Looking after Number One

How on earth do I begin today?!…with my tail between my legs? Firstly I need to announce humungous apologies for being late with not one but two blogeroonies.  How dare I.  Today’s title has a bit of a double meaning because my excuses are, to be blunt, a case of me looking after Number One and not my party people. However, it is also a reference in the words of our trusty commentary team pointing out that the Mercedes boys were not so much looking after their tyres but actually looking out for themselves!

So, back on point, why am I late…If you’re hooked up to the party people twitter feed (@F1partyperson) then you’ll know that I was under daughterly duties on the day of the Malaysian Grand Prix. As my sibling has left the country for no less than 12 months I took it upon myself to entertain our Mother on Mother’s Day and organise a lunch date.  Even Party People have Mother Hens that need to be fed and very pleasant it was. Not all was lost at first…I did actually manage to catch all bar the last 4 laps of the race as I got myself dolled up and got Mother Hen organised.  Resident Knitter took over note taking and updated me while I was on my travels.  I was, in theory, all set to write to you all.  I got on the train to return to HQ with my laptop to the ready to pour my petrol loving soul out but unfortunately the excitement of my week at the Mother Ship took its toll and I fell asleep.  Then, on a more practical note, I started a new day job on the Monday and I was all a fluster with those new arrangements!  With Bahrain fast approaching I thought I’d do you a double dose but it was brought to my attention that the Powers that Be had made it a night race this year and BBC only had highlights!  I’m a bit of a wimp and needed my beauty sleep so, with the door ajar (so I could listen to Dr D’s excitement and the commentary) I tried to snooze.  Alas, I was sucked in and propped myself up to watch from a distance.  I took some notes and nodded off as the winner was doused with the champers.

In an F1 Party Person Anonymous fashion I admit to the following:

– Yes even Party People have Mother Hens

– Yes even Party People have day jobs

– Yes I sadly neglected my F1 duties and promise to make up for it if I only knew how!

So, off we go with a catch up…Sepang…

Ah sticky pork, coconut rice and slightly salty banana fritters. 2013 was the birth of the blog and of quirky foreign food cooked without prior testing!

2014 started with a bit of kerfuffle. Sausage Pasta aka Pastor Maldonado and Banchee spun off at the start after getting a bit too close for comfort. Rosberg also had issues. Malaysia 2014 was largely the day for quality quips from the Trusty Commentary Team.  References were made to ‘the noise, like the noise’ which was much improved (perhaps microphones had been cleverly installed where needed?) and ‘the meat in the Red Bull sandwich’.  Ricciardo was gently warned to play it safe and retorted with ‘if something goes on, I want to be a part of it’. We don’t blame you! Australia was so near but yet so far in the end for the replacement Aussie Red Bull and he clearly wanted to prove his worth.

Technical observations were made as to the quality of the tyres this season; they just don’t shred like they used to.  There is also less speed despite there being more power and the cars being faster in a straight line.   The Trusty Commentary Team helpfully questioned why the team radio announcement to pit is ‘box, box, box’.  This was a good question. Why box and not pit, and why three times?!  I’m still none the wiser and some of the techy stuff all seemed very contradictory to me. However, given that I was running around trying to make me and Mother Hen presentable it may be that I’ve misheard or misunderstood!

Around lap 25 I caught an update of the top 10. Our lovely Lewis was up front. Comment was passed with surprise as to the size of ‘Button’s gap’…before we go down the route of any innuendo I hasten to point out that it very much depends on what standard you’re judging poor old JB by.  If you look at last year then there is no surprise at all! But yes, in his defence he scored a 3rd place in Australia (albeit by default) so perhaps we were lulled into a false sense of security to come.

I was chuffed to bits with Magners who in lap 28 managed to do a fastest lap…it didn’t last, but good on him!

Then the rain came down at lap 36.  Poor Ricciardo, who was trying so hard to be the man after his previous disqualification and insistence to be part of the action earlier in the race, came to a stop at lap 41 in the pit lane. He had to be dragged back to the pit and suffer an investigation for unsafe release.  He was then found with his front wing scraping along the ground causing his retirement at lap 52.

