Barcelona

[stroker]

Go.

Four teams in the top five after P2. I'm luvin' it.

[opinionated ow]

Maldonado!!!

If you'd told me the top ten would have contained two Loti, two Saubers, two Mercedes and only 1 Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Williams, I'd have called you a bloody idiot.

[WickerBill]

Zero McLarens. Congrats Williams!

[stroker]

nevermind. I hadn't heard about the penalty.

[cameraman]

Not quite sure why but I reflexively hate Maldonado with every fiber of my soul. Not sure why but all through GP2 and now F1, I don't even want to see the guy. Can't think of a specific reason I just do. Weird.

[WickerBill]

You'd like him if his name was Dale Maldonaldo. ;)

[cameraman]

Nah. Doesn't matter what his name is or where he is from. There's just something about him that makes me cringe.

[opinionated ow]

Nah. Doesn't matter what his name is or where he is from. There's just something about him that makes me cringe.

Wouldn't have something to do with him ignoring yellow flags in Formula Renault 3.5 and running over a marshal at Monaco would it?

[Rex Karz]

I hear he has two brothers named Father and Rabbi and a distant cousin named Imam.

[RTKar]

Excellent race and happy for Sir Frank

[TRDfan]

That was fun! Shaping up to be quite a season.

[opinionated ow]

Williams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has to be the most competitive season in my lifetime. If you ignore the gimmicks, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes-Benz, Scuderia Ferrari, Lotus-Renault, Williams F1 Team and Mclaren have all produced cars capable of winning races. Sauber is biting at their heels leaving only the three newbies, Torro Rosso and Force India in the cold and yet Torro Rosso qualified top 5 in Bahrain.

[stroker]

I'm torn. On the one hand it was entertaining. On the other, I'm tired of the race being a tire-management competition.

I hope nobody was hurt in the explosion/fire in the Williams pits after the race.

I don't know how much longer Ferrari can justify keeping Massa. He just doesn't have it any more.

[Methanolandbrats]

LOoks like Moldynads can drive, not just write checks.

[gjc2]

I didn't expect to see Räikkönen running so well, two podiums in five races.

[WickerBill]

There is someone in bad shape from the fire in the Williams garage, from what I read a few minutes ago. Sixteen people treated for burns or smoke inhalation.

[RusH]

I you write enough checks you can win F1 races and EPL soccer titles :D;)

Good deal for Sir Frank though :thumbup:

[Rex Karz]

The latest story from Speed: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-williams-garage-catches-fire-at-spanish-gp/


Sixteen people were injured, with one person being flown to hospital with severe burns, after a fire erupted inside Formula One team Williams' garage after team driver Pastor Maldonado won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.

Catalonia's regional government said in a statement that one person was airlifted to Barcelona hospital with serious burn wounds while five others were taken to local hospital for smoke inhalation. Ten people were treated at the Catalunya Circuit for smoke inhalation before being released.

Williams confirmed that the person airlifted to hospital was one of its staff, and that three others were also given treatment.

F1 team Caterham said in a statement that four team employees were among those taken to the Catalunya Circuit medical center to be examined, one with a minor hand injury and three with respiratory issues.

The fire erupted soon after Maldonado and the team had taken the traditional victory photo in front of the team garage.

Williams team principle Frank Williams, who is a paraplegic, was rushed from his wheelchair as he was giving a celebratory speech for a first F1 victory in eight years that coincided with the longtime team principal's 70th birthday celebrations.

Maldonado was photographed running from the garage while carrying his cousin Manuel -- whose right leg was in a cast -- on his back. Manuel Maldonado is shown holding Maldonado's Spanish GP trophy in his left hand as the pair rush to safety.

A black, acrid haze came flowing out of the British team's garage, filling the paddock and pit lane.

Mechanics and circuit firefighters were quickly on the scene to put out the fire with an ambulance on the scene treating one person for what appeared to be smoke inhalation.

Williams driver Bruno Senna's car was torched by the blaze.

[stroker]

^^^

Jeebus.

[Elmo T]

H9QLET_u1DA

Surprised there aren't real fire trucks arriving. But the commentators don't miss a beat. :saywhat:

[TedN]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2duKPR6Amyg

[trish]

Well I see how some team members got smoke inhalation. Where were the real firefighters?

-H73JOK9SqI

[opinionated ow]

Not quite sure why but I reflexively hate Maldonado with every fiber of my soul. Not sure why but all through GP2 and now F1, I don't even want to see the guy. Can't think of a specific reason I just do. Weird.

Might be his buddy buddy relationship with Chavez?
http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE6B85EK20101209?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

The 25-year-old told Reuters that sport and politics could mix happily together.

"Sport should not be kept away from politics, it should be supported, like happens in Venezuela," he said.

Although to be fair, we pour billions into sport in Australia

[cameraman]

No that isn't it. Although Chaves did declare today a public holiday in Venezuela in honour of Pastor's victory.

It is his history of being an out of control fool. He is the one who blew through the yellow flags in Monaco a few years ago and took out a track marshal. There was much more of the same type of crap through out his GP2 career. He may be a fast driver but he is a loose cannon with no common sense or respect for the safety of track workers or pit lane crews. Worse is his response to his screwups, it is that of pure arrogance.

[cameraman]

I need to thank Maldonado for so ably explaining why I hate him.:saywhat: