Jack Christopherson's F1 career (1991-2004, 2010-????)

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 11 - 2004 BRITISH GRAND PRIX - Silverstone

PRE-RACE
The rumours about Olivier Panis retiring immediately after the French Grand Prix were true, although still with Toyota in a testing role, he has stepped down from the race seat. Taking his place will be Australian Ryan Briscoe, winner of the 2003 F3 Euroseries.

It was the right time to go, although some of the on track battling with Cristiano was fun, driving the car itself with a lack of results coming our way had become too frustrating, although I wanted to perform for my French fans one last time, being their only representative right now. It's nice to allow a young driver with potential to get a chance in Formula 1 and make a name for himself, and I am happy for him to do so.

At the pre-race press conference, more big news broke out.

I can't say i'm too happy about Olivier retiring, not just because he's a good friend of mine, like most of us are away from the track, but i'm now the oldest man in the sport, and I don't like that *chuckles*. On a more serious note, it is quite fitting that the subject of retirement had been brought up. Every driver has to know when to call it a day, like Olivier has done, even Riccardo Patrese stepped aside eventually, nobody can carry on forever, even though Riccardo tried. This is why I have decided to announce today that I will be retiring from Formula 1 at the end of 2004, after almost a decade and a half in the top echelon of motorsport. I am confident that Mark Webber, along with whoever Frank and Patrick name as my replacement can push Williams forward and back to the very top, where I believe they belong.

QUALIFYING
Track temperatures were high, and the cars in 2004 were faster than ever. James Allen and Martin Brundle were expecting some unbelievably quick lap times, and they were proven right. Michael Schumacher set the pace by dipping well into the 1 minute 17 range, whilst local hero Jenson Button beat his time, and it looked like pole position would be his. Cue Jarno Trulli, Button's former teammate who spoiled his day, although Button still qualified on the front row. A few drivers disappointed greatly, amongst those were Raikkonen, Pantano and both Jaguars. Pantano was dead last, whilst Raikkonen was only 12th, setting an identical time to Nick Heidfeld. Ryan Briscoe was 14th, only a couple of hundredths off the two former Sauber teammates. For those interested, Klien's time would have got him pole last year by a few tenths, but he was only 17th. Oh, and I was 5th.

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1. Trulli 1.17.302
2. Button +0.306
3. M.Schumacher +0.344
4. Barrichello +0.619
5. Christopherson +1.267
6. Sato +1.525
7. Alonso +1.526
8. Coulthard +1.653
9. R.Schumacher +1.657
10. Fisichella +2.031
11. Massa +2.698
12. Raikkonen +2.904
13. Heidfeld +2.904
14. Briscoe +2.933
15. Da Matta +3.200
16. Webber +3.752
17. Klien +4.075
18. Baumgartner +5.232
19. Bruni +5.532
20. Pantano +5.649

RACE
I made a decent start, but the big story was Trulli running wide, and losing out to Button, both Ferraris and the fast starting Sato. I regained 5th position battling with Trulli side by side through the Maggots-Becketts complex, having to defend from Alonso too. Things somehow got even worse for Trulli, as Fernando Alonso hit the back of him at turn 8, ending his race. Alonso remarkably got away scot free. Barrichello was hounding Michael Schumacher over 2nd place, but couldn't get past his teammate. The order after the end of the first lap was Button, M.Schumacher, Barrichello, Sato, Christopherson, Alonso, Fisichella and Coulthard. Webber was out after just 5 laps, gearbox issues ending his weekend early, although he'd be grateful it happened at an event where he never looked like scoring points. Lap 13 saw Barrichello finally pass his teammate, as he had threatened to do for a while, with a good slipstream down the Hangar Straight. Alonso ran wide at Stowe corner, which resulted in a scary smash into the barrier, although he emerged unscathed. The McLarens were running in close proximity, but with two double DNFs in a row, Ron Dennis was hoping that Raikkonen wouldn't fight too hard if he was to attempt to pass Coulthard. Button was soaking up the pressure with no problems at all, and kept a decent gap to the Ferrari duo. Sato's chances of a podium were fading, he just didn't have the pace to keep up, but he shook me off, and was still on for a career best 4th. Ralf Schumacher pulled off with an engine failure in the back of the sister Williams on lap 40. Toyota provided a few on-track highlights, with Briscoe chasing Da Matta, whilst fending off Heidfeld in the Jordan. Fisichella was running well in 6th, although he couldn't quite fend off the chasing McLarens until the end, as David Coulthard passed him on the penultimate lap. Jenson Button was the man of the moment, and took a lot of the attention away from me after I announced my retirement. Button took the first victory of his career, and what a place for him to do it. It was a special day for BAR, as behind the two Ferraris, Takuma Sato took a fairly comfortable 4th place, the best finish of his career. I was a lonely 5th, ahead of Coulthard, whilst Raikkonen was hundredths away from beating Fisichella to 7th.

1. Button 1hr 24m 30.821s
2. Barrichello +1.791s
3. M.Schumacher +3.608s
4. Sato +35.290s
5. Christopherson +55.474s
6. Coulthard +1 Lap
7. Fisichella +1 Lap
8. Raikkonen +1 Lap
9. Massa +1 Lap
10. Da Matta +1 Lap
11. Briscoe +1 Lap
12. Heidfeld +1 Lap
13. Klien +2 Laps
14. Pantano +2 Laps
15. Bruni +3 Laps
16. Baumgartner +3 Laps

Fastest Lap: Rubens Barrichello - 1.20.407

REJECT OF THE RACE: Jarno Trulli - The opening lap from hell if there ever was from

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 88
Barrichello 55
Trulli 52
Button 50
Alonso 36
Christopherson 34
Raikkonen 26
Coulthard 22
R.Schumacher 20
Sato 18
Fisichella 15
Massa 5
Webber 4
Klien 3
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 143
Renault 88
BAR 68
Williams 54
McLaren 48
Sauber 20
Jaguar 7
Toyota 1
Jordan 0
Minardi 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 12 - 2004 GERMAN GRAND PRIX - Hockenheim

QUALIFYING
Infront of the home fans, Michael Schumacher was supreme, and although the Renault duo gave it their all, the championship leader was top dog yet again. BAR didn't reach their dizzying heights of Silverstone, but thanks to a poor session for Ralf Schumacher and both McLarens, they still done well. The midfield drivers qualified higher than expected as a result, with Webber and both Saubers in the top 10.

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1. M.Schumacher 1.14.309
2. Trulli +0.282
3. Alonso +0.633
4. Barrichello +0.678
5. Button +1.367
6. Christopherson +1.555
7. Sato +1.937
8. Webber +2.232
9. Massa +2.259
10. Fisichella +2.328
11. Raikkonen +2.465
12. Briscoe +2.631
13. Klien +2.657
14. Da Matta +2.783
15. Coulthard +3.018
16. Pantano +3.237
17. Heidfeld +3.459
18. Bruni +4.010
19. R.Schumacher +4.341
20. Baumgartner +4.452

RACE
I made a decent start, and took advantage of Alonso's awful getaway which saw him drop to 6th. By the end of the hairpin after the long curve, Ralf Schumacher had already worked his way up to 13th place, whilst Coulthard had dropped to 17th, ahead of only Da Matta and the Minardis. The big story however, was Ryan Briscoe who jumped up to 9th in the first lap, passing Webber, Raikkonen and a slow starting Massa in the first few corners. At the start of lap 2, Webber passed his fellow Aussie Briscoe, only for the newcomer to retake the position at the hairpin. A collision between Webber and Raikkonen on lap 11 ended both of their races, with Raikkonen being to blame. Clutch problems saw Silverstone victor Jenson Button pull out of the race, promoting me to 4th. Button's DNF ended a streak of six points finishes, with the last five of them all being podiums. BAR's race was threatening to go from bad to worse, as Sato who was running 6th showed signs of slowing, and lost 6th and 7th to Fisichella and Ralf Schumacher respectively. Any mechanical problems, and Ryan Briscoe could be scoring a world championship point, although Massa and Coulthard behind would be looking to get that point themselves. Da Matta pulled off the track with an engine failure after a disappointing showing in comparison to the rookie Briscoe. Da Matta could well be living on borrowed time as a Grand Prix driver. Sato's car problem may have been very minor, as on lap 41, he passed Ralf Schumacher to take back 7th place, and set his sights on Fisichella. Alonso gave me a hard time for a good portion of the race, and I so nearly lost my position with 15 laps to go, although I managed to re-open the gap to hold position for the remainder of the race. Michael Schumacher crossed the line to open the gap to 37 points on Barrichello and 38 on Trulli, with just 60 left on offer. Trulli and Barrichello done their best to keep faint title hopes alive with 2nd and 3rd. Fourth place was okay, but I knew I could have scored a podium. Fisichella once again scored solid points, and Sato beat Ralf Schumacher to 7th. Ryan Briscoe drove a good, solid race to 9th, despite the low attrition rate, holding off the likes of Massa and Coulthard.

1. M.Schumacher 1hr 25m 21.448s
2. Trulli +11.086s
3. Barrichello +17.271
4. Christopherson +24.596s
5. Alonso +42.078s
6. Fisichella +56.388s
7. Sato +1m 03.217s
8. R.Schumacher +1m 06.433s
9. Briscoe +1 Lap
10. Massa +1 Lap
11. Coulthard +1 Lap
12. Klien +2 Laps
13. Heidfeld +2 Laps
14. Pantano +2 Laps
15. Bruni +3 Laps
16. Baumgartner +3 Laps

Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.15.670

REJECT OF THE RACE: Kimi Raikkonen - Careless passing attempt on Webber may have cost them both points

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 98
Barrichello 61
Trulli 60
Button 50
Alonso 40
Christopherson 39
Raikkonen 26
Coulthard 22
R.Schumacher 21
Sato 20
Fisichella 18
Massa 5
Webber 4
Klien 3
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 159
Renault 100
BAR 70
Williams 60
McLaren 48
Sauber 23
Jaguar 7
Toyota 1
Jordan 0
Minardi 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 13 - 2004 HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX - Hungaroring

PRE-RACE
Toyota have come to a mutual agreement with Cristiano Da Matta to terminate his contract early after a string of poor results. Ex-BAR driver Ricardo Zonta will get another bite at the F1 cherry as his replacement. Meanwhile, at Williams, the walrus nose is no more, as the team hope that reverting to the more traditional nose will assist their competitiveness.

QUALIFYING
I put in a surprisingly good performance to line up 3rd, only slightly behind Jenson Button, although Jarno Trulli was the man of the moment, after securing another pole position. Michael Schumacher was 4th, disappointing by his standards, even if he was less than a tenth off a front row start. Heidfeld was another man who turned heads, narrowly going quicker than Massa when teammate Pantano disappointed greatly, and was not much quicker than the Minardi duo.

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1. Trulli 1.20.579
2. Button +0.305
3. Christopherson +0.320
4. M.Schumacher +0.387
5. Alonso +0.767
6. Raikkonen +0.797
7. Barrichello +1.003
8. Coulthard +1.898
9. R.Schumacher +2.117
10. Sato +2.296
11. Webber +2.337
12. Fisichella +2.343
13. Heidfeld +3.076
14. Massa +3.088
15. Briscoe +3.3666
16. Klien +3.534
17. Zonta +3.797
18. Pantano +4.531
19. Bruni +4.743
20. Baumgartner +4.937

RACE
A damp track was a recipe for first lap disaster, and the predictions proved to be correct. A lot of chaos at turn 1, several incidents through the grid saw Barrichello, Button, Ralf Schumacher, Massa and Briscoe out at turn 1. I lost out to Michael Schumacher at the start, who proceeded to challenge Trulli for the lead. The Minardis picked their way through the traffic better than others, and Bruni temporarily found himself in the points, although that unsurprisingly didn't last. I inherited an easy lead on lap 4, where Schumacher spun Trulli in a passing attempt, although both drivers were able to continue. This was quickly becoming an attrition filled race, as Klien retired from 10th place. I didn't expect to, but I managed to hold onto my lead for quite a few laps, although my race ended prematurely, as Trulli tried an optimistic passing attempt and took both of us out of the race, handing Michael Schumacher an easy victory. Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen then inherited the podium positions, whilst Heidfeld in the Jordan moved up into a point scoring position. Jordan's fortunes weren't the same in the other side of the garage, as Giorgio Pantano endured his first DNF of the season, clutch problems ending his outside chance of a points finish. In a great battle over 4th between Coulthard, Webber and Sato, Sato dived down the inside of Webber for fifth, although Webber held his nerve and soon retook the position. Up front, Michael Schumacher cruised to victory, even if it was somewhat unconventional. Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen completed the podium. Coulthard staved off Webber and Sato to help McLaren score big points. Fisichella went almost unnoticed to finish 7th whilst Nick Heidfeld broke Jordan's duck for 2004.

