GRID 2: One day to go

GRID 2: Time for a bit of clarification

With the release of the new Grid game just a few days away, I thought it was a good idea to give you my opinion on some of the game's major talking points.

Firstly, the cockpit camera. Codemasters say that, as they found out by surveying hundreds of people that play their games, only 5% of gamers actually use the cockpit view, so they would like to use their time, money and resources on something that everyone will actually use, such as a better physics model. However, it appears that this 5% of gamers is the section that LIKE TO TYPE I CAPITAL LETTERS ALL OF THE TIME and bombard every single Grid 2 video on YouTube and the Codemasters forums (I even saw ranting in the Dirt 3 section of the forum) with millions of pointless comments about how they are not going to buy the game simply because it doesn't have a feature that they are probably not going to use anyway. Yeah, right. I reckon that most of these people are going to buy the game anyway, they just want to jump onto the bandwagon to make it look like they are in the majority, when in fact most people who view the video probably think that they are a) an attention whore or b) a tit. Another problem that I have with this group of whiners is their reason for not buying it. "NO COCKPIT NO BUY" scream thousands of YouTube comments. Hmm, that's like saying you won't buy the new Call Of Duty game because a pistol that you think is terrible has been removed. Logical? No, captain. So, if you are one of these people that think that posting the same four words onto every one of the 50 or so Grid 2 videos on YouTube, you are a sad individual. I like the cockpit camera in Grid 1, don't get me wrong, but I would rather have an amazing physics engine and sweet graphics than a cockpit view.

Next up is the selection of cars. Codemasters have released details of the cars in the game, and I must say that it feels extremely average. For a game like this, there are no single seater cars at all, with the Arial Atom, the KTM X-Bow and the BAC Mono (a car I detest at the best of times) being the closest you'll get to Grid 1's F1000 and F3. However, I do like the inclusion of the touring cars in the game, which put the car selection in this miles clear of the dismal Need For Speed Most Wanted from last year.

Another area that has drawn much criticism is the choice of tracks. Many YouTube moaners (I bet the same ones that put the stupid cockpit comment on the videos) have also attacked the game's number of fictional street circuits. Me? I don't really give a damn. There are enough real circuits t keep me interested (Brands Hatch, Dubai Autodrome, etc) but I like fictional tracks. Look at PGR4 where a grand total of 2 track were actually genuine (The Nurburgring and the Michelin Speedway thing). Everybody thought that that was excellent, so why is Grid 2 suddenly a terrible game for doing something similar? I just don't get it. These YouTubers confuse me.

So, despite all of the whining going on in the world of YouTube, I am still looking forward to this game's release. In fact, I have pre-ordered it (my very first pre-order!) and I will upload a review on release day.

Xbox One: First look at the new features

Xbox One: First look at the new features

Last night, Microsoft announced the new Xbox One claiming it will become the "centre of the living room". The sleek new Xbox One is an "all-in-one system" for playing games, watching TV, viewing movies, browsing the web and listening to music. It puts Microsoft aback onto a collision course with rivals Sony, who have recently unveiled the PlayStation 4, and Apple, who are soon to announce their new iTV system.

The new console has features never seen before on such a system, including an exclusive TV series created by Steven Spielberg.. An improved Kinect system allows users to control the console with gestures and voice control. In fact the new Kinect is so powerful that it can detect whether the player is smiling or not (Ministry of Joy from Alton Towers' new ride The Smiler, anyone?)

A demo at Microsoft's US headquarters showed the console switching between live TV, movies and the web using voice commands, whilst a grabbing gesture was used to return the unit to the home screen.

The new controller has a slightly modified layout, as well as new A X Y and B buttons to make it easier for new gamers to read them. The Xbox One also includes the use of Skype and a Blu-ray player. The new console is likely to cost around £300 (USD$450 ish) when launched, setting up a three way Christmas showdown against fellow tech giants Apple and Sony.

Fifteen exclusive games, including eight totally new franchises, will be available within the first year of the Xbox One's life, including the new Call Of Duty: Ghosts game. The Spielberg TV series will be based around Microsoft's successful Halo series. The console will be as powerful as top PCs.

However, things aren't as rosy as they first appear. Firstly, £300 isn't exactly cheap, considering that the PlayStation 2 cost just under £100 when it first came out. Secondly, the Xbox One will not run Xbox 360 games! Thirdly, all games must first be installed onto the console (rather than just playing from the disks), so individual games will be tied to Xbox Live accounts, meaning that the software giant can detect whether a game has been sold to a retailer and repurchased, or handed from one friend to another. In such instances, the second user must pay a fee, which will destroy the pre-owned game market in the same way that the government car scrappage scheme has obliterated the UK's used car market

Feel free to comment on what you would like to have seen from Microsoft, and what may have been a mistake

Need For Speed: The Decline

Need For Speed is the most successful racing game series of all time, with millions of copies of the games being sold since the original, The Need For Speed, was released way back in 1994. The series was reasonably successful until a breakthrough in 2002 with Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 becoming a more popular game than expected. This was the launchpad for the 'golden era' of Need For Speed, where they would dominate the racing game market with very little opposition for years to come. 2003 saw the launch of Need For Speed Underground, a game that took players into the world of car customisation, where the looks of your car were just as important as your finishing position in the race.

Things went one step further a year later, with the launch of Need For Speed Underground 2, a game that contained the most detailed customisation ever seen in the series, and a new free roam concept that was incredibly successful, allowing players to choose how they play the game. There was also a new storyline, and the customisation of the cars was to affect your progression in the game, thus making sure that your car was as far from standard as possible.

In 2005, EA Games launched Need For Speed Most Wanted, a game that brought high speed police chases back to the series. Minor damage was also included in the game, as well as live actors in the cutscenes for the first time in Need For Speed's history. The game was in immediate success, scoring a 98/100 on the F1Fan0001 review. Car customisation was more limited in Most Wanted than the Underground games, but a much larger area and a considerably longer story more than made up for it.

2006 saw another revolution in the series, as the autosculpt feature was introduced in Need For Speed Carbon, a game that follows on from the ending of Most Wanted, a rare thing in the series. A more involved and complex story was added, as well as a crew system, but Carbon was not as successful as the previous few games as there were no major changes to the gameplay, so people felt that it was a repetition of Most Wanted. This was the start of the decline.

In 2007, EA Games took a radical step by introducing ProStreet, a game as much about getting rid of the boy racer image of the series as trying to move Need For Speed on. ProStreet, though, was a sales disaster. Many people who had become used to the features of the successful Need For Speed games of late missed the illegal racing, police chases and free roam, the things that had made Need For Speed the dominant series in the early to mid noughties, with only Burnout 3: Takedown coming close to challenging it.

