Formula 1: Hungarian GP Overview

Hamilton emulates his hero Senna with his third Hungarian GP win

McLaren celebrate their third win of the year

The 2012 Hungarian Grand Prix may not have had the outright excitement and lavish amounts of overtaking we have come to cherish about this season but there is one thing it did have; tension. It was an edge of your seat thriller that burned until the very last lap; with such rapid tyre degradation, the big question was would Lewis Hamilton be able to fend off the fast-charging Kimi Raikkonen? Would Sebastian Vettel, on fresher tyres, storm through and take them all to win?

The last few laps, were some of the tensest all year. Hamilton; desperately needing the win to keep his championship hopes alive, Raikkonen; looking to seal Lotuses first and kick-start his title bid onto another level, Vettel; looking to rediscover his 2011 glory only glimpsed at so far this year.

But in the end, the right man won the day. Hamilton had dominated the weekend from the outset, his stunning pole lap in particular was something any true F1 fan would enjoy. He got the perfect start and, small lock-up into turn one aside, didn't put a foot wrong all race. He managed the Pirelli tyres masterfully, inching out the performance across the entire race, not blowing all of the available grip in the first laps. Essentially, getting into the first corner first was the most important job done; with overtaking around the Hungaroring at a premium, all Lewis had to do was manage his pace, tyres and fuel right to get the finish in first.

Behind him finished the two Lotuses of Raikkonen and Grosjean. Romain had run second behind Lewis until Kimi exited from his second stop and dived past. On the whole, it was a impressive race from Lotus, beating both Red Bulls, both Ferraris and a McLaren to complete the podium. The team are inching ever closer to sealing their first win of the year and, after the pace exhibited in Hungary, it seems to be something of a certainty that they'll achieve it.

Grosjean and Vettel duel on track

Vettel will be bitterly disappointed with fourth; the reigning World Champion venting his frustration at being stuck behind Jenson Button across the team-radio for all to hear. Likewise, his team-mate Mark Webber, who finished 8th for the second time in 7 days, will be going into the summer break down-hearted. After winning so convincingly in Britain, Webber has collected only 8 points.

Meanwhile, our current championship leader Fernando Alonso employed an effective 'damage limitation' strategy to finish 5th. Ferrari hadn't looked particularly fast in Hungary, so to come away with 5th and beat Webber in the process is a positive.

Mercedes continued their slide back into the mid-field in Hungary; Rosberg ended the race a distant 10th whilst Schumacher had a dismal afternoon. He stalled on the grid, started in and sped through the pit-lane, earned a drive-through penalty and eventually retired on lap 61. Other drivers who had a fairly mediocre race included both Force India's, both Sauber's and Maldonado.

The tale of the race though was Hamilton's controlled drive to career win No. 19. Can he close the gap to Alonso when F1 returns to Spa in a month's time? Will Lotus come to furore on a track Kimi does so well at? Will Red Bull fight back and make it three in a row? With nine races left to go, everything is still to play for and nothing will be certain for long.

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Formula 1: German GP Overview

Alonso seals it with a kiss

Fernando Alonso put in a sublime performance around Hockenheim to win his third race of the season and extend his lead at the top of the standings to 34 points. He didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon, beating Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen to the finish.

Starting from pole position as he did in Silverstone, Alonso's fortunes were a lot better in Germany and he managed to hold Button and Vettel at arms length for the entirety of the race. His challengers were able to match the Spaniard's pace all afternoon, but not able to get past when it mattered toward the end of the race.
In a gripping finale, it seemed as though the race would have a sting in it's tail just as Silverstone had two weeks previously; Button and Vettel closed down on Alonso, with the Briton looking best placed to rob the Spaniard of this thirtieth career win. But then, with just a handful of laps left to go, Jenson's tyres faded fast and saw him drift  back towards Vettel.

Button and Vettel congratulate the winner

If not remembered for Alonso's victory, the 2012 German GP will be remembered for one thing; Vettel's move on Jenson on the penultimate lap. As the two approached the hairpin, it looked as though Jenson had kept position by forcing Vettel to go around the outside of his Mclaren. Soon enough, Seb realised that he was running out of space and track and with little hesitation, fired his Red Bull across the run-off area and ahead of Jenson. With all four wheels off of the track, it was obvious that Vettel had gained an advantage and his subsequent penalty that demoted him to 5th was appropriate and to be expected. The main benefactor in all this was Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen who snatched the final podium place as a result.

One of the most impressive, and understated performances of the race was that of both Sauber drivers. A solid 4th and 6th from Kobayashi and Perez is a brilliant result, especially considering they started 11th and 17th respectively. For a team like Sauber, such a performance sees them really start to punch above their weight. They are now closer to Mercedes in 5th than Williams in 7th. Can they upset the order and fight it out with Ross Brawn's boys from Brackley?