1. M.Schumacher 1hr 40m 24.565s
2. Alonso +47.215s
3. Raikkonen +49.983s
4. Coulthard +1 Lap
5. Webber +1 Lap
6. Sato +1 Lap
7. Fisichella +1 Lap
8. Heidfeld +2 Laps
9. Zonta +2 Laps
10. Bruni +3 Laps
11. Baumgartner +4 Laps

Fastest Lap: Michael Schumacher - 1.22.657

REJECT OF THE RACE: Jarno Trulli - Threw away a potential win

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 108
Barrichello 61
Trulli 60
Button 50
Alonso 48
Christopherson 39
Raikkonen 32
Coulthard 27
Sato 23
R.Schumacher 21
Fisichella 20
Webber 8
Massa 5
Klien 3
Heidfeld 1
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 169
Renault 108
BAR 73
Williams 60
McLaren 59
Sauber 25
Jaguar 11
Toyota 1
Jordan 1
Minardi 0

[Whiteshore]

So, what is Christopherson gonna do after F1? Sports cars? DTM? WTCC? Indycars? And BTW, we will not bow before the threat of the papaya(check my No Williams championship).

[FullMetalJack]

So, what is Christopherson gonna do after F1? Sports cars? DTM? WTCC? Indycars?

Probably something involving GPM2 as a team owner. Nothing is set in stone yet though.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 14 - 2004 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - Spa Francorchamps

PRE-RACE
Spa-Francorchamps makes a very welcome return to the Formula 1 calendar, with some minor changes, most notably to the bus stop chicane, the track veers to the right before a much tighter left hand turn, whilst the rest of the chicane remains unchanged.

The new Bus Stop chicane did take a few laps to get used to, even after the track walk we do before every race weekend. It's a nice challenge though, and to be honest, i'm just glad we're back racing at one of the best circuits in the world.

QUALIFYING
What's more difficult than a flying lap around Spa? A flying lap around Spa when it's chucking it down, precisely what the 20 of us had to deal with. I didn't even set a lap, after a very heavy crash at Eau Rouge, and would start at the very back of the grid. Jenson Button set the early pace, until the Ferraris outdid him. The track dried up in the final 10 minutes, where Trulli got pole position, with both McLarens high up the grid, and Nick Heidfeld once again punching above his weight in the Jordan, to qualify 7th. Pantano didn't match Heidfeld's heroics, but he was a very respectable 15th.

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1. Trulli 2.01.940
2. M.Schumacher +2.854
3. Raikkonen +3.227
4. Barrichello +3.359
5. Button +5.363
6. Coulthard +5.852
7. Heidfeld +5.856
8. Alonso +5.941
9. Fisichella +7.451
10. R.Schumacher +7.565
11. Sato +8.384
12. Webber +8.484
13. Zonta +10.223
14. Massa +10.235
15. Pantano +11.078
16. Briscoe +11.618
17. Klien +11.748
18. Bruni +13.088
19. Baumgartner +13.295
20. Christopherson - No Time

RACE
Race day could not have been more different. Not a cloud in the sky, with track temperatures creeping over 40 degrees, with air temperature in the 30's. Would the grid sort itself out, or could the likes of Heidfeld maintain a decent position. At the start, Trulli got away well, whilst Raikkonen dived down the inside of Schumacher. The big winners at the start were Pantano who was up to 12th, and Takuma Sato who got a lightning start to move up to 7th, and even tried to dive down the inside of Coulthard for 6th. By the end of lap 1, I had moved up to 14th, ahead of both Jaguars, Briscoe, Massa and the Minardis. I tried passing Zonta over 13th at Eau Rouge, but Zonta held his nerve, and I had to bide my time more. Barrichello passed Schumacher for third at Les Combes on the second lap. Clutch problems forced Ryan Briscoe to an early retirement, his race lasted just 6 laps. David Coulthard suffered more reliability problems in the McLaren, costing him 6th place. On lap 17, Barrichello dived down the inside of La Source and took 2nd position, and by his point, Trulli had opened up a decent gap. McLaren didn't have the pace of Renault, and it was costing Ferrari a shot at victory. If one crash wasn't enough for one weekend, I suffered another one for good measure, I was too aggressive exiting Les Combes, and the back end of the car let go, and hit the tyre barrier. The second half of the race saw very little action, with only two notable events. The first was Ralf Schumacher passing Fisichella for 8th after a much better entry through Eau Rouge, and therefore a better exit out of Radillion. The other was Pantano spinning off the track and retiring from 14th. Jarno Trulli eased to the second victory of his career, and regained second place in the championship, with Barrichello holding onto second place, leading a group of cars home. Raikkonen, Schumacher and Button all within a couple of seconds of Barrichello. Fourth place for Michael Schumacher was enough to secure a 7th World Championship. Alonso, Sato and Ralf Schumacher rounded off the points.

1. Trulli 1hr 25m 33.403s
2. Barrichello +12.866s
3. Raikkonen +13.396s
4. M.Schumacher +13.976s
5. Button +14.450s
6. Alonso +42.039s
7. Sato +55.138s
8. R.Schumacher +1m 11.047s
9. Fisichella +1m 17.682s
10. Webber +1m 44.536s
11. Heidfeld +1 Lap
12. Zonta +1 Lap
13. Massa +1 Lap
14. Klien +1 Lap
15. Bruni +2 Laps
16. Baumgartner +2 Laps

Fastest Lap: Jarno Trulli - 1.47.692

REJECT OF THE RACE: Jack Christopherson - Two big mistakes in two days

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 113
Trulli 70
Barrichello 69
Button 54
Alonso 51
Christopherson 39
Raikkonen 38
Coulthard 27
Sato 25
R.Schumacher 22
Fisichella 20
Webber 8
Massa 5
Klien 3
Heidfeld 1
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 182
Renault 121
BAR 79
McLaren 65
Williams 61
Sauber 25
Jaguar 11
Toyota 1
Jordan 1
Minardi 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 15 - 2004 ITALIAN GRAND PRIX - Monza

PRE-RACE
In a move that has shocked the world of Formula 1, Jarno Trulli is set to join Toyota. The championship runner-up moving to a team that has only scored a single world championship point all year. With a Trulli/Schumacher/Gascoyne combination, clearly Toyota are placing all their eggs in the basket for 2005. 2005 is also set to see the return of former race winner Jacques Villeneuve, after entering talks with Sauber. It is likely that he could be replacing Giancarlo Fisichella, who is a potential candidate for Williams, although the reports seem to indicate him replacing Trulli at Renault. After such a strong season, either move up the grid would be well deserved, and would see him with his best chance of finally winning a grand prix. Red Bull are close to taking over the Jaguar team, a move which would most likely prolong Christian Klien's career for another year at least. Formula 3000 champion Vitantonio Liuzzi is a favourite for the other seat, although 2000 World Champion David Coulthard has expressed interest.