2008 was a savage job for EA Games. They had to return to illegal street racing to try to fend off the likes of Midnight Club, Burnout Paradise and also the increasing success of Forza Motorsport, which had wiped the floor with Prostreet the year before in the competition between the circuit racing games. As a result, Need For Speed Undercover was released. However, Undercover was far from a success as well, as many gamers criticised the game for a poor plot, bad acting in the cutscenes, an idiotic levelling system, an absence of difficulty and a below par frame rate.

2009 saw the first Need For Speed game after the demise of the PlayStation 2. The game of choice for this year was a ProStreet-esque game featuring more legal racing: the biblically terrible Need For Speed Shift. The handling model was poor and the levelling system was messy, but the major problem was that EA's rival in the circuit racing stakes, Forza Motorsport, completely thrashed Shift in terms of...well...everything. Forza Motorsport 3 was a comprehensively better game. Making it Forza 2-0 Need For Speed (Forza Motorsport 2 having given ProStreet a damn good kicking in 2007 as well)

2010 saw the introduction of Criterion games into the mix. The creators of the hugely successful Burnout series got straight to work with Need For Speed Hot Pursuit, a remake of the game that started off Need For Speed's success in the first place. Whilst it was Need For Speed's  most critically acclaimed game of all time, many gamers were disappointed to discover that the entire game was just a Burnout game in fancy dress, but without the free roam.

2011 saw the release of two Need For Speed games: The Run and Shift 2: Unleashed. Both games were simply abysmal, with many people describing The Run as the worst in the series. Shift 2: Unleashed was labelled "the second worst video game of all time, with the original Shift at #1" by F1Fan0001. Also, Shift 2: Unleashed was comprehensively beaten by Forza once again, making it 3-0 to Forza.

2012 saw a remake of the most successful game of the series, as Need For Speed Most Wanted returned, only it was missing nearly everything that gamers enjoyed from the original game from 2005. add to that its beating at the hands of Forza Horizon and it is clear that the series is struggling, which leaves question marks over EA and Criterion's commitment to future titles

Monaco Grand Prix Preview

Glitz, glamour and (usually) glorious sunshine can mean only one thing: F1 is coming to Monte Carlo this weekend for the 2013 Grand Prix de Monaco. This unique race on the calendar sees the 22 drivers battle it out on the narrow and winding streets around Monaco's glittering harbour, so what do the drivers think? Let's find out...

Charles Pic, Caterham
2012 Qualifying - 22nd, 2012 Race - DNF
“Monaco is a great race and a track I’ve won on before in Formula Renault 3.5 and in GP2. It's one of the two city street circuit races and there’s a lot of history there. I think for every driver and fan it's one of the best races of the year. It's not an easy race because you can’t make any mistakes at all during the weekend, but it's also why we love it and why Monaco is so special.

“For the car it's completely different than almost any other track, so we are running with a different setup there to optimise the mechanical grip. It's always fun on track, but it’s busy for the drivers and as it's right next to France there are a lot of French fans and I'm sure it will be good entertainment for them and everyone who goes. We don't have a race in France at the moment so Monaco’s the nearest place to see F1 for all the French fans who really do love our sport.

“It's true that Monaco, like Singapore, is really tough. You can hope that it can be a good chance for you to finish in a good position, but with such a tight circuit and so many chances for something to happen it’s something we can’t control so we have to be focused on optimising the car, extracting 100 percent for qualifying and then focusing on the race. We’ll have to make sure we go the right way on tyre choice and strategy, and then we’ll see. We’ve definitely been improving over the last couple of races, so the aim is to carry that through to Monaco.”

Giedo van der Garde, Caterham
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Monaco is one of my favourite races of the year. For me the track is very special, it holds a lot of great memories as over the last few years I've been on the podium every time I’ve raced there. It’s a pretty mad weekend, with a lot of guests and fans everywhere, closer than you see anywhere else in the season, but once you’re in the car it’s very important to have a good flow or you’ll lose time and increase the chance of making a mistake.

“It takes a few laps for the car to really to come in and of course for me this year it will be another new experience with the F1 car, but I'll get the flow back quickly and I have a good team around me so everything should go well.

“Monaco’s also a place where the smaller teams, like us, can do something special. It’s a shorter lap than many of the other tracks we race on, and everyone has to run as much downforce as possible, so outright speed isn’t the key. You need good traction to really attack the exits of the corners, and the package we introduced in Spain had exactly that, so what we want to do is build on the progress we made in Spain, show a bit more of our potential, and with a bit of luck we can come close to the top 10.”

"It's going to be hard to tell if our car will work well there. Last year the team had quite good results so there is good hope. I think the driver is very important there to have a good flow, and we'll see what we can do."

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“In Monaco we’d expect an average of two pit stops per car, because in complete contrast to the last race at Barcelona, Monaco has very low tyre wear and degradation. This doesn’t make the race any less strategic however, as in the past we have seen drivers trying completely different strategies yet ending up very close to each other at the finish. The last race in Spain was won from lower down on the grid than it has ever been won before, so it will be interesting to see if this pattern can repeat itself in Monaco: a track that is renowned for being difficult to overtake on. Because of this, strategy will become even more important than usual, with teams trying to use tactics to improve on their starting positions.”

Paul di Resta, Force India
2012 Qualifying - 15th, 2012 Race - 7th
“Monaco was a rewarding race for us last year and we will try to go there and continue our run of points finishes. It’s really interesting to see how busy the place gets when the race is in town and the atmosphere builds up throughout the week. Racing close to home is really nice because I can go back to my place every night. I sleep in my bed and enjoy my own space. It’s also a chance for my family and friends to come and stay with me, and when the weather is nice, there’s nowhere better.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Wherever we have gone so far the car has looked competitive - and that includes some very different tracks. It’s a good sign for the rest of the season. Of course, Monaco will be the first real street circuit, but I think we will be quick there. The car is very strong in the front with a very neutral balance so it’s very driveable. [Monaco is] a special place for sure. I’ve always liked street races and Monaco is the best street circuit of them all. There’s no room for even the smallest mistake and that’s why it’s different to other tracks. You have to give the walls so much respect and build up your speed. More than anything it’s a test of your mental strength because you keep your concentration for nearly two hours during the race.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“Monaco holds a special place in the heart of every Formula One fan. Its history, the unforgiving circuit and the unique atmosphere of the place make it a highlight of the season. As a venue, it’s one of my favourites and a track where our car has always worked well. We’ve scored points there for the last three seasons and will be aiming to do the same this year.”

