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Dre's 2013 Canadian Grand Prix Race Review

“A weekend of incredible highs, and lows.”

Hey folks, Dre here, and I’m back to talk about…

Dre's World Sport - WWE's Fandango, TUF 17 Finale, BPL Matchday 33

“The Sports Entertainment edition?!”

Hey folks, Dre’s World Sport went down kinda well last time…

Dre’s Premier League Mid-Season Review (Part 2 of 2)

“And now, the sequel!”

And now, the mid-season review continues, with the bottom half of the table…

Obviously, last week was a horrible tragedy with the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. 27 killed, 20 of whom were children, no older than six. I have a four year old sister, and the thought of potentially losing her like that, makes me emotional just…

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Dre's Box Reviews: Ramsay Behind Bars

“Ramsay does a Jamie Oliver. No, he didn’t finger all his food and stutter.”

Hey folks, welcome to…

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Watching the 2013 Formula 1 Grid Take Shape

Got to love the off-season gossip and chat this season as, ever so slowly, the grid for 2013 is…

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- Here's a fun fact for you: Sebastian Vettel has lead every lap since Lewis Hamilton's retirement in Singapore. Red Bull look like they're back to their 2011 form. In which case, gift wrap the WDC and ship it to Berlin right now, because it's over. Even more so if Mark Webber comes back into play at the top.

- That was the best Ferrari team performance since this season began. Massa seems to have gotten some of his confidence back, and the car had Red Bull like pace throughout. Positive sign. 

- The Constructors race seems to be falling for Red Bull as well. They get the maximum 43 points, Ferrari with a more than solid 27...McLaren...1. Jenson was unlucky to be tagged by a Kamakize Kobayashi attack on Lap 1, and Hamilton had broken suspension from the get go, and was lucky to have a point after collecting a nice souvenir - Part of the Korean Astroturf. Ironically, the man in 11th, his replacement, Sergio Perez. Awks.

- Nice to see Toro Rosso have shown some real improvement this year, both guys in the points again, with Vergne's career high 8th, and Riccardo coming from 21st to finish 9th. 

Okay folks, looks like MotoGP is rolling out a new Qualifying Format for the 2013 season. Allow me to explain, and bear with me, it could get confusing:

The first 3 practise sessions are unchanged, but instead, the 3 best times from those sessions, combined, make up the running order for a 4th, 30 minute session on the Saturday. 

On the Saturday, the 10 fastest drivers in practise automatically go through to Quali 2, the 2nd Qualifying session. Everyone else takes part in Quali 1, a 15 minute sessions. The fastest 2 from Q1 join the other 10 in Q2, while everyone else is ranked down from 13th onwards for the following day's race, according to time. 

Now, for Q2, again, another 15 minute session, with a 12 rider shoot-out for Pole Position. Got all that?

""Just noticed @jensonbutton unfollowed, thats a shame. After 3 years as teammates, I thought we respected one another but clearly he doesn't. Funny thing is, we are STILL teammates! All good tho, I plan on giving this team & fans all I got til I cross the finish line in brazil!!!""

- Sebastian Vettel absolutely crushed it out of nowhere, an absolutely massive pole lap, even better with partner in crime Mark Webber, making it a Red Bull shutout. Didn't think any car could do a lap around Suzuka in 90 seconds. And with that, he now overtakes Alain Prost and Jim Clark for outright 3rd on the all-time pole positions list with 34. Only Senna and Schumacher have more. Monumental.

- One of the other surprises for Qualifying, Lewis Hamilton in 9th, 1.5 seconds off the pace. Apparently it was a setup issue for the departing Brit. Wonder if Martin Whitmarsh put a banana in his exhaust before he set out...

- Well played Sauber! Yet again they punch above their weight and get themselves on the 2nd and 3rd rows, with Kobayashi a sensational 3rd at home, and Perez a net 5th after button's penalty. Could we have another surprise podium?

- Q2 was loaded with a ton of superb laps, 32.2 was the cut-off and once again, Massa was unlucky enough to not make the cut. Can't help when Alonso needs him badly as a wingman as he's in 6th tomorrow. 