Meanwhile, Hamilton was doing a sterling job and having not ever won in Malaysia before we hoped for the best.  He was keeping the lead at lap 51 with Rosberg in second.  Button managed to reach 6th and Magners 9th.  Lewis had such a lead by the time I left the Mother Ship that he could have pitted and still come out in front!  I was by that point trying to distract Mother Hen to try and catch the last few laps myself.  It was not to be. Mother Hen defied all usual habits and was ready pretty much on time! I put my faith in Lewis (and Resident Knitter who kindly offered to text me any incidents/notable updates) and left.

My faith was duly rewarded with Lewis bagging his first win ever in Sepang and his first win since Hungary last year…I bet he had a hunger for it ;o).  Rosberg followed up in second.  Mr Vettel came third followed by the soggy lothario. We then had Hulk, Button, Massa, Bottas and Magners.  Resident Knitter observed that Lewis looked pleased as punch but that there was a worrying situation accruing on his head…was he growing his hair?!!  We like a well-shaven man at HQ and although Dr D is also growing his barnet I wasn’t sure what to expect for Bahrain!

 

And now for Bahrain…

Just 12 months ago the blog was in its infancy and I was making Bahrainian flag biscuits.  As you’ll gather from above, I was some what distracted last night but I did pull myself together to see the most thrilling highlights we’ve had all year (we’re only three races in but nonetheless it was reassuring given our earlier concerns about engine volume and lack of oomph between team members).  Mercedes kept true to their word to let the apron strings a bit looser than Red Bull did for Vettel and Webber in times gone by.  Rosberg and Lewis were allowed to hash it out on a presumption, presumably, that they would drive with maturity.  Lewis was given the first warning to make sure both cars made it home and there was a delay before Rosberg was given the same gentle reminder.  At first I felt for poor bad boy Lewis being given the warning with nothing being said to Rosberg but there’s always a delay with the team radio. I’ll have some faith that it was of course meant to be as simultaneous as it could be and what with H for Hamilton being before R for Rosberg in the alphabet hopefully all was meant to be fair team Merc.

The wheel to wheel action was truly nail-biting for a change and we were in for a treat. There was even a moment of terror as Gutierrez’s Sauber was flipped by Sausage Pasta’s nose. We waited and waited for Gutierrez to show signs of life and eventually he climbed out unharmed and the safety car was brought out hampering Hamilton’s lead gained on Rosberg.

Thank goodness he was okay!

Image Courtesy of Sky Sports

We didn’t hear much from Button or Magners until lap 40 something when Magners pulled up and climbed out of his car; at first seemingly due to a toddler’s paddy with no other sign of technical problem but soon smoke was seen coming from the car so I took that thought back and trusted he was doing the safe and practical thing to retire.  Mr Button also retired soon after.

We were eventually rewarded by Hamilton winning his first ever race in Bahrain.  I heard a lot of shouting and encouragement from Dr D who was watching in the other room and who stakes Hamilton as his favourite.  Dr D really was quite giddy by the end and it was a shame we couldn’t have had a proper party to welcome him back into the fold.  Hopefully he can come ‘to China’ in 2 weeks when we also celebrate that Resident Knitter has completed another voyage around the sun and hopefully also the same for one half of the Overly Amorous Couple, if they can attend!

Don’t forget you can follow the Party People on Twitter @F1partyperson and keep abreast of any future delays as they happen.  We’re trying to also keep you informed with F1 updates between races and re-tweeting all your favourite F1 rabble.

I’ve tried to add more photos but due to technical issues (deary, deary me…) and the need to not delay this blog any further I will leave it here and wait for Resident Knitter to assist (she’s a good ol’ blogger too you know).

I depart with a bit of a moan (although I probably don’t have the right given my recent slackness!).  Why can’t the F1 races be on a Saturday with qualifying and all the other gumble starting on Wednesday?!  It isn’t half tedious trying to party plan for Sundays when we have day jobs to do on the Monday! China is fortunately on a bank holiday so you can expect slightly more entertainment on the social side of party planning….but for your standard racing weekends we can only do what we can do!  My wish list for 2015 – Saturday racing and BBC to have full rights again.

Hopefully back on track now! To China…!