In contrast to the lead four (Fernando, Jenson, Seb and Kimi), each of their respective team-mates had a disappointing and frustrating afternoon. First off, Felipe Massa did nothing to dispel the idea that his Silverstone result was a simple flash in the pan with a first lap collision with Daniel Ricciardo. His broken nose-cone littered carbon-fibre all over the first corner and ultimately should have been reason enough to bring out the safety car.

Button hunts down second-placed Vettel

 It didn't however, and the razor sharp shards of bodywork pierced the rear tyre of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren and ruined his afternoon. It was a bitterly disappointing turn of events for the 2008 World Champion in what was his 100th race. He would later retire with gearbox issues. Romain Grosjean never fully recovered from his dismal qualifying result and finished 18th. Meanwhile, Mark Webber also never had the pace to counter-act his grid penalty and finished where he started, in eighth.

For a team on home soil, Mercedes had a utterly underwhelming afternoon. 10th for Rosberg was the best he could achieve from the back of the grid and Schumacher spent his afternoon going backwards. Those world championship titles look further and further away by the minute...

With his third win of the year, Alonso is now clear favourite to win the title. No question about it, the man is a machine, a points scoring and race winning machine who is on top of his game and out and out the best driver on the grid. Hamilton, Vettel, Webber, Raikkonen; all have strengths, but more importantly, all have weaknesses. Alonso is seemingly impenetrable and incapable of mistakes. And all of this praise is coming from a self-confessed Hamilton/Button fan. If anyone is to beat Fernando, they're going to have a hard time doing so.

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Film Review: The Dark Knight Rises

"When Gotham is ashes, you have my permission to die"

This review may contain some minor spoilers.

Eight years on from the events of The Dark Knight, Batman (Christian Bale) returns to the city that branded him a criminal to save them from a new enemy, terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy). 

Christopher Nolan's first two Batman films are seen as something of a benchmark as superhero films go; 2005's Batman Begins reintroduced The World's Greatest Detective to cinema-goers in dark and gothic fashion, followed by 2008's even darker The Dark Knight. Not one to disappoint, Nolan has done it again, with The Dark Knight Rises perfectly ending the trilogy in heart-poundingly tense and dramatic fashion.

The stakes, and the scale, are higher than they have ever been before, with the isolated Gotham City in a state of civil war and on the brink of annihilation. When the action kicks off in the film's final third, it's bigger than we have ever seen in a Batman film. It is also the most emotional Batman ever, with plenty of scenes that'll bring a genuine lump to your throat. The Avengers this ain't.

"I'm not afraid, I'm angry"

Going in, it felt as though one of the film's biggest drawbacks would have been it's long running time; at over 2 hours and 45 minutes it is something of a marathon event. This however turned out to be not the case at all; if anything, the time flies past so that it barely feels like 2 hours. The film is paced impeccably and never feels like it drags, even in the plot-laden first hour. This fairly plot-heavy opening hour is probably the film's only minor downside. As Nolan attempts to weave together all the necessary strands for the film, such as introducing a plethora of new characters (Bane, Miranda Tate, John Blake, Selina Kyle, Daggett), as well as recap the fallout from Harvey Dent's death, it can feel quite complex. For people new to the franchise, and therefore unfamiliar with the existing core characters, it would be hard to follow at the best of times.

Not that you can expect many people you haven't seen Batman Begins or The Dark Knight to be in the audience anyway; as a concluding chapter in a trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises completes one entire story that started eight years ago. Not only does it begin with a memorial to TwoFace/Harvey Dent and see Bruce Wayne continuing to ignore the cape and cowl as a result of his death, but it sees the return of some old foes from the first chapter.

Anne Hathaway was purrrrfect as Selina Kyle/Catwoman
(sorry)

On the whole, The Dark Knight Rises has more in common with Batman Begins than The Dark Knight, which I really liked. As a story, it focused more on Bruce, not Batman. Also, it  gave less focus to the villain. Something The Dark Knight did well was really hone in on the relationship between Joker and Batman but it meant that the focus wasn't solely on the titular Knight. Not so in this one; this story is all about Bruce/Batman and not about Bane. Sure, Bane is the main antagonist, but he merely serves the purpose of giving Bruce the motivation to return as Batman and little more than that. It is good however that Bane is a physical opponent that tested Batman's strength, something that Scarecrow and Joker could never have done previously. The films centre-piece, a tense face-off between Bats and Bane is brutal and crushing, a stand-out scene. Fans of comic book series' like Knightfall won't be left disappointed...and I'll leave it at that. It is a little hard to make out some of Bane's dialogue at times and, with the mask covering most of his face, Tom Hardy's performance is a little inscrutable. He did well to come across as brutal and uncompromising, as well as intelligent and calculating but at the same time, wasn't a patch on the late Heath Ledger's cackling, psychopath Joker.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake

Christian Bale was brilliant as Bruce Wayne/Batman and probably gives his best performance of the trilogy here. He brings the necessary emotional gravitas as Wayne (especially in the film's pain-stricken middle third), as well as the imposing strength and weight as Batman nearer the end. Other returning actors such as Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman, as Alfred, Jim Gordon and Lucius Fox respectively, were also excellent, the first's anguish and pain at a watching a dedicated Bruce Wayne force himself back into action is especially poignant. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also solid as hot-headed detective John Blake.

