Canadian GP organizers ended talks with Bernie Ecclestone

As it is often case in Formula 1 the money and greed prevailed, the sport and fans are the loosers. Following the news coming out of Montreal on Sunday the chances that the Canadian GP may reappear on 2009 F1 calendar when its final version is released in December are now close to zero. Finding themselves far away from meeting demands from Bernie Ecclestone the organizers of the Canadian GP ended the talks aimed at keeping the Formula 1 race in Montreal.

Québec province’s Minister of Economic Development, Raymond Bachand:

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Future not clear for Chinese Grand Prix

This may be bad news for Bernie Ecclestone and good news for promoters of the other Formula 1 races. Organizers of Chinese GP are evaluating the feasibility of hosting the race ahead of expiry of their contract. Shanghai Grand Prix was first time hosted in 2004 and the organizers have two more races to go before the original contract runs out in 2010.

One would think that money does not matter in country like China. But things change … There is a chance that the Chinese GP may be dropped.

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2008 Chinese GP - Podium

The smog covered 2008 Chinese GP was a boring affair that brought us back to the dull F1 reality. The quickest car started from the pole position and bar some mishap it never looked like anybody was going to challenge Lewis Hamilton. There is very little to say here. Hamilton was simply the best for the whole weekend and he won the race. He extended his championship lead to 7 points. This is the same lead he had last year ahead of the final race of the season and so same as last year it is now Hamilton’s title to throw away.

His team mate Heikki Kovalainen had again all the bad luck. First the tyre failure then retirement. But, again, as often this year, even without the bad luck he was disappointing. While Hamilton in the same car was pulling away from everybody Kovalainen was clearly outpaced by both Ferraris and even Fernando Alonso’s Renault. I am wondering if the 1 year extension of his contract with Mclaren is not just a stop gap before Nico Rosberg’s contract with Williams is up …

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Lewis Hamilton, 2008 Chinese GP Winner

Lewis Hamilton kept out of trouble and recorded the his 5th win of the season and the first Chinese GP race win for McLaren. None of te Ferraris, with or without the shark fin, could find the answer to Hamilton’s pace. Felipe Massa kept the title fight alive with second place. Kimi Raikkonen finished 3rd after letting Massa ahead with 8 laps to go. Both Renaults and BMW Saubers finished in points but Kubica’s 6th place means he is now officially out the championship fight. So it is only between Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa now. With 7 points separating them it is advantage Hamilton. Massa will now have to win the Brazilian GP and hope Hamilton will finish 6th or lower in the final race of the season (or if Massa finishes Brazilian GP 2nd he needs Hamilton to finish 8th or worse). What are the odds ? Well, Massa has won 5 races this season and Hamilton finished 5 times 7th or worse .

Chinese F1 GP Race Result:

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Mark Webber's V8 let's go

Mark Webber will drop back 10 places on the starting grid of the Chinese GP in Shanghai due to his unscheduled engine change. The Renault V8 engine in the back of his Red Bull car let go during Saturday morning free practice session. And it was a spectacular blow up as the above picture reveals. Smoke and flames, we do not see that so often in Formula One these days.

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7th of the season and 13th career F1 pole position for Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton will start the Chinese GP from pole position for the second year in a row. But it is a hostile territory around him, Kimi Raikkonen next to him, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso right behind. Robert Kubica, the 3rd driver still in the title hunt, struggled with his car and missed out on Q3. He will start from P11 after Mark Webber (qualified 6th) will be demoted 10 places following his engine blow up in Saturday morning practice. Toro Rosso has again both cars in top 10.

Update: Nick Heidfeld was handed 3 place grid penalty for his role in the incident involving also David Coulthard.

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Nick Heidfeld was the quickest driver in the morning practice, Kubica 3d, that BMW looks fast. Hamilton split the 2 BMWs with 2nd fastest time. Both Ferraris were rather low in this session as was Fernando Alonso. We will see in 2 hours whether these were cases of sandbagging or problems with the pace.

Lewis Hamilton in this practice ran wide at the pitlane entry, 2007 Shanghai deja vu . Mark Webber’s engine blew up and he already used up his joker it looks like 10 place penalty for the Red Bull driver.

Saturday Practice Times:

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