I write this post as the latest game in the series ‘F1 2011’ is launched and yes it includes the new Buddh International circuit at Noida. Its coded by codemasters and is marketed by Zapak in India.

The game has a number of new gameplay options, one of which is the much awaited co-op mode, you and your friend compete as formula one racing partners for a team. I have just got my review copy and cant wait to play it out. If you are looking for features, they are all listed here. You can also view the release trailer here, the graphics look simply awesome ! Am awaiting my Xbox copy to really see the HD graphics

The game is available on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

F1 2011™ is the sequel to the BAFTA winning FORMULA ONE™ videogame from Codemasters®, the developer and publisher of award-winning racing games. Developed under Codemasters’ exclusive worldwide agreement with Formula One   World Championship Limited, F1 2011 will come complete with all the official drivers, teams and circuits featuring in the 2011 FIA FORMULA ONE World Championship™. Zapak Games, the licensing & merchandising arm of Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd. will distribute the title in India.

Developed using Codemasters’ EGO Game Technology Platform F1 2011 will deliver an unrivalled FORMULA ONE experience that puts players into the heart of the world’s most exciting sport, powered by cutting edge graphics, advanced physics systems and integrated network play.

· Go Compete!  F1 2011 builds extensively on the multiplayer options from F1 2010. Split-screen racing is included for the first time in a high-definition FORMULA ONE title. Competitive online racing is extended with 16 players going head-to-head in GRAND PRIX™ with up to 8 AI drivers added to simulate the full grid of 24 drivers. An innovative new co-op Championship enables two players to lead their favourite FORMULA ONE team to Driver and Constructor glory across the course of a FORMULA ONE season. These enhancements are complimented by additional quick fire modes including Time Attack.

· New Circuits for 2011. Two stunning new additions to the race calendar extend the number of circuits to feature in F1 2011 to 19. Players will be able to debut ahead of the drivers on the Buddh International Circuit, the home of the first FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF INDIA and players will be able to test themselves on the iconic Nürburging circuit for the first time in High Definition, as this legendary track returns for the 2011 season.

· Be the driver, live the life.  From the paddock to the track, F1 2011 takes players closer to the experience of being a FORMULA ONE driver than ever before. A new Parc Ferme area, an expanded and revamped Paddock, new Pit Lane, celebration and reaction cinematics and an enhanced media interaction system fully immerse players in the glamour, pressure and excitement of being a FORMULA ONE driver. Players progress from rookie to FIA FORMULA ONE DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPION in an extensive career mode where gamers fight to become priority driver and shape the development of the car by performing well in races and earning performance upgrades.

· All the cars, all the stars. Fully licensed, F1 2011 features all the drivers set to contest the 2011 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, including Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button. All 2011 teams are represented including Ferrari, Red Rull Racing, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Lotus Renault GP in their iconic black and gold livery.

· KERS, DRS and more! F1 2011 includes all the new rule changes set to make this year’s season the most exciting yet. F1 2011 debuts DRS (Drag Reduction System) – the new system which enables drivers to adjust the rear wing on the car to give a boost of up to 10km. KERS also returns, giving players an extra 80BHP for up to 6.67 seconds, enabling drivers to blast past rivals. Combined, these systems encourage close wheel-to-wheel racing with new options for both defence and attack. This season’s new Pirelli tyres are faithfully simulated in the game, and if players push their car too hard they may experience a range of authentic new damage failures.

· Full Day / Night Racing. The 2011 FORMULA 1 ETHIAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX comes alive with a full day/ night transition which recreates the special atmosphere at this unique track. Every one of the existing circuits from the 2010 roster has been given a complete visual overhaul. New atmospheric effects, including dynamic clouds, compliment a weather system which features an advanced rain model that affects on-track grip.  Powered by the EGO Game Technology Platforms, F1 2011 pushes forward the graphical standard of what can be achieved in a racing game.

