After the winter we’ve had I hardly expect you to feel sorry for me as I grab some spring sunshine, but the issue is that my legs are just not suited to shorts. Even my wife Harriet’s Dad reckons he’s never seen ankles as big as mine, so even in the heat of the desert I tend to wear jeans in the paddock while David Coulthard swans about showing off his bulging, athletic calf muscles.

Mind you, not even 40C will get me sporting a pair of white strides like the ones Eddie Jordan wowed viewers with last year! On my last weekend at home, however, I had no such concerns about the heat.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button

A biting wind was whistling through the windows (our renovations STILL haven’t started) and I irresponsibly had the gas fire up full pelt in an attempt to get some warmth into the room. I watched Superman Returns – for which a bald-headed and rather sinister Kevin Spacey had clearly enjoyed a tasty pay-day and gained sudden inspiration for this blog.

Last Friday, I was fortunate enough to freeze half to death in Corby. Fortunate, because tucked away in an industrial estate in an otherwise ordinary looking corner of Britain is the impressive Rockingham Motor Speedway.

Famous for being Europe’s fastest racing circuit, on Friday it played host to a seven-time F1 world champion. So, Michael Schumacher. What is he in your eyes? The Clark Kent, or the Lex Luther of Formula 1?

In my mind there were clearly times when he operated at the very edge of the competitive limit and undoubtedly crossed the line into the realms of unsporting behaviour. But that merely adds to the anticipation surrounding his return, doesn’t it?

In a nondescript garage in Rockingham’s paddock I got 20 minutes to ask him about one of the greatest ever sporting comebacks. But before speaking to Schumacher, I was given a stark reminder of how quickly life in F1 can flash before a driver’s eyes.

Preparing for the action

Twelve months ago I would have travelled to carry out just such an interview with former BMW driver Nick Heidfeld. This year, without an F1 drive and employed as Mercedes test driver (a pretty mundane job for someone with racing in their blood at a time when testing is banned), Heidfeld just came in, sat down and started chatting to us in a way he never had before.

The invisible barrier that exists between F1 driver and the media was gone, along with his relevance as a current racer. I have no doubt that his obvious talent, speed and consistency means Heidfeld will grace F1 again, but at that moment it was just a couple of F1 fans discussing the sport.

Anyway, back to Schumacher. As it was pretty Baltic outside, the Mercedes media team was fretting that it might be a little cold for him so just as he walked into the garage, they turned on the heater.

Unfortunately for them it was an old paraffin heater and threw a huge cloud of fumes into the tiny room and despite spending most of his career surrounded by exhaust fumes it was clearly too much for Michael’s sensitive sporting lungs. He quickly lifted the big roller doors and had Matt our cameraman scrabbling around for the door at the opposite end of the room. Some way to start the interview!

After the fumes had subsided, we had just started to chat when interruption number two arrived. Schumacher’s new team-mate Nico Rosberg had a flight to get so despite the fact we were mid-flow, he came bumbling into the room, picking up his belongings that he’d left strewn around the place… a man after my own heart!

Actually, as Nico was knocking on the window to get someone to let him in, I said to Michael, “It’s Nico” and as quick as a flash the old master said “Ah, leave him out there!”. OK, it was a flippant comment said in jest, but it was also, tellingly perhaps, his instant reaction. Having spent a few minutes chatting, it was crystal clear that the man who dominated all 10 of his F1 team-mates until now retains that steel core needed to remain the best. He was interesting and intense.

He said he wouldn’t have returned if he wasn’t fit enough, that the current crop of drivers aren’t special it’s the cars that are good, and, most ominously of all, that he is a better driver now than he was five years ago.

I get the impression this is a man who has weighed up all the options, assessed the risks, and decided that returning won’t damage his reputation or his legacy because he’s got what it takes to beat the lot. He not only retains the same belief he displayed in every one of his seven title winning seasons, but there was a glint in his eye that says to me “watch this space”. And we will! Mind you, Schumacher wasn’t the only World Champion I got the chance to hang out with last week.

In deep conversation with Jenson

While Michael was opening garage doors, Jenson Button was opening all the doors at his new home, the McLaren Technology Centre. On Monday he gave me a guided tour of his new surroundings that we’ll screen soon. We took a walk down the “Boulevard” where various cars from McLaren’s past are lined up.

While Lewis Hamilton has in the past extolled the virtues of Ayrton Senna’s skills, this time, Jenson talked about his excitement watching Alain Prost guide his iconic 1988 McLaren to victory. I’m sure the irony’s not lost on you. Having spent a fair bit of time at McLaren’s impressive yet imposing facility recently I was amazed by how relaxed and positive Jenson was. I honestly expected him to be slightly in the shadow of a man who has been with the team since he was just 14, but not a bit of it.

Button knew his new colleagues’ names, was able to navigate his way round a building that is almost as confusing and rabbit warren-like as Television Centre. Most impressively, he was just as at ease chatting to the guy who works with the autoclave in the basement, as he was when we gate-crashed team principal Martin Whitmarsh’s office for a cheeky chat. Just as Jenson has achieved something he’s strived for almost all his life he decides to join a new team.

