The Future of Motorsport?

Motorsport, internationally, seems to be going through a change, a bit of a crisis if you will allow me.

Formula 1 without Bernie Ecclestone. Another new era in NASCAR. Changes in Indycar. New cars in American sportscar racing. V8 Supercars without Australian built road cars. Formula E in its entirety challenging the accepted norms...

So the question must be... How to stay relevant in 2017?

Whether it is the relevance to manufacturers or to the fans, the fight to "matter" is the hardest of all.

F1 has not appeared as relevant to manufacturers as it once was for a while now. NASCAR have just introduced a completely bold, new race format and points structure in an attempt to stay relevant to the fans. V8 Supercars must change to stay relevant to both in the Australian marketplace, while Indycar dreams of being relevant again, outside of "the month of May".

There are so many distractions in the modern world vying for peoples spare time. Various sports, TV anytime all the time, cinema, coffee, alcohol, computer gaming, Facebook, gyms, shopping blah blah land...

In America, NFL has been the King of sports for a while now, although even they are finding life hard, with NASCAR the top motorsport. Then there is Baseball, Hockey, Basketball, Soccer, College Football, Golf, Wrestling, MMA among others, quite a list, and that's before you consider the other forms of motorsport all fighting for sponsors and fans interest and Dollars. Over here Football rules over everything.

So how does motor racing stay relevant enough that existing fans keep watching, new young fans start watching and manufactuers care.

Attention spans are shorter than ever, so if you are NASCAR you try to stay relevant by bringing in a totally new, bold raft of changes. New race format, new points structure, new tech package. Only time will tell if the changes will work by bringing a younger audience to the sport. While I hope it works for the long term good of the sport, I can't say I am totally sold on the format changes...

In Australia, V8 Supercars are having to re-imagine themselves. Their sport has always been based around the concept of Ford vs Holden, or in more recent times specifically, Falcon vs Commodore. With a market place which simply was not buying these cars anymore the end of the classic/home Australian car industry was an inevitable shame. So what next for Australia's top motorsport catagory when they have no Australian rear wheel drive cars to race?

Maybe to start to figure this all out we need to consider what made motor racing relevant in the first place.

To manufacturers it had to be the age old adage "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday". To Richard Petty, "There is no doubt about precisely when folks began racing each other in automobiles. It was the day they built the second automobile.” So stock car racing and touring cars were originally about racing the cars manufacturers wanted to sell. Single seater racing was more about developing the breed, specifically designed cars built for the purpose of going racing and putting the lessons learnt into road cars.

But where do those principles take us in 2017?

Modern road cars in Europe are mainly front wheel drive hatchbacks or "crossovers" with 4 cylinder petrol or diesel engines and 6 speed manual gearboxes. Company cars might be prestige brand rear wheel drive, automatic, diesel saloons. In America if it's not a 4x4 SUV it will be a 6 cylinder, front wheel drive saloon, auto obviously.  In Australia it's about the same as America. Also the modern road car is a very aerodynamically efficient piece of equipment, designed to deliver the best fuel economy possible. Not naturally conducive to exciting "old school" racing.

Modern single seater racing still attempts to develop the breed to a certain extent while fighting the effects modern aerodynamic and tyre eficiency have on the quality of the racing. Spiralling costs have limited manufacturer support however.

There is however a more worrying trend in modern road cars, automation. It is becoming normal to have a car which parks itself. It is becoming normal to have automatic cruise control, automatic lane assistance or warnings, automatic brake assistance, 360 degree cameras, road sign recognition. Fully automated cars are coming and fast. Automatic gearboxes, albeit with paddle gearshifts are bit by bit killing the H-pattern manual. Younger drivers are learning on Playstations and expect the real thing to be the same. Automatic and automated are the watch words.

So, in true Carrie Bradshaw fashion, I couldn't help but wonder... What is the future of motor racing in an automated world?

If future cars are electric, drive themselves, park themselves, automatic everything, will anybody actually drive, let alone race?

Back in 2017, racing series still need to appeal to manufacturers and fans, still need to be relevant. I wish I had the answer, and I wait with interest to see how the next few years pan out for the 4 wheeled motor racing world.

In the mean time I have found my racing fix in, what for me was a very unexpected place, motorbikes. Not MotoGP, but as an oval racing fan, AMA Flat Track racing in America, and for the first time ever, Speedway in Europe.

Watching a field full of the AMA twins drafting and sliding their way round the big dirt ovals across America, via the wonders of YouTube, has been a joy. I really look forward to seeing the renewed competition between Harley-Davidson with the new XG750R and Indian with the new FTR750. The changes being made to the AMAs top tier make perfect sense to me, answering most of the questions I had as a complete newcomer to the sport over the last few months. So a form of motorsport, seemingly in touch with the home market manufacturers, delivering exciting racing across America, maybe it can be done. I wish them well for 2017! Oh and the two new race bikes look great, proper "poster bikes" for the sport, which can only help. I just hope America takes notice!

Equally I have really enjoyed watching and learning about SpeedwayGP. An event has 23 heats, 4 riders in each, dirt ovals, no brakes, sideways! It's quick fire action all the way. Great entertainment. I haven't got my head round British Speedway with its teams yet but...

Hang on, short races, riders earn Championship points with each heat result, bit by bit the number of riders in the hunt gets cut down leading to an overall winner at the end of the day...

Maybe NASCAR is on to something after all...

2013 NASCAR Rants

So how am I feeling about this years NASCAR season? 

What are my views on the recent controversies?

Strap in, hold on, and here we go...

First lets get the big one out of the way... The idea of anyone manipulating the results of a NASCAR race, other than the odd caution for debris, is appalling. It's probably a good thing my surname is not France as I would have banned all parties involved in the nasty MWR incident, crew chiefs, drivers the lot, for life! NASCAR is about racing plain and simple. F1 may dabble in the team orders debate from time to time but in NASCAR... never... not even debatable... To paraphrase an old Blackadder line, if there's anything bigger than NASCARs ego around here I want it caught and shot now! Spinning on purpose to bring out a yellow and help a team mate... get out and don't come back! Am I surprised their sponsor left them, no not remotely.

Moving on...

JPM out... not surprising but a shame nevertheless.  JPM back to Indycar sounds like a good move. JPM to Penske, wow, that will be fun!

Should Dillon run the 3 in the Cup Series? I can see both sides, but yes I think he should. If NASCAR were going to retire the number for good then why have we had drivers not only running "that" number but also "that" font ever since that tragic day, albeit not in the Cup Series. 3 is Dillons number now, let the kid run it and move NASCAR forward.

Have the new cars really worked? They have cetainly brought the sport back to the manufacturers as the cars now look like the same as those in the showroom., but is the racing better? Erm not sure. They can race closer together now but until the rule makers slow the cars down the racing will never be as good as it could be.

SHR moves to 4  cars!? Pardon... lets face it the move to 3 cars hasn't been a huge success.  I fear the politics behind signing Kurt could overshadow the more important stuff. Don't get me wrong, I hope SHR bounce back next year. Stewart, Harvick, and Kurt is one hell of a lineup, oh and Danica. To be fair she is still a rookie so lets give her time.. not a lot... but a bit...

Trucks on dirt... two words... huge success! Should they do it again... two more words... you bet! The slippin', the slidin', the beatin', the bangin'. Easily my highlight of the year so far!

Speaking of the Trucks, I like the look of next years Toyota Tundra. Looks more like the early Craftsman Trucks, squarer, more "stock". Looking forward to the 2014 Ford and Chevy trucks!

Nationwide Series? Too many races won by Cup regulars. I am glad NASCARs rules now mean  the Championship will won by a Nationwide driver, not a Cup regular, but I still believe more should be done to stop the Cup drivers dominating the feeder Series races. Hornish vs. Dillon sounds good, I hope Hornish gets it!

The 2013 Cup Series looks like it will come down to Johnson vs. Kenseth. Personally I would love Harvick to get it.

2014? I hope NASCAR, sooner or later, makes some changes to the schedule. As always less mile-and-a-half tracks, more short tracks. The Chase should include a, third, road course, finish at a short track, and I still say a lot of races should be shorter. 

The sport of NASCAR is in a good place, a few tweaks and it could be in a great place.

2013... A Good Year for Racing!

It occurs to me that 2013 is building up to be a vintage year for fans of motor racing.

I watched the last couple of Grand Prix and they were good... very good. I don't usually care for F1, too technical, boring drivers, ugly cars, too, well, dull. However this year we have seen not only some of the best racing I can remember seeing in F1 but some of the best racing anywhere, period. Some may say its only due to the artificial mix of tyre compounds, KERS and DRS, and the racing is not "real". Personally I say humbug! Good racing is good racing, and this year F1 has produced a show worth watching.

Long may it continue!

By the way, while we on the topic of F1, I can not help but laugh at the reaction some have when certain drivers "go racing".

Oh didums your team mate overtook you, or pushed you a bit hard or disobeyed orders or blah blah blah. This is what racing is about, if you do not like it then retire and let another young hotshot have a go.

However in 2013 F1 is not the only championship which seems to have got its "stuff" together as this years NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is producing great racing every weekend.

We had a great race at Talladega, Bristol has its magic back, and for the first time in years the cookie cutter mile and a half tracks are great to watch.

Whats the one common denominator?  The Gen 6 race cars. It is fair to say that so far this year NASCARs extensive R&D has paid off... big time. The cars look great, they look relevant, and boy are they racy!! So racy in fact that I might actually look forward to Pocono this year... anyway... this year we are seeing the drivers racing closer together and with more side by side racing than we have for years.

Again, long may it continue!

But F1 and NASCAR are not alone in producing great shows for the fans as the Indycar Series is delivering the goods as well.

I grew up more of a NASCAR and CART fan than F1 fan. The racing was better, the drivers more fan friendly, the cars better looking, you get the idea. While I have never stopped following and being a fan of NASCAR, my alegence to Indycar has waned in recent years. Aside from the Indy 500 (always a favourite occasion) I lost track of the sport once the IRL ceased to be. I used to love the close oval racing the IRL produced, and the great road races that CART at its best produced before that and I have missed this style of racing. With this in mind I have rediscovered American open wheel racing this year.

I have watched this years races in reverse order and have enjoyed them. Again cars capable of running close together and drivers making the most of it. While I was disappointed that the series did not opt for a bolder design of car when the current spec car was introduced the car has grown on me. Another race car that looks great and races well. Am I looking forward to the Indy 500? You bet!

Again, long may it continue!

 

I have also been watching this season of Australias V8 Supercars, and again, what great racing. The new rules have kept the gap between Ford and Holden close and its only a matter of time before the Mercedes and Nissans get to the front. On the topic of touring cars, in the UK the BTCC has produced some good races as well.  Once the BMWs, Toyotas and Fords are consistantly up front

with the Hondas and MGs the championship will be back where it belongs.

Good racing in 2013...

Long may it continue!

Why I Don't "Get" F1

If I was an F1 team or sponsor I might understand why team mates racing each other at the end of a race, for the win, is a bad idea, especially when the team mates in question are Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber and the team is Red Bull. If I was in charge I wouldn't want to risk them taking each other out... again.

But, I am not an F1 team  or sponsor...

I am a motor racing fan...

The last sentence contains two important words, motor and racing.

Normally I subscribe to the, Vettel is quick out front but useless in traffic, make him work for it and he goes nowhere, put him in the lead and he will bring it home theory.

Today a racing driver arrived at a racing track, his team gave him a racing car and he entered a motor race. What on earth do you expect that man to do, but RACE!!

However it appears the last of those words is not allowed between team mates at Red Bull.., or Mercedes for that matter.

Even the sports organisers and rule makers want the motors... to race. They give the drivers KERS and funny DRS wing thingies to help the drivers... race.

It says something when a podium ceremony is somber because the drivers raced each other, oh and raced well by the way. We saw Webber and Vettel pick different pitstop/tyre strategies and in the end race side by side, hard but fair and clean for the win.

What is wrong with that?