Pastor Maldonado, Williams
2012 Qualifying - 9th, 2012 Race - DNF
“I have always been very competitive at Monaco, doing well there in GP2, so I always look forward to this race as I feel very comfortable driving the circuit. You can also feel the history of Formula One as you drive through the streets and tackle some of the really famous corners. Monaco is a very difficult challenge, both mentally and physically, as you have to try and find the limits of the car with no margin for error if you push too hard. Qualifying will be very important at this race and is probably 70 percent of the weekend because overtaking is so difficult and risky. Tyre strategy and tyre management is important as you always use the softer compound of tyres in Monaco and they are very sensitive this year. We are working hard at the factory to see where we can make improvements and hopefully we can continue improving the set-up of the FW35 and have a better result this weekend.”

Valtteri Bottas, Williams
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“This will be my first time racing in Monaco and I’m really looking forward to it because it’s such an iconic track. It’s definitely the most challenging race on the calendar for the drivers, being an old school street circuit with no room for mistakes and I’m looking forward to the challenge of being on the limit at all times while being so close to the walls. In the past tyre wear in Monaco has been quite minimal, but with Pirelli bringing the softs and supersofts to this race the tyre degradation may be more of a factor, although less than we saw in Bahrain and Barcelona. It’s very challenging to get the car right at Monaco as it’s very different to all other circuits. There is a lot of undulation, so you need a good car set up to keep all the wheels on the ground around the whole circuit. It’s also quite bumpy which affects the ride height of the car.”

Mike Coughlan, Williams technical director
“Monaco may be one of the shortest tracks of the year, but it’s the most demanding, especially for the driver. Although the corner speeds are the slowest on the calendar, you have to use as much of the track as possible and the closer the driver can put his car to the barriers the faster he will go. As it is a street circuit the grip levels change the whole weekend so it’s important to give the drivers as much time on-track as possible in order for them to gain confidence, particularly for Valtteri who has never driven here before. Due to the bumpy nature of the track, a good mechanical platform is required. We need to raise the ride-height and increase the steering angle capacity for the tight, twisting corners. We also run with maximum downforce there.

“We made some small steps forward in Barcelona but it was still a difficult weekend for us. We have a number of upgrades for Monaco designed for the unique layout. We need to keep working hard though as it’s not been the start to the year we had hoped for. As a team, we are still focussed on getting the performance out of the FW35.”

Remi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations
“Monaco has the lowest average speed on the calendar: just 160 km/h. With low-speed corners punctuating the lap the challenge is to deliver a highly responsive engine through the lower rev limits of the engine (around 15 - 17,000rpm) to give response on the entry and exit to the corners. Another key area to get right is the cooling. With so little time spent at full throttle and so much in ‘dirty’ air, the engine can run very hot. We’ll therefore monitor the temperatures very closely and run the water system hotter to dissipate the heat if necessary.”

Jules Bianchi, Marussia
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“When I was nine or ten years old and used to go to watch the Monaco Grand Prix, I could never have imagined that one day I would be racing here myself. So much of this season is a dream come true but next weekend is certainly one of the highlights for me. It’s a unique race, a fantastic experience on and off the track and the atmosphere is very special. I would like to think that we can have a strong weekend after some positive signs with the new upgrade in Spain. We were not able to make the best of it on race day there but I hope for better things in Monaco.”

Max Chilton, Marussia
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I can’t wait for my first Monaco Grand Prix experience at the wheel of a Formula One car. It’s shaping up to be quite a weekend so I hope we can put on a good show for the benefit of all the partners and guests who are making the trip there. It’s a fascinating track and everything can turn on a knife-edge because of factors like the close proximity of the barriers and the importance of qualifying ahead of our immediate competitors. Although this is a very different challenge to Spain, I hope we can carry through some of the benefits we saw from the new developments last time out and have a better showing in Monaco. I have been preparing in the simulator this week and I’m feeling positive about our potential there.”

John Booth, Marussia team principal
“The Monaco Grand Prix is always one of the highlights of the season, for our team, our partners and the fans. Racing around the tight and twisty streets is an unparalleled experience for any driver and Jules and Max are both very excited and looking to the race weekend with confidence after spending time in the simulator. Jules is also very fortunate to count this as his home Grand Prix and racing so close to the place he grew up in will no doubt be very special for him. It’s a track which really showcases a driver’s ability so we look forward to seeing more of the obvious potential of both of our drivers shining through again. Monaco will not be without its challenges I’m sure and there will be the same heavy focus on tyre management. We do have a few minor developments however, which we hope will keep us moving in the right direction.”

Jenson Button, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 13th, 2012 Race - 16th
“Monaco is unlike any other racetrack in Formula One. A qualifying lap around there is an exhilarating experience for a driver: you turn into corners on the limit and you kiss every barrier at the exit. To get pole position, as I did in 2009, is hugely satisfying and you need to be inch-perfect for 78 laps in order to win the race. It’s a great challenge.

“The average speed around Monaco is the slowest of the year, but it feels very quick. The track’s quite narrow in places and there are some fast sections. The run up the hill from Ste Devote to Casino Square involves some quick changes of direction, as does the Swimming Pool, and the Tunnel is fast, loud and dark. 

“Everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has been working flat-out since the Spanish Grand Prix. We’re not yet where we want to be in terms of competitiveness, but I’m confident that we can make another small step forward in Monaco. We’ll continue to chip away at the performance of the MP4-28 until it’s capable of challenging at the front; there’s no other agenda for a winning team like McLaren. The aim for Monaco is to get both cars home in the points, as we did in Barcelona.”

Sergio Perez, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 24th, 2012 Race - 11th
“Monaco is a great challenge for the drivers. It’s the only circuit on the calendar where you have to build up your speed during practice, rather than going flat-out on lap one. You push a little bit harder with every lap, getting a bit closer to the barriers each time.

“But it’s not just the track that makes Monaco special; it’s the atmosphere as well. The grandstands are closer to the track here than anywhere else on the calendar and that gives us a very close connection to the spectators. The huge grandstand between Tabac and the Swimming Pool can get pretty noisy when it’s full, which is great. 