That means he has no chance to rest on his laurels and no excuse for not being as motivated as ever. Will he still retain that drive at the age of 41? I’m not so sure. Perhaps it all depends how another driver on the grid fares in the next nine months…

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

There was an overwhelming response when we posted the five picks last week, so thank you for that. It is very gratifying to see that you are all so excited by the return of ‘classic grands prix’, as well as, of course, by what promises to be a brilliant Formula 1 season.

As regular readers will know, this is not a ‘vote’ per se. We ask you which of five races is your favourite, then we use those responses to decide which event we give the ‘full treatment’ to. The winning selection gets the full Grand Prix programme from the time, as well as the shorter edited highlights we cut for all the events.

In this case, though, the race we have chosen was also the most popular – and with good reason. Something of a forgotten classic it may be, but the South African Grand Prix of 1982 is a classic nonetheless.

The full Grand Prix programme of the time is embedded below, with the five short highlights linked below it.

Watch short highlights of the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 1982 South African Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 1990 US Grand Prix
Watch short highlights of the 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix

The quality of the race itself is reason enough for it to have gone down in history. Alain Prost produced a sensational comeback in his turbocharged Renault after a puncture dropped him from first to seventh place well past half distance. There were also battles throughout the top six to liven things up just when it looked like the Renaults of Prost and team-mate Rene Arnoux were poised to run away with the race.

But it was not just the racing that has secured this event its place in the annals. It has also become notorious for the pre-race actions of the drivers, who decided to strike in a protest over licences.

The drivers were unhappy about a clause in their ’superlicence’ which stated they were to drive for their contracted team until a given date. The drivers refused to sign, on the basis that the clause would restrict their freedom to move teams.

With no agreement by the time the F1 circus gathered at Kyalami for the first race of the season, Ferrari driver Didier Pironi – the president of the grand prix drivers’ association and the prime mover behind the strike along with team-mate Gilles Villeneuve and McLaren’s Niki Lauda, fresh out of retirement – instructed F1 officials that the drivers would not participate unless the clause was removed.

Jean-Marie Balestre, the president of F1 then governing body Fisa, said no changes could be made without going through the proper official channels once the race was over, so a stand-off ensued.

That’s when things got very interesting.

When the drivers arrived at the track on the morning of first practice, they were asked to get on a bus by Lauda and Pironi. All climbed on board, with the exception of German journeyman Jochen Mass, and they were ferried off to a nearby hotel.

And despite attempts at negotiation, that is where they stayed for the rest of the day.

They locked themselves away in a conference room, fending off all but one attempt by team bosses to drag their drivers away. The only man to break ranks was Italian novice Teo Fabi, who was persuaded to return to the track by Toleman team boss Alex Hawkridge.

Villeneuve and Elio de Angelis took turns entertaining the drivers by playing the piano – Villeneuve with Scott Joplin rags, De Angelis with classical music. But, as the talks dragged on, it became apparent that they would not be resolved that day, so the drivers settled down to sleep on borrowed mattresses.

Some were forced to share doubles, among them Villeneuve, recognised as the fastest driver in the world at the time, and future four-time world champion Prost. As the lights went out, some wag wondered aloud what kind of super-baby would be the result of that liaison.

Pironi met Balestre again early the following morning but those talks also broke down. Practice subsequently took place with only Fabi’s March in attendance, before a second round of negotiations resulted in a breakthrough.

Pironi said he had been given assurances that none of the drivers would be punished for striking, but it appeared initially that they had been tricked. Fines ranging from $5,000-10,000 were announced, while some drivers were handed bans of between two and five races.

The race went ahead anyway and, when everyone got back to Europe, the punishments were eventually dropped. So too was the clause in the licence that had angered the drivers so much in the first place.

Unfortunately, that was not the end of the rows and disagreements, for Kyalami signalled the start of one of the most bad-tempered – and tragic – seasons in F1 history.

The backdrop to the season was poisonous, with rows over safety and politics overshadowing some great racing.

And by the time it was over, Villeneuve and Italian novice Riccardo Paletti had been killed and Pironi’s career ended by terrible leg injuries.

As a result of the Ferrari drivers’ accidents – both were terrifyingly similar – the cars were changed dramatically for 1983 and F1 was never the same again.

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Today is the 10th March 2010 and this is F1 Minute.

It’s all about the build up to the race now as teams and drivers descend on Bahrain to prepare for Free Practice on Friday. Massa has said he thinks Ferrari are in a good position this year, especially compared to their recent history: “I am very happy and very motivated that we can start the championship in a better way not just than last year, which was not a very good year, but also than the other championships.”

Meanwhile, Autosport asked Karun Chandhok his thoughts on the recent comments by other teams about the slow new boys and he said: “In all honesty, I appreciate these concerns to some extent – because if I was in their situation then I would be concerned as well. The last thing you want in Q3… is to get someone in your way. But I would be amazed if any of the new teams get to Q3!” I’m not sure that’s really defending his team, but we’ll go with it for now.