QUALIFYING
Michael Schumacher couldn't perform quite up to his usual standards in front of the ever adoring tifosi, and he was a somewhat disappointing third on the grid. When he's not on pole, the usual bet is Jarno Trulli, but messing up his hot lap left him dead last, even behind the Minardis. Kimi Raikkonen didn't fare much better, as he was a disappointing 13th. I set a bad lap too, as I could only manage 10th, just ahead of the Toyotas who locked out row 6 in what was a more encouraging weekend for the team. Pole position went to Jenson Button, who edged out Fernando Alonso for that honour.

Code: Select all

1. Button 1.22.364
2. Alonso +0.166
3. M.Schumacher +0.253
4. Sato +0.593
5. R.Schumacher +0.608
6. Coulthard +0.625
7. Barrichello +0.796
8. Fisichella +0.976
9. Webber +1.189
10. Christopherson +1.420
11. Briscoe +1.537
12. Zonta +1.800
13. Massa +1.836
14. Raikkonen +2.050
15. Klien +2.152
16. Heidfeld +2.574
17. Pantano +3.480
18. Bruni +4.326
19. Baumgartner +4.837
20. Trulli +5.052

RACE
Button made a pretty good start, whilst Alonso was forced to go slightly defensive to maintain 2nd position. Mark Webber dropped down the field like a bird tied to a rock, although at least he was able to continue. Giancarlo Fisichella endured his first non finish of the season, after Kimi Raikkonen whacked the back of his Sauber at turn 1. In part thanks to the incident, Trulli found himself 11th at the end of lap 1, hunting down Klien's 10th place. I was 8th, but some distance ahead of the likes of Trulli, Zonta and Klien, and even Briscoe who done well to move up to 9th place. After running wide exiting the chicane in an attempt to pass Alonso, Schumacher lost 3rd place to the feisty Sato who was looking for his first podium. Lap 13 saw Rubens Barrichello pull off the track, elevating me to 7th, with my sights set on Coulthard. Trulli later retired with gearbox issues, a few laps after passing Briscoe for 8th. The middle part of the race lacked any sort of action, with no notable moments until lap 41, where Ryan Briscoe, who was on for a world championship point was tagged into a spin by Christian Klien, and Ricardo Zonta jumped both of them to take that points paying position. Toyota's weekend improved when David Coulthard spun off at the first chicane on lap 45, just a few laps away, losing 7th place. Jenson Button led the Italian Grand Prix from start to finish to claim the second victory of his career, whilst Fernando Alonso finished behind him, 20 seconds down the road, fending off Michael Schumacher for the majority of the race. Takuma Sato matched his career best 4th place. Ralf Schumacher led home a Williams 5-6, with Ricardo Zonta leading Ryan Briscoe to a double points finish for Toyota, giving them a very good chance of hanging onto 8th place in the Constructors Championship.

1. Button 1hr 18m 41.368s
2. Alonso +20.676s
3. M.Schumacher +22.095s
4. Sato +37.731s
5. R.Schumacher +51.377s
6. Christopherson +1m 04.838s
7. Zonta +1 Lap
8. Briscoe +1 Lap
9. Klien +1 Lap
10. Massa +1 Lap
11. Webber +1 Lap
12. Heidfeld +2 Laps
13. Pantano +2 Laps
14. Bruni +3 Laps
15. Baumgartner +3 Laps

Fastest Lap: Jack Christopherson - 1.23.475

REJECT OF THE RACE: Kimi Raikkonen - Brought Fisichella's perfect finishing record to an abrupt end.

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 119
Trulli 70
Barrichello 69
Button 64
Alonso 59
Christopherson 42
Raikkonen 38
Sato 30
Coulthard 27
R.Schumacher 26
Fisichella 20
Webber 8
Massa 5
Klien 3
Zonta 2
Heidfeld 1
Briscoe 1
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 188
Renault 129
BAR 95
Williams 68
McLaren 65
Sauber 25
Jaguar 11
Toyota 4
Jordan 1
Minardi 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 16 - 2004 CHINESE GRAND PRIX - Shanghai

PRE-RACE
The second brand new circuit for 2004, and with it comes a driver change. Jordan have parted ways mutually with Giorgio Pantano, for sponsorship reasons, as Pantano was unable to raise the required money. In comes Timo Glock, who will debut at the new Shanghai International Circuit.

QUALIFYING
Very grey skies surrounded the Shanghai circuit, although there were no signs of rain on the horizon. I've had worse qualifying sessions during my lengthy career, but 6th on the grid was not as much as I had hoped for, even if I was marginally quicker than Ralf Schumacher. One driver failed to set a representative time in the session, that was Felipe Massa, who has generally underwhelmed all season. Michael Schumacher returned to the very front of the grid, and he was in fine form, over half a second quicker than anyone else, whilst Glock was not too far off Heidfeld's pace, a good debut in the unfancied Jordan.

Code: Select all

1. M.Schumacher 1.35.204
2. Button +0.644
3. Trulli +1.462
4. Barrichello +1.708
5. Alonso +1.809
6. Christopherson +1.823
7. R.Schumacher +1.897
8. Coulthard +1.985
9. Sato +2.067
10. Raikkonen +2.078
11. Fisichella +2.408
12. Briscoe +3.108
13. Klien +3.300
14. Webber +3.343
15. Zonta +3.425
16. Heidfeld +4.081
17. Glock +4.306
18. Baumgartner +5.324
19. Bruni +5.636
20. Massa - No Time

RACE
Barrichello made a much better getaway than Trulli on the second row, and was up to 3rd before the first corner. Meanwhile, contact between Baumgartner and Heidfeld resulted in Baumgartner rolling over twice, and may possibly miss the final two races due to the severity of the crash. Gianmaria Bruni was caught up in the incident, and also had to retire. Down to 17 drivers after just a few corners. I lost 6th place to the fast starting David Coulthard, and set my sights on regaining that position. There was very little action towards the front, although there was a nice little scrap with the Toyota, Sauber and Jaguar drivers, although Fisichella soon pulled away in 11th, and looked set for a fairly lonely race. The back straight proved a popular overtaking spot, and lap 10 saw two position changes, the first being Raikkonen passing Sato for 9th place, whilst further back, Webber passed Klien for 12th place. At the first round of pitstops, I was unable to leapfrog Coulthard. However, I was able to put that right, by passing him at turn 6, the scene of Baumgartner's horrific accident. Jenson Button lost 2nd position thanks to an engine failure, handing Barrichello and Trulli the advantage in the battle over 2nd in the championship. Massa dived down the inside of Klien for 11th on lap 37, the most notable overtake in the latter half of the race. The fifth and last retirement was Ryan Briscoe, gearbox troubles ended his race on lap 40, although points for a second consecutive race was unlikely. Michael Schumacher cruised to a tenth victory of the season, and led Rubens Barrichello to a Ferrari 1-2, their third of the season. Renault followed them, Trulli taking the final podium spot ahead of Alonso. The Williams and McLaren drivers rounded off the lower points positions. Timo Glock finished his debut race in 15th, a couple of seconds behind Ricardo Zonta, a very solid debut. Ferrari clinched the Constructors Championship.

