Virtually hopeless in reality
With interest in eSports at an all time high and a brand new Formula 1 game about to launch, Sidepodcast takes to Twitch to live stream some motorsport gaming action. Beginning with a brand new season of Motorsport Manager we position ourselves on the virtual pitwall aiming to take Matrix Management to the upper echelons of racing history.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
This is the moment everyone has been waiting for, what the entirety of the 2014 season has been building up to - the epic showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg for the World Championship. There are other things happening as well, though. Jenson Button and Adrian Sutil could be racing their last Formula One events, whilst Will Stevens has been thrown in at the deep end for his first. Williams hope to fend off Ferrari for third in the championship, whilst Alonso bids farewell to the Scuderia in search of pastures new. Hellos and goodbyes, as the season (and the live comments) enters its last hurrah!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
It's time already, for the penultimate live commenting thread on Sidepodcast. Oh and the final qualifying session of the year as well. Hamilton and Rosberg will go head to head for pole position, and although someone else could get a look in - it's really going to be all about those two. Rosberg has snatched the pole position trophy this year, very fast on Saturdays, but hasn't always converted pole position to race victories on a Sunday. Can he set himself up to have another go this weekend? Or will it be Hamilton's chance to start from the front of the field?
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Mercedes looked like they weren't so dominant in qualifying yesterday, with Felipe Massa spurred on to take the fight to the world champions in front of his home crowd. He didn't quite have the pace to get onto the front row of the grid but is in the box seats in case anything happens up front. With the Brazilian track offering up great action, and fantastic cheering fans surrounding the circuit, the atmosphere should be brilliant as the penultimate round of the season gets underway. Whether it rains or not, we should be in for an entertaining couple of hours!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
It's amazing to think the penultimate round of the season is getting underway but here we are. The championship is still up for grabs, there are two less teams participating, and everyone's a bit weary but keen to get this thing done. Brazil brings the party atmosphere but may be slightly muted by the rain and thunder forecast for both days. That, in turn, might cause some chaos out on track, so make your predictions early! Qualifying is here!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Things feel slightly mixed up and unusual as we head into race day for the United States Grand Prix. The smaller grid, the swapping of momentum at the top and the fact that some of the stronger drivers will be starting towards the back. Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Daniil Kvyat all take on board penalties, whilst Adrian Sutil for Sauber looks to remain in the top ten and maybe, just maybe, squeeze a point on the board for his team. Also watch for Williams as they hustle to stay best of the rest, and Daniel Ricciardo, who is close but perhaps not close enough to upset the order of things.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
F1 is back in action and this time heads to the Circuit of the Americas, which should hopefully be able to provide more of an interesting weekend than the action in Russia. So far we've seen Mercedes dominating as per usual, although the gap between the two drivers remains tantalisingly close. Sebastian Vettel will be starting from the pit lane so won't be too bothered about qualifying, but with four less drivers on the field, it may be time for some new names to take the initiative and make a difference!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
A brand new track is supposed to level the playing field somewhat, but we still have Mercedes locking out the front row. It didn't go all their own way though, as Bottas looked on for a surprise. That spices things up for the race, with a handful of competitive cars hoping to take the fight to the championship leaders. Sebastian Vettel needs to recover after qualifying outside the top ten, whilst Felipe Massa has a strong car but starts way down the grid. With the weather set to remain dry, an unknown quality about the tyres that is causing consternation, and championship positions up for grabs, we should be in for a fascinating race today.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
A new track is a tasty challenge for the drivers this weekend, particularly at this point in what has become a fairly predictable season! Poor Marussia are paying tribute to their missing driver Jules Bianchi, but the racing must go on. The Russian track offers up what appears to be a mixture of Valencia, Korea and Abu Dhabi, not all classic circuits but perhaps together they can make magic? Now is our first real chance to tell with the fight for pole position. Only one driver has managed to stop the force that is Mercedes, and that was Massa. Only once. Can anyone else do the same this weekend?
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
The weather is presenting a huge unknown ahead of the race, with a super-typhoon in the area but looking likely to miss the track and the race window. That doesn't mean it won't be wet though, and Red Bull have gambled on that by opting for a wet race setup, starting further down the grid. Maldonado and Vergne both take ten place grid drops after using their sixth engines, whilst Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo hold their heads high despite crashing during the practice sessions. If the race goes ahead unimpeded, it should be a good one, so stay tuned!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
From the challenges of Singapore, F1 has moved to Suzuka which presents its own unique problems for the drivers trying to maximise their chances of success. As a tricky circuit, driving skill comes to the fore, and we've already seen that it can be a troublesome track to dominate. No less than three cars crashed on Friday, and there have been a couple of reliability gremlins hitting home once again. Also Pastor Maldonado already knows he'll be taking a ten place grid drop for the race, after using his sixth engine. The weather is set to make an appearance at some point during the weekend, so fingers crossed for an exciting qualifying session!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Hamilton starts from pole position for the epic Singapore race - one of the toughest on the whole calendar. With the humidity levels soaring, both cars and drivers are in for a long afternoon's work. Reliability will be key, and the safety car is likely to make an appearance at some point. The battle at the front is exciting enough, but there's the added bonus of Ferrari with additional pace, Jenson Button with some ground to make up, and Valtteri Bottas starting out of position. Can the Finn put on such a good show as he has this year when the odds are against him?
