[Chode]

F1 Stuff...

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone hopes the FIA will put the Bahrain Grand Prix back on the calendar at its crunch meeting next week, despite fears by teams that the extended 2011 schedule may lead to burn out. The date is set for 30 October, if the FIA confirms it. Full story: Autosport

Lewis Hamilton believes he is the only driver capable of challenging Sebastian Vettel as he targets a 50-point haul over the next two races. Full story: Press Association

Hispania boss Colin Kolles has ruled out a protest at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix over the use of off-throttle blown diffusers, with the FIA having promised him that it was looking into the matter. Full story: Autosport

Formula 1 drivers have backed FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting's decision to ban the use of the drag-reduction system (DRS) in the tunnel during the Monaco GP this weekend.
Full story: autosport

Red Bull have revised their pitstop procedures ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, after rival Ferrari shadowed its moves in Spain last weekend. Full story: Autosport

Michael Schumacher had an interesting response when told that Lewis Hamilton felt he interfered in the lead battle in Spain by letting Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel through and making life hard for the McLaren driver. "I don't recall it," he said.
Full story: Adam Cooper's blog

******************* Second Practice

1	5	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	1:15.123		42
2	3	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1:15.228	0.105	33
3	8	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes	1:15.321	0.198	44
4	4	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	1:15.448	0.325	38
5	1	Sebastian Vettel	RBR-Renault	1:15.667	0.544	46
6	6	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:15.781	0.658	45
7	7	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes	1:16.356	1.233	33
8	2	Mark Webber	RBR-Renault	1:16.642	1.519	42
9	14	Adrian Sutil	Force India-Mercedes	1:17.101	1.978	46
10	9	Nick Heidfeld	Renault	1:17.126	2.003	38
11	10	Vitaly Petrov	Renault	1:17.337	2.214	35
12	17	Sergio Perez	Sauber-Ferrari	1:17.541	2.418	47
13	11	Rubens Barrichello	Williams-Cosworth	1:17.570	2.447	39
14	18	Sebastien Buemi	STR-Ferrari	1:17.581	2.458	32
15	12	Pastor Maldonado	Williams-Cosworth	1:17.633	2.510	49
16	16	Kamui Kobayashi	Sauber-Ferrari	1:17.706	2.583	37
17	19	Jaime Alguersuari	STR-Ferrari	1:17.789	2.666	43
18	20	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus-Renault	1:18.266	3.143	50
19	21	Jarno Trulli	Lotus-Renault	1:18.490	3.367	39
20	15	Paul di Resta	Force India-Mercedes	1:19.053	3.930	15
21	25	Jerome d'Ambrosio	Virgin-Cosworth	1:19.185	4.062	40
22	24	Timo Glock	Virgin-Cosworth	1:19.338	4.215	35
23	22	Narain Karthikeyan	HRT-Cosworth	1:22.066	6.943	33
24	23	Vitantonio Liuzzi	HRT-Cosworth	No time		0

[West Texas Chuck]

After all these years of not watching F1 I am still a tifosi and will be till I die I guess. Happy to see Alonso's place in practice.

I used to be a hardcore F1 fan, for 20 years, but after Senna died I quit caring. I'll never forget I had the race at Imola in 1994 on tape, but was out of town that weekend and hadn't seen it yet. When my alarm radio turned on Monday morning I was almost awake and I thought I heard the newsguy say "3-time WC Ayrton Senna is dead." I sat straight up in bed, fully awake now. Got up and ran to the VCR to make sure I had it recorded. It was a long day at work, waiting to go home and watch the race. I remember Ratzenberger being killed on Saturday. I remember the big crash at the first start where a wheel flew into the stands. I remember the view from the camera on Schumacher's car as Senna went off track. I remember the camera shot of Senna's head twitch one time, as he sat there dying in his car from the hole in his forehead, waiting for the doctors and that helicopter flight to the hospital. I just don't have the same passion for the races I once did. Sorry all, don't mean to be a downer, I just always get a tear in eye this time of year, the month of May.

Ayrton Senna da Silva, the man I loved to hate.

Ole Senna, obrigado, adeus, bravo.

Hurrah Senna, thank you, goodbye, I salute your bravery.