· The world’s greatest cars, the most exciting racing. Building on the heritage of producing award-winning racing games for over a decade, Codemasters is uniquely placed to realise the spectacle and exhilaration of racing 200MPH+ FORMULA ONE cars for all fans. F1 2011 can be tuned for players from a wide range of skill levels, from the casual gamer to the hardcore simulation enthusiast and those in between, with a range of differing skill levels. A huge range of vehicle variables can be tuned to suit each player’s unique driving style, or drivers can entrust their Race Engineer to set their car up and head straight onto the track. F1 2011 will support a comprehensive range of racing wheels for the ultimate racing experience.

· Unprecedented authenticity. Codemasters has used its unprecedented access to the world of FORMULA ONE to connect the development team directly with FORMULA ONE teams and tyre manufacturers. Extensive consultancy has taken place with a range of FORMULA ONE professionals, including race engineers, mechanics and drivers. This has been combined with real world data including CAD and on-board telemetry to deliver a race experience complete with authentic handling, accurate circuits and precisely modelled racing cars.

· EGO powered FORMULA ONE. F1 2011 is being developed on the EGO Game Technology platform, evolved from the award winning EGO engine. Enabling Codemasters development talent to share tools and technology across Studios and Central Technology teams, the EGO Game Technology Platform empowers Codemasters game designers to realise their creative visions across multiple platforms featuring cutting edge graphics, powerful AI, advanced physics systems and integrated network play.

Michael Schumacher’s old teammate Johhny Herbert in an interview/article has predicted that Michael Schumacher will go back into retirement at the end of the season.

Critical of Michael Schumacher, the Brit driver said that the new generation of F1 drivers had raised the bar and Michael Schumacher couldn’t keep up with the new formula one blood.

In related news, in an interview Michael Schumacher said that he didn’t feel big joy racing anymore. This has further fuelled speculation that the German might call it quits from formula one at the end of this season. Schumacher further said :

“What I feel in my hands is the same as it’s always felt.”

Coming back to Johhny Herbert’s interview though :

“The simple fact is that he is no longer the best driver on the track,”

“Schumacher has not lost any of his skill – the new generation of young drivers are just better than him. It is a case that the level required to win in F1 has gone up and he is not at that standard anymore.

“I do not think he is any slower than he was when he was winning seven world titles; he is just struggling to cope with a situation he is not used to – he is no longer the best guy in the field and he does not have the best machinery at his disposal, as well as the fact that he has a team-mate in Nico Rosberg who is consistently beating him.”

“He did not return just to run in the middle order. His dream was to win again and make Mercedes race winners, but it has not turned out that way and I would be surprised if he chose to continue.”

It does seem like Michael is not feeling the magic he was known for, he had put his legacy on the line, very few people have the guts to do that. We as Schumi fans would support him in whatever decision he takes

Jenson Button catapulted himself to first place in the formula one driver’s championship with an incredible drive and 1st place at the Chinese Grand Prix. Jenson Button now leads the championship table with 60 points. Teammate and fellow Briton Lewis Hamilton took second place at the Chinese Grand Prix to make it a McLaren 1-2.

Lewis Hamilton had his brush with the wrong side of the F1 law when he almost took out Sebastien Vettel in the pits. He later blamed the incident on painted advertisements on the tarmac which  reduce grip. It was another matter that to remain wheel to wheel with Vettel he actually was on the wrong side of the driveway. They briefly touched wheels and Hamilton again came into focus for dangerous driving that is becoming his trademark. Sebastien Vettel of the Red Bull team did not mince words while blaming Lewis Hamilton :

“At the stop I was ahead. I don’t know why he pulled to the left and was keen to touch me,” Sebastien Vettel said.

“His front wing was at my rear wheel. I hoped I didn’t get a puncture from that .I don’t really understand why he did that as I was a bit ahead of him and had the advantage. He didn’t have to make contact.” The German added

Jenson Button had a less eventful race by comparison, only looking uncomfortable once when he lost the grip at the hairpin of turn 6 as a result of aquaplaning. Jenson Button called the victory special after the race showing his mastery of the wet track and good judgement in choosing the right tyres.

“This is so special,”  Jenson Button said.

