May 2009 Archives

In his 30-odd years of F1 competition, Williams co-owner Patrick Head has weathered many storms. But right now, he has a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp (what's new there?). He does not suffer fools, and he makes no attempt to hide his frustration. "The first thing we need to do is set out one set of rules for everybody," he says over the looming threat of a two-tier championship, reaching for a comforting slice of sticky chocolate brownie in the Williams motorhome. "It's a crazy situation and no one can do any serious planning in these conditions."

Today is the deadline for entries into the 2010 Formula One World Championship. Ordinarily teams like Ferrari, Renault and Williams would register at the end of the season in November. But not this year, for the FIA are encouraging new teams to fill the 12 available grid slots and several manufacturers, Ferrari and Renault included, have said they may quit F1 over disagreements regarding next year's £40 million budget cap rule and the FIA's dictatorial style of governance.

The only team so far to have lodged their entry, much to the anger of the teams association FOTA, is Williams. Williams have stated that, as a pure racing team with a contract to participate until the end of 2012, their entry was "unquestionable".

I spoke exclusively with Patrick between FOTA and FIA meetings in Monaco.

"It's an absolute mess," states Patrick, 63, with typical bluntness. "At the moment we have an unhappy situation where the manufacturers are being told 'no development, homologation on your engine, 18,000RPM maximum. Whereas teams who want to come in under a budget cap are being told 'unlimited development, change the engine as often as you want.'"

Williams, an independent team, have been supportive of a budget cap throughout. But when asked about new teams from junior categories making the step-up to F1, Head is pragmatic: "To take nothing away from teams that are, say, in GP2, you've got to remember they're buying their car, they're not allowed to make a washer or a bolt. They run the cars extremely well, for 3 million euros a year. But to go from that to researching, designing, building and running an F1 car on a much bigger budget - and don't forget the £40 million cap does not include driver salaries, engines, marketing etc - is a big, big step.

This week Williams were suspended from FOTA for committing to 2010, a move that was executed by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo. "I can understand why Ferrari is upset, as they can very easily raise a couple of hundred million euros. So suddenly being told they can only spend 60 million on F1 is not what they want," explains Patrick.

"I'm not saying it's easy to come up with rules that will benefit the long term future of F1, it isn't. But doing it in this confrontational way is never going to be successful."

WHAT WILL F1 LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR?

With fewer regulatory limitations being offered to budget-capped teams, will we see six-wheeled turbo-charged cars again like we did in the 1970s? "Sometimes it seems Max wants to turn the clock back to then," agrees Patrick Head, "but I think the racing was worse then than it is now. We've done active ride, we've done ground effect with sliding skirts and all that sort of thing. One could go back to doing that - it would make for much more efficient cars, but at the same time they're desperately trying to slow the cars down. So you say, 'well ok we can turn the engines down to 400 horsepower', but don't expect to see them slide around anymore or lay lines of black rubber on the track."

And what of the exciting new 'green' technologies that the FIA has been championing? Patrick isn't convinced the teams can afford it. "It's important to understand that something like thermal energy recovery, which is being talked about, is not cheap. Anything that has more energy storage or more power costs a lot to develop. You can't do those sorts of things within a  £40 million budget cap."

Jenson Button slowed down on the final two laps of the race to savour what he was about to achieve - winning the Monaco Grand Prix. "They were the most enjoyable two laps of my career," said Button, as he looked back on his perfect day.

He had led the race from pole position, managed his tyres better than his rivals, and won by a considerable margin. "I had dreamed of this since I was a kid," he beamed afterwards. "Before the race I said victory here means no more than anywhere else. I think I was trying to take the pressure off myself. We know what the truth is. As I crossed the line, I got on the radio to my engineers and shouted 'Monaco baby!'"

"I just let it all soak in as I drove past the boys on the pitwall, with my physio 'Muscles' shaking my pitboard."

He was so excited he forgot where to park his car! Rather than line up in front of the royal grandstand to receive his trophy from Prince Albert, he parked up in the pitlane and had to run down the start/finish straight, cheered on by his mechanics. "It's amazing how much energy you've got after coming first," he joked. Waving to the crowd as he ran, it was one of the great images of the weekend.

When he did get to the podium, Brawn CEO Nick Fry and his father was there to hug him. A grinning John Button turned to me with an arm out-stretched and said "We can give each other a high-five now!" It was Jenson's fifth win from six races this season.