That’s all for today, please join me tomorrow for another F1 Minute.

10-Mar-10: Massa and Chandhok Discuss Potential

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Jarno Trulli hugs a Toyota team member after achieving his fourth career pole position at the Bahrain International Circuit in 2009. Timo Glock helped the Toyota team lock out the front row with a second place qualifying spot. Trulli went on to claim 3rd position in the race whilst Glock finished 7th.

The Toyota team won’t be present at this year’s Bahrain GP. Jarno can be found a long way from pole position at Lotus F1 Racing, and Timo finds himself in a similar position with Virgin Racing.

Credit: Toyota Motorsport GmbH

Big Hugs in Bahrain

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Michael Schumacher drives the Bahrain International Circuit back in 2006, the last time the track held the opening round of the Formula One World Championship. It also marks the last time Schumacher raced an F1 car in the desert, back when grooved tyres were all the rage and cigarette advertising had yet to be banned.

Michael returns to the track this year after a three year absence, this time at the wheel of his Mercedes MGP W01.

Way Back When…

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Instead of the usual news coverage that F1 Big Picture illustrates, the race build up begins on the Tuesday ahead of a race. The format goes something like this:

We fully intend to keep this format up, and hope that you enjoy our coverage of each and every Grand Prix this year.

How F1 Big Picture Covers a Grand Prix Weekend

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Welcome to F1 Minute, it’s the 9th March 2010.

More McLaren news, as managing director Jonathan Neale has been speaking about the rear wing problem, suggesting that it really is just Red Bull and Ferrari’s problem. He said: “We’ve spoken to Stefano and some of the other team principals and colleagues there and of course everyone wants to see clarity. We’re doing the same on a number of other teams’ developments. There’s nothing untowards about it though – we’re quite confident the car is legal.” Neale also added that if the stewards did go against them, they have contingency plans, but he is not putting too much effort into them as they do not expect that to happen.

Finally, some new pictures of the work at Silverstone emerged today, and it looks as though they are almost done. The managing director Richard Phillips said: “The team has been working around the clock, through some pretty terrible weather conditions, to make sure the circuit is ready on time.” That’s Britain for you!

That will do for now, please join me tomorrow for another F1 Minute.

09-Mar-10: McLaren Confident Rear Wing is Legal

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

This is F1 Minute for the 8th March 2010.

The ongoing saga with McLaren’s rear wing continues, as the FIA will now wait until Bahrain to inspect the design. Charlie Whiting was due to visit the factory last week, but travel delays meant that could not happen. Apparently, McLaren and the FIA have corresponded previously, and there was no problem found with the part, but they will confirm this in Bahrain.

Preview quotes are coming thick and fast now, and team principal of Renault, Eric Boullier, has said he hopes the team will be fighting in the top four for the championship. He says their testing performance seemed slow because they ran with heavy fuel loads.

Finally, a quick note that Sir Stirling Moss was injured over the weekend in a lift accident at his home. He fell down three floors after the door opened without the lift present. He suffered broken ankles and bones, underwent some surgery and is now safe and stable. His wife has said he is in high spirits after his fall. We wish him a speedy recovery.

That’s all for today, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

08-Mar-10: Renault Hoping to Fight in Top Four

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

Renault driver Vitaly Petrov prepares to get in the car during F1 testing in Jerez. Petrov has said that he isn’t feeling nervous ahead of the season, although people keep asking him. He’s still learning but he says he’s used to racing and knows what’s expected of him. Team boss Eric Boullier confirmed the team were aiming for around about fourth in the championship – not aiming too high, then.

Credit: Andrew Ferraro / LAT Photographic

No Room for Nerves

All credit goes to the Source of this article.

• Everyone back from testing now (I think the boys are due a well deserved rest having had about 4 hrs sleep per night for the last month!) Claire Williams
• Seen some news from finnish media about lotus/minardi, comments taken out of context, not fair for our team, gonna combat it big time now! Heikki Kovalainen
• Hamilton thinks that we are going to be competitive this year. Flattering to be honest. We’re working towards fulfilling expectations. Force India
• had some regular check ups today and play bowling with the Barrichello’s…grandpa is 83 and still on big form…206 points today for him Rubens Barrichello
• freight leaves tomorrow midnight! 25t of equipment to go to Bahrain! boys are working hard! Lotus Racing
• Finally it’s official !! I am a Formula 1 driver !! Karun Chandhok
• In the middle of the press conference for the team’s presentation in Murcia! Will try to post pics of the car asap!! Bruno Senna
• Shame that fellow Oxford United supporter Ian Phillips has left Jordan (and subsequent incarnations). Don’t think he’ll be out of F1 long… James Roberts
• Maximum attack coding today. A week from now and the Bahrain GP will be in the record books. The off-season used to be much longer I’m sure! Geoff Creighton
• Sooo excited that a week today we’ll have our first race winner of 2010! Lots of extra live F1 stats available online during races this year Jake Humphrey

Tweets of the Week – 7th March 2010

All credit goes to the Source of this article.