According to David Coulthard Vettel vs Webber was just "jockeying for position". Firstly that man needs a personality transplant. The first two drivers in the race go at it hard for the win with about 10 laps to go and all he can say, in his usual monotone manor is they were "jockying for position." For god sakes get animated man! I am not an F1 fan, and I knew the result of the race before I watched it, that's how much of a fan I am, but even I thought the end was good to watch! When something exciting happens, get excited!

Secondly, yes Vettel ignored a team order... give that man a medal, thank the lord, pat him on the back, halle bleedin' lujah! I hate team orders and love racing and for a change Vettel, a racing driver, at a racing track, in a racing car... went racing!

If F1 or Red Bull don't like racing, that's their problem.

As for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, team mates once again, on different strategies, nose to tail, side by side at the end of the race, hard at it for the last step on the podium... er no.

Rosberg was told to be a good little boy and follow your fuel saving, much slower team mate home, and be grateful for it. Hamilton knows that was not his podium place. Shame, Hamilton is a racer, as is Rosberg.

F1 would be a better sport if these racers were allowed to... race!

2012 NASCAR Chase Finally Gets... Lively!

Lets face it, the 2012 edition of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has not produced the most exciting racing in the sports history. In fact it is fair to say the racing has, on the whole, been dull.

To be honest the racing last year was pretty tedious too, but the season was saved by a dramatic change of form by one driver and an especially close points race. The two protagonists rarely raced side by side against each other before the final race of the year.

For me this years Chase for the Sprint Cup has lacked the on paper drama of last year and was devoid of any real on track action... Until last week.

The charge towards the top of the table by the 48 team has taken an already pedestrian year into the realms of inevitability... Until... Brad put up a fight at Charlotte. OK he lost the battle but the fight meant everything. Here was a young driver who was not going to roll over and let the all conquering giant push him around. On that day Brad Keselowski said if you want it you'll have to go through me first. The fight was tough but the line was never crossed.

Suddenly the Chase gained an edge and this time the talking point was not an on paper battle but an on track one. Now I was interested, I was excited, this is what stock car racing should be all about, not fuel mileage, not strategy, and certainly not track position. One-on-one, two wide, rubbing fenders at nearly 200mph!

Fast forward a week and battle resumed only this time it was two different drivers putting up a "fight". The racing was once again lacklustre until the very end when it is fair to say all hell broke loose. The 2 vs. 48 points battle swung in favour of the youngster in the Blue Deuce as the 48 had a bad day at exactly the wrong time, so a good day for the on paper battle. At the same a different rivalry reared its head, Gordon vs. Bowyer.

Short version, in Jeff Gordons eyes Clint Bowyer has been pushing him around all year and the contact between the two at Phoenix was the final straw... To Bowyer, the 24 just blew his chance at the Championship... Mayhem ensued... On track... And off...

With both cars in the wall and out of the race, a mass brawl in the paddock, and Bowyer sprinting towards Gordons hauler looking for a piece of the action, or at least a piece of Gordon, if nothing else it must have made for a good news story that evening and has certainly proved the drivers are passionate about the sport and the Championship, even if the racing has not always reflected this enthusiasm.

So all of this drama brings NASCARs "have at it" policy back into the limelight. How physical can drivers be, can drivers take the "law" into their own hands, how far will NASCAR let them go, and will the drivers care? How much "it" is too much?

Gordon did not hide from the fact that he took Bowyer out, in fact he told his team that was what he was doing before he did it. In a country where scripted wrestling is entertainment, and where hockey players are allowed to kick the living whatsits out of each other, why can't stock car drivers suffer from road rage at times. Don't tell me you haven't wished you could do the same to the guy driving in front of you on your way to work... Or... Did Jeff Gordon cross the line by retaliating?

For me the fact that one of the drivers involved was racing for the Championship is irelevant. Just because Bowyer was third in points does not make him untouchable. If anything he should race with the understanding that he has more to loose than others if anything happens.

So should Gordon have retaliated? Yes... Er... No... But at the same time definitely... But maybe not...

Let me try this again - Anything that puts a driver at risk is a bad idea and lets face it, even with safer cars and SAFER barriers, hitting a wall in a stock car is always a risky business.