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
The Singapore weekend is upon us, an odd mix of tired employees battling against the timezone, drivers trying to see their best in the dark and/or brighter-than-day time, and everyone trying to decide what to do about this new radio ruling. Qualifying comes first, though, with the grid being decided for Sunday's race. It's important to get a good starting position on the Marina Bay track, as field spread can be a key issue that makes overtaking tricky. Look for the Mercedes pair to go well, but Ferrari have also shown extra pace on the street circuit, whilst Williams have appeared to struggle.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Thus, the Mercedes battle enters its next stage. We have Lewis Hamilton on pole position with Nico Rosberg alongside him - both heading into that tricky first chicane. Meanwhile, two Williams drivers have equal engine power and are looking to capitalise on anything that occurs in front. Kimi Räikkönen has some work to do to recover from a poor qualifying, and to cheer up the home crowds. Ferrari may not have the edge at this track but the cheering in the grandstands may give them an extra tenth or two. The 13th round of the 2014 Formula One season is go!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Power is the key to getting pole position around Monza, and that being the case, you'd have to put your money on one of the Mercedes drivers scooping the top spot. They're not infallible though, for many reasons, and at this point in the season we're starting to see unreliability creep in again. There's not anticipated to be any rain for qualifying, but we're still in Europe and that means you never can tell what's going to happen. Starting from the front of the grid is super important at this track, not that overtaking is hard, but making your way through the field can be a challenging prospect.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
Another F1 weekend is upon us and it is Monza that the hosts the thirteenth round of the season. As the last of the European circuits, the pressure is really on to get the most out of the motorhomes, before the flyaways begin in earnest. With three free practice sessions available, there's a chance to maximise track time and work on any updates, whilst also running free practice where possible. Kamui Kobayashi looks set to sit out another session with an appearance from a new face - Robert Merhi - who makes the step up from Formula Renault 3.5, for FP1 only (as far as we know).
Verizon IndyCar Series 2014
It's the penultimate race of the season and what a place to be racing as IndyCar emanates from the hilly surroundings of Sonoma. Will Power has put himself in an excellent position to solidify himself as championship leader with a strong qualifying to be sitting on pole for tonight's race in a dramatic session. His rivals, Castroneves and Pagenaud, sit in 6th and 15th respectively but the wonderfully variable up and downs of Sonoma's layout could easily mean anything could happen. With just the final 7 days of the 2014 championship remaining, can Will Power use his willpower to power his way and be willing to win the drivers championship?!
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
With Mercedes locking out the front row, it's up to Sebastian Vettel in his best of the rest position to chase them down. The changeable conditions at Spa may impact the race, but we'll be looking for out-of-place drivers to make the real excitement for the afternoon. The Williams pair didn't qualify as well as they'd hoped so will want to move forward in the top ten to gain more points. Daniel Ricciardo hopes to get the better of his teammate, whilst Nico Hülkenberg missed out on the top ten and will be looking to sneak his way in. At the back, it will be interesting to see how Lotterer can do on his F1 debut, after outqualifying his Caterham teammate.
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
The first qualifying session since the summer break sees our drivers take on the tricky track of Spa-Francorchamps. Getting a good lap involves sweeping through Eau Rouge, both a highlight and a challenge. Mercedes have, of course, been on top form so far this weekend, although it was a Williams on top for final practice this morning. Maldonado has spent some time crashing, whilst Red Bull have had some reliability gremlins as they attempt to close the gap to the championship leaders. Who'll be on pole position? Will it be a new face, or are we looking at Hamilton versus Rosberg - the rematch?
Formula 1 World Championship 2014
F1's drought of activity is well and truly over and the action begins again at the tricky track of Spa-Francorchamps. This weekend, we have the debut of two new faces as well, with André Lotterer in at Caterham and Alexander Rossi taking up Max Chilton's seat in the Marussia. Those aren't just practice drivers, either, they are full weekend opportunities. Keep an eye on the new ones trying to navigate the challenging Eau Rouge in new machinery. Also watch out for the rain as it often likes to make a welcome/unwelcome appearance. Three Free Practice sessions are ready and waiting, so let's go!
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