News

The world’s media has been keeping a close eye on the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix. People have been rightly talking about the internal strife the country has been going through. The race is all set to go ahead this weekend though, with increased security.

A number of the drivers have spoken of the situation. Force India team were reportedly caught up in protests and chose not to participate in the second practice. The decision has been taken by organisers though to carry on with the race as scheduled. It will take place on Sunday the 22nd of April 2012 at 15:00.

The Bahrain Grand Prix was first held back in 2004 and was the first Formula One meet held in the Middle East. The event lasts for 57 laps and covers a circuit length of 5.412 kms. It is the next exciting location of the 2012 Grand Prix, covering every corner of the world.

This has already been the season for dreams coming true. Racing fans only need to look at the latest race of the season in China, which saw an unexpected win for Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg. The West German racer will be out to prove the victory wasn’t a fluke and repeat his triumph in Bahrain.

Jenson Button with McLaren, in the meantime, will be hoping to better his second place in China. Although, his team mate Lewis Hamilton, currently on top of the leader board, is still looking for that first win of the 2012 Grand Prix. He has reportedly been performing fantastically in practice and is all keyed up for a win.

The current champion, Sebastian Vettel, moreover, will be finally hoping to get his season in gear and recapture last years form. He will have stiff competition from Sauber’s Sergio Perez, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull team mate Mark Webber.

The cream of world motor racing has travelled to Bahrain to participate in this weekend’s meet. It is a time where, in spite of civil unrest, the world of motor racing can try to unite and overcome it.

There was a tremendous shock for racing fans this weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. It witnessed a Rocky moment when young Nico Rosberg, driving with Mercedes, recorded first ever win.

This turned out to be a significant victory for Mercedes. It is the first time the team has won a Formula one race in over half a century; since the Italian Grand Prix in 1955. The driver from Wiesbaden, West Germany had started from pole, before finishing ahead of both Button and Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, may have finished third, but it was enough to put him on the top of the leader board, with Button in second.

The Red Bull double of Mark Webber, in fourth place and Sebastian Vettel, in fifth, were next to cross the line. The Germans’ position has fuelled concerns about a seeming dip in form. This is comparing his apparent slow start this season to the blistering way he kicked off 2011.

The Chinese Grand Prix didn’t turn out well for Mercedes Michael Schumacher either. The veteran may have begun the race at the front, alongside Rosberg, but he was forced to drop out after a pit stop error.

Jenson Button also attributes his performance to a similar mistake.

However Rosberg and his amazing victory was the talk of Shanghai. The driver has Formula One in his blood. He is the son of Finnish former Formula 1 champion Keijo, (Keke} Erik Rosberg, whom was named World Champion in 1982. His son’s first race was, ironically enough, in Bahrain in 2006. This is now the hotly debated site of the next race of the 2012 Season. It is set to go ahead on the 22nd of April 2012.

It seemed everyone is talking about whether the Bahrain Grand Prix would be going ahead on the 22nd of April. Some believed it should be cancelled due to civil unrest in the region. However, there is still a Grand Prix race being held this weekend in China.

Shanghai is the location of the next meet of this already exciting season. The 2012 Formula 1 UBs Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated races on the calendar. It will commence at 15:00 on Sunday the 15th of April 2012.

The meet takes place at the stunning Shanghai International Circuit, at the district of Jiading. It has been the site of the Chinese Grand Prix for eight years now, going back to 2004. The circuit extends for 5.451 km and lasts 56 laps. The record for the quickest lap is currently held by Michael Schumacher. He scored a 1:32.238 in 2004. The German legend is still going strong, securing the fastest second practice at this year’s Chinese Grand Prix.

This is the race which was won last year by Lewis Hamilton. He will be hoping to better his third place finish in Malaysia. However, his McLaren-Mercedes team mate Jenson Button came in 14th, behind Sebastian Vettel in 11th.They will be both have to put those shocks behind them, to catch current season leader Fernando Alonso. Motor racing fans will be taking a quick flight to China, to check out the Shanghai Grand Prix.

The past weekend marked a thrilling Malaysian Grand Prix, at a humid, rain swept Sepang. It also saw a surprise win for Fernando Alonso, with Ferrari.

The event saw McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton win his second pole position in a row. He overtook team mate Jenson Button at its famous first corner. Then, at lap six, the circuit was hit by a tropical storm. It was brought on by moisture in the air and high temperature. This led to the safety car being deployed and the race being stopped for almost 60 minutes

However, when action resumed, things seemed to go downhill for McLaren. The fourteenth lap saw most drivers change to intermediate tyres. Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa had a pit stop behind Hamilton, but Alonso tore out the pits ahead of him. Lewis’ compatriot Button had pitted at the 13th lap. It was then that disaster struck. Jenson collided with Narain Karthikeyan, from India, driving with HRT. This pretty much put him out of the race.

Sebastian Vettel also crashed with Karthikeyan. This made him finish out of the points, in 11th position. Hamilton, on the other hand, struggled to keep up with both Alonso and Sergio Pérez. The Mexican seemed set for a surprise victory at the 50th lap. It looked as if he might pass his Spanish rival. Unfortunately, a stretch of wet circuit cost him his spot. The Sauber driver had to settle for coming second, while Lewis Hamilton was third.

Although, in the end, the event was a triumph for Fernando Alonso He finished the race in first place, under the stifling Malaysian heat.

The 2012 Grand Prix season had a blistering start this weekend. It saw a breathtaking race in Melbourne, which ended in triumph for Jenson Button and McLaren. This put a spanner in champion Sebastian Vettel’s plans to kick off the new year with a victory. But the Australian Grand Prix proved to be an emphatic win for the British racer.

Yet, ironically enough, it was Buttons team mate Lewis Hamilton whom qualified in pole position, with Button starting second. However Jenson overtook his compatriot at the opening corner and from then well on his way to winning. Hamilton, on the other hand, was the victim to a mishap with a safety car. This gave Vettel the chance to get ahead of him and come in second. Hamilton duly dropped back to third place. Mark Webber, driving with Red Bull, finished the race in fourth position. Fernando Alonso, with Ferrari, came in fifth.

Pastor Maldonado, driving for the Williams team, was set to finish sixth, but he crashed his car at the Turn Seven kink. This let Japanese racer Kamui Kobayashi, with Sauber, swoop in and finish in his place. The seventh spot was taken by Kimi Raikkonen, for Lotus, in his first rally since 2010. Sergio Perez, also with Sauber, was eighth.

But this weekend proved to be a crowing achievement for Britain’s Jenson Button. It is now on to the second race of the calendar. It is the 2012 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix. It is due to take place at the Sepang International Circuit, near Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday the 25th of March at 16:00.