However this is NASCAR, not F1. If you want purist racing with emotionless corporate machines as drivers, watch you average GP. If you want hard hitting, physical racing with real, emotional human beings behind the wheel watch touring cars in Europe or stock cars in the States. In the case of NASCAR this sort of incident is what the sport is based on. The cars have bumpers, and the drivers know how to use them. When the time is right you can substitute the word "cars" for "drivers" and the word "bumpers" for "fists" in the last sentence, and point still stands. If you don't like it go race Indycars!

Of course NASCAR have to be seen to clamp down on this sort of thing. This is a family sport and the idea of driving your rival off the track and then fighting about it afterwards is not what NASCAR wants to be known for in 2012, so fines and probationary periods are handed out to the relevant parties. However NASCAR is a "show" and the sport needs action and rivalries, so this is in fact exactly what the sport needs. You can imagine the sports top suits saying to Gordon, Bowyer and co. "We can't let this happen on out race tracks!" and as soon they have left the room, "Well that was good wasn't it!".

I think the sport needs more action, more side by side racing, less strategy and less importance on track position. The sport needs, and has always needed rivalries between drivers and a bad guy. If temperatures boil over every now and then, good! After all, this is not F1!

I still consider "Have at it" to be the right principle for NASCAR to be run by. Hopefully the new for 2013 cars will make the racing better and then we will have a sport worthy of the news reels.. With or without the fights!

Mid Season School Report

F1

How many different winners...

From how many races...

Alonso came from which position on the grid to win...

Late pass for the lead and lots of overtaking at Silverstone?

To steal a line from the end of the movie "Independance Day", "not bad, not bad at all!"

NASCAR

I think the phrase "must try harder" sums up this year. The two stories of the year so far have to be an overabundance of average, lacklustre racing for the most part, and Dale Jr wins ends his winless streak.

It's a good thing the restrictor plate package works so well!

The new spec car bodies debuting next year can not come quick enough!

BTCC

So far we know the new Civic is a very good car, period. We also know the MG6 is also a good car in the hands of Jason Plato... When it runs... And when Plato stops complaining...

Some really good racing this year, offset against some bizarre races where the drivers seemed hell bent on taking themselves out. The current grid format of qualifying, race 1 result gives the grid for race 2 and randomly reversing some of the front runners for race 3 is working very well.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes made to the NGTC cars for next year as the suspension gets damaged too easily when the cars race close together. Otherwise so far... So good!!

Grand Am

So far this year I have watched the Daytona 24 Hours, the Mid Ohio race and some of the Watkins Glen race... And I have enjoyed what I have watched! Good racing from the latest batch of Daytona Prototypes on some of Americas best road courses.

Keep up the good work!

Indycar

I was lucky enough to see the closing stages of this years Indy 500 but thats about it. I enjoyed Indy and from whats I read the season is going well.

Now lay off of the politics and concentrate on the product, the racing, for a while and spread the word!

Excited?

Two days...

Three events...

Three BIG events...

1 - Indy 500!

2 - Monaco GP!

3 - Coke Cola 600!

All on the same weekend...

The Indy 500 is one of my all time favourite events! A great event and a usually a great race. The venue, the prestige... This year I am especially interested to see how good the racing is with the new cars and engines... Excited... You bet!

The Monaco GP is the F1 race to watch. Not always the greatest race but always the best show. The venue, the prestige... This is Formula 1's big one! I am not the worlds greatest F1 fan but even I will admit Monaco is special. Excited... Yep!

The Coke 600 may not be the Daytona 500 or the Brickyard 400 but it  it is the longest NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the year and this makes it special!

Three big races...

One weekend...

Excited?

You should be!

Hey Good Lookin' Part 2? Not Necessarily...

Several of the newest set of Formula 1 cars have one consistant, redeeming feature..

Boy are they UGLY!

In comparison I may not have been a fan early on, but the 2012 Indycar, the DW12 is starting to grow on me...

Just like the new Daytona Prototypes...

FIA On The Defensive

Back in 1993 Nigel Mansell crossed the pond to race in the CART Series.