1. M.Schumacher 1hr 32m 56.317s
2. Barrichello +13.445s
3. Trulli +24.354s
4. Alonso +36.140s
5. Christopherson +54.239s
6. Coulthard +1m 12.363s
7. R.Schumacher +1m 13.287s
8. Raikkonen +1 Lap
9. Sato +1 Lap
10. Fisichella +1 Lap
11. Webber +1 Lap
12. Massa +1 Lap
13. Klien +1 Lap
14. Zonta +2 Laps
15. Glock +2 Laps

Fastest Lap: Fernando Alonso - 1.36.668

REJECT OF THE RACE: British American Racing - First scoreless race in over a year

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 129
Barrichello 77
Trulli 76
Button 64
Alonso 64
Christopherson 46
Raikkonen 39
Coulthard 30
Sato 30
R.Schumacher 28
Fisichella 20
Webber 8
Massa 5
Klien 3
Zonta 2
Heidfeld 1
Briscoe 1
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 206
Renault 140
BAR 95
Williams 74
McLaren 69
Sauber 25
Jaguar 11
Toyota 4
Jordan 1
Minardi 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 17 - 2004 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX

PRE-RACE
After Zsolt Baumgartner's horrific accident on the first lap of the Chinese Grand Prix, he will be sitting out the Japanese Grand Prix, and possibly even the final round in Brazil. Enter Bas Leinders, a 29-year old Belgian driver with three years of Formula 3000 experience eager to make the jump up to Formula 1.

QUALIFYING
As expected by some, Michael Schumacher took yet another pole position to continue a most impressive 2004 campaign, and was over half a second quicker than anybody else. Two drivers made mistakes on their crucial lap, the first was Timo Glock, who starts from dead last, whilst Rubens Barrichello got out of shape in the esses and lines up 13th. I was 7th fastest, a decent effort, but slower than teammate Ralf Schumacher. Bas Leinders was 19th quickest on debut, just under 4 tenths slower than Bruni.

Code: Select all

1. M.Schumacher 1.31.494
2. Trulli +0.579
3. Button +0.699
4. Alonso +1.042
5. Raikkonen +1.208
6. R.Schumacher +1.726
7. Christopherson +2.045
8. Coulthard +2.082
9. Sato +2.158
10. Fisichella +2.618
11. Webber +2.658
12. Massa +3.135
13. Barrichello +3.137
14. Briscoe +3.258
15. Heidfeld +3.518
16. Klien +4.031
17. Zonta +4.643
18. Bruni +5.440
19. Leinders +5.832
20. Glock +6.848

I think top 5 was definitely on the cards, a small mistake misjuding the entry to the final chicane, and a slow exit from the hairpin cost me a chance of that, or even better.

RACE
There were rain all over the track, but not enough for full wets. Intermediate tyres were the order of the day. As the lights went out, Rubens Barrichello didn't make it past turn 1, wheelbanging with Briscoe resulted in Barrichello sliding off into the barrier, along with Ricardo Zonta spinning further back. Meanwhile, Takuma Sato was quick off the line, gaining 2 positions in front of his adoring fans. A tangle at the final chicane on lap 2 happened when Ralf Schumacher made contact with Sato, sending him into a spin, and costing him many positions, and Webber any chance of points, as the Williams-bound Aussie damaged his suspension due to being unable to avoid Sato's spinning BAR. At the front, Schumacher maintained a steady gap over Trulli, Button, Alonso and Raikkonen, whilst I was slowly catching the back of the leading pack. There was bad news for me after 15 laps, I was informed that my engine was starting to overheat, and I was given two options. Either conserve the car and hope to bring home some points, or push and go for glory with a greater risk of losing 6th place. 20 laps was as much as I was able to manage, with Unsurprisingly, I kept pushing like crazy, as I had my sights set on a podium finish. Coulthard lost 7th thanks to a gearbox failure, promoting both Saubers into the points, although Takuma Sato was looking to get back into the points, first passing Nick Heidfeld for 10th place in the Jordan on lap 27, although he was someway behind anyone else, so Taku was hoping for retirements further up. On lap 31, Raikkonen almost passed Alonso down the inside of the hairpin, although soon after, he lost any chance of beating the Spaniard. Lap 44 saw two notable passes, both courtesy of the Honda powered BAR's, firstly Button passed Trulli for 2nd down the inside of the hairpin as the track got slightly drier, and Button pulled away. Sato passed Briscoe for 9th, and was closing in on the Sauber duo. Michael Schumacher secured yet another victory, the race being won as soon as he started to open up a gap to the chasing pack. Jenson Button's second place finish is not enough to keep him realistic contention for runner up spot. Renault pick up another strong finish, whilst the battle between McLaren and Williams will go right down to the wire. Sato was mere seconds from passing the Sauber duo, Fisichella and Massa finishing 7th and 8th respectively.

1. M.Schumacher 1hr 38m 03.167s
2. Button +13.119s
3. Trulli +19.269s
4. Alonso +26.263s
5. Raikkonen +40.897s
6. R.Schumacher +1m 10.527s
7. Fisichella +1m 34.909s
8. Massa +1m 35.775s
9. Sato +1m 38.324s
10. Briscoe +1 Lap
11. Heidfeld +1 Lap
12. Klien +1 Lap
13. Glock +2 Laps
14. Bruni +2 Laps
15. Leinders +2 Laps

Fastest Lap: Fernando Alonso - 1.40.236

REJECT OF THE RACE: Rubens Barrichello - Qualifying error set the tone

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
M.Schumacher 139
Trulli 82
Barrichello 77
Button 72
Alonso 69
Christopherson 46
Raikkonen 43
R.Schumacher 31
Coulthard 30
Sato 30
Fisichella 22
Webber 8
Massa 6
Klien 3
Zonta 2
Heidfeld 1
Briscoe 1
Panis 1

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 216
Renault 151
BAR 102
Williams 77
McLaren 73
Sauber 28
Jaguar 11
Toyota 4
Jordan 1
Minardi 0

[Rabbi Gordon]

Just one race left?

