This year's opening race is in severe doubt due to the current unrest in the Middle East countries andmore specifically the killing of three protestors in Bahrain's capital.
Bernie Ecclestone says that if the situation has not calmed down by Wednesday of next week then there is a very strong likelyhood that he will have to cancel the race.
And even if he doesn't officially cancel, will the teams want to be there anyway?
"Formula 1's teams would like to see next month's season-opening Grands Prix in Bahrain cancelled in the wake of the bloody violence in the island kingdom but contractual commitments to F1 Management and sensitive partnerships with the region mean they will wait for F1's powers to make the decision for them."
I did reckon they wouldn't want to be there!
I did reckon they wouldn't want to be there!
The Bahrain GP has now been cancelled per the BBC due to the unrest there. The season will now start with the Australian GP on 27 March. The Bahrain race may be rescheduled.
Bahrain GP off after civil unrest
The Bahrain Grand Prix is called off because of anti-government protests in the Gulf kingdom.
Hispania Racing are testing Liuzzi this weekend and there is a good chance he will be their second driver - Karthikayen being their first - but there is a financial part in that question.
Well, as expected, Liuzzi got the 2nd seat at Hispania.
The NEW first race of the season is about to unfold ....soon.
The NEW first race of the season is about to unfold ....soon.
Australian Grand Prix
Albert Park, Melbourne, 25-27 March
Friday 25 March: Practice one - 0130-0300; Practice two - 0530-0700
Saturday 26 March: Practice three - 0300-0400; Qualifying - 0600-0700
Sunday 27 March: Race - 0700
Q1 starts and there's a car out right away.
A few minutes later and we now have three cars on track, with Di Resta just cdoming out to join them.
Looks like Petrov will be the first to set a time.
10 of 24 cars are now out and the fastest four are:-
Petrov
D'Ambrosio
Trulli
Kovalainen
Di Resta sets the fifth time and gors P2.
Some of the cars have now put in a second fast lap and have noticibly improved their positions.
Vettel and Hamilton take to the track now and go P1 and P2 respectively.
Well into the session and only 13 times set.
3 slowest times currently are:-
Maldonado
D'Ambrosio
Glock
16 times have been set now and we have a, not unexpected, split. More experienced drivers faster and less experienced drivers slower. Though there is a bit of an overlap mid-field.
There are 7 drivers still to set times, Liuzzi, Karthikayan, Rosberg, Kobayashi, Perez, Buemi, Alguersuari.
Q1 current drop zone:-
Di Resta
Kovalainen
Trulli
Glock
D'Ambrosio
Liuzzi
Karthikayan
Perez leaps into P4
Liuzzi and Karthikayan in 23rd and 24th places are not showing times as they are slower than the required 107%, but they keep swapping positions with each other, but neither seems to be in any danger of breaking through the 107% barrier.
Q1 current drop zone:-
Heidfeld
Kovalainen
Trulli
Glock
D'Ambrosio
Liuzzi
Karthikayan
Alguersuari and Di Resta under pressure for a place in Q2 in P16 and P17.
Q1 final drop zone:-
18. Heidfeld
19. Kovalainen
20. Trulli
21. Glock
22. D'Ambrosio
23. Liuzzi
24. Karthikayan
As Liuzzi and Karthikayan are still outwith the 107% time, it is unlikely that they will take part in tomorrow's race, but apparently, despite this, the stewards could still let them race.
On to Q2:-
One of the Torro Rossos is firdt on track, with a few more not far behind,
Vettel is next out with a few of the expected higher placed cars rumoured to be only going for one flying lap.
Barrichello spins just as he exits the pit lane and ends up in the gravel - he has now effectively booked the P17 spot on the grid for tomorrow's race.
Barrichello's spin brought forth a yellow flag, so several potential 'fast' laps have been compromised, with some going straight back to the pits.
Buemi, Alguersuari, Hamilton and Sutil are the only drivers to have set a 'proper' time.
All clear now and Di Resta zooms to P3 with Maldonado taking P6
We have 9 recorded times now and Buemi and Alguersuari are still P1 and P2.