I seem to remember an incident at Long Beach between the British "rookie" and Al Unser Jr. The long and short of the incident; they were side by side going into the first set of corners with Mansell on the inside for the first and Unser on the outside, but the American was on the inside for the second. Little Al, the Indycar driver, stayed round the outside of the reigning F1 Champion waiting for the second corner. Mansell, the former F1 driver, drifted wide coming out of the first corner and put Unser into the one of the road corses unforgiving walls. Unser did not get to the second corner. 

Mansell, with the European mentality, took the racing line thinking it was his to take. Al Unser Jr, with the American oval racing mentality, thought he was entitled to his car width. CART and America agreed, Mansell learnt the lesson. Mansell won races on ovals and the Championship that year, Unser the next.

Now, all these years on, Formula 1 is catching up.

The FIA have clarified the rules on defensive driving in F1. The FIA wording is comically long winded but they amount to this...

Drivers can move to a defensive position, but if they want to move back before turning into the corner they must give the other driver room on the outside, and not just move over to the white line potentially forcing the following driver off the track, or causing the two to make contact.  

Let me try this again...

Give each other room!

The FIA have also stated that under a safety car all lapped cars can un-lap themselves... lucky dogs!

Following on from KERS and DRS, this is the latest step in Formula One's "racing" revolution, accepting "racing" and imposing "racing standards" into the Championship.

Back in the mid 90's with Schumacher weaving and blocking anybody who came close and getting away with it, I would never have thought this would happen.

I guess that's what they call progress.

2012 Here We Come... or... Silly Season, You Bet!!

So what do we know about 2012 so far?

Well 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart has a new Crew Chief in Steve Addington and his team has poached Greg Zipadelli to oversee all things "Competition" including Danicas Cup efforts... Sounds good...

Kurt Busch has "left" Penske and has found a ride... where? Seriously...

Penske now have 'Dinger instead of Kurt... Cool...

Smokes former Crew Chief, Darian Grubb, is now with Denny Hamlin at Gibbs...

At Daytona... Smaller rads... Bigger 'plates... Smaller spoilers... Softer springs... Higher air intakes = less tandem drafing? My breathe is held...

In F1 Raikkonen is back... Hhhmmm... We will see...

and Patrick Head retires...

Caterham... in F1? Well I never...

In Indycar... New car is good on road courses but still needs work on the ovals... Keep trying guys as you need to get it right for the sake of the Indy 500. It doesn't matter if they are slower as long as the racings good...

Kentucky off... Watkins Glen on... Pity about loosing an oval but if you have to have another road course the 'Glen is a good'un...

In BTCC... New NGTC cars being developed... Goodo...

and it's not even 2012 yet...

Excited??

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

This year I have been a very good boy. I have eaten all my greens, went to bed when I was told and have not been on the naughty step for at least a week!

For Christmas I would like...

BTCC - Lots of nice, shiny, new NGTC cars, all rear wheel drive so the cars oversteer like real race cars and not understeer like my dads boring car...

F1 - can your elfs show McLaren and Ferrari how to build a car like Red Bull as I am bored of Vettel winning all the time...

NASCAR - The two car drafting is a bit silly, and the old pack racing got a bit dull so something in the middle where the cars stay together but can still overtake would be nice...

Better racing at the mile and a half tracks as there are so many of them...

Less "fuel mileage" finishes as there were far to many of them...

Another close Chase as years was really good...

INDYCAR - A new car that drafts and races well at Indy as I really like the Indy 500...

Oh and a Buzz Lightyear...

And a Lightning McQueen...

Please

Thank you...

James
Age 3.2 going on 32.

2011 Shiftin' Gears Quotes Part 2... Others

To start the off season I thought I would review my favourite quotes from this seasons blogs... so here we go...

Part 2...

INDYCAR -

I hope, if not for the sake of the series but for the sake of the Indy 500, that the new car brings life to open wheel oval racing in America.

Congratulations to the winner of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500... DAN WHELDON!!

RIP Dan Wheldon

BTCC –

First 2011 rear wheel drive entry is... an Audi A4?? Pardon?? When was the last time you saw a rear wheel drive A4?? The BTCC NGTC specs state - "Drive-train layout (i.e. front or rear wheel drive) as per base vehicle." So much for that idea...