Button's race was peerless. Barrichello made a terrific start from third to pass Kimi, but then the Brazilian's super-soft tyres grained faster than Button's. This was the fourth time Barrichello had finished second in Monaco, a fact he described as "frustrating."

Raikkonen took third place ahead of stable mate Felipe Massa - Ferrari's first double-points finish of the season. "I'm not happy with third," explained a typically emotionless Kimi, "but for the team it's not bad."

Button, who hails from England's westcountry, has been a Monaco resident throughout his F1 career, and tonight will have the honour of dining with the Prince at the palace, accompanied by his dad John, mum Simone, and his sister Samantha. "You want to win in Monaco and you want to win your home grand prix. In many ways this is both for me."

RACE RESULTS:

1. Jenson Button - Brawn-Mercedes
2. Rubens Barrichello - Brawn-Mercedes
3. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
4. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
5. Mark Webber - Red Bull-Renault
6. Nico Rosberg - Williams-Toyota
7. Fernando Alonso - Renault
8. Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosso-Ferrari
9. Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India-Mercedes
10. Timo Glock - Toyota
11. Nick Heidfeld - BMW-Sauber
12. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren-Mercedes
13. Jarno Trulli - Toyota
14. Adrian Sutil - Force India-Mercedes
15. Kazuki Nakajima - Williams-Toyota

NOT CLASSIFIED

Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren-Mercedes

Robert Kubica - BMW-Sauber

Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull-Renault

Nelson Piquet - Renault

Sebastien Buemi - Toro Rosso-Ferrari

DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Button - 51
2. Barrichello - 35
3. Vettel - 23
4. Webber - 19.5
5. Trulli - 14.5
6. Glock - 12
7. Alonso - 11
8. Raikkonen & Hamilton - 9

10. Massa - 8
11. Rosberg - 7.5
12. Heidfeld - 6
13. Kovalainen - 4
14. Buemi - 3
15. Bourdais - 2

CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Brawn GP - 86
2. Red Bull Racing - 42.5
3. Toyota - 26.5
4. Ferrari - 17
5. McLaren - 13
6. Renault - 11
7. Williams - 7.5
8. BMW-Sauber - 6
9. Scuderia Toro Rosso - 5

If you want spend cash, Monaco is the place for you: the Hermitage, the Metropole and the Hotel de Paris are among the swankiest hotels in the world, but my five-star recommendation is the Monte Carlo Bay, which has the best pool in the Principality and wouldn't be out of place in Las Vegas. 

However, if 5,000 euros per night makes you baulk, try the hotels up in Beausoleil, which is a five minute walk from Casino Square but, technically, France. Try the cheap and cheerful Pierre et Vacances Residence Palais Josephine, which is just up from Jacques Villeneuve's favourite restaurant, the inexpensive Maison du Caviar. 

Also, head to the Port de Fontveille, where some of the smaller yachts are moored. There are several great quayside restaurants and chances are you'll bump into Jenson Button and David Coulthard who both keep apartments nearby. 

For clubbing, there's Karement, which will have a superstar DJ, and Amber Lounge which will have international celebrities. Most people end up at Jimmy'z at the end of the night but heed caution, for a beer will set you back 50 Euros. What you really need to do blag your way onto a yacht party, where the host pays for the drinks.

www.montecarlobay.com

www.booking.com/hotel/fr/palaisjosephine.en.html

www.fra.cityvox.com/restaurants_monaco/la-maison-du-caviar_88236/Profil-Lieu

www.karement.com

www.amber-lounge.com

First held in 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix is arguably the most evocative and certainly the most prestigious race on the calendar.

Racing on the streets of the principality, around its harbour, this circuit is extremely tight and twisty, making overtaking almost impossible. It also has the biggest elevations of any grand prix circuit - the cars power up the Beau Rivage up to Casino Square and then wind their way back down through the famous hairpin section.

There is very little grip, so soft tyres and the highest possible downforce setting are the order of the day. Most corners are taken in first or second gear, requiring transmission engineers to install low ratios.