Oh man, how time goes by. Best of luck to Jack in that race and in the "future" if he wishes to continue his career somewhere.

[FullMetalJack]

Just one race left?

Oh man, how time goes by. Best of luck to Jack in that race and in the "future" if he wishes to continue his career somewhere.

Thanks for the continued support.

I know full well where my career is going after this. Although I didn't act like I did, I knew for a while I was going to end my F1 career in 2004 as well. I just don't want to reveal full details until it happens.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 18 - 2004 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX - Interlagos

PRE-RACE
Zsolt Baumgartner returns for what is most likely his final race for Minardi, after sitting out of the Japanese Grand Prix for precautionary reasons. Meanwhile, Red Bull have purchased Jaguar, and confirmed David Coulthard and Christian Klien for their seats next year, although Formula 3000 champion Vitantonio Liuzzi may get a few races in Klien's place. Williams are yet to confirm their second driver, although Nick Heidfeld remains the favourite.

I do think Heidfeld is the best option available as my replacement. I've definitely took notice of the performances he's put in with his Jordan this year, and it would be unfair if that effort gone unrewarded. I may have no influence on the driver decision, but I hope Frank and Patrick agree with me. Mark and Nick are two hungry drivers, and they could be the pairing to push Williams back to the front, where they belong.

QUALIFYING
A few drivers made mistakes on their only lap, including both Renault drivers, with Trulli starting tomorrow from the back row alongisde local hero Zonta. Fernando Alonso didn't drive the best lap of his career, and consequently will start 10th, whilst 7-time champion Michael Schumacher showed that even he wasn't prone to mistakes when the pressure is on, and will start 8th. I took advantage, and bagged a front row start for my final ever grand prix, alongside polesitter, and crowd favourite Rubens Barrichello. The two of us, along with Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen were the only drivers to break the 70 second barrier. Jenson Button's 4th on the grid with Takuma Sato's 7th meant that Button had outqualified Sato at every single race in 2004.

Code: Select all

1. Barrichello 1.09.641
2. Christopherson +0.264
3. Button +0.329
4. Raikkonen +0.355
5. R.Schumacher +0.916
6. Coulthard +0.920
7. Sato +1.009
8. M.Schumacher +1.196
9. Fisichella +1.303
10. Alonso +1.445
11. Webber +1.474
12. Massa +1.674
13. Briscoe +1.695
14. Klien +1.949
15. Heidfeld +2.099
16. Glock +2.687
17. Bruni +3.408
18. Baumgartner +3.847
19. Trulli +4.371
20. Zonta +4.661

RACE
I made a bad start, and dropped to 4th behind Button and a very fast starting Coulthard. Trulli's race ended the way it began, losing his rear wing. With Barrichello leading, Trulli may well have kissed that runner up spot goodbye. On the second lap, Michael Schumacher ran wide and dropped to 10th, behind Sato, Alonso and Fisichella. Even Fisichella made Schumacher really work for the position, so it wasn't going to be plain sailing to get into a big points finish. On lap 7, a good exit down the back straight saw me take 3rd from Coulthard, although the leading duo were some distance ahead. The early stages of the race were lacking action, other than Schumacher taking 8th from Alonso. Then, on lap 35, a collision between Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard in a battle for 4th left Coulthard worse off, as nine years at McLaren were over. Not a single podium this season. Lap 40 saw the first mechanical retirement, Christian Klien pulling off with an engine failure in Jaguar's final race. Nick Heidfeld didn't last too much longer either, gearbox issues ended what was presumably his last race for Jordan, a trying season with little reward, although he is mostly likely off to greener pastures come 2005. Takuma Sato was eager to end 2004 on a high note, but was clearly over eager, and he collided with Kimi Raikkonen, ending the Iceman's race. Sato had to limp back to the pits, and lost any chance of some big points, the two were dueling over 4th place. Rubens Barrichello took his first win since Monaco, and his second victory of the season, and arguably his sweetest victory of all, with little pressure from Button during the race, who just stayed within reach to give the impression that there'd be a battle for the win, but in reality, Rubens controlled the race. I had a quiet race after my move on Coulthard, but ended my career by finishing on the podium, the champagne was as sweet as it got, given how rare my appearances on the rostrum have been this season. It was a strong weekend all around for Williams, as Ralf Schumacher held off his older brother to finish 4th in his last race for Williams. Alonso ended Renault's season in a low-key fashion with 6th, whilst the Saubers once again rounded off the minor points positions.

1. Barrichello 1hr 26m 53.374s
2. Button +7.813s
3. Christopherson +28.353s
4. R.Schumacher +46.250s
5. M.Schumacher +48.192s
6. Alonso +52.875s
7. Fisichella +1 Lap
8. Massa +1 Lap
9. Briscoe +1 Lap
10. Webber +1 Lap
11. Sato +1 Lap
12. Zonta +2 Laps
13. Glock +2 Laps
14. Bruni +3 Laps
15. Baumgartner +3 Laps

Fastest Lap: Jenson Button - 1.10.271

REJECT OF THE RACE: Renault - Incredible season ends on a low note

So that ends that, I shall announce where I will go next in due time. Before that, the season review with the prestigious Reject Of The Year award shall be posted.

[FullMetalJack]

Drivers Championship
Michael Schumacher 143
Rubens Barrichello 87
Jarno Trulli 82
Jenson Button 80
Fernando Alonso 72
Jack Christopherson 52
Kimi Raikkonen 43
Ralf Schumacher 36
David Coulthard 30 (4th x 2, 5th x 2)
Takuma Sato 30 (4th x 2, 5th x 1)
Giancarlo Fisichella 24
Mark Webber 8
Felipe Massa 7
Christian Klien 3
Ricardo Zonta 2
Ryan Briscoe 1 (8th x 1, 9th x 2, 10th x 1)
Nick Heidfeld 1 (8th x 1, 9th x 2, 11th x 3)
Olivier Panis 1 (8th x 1, 10th x 2)
Cristiano Da Matta 0 (9th)
Giorgio Pantano 0 (10th x 2)
Gianmaria Bruni 0 (10th x 1)
Zsolt Baumgartner 0 (11th)
Timo Glock 0 (13th)
Bas Leinders 0 (15th)

Constructors Championship
Ferrari 230
Renault 154
BAR Honda 110
Williams BMW 88
McLaren Mercedes 73
Sauber Petronas 31
Jaguar 11
Toyota 4
Jordan Ford 1
Minardi Cosworth 0

[FullMetalJack]

2004 SEASON REVIEW

Can Michael Schumacher be beaten? The question remains the same heading into 2005, but clearly the 35-year-old German shows no signs of slowing down, as he continued to make the sport his own, whilst 19 other drivers were left to simply admire his greatness. An eighth championship looks like a very realistic scenario by the end of next year, something that unfairly makes the achievements of the likes of Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart in their careers look ordinary, relatively speaking of course.