Hamilton does back-to-back flying laps, the first one put him P3, but the 2nd one promotes him to P1, with Rosberg following him for P2
Still only got 9 times recorded.
Ten now, as Vettel storms into P1....and Webber goes to P2.
Button now takes P3 and Alguersuari manages to get up to P4, but Buemi can't seem to improve on P8
Rosberg survives a close encounter with the wall and continues on his way.
They're only showing P1 to P10, don't know why.
and as I say that P11 to P17 suddenly pop up. 
Sutil gets massivly out of shape, but manages to avoid slamming into the wall.
Current Q2 drop zone:-
Schumacher
Alguersuari
Perez
Di Resta
Maldonado
However Schumacher managed to cross the line BEFORE the chequered flag dropped, so gets to run another lap....
....which does him no good as he is still P11.
Final Q2 result:-
11. Schumacher
12. Alguersuari
13. Perez
14. Di Resta
15. Maldonado
Q3 starts with Hamilton going out first, but not until well into the session.
The session is almost half over and still no times have been recorded.
Hamilton, Button and Rosberg have now set times and in that order.
Vettel is now on track and breezes into P1, almost 1 second faster than anyone else.
Webber now goes P2, 8/10ths behind Vettel.
Buemi pops into 6th out of 7 runners.
Massa clips the kerb and spins, but is still running.
Kobayashi, Buemi and Alonso are P6, P7 and P8.
Alonso puts in a second flyinglap and gets up to P5
Hamilton now flys into P2, splitting the two Red Bulls.
After that disasterous start, Massa manages to salvage 8th place.
Result:-
1.Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Webber
4. Button
5. Alonso
6. Petrov
7. Rosberg
8. Massa
9. Kobayashi
10. Buemi
11. Schumacher
12. Algersuari
13. Perez
14. Di Resta
15. Maldonado
16. Sutil
17. Barrichello
18. Heidfeld
19. Kovalainen
20. Trulli
21. Glock
22. D'Ambrosio
23. Liuzzi
24. Karthikayen
I've got a message from a bruv and his missus visting another bruv and family who live in Melbourne. I keep getting emails from him. He was at quali and has seats in the grandstand today and did the grid walk after quali.
Smug git!
He did say the crowds didn't take Lewis' grid place over Webber too well. I reckon they're all still smarting after the Ashes tho'! 
It's late. And at this rate I may well be watching live. But I won't be capable of posting Fluffs!
And it's Fluffs F1 2011. Go, go, go!!! 
Grid line up is as they qualified, minus Liuzzi and Karthikayan.
Vettel and Webber get good starts, and are both ahead of Hamilton who almost got a jump start, but Hamilton regains 2nd place within a couple of corners.
Button's start is not good and he loses position but Alonso's is worse and he loses three places by the 2nd corner.
Barrichello is in the gravel again, but keeps going.
Schumacher's in the pits already - a puncture it seems.
Massa Storms ahead and is currently defending 5th place against Button. Meanwhile Petrov is comfortable in 4th place.
Alonso is recovering well from his bad start and is now close to fighting Button for 6th.
Buemi lost 10th for a bit, but has now regained it.
Webber pits for new tyres and is now P9.
Alonso is in now too and exits P12.
Massa's P13 after his stop and Vettel stops now and is now P4
Hamilton pits from Pi and exits BEHIND Vettel.
Kovalainen takes a trip across the grass and loses several places.
Button gets a drive through penalty for a move on Massa which saw him ahead but was deemed illegal. He is now P9 after serving the penalty.
Di Resta, in P10, is now pressing Button.
Vettel, Hamilton and Webber are back in 1st, 2nd and 3rd after all the tyre stops.
Schumacher retires and within two laps his partner, Rosberg retires as well.
Barrichello and Rosberg collide resulting in a spin for Barrichello and loss of a couple of places.
Button P8 now.
Webber takes his 2nd pit stop and is now P6.
Barrichello back to P15 but has just received a drive through penalty for causing the collision with Rosberg.
Alonso pits for new tyres and is now flying.