The most challenging corners are Turn 1, Sainte Devote, where drivers are greeted with an Armco barrier if they turn in just 1kph too fast - it does have an escape road, though, and so this encourages the more ambitious drivers to have a go and attempt a pass. It's easy to miss the braking point as the entrance to the corner is so bumpy; Massenet, at the crest of the Beau Rivage, is blind on entry, and often the scene of pile-ups; The hairpin - the most famous turn in F1 - is also the slowest and requires full lock and gentle throttle applcation; The tunnel - the only one in F1 - really is a shock to the eyes as drivers plunge in and out of darkness - the sound as the engine noise bounces off the walls is incredible; And the chicane at the Swimming Pool really does defy physics as the cars bounce across its kerbs.

Overall, this circuit requires 100 percent concentration from all the drivers, as the slightest mistake could ruin their weekend. After qualifying, the drivers eyes appear to be on stalks.

Ayrton Senna and Graham Hill were the kings of Monte Carlo, winning six and five races respectively. In recent years, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have both accepted the winner's trophy from Prince Ranier.

On a week where there has been courtroom action and debate about whether Formula One would be the same without Ferrari, it's good to come to Monaco and remember just what F1 is all about.

Monte Carlo is officially recognized as 'the jewel in the crown' of grand prix racing. The championship's poster venue, racing cars scream through narrow, barrier-lined streets, past the casino, through a tunnel and around an ostentatious harbour that leaves you thinking 'what credit crunch?'

As well as the glitz, this is F1's most evocative venue and modern F1 cars follow the same route as the Bugattis and Maseratis did in the inaugural race, back in 1929.

The spectacle of the Principality is tempered by the fact that there's never any overtaking in Monaco - it's just too narrow and twisty. But it's the greatest challenge, for drivers cannot let their concentration slip for a second. The walls and low levels of grip ensure the smallest mistake will end their race.

Because it's so tough to pass another car, qualifying well is of paramount importance. Traditionally teams would race on a late one-stop strategy, to prevent their cars getting stuck in traffic after an early stop. However, as cars now have to qualify with their race fuel on board, if you want that all important pole position you need to run on the lighter side and take a gamble that you create enough of a gap before you pit. With so many cars so closely matched on pace, those qualifying decisions are critical.

Logically Brawn should be quick here, and that's a car that really enjoys a heavy fuel load. Red Bull will be on it too, as they have brought their new double-diffuser here, several weeks ahead of schedule. That will really help the car's grip out of low-speed turns. And Monaco is full of them.

Ferrari were a huge improvement in Barcelona and should be up there too. And Jarno Trulli, in the Toyota, is a former race winner here and is a dead cert for a podium. Maybe even the win.

But there are no certainties in Monaco.   

The Renault F1 team has joined Ferrari and Toyota in threatening not to enter the 2010 Formula One World Championship over the introduction of budget cap rules.

Just a day after Ferrari announced their intention to withdraw should these rule changes be enforced, and their dissatisfaction with the governance of F1, the French marque has issued a statement saying it is "reconsidering its entry" in next years championship.

The issue isn't over reducing costs, which the FOTA have agreed to do, but more in the manner in which the FIA has tried to enforce new rules.

"There is frustration that FOTA's constructive proposals, including major cost saving measures to be adopted progressively between 2009 and 2012, have been completely ignored without any form of consultation by the FIA with the teams," said Renault in a statement.

The FIA has proposed a two-tier championship where teams that do not volunteer to accept a £40 million cap will have greater technical restrictions. This has incensed the manufacturers: Renault, Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Renault team president Bernard Rey, added: "We remain committed to the sport, however we cannot be involved in a championship operating with different sets of rules, and if such rules are put into effect, we will be forced to pull out at the end of this season."

In March, FOTA agreed plans to increase F1's sustainability that were largely ignored by the FIA, who claim a more stringent cap is the only way F1 can weather the economic crisis and attract new teams. Now it is faced with the threat that the manufacturers will make way for independent teams, taking their engines with them.

It's all about political power-play, with FOTA refusing to accept "unilateral governance" and striving to have greater influence over how the sport is run. They are at loggerheads with Max Mosley, a man who is rarely known to compromise or back down from a fight.

Independent teams Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso have also signaled their intention to refuse a two-tier championship. Meanwhile, the FIA have invited new teams to apply for places on the grid in 2010. The plan is to increase the number of teams from ten to 13.