“For me it is my best victory. Every time that you win I think it becomes your best victory, but this one was very special as it was very tough conditions. I had a job keeping it on the road at the end and the great thing is our pace was good. It wasn’t just the luck of calling the weather.” he added

Nico Rosberg finished third for the Mercedes GP team while teammate Michael Schumacher again struggled and finished 10th. Adrian Sutil had a decent race in his Force India car finishing 11th.

The Ferrari team had a mixed race with Fernando Alonso finishing 4th and teammate Felipe Massa finishing a dismal but still points earning 9th.

Final classification of the 2010 Chinese Formula One Grand Prix :

  1. Jenson Button (Britain)       McLaren 1hr 46mins 42.163secs
  2. Lewis Hamilton (Britain)      McLaren           +00:01.530
  3. Nico Rosberg (Germany)        Mercedes           00:09.484
  4. Fernando Alonso (Spain)       Ferrari            00:11.869
  5. Robert Kubica (Poland)        Renault            00:22.213
  6. Sebastian Vettel (Germany)    Red Bull           00:33.310
  7. Vitaly Petrov (Russia)        Renault            00:47.600
  8. Mark Webber (Australia)       Red Bull           00:52.172
  9. Felipe Massa (Brazil)         Ferrari            00:57.796
 10. Michael Schumacher (Germany)  Mercedes           01:01.749
 11. Adrian Sutil (Germany)        Force India        01:02.874
 12. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil)   Williams           01:03.665
 13. Jaime Alguersuari (Spain)     Toro Rosso         01:11.416
 14. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland)   Lotus                  1 lap
 15. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany)    Williams               1 lap
 16. Bruno Senna (Brazil)          HRT                   2 laps
 17. Karun Chandhok (India)        HRT                   4 laps
 Ret.  Jarno Trulli (Italy)          Lotus                30 laps
 Ret.  Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil)      Virgin               48 laps
 Ret.  Pedro de la Rosa (Spain)      BMW Sauber           49 laps
 Ret.  Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso           56 laps
 Ret.  Kamui Kobayashi (Japan)       BMW Sauber           56 laps
 Ret.  Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy)     Force India          56 laps
 Ret.  Timo Glock (Germany)          Virgin               56 laps

Image : McLaren Media

Felipe Massa – 39

Michael Schumacher – 9

The above is not the equation most anticipated when the season started, Michael Schumacher is 30 points behind the championship leader just 3 races into the season. Schumacher, who was supposed to make a remarkable comeback is struggling in his Brawn GP, oops, Mercedes GP car, fans are starting to lose hope but the 41 year old German still has his eyes set on the title and says its too soon to write him off.

If we have quick development speed, there is no reason we can’t fight for the championship,” Michael Schumacher said

“Its far from thinking and feeling the season is over for Nico and myself.”

Not only has Schumacher been beaten by McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull. His own partner the young Nico Rosberg has been beating Schumacher consistently in the Mercedes GP car. Michael however remains unfazed by the sharp criticism

He went on to justify his optimism and his comeback :

“I have been long enough around to know the wave of emotion, In the winter, everyone was very emotional and supportive and positive and when you are up on this wave, its a natural happening that you fall over it.

“Yes, I would have loved to have better results, but the competition is high. Having all this experience, coming back after this break, I feel more than happy with what is going on.”

Sign of a true champion, wont you say ?

Apologies for no photo of the winning driver, apparently Red Bull’s media department is not approving our application to use their photos for editorial purposes.

Red Bull really did give Sebastien Vettel and Mark Webber wings with the duo grabbing a 1-2 at the 2010 formula one Malaysian Grand Prix. Nico Rosberg was third for the Mercedes GP formula one team (erstwhile Brawn GP) while his teammate Michael Schumacher was unlucky yet again as a nut came off his car’s wheel and he was forced to retire. Before that Michael Schumacher in a strong start had made up 2 places.

Sebastien Vettel proved that if you are good enough and if you drive good enough, victory will come and luck factor will diminish. After 2 unlucky races, Malaysia proved to be third time lucky.

Lewis Hamilton was another the start performer of the day though, the Briton made his way up from 20th on the grid to sixth place. His teammate Jenson Button was 8th at the finish line.

Meanwhile Spaniard and Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso called the Malaysian Grand Prix the toughest race of his life. He suffered a gearbox problem and apparently no clutch in the race.

“Right from the start things went wrong. On the formation lap, my gearbox broke, and I had no clutch during the race,” Fernando Alonso said.

“So I had to brake in a weird way. I had to first gear down and then push the throttle hard so it would engage the gear for that corner.

“So it was probably the hardest race of my whole life in terms of driving, because I had to improvise for every corner.

Final Classification of the Malaysian Grand Prix 2010

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts

1 5 Sebastian Vettel RBR-Renault 56 1:33:48.412 3 25

2 6 Mark Webber RBR-Renault 56 +4.8 secs 1 18

3 4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP 56 +13.5 secs 2 15

4 11 Robert Kubica Renault 56 +18.5 secs 6 12

5 14 Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 56 +21.0 secs 4 10

6 2 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 +23.4 secs 20 8

7 7 Felipe Massa Ferrari 56 +27.0 secs 21 6

8 1 Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 56 +37.9 secs 17 4

9 17 Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari 56 +70.6 secs 14 2

10 10 Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 56 +73.3 secs 5 1

11 16 Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari 56 +78.9 secs 13

12 9 Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 55 +1 Lap 7

13 8 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 54 +2 Laps 19

14 25 Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 53 +3 Laps 24

15 20 Karun Chandhok HRT-Cosworth 53 +3 Laps 22

16 21 Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth 52 +4 Laps 23

17 18 Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 51 +5 Laps 18

Ret 19 Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 46 +10 Laps 15

Ret 12 Vitaly Petrov Renault 32 +24 Laps 11

Ret 15 Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 12 +44 Laps 10

Ret 3 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 9 +47 Laps 8

Ret 23 Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari 8 +48 Laps 9

Ret 24 Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth 2 +54 Laps 16

DNS 22 Pedro de la Rosa BMW Sauber-Ferrari 0 +56 Laps 12

Michael Schumacher must be feeling like a mere mortal these days, his recent performances at Bahrain and Australia were anything but the legendary stuff he is remembered for. When he decided to return to the track in 2010, it was a super bold move. It was his bet on his legacy. How many people are confident enough to put their legacy on the line. Before this season, Michael had the distinction of being called the best formula one driver by most sources. However all that could change if the 2 recent performances are anything to go by. In both the races Michael has been out-shadowed and out-driven by his teammate Nico Rosberg. A lot of that can be attributed to the fact that Michael Schumacher is out of practice but it still doesn’t change the fact he is being beaten by one of the youngest drivers on the grid.

However he is not the kind of sportsperson to be disheartened by small defeats, he sounded very upbeat on his official website. A partial excerpt of his post is given below :

“I know that might sound awkward but I take a lot of good aspects from the race weekend in Melbourne. Of course that does not show at first sight but looking into our weekend more deeply, I find we did improve quite well and have a good reason to be quite satisfied – just not from the pure result obviously.

But analyzing Qualifying I think both Nico and me could have been ranked 2 to 3 positions better. I had a too conservative set up in the end which was too much concentrated towards the race, plus I had a tear-off strip stuck in my front wing which too cost me some time. And going into the race from those better positions would have meant fighting for the podium.”

Lets hope his optimism is rewarded

The German Red Bull F1 driver Sebastien Vettel edged Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso to grab the first pole of the 2010 season. Seven time formula one world champion Michael Schumacher who is returning to the track after a sabbatical was seventh in the qualifying with his team-mate Nice Rosberg doing better at 5th place. Vettel’s team-mate was 6th.

Ferrari were the team with most consistent performance in practice and qualifying alike, it seems that this season they might very well be the team to beat, but its still to early to tell.

Newcomer teams like Lotus F1 and HRT F1 (Campos Meta) struggled to make their mark. Some of their times were beyond 2 minutes with Indian rookie Karun Chandhok bringing up the rear for the grid in his HRT F1 car.