The real star of the show however was Anne Hathaway; Her husky and breathy voice, jet-black hair and slinky frame have made her absolutely purrfect for the role as morally ambiguous cat-burglar Selina Kyle. It was always going to interesting to see how she fitted into Nolan's hyper-realist universe but everything about her character fits in well with the surroundings; her masquerade mask, utility belt, lycra catsuit and cat-like vision goggles are a far-cry from the stitched-leather suit paraded around by Michelle Pfiffer in Batman Returns. It's a shame her character has only been introduced in this final chapter; the banter between her and Batman is very funny and allows for the mood to be lightened ever so much.

Technically, The Dark Knight Rises is also a marvel; it is shot beautifully, with snow-covered, war-torn Gotham evoking images of the 9/11 attacks. Nolan's ability to tug at heart strings is shown best here; a destroyed football stadium, an American flag in ruins all resemble all too familiar images of our own world. In addition to the fantastic cinematography, Hans Zimmer's rousing score perfectly complements the ideas of revolution and uprising that Bane insights.

The big question is however, is it better than The Dark Knight? Well, Part 2 of the trilogy does have stronger villains in Joker and Two-Face but then Part 3 has the necessary pay-off and closure, as well as additional allies for Batman in Kyle and Blake. In my opinion, the two stand on-par with one another as both are breath-taking and emotional films that convert real-world themes like the War on Terror and the GFC into mass cinema-friendly characters, settings and plots.

Overall, The Dark Knight Rises is sublime and heart-pounding. It is an epic conclusion to the trilogy in almost every way and fully-deserving of all and any acclaim it receives. It is one of those films you walk out of the cinema already wanting to see again. I give it 9/10. 

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Verdict: Life's Too Short

Life's Too Short features stars like Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. 

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant; the comedic geniuses behind landmark television shows like The Office and Extras, An Idiot Abroad, The Ricky Gervais Show, a plethora of podcasts and stand-up tours. Now, they're back with a third slap of comedy in Life's Too Short; but how does it stack up alongside it's predecessors?

Initially it might seem that Life's Too Short is treading over old ideas. Similar in concept and approach to both The Office and Extras through it's 'documentary' style and twisted versions of familiar faces, Life's Too Short doesn't appear to be doing anything that Gervais and Merchant haven't tackled before. It's themes of discovering the harsh realities of fame and fortune can be seem reflected in the chronicles of previous character's David Brent and Andy Millman.
Protagonist Warwick Davis, famous for appearing in the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, exhibits all of the same traits one would associate the Messrs' Brent and Millman; ignorance, obnoxiousness and being generally offensive. He is however, on the whole, a more likeable and endearing character than his predecessors'.

There is no doubting that the special guest appearances are works of genius. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter's short skit's were genuinely funny. Depp's dedication to his new film (it's directed by Tim Burton y'know), leads him to studying Warwick, and the more excited and intense Depp becomes the funnier it is. Likewise, Bonham Carter's inability to work alongside Warwick because he's a dwarf is the equal amounts cringe-worthy and funny.

Also, the scenes where Ricky and Steve play dead-pan and "holier than thou" versions of themselves are gold; fans of Extras will delight at the addition of Shaun "Barry from Eastenders" Williamson as the duos errand boy.

The show however, like both of Gervais' and Merchant's previous works tries to do a lot more than just flex it's muscles and show off its star power. There is heart and soul in Warwick's mistakes that show that Life's Too Short has a story and a message to tell. Yes, the jokes are skin-crawlingly awkward and make you want to throttle the star, but this all adds to the charm and appeal of the show. You do feel that come the end of the story arc, Warwick will have learnt from these mistakes and changed his ways in the same way Andy in Extras did.

This being said, the similarities to Extras and The Office are in my mind a little too obvious; the format, the character roles, the settings, the general feel. All of these factors add up to give a overbearing sense of deja vu. For example, Rosamund Hanson's role as Cheryl is really just a re-imagining Ashley Jensen's Maggie in Extras. She may be genuinely funny but it is easy to see where the idea for the "ditzy girl" character came from. Also, once the novelty of going "ooh look it's Johnny Depp/Liam Neeson/Steve Carrell" has worn off, the show reduces itself to laughing at midget ten-pin bowling and Warwick climbing a bookcase three times his size to reach a trophy.

So even though its more of the same witty and clever stuff from Gervais and Merchant, Life's Too Short seems to fall a little, well, short to be honest. It might have genuine character development and a moral at it's heart, but it is also not as revolutionary as The Office and not as outrageous as Extras were, and is seriously lacking in Karl Pilkington.

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Formula 1: Mid-Season Report #2

Part 2 of my Formula 1 mid-season report details the remaining seven teams from Sauber through to Hispania. On a team by team basis, I look at who has impressed and who hasn't so far. For Part 1, click here.