My opinion: The budget cap is entirely sensible, but the FIA have ruffled so many feathers of late that the teams just don't want to play ball. The FIA could offer them a Michelin-starred dinner served on Gisele Bundchen's naked body, and the team bosses would say they'd rather have their own packed-lunch. That's just the way it goes. Max may have friends within the FIA, but they're scarce in the paddock.

As for Renault, this is all rather convenient. If there intention was always to pull out at the end of this year, now they have the perfect scape goat.

(Luca di Montezemolo and Max Mosley are going head-to-head)

Ferrari is Formula One. That is the message the Italian team has maintained for years. Such is the historical significance of the Scuderia - the only existing team to have competed in F1's inaugural season in 1950 - and the strength of its brand, the sports commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, and rival teams recognise the kudos Ferrari brings and have thus afforded it, in the Concorde Agreement, a greater share of the sport's revenues.

Under Jean Todt, Ferrari had a cosy relationship with the FIA. The FIA managed to persuade Ferrari to step away from the GPMA - the group of manufacturers who threatened to launch their own breakaway series.

But now Ferrari - buoyed by manufacturer support within FOTA - and the FIA are on a collision course over the proposed £40 million budget cap.

"The same rules for all teams, stability of regulations, the continuity of the FOTA's endeavours to methodically and progressively reduce costs, and governance of Formula 1 are the priorities for the future," said Ferrari in a statement yesterday.

"If these indispensable principles are not respected and if the regulations adopted for 2010 will not change, then Ferrari does not intend to enter its cars in the next Formula 1 world championship."

Entries for the 2010 world championship close on May 29, with Toyota and Red Bull's two F1 teams having already announced in public that they will not enter if the rules remain unchanged.

It is thought likely that the other manufacturer teams will also join a 'boycott' of lodging an entry by the deadline - with only the current independents Brawn GP, Williams and Force India outfits set to apply.

Ferrari, like pretty much everyone else, is opposed to the concept of two-tier F1, with budget capped teams enjoying technical freedom while those who choose to run an uncapped operation will face stringent technical regulations. Obviously, the capped team would produce a quicker car - and so  it would be mad not to accept it. That is how the FIA is presenting this in a bid to get everyone signed up.

The £40 million cap doesn't include driver salaries or marketing. Therefore, is it not possible to run an F1 team on that budget? I would suggest the fans wouldn't see the difference. Where it gets complicated is that some teams would have to make major redundancies - no one wants to see 2,000 more people in the dole queue, and the redundancy pay-outs would cost millions.

I do believe, though, that a budget cap would guarantee the long-term health of the sport. I don't see there is a rational argument to defend teams spending $400 million a year. Particularly when the manufacturers (except, note, Ferrari) are losing billions right now.

What puts the sport in jeopardy is the ongoing power-play between the FIA and the teams. The teams want it on their terms, or else they'll walk. Would Ferrari really quit F1? Luca di Montezemolo is said to be meeting with Max Mosley in the coming days.

Although Ferrari is totally opposed to a two-tier F1 system, and has questioned whether or not it is possible for a £40 million budget cap to be introduced next year, the Italian outfit is also concerned about governance of the sport and that is what this debate is really about - they want the teams to run the show, because they believe they know best. They think Max Mosley is a bully, but they believe they are more powerful than the FIA, particularly if they have the support of the other teams. Right now, Ferrari do have the support of the other manufacturers and Red Bull in facing off the FIA over their two-tier offer.

Two-tiers is unworkable, it's stupid, it'll be a turn off for fans. Then again, what's wrong with a £40 million cap? It could be the best thing that's ever happened to F1. In these challenging times, how could the board of a car company think that was a bad idea?

Well, it's simply down to power. And the teams are fed up with Max. That's what it comes down to. And he won't give up without a fight, so this is going to get very messy indeed.

Rubens Barrichello hates team orders because it reminds him of Michael Schumacher. Here's what else he has no time for:

1. TRAFFIC

"Given I'm from Brazil you'd think I'd be used to it. I am, but I still hate it."

2. AIRCRAFT TURBULANCE

"Because I'm trained to be ultra-sensitive to all movement and technicalities in the car, when I'm on a plane and it gets bumpy I get quite uncomfortable."

3. PR

"I'd much rather just drive the car. Hey, it's part of the job, but going from Ferrari to Honda was an enormous shock. Now I get worked hard."