Fortunately, we saw two new winners in Jenson Button and Jarno Trulli, as their respective teams BAR and Renault pushed further up the grid, with the more traditional frontrunners in Williams and McLaren on the way down. Was this a sign of things to come for both teams, or are they ready to bounce back in 2005? New drivers may be just the thing to do that.

Several future race winners are finally being given their shot in a car where they can show what they are capable of. Giancarlo Fisichella and Mark Webber saw their fine efforts in 2004 rewarded with promotions to frontrunning cars, with Fisichella being one of the stars of the year. Nick Heidfeld is mostly likely joining them. Sadly, Heidfeld seems to be leaving behind a Jordan team that is on a seemingly terminal decline into tail-end oblivion, with just one championship point all season, thanks to Heidfeld himself.

One thing we learnt in 2004 was that money does not guarantee success. Toyota learnt that lesson the hard way, forcing Olivier Panis to end what was a good career early, with the one upside being that they gave us a somewhat promising Ryan Briscoe, even if a seat for 2005 is unlikely. Fortunately for them, they have pulled off two unbeliveable coups. 2001 championship runner up Ralf Schumacher and 2004's driver of the year Jarno Trulli have took the plunge, knowing things have to get better for the Cologne outfit.

We say farewell to Jaguar, who have once again done nothing different to before, making it very difficult to give them a proper review. Finally, it wouldn't be a season review without a mention of Minardi, who looked further off the pace than last year. They may have found another driver with potential in Gianmaria Bruni, but unless he remains with the team with little chance of points, it's unlikely we'll see him again.

DRIVER RANKINGS
1. Jarno Trulli 9.0
2. Jenson Button 9.0
3. Michael Schumacher 8.5
4. Giancarlo Fisichella 8.0
5. Kimi Raikkonen 7.5
6. Fernando Alonso 7.0
7. Nick Heidfeld 7.0
8. Rubens Barrichello 6.5
9. Mark Webber 6.5
10. Jack Christopherson 6.0
11. Takuma Sato 6.0
12. Ryan Briscoe 6.0
13. Gianmaria Bruni 5.5
14. Christian Klien 5.5
15. Ralf Schumacher 5.0
16. Olivier Panis 5.0
17. Ricardo Zonta 5.0
18. David Coulthard 5.0
19. Giorgio Pantano 5.0
20. Zsolt Baumgartner 4.0
21. Cristiano Da Matta 4.0
22. Felipe Massa 4.0

TEAM RANKINGS
1. Renault 9.0
2. BAR Honda 9.0
3. Ferrari 8.0
4. Sauber Petronas 7.0
5. Jaguar 5.5
6. McLaren Mercedes 5.5
7. Williams BMW 5.5
8. Jordan Ford 4.5
9. Minardi Cosworth 4.0
10. Toyota 2.0

REJECT OF THE YEAR

3RD - Cristiano Da Matta

After a promising 2003, spectators and pundits alike saw potential in Cristiano Da Matta. The next step was to build on that promise in that second season, which he completely failed to do. After a decent drive to 9th in the topsy turvy conditions during the season opener in Australia, we saw very little of the promise shown as a rookie. A couple of battles with teammate Olivier Panis were among the rare highlights for him this season, although when it counted in Canada, he lost out. A return to the United States looks most likely, where he was more at home.

2ND - Felipe Massa

A season as Ferrari test driver was intended to smooth the rough edges of this driver, and whilst he was reliable most of the time, the flashes of speed that he shown in 2002 were almost non-existent, as he was in Fisichella's shadow all season. Perhaps he was made to look worse by being compared to the resurgent Fisichella, who had arguably his best season yet, but after his excellent 6th in Australia, his best effort was 8th, and three of the four times he managed that, he was still the trailing Sauber. 2005 is last chance saloon for Massa, and he must make an impression against the returning Jacques Villeneuve.

1ST - Toyota

There is no other way to put it, 2004 was a catastrophe of epic proportions for Toyota. They say money can't buy you success, if you didn't believe that, then look no further than Toyota. One of the biggest budgets in the sport, with a paltry 4 points to show for it, and a car that caused a former race winner in Olivier Panis to retire mid-season. Being outpaced by Jordan will always be a cause for concern, but it happened on multiple occasions throughout the season, unacceptable for a team with their budget. Evidently, there is potential for big things, as they have managed to somehow attract Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli to the team. Things will improve in 2005, they just have to.

[Ciaran]

Do you have any plans to do simulations of any seasons beyond 2004? At least Christopherson's career ended on a high note.

[Bobby Doorknobs]

[FullMetalJack]

22 December 2009

CHRISTOPHERSON LOOKING TO BUY OUT CAMPOS GRAND PRIX?
After Bernie Ecclestone expressed concern about the chances of Campos Meta, rumours have surfaced that Jack Christopherson has shown interest in becoming the major stakeholder in the team. The 1997 World Champion initially considered founding a team and submitting an entry for the 2010 Formula One World Championship, but eventually decided against it. Could this be his opportunity to get onto the grid for 2010?

[FullMetalJack]

13 January 2010

CHRISTOPHERSON/CAMPOS DEAL IS OFF, USF1 PURCHASE IMMINENT

Unlike previous speculation suggested, 1997 World Champion Jack Christopherson will not be taking over the Campos Meta outfit, and will instead be buying out the ailing USF1 team, with relocation to England imminent. Whether or not Jose Maria Lopez will remain one of the drivers remains to be seen, although it is hinted that Giedo Van Der Garde is in the running.

6th February 2010

USF1 RENAMED JCR, PANTANO AND VAN DER GARDE ANNOUNCED AS DRIVERS

Jack Christopherson has completed the purchase of USF1, renamed JCR, short for Jack Christopherson Racing. The team will run with Cosworth engines, similar to those that the other new teams will run. Giorgio Pantano and Giedo van der Garde will be the two race drivers, with Robert Wickens as test driver.