Order:-
Vettel
Hamilton
Petrov
Webber
Alonso
Button
Hamilton has just had a trip across the grass and it is thought there is something broken hanging under the car. There is now a question as to where he might finish in the race. Will he even get a podium place?
Vettel, Hamilton and Petrov all pit. Vettel and Hamilton regain P1 and P2, but Petrov drops to P5.
Button pits now from P6 and drops to P7
Order:-
Vettel
Hamilton
Webber
Alonso
Petrov
Massa
Button
Perez
Kobayashi
Buemi
Webber makes a 3rd pit stop and drops to P5. He runs wide within a few corners, but only losestime against Alonso, but is back up pressing him for P4.
Alonso ran wide too and Petrov is P3 now, Alonso P4 and Webber P5
Alonso just clocked the fastest lap.
Barrichello is only P15 after all his trials and tribulations.
Webber pressing Alonso and Button pressing Massa.
Button passes Massa for 6th and Massa pits thus promoting Perez to P7 - not a bad finish for a rookie.
Massa is now P10. He challenges Buemi, but Buemi defends well.
All rookies except Maldonado are still running. Maldonado was the first retirement.
Massa finally passes Buemi on his THIRD attempt.
Not only does Perez get points from his first GP, he did it with only ONE tyre change.
Result:-
1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Petrov
4. Alonso
5. Webber
6. Button
7. Perez
8. Kobayashi
9. Massa
10. Buemi - lapped
11. Sutil - lapped
12. Di Resta - lapped
13. Alguersuari - lapped
14. Heidfeld - lapped
15. Trulli - lapped
16. D'Ambrosio - lapped
17. Glock - lapped
18. Barrichello - retired
19. Rosberg- retired
20. Kovalainen- retired
21. Schumacher- retired
22. Maldonado- retired
Amended Result:-
1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Petrov
4. Alonso
5. Webber
6. Button
7. Massa
8. Buemi - lapped
9. Sutil - lapped
10. Di Resta - lapped
11. Alguersuari - lapped
12. Heidfeld - lapped
13. Trulli - lapped
14. D'Ambrosio - lapped
15. Glock - lapped
16. Barrichello - retired
17. Rosberg- retired
18. Kovalainen- retired
19. Schumacher- retired
20. Maldonado- retired
DSQ Perez
DSQ Kobayashi
Adendum:-
The Saubers (Perez and Kobayashi) were disqualified due to a rear wing infringement.
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Malaysian Grand Prix
Sepang, 8-10 April
Friday 8 April: Practice one - 0300-0430; Practice two - 0700-0830
Saturday 9 April: Practice three - 0600-0700; Qualifying - 0900-1000
Sunday 10 April: Race - 0900
Q1 has now started, but no cars have taken to the track yet.
A few have ventured out now. Liuzzi and his Force India partner, a Hispannia and a few other 'lesser' cars.
Barrichello and Di Resta set the first two times, but Hamilton immediately runs faster.
Most cars have set a time now. Vettel went P1, but Hamilton took it back with his next run.
Something just flew off the back of a Red Bull, or a Red Bull just ran over someone ele's debris - No harm seems to have been done.
Session has been stopped while the marshals retrieve all the debris. Only 15 times set so far.
Hamilton and Vettel still P1 and P2.
A bit of frantic recalculation going on as some of the 'big names' don't have a time yet.
Massa and Alonso now fastest.
Schumacher's in the drop zone! But his last run saves him.
Webber P15 
and the two Williams are potentially dropped.
Barrichello manages to squeeze into P17, but Maldonado (the other Williams) remains in the drop zone , in P18.
All 24 cars are within the 107% and so we will have 24 cars in the race tomorrow.
It was Buemi in a Torro Rosso who jost bits off his car, but still got through to Q2.
Q1 Drop Zone:-
P18. Maldonado
P19. Kovalainen
P20. Trulli
P21. Glock
P22. Dambrosio
P23. Liuzzi
P24. Karthikeyan
Q2 now:0
Vettel and Webber are showing greater speed, more akin to what would have been expected, but it is not known if they have used KERS yet.
Button goes fastest and Schumacher goes P4