4. OLD CARS

"I have no affection for them. It's nice to see other people's collections, but for me they mean nothing. Unless it's an old F1 car."

5. BEING DISTURBED ON THE LOO

"I like to take my time. I'll have a read for ten minutes first usually. If someone knocks on the door I get very upset. My wife is always interrupting me."

Fighting for eighth place at the start, Nico Rosberg pushed Jarno Trulli off the circuit at Turn 2. When the Toyota rejoined, it was clipped by Adrian Sutil and sent into a spin. Both Toro Rosso drivers had nowhere to go, and Sebastien Bourdais was sent flying over the top of Sebastien Buemi. 

"I didn't even have time to break," said a shaken Bourdais. "I was suddenly flying over the back of my team mate's car and thought I was going to roll over."

The most exciting move of the race wasn't to overtake but to defend. Mark Webber lost time through the final corner and had Fernando Alonso bearing down on him. The Aussie squeezed Alonso so wide on the start/finish straight the Spaniard actually took to the grass to grab position. But, into Turn 1, Webber went unbelievably deep and managed to hold onto his place. 

"I tried to send him to the outside, and gave him just enough room. Then I tucked down the inside and got him back there," said Mark. "It was risky, but my race was destroyed unless I went for it."  

Ferrari's new aerodynamic package and lighter chassis worked well this weekend, giving Felipe Massa a fourth place grid slot. However, the Brazilian was close to running out of fuel at the end of the race. He had to turn down his engine revs to conserve fuel. 

In the final laps he was forced to let Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso past, and finally finished sixth - Ferrari has yet to finish higher than that this year.

Jenson Button has 41 points. Massa has three. Felipe concedes there is no chance he's be world champion this year: "No, I don't think so. We have to be realistic. After five races they've won four. Even if we improve massively and we are three or four tenths in front of them they will still score points. So forget it."

Rubens Barrichello mops the sweat from his brow as he sits quietly, looking at the microphone before him, trying to understand why he's sat to Jenson Button's right and not in the middle seat of this Spanish Grand Prix post-race press conference.

He'd made a great start to seize the lead from third on the grid, and pulled away from team mate button despite the extra 3.5kg fuel he had aboard his Brawn F1 car. "I thought after the first corner that I was on course to win the race. But then on my third set of tyres I just didn't have the pace. I was locking up everywhere. My fourth set of tyres didn't improve things, so it must have been something wrong with the car."

Brawn's strategists determined before the race that to pit three times for fuel and tyres was the quickest option. However, the team switched Button's strategy at the last minute. "A lap before my first scheduled stop the team decided to cover all the bases and put me on a two-stopper," explained Jenson. "Initially, I didn't think it was a good idea, but the team knew where the other cars were on the track. When the car was filled with fuel it felt unbelievably heavy, and was moving around a lot at the rear."

Button was instructed by his race engineer to drive flat-out for the next 30 laps, something that put an incredible strain on his soft-compound tyres.

With Button having taken four wins from five races, and Barrichello now 14 points adrift, an unsettling feeling has overcome the Brazilian. His time at Ferrari, when he had to follow team orders and give position to Michael Schumacher, still haunts him. But, publicly at least, he dismisses this spectre.

"This is different from Ferrari. This is a more friendly atmosphere. I had the opportunity to win the race. Yes, there is pressure on me as I've won nothing. But I won't follow team orders."

Button was quick to dismiss there was any conspiracy as to why he'd beaten Barrichello, who seemed much faster at the start of the race. "Our strategy said a three stop was quicker. Full stop."

Jenson's near perfect score so far this year does nothing to sway his focus, and he's thrilled recent modifications have kept Brawn in front, ahead of those challenging Red Bulls. "I feel like I'm on top of the world right now. It's a good feeling but I'm not getting comfortable."