Good things - The new turbo engines seem to be working. Anybody can now buy an engine, put it in a car and be competitive! Lots of different cars! Bad things - The driving standards are appalling!

Two weeks ago I watched the worst of the BTCC. Rubbish driving standards with far too much shoving and not enough clean overtaking.

It appears the new spec cars are prone to terminal damage when making contact with another car. This means they will have to give each other room and race cleanly if they want to finish races! That would make a change!

We can now look forward to next season, which I hope will see all the top runners in NGTC spec turbo cars.

F1 -

…the DRS "overtaking" system (Drivers can't Race on their own System),

KERS, (the Kinda E-relvant, but the racing so dull we need to, Recover it System)

Hold the Front page... “Latest Grand Prix, NOT A Turkey!”

How much overtaking is needed in F1?? Well "any or some" would be a start!

What happens when you combine the latest line of young “racing” drivers, the most overtaking friendly F1 cars in quiet some time and the tightest, yet most prestigious “racing” venue? The answer... you get racing!

At Silverstone the track and the grandstands have separate postcodes!

Among the topics in my last post, entitled "British Grand Prix - Quick Thoughts", you will not find any mention of the Red Bull team order issue. This is because I wanted to give the issue more than a quick thought. I wanted to take the time to deliberate, consider if you will. This is the end result of those deliberations... Its rubbish, but that’s F1 for you.

Other -

Ginetta is Betta... erm Better...

I am loving the new G55‘s. They look good, sound good and race great! At last a National series I look forward to watching!

In a word Cars 2 is fun. It is entertainment that never takes itself seriously and just revels in taking you along for the ride.

British Grand Prix - Final Thought

Among the topics in my last post, entitled "British Grand Prix - Quick Thoughts", you will not find any mention of the Red Bull team order issue. This is because I wanted to give the issue more than a quick thought. I wanted to take the time to deliberate, consider if you will.

This is the end result of those deliberations...

Its rubbish, but that's F1 for you.

I have decided that I can't be bothered to take more than a passing glance at the topic as it's just not worth it. I have discussed the legality of team orders in F1 before and I disagree with team orders on all levels.

The FIA and some of the F1 teams disagree with me.

I hate team orders but in F1 they are legal so there is no discussion.

The only thought I have is a moment of pity for Mark Webber who wanted to go racing but was denied the chance by his own sport and team.

Good for you Mark, I too like motor "racing", it's just a pity you are in the wrong sport!

British Grand Prix - Quick Thoughts

The FIA giveth and they taketh away... eth...

They give the drivers KERS and DRS to help with overtaking... and then take away the chance of overtaking by handing out “causing an avoidable incident” penalties like they are going out of fashion... which they are! I agreed with Martin Brundle when he said “staying in bed” would have avoided causing an incident and the race Stewards should let them “have a go”. There is a difference between trying and failing, and taking someone out!

The pity of the penalties is that the drivers are learning to race and give each other room again. There were some really good two wide, wheel to wheel overtaking moves at Silverstone. The Stewards need to take a leaf out of NASCAR’s book and give the drivers room to race without getting penalised for trying!

All this talk of exhausts is exhausting...

Do the research, write the rules, clarify the rules, give the teams’ reasonable notice, AND GET ON WITH IT!


Silverstone, anonymous or what?

The new layout at Silverstone is dull. Dull to look at as there are no features round the circuit to give it character, and dull for racing, as the main overtaking points were on the old part of the circuit.


Binoculars now a necessity?

Usually the tarmac that is the racing surface, the bit between the white lines and the grandstands, the bit that the paying public sit in, are close enough together that the aforementioned paying public can see what is happening on the tarmac bit between the white lines. At Silverstone the track and the grandstands have separate postcodes! I could not believe how far back they have moved the stands along what used to be the old start finish straight from Luffield and down to Copse. What I can’t work out is why as that part of the track has not changed, or if it has not enough to warrant moving the public back that much.

The best thing about the new Silverstone...