- Damn shame that Raikonnen effectively killed the session at the end of Q3 with his spin around the Spoon, would have been interesting to have everyone at their best right at the death and see if that would have had any impact on the grid.

Hey folks, with the latest big-time rumour in the works that Jamie Alguersauri is on the way to Force India for 2013 (Mostly generated by Jamie himself - He's a PR dream), what other major factors could add even more fuel to the driver switcharoo fire? Let's have a look:

- Is Felipe Massa's Seat Safe: Well, here's an interesting one. Until a month ago, I was adamant that he'd be given the heave-ho. But right now, after back-to-back 4th place finishes and a solid comeback points haul in Singapore, he's looking solid right now. 2 other reasons why I think he's safe - 1) Ferrari let Sergio Perez slip through their fingers, they HAD to have taken that on board if they didn't want to bump him up (He was trained by Ferrari after all), and 2) Ferrari's management style. For the last 15 years or so, they've had a clear #1 and #2, Schumacher + Irvine, Barrichello, Massa, Raikonnen + Massa, and now Alonso + Massa. They like to have an effective wingman, and Massa plays that role very well. I think he's safe...For now.

- If Jamie's coming on, who leaves Force India?: Neither Force India driver is confirmed for the 2013 Season, and if Jamie's comeback is true, then someone's got to make way. Both Hulkenberg and PDR are very solid and consistent drivers, an ideal #2 for a high-level team, and there's a lot of people out there who think either of them are going to take Massa's seat at Ferrari. I'm not so sure...And who do you cut if you're Mr Singh? There's an argument for both. Tricky one.

- Sauber's immense pickle: Sauber are in big trouble here. They've just lost their diamond in the rough in Sergio Perez, and Kamui Kobayashi's a free agent for the 2013, as his contract expires beyond this season. Michael Schumacher's off the table, do they try and get Massa to return to his roots? Do they pinch someone from Toro Rosso, who chop and change more than a US Politician...They have some thinking to do.

- The Heikki Factor: Heikki Kovalainen is a name being talked about with just about every team you could think of right now. I can see why, he's driven well for Caterham and he's had experience up and down the entire grid. SOMEONE will go after him, I guarantee it. Petrov will probably stay, he supplies the team with important...paychecks?

- Will William's Let Senna Go: No surprise Williams have confirmed Pastor Maldonado for 2013 already, as much as he's a complete headcase, he CAN drive, and supplies the team with so much money, he could probably retire and buy a gold boat. I really don't think Bruno Senna's done enough to justify his seat (Who isn't confirmed for 2013 yet), when they have a cheaper prospect they can roll with in Bottas, their impressive test driver. 

- Will a team go after Adrian Sutil?: Adrian Sutil showed real promise in 2011 before deciding that a bar fight was the best choice for his career's PR. Whoops. He's a free agent, but good enough to warrant a seat somewhere? Will someone go after him?

Well...This was kind of inevitable given Mercedes ALL-OUT CHARGE to get an elite driver like Lewis Hamilton under their wing. They were never going to drop Nico Rosberg, he's still the golden prospect that hasn't come through...So Schumi had to be sacrificed I suspect after he heard Hamilton was coming, MSC thought: "I might as well jump before I'm pushed here..."

It's a shame the Michael Schumacher @ Mercedes experiment was a pretty big-time failure. Schumi's a 7 time World Champion, one podium finish to his name (to date) in the 3 seasons he's been back in the sport. Simply put, for a man of his standard, that's just not good enough. As I've said before, it was silly to join Mercedes, a team with just no pedigree as winners yet.

I suspect he came back because he wanted that dream team glory...A German driver, on a German Manufacturer. It reminded me a lot of when Valentino Rossi left the best team in MotoGP (Fiat Yamaha), to join the Ducati team (Mid-table), so they could have the Italian Rider winning with the Italian team. Never won a race with them, and now he's crawling back to Yamaha with his tail between his legs next season, which is now Jorge Lorenzo's team.