RACE RESULTS

1. Jenson Button - Brawn-Mercedes
2. Rubens Barrichello - Brawn-Mercedes
3. Mark Webber - Red Bull-Renault
4. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull-Renault
5. Fernando Alonso - Renault
6. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
7. Nick Heidfeld - BMW-Sauber
8. Nico Rosberg - Williams-Toyota
9. Lewis Hamilton - McLaren-Mercedes
10. Timo Glock - Toyota
11. Robert Kubica - BMW-Sauber
12. Nelson Piquet - Renault
13. Kazuki Nakajima - Williams-Toyota
14. Giancarlo Fisichella - Force India-Mercedes

DNF      Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari

DNF      Heikki Kovalainen - McLaren-Mercedes

DNF       Jarno Trulli - Toyota

DNF      Sebastien Buemi - Toro Rosso-Ferrari

DNF      Sebastien Bourdais - Toro Rosso-Ferrari

DNF      Adrian Sutil - Force India-Mercedes

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Jenson Button - 41
2. Rubens Barrichello - 27
3. Sebastian Vettel - 23
4. Mark Webber - 15.5
5. Jarno Trulli - 14.5
6. Timo Glock - 12
7. Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso - 9

9. Nick Heidfeld - 6
10. Nico Rosberg - 4.5
11. Heikki Kovalainen - 4
12. Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastien Buemi - 3

15. Sebastien Bourdais - 1

CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Brawn GP - 68
2. Red Bull Racing - 38.5
3. Toyota - 26.5
4. McLaren - 13
5. Renault - 9
6. BMW-Sauber, Ferrari - 6

8. Williams - 4.5
9. Toro Rosso - 4

It's meant to be just a bit of fun, but Bridgestone's annual media kart race is a serious business. This was underlined when my team mate put his foot through the pit wall and smashed his helmet on the ground.

Fifteen teams of four to five journalists and photographers went head-to-head at the Kartodrom de Catalunya, about ten minutes drive from the F1 track. We got just 15 minutes of practice and ten minutes to qualify before the one and a half hour endurance race.

The top teams of previous years were absent last night. Premiere TV have won it every year for the past four, I think, led by Marc Surer. Yes, ex-F1 drivers can race provided they serve a media role now. The other traditionally quick team was the Irish Mafia, led by ex-F1 driver and now A1GP Ireland seat holder David Kennedy. Sadly David, and Setanta co-commentator Declan Quigley, are doing this race from the studio.

I was in a team with Irish Mafia renegade Justin Hynes (my former Red Bulletin editor) so we decided to tip a wink to Kennedy and call ourselves The Adam Carroll Appreciation Society. I think Justin was quite embarrassed about this. It was the idea of our other team mate Will Buxton (editor of GP Week and the man with the temper tantrum). And our fourth guy was Gabriel Mortara, brother of GP2 rising star Edoardo. I know, not strictly media, but everyone else had a ringer...

The main man to watch was BBC Radio 5 Live's Anthony Davidson, formerly of Super Aguri, and I'm happy to say that we were right on the pace. We actually did rather well, starting sixth and battling our way up to third. Then something went wrong. Each driver had to sign in before his stint (we each did two stints), and the organizers held Will up for ten seconds in the pits thinking he hadn't signed in. He had. Then he got released into traffic.

In the end we finished fourth, 2.8 seconds off the third place team. We were robbed. And that's why Will went mental.

The winners were the Belgian Fries, featuring ex-F1 driver Bas Leinders (an incredible karter) and the not-at-all Belgian Julien Febreau of Europe 1 radio. He was last seen atop the podium shouting "Vive la France!"

After that we headed to the Amber Lounge in town. As Will and I arrived Bernie was coming the other way, surrounded by fawning businessmen. He's just launched a new F1 credit card and had told the troops to spend, spend, spend as "we're coming out of the recession, not going into it. I think it's going to get better. It's probably cleared out a lot of people that shouldn't have been there in the first place."

Having been let in for the launch (tickets for the Amber Lounge are usually 300 Euros) the media, and other guests, proceeded to drink the bar dry. Great night.

A city with its finger firmly on the pulse, Spain's second city has always embraced style, bold design and all things new. And given that Spain's passion for F1 has reached fever pitch, the grand prix brings out a carnival atmosphere.

Pockets of lively bars and restaurants around the Gothic Quarter and El Born ensure the city stays awake long into the early hours. At the weekends, drummers play in Ciutadella Parc, where the locals gather and bask in the sun. Las Ramblas is full of street entertainers (and pickpockets) every day, as well as some great margherita bars and tapas joints. One of the best food markets is Bocadilla, just off the Ramblas, which has miles of delicious chorizo on offer.

