It’s race weekend, and for those of you who have only joined us since Singapore, thejudge13, is often a little quieter over race weekends – as the focus of the F1 world is on reporting breaking news – who said what to who – who was fastest in which session, so Friday (or is it now Saturday in Japan) before a race is a good time to try to tie up any loose ends that are worthy of note, but not a full article.

A bit of housekeeping first.

Please, please leave comments to the articles, even if you think I’m talking rubbish – tell me. I’ve only had to moderate 1 comment so far for use of the f-word – it still got published but with “[mod]” replacing the offending  euphemism.

Also, if you enjoy thejudge13 follow us. This will help us further down the line get live F1 twitter/site guests to come and debate with us and answer our questions. You can follow on twitter and/or email. The buttons on the  vertical bar to the right of the screen. If you click for email, you will ONLY receive email when a new article is first published. Retweets and favourites are very good for getting us ranked higher in the busy twitter #F1.

Finally, I get to see where everyone comes to the site from if they click on a link posted somewhere – and many of you have been putting links in places I would never find. Someone in Uganda had a look at us yesterday and in less than a month we’ve been viewed in well over 100 countries. The interesting part is that over 60% of the reads we get are not in the UK. (Click here and see World map showing in yellow where you all come from).

Most of you will have found us first by clicking through from other sites where I posted links. There are hundreds of sites out there and I don’t have time to do this with most of them, but if you regularly visit a site or forum and there is a relevant article from thejudge13, please post a comment with the URL link.

You are all part of thejudge13 project which aims to demonstrate in just 12 months the power of social media and all this assistance in gaining support and publicity around the world from you helps greatly.

On to F1

1. Sauber CEO says, “Slim Domit has also publically stated that his project with Sauber, regarding the Escuderia Telmex, is a long-term project, so it will not be affected by Sergio’s leaving the team.” Another chess piece in place – Another Mexican to drive for Sauber?
2. Montreal race promoter declares bankruptcy (Montreal Gazette) More money troubles for Mr. E maybe?
3. Alguersauri recently started following Force India on twitter – the only team he follows – if your twittered up you can see everyone he’s following (Link)
4. Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher airlines grounded and on the brink of financial ruin: “The Economic Times“, Police say wife of emplolyee not paid for months hung herself due to the unbearable financial problems they were facing. Staff have led violent protests. Mmm.
5. When asked whether Michael would be joining Mercedes in a management type role, Brawn kills stone dead all the stories that suggest this has been offered. “We’ve not discussed that. It’s not something that we’ve explored yet”. Mmm. Old Niki won’t want Brawn’s life long F1 partner around in case they gang up on him.
6. Poor Martin Whitmarsh has had a tough couple of weeks. Not sure whose coming and whose going and now not sure what’s up or down. When asked how far along the learning curve Sergio was he said, “In fact, Sergio’s about the same age now as Lewis was when he started in Formula One, so he’s some way further down the learning curve”. I’m sure he means “up the learning curve”  – because Perez has 2 more years exprience in an F1 car than Hamitlon did when he first climbed into the McLaren – lets not forget that.
7. In our examination of Shakespeare and F1 in the article Whitmarsh: It was all about the money we learned the life observation that someone saying something repeatedly can be accused of “protesting too much”. Check out Jon Booth of Marrusia’s response when asked about the appointment of Max Clifford (Chilton even) and whether he’ll take Charles Pic’s place. “We’re in discussions with Charles. He’s done an outstanding job, as you say. He’s had a wonderful rookie year. We’re in talks with his management and we’d love to keep him for 2013. He’s done a great job, particularly in getting quite close to Timo in race situations; I think he’s done a really good job there”. Look out Charles, 3 times in 3 sentences!!!
8. Clearly I’m missing stuff. I apologise to you all. I’ve been so busy with Lewis, Whitmarsh, Mercedes and Michael I’m missing the big story as reported by portugese written “Total Race” Pastor is in mourning for the death of an elephant named Lucky – I love the caption of him in the car, helmet on and underneath it says, “Pastor thinking about Elephant”? How do they know this???
9. In the Schumacher Retires – Really? article yesterday I questioned why Michael has waited 6 days to tell us his batteries are low and he was probably retiring anyway regardless of the Hamilton move. My point was it seemed strange if this had been mostly decided for some time, it would have been bundled up with the Lewis/Perez release.  Motor und Auto Sport have an exclusive today saying Schuimacher only told the team 5 minutes before the resignation press conference yesterday his decision. If that’s the case maybe there’s hope yet of a reconsideration or Ferrari calling.
10. I like this one – McLaren learn from their mistakes and give Lewis a minimal telemetary sheet. Lewis’ is not impressed. (Link)
11. The Italian press have slated Massa this year. At one poinbt running a national pole rating all the drivers from 1-10. Massa was rated 24th on the list – BEHIND KARTHIKEYAN? Anyway they’ve been quite for a while but today La Stampa is reporting Di Resta is the next in line for Massa’s seat. I’m sorry, but whoever is their F1 writer needs to get a grip, it is in fact Hulkenburg who is playing coy with the media at the moment over “conversatiopns” and poor old Di Resta is looking disconsolate when asked the same.
12. Bild, our favourite German tabloid, is telling us today that Schumachers post F1 career is likely to be as an aerobatic stunt pilot. Let’s hope on recent form he only does solo displays (sorry, cheap shot I know)
13. @andrewbensononf1 tweets ,”New McLaren driver @SChecoPerez reveals they approached him ‘a few months ago’. (Telegraph) To all who have given me stick for my Lewis was pushed article. 😀
14. Further, James Allen has pointed out Perez needs to learn how to deal with the media when he moves to McLaren. Sergio has admitted lying outright when asked a direct question in Singapore about whether he was having ongoing conversations with a major team. Allen suggests he must learn how to ‘elegantly swerve’ certain questions rather than lie. This is exactly why we F1 writers do not take at face value what we are told, hence my article yesterday questioning Martin Whitmarsh (Link)
15. Ross Brawn maybe be feeling a little down about his second break-up with long term F1 partner Schumacher, but he’s not showing it. A cheeky glance at the rather attractive passing brunette. Norbert’s having a sneaky peek too. (Twtiter). (UPDATE – since I first posted this page 12 hours ago, 40% of the links clicked here have been this one 🙂 )
16. 2013 season as it stands will have no drivers other than Pedro de la Rosa from the 1990’s barring any surprises!
17. I love a bit of praxis (post rationalisation of a prior event). Lewis asked if he wanted to emulate Michael Schumacher who went to Ferrari in 1996 when it was uncompetitive and helped to turn the team around Hamilton said, “That’s it exactly”.  Mmm. His response doesn’t persuade me…….about much. (Its chuckle time and he’s so earnest in the video – sorry UK only – bloody international broadcasting rights!!!!)
18. Sadly, 2 workers at Torro Rosso were electrocuted yesterday, 1 is in a serious condition. (Corriere dell autosport)
19. I’m going to try this one again. One reader posted a comment suggesting it didn’t get the credit it deserved. “Lawyers for Ecclestone offer cash to settle bribery case“. – Beyond irony.
20. Alonso doesn’t miss a chance to have a dig at McLaren who he left in acrimonious circumstances. On Lewis leaving McLaren he points out all great champions have done the same, Prost, Senna, himself of couse and now Lewis, he adds the jibe, “and usually for a better life, for good change. McLaren is 14 years not winning the constructors’ championship, most of these years sometimes with the best car, so I’m sure Lewis wants to win as well.” (ESPN)

(THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH OTHER STORIES AND NEWS THREADS)