“Last year was my first Monaco Grand Prix. I missed out on a world championship point by one position and I’m looking to change that this year. The MP4-28 is improving, as we introduce upgrades and understand its performance better. It was more driveable in Spain a couple of weeks ago, particularly on light tanks. That will be vital in Monaco because qualifying is very important.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has a fabulous record in Monte Carlo. We’ve taken 15 wins - more than any other constructor - through the streets of the Principality and while we’re not yet in a position to challenge for victories this year, we’ll relish the challenge provided by this race and we hope to challenge for more points with both cars.

“Our aim is to continue improving the performance of the MP4-28 in Monaco. The tight and twisty nature of the circuit makes its requirements fairly exceptional, but every kilometre that we complete with the car provides us with useful data because we have a very busy development programme.

“Overtaking opportunities are limited at Monaco, even with the DRS, so qualifying is going to be very important on Saturday afternoon. Both of our drivers know how to turn a quick lap, and Sergio can take a lot of confidence from his excellent performance during Q2 at the Spanish Grand Prix. 

“Monaco is one of the jewels in Formula One’s crown. It’s an iconic setting and the race has a lot of history. I’m proud of McLaren’s peerless record in the Principality and would love nothing than to add to it this year.”

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2012 Qualifying - 8th, 2012 Race - 9th
“It’s useless to put races in different categories, because all of them are as important as each other if you want to win a championship. However, as a real special race there is nothing like Monaco; there is no better feeling than to get things going well there. To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else and it’s a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult - almost impossible in fact - to have a clean weekend down there. I’ve only managed to get it right once before and you really experience the greatest feeling you can get by winning it. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable, so to win it again would be just as special.

“It’s such a narrow, twisty track; you have to be extra sharp and focused through every single metre. It gives such a good feeling; a fast lap around Monaco. Overtaking is almost impossible, so to really enjoy racing there you have to be in the front. We have to focus on qualifying. It’s a difficult place to race as it’s so narrow and - as I said before - passing is nearly impossible. I was stuck behind Rubens [Barrichello] in 2009 and we had KERS then, but you just couldn’t get past. We’ll have to see how the tyres perform and if there are any good strategies to be made, but the most important thing is to qualify well. It’s difficult to know how good the car will be in Monaco as you can’t simulate its characteristics; certainly not at any of the circuits we’ve visited so far this year anyway. We can say the E21’s been fast everywhere else so let’s hope it’s also fast there.”

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2012 Qualifying - 5th, 2012 Race - DNF
“It’s going to be fantastic to be racing there again. It’s like a home race to me and it’s a circuit I really love. We were quick there last year so I hope we’re quick again. It’s a crazy week with all the focus and attention, but everyone loves Monaco. I’ve got a week to get some rest before it all starts. I can’t wait. Monaco is a very special event in its own right, and the atmosphere is quite crazy! As a driver you have to stay calm and relaxed and try to do your job. It is a track that doesn’t allow any mistakes. You have to respect it and that is the key there. For me it’s fantastic for there to be so many French fans, and I’m looking forward to their support.

“Monaco is quite a specialist track and it is very difficult to say if a car will be suited to it or not. It’s bumpy on the straights and it’s a very low grip surface. All these things mean that you never know what to expect. On a more normal race track you know more what you are going to get. I hope we will have a pleasant surprise and that the car will suit Monaco’s unique challenges. That would be nice.”

Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director
“Similar to Barcelona, we will be bringing a new rear wing which follows the same concept as the one we ran in Monaco last year. There will also be a new front wing and some modifications to the floor, so plenty to keep us occupied. We’re confident in the upgrade package for this race and the car has worked well at every circuit so far this season, so there’s no reason it won’t be strong here.”

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 10th, 2012 Race - 4th
“Monaco is one of my favourite tracks and driving it is an absolute challenge. You can’t even make the smallest mistake; if you do, you’re lucky if it’s just that your lap time is bad. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll end up in the barrier. Overtaking is possible, but only with risk - the best place for that is before the chicane. We come out of the narrow tunnel at more than 300km/h and race to the first gear-chicane - whoever brakes later wins. Ideally you have a good qualifying session and start from far forward.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 2nd, 2012 Race - 1st
“[In three words, Monaco is] dramatic, glitz and busy. [If I were a fan] I’d watch [from] the left-right combination at the entry to the swimming pool, after Tabac. [My best memory of Monaco is] my first win in 2010 - it’s right up there with my best memories of all time.”

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - 11th, 2012 Race - 8th
“I’m really looking forward to the Monaco Grand Prix. The circuit along with the backdrop of the Principality are just fantastic, and the atmosphere is one of the best in the season. The track is one of a kind with extremely narrow streets that will punish every little mistake. This is a great challenge between me, the car and the track, and I always have a lot of fun driving there. In terms of performance, I’m quite positive. We’ve seen that the softer tyre compounds suit us quite well, which gives me confidence we’ll have a good weekend.”

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“Driving on the limit through the narrow streets of Monaco is something special that I am really looking forward to. It’s one of my favourite tracks. I’ve driven there in GP2 twice and competing there in a Formula One car will be even more challenging and interesting. It’s a high-downforce track with a lot of slow corners, and management of the rear tyres will be crucial. After the positive race in Barcelona, I am focusing on building on my performance there.”

Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering
“The circuit in Monaco is a real challenge for the drivers and the team. The track improves throughout the weekend and it’s important to give the drivers a set-up that gives them confidence as the barriers are very close. For Esteban it will be his first experience in a F1 car in Monaco, but his GP2 experience has given him a good reference. This will be the first race of the season where we use both the soft and supersoft tyres. We have some further updated aero parts to add to the package we took to Barcelona. Coming off the back of our better race pace in Barcelona, our aim is to qualify stronger, as this is particularly important in Monaco where overtaking is so difficult.”

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 3rd, 2012 Race - 2nd
“Monaco is always a fantastic weekend and it's great to race in the city where I live. Knowing that all my family and friends are watching makes it very special and I love being able to drive from home into the paddock on a scooter! The surroundings definitely make Monaco the coolest track on the calendar and the atmosphere over the weekend is great. I have good memories from the race last year after finishing in second place and I hope we can get another good result this time around. At the moment we have a good car for qualifying which helps in Monaco as it's the most important qualifying session of the year as track position is so important. So that might be helpful for us but there are so many unknowns, especially with the tyres, so we will just have to wait and see.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 4th, 2012 Race - 5th
“Whilst there hasn't been a lot of time since Barcelona, we've been working hard to put the disappointment of the last race behind us and focus on the opportunities ahead. Monaco is one of my favourite races of the year and I love driving the streets there. As a driver, you know that you have to perform on every single lap and it's a challenge that I really enjoy. It's a real experience to see the barriers flashing past at high speed and I love the fact that the fans can get so close to the track making for a great atmosphere. Perhaps more than at many other tracks, qualifying and getting the best possible track position is crucial in Monaco, but we have to keep our focus on Sunday as well and keep working to improve our race pace. Everyone is working really hard and I know we can get there. We just need to keep motivated and work it out together.”