Fancy something ritzier, try the Carpe Diem Lounge, where you can lie down to eat. For later, there's Club 13 where, traditionally, David Coulthard would always throw a Sunday night soiree. And the Amber Lounge, where almost all the F1 celebs will make an appearance.

With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an 'all-rounder' circuit ideally suited to testing, and because of this the drivers are said to be able to drive around it blindfold. The disadvantage of this from a racing point of view is, because drivers seldom make mistakes, there is a lack of overtaking.

The lap starts with a straight, dipping down to Turns 1 and 2 - an esse bend which often sees cars overshoot at the start, as they get squeezed by the pack. With wider front wings this year, this should be considered a danger zone. From here they race through the Turn 3 right-hander foot to the floor, and that really tests the driver's neck muscles. Standing here can also afford the spectator a view of Turn 6, which runs back behind it.

Turn 5 is tricky, because the left-front wheel wants to lock under braking, resulting in mid-corner understeer. Then the corner falls away and the car will oversteer. The track rises sharply from Turn 7 to Campsa, the highest point of the circuit, which has a blind entry at high speed. The corner at the bottom end of the back straight is tight and it's very important to judge the car's braking carefully. The exit is slow and uphill, often resulting in some wheelspin. The final corner has had a chicane installed, ridding us of a previously sweeping double right-hander.

Because the circuit's layout is so varied, the right aero balance is critical for a good laptime.

Memorable races include the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix when Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna raced down the full length of the start/finish straight wheel-to-wheel with sparks flying up behind their rear wings - one of the most iconic images in F1 history. And in 1994 Michael Schumacher managed to take second place despite a severe handicap. For over half the race he was stuck in fifth gear.

Crowds here have increased dramatically since Fernando Alonso became a force in Formula One, but his name has only been engraved on the trophy here once. This was predominantly Michael Schumacher's circuit, but Kimi Raikkonen often races well here, having taken two wins.

Just as we'd got used to F1's new world order - Brawn, Red Bull and Toyota up front, McLaren, Ferrari and BMW scrapping at the back - we might have to brace ourselves for yet another revolution this weekend.

The reset button has been pressed and it really is anyone's guess as to who will rule at the season's first European race. The teams have been back to their UK, Italian and German factories to install new parts designed to boost performance.

Teams have poured over data and, critically in the case of seven teams, responded to the FIA's verdict over double-decked diffusers.

McLaren ran an interim lip on their diffuser in China and Bahrain which has brought them up through the field and awarded them 12 points from the last two rounds - respectable progress. The same can barely be said for Ferrari, who only managed to bother the points board in Bahrain, and lie a disappointing ninth in the title race. BMW-Sauber have held back on aero updates, and this has severely hampered them. In Bahrain, their cars finished a shocking 18^th and 19^th.

BMW have arrived in Barcelona with substantial updates to the sidepods and wings, both front and rear. However, they haven't introduced a D-DD yet. Ferrari have now developed a D-DD that is ready to race, along with a lighter chassis and new aero parts - essentially it's a new car. And McLaren will run a full D-DD here, which could be enough to get Lewis Hamilton's season back on track.

Red Bull and Toro Rosso won't have a D-DD before Monaco. Nevertheless, the Red Bull RB5 is by far the quickest non-D-DD package and is lightening around high-speed turns. Therefore it's tailor-made for the Circuit de Catalunya. Toyota had the quickest car in Bahrain and would have won if they hadn't botched their strategy. They've brought upgrades here too.

Brawn, of course, are under huge pressure to maintain the lead they've built up. Fifty points from four rounds puts them 22.5 points in the lead. The car has had some major revisions, including new sidepods, which may gain as much as 0.3 seconds over a lap.

"We know that we have a real fight on our hands from here," said Jenson Button, "but I am confident that we are well prepared."

Unconfirmed reports here, though, suggest that changes Brawn have made to the rear of the car have failed the FIA crash test and therefore will not be allowed to race.

BMW's Nick Heidfeld admits none of the teams know where they'll sit in the pecking order come qualifying. "I hope we will perform better than our rivals, but that's difficult to predict as all the teams will be bringing upgrade packages of varying degrees."

With F1 back in its European heartland, the Barcelona paddock looks just as it did last year, with its familiar team motorhomes replacing the portacabins of the far flung. A return to the comfort zone, then. But the question is, will the order on track revert to its traditional hierarchy?

Not if Jenson Button can help it.