on to lap 33 Raikkonen caught Vettel, just 1.1 seconds between them. The Iceman and the “finger boy” were going head to head on the same tyres.

Rosberg and Hamilton pit for their 3^rd stops on lap 37. Mclaren had a slightly faster stop on Lewis’s car but will they have to pit 1 more time? The next lap Button, Alonso and Schumacher pit, Alonso emerged from his pit box in the way of one of Perez. He was then subsequently emerged into the path of Schumacher.

On lap 40 Vettel and Kimi pit together, both going on to the medium tyre. Raikkonen has a slower stop and lost a few tenths to the German. Webber comes in after Vettel, Red Bull double stopping.

With just 10 laps to go, Vettel was extending his lead to Raikkonen. Despite a strong showing from both Lotus drivers, Raikkonen in 2^ndand Grosjean in 3^rd, they were both unable to keep up with Vettel. However as the laps count down Raikkonen begins to close in, did he save his tyres?

Unfortunately, as the laps counted down, Raikkonen fell back, leaving Vettel to streak away. Meanwhile Di Resta and Rosberg were involved in a great fight for 5^th as Paul tried to keep Nico behind him, the Scotsman on a 2 stop strategy.

With 4 laps left Button pitted with a puncture, a 4^thand unscheduled stop. That dropped him down the field to 13^th, giving Di Resta some breathing space. Not to be Mclaren’s day in Bahrain, after a strong 2^nd and 3^rd place finish in China.

Bruno Senna retires from 14^th position with just 2 laps remaining, a double retirement after the success of China. Rosberg and Button both report problems with their engine and Jenson Button ends up retiring from the race with an ill sounding engine.

After a winless opening to the 2012 season, Vettel takes the win in Bahrain. The German takes his 21^st win of the season as Mclaren falter.

Sebastian Vettel wins in Bahrain

Vettel wins from Raikkonen and Grosjean in the Lotus. This makes it 4 different drivers winning the 4 races of the 2012 season so far. Raikkonen returns to the podium on his return to F1, while Grosjean takes his first podium. Webber finishes 4th and Rosberg takes 5th. Paul Di Resta takes 6th place in the Force India after a 2 stop strategy and is closely followed by Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, after a poor race. Massa and Schumacher round out the top 10, the latter finishing in the points after starting 22nd.

Vettel and Rosberg stop at the end of the pits with low fuel, but the "number 1" finger is back in the F1 paddock. A poor showing from Mclaren compared to Red Bull means that Vettel and Red Bull take the lead of the championships.

Pos Driver       Team                        Time
1.  Vettel        Red Bull-Renault           1h35:10.990
2.  Raikkonen     Lotus-Renault              +     3.300
3.  Grosjean      Lotus-Renault              +    10.100
4.  Webber        Red Bull-Renault           +    38.700
5.  Rosberg       Mercedes                   +    55.400
6.  Di Resta      Force India-Mercedes       +    57.500
7.  Alonso        Ferrari                    +    57.800
8.  Hamilton      McLaren-Mercedes           +    58.900
9.  Massa         Ferrari                    +  1:04.900
10.  Schumacher    Mercedes                   +  1:11.400
11.  Perez         Sauber-Ferrari             +  1:12.700
12.  Hulkenberg    Force India-Mercedes       +  1:16.500
13.  Vergne        Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +  1:30.300
14.  Kobayashi     Sauber-Ferrari             +  1:33.700
15.  Ricciardo     Toro Rosso-Ferrari         +     1 lap
16.  Petrov        Caterham-Renault           +     1 lap
17.  Kovalainen    Caterham-Renault           +     1 lap
18.  Button        McLaren-Mercedes           +     1 lap
19.  Glock         Marussia-Cosworth          +    2 laps
20.  De la Rosa    HRT-Cosworth               +    2 laps
21.  Karthikeyan   HRT-Cosworth               +    2 laps
22.  Senna         Williams-Renault           +    3 laps

Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:36.379

Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap
Maldonado     Williams-Renault             26
Pic           Marussia-Cosworth            25

Driver Reaction:

Jenson Button: "I didn't have a very good balance today: I was struggling all afternoon with oversteer. We were taking front wing out of the car all the way through the race, in fact. However, my final stint was a long one, and, if I hadn't struck trouble, I reckon things would have got quite interesting in the final laps. In the last few laps, the car sounded really noisy. I think the initial problem was an exhaust failure, then my puncture, and then a differential failure; so I had to retire. It's been a pretty difficult weekend for the whole team."

Lewis Hamilton: "There are good times and bad times in motor racing. I guess this was just one of those days. By rights we should have been fighting to finish in the top four today, but it didn't work out like that in the end. The delays in the pits were a big part of that, of course. For the driver sitting in the car, that's always frustrating, because you're just waiting and there's nothing you can do to help."

Nico Rosberg: "I had a pretty bad first lap today, but after that I was able to recover and get the most of our race. We had a good strategy and the pace of the car was pretty strong compared to the start of the season, although it was difficult to make progress as there were a lot of cars fighting for the same positions. Overall I'm happy with our weekend as fifth place gives me a few more points and I can see that we are making progress.

Paul di Resta: "The result today is massive for us. The team did an amazing job all weekend, the strategy came together and the pit-stops were perfect. We knew it would be a big ask to make only two stops and it was a close run thing at the end because my tyres completely went away on the final lap. I had Fernando [Alonso] very close behind me, but I saved a bit of KERS coming out of the final corner and managed to stay ahead. Apart from that, the car has been awesome. So we go away from here as a very happy team with a few weeks to reflect on things and determined to arrive in Barcelona in fighting form."

Heikki Kovalainen: "I had a good start but then had contact with a car behind in turn 10 which caused a rear left puncture. We pitted immediately and from then on it was basically about putting in as strong a race as I could. I passed Glock quickly and pulled out a good gap to him and then went after my team mate and Ricciardo. It's obviously a bit frustrating to have had the puncture on the first lap, but we can take a number of positives from this weekend, particularly from the pace we showed in qualifying and from the way we were able to look after the tyres, so overall it's been pretty good."

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