Sauber F1 Team: C+

Drivers' Championship: 9th - Perez, 14th - Kobayashi

Constructors' Championship: 6th

Sauber have had a great first half of the season; their car has been consistently quick in both qualifying and the race and they have two talented, young drivers not afraid to mix it with the leaders. Whilst not a race winner (at least not yet), Sauber's C31 is a neat piece of engineering from a team without the resources of institutions like Mclaren or Ferrari. 

Sergio Perez has been the talk of the town after finishing
second in Malaysia.

In the hands of Mexican Sergio Perez, the C31 has thrived and has raced onto the podium twice, in Malaysia and Canada. In Malaysia, Perez came ever so close to winning and most likely should have. Had he not run wide at the penultimate corner with only a handful of laps to go, Perez and Sauber would have been the surprise of the season (until Maldonado and Williams came along in Barcelona of course). Perez's drive in Canada also showed an ability to keep cool and stay focused over long stints on the fragile Pirelli tyres. His reward was a fantastic third place. 

On the other side of the garage, Kamui Kobayashi has had a fairly consistent, if unremarkable, year so far. The highlight at this point has been qualifying a career best 3rd in China, but Kamui has failed to match his Latin American team-mate. He finished well in Australia (6th) and again in Spain (5th) but three retirements and a few incidents on track (see Valencia) have seen a marked contrast between the two Sauber drivers. 

Sauber have a driver line-up yearning to prove itself and a car that is a steady-earner. Perez can reach the podium on occasion before the end of the year, with it being doubtful of him winning. Kobayashi will be eager to match his team-mate to prove his talent in the second half of 2012.

Williams F1 Team: B-

Drivers' Championship: 10th - Maldonado, 15th - Senna

Constructors' Championship: 7th

Williams have come off the worst year in their long history in 2011 and completely knocked it out of the park so far this year. After scoring a meagre 5 points in total last year, Sir Frank's boys have clocked up over 9 times that already. Like Sauber, their car has been solid, a real testament to the team's pedigree. As a result, the team were rewarded with a out-of-the-blue pole position and win at the Spanish Grand Prix, their first in 8 long, long years. 

The man who delivered on the day was the much derided and shunned "pay driver" Pastor Maldonado. Pastor is an interesting driver, one that certainty divides opinion; 2012 has been a mixed bag for the Venezuelan so far, from brilliant highs to shadowy lows.  Taking his first win in Barcelona showed his sheer, raw pace and did much to dispel the thoughts he was in the sport because of his bank balance. He beat Fernando Alonso on home turf and hardly put a foot wrong. 

Maldonado's broken through into F1's big league

On the flipside, Pastor has plumbed immense lows; crashing out on the last lap in Australia, ramming the side of Perez in Monaco, T-boning the side of Hamilton's Mclaren in Valencia and again, taking out Perez at Silverstone. He has been reckless and hot-headed, impatient and, in Sergio's own words, "stupid". Whether Pastor can do much to dispel this idea of being a crash-magnet in the remaining 11 races remains to be seen, as does whether he can again reach the podium for Williams. 

His team-mate, Bruno Senna has been a little underwhelming to say the least. Whilst he has the race-craft and calm head Maldonado needs, it still is in question whether Bruno possesses the true natural ability his surname has become synonymous with. He has regularly stacked up points throughout the year, but failed to set the paddock abuzz like Pastor has.  

Can Williams build on their early success in Barcelona and continue to blaze a trail of redemption in 2012?

Force India Mercedes: D

Drivers' Championship: 11th - di Resta, 16th - Hulkenberg

Constructors' Championship: 8th

Hulkenberg has shown promise

Force India had big expectations for this year; they talked up their chances all through testing, even remarking at the VJM05's launch that they could scale the heights of 5th in the constructors championship.  A big boast, given that it would require them to skip past one the big manufacturer teams. 

Half way through the year and they must be feeling a little down-trodden. Not only have they failed to challenge at the front like they foretold, but they have also failed to beat those behind them, teams like Williams and Sauber. 

Di Resta and Hulkenberg have had a fairly mixed-bag. Paul has scored on six occasions, his best finish being at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April. That he is only two points behind Maldonado in the table is a testament to the Scot's great consistency and potential. He was unlucky to be knocked out so early on at Silverstone. Nico has been a little rough around the edges since returning to F1 but has lost none of the promise he showed in 2010. His highlight so far has been 5th in Valencia, whilst his low-point has been retiring on the opening lap in Australia. 

In a season filled with such unpredictability there is every chance that Force India can pull one out of the bag and reach the podium, like they did at Spa in 2009. They'll have to raise their game but in di Resta and Hulkenberg, they have two promising talents to drive them forward. They aren't far behind Williams and Sauber so a couple of surprise performances will put them back in the mix for 6th. 