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“Monaco is a not usually a race to which teams bring many updates because the track conditions change so much across the weekend. The priority is always to get the drivers comfortable with the unique challenge the circuit presents and to give them a set-up they feel confident pushing to the limit. Both Nico and Lewis have historically been incredibly competitive in Monaco and this weekend will certainly allow their talent to shine. The engineering team will be focused on getting the most from our car on the slow, bumpy layout and there will of course be particular emphasis on achieving tyre consistency and durability. Meanwhile, our work continues back at Brackley and Brixworth to fully understand the reasons for our below-par race performance in Barcelona, in order to develop the right solutions for the upcoming circuits where high tyre usage could once again be a limitation for us.”

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director 
“Monaco is the most famous race in our sport and a special moment of every Formula One season. The narrow streets will give our drivers the perfect opportunity to display their talents and, historically, the team's cars have performed strongly there in terms of pure speed. However, it is clear to everybody in the team that, while we have a strong car right now, we are not able to use that performance properly on Sunday afternoon. Although overtaking in Monaco is difficult, we cannot afford to be complacent in terms of tyre management and we will need to do significantly better than we managed in Barcelona in order to score a strong result. We have only scored points with one of our cars at the past three races and this is something we must improve quickly, beginning next weekend in Monte-Carlo.”

McLaren still to focus on 2013 car

McLaren say they have "probably" diverted fewer resources from this year to 2014 and 2015 than originally planned in a bid to salvage their current car.

The team have been off the pace in the opening five races and are sixth in the constructors' standings, 102 points behind leaders Red Bull.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said: "It's probably less resources than we planned because we've got to try harder with this year's car.

"You have to. We're not giving up."

There will be a major change to the engine regulations in 2014 with a move to turbo units and, as a result, several teams are diverting resources to develop their new-look car.

McLaren have had a slow start to the season - their best finish so far is Jenson Button's fifth place in China - with Button adding that the team's current form is embarrassing,raising questions as to whether they would shift focus to next season.

The Woking-based team will also face a big challenge when they switch from Mercedes to Honda engines in 2015, however Whitmarsh says it's too early to write off the current campaign.

"Some resources have been diverted [to 2014 and 2015]," said Whitmarsh. "Every year, you have that dilemma: when do you deploy resources that you have?

"We are not giving up on this year and there's a big effort to develop this year's car and restore McLaren's competitiveness to a level we expect of ourselves.

"It's still early enough in the season. We've got to believe we can get some good results - sometimes it's a weakness in us.

"We'll take stock of it later in the year, but at the moment we're very determined to make our car competitive."

Ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, Whitmarsh added that the team's switch from Mercedes to Honda engines is part of the plan to enable them to consistently challenge for the title in the future.

"There is a lot of work to do for 2014 and 2015 undeniably and moving from 2014 to 2015 will be a big challenge for the team," he said.

"But I think what is very clear is that McLaren needs to be supported and teamed in a full works effort with a major automotive manufacturer.

"We've had a fantastic relationship with Mercedes-Benz - and we still have a great technical relationship.

"We're going to do everything we can to win races with Mercedes this year and next. But, inevitably, moving to Honda puts us in a position to be one of the big teams and ensures that, in the long term, we've got the resources and the correct structure to be successful.

"We'd like to win this weekend and a bit more next year but in the long term, after 182 grand prix victories, we know we've got to put together a programme and business structure that provides us with a platform to be successful every year for the foreseeable future."

Paddy Lowe to leave McLaren early

Former McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe will join Mercedes six months earlier than initially planned.

Mercedes have agreed with McLaren for Lowe to join on 3 June, in the role of executive technical director.

Mercedes said Lowe would "work closely with team principal Ross Brawn… who will retain overall responsibility for sporting and technical matters".

It is part of a major restructuring at the team, which Britain's former world champion Lewis Hamilton drives for.

Lowe was originally recruited last winter with the intention of replacing Brawn, but Mercedes have since changed their plans.

McLaren announced in March that Lowe was being removed from his role as technical director because he was moving to another team, but said at the time he would see out his contract until the end of this year.

Lowe will now join next month after Mercedes reached a compromise deal with McLaren, who will next year use the German company's engines for the last time before switching to Honda.

Lowe is part of a succession plan for Brawn, who is 59 this year, but it remains unclear how long the man who masterminded all of Michael Schumacher's seven world titles, as well as Jenson Button's in 2009, will remain in his role.

In the meantime, Lowe, 51, will help the team manage the difficulties of designing a car to next year's new rules, which will introduce 1.6-litre turbo-charged V6 engines with extensive energy recovery in place of the current 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8s.

Lowe said in a statement: "I am excited to become part of a highly talented and capable technical organisation.

"The team has already produced probably the fastest car of the 2013 season while the technical challenges of the new regulations for 2014 will give us the opportunity to maximise the synergies available to a works manufacturer.

"That is a challenge I am relishing. I have worked closely with Mercedes-Benz for almost 20 years and deeply admire the company's phenomenal commitment to Formula 1. I look forward to much success together in the years ahead."

Lowe is the fifth engineer who has been a technical director at another team to join Mercedes, following Brawn himself, technical director Bob Bell, engineering director Aldo Costa and technology director Geoff Willis.

His role effectively oversees all of the team's technical operations, and Brawn said he was "delighted" Lowe was joining the team.

"He has an excellent record of success in the sport and would be an asset to any of our rivals in the pit lane," he said.

"It is no secret that every team is facing a significant balancing act between this year and next.

"But it is perhaps less obvious that we will also see major changes for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, as development progresses with the new generation of car design and power unit.

"To deliver in these circumstances, a successful team needs strength in depth. Paddy's arrival will further strengthen our organisation and puts us in a strong position for the future."

Forza Horizon Review

What happens when you take the best developers from the best racing game studios in the world including Turn 10, Codemasters and so on, and give them access to Microsoft's money? The answer lies in Playground Games' offering Forza Horizon. Firstly, this is a spin-off from the hugely popular Forza Motorsport series, so now there will be a motorsport game one year and a Horizon-esque game the next. Sounds good. Many people, though, have questioned the move. They say that it will surely detract from what Forza is all about (precision and hard racing). They say that an open world game cannot be a Forza. However, when you dig below the surface, the reasoning for he development becomes a little bit clearer...

