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I've made 50 empty boxes to cover the rest of the 2011 season (thought I'd have it done before the 2012 season started) then anyone who wants to remark on 2012 can do so and it won't get lost.

Any unused boxes will be deleted.

Wondered why Seb was 7/4 when I stuck £30 on last night.

Now I know.

Roll on the new season though    - although the cars are pig ugly at the front.

Fluffs  

Nice to see Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious in third too.

Hi Velvet

Once I,ve finished typing up the 2011 season I'll not be able to give the comprehensive coverage anymore.

That's not to say I won't be commenting about the races from time to time.

Yeah, he only qualified 7th. I was not too worried about it though. I'm sure he'll be up there at the end of the season.

Just caught snippets so far - will be watching the highlights at 7.30.

Nice to see a Jensen win   - even more so when Hamilton had pole  

Australia 16th - 18th March

Brief synopsis:-

Q1:-

Nothing too startling happened here.

Usual suspects fell by the wayside:-

HRTx2

Marusiax2 - were Virgin

Caterhamx2 - were Lotus

and one Lotus - were Renault

18. Raikkonen - Lotus

19. Kovalainen - Caterham

20. Petrov - Caterham

21. Glock - Marussia

22. Pic - Marussia

23. de la Rosa - HRT

24. Karthikeyan - HRT

Q2:-

A few cars took trips across the grass during this session, including Vettel, but they were OK

A surprise drop-out in Q2 was Massa, who finished P16, and whose best position had been P14.

While in P5, Alonso lost the rear of his car, spun and went backwards into the gravel trap. He was unable to get the car moving again and so had to sit out the rest of the session watching himself slowly dropping to P12.

This incident caused the session to be Red Flagged with 8 minutes and 10 seconds to go.

11. Vergne - Toro Rosso

12. Alonso - Ferrari

13. Kobayashi - Sauber

14. Senna - Williams

15. Di Resta - Force India

16. Massa - Ferrari

17. Perez - Sauber - Did not put in a time.

Q3:-

Ricciardo took no part in this session, thus qualifying P10.

Webber and Vettel didn't do as well as might have been expected - only finishing 5th and 6th.

Maldonado did well getting into the top ten and finishing 8th.

However the surprise of the session, I think, was Grosjean, not in that he got into the top ten (after all, he has been in formula 1 before) but in that he finished P3 after having been out of competative F1 for a while.

Full qualifying results:-

1. Hamilton - McLaren

2. Button - McLaren

3. Grosjean - Lotus

4. Schumacher - Mercedes

5. Webber - Red Bull

6. Vettel - Red Bull

7. Rosberg - Mercedes

8. Maldonado - Williams

9. Hulkenberg - Force India

10. Ricciardo - Toro Rosso

11. Vergne - Toro Rosso

12. Alonso - Ferrari

13. Kobayashi - Sauber

14. Senna - Williams

15. Di Resta - Force India

16. Massa - Ferrari

17. Perez - Sauber - Did not put in a time in Q2

18. Raikkonen - Lotus

19. Kovalainen - Caterham

20. Petrov - Caterham

21. Glock - Marussia

22. Pic - Marussia

23. de la Rosa - HRT

24. Karthikeyan - HRT

de la Rosa and Karthikeyan fell foul of the 107% rule and will not paticipate in the race.

Perez needed to change his gearbox, so took a 5 place penalty and starts the race in 22nd, and last, place.

Funny that. Christian Horner (Red Bull team principal) reckoned that Button would be a bigger threat to them than Hamilton....and look who wins the first race....!

There are ways of being driven.

Lewis maybe a bit ott.

Jensen strikes a nice balance.

Chineese GP qualifying.

No matter in what position Hamilton qualifies he will start the race no higher than P6 as he has a 5 place drop because of a gear-box change.

Vettel didn't make it past Q2.

And Rosberg takes pole position with Schumacher in 2nd place.

Hamilton finished in 2nd, but his drop puts him in P7 for the start of the race.

Watched the race replay today and it was one of the best races I've seen in yonks.

Felt sorry of the guy on the rear wheel during Buttons last pit stop, bet his ears are ringing tonight

Wind on a week and its Bahrain....and there are STILL problems with Button's left rear!

3rd last lap and he gets a puncture in it and so has to come in for new tyres - they have problems with the nut - last lap and he has to retire!

Because of Button's retiral, Hamilton only finishing 8th and Vettel and Webber getting 1st and 4th, Red Bull are leading the constructors' Championship again.

Spanish GP qualifying in about 3 1/2 hours time - Button's having a tough time coming to grips with the tyres - he's still managed to put in some very fast times though!