Christine's Rankings returns for 2012 - bigger, brighter, bolder and better than ever

By Christine Blachford

Christine's Rankings is back for its third season, returning to Sidepodcast to rate all the F1 drivers on the good, the bad, and everything in between. As the most in-depth and accurate global ranking driver system ever produced by me, Formula One's class of 2012 will be rated on everything from fashion, cooking, humour and generally being an all round good egg. It's important stuff, and this is the only place you'll find an open and transparent F1 rankings process anywhere on the web.

Alonso jumps to P1 as the first pre-season test comes to an end

By Christine Blachford

After bemoaning the pace of the new car only yesterday, Ferrari managed to jump to the top of the timesheets in an effort to boost morale. Fernando Alonso was back behind the wheel of the F2012, finishing ahead of Toro Rosso and Red Bull. Mercedes were not in attendance, having led the previous two days of testing. Meanwhile, Caterham are due to stay on for an extra day for filming.

I'd love to support Nico, but will he have to kiss Vijay's lucky coconuts?

By Christine Blachford

Like most Formula One fans, there are one or two drivers that I support more than others. I can be impartial enough to enjoy race weekends as a whole, but there are still names that capture my attention more than others. It is well documented that I am partial to the French drivers on the grid, and this year I am spoilt for choice with no less than three representatives from La France. However, at the moment, I find myself more interested in the returning German, Nico Hülkenberg.

Just nine times on the board, as Rosberg leads day three

By Christine Blachford

It was a day of mixed fortunes at Jerez, with Nico Rosberg able to top the timesheets in last year's Mercedes, and Romain Grosjean putting in the best time of the 2012 contenders. On the flip side, Jules Bianchi bashed his Force India into the barriers, causing only a little damage but enough to halt the team's running for the day. He'd only completed two installation laps and so Force India did not set a time for day three.

Schumacher takes the day two top spot in Jerez with 2011 car

By Christine Blachford

It was another busy day out at the Jerez circuit, as the second day of pre-season testing came to a conclusion - with Michael Schumacher on top. The Mercedes team have been running last year's car and concentrating on building up their tyre information instead. Yesterday's front runner Kimi Räikkönen finished the day in fifth place, after spinning off into the gravel on more than one occasion.