I think realistically, the aim has to be to beat HRT to start with, as they were in a similar situation to us, and if things go well, we can focus on Lotus and Virgin, and maybe even score a point or two on the way.

The 2010 calendar will consist of 16 races, and they are as follows.

Bahrain - Sakhir
Australia - Melbourne
Malaysia - Sepang
China - Shanghai
Spain - Barcelona
Monaco - Monte Carlo
Turkey - Istanbul
Canada - Montreal
Great Britain - Silverstone
Germany - Hockenheim
Hungary - Hungaroring
Belgium - Spa-Francorchamps
Italy - Monza
Japan - Suzuka
Brazil - Interlagos
Abu Dhabi - Yas Marina

Driver Lineup

McLaren Mercedes
1. Jenson Button
2. Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes
3. Michael Schumacher
4. Nico Rosberg

Red Bull Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel
6. Mark Webber

Ferrari
7. Felipe Massa
8. Fernando Alonso

Williams Cosworth
9. Rubens Barrichello
10. Nico Hulkenberg

Renault
11. Robert Kubica
12. Vitaly Petrov

Force India Mercedes
14. Adrian Sutil
15. Vitantonio Liuzzi

Toro Rosso Ferrari
16. Sebastien Buemi
17. Jaime Alguersuari

Lotus Cosworth
18. Jarno Trulli
19. Heikki Kovalainen

HRT Cosworth
20. Karun Chandhok
21. Bruno Senna

Sauber Ferrari
22. Pedro De La Rosa
23. Kamui Kobayashi

Virgin Cosworth
24. Timo Glock
25. Lucas Di Grassi

JCR Cosworth
26. Giorgio Pantano
27. Giedo Van Der Garde

[Ciaran]

What game are you using for your managerial career? I've tried playing GPM2 on my Windows 7 laptop without any success.

Best of luck.

[FullMetalJack]

As this is a much quicker process, i'll probably do two rounds per post, but update the standings after every race.




WDC after 1 round
Vettel 25
Alonso 18
Schumacher 15
Rosberg 12
Kubica 10
Hamilton 8
Webber 6
Glock 4
Hulkenberg 2
Senna 1

WCC after 1 round
Red Bull 31
Mercedes 27
Ferrari 18
Renault 10
McLaren 8
Virgin 4
Williams 2
HRT 1
Sauber 0
Toro Rosso 0
JCR 0
Force India 0
Lotus 0




WDC after 2 rounds
Alonso 43
Vettel 35
Schumacher 33
Rosberg 18
Massa 15
Webber 14
Petrov 12
Kubica 10
Hamilton 6
Glock 5
Barrichello 4
Hulkenberg 2
Di Grassi 2
Senna 1

WCC after 2 rounds
Ferrari 58
Mercedes 51
Red Bull 49
Renault 22
McLaren 8
Virgin 7
Williams 6
HRT 1
Lotus 0
Force India 0
JCR 0
Sauber 0
Toro Rosso 0

[Rabbi Gordon]

Great end to Jack's driving career.

And nice driver pairing in JCR, exact same as I use in KL-Racer's 2009. Hope Jack will have as much success with them as I do.

[FullMetalJack]

Great end to Jack's driving career.

And nice driver pairing in JCR, exact same as I use in KL-Racer's 2009. Hope Jack will have as much success with them as I do.

I didn't even know that. I just picked an experienced driver and a pay driver. And how could I pass up a chance to include GVDG?

[Whiteshore]

Is it me or would some people compare Pantano's Melbourne pole to Teo Fabi's surprise pole in the 1985 German GP with the Toleman?

[Ataxia]

Is it me or would some people compare Pantano's Melbourne pole to Teo Fabi's surprise pole in the 1985 German GP with the Toleman?

...are you umatbru?

[Salamander]

Is it me or would some people compare Pantano's Melbourne pole to Teo Fabi's surprise pole in the 1985 German GP with the Toleman?

[FullMetalJack]

WDC after 3 rounds
Alonso 61
Schumacher 58
Vettel 45
Rosberg 33
Kubica 22
Massa 21
Petrov 20
Webber 18
Hamilton 8
Glock 5
Barrichello 4
Hulkenberg 2
Di Grassi 2
De La Rosa 2
Senna 1
Liuzzi 1

WCC after 3 rounds
Mercedes 91
Ferrari 82
Red Bull 63
Renault 42
McLaren 8
Virgin 7
Williams 6
Sauber 2
HRT 1
Force India 1
Lotus 0
Toro Rosso 0
JCR 0




WDC after 4 rounds
Vettel 70
Alonso 61
Schumacher 58
Massa 39
Rosberg 33
Webber 30
Kubica 26
Petrov 20
Button 15
Hulkenberg 12
Kovalainen 8
Hamilton 8
Kobayashi 6
Barrichello 6
Glock 5
Di Grassi 3
De La Rosa 2
Senna 1
Liuzzi 1

WCC after 4 rounds
Red Bull 100
Ferrari 100
Mercedes 91
Renault 46
McLaren 23
Williams 18
Lotus 8
Sauber 8
Virgin 8
HRT 1
Force India 1
Toro Rosso 0
JCR 0

[Ciaran]

It's a pity your team is suffering such bad luck in the races. Also, I noticed that Pantano didn't participate in the Malaysian GP, why's that?

[FullMetalJack]

It's a pity your team is suffering such bad luck in the races. Also, I noticed that Pantano didn't participate in the Malaysian GP, why's that?

DNQ.

His car broke down on his first flying lap, meaning he failed to set a time within 107%. The rule applies because the original game was set in the 1996 season.

Funnily enough, no matter how many drivers fail to set a quick enough time, never will more than 3 drivers DNQ.

[Bobby Doorknobs]

Funnily enough, no matter how many drivers fail to set a quick enough time, never will more than 3 drivers DNQ.

In fairness, it would have turned wet-dry qualifying sessions into a farce. I've had plenty of situations where more than half the field were outside the 107% because it started raining in the middle of qualifying

[FullMetalJack]

Funnily enough, no matter how many drivers fail to set a quick enough time, never will more than 3 drivers DNQ.

In fairness, it would have turned wet-dry qualifying sessions into a farce. I've had plenty of situations where more than half the field were outside the 107% because it started raining in the middle of qualifying

Yup, it doesn't take into account that the 107% rule is never applied in the wet, unless the cars in question were horrendously slow in practice too, which to my knowledge has never been the case.