The most successful racing game series of all time, Need For Speed, is struggling, so why not launch an attack on EA Games and Criterion now, whilst they are at their weakest? Every gamer converted from Need For Speed into a fan of Forza Horizon is one more person that is more likely to buy their motorsport games. Which means that Forza Motorsport will finally be able to break clear of its great rival, Gran Turismo in terms of sales. These two juggernauts of the gaming world have been slugging it out since 2007, so by sucking the life out of Need For Speed, Microsoft may have just clobbered Polyphony Digital's greatest success story as well. However, this only works if the Horizon game is much better than Criterion's 2012 offering, the much worsened version of the old Need For Seed Most Wanted.

When you first start up the game, you realise that it it is considerably better than any of the Need For Speed games since the end of their golden era in 2006. You are immediately plunged straight into a frantic dash to get the last wristband for access to the Horizon festival, which is the main centre piece of the game. This means that you have to beat exotic cars such as Porsches in your knackered old VW Corrado, which is easier said than done. You may think that this is far too abrupt for a racing game, they need to ease you in slowly to enable you to get to grips with the handling of the game. Forza Horizon, though, uses exactly the same physics engine as Forza Motorsport 4, which means that it blends user-friendliness and a great feel of the car perfectly, whilst still giving you a wild ride at the same time.

Once you reach the gates to the Horizon Festival, you are given a whistle-stop tour of all that you need to know. Then, you are on your own. It's a great idea as it allows you to get on and do what you want to do (something the makers of Shift 2: Unleashed could learn) and get to know the game at your own pace. There is a system of levelling up in the game that involves coloured wristbands rather than the level system in Forza Motorsport 4, where you are just assigned a number. It works very well and you always know exactly what you need to do to level up.

There are also sponsor challenges, which are hard to find initially, but they reward you with loadsa money for doing cool things (such as fifty drifts). These things also help you to boost your reputation in the game, which is important as the reputation you carry affects invites to illegal street races (another Need For Speed player's dream) as well as invites to special 'showcase' events, where you will race a car against something else (such as a plane) in true Top Gear style and if you beat your opponent you keep the car. Nice.

Then there's the barn find feature. Basically, as you progress through the game you will find circles appear on your map. Somewhere in that circle is a classic car that is yours to keep if you find it. This feature seems reminiscent of the wrecks feature in the disappointing Test Drive Unlimited 2, but the feature could have got a little more advanced than it was in Horizon, as most of the cars that you will find will be in your Forza Motorsport 4 garage anyway! Ah, well.

The graphics in the game are absolutely sa-weet! Everything about the open world that you find yourself in (a fictional part of Colorado) is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Be it a canyon to the south, or a mountain in the west, or huge plains in the south east, every part of the map looks stunning, especially the Horizon Festival itself, where thousands upon thousands of people gather and make the whole area feel 'alive', rather than having a stage and some lights. But if the game looks good in the day, it is something else at night. Headlights pop up out of your cars bonnet, and dashboards illuminate as the sun sinks in perfect harmony. Every time it happens "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meatloaf starts in my head. It is that good.

So, the cars feel perfect, the graphics are spot on, and there is similar customisation to Forza Motorsport 4, which is a good thing considering the vast array of cars to choose from. You'd think, then, that this is the greatest game of all time. I'm afraid not. Firstly, the single player game is not particularly long. Secondly, the rally expansion is far too expensive. But the biggest problem is the way that it feels. It is a technical marvel, and I am in awe of it every time I play it, but it doesn't exactly have much of a soul. It just feels too cold to be the best game ever, and this is something that the old Need For Speed games were able to capture.

GAME SCORE: 92/100
"Just a bit cold"

Shift 2: Unleashed Review

In 2007, EA Games took a different direction with Need For Speed, the most successful racing game franchise of all time, with Need For Speed ProStreet. Unfortunately, it was a flop. Many of the things that had brought Need For Speed to enormous worldwide markets from 2003 to 2006 were missing, and the "legal racing only" approach was not popular among the gamers that had enjoyed the most extreme virtual police chases on the market for the previous two years. In 2008, they tried to return to the mid-noughties Need For Speed with Need For Speed Undercover. This was not particularly successful either so EA tried to go down the legal racing route once again with Need For Speed Shift in 2009. However, Shift was, in my eyes at least, the worst racing game of all time.

There have been poor racing games before. GT Racers, a 2005 game on the PlayStation 2, was biblically awful, largely due to having a budget so small they couldn't even give their cars the right names, so they left an option to change the names of the cars and let you correct them. There was also Corvette by General Studios Software, which was rubbish as well. Let's also not forget Enthusia: Professional Racing, another 2005 effort by Konami. Enthusia  is widely acknowledged to be the single worst racing game of all time, but I'm not sure. For me, Shift was so hyped-up before it's launch that the result felt even worse than it actually was, which made it the worst game ever.

Then, in 2011, EA decided that surely three wrongs must make a right when they launched Shift 2: Unleashed. To reduce the pressure, they kept the Need For Speed name out of sight, with only the new logo an indicator of the pedigree of the game. But the pressure really was on EA Games this time.Not only were they taking a huge gamble by making another Shift game, but they were now struggling to keep the declining series going. Add to that the enormous success of Need For Speed Hot Pursuit at awards ceremonies the year before (although I didn't think much of it) and you have a situation where there can be no excuses. This game had to be good.

Trouble was, it was awful!

From the moment you first start up the game there are serious issues. Firstly, you can't skip the intro until all of the developing studios have got their logos involved, which gets annoying in, ooh, about fourteen milliseconds. Then, when you start the career mode, you have an irritating Formula "D" (it's DRIFT for God's sake!) driver that nobody outside of EA Games has heard of 'guiding' you through the tutorials, although it's more just him blabbering on through an unskippable cinematic that is supposed to be dramatic but actually looks cheap. Very cheap. The tutorials themselves will infuriate more accomplished gamers and utterly bewilder novices to the genre. "Race a lap of Suzuka" he says. Unfortunately, you sail off at the first corner as the handling system is poor, but we'll get onto that later. Then, at the start of damn-near every career race you enter, you will have his stupid voice drowning out the sound of your car saying "green light! Go!" What else am I going to do? The tango? Build a Meccano set? Turn off this rubbish and play Forza 4 (I wish)?