Sorry for no qualifying review, but tomorrow, I have an interview with the one of the best schools in India and I wish to get in

Mercedes GP revealed their new challenger on 25th January 2010. Stupid me thought that a new media ID was needed to access the site, turns out the BrawnGp era ID works on the media site, so we have the new photos of their challenger and ofcourse of Michael Schumacher who looks 30 and not 41 and also Nico Rosberg who looks 16

First a look at the all German lineup of the team, and also the young and old combo which is being adopted by a lot of teams. Michael Schumacher ofcourse got the say in getting the number allotted for his car. He has the odd-numbered number 3 car which he wanted. Rosberg gets the number 4 car.

Both drivers as well as Ross Brawn were excited about the launch. Schumacher looks set to end his career in the Mercedes GP team as is apparent by his comments.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER:
“Finally the 2010 Formula One season is firing up! I have to say that I am totally committed to this new challenge. This season feels like a re-start for me and I am so motivated. We have a very exciting combination at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. We have a World Champion team in every sense of the word and I cannot wait to get into the car for the first time in Valencia. I am convinced that MERCEDES GP PETRONAS will be in a very good position to fight for the championships this season and I will definitely give it a go. Driving for Mercedes-Benz again is like the closing of a circle for me as I started my racing driver career with the three-pointed star on my helmet. This is another reason why I cannot wait for the competition to get underway.”

NICO ROSBERG:
“You can really feel the successful motorsport history of Mercedes-Benz here at the Museum in Stuttgart and to be part of the new Silver Arrows team and that racing heritage makes me feel extremely proud and motivated. Since joining the team in November, I have spent a lot of time at the factory in Brackley, at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth and here in Stuttgart, which has given me the opportunity to settle in and get to know everyone. I have seen how hard the team is working on the new car and I really can’t wait for the opportunity to drive it for the first time in Valencia next week. I am looking forward to working with everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and will give it my all to reward their fantastic efforts with good on-track results this season.”

ROSS BRAWN, TEAM PRINCIPAL, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS:
“It is a privilege to be here at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart today for the official presentation of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. With your first look around the Museum, you realise the fantastic racing heritage of Mercedes-Benz and we hope to be able to contribute to those successes going forward. Our team have been working extremely hard throughout last year and over the winter on the development of the MGP W01 and everyone at the team is looking forward to the start of testing in Valencia next week. We have two excellent drivers in Nico and Michael, who will form one of the most exciting and one of the best partnerships on the grid, and with the support of Mercedes-Benz, Aabar, our new title partner PETRONAS and all of our team partners, everyone is looking forward to the 2010 Formula One season with anticipation.”

Now a look at the new silver arrows, a very standard chassis with a curved carbon fibre nose as is the tradition with the Mercedes team. The major team sponsor is Petronas which is also a name sponsor. We will come to know about the car performance only when the team gets down to business

Then during the period when Michael Schumacher broke his ankle and Mika Salo replaced him, the loyalties stayed with the Ferrari team and I was feeling like a true Tifosi. But Michael Schumacher’s latest move is sure to draw a lot of confusion , am I as a fan supposed to root for Michael Schumacher or Ferrari ?, I mean ever since Michael Schumacher left formula one I have always rooted for Ferrari. This isnt your average I am a Brit so I will support McLaren on every public website on the world wide web, since I am not German either things are going to be confusing.

Anyway, till I solve that paradox, Nico Rosberg is shit scared, he is proclaiming his No.1 driver status in Mercedes and how Michael Schumacher will find the going tough. His exact words being : “When you stay away from Formula One for a long time, it takes time to get used to all the trial sessions again, it is not simple.”

Meanwhile Schumacher’s camp is playing cautious, they haven’t confirmed or denied any of the rumours.

Hi, Im Nico Rosberg, race driver for AT&T Williams. Today myself and Christian Danner are going to introduce you to the Sepang International Circuit.

Nico Rosberg and Christian Danner explain all tricky points on the Sepang International Circuit.

The week after a grand prix just blazes by, doesnt it.