What I like most about Silverstone’s deal to hold the British GP for the foreseeable future is that it leaves Donington and all other UK tracks alone. The thought of such a wonderful piece of tarmac, and such a nice place to watch racing as Donington being ruined for the sake of a Grand Prix broke my heart. At least now Britain only has one dull F1 circuit with huge run offs and no personality and not two!


Rant over... for now...

Smoke and Lewis Swap Rides!

So let me think about this...

The last time something like this occurred was when Jeff Gordon and then Williams F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya swapped rides for a day...

Well Jeff Gordon won the latest Sprint Cup race, beating among others a former Williams F1 driver...

And...

It has been reported that Lewis Hamilton has been sussing out Red Bull to see if they have any seats free for next year...

Anyone thinking what I am thinking?

Monaco

Usually the Monaco Grand Prix is more event than race, but if ever there was a year that the famous streets might create some actual racing action, the year of KERS and DRS was it.

The F1 promoters and rule makers have spent the 2011 season trying to promote and encourage “racing” and “overtaking”. However the streets of Monaco make for the least “racing” friendly circuit for the KERS and DRS cars so far.

Also in these cars are people commonly known as “racing drivers”.

So this raises the question... What happens when you combine the latest line of young “racing” drivers, the most overtaking friendly F1 cars in quiet some time and the tightest, yet most prestigious “racing” venue?

The answer... you get racing!

You get drivers like Lewis Hamilton trying to overtake, gain places, racing in the streets!

Yes, I accept the move he made at the hairpin was pushing it, a late lunge down the inside at a corner so tight that he was never going to make it, but you’ve got to admit it was good seeing them wheel to wheel, hard at it!

But when does a late lunge turn into “causing an avoidable incident”?

If you want the dictionary definition of this term you should have watched the Donington round of the BTCC earlier this year. Was Hamiltons late race move down the inside at the first corner too much? Not to me. How far alongside another car, going into a corner, does a driver have to be before he is entitled to be there? Hamilton had half a chance, and at Monaco half a chance is as good as it gets!

If you want two hours of drivers avoiding incidents at Monaco then the answers simple, don’t allow, let alone encourage overtaking!

I understand why the powers that be gave him a penalty for the hairpin incident, but the late race first corner incident... oh please.... no please... let them race!

Was it a tight move, yes. Was it a ballsy move, YES!

Am I glad F1 has drivers who are young and hungry and want to go “racing”, YES!

I do applaud the organisers for finishing the race after the red flag. Formula 1 of old would have ended the race there and then and the finish would have been a huge let down, but instead we got the chance to see the race end properly... but... since when are teams allowed to change tyres, and fix rear wings under a red flag?

While we are on the subject of things that make no sense, back to Mr Hamilton. For his first corner “avoidable incident” he was rewarded with a penalty after the race, in lieu of a drive through penalty... which didn’t change his position in the final standings. Erm, oh good, thanks for that! Re-arrange the following, time, waste, of...

Please F1, yes there is a line, but get out of the way and let the “racers” get on with it and deliver the spectacle the fans have been asking for and you have been encouraging!

"Latest GP NOT a Turkey" and "Hand Bags At Dawn"

Overtaking, wheel-to-wheel, cross-over, round the outside, three-a-breast, and pit lane battles are all terms we would usually associate with a NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington, but Formula 1 from Turkey?

Erm... YES!!

Hold the Front page... “Latest Grand Prix, NOT A Turkey!”

I have just watched the Turkish Grand Prix. I did not watch it live, I recorded the race so I could forward speedily through the dull bits. However, I watched this all of this race... full length... every lap... the whole lot... start to finish...

And it was good...

Regular readers will know that I am not the worlds greatest F1 fan.

Regular readers will know that when it comes to F1 I can come across a little on the cinical side.

It would be wrong of me, as someone who will readily critisie F1 for boring races and who will openly accuse the drivers of not being able to “race”, and as someone who has done just that, to not acknowledge that the Turkish Grand Prix was none of those things.

While I think the DRS thingy is a bit contrived and false, combined with the KERS, it made for a very good race.

With the exception of Mr M. Schumacher the drivers have remembered how to race and not just drive. They are giving