Toro Rosso: E

Drivers' Championship: 17th - Vergne, 18th - Ricciardo

Constructors' Championship: 9th

Vergne takes a detour across the Silverstone grass

Toro Rosso have had a fairly disappointing year so far. Not fast enough to challenge consistently in the mid-field, the Italian squad are more occupied with fending off Caterham from behind. Their real weakness is their young driver line-up; Neither Ricciardo and Vergne are simply not ready to lead a team. 

Ricciardo did well to score in Australia, but has yet to do so again. Likewise, Vergne finished 8th in Malaysia (after a cunning tyre strategy) but has failed to score since. Their inexperience is showing, their incidents with both Caterham's in Valencia being case in point.

Buemi and Alguesuari's absence is felt and the team are stuck in a little league of their own, suspended between the mid-field and the back-markers. Their driver duo have impressed by not retiring often; only one apiece for Vergne and Ricciardo, but six points in total puts them a long way off Force India. They are most definitely confined to 9th, possibly 10th if Caterham hit form soon. 

Caterham F1 Team: D

Drivers' Championship: 19th - Kovalainen, 20th - Petrov

Constructors' Championship: 10th

Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen in Monaco

Caterham are rapidly making their way towards the mid-field and are closing in on that maiden points finish. It probably would have transpired in Valencia had their drivers' not been picked off by the Toro Rosso's. Given the right circumstances, track conditions and a little bit of luck, Caterham could be knocking on Toro Rosso's door by the end of the season. It'll take a lot of work, but Mike Gascoyne has built a tight little operation in the three years since the team joined the sport. 

Both Kovalainen and Petrov have had their flashes of brilliance, with Heikki edging out the Russian overall. In particular, Heikki's sturdy defence of Jenson Button around Monaco was amazing to watch. 

Marussia F1 Team: E

Drivers' Championship: 21st - Glock, 22nd - Pic

Constructors' Championship: 11th

France's Charles Pic in action

There is very little to say about Marussia; other than beating HRT to 11th in the Constuctors' so far, there has been little progress to speak of. They are a noticeable distance off Caterham and not about to set the world alight by scoring points on merit.

Glock, in my opinion, is a driver that deserves a better seat than this and must feel frustrated languishing at the tail-end of the field. A season best 14th in Australia and Monaco is nothing to really write home about. On the other side of the garage, Charles Pic has been solid enough to keep pace with Timo. The young Frenchman may have the talent and staying power, but little opportunity to showcase it. 

Whether Marussia have the ability to develop a car to move closer to the mid-field still remains to be seen. 

HRT F1 Team: F

Drives' Championship: 23rd - Karthikeyan, 24th - de la Rosa

Constructors' Championship: 12th

Hispania's Narain Karthikeyan

Much like Marussia, HRT's season has been more of the same in term's of disappointing results. Their car didn't materialise until Melbourne and failed to qualify for the second year running. de la Rosa is a strong technical mind with thousands of miles of testing under his belt at Mclaren; he is the team's best shot of developing the car effectively. Karthikeyan is a driver I don't rate at all and, given HRT's predisposition to alternate drivers' mid-season, it'll be a surprise if Narain isn't shown the door in favour of Liuzzi or Clos later in the year. 

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Formula 1: Mid-Season Report #1

2012 has been one of the best for action, drama and surprise.

Nine races gone and 2012 is shaping up as the binary opposite of last year; by this same time last year, Sebastian Vettel had all but won the championship, and anyone who said otherwise was either a fool or an blind optimist. Fast forward 12 months and the drivers' and constructors' championships are wide upon, with little indication of who will prevail when the chequered flag falls on the Brazilian Grand Prix in November. 

On a team by team basis, I look at who has impressed and who hasn't so far, as well as who might surprise in the races to come. First up, Red Bull Racing.

Red Bull Racing: A+

Drivers' Championship: 4th - Vettel, 2nd - Webber
Constructors' Championship: 1st

Red Bull have not had it all their own way in 2012, something that many failed to predict (myself included). One win for Vettel and two for Webber is by no means a disaster, but compare that to last season and their situation looks a lot worse. 

That being said, topping the constructors table and having both driver's in the hunt for the title is praiseworthy. On the whole, Red Bull have been the most consistently competitive team and their championship placings reflect this. Also, if Vettel's initial pace in Valencia is anything to go by, then Red Bull's rivals should be feeling very worried right about now. 

Vettel's triumph in Bahrain

Vettel has made mistakes (Malaysia, Canada) and has had some poor luck (Valencia) and is favourite to win the title in my mind. Alonso may be in the lead but Vettel has the best car to help him along. Couple that with the hunger to get three titles in a row and Vettel will no doubt be upping his game both in qualifying and the race. He's a dangerous man and his rivals know it. 

Webber has been consistently quick and has been rewarded with two solid wins in Monaco and Britain. This consistency could just work in his favour however; with his rivals tripping over their own feet, slow and steady might just win the race. His second place in the championship is evidence of this. He has been great in qualifying (beating Vettel 5-4) and, unlike 2010, has not been wasting points by colliding with Seb. I said before in my British GP Overview that Webber is the dark horse this year and I stand by it; he has the potential to go all the way. 

Red Bull are the ones to watch; their upgrades in Valencia mark them as pace-setters right now, but how long will that last?

Scuderia Ferrari: A-

Drivers' Championship: 1st - Alonso, 13th - Massa

Constructors' Championship: 2nd

Alonso has squashed Massa yet again

Unbelievably, after all the pre-season woes that Ferrari endured, their star driver Fernando Alonso sits atop the drivers championship. Masterful wins in Malaysia and Valencia were thrilling races won by the highly regarded Spaniard. An unwavering ability to drive around the cars initial faults, Alonso has been on top form all season, being there to pick up the pieces his rivals drop and capitalise on every opportunity. 

In recent races (Barcelona onwards) Ferrari have done a brilliant job at developing the pace of the F2012 and give Alonso the best chance of winning the world championship he has had since 2010. Their second place in the constructors is flattering however; without a driver of Alonso's calibre it could, and possibly would, be much lower.

On the flipside, Felipe Massa has had a disastrous start to the season; over 100 points down on Alonso, Massa has been utterly trounced. He found is feet at Silverstone, finishing 4th, but his second half of the year needs to see him challenged Alonso on a consistent basis. Even with Webber now out of the picture, his seat is far from secure and he needs to up his game.

Ferrari seem to improve with every passing race. They'll be determined to take the fight to Red Bull and win their first title since 2008. 

Lotus-Renault: B

Drivers' Championship: 5th - Raikkonen, 7th Grosjean
Constructors' Championship: 3rd

Grosjean has been a revelation this season

Lotus are the dark horses this year; a car that seems strong everywhere and a driver line-up that will get better and better, they can't be ruled out or written off. The highest placed team yet to win a race, Lotus have had the opportunity to reach the top step but fallen short.

Grosjean has been a complete revelation this season and having predicted he would struggle at the start of the year, I am happy to eat my words. He overcame some initial poor form in Australia and Malaysia to deliver some truly stunning performances in Bahrain, Canada and Valencia. He will hopefully take that all important win before the year is out and, if he can soon find consistent podium pace, challenge for the title.

Raikkonen has had a strong return to F1 but will probably be disappointed to have missed out on winning. Like Grosjean, Kimi will most likely get there in 2012 (Spa anyone?) and stay in the hunt for the title. He is only 40-odd points off the lead and things can, and will, quickly change before the end of the season.

They might not be right where they want right now, but Lotus have a lot of positives to take from the first half of 2012. It'll be onwards and upwards for them as they grow and develop both their car and their drivers.

Mclaren-Mercedes: C-

Drivers' Championship: 8th - Button, 3rd - Hamilton

Constructors' Championship: 4th

Mclaren have by every right to be kicking themselves after the first nine races. They finished the Australian Grand Prix 1st and 3rd with a car that looked and genuinely was the fastest of the lot. Now, in July, they are slipping backwards and need to desperately up their game. 

Hamilton clinches his first win of the year in Canada

Lewis Hamilton has impressed so far this season. He should be topping the standings right about now but errors in the pitlane have come frighteningly often; almost every race it seems, Mclaren mess up their star driver's pit-stops, costing the Briton vital points and places. His win in Canada was pure class however and shows the 2008 World Champion has lost none of that killer instinct. Possible wins in Malaysia and Spain have slipped through his fingers however and that has got to sting. Whilst not the favourite any longer, Hamilton is a definite contender whose stock has risen considerably since last season.

Button on the other hand has only seen his reputation shrink in 2012. Starting out in Australia with a win made it seem Jenson would be in the fight this year; 4 months later and Button has only scored six points since China. Hardly championship winning form. Blighted by lack of confidence in the car and the tyres, Jenson has been stuck in a downward spiral that has endangered his title hopes. Can he re-emerge as a contender? It's doubtful, but stranger things have happened.

Mclaren, down, but not out. Can they erase the errors and give arguably the best driver pairing on the grid chance to thrive?

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team: C

Drivers' Championship: 6th - Rosberg, 12th - Schumacher

Constructors' Championship: 5th

Mercedes will be glad to have gotten onto the top step of the podium so far this year; Rosberg win in China was commanding and full of promise. Likewise, his subsequent podium in Monaco and Schumacher's in Valencia mean that the Brackley based squad have a lot to be happy about so far this year.

They will however be concerned about their most recent results; Rosberg's dismal 15th in Silverstone hardly set the track alight. The young German is still in the hunt for the title (ahead of Button and Grosjean) but for how long? If Mercedes are to take win the crown this year they (like Mclaren) have to step up their game and win again before the summer break. 

Schumacher has been immensely unlucky not to have scored more in 2012; 5 DNF's is a poor record sheet despite only one being being his fault. For the rest of the year, there is every chance Michael win notch up win No. 92 but his title hopes were over before they started. Whether his indecision to commit to Mercedes for 2013 will affect how he performs remains to be seen.

