Is Ferrari finally catching Mercedes in the run of F1 championship?

Formula 1 is a sporting event where the performance of the cars is directly proportionate to the performance of the drivers. One of the most important part of Formula 1 is the testing circuits where detailed analysis of the car is done for further enhancement. Circuit testing often represents a slanted picture of the season to come, but if two weeks at the Circuit de Catalonia taught us anything it’s that Ferrari has made a huge step forward over this winter.

Ferrari’s 2014 performance was not much up to the expectations, but the Italian team has been able to come back with a great pace making fast progresses. Ferrari wriggled to break out of the midfield in the 2014 season, and its average qualifying time was 1.22s which was less as compared to rivals Mercedes. The biggest mistake of 2014 was on the power unit side, and Ferrari quite remarkably covered it up in the next season 2015 by almost halving the average qualifying gap to Mercedes to 0.67s.

Analyzing of lap times in testing circuits is done with caution as it varies with fuel loads and track conditions, but at the final test Rosberg who represents Mercedes and Kimi Raikkonen representing Ferrari obtained lap times that solicited for an assessment. So, two different times were set on alternate days, Rosberg's was given to drive on day one when track temperatures were warmer and Raikkonen's on the marginally cooler day three, but both were driving cars with soft tyres and relatively low fuel. They were split by a time of 0.013s in the favor of Ferrari.

Mercedes and Ferrari, both the team kept very different testing schedule this winter. Mercedes focused on a staple run-plan of heavy fuel and medium tyres and abstained from using the ultra-soft or super-soft tyres during the two weeks of circuit testing in Spain. However, Mercedes conducted a pair of quick qualifying mockups on soft tyres. Rosberg set his soft-tyre benchmark with a time of 1:23.022 during the first of these on Tuesday morning. Fellow driver Lewis Hamilton was 0.6s off Rosberg on his qualifying simulation the following morning, which was the biggest ever gap between the two driver over the past two years in a competitive qualifying session.

Ferrari, on the other hand was keener to experiment on low fuel and pandered in a number of quick laps on Pirelli's two softest compounds to set the absolute fastest laps in both tests. Raikkonen's lap timing was a resounding 1:23.009 which was 0.013s faster to Mercedes’s Rosberg lapping time. The two lap time was then compared and analyzed, implying the competitive battle that has been going around these two juggernauts in the F1 world.

Well, testing circuits are one thing, but championships are won over longer runs with heavy fuel loads on race days. Circuit de Catalunya has always been Mercedes' happiest hunting grounds. But, this time the analyzed results are telling a different stories and is pointing the advantage towards the rivals Ferrari. But nobody can be too sure, as the real analyzing of lap time is done on race days and not on circuit testing days.

However, if seen from the mileage point of view, Mercedes is the winner over this winter running over 19 races completing over 1294 laps. Ferrari on the other hand have ran a distance of only 13 laps. Suppose even if Ferrari's enhancements do not encompass to race-winning pace at a circuit as aero-sensitive as the Circuit de Catalunya, the testing circuit results still represents a step forward. Ferrari's comeback since 2014 has been truly noteworthy and that day is not far away when Ferrari will finally take over Mercedes.

What will be the impact of Leicester city's triumph over EPL?

Have you ever thought what impact will it have on the premier league if Leicester wins it? A title for the foxes will undoubtedly enlighten the “fox-fans"  but certainly not the supporters from the other part of the country. In this staggering shush of the Premier League break, Leicester City is focusing exclusively on their unexpected title tilt.

As already out of FA Cup ties and European League contests, the Foxes have got all the time in the world to train themselves in a way to finally stand on the crest of so-called premier league giants and make their dream come true.

Although finishing line is far from sight as there are still 11 matches remaining in order to decide the trophy holders, Leicester city currently leads the table with a two-point gap over Tottenham Hotspur. But there is still a lot of milestones to be crossed by Claudio Ranieri’s team in order to finally drink the oasis of title triumph. 