There are more problems as well. Loading takes forever and all the time the loading "music" is someone going "OooooooooooOOOOOOOooooooooh" over and over again. Of course, you may try to drown out the sound of the man seemingly giving birth in slow motion by reading some of the information that is there to 'help' you in the build up to the race. Information such as what a race is. Personally, I am glad it tells me what a race is, as I always thought it was some kind of pudding eaten in exotic locations. Such as Norfolk. Oh, and the saving is excruciating as well. I mean, how long does it take to save a game? I could have completed a Where's  Wally book in that time, as Wally is playing the game. Trust me, anyone who plays this game feels like a total Wally.

Let's move on to the actual driving, shall we? And we'll start with the presentation. The game has a HUD as you'd expect, but this one seems to have come about because someone sneezed in the design office. There are so many meaningless numbers, letters, bars and a multicoloured track map for some reason. Of course, you can't actually read most of these letters and numbers as the blend in almost perfectly with the sky. It seems that nobody noticed this when they were testing the game. In fact, there is so much stuff crammed onto your screen it's actually amazing that you can see the road in front of you. Then, there is no way of telling what numbers you are actually looking at as the lap counter and position indicator are not labelled like they are in 'normal' driving games so you have to look at the map and see. Which means you'll crash.

The HUD also moves about during corners, braking, accelerating and over bumps. Because that's exactly what you need. You'r going through a corner and just checking your current lap time, but it moves constantly so you can't read it and you crash. Because nobody noticed that when they were testing the game either. Then there are the mud splats that appear on your screen whether you are on the racing line off the racing line or off the track altogether. It is completely random and completely annoying. You are looking for an apex when it is obscured by a mud splat that came from absolutely nowhere, so you miss the apex and crash. They must have missed that in the testing too.

Then there is the ridiculous black and white line appearing wibbly wobbly thing. When you crash, the screen goes black and white and lines appear and it gets distorted. Because that is exactly what happens to you in a crash. Ask Niki Lauda what happened at the Nurburgring in '76 and he will tell you "The world went black and white and lines appeared and it went all wibbly wobbly!" Yeah right. Of course, this also happens if you just scrape the wall (or indeed another car) whilst moving above a couple of miles per hour. Then you can't see and crash. Wait a minute, did they test this game at all?

However, all of this could be slightly forgivable if the handling was similar to Forza 4, the game that humiliated Shit 2 or Gran Turismo, but it seems that EA Games and Slightly Mad Studios have never even head of these games.The cars feel far too heavy, there is a delay of about a second between any steering input and the movement of the car (presumably the steering wheel is connected to some huge vats of treacle that drip onto the axle to change direction) but the absolute worst thing about this miserable game is how the cars turn. In most games, the cars turn, but in this they just pivot and then understeer wide, so you apply full lock and slow to a crawl. to back steps out (but kind of doesn't as it pivots rather than following a circle) and then you watch in horror as you still slide out onto the gravel, where the car miraculously straightens itself despite you still applying full lock to extend your stay in the gravel trap. The handling is dire, and for that, all of the game's sins are not forgiven.

GAME SCORE: 2/100
"It doesn't even deserve the Need For Speed logo"

Spanish Grand Prix Race Report

After a Spanish Grand Prix that contained a whopping 82 pit stops in total, here's what I made of each driver and team.

Race rating: 5.5/10

Drivers

Car 1 (S VETTEL, G3 R4): Sebastian's race was a surprisingly quiet affair. A decent start saw him make up time on the mobile chicane that was Rosberg, but was slow to clear the two Mercedes cars. For the remainder of the race he didn't really feature. A spurt late on almost got him noticed by Massa, but a lackluster performance by Vettel has closed up the championship
4/10

Car 2 (M WEBBER, G7 R5): If Sebastian Vettel had a quiet race, then Mark Webber was very much under the radar. Another disappointing weekend for the Aussie puts his championship aspirations into further doubt. Is his driving being affected by plans for next year though?
3/10

Car 3 (F ALONSO, G5 R1): Fernando Alonso could have potentially performed better in qualifying, but an excellent start putting him ahead of both Raikkonen and the dismal Hamilton set him up for a near-faultless race. Under no pressure for the win after half-distance, Fernando Alonso can enjoy a classy victory.
8/10

Car 4 (F MASSA, G9 R3): A questionable three-place grid penalty for allegedly holding up Mark Webber in qualifying put Felipe on the back foot heading into Sunday, but the return of the '2008 Felipe' continued this weekend. A well-deserved podium is his reward for a solid race. Could he have caught Raikkonen? Unlikely.
7/10

Car 5 (J BUTTON, G14 R8): Yet another appalling weekend for the team that ended 2012 with the fastest car. Arrived with upgrades but they were unable to use some of them as they had not passed scrutineering. A poor display in qualifying considering that Sergio Perez made it into Q3, but better pace after the first stint show that there are signs of improvement in both the driver and the car. Handicapped by low tyre pressures after an unusually slow formation lap, he struggled in the first stint and fell to 17th
5/10

Car 6 (S PEREZ, G8 R9): A vast improvement on previous qualifying efforts saw Sergio get into Q3. An average race spent largely under the radar as 'Checo' aimed to score valuable points to overhaul Force India in the points table. An unremarkable weekend for the Mexican.
5/10

Car 7 (K RAIKKONEN, G4 R2): Lotus have been easy on their tyres all year and it has paid off once again, with a solid second for Kimi Raikkonen for the second race in a row. An average start saw him ahead of Hamilton but behind Alonso, where he would remain for the rest of the race. Able to use a three-stop strategy to near perfection
7/10

Car 8 (R GROSJEAN, G6 RDNF): A poor weekend for the driver that returned to form in Bahrain. Was unable to maximise the potential of the car in qualifying and then suffered a suspension failure just eight laps into the race. A weekend to forget for him.
1/10

Car 9 (N ROSBERG, G1 R6): Mercedes suffered at the hands of the tyres once again in Spain. Nico Rosberg was stunning in qualifying, but average at best in the race. The German drove a cautious first stint but that was not enough to save his race.
4/10

Car 10 (L HAMILTON, G2 R12): The Spanish Grand Prix was a horror show for Hamilton fans. The driver widely believed to be the best qualifier on the current grid was beaten to pole by Rosberg, then suffered a poor start  to drop behind Vettel and Alonso. After that, he just went backwards. A weekend to forget for Hamilton.
1/10

Car 11 (N HULKENGERG, G15 R15): Sauber brought upgrades for Spain but Nico Hulkenberg still languished down in 15th. Add to that a penalty for an embarrasing collision in the pit lane and you have a weekend that will not live long in the memory
2/10

Car 12 (E GUTIERREZ, G19, R11): A poor display in qualifying by the Mexican who is currently the highest placed rookie in the championship. After failing to get out of Q1, he put on a good display to just finish outside of the points, featuring his best racecraft of the year so far. If he can improve his qualifying pace then points may be around the corner.
4/10

Car 14 (P DI RESTA, G10, R7): Once again taking advantage of a competetive car compared to Force India's rivals (Sauber, Williams and Scuderia Toro Rosso), Paul outqualified Sutil with ease and drove a controlled race to seventh.
6/10

Car 15 (A SUTIL, G13 R13): An unremarkable qualifying left Sutil in a reasonable shape for the race. A very early first pit stop didn't help proceedings, but this is yet another weekend where he has been outshone by teammate Di Resta.
5/10

Car 16 (P MALDONADO, G17 R14): Despite extensive upgrades brought to the Spanish Grand Prix, both Williams cars were knocked out in Q1. From there, Maldonado could do very little. An unusually quiet weekend for the Venezuelan.
4/10

Car 17 (V BOTTAS, G16 R16): A more positive weekend for the Finn than has been seen so far this season. After outqualifying his teammate Pastor Maldonado, Valteri drove a quiet and unassuming race. However, there must be concern at Williams, after winning this race last year, they are still without points.
5/10

Car 18 (J VERGNE, G12 RDNF): After closing the gap to teammate Ricciardo in qualifying, Jean-Eric Vergne was heading for a finish in the lower reaches of the points until being taken out by Hulkenberg following Sauber's pit stop blunder. A positive weekend cut short.
5/10

Car 19 (D RICCIARDO, G11 R10): Daniel Ricciardo's strong season continues with yet more points for the Australian driver in a crucial battle at Scuderia Toro Rosso for Mark Webber's seat for 2014 if he retires (which now looks likely. Click here for more). A strong race from Ricciardo after just missing out on Q3 shows just how far he has come since his debut with HRT at Silverstone in 2011.
7/10

CAR 20 (C PIC, G22 R17): A disaster in qualifying for the Frenchman. Despite receiving a raft of upgrades for his Caterham (including a new vanity panel) that his teammate did not have, Charles still lined up 22nd and last on the grid. An uneventful race saw him 17th, but this was largely thanks to the three retirements in this race rather than demon overtaking manoeuvres. However, he did finish ahead of the Marussia cars, so credit must go there
2/10

CAR 21 (G VAN DER GARDE, G18 RDNF): The strongest qualifying performance of the year from the Dutchman saw him line up 18th, ahead of his more experienced teammate and both Marussia cars. Unfortunately, his race ended prematurely thanks to an errant wheel, but it seems that Giedo van der Garde may just be finding his way in Formula One now.
4/10

Car 22 (J BIANCHI, G20 R18): Jules continues to impress in his rookie year, this time outqualifying the newly-upgraded Caterham of Charles Pic as well as his teammate. A strong race for the Frenchman saw him edge out Max Chilton to take eighteenth place overall, largely through the etirements of Grosjean, Vergne and van der Garde.
5/10

Car 23 (M CHILTON, G21 R19): There is definite improvement as far as Max Chilton is concerned, with the young Briton just shy of outqualifying Jules Bianchi for the first time. A strong race followed, featuring a long battle with Jules Bianchi, before just being edged out of eighteenth place. Hopefully more performances like this to follow.
7/10

Teams

Infinity Red Bull Racing Renault: The reigning champions were sore losers in Barcelona, with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz claiming that it "was not racing" as tyre wear was the focus for the drivers. Never mind that in 2011 Sebastian Vettel won the Spanish Grand Prix in a race that featured only two less pit stops and Red Bull never complained once!

4.0/10

Scuderia Ferrari: The masters from Maranello were at it again, with a masterful win for Fernando Alonso and a pleasing third place for Felipe Massa. Qualifying pace is lacking a little bit but typically monstrous starts make up for that.

8.5/10

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: The woes for the Woking Wonders continue withthe upgrades that could be used on the car failing to significantly improve the pace of the MP4-27, with other upgrades not being subjected to full scrutineering and they could not therefore be used. Signs of minor improvement but this is not good enough for a team of this calibre. A team in trouble

3.0/10

Lotus F1 Team: Once again qualifying let the team down a touch, but solid race pace was once again the team's trump card. Romain Grosjean's return to form was somewhat spoilt by a lap eight suspension failure, but Lotus are more than a match for reigning champions Red Bull

6.5/10

AMG Mercedes-Benz GP Petronas: After displaying stunning qualifying speed despite solely focussing on race pace in the free practice sessions, the race itself was a disaster for the team. I suspect it is only a matter of time before "2011/12 Lewis Hamilton" returns to the cockpit as he will soon start to lose patience with races that see him (and Rosberg) fall backwards.

3.0/10

Sauber Ferrari: Despite upgrades to the rear of their car, the Swiss team struggled once again in Spain. Gutierrez's fastest lap the only consolation for a team that was on the podium four times in 2012.

4.5/10

Sahara Force India Mercedes: Once again Force India were strong in Spain, with Paul Di Resta squeezing into Q3 and then storming up to seventh in the race, just ahead of the two McLarens. Sutil, on the other hand, started and finished thirteenth, thus highlighting just how good Paul Di Resta was on both Saturday and Sunday

6.0/10

Williams Renault: Williams won this race last year, and despite extensive upgrades to their car, even points were out of the question on Sunday, their car suffering horrific oversteer. A poor weekend for a team of this calibre, and it looks like 2013 could be even worse than 2011, which was the worst year in the team's illustrious history, unless direct action is taken now

3.0/10

Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari: Another strong weekend for Ricciardo saw him score another valuable point for the team, though Vergne's retirement bringing the Faenza-based team back to Earth. The car looks good, and more points should follow in Monaco and Canada.

5.5/10

Caterham Renault: An extensive upgrade package failed to shift Charles Pic off the back row, and a pit stop blunder saw Van der Garde's wheel fall off on lap twenty one. An average weekend at best.

4.0/10

Marussia Cosworth: Despite both cars being outqualified by Van der Garde's Caterham on Saturday, both Marussia cars were more competitive than we have seen so far this year in the race itself, although Pic did eventually finish ahead of both Chilton and Bianchi. With Chilton's pace improving all the time, could 2013 be the year that Marussia score their first point?

5.5/10