Mercedes are slipping back from the lead pack and are eager to mix it up again at the front. Can they get back on top and show us that China wasn't just a flash in the pan?

Check out my initial pre-season predictions: Part 1 and Part 2.

I'll be posting Part 2 of my Mid-Season Report in the next few days!

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Film Review: The Amazing Spider-man

Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-man

How soon is too soon for a re-boot? Five, ten years? When Sony Pictures announced back in 2010 that a reboot of their lucrative Spider-man franchise was on its way, many people reacted with despair, proclaiming it too soon for Spidey to given the a rework since Spider-man 3 had only been in cinemas 3 years previously. Now, two years later, The Amazing Spider-man swings into cinemas a mere decade after the Sam Raimi original.  But does it live up to its namesake?

Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey

Thankfully, The Amazing Spider-man does it's best to diffuse that overbearing sense of familiarity we all feared. Yes, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is a shy, lonely high-school loser (again), is bitten by a super-spider (again), gains the ability to cling to walls (again), is responsible for his uncles death (again) and fights a big 'ol nasty baddie in New York (again), but director Mark Webb's (ba-dum-tish) new spin on the comic-book hero feels fresh, fun and cool thanks to a dash of great casting and lots of laughs.

This is (for the most part) thanks to the films hip, young protagonists Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spidey-man) and Emma Stone (as spunky heroine Gwen Stacey). The chemistry between the two leads is infectious and entertaining, one of the best aspects about the movie. Garfield and Stone are brilliant together and they manage to act it more like a heartfelt romantic comedy at times, which is by no-means a bad thing. The banter the two shares is very playful and funny. Stone in particular showcases the same aptitude for laughs that we saw in Easy A. A stand-out scene where Peter asks Gwen out without being able to string a coherent sentence together is hilarious, and shows how Webb has used his previous work on rom-com 500 Days of Summer to extract maximum awkwardness from the duo.

Michael Sheen was a delight as the wizened Uncle Ben, but naturally his time on-screen is cut short to make way for the darker, angst-ridden revenge Peter dishes out as Spider-man. Likewise, Denis Leary as the committed and honourable police captain is another welcome addition. One thing that is noticeable when comparing Amazing Spider-man with "original" Spider-man is the distinct darker tone; Raimi's first film is, on the whole, a lot more cartoonish and brighter than this entry.

Inevitably with any re-boot, comparisons are going to be drawn with the existing work. Whereas Sam Raimi's 2002 Spider-man took the time to establish the specifics of Peter's spider powers and symptoms, Mark Webb discards much of this. Regardless of the films stand-out leads, Webb makes the first third of the film feel a little rushed, skating over much of the details surrounding Peter's transformation into your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man. One minute Garfield is, shy, introverted and 'orphaned', the next, he's tracking down and beating up his uncles killer with a cheeky cock of the head and a witty one-liner. It all feels a little too fast and the whole section where Peter is finding his feet and exploring his powers could have been fleshed out a little more.

Andrew Garfield finds his feet

No doubt these details were brushed aside to make way for "the untold story". The Amazing Spider-man attempts to distant itself from the original trilogy by trying to explore more of Peter's mysterious past and the disappearance of his parents. It's a nice addition to the story, one that interlinks well with the film's villain (Rhys Ifans as Dr Curt Connors/The Lizard) and one that will tie over into the already confirmed sequels.

Ifans is likeable (sans-scales) as the one-armed scientist Curt Connors, a talented geneticist with a link to Peter's lost parents. It is when he transfers into the snarling, tail-whipping Lizard that the cracks begin to show; the CGI is a little below par by today's standards and isn't overly impressive. The malice and villainy that Ifans brings is best on show when he is in Doctor Jekyll mode and not visa versa.

When the action kicks off near the films crescendo, it doesn't disappoint, a game of cat-and-mouse through the sewer systems being tense and brutal; Spidey is on the receiving end of some big slashes and cuts throughout the film.

Amazing Spider-man? Not quite, maybe The Entirely Adequate Spider-man is more apt. When judged on its own merit, Amazing Spider-man is a wholly entertaining film fully deserving of the moniker, amazing. Garfield and Stone are top-notch, a brilliant double-act who surpass Maguire and Dunst and the darker, hormone-fuelled high-school setting is a welcome choice. It's only when you consider it alongside those that came before it, that Amazing Spider-man is paled a little in comparison.


Overall, I give The Amazing Spider-man 7.5/10

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Formula 1: British GP Overview

Webber races to victory around historic Silverstone

A last minute dash to the finish saw Mark Webber zip past Fernando Alonso to win his second British Grand Prix in three years. The story of the race was Red Bull vs. Ferrari, with Lotus not far off and Mclaren well off the pace. 

Mark Webber has been a fairly quiet achiever in 2012; a consistent start to the year followed by wins in Monaco, and now Britain, has put him in the picture for this year's title. On better terms with the RB8, the 2012 Pirelli's and driven to again show his worth, Webber has been calm, cool and understated so far this year. Something of a dark horse, Mark kept Alonso in sight for most of the race and didn't push too hard in the first two stints. When Alonso ran the less favourable soft tyres in the final stint, Webber made his move and made the pass around the outside of Brooklands. It was an impressive display of confidence for the Australian who will no doubt now grow in confidence as the year goes on.

Mclaren's hopes are teetering on the brink.

Likewise, Alonso has a lot of positives to take from Britain. Derided at the start of the year, Ferrari are now on par with Red Bull and fully capable of giving Alonso another shot at the title. Had the rain come down, or Ferrari chosen a similar tyre strategy to Red Bull, Alonso would most likely have won three races in 2012 now. Yet, he is still top of the standings and in command of a team focused solely on him. His team-mate, Felipe Massa, finished in fourth, his best result of the year.

In contrast to Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button suffered a torrid race at Silverstone. On the back foot after qualifying, Lewis had to run a different strategy to earn positions in the race. As it turns out, this was a mistake and instead he was confined to covering off those behind, like Grosjean, than attacking those in front. In the space of two races Hamilton has gone from outright favourite to rank outsider.

Jenson meanwhile barely featured and trundled home a disappointing 10th. Mclaren is a team renowned for being able to develop a poor car into a race winner; take 2009 and 2011 as examples, and they need to show that ability again now in 2012 if they have any chance at winning the title this year.

Grosjean and Hamilton duel on track.

Lotus did well to bring home Raikkonen and Grosjean in 5th and 6th, especially given the latter needed to pit for a new nose after lap three. From the back he then drove a stellar race to score some all important points. Mercedes had a mixed affair at Silverstone; Schumacher finished a distant 7th and Rosberg went backwards, starting 11th and finishing 15th.

Another big talking point was an incident involving Pastor Maldonado and Sergio Perez. Heading into Brooklands, the Mexican made a move around the outside of Pastor, only for the Venezuelan to clatter into the side of him and send them both into a spin. It was a crash that put Sergio out of the race and the blame firmly on Pastor. Maldonado's post-race fine, in my opinion was overly lenient and a grid penalty in Hockenheim would have suited better.

After a manic opening few months, F1 2012 is starting to slow down and establish a story. Red Bull are the pacesetters, Ferrari the challengers, Lotus the nearly-men and Mclaren the (recent) outsiders. Onward then to Germany in two weeks for Round 10 of 20.

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Film Review: Snow White And The Huntsman

Fairest of them all? - Kristen Stewart

It all starts with once upon a time, weaves it's way through familiarities like an apple, an evil queen with a black heart and a heroic huntsman, but Snow White and The Huntsman gives fresh life to an old fairytale, albeit not completely convincingly. 

In what seems like a growing trend, Snow White and The Huntsman offers a darkened and twisted take on an age old fable that is full of angst and moodiness. It feels like Medieval Twilight what with a pale and pasty heroine, a testosterone fuelled love triangle (more on this later) and a grim forest setting. This parallel is mainly thanks to Kristen Stewart's insipid performance as the titular heroine; she retains the same tired and stoned expression throughout the film. Why Stewart would be cast to play the "fairest of them all" is baffling, considering that there isn't a shortage of young female talent on offer. I put her inclusion down to her appeal to the Twi-hards, but she doesn't elevate the film so much as hinder it.

On the flipside, Charlize Theron, following on from Prometheus, is again outstanding. She is a brilliant mixture of wickedly evil and vulnerable as the malicious Ravenna. She commands the screen with every scene she is in, striding in front of her mirror mirror on the wall and shrieking with mirth. The opening scenes that establish her rise to power are some the best in the film; I liked that the film focused more on her relationship with Snow White rather than focusing solely on Snow.

Chris Hemsworth's portrayal of The Huntsman was hit and miss. He brought the necessary bulk to the role and stepped effortlessly into the 'tough, rough, gruff' hero persona that he has honed so well as Thor.

The film's biggest selling point for me was the impressive visuals and gloomy aesthetics. Twisted forests, sloppy mud and bogs, creepy crawlies and even creepier trolls, this isn't the sweet and innocent "whistle while you work" Snow White remember. On that note however, the dwarves in this film are thankfully not as creepy or gloomy as the rest of the kingdom; they are welcome comic relief from actors like Nick Frost and Ray Winstone.

Kristen Stewart's selection as Snow aside, the most baffling addition was that of Sam Claflin as William. Constructed as a childhood friend of Snow's, William spends the majority of the film seeking out the princess he hasn't seen for over a decade and fears is dead. Why? Apparently because he had a schoolboy crush. His character is simply padding, and what I suspect is an attempt to construct a Twilight-esque Edward vs. Jacob love triangle for the teenage girls, I mean, the audience to faun over. His inclusion makes the film over complicated, messy and he is, on the whole, just plain pointless.

Another downside is the lack of resolution at the end; there is a horrible dawning realisation once the credits roll that this isn't simply "once upon a time".

Overall, I give Snow White and the Huntsman 6 out of 10.

Check out some of my other film reviews here.

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