The break has also given us the opportunity to pause and evaluate what, Leicester City title would mean for the Premier League. Looking at the history of the premier league, the last time any club have won their maiden premier league title was back in 1978, when Nottingham Forest lifted the famous trophy. Based on this fact, we can predict the thereafter condition of a Leicester City title and what historical seriousness this conjectural title would carry.

Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez has been the main source of Leicester’s success and has contributed a total of 33 goals and 14 assists so far this season, which, in fact, is more than Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani. Not only the strikers but the defensive area of the club was well structured too, thanks to Robert Huth and Wes Morgan for their brilliant performances throughout the season so far. Midfield area was euphoric to where players like Albrighton and Kante did a good job.

With the heft of a history down the line, a Leicester City title victory would exuberantly troupe off every Premier League agreement we have ever come in to accept. This is the reason why this season is so revitalizing, it is like the blood is soaked out and pumped into the heart with a greater pressure which is being seen as an immediacy of success that may surpass all expectation and unquestionably jolts the whole world.

Leicester’s title-chasing success was not a mere coincidence but behind it, lies a bit of hard work and good timings, even if they finish second or third, the impression of Leicester’s current season will echo long after the season itself is over. 

But, what if we cut ourselves from these sentimental prognoses for a moment and focus on the effect it is having on English football. The current situation lasts an imprint of apathy and inconsistency of the English clubs throughout the season. Though it is agreeable that the title race is in the accelerating paddle throughout, but, on the other hand, it reflect poorly on the asset of the English league football. 

The decline of premier league football in both champion’s league and Europa league over the past 5 years is well known to both fans and experts all around the globe, and having one underdog team on the way to clinch the domestic title is definitely not the solution board members are looking for. But comparatively, this season is a little better than the previous one, where every English team were eliminated from Europe’s exclusive competition before the quarter-final stage. 

But the aforementioned words will certainly not bore the ears of the Leicester city’s fan base and why should it? Since their overall performance till now has been in the positive quadrants of the graph. A club with an overall market value of just 95 million euros fought and won against some of England’s finest football club. So, no matter what people says, Leicester City will return from their holiday well rested and refocused. Vardy will continue to run unremittingly and Mahrez will continue to dribble brilliantly and Ranieri’s men will keep on giving their 100% till their last breath.

And as far as the European footballing aristocracy, they may sound as how disdainful England have allowed audacious petite Leicester to do so well. For the next 11 games, a new history will be written either way. Leicester City’s next nine league matches are against teams currently outside the top five until they face Manchester United and finish with games at home to Everton and away to Chelsea.

Mourinho breaks Manchester united silence,says he will be back soon than expected.

“Is Mourinho going to be the successor of Van Gaal”, this simple statement has kept the world of football in an exhilarating stage. Manchester United’s recent performance has not been at par and with each passing day the possibility of Van Gaal’s departure from Old Trafford is moving closer. Though the former Chelsea boss has also been linked with a return to Inter Milan, but the possibility of him being the “Red Devil” boss is looking more obvious in the current situation.

Further spark has been ignited into the situation last week when Mourinho declared in public about his plan to be back in a top managing position within a span of two weeks. But, Mourinho has also expressed his fun time out of football and said that absence from a tight schedule has given him more opportunity to think about his future.

Recently in Singapore, he said: "If I have to return tomorrow, I return tomorrow.

“I always feel that it is better to wait and not to rush. It is better to wait for the right moment and the right move. I think starting next season with a new club and project is probably the best for me.”

“I read so many different things. One day they say 'yes' and another day they say 'no'. One other day they say I'm going to China, another day they say I'm going back to Italy.”

“I go to Milan and people say I'm going back to Inter. I'm here and people probably say I'm going to (the) Singapore national team. Every day new things are coming but the reality is I have no job and I am happy not to have a job.”

Well, looking at the condition of Manchester United's performance we are not much sure of their chances in this season  and the question of whether Van Gaal can really turn around things is highly in doubt but one's thing for sure that if the situation persists then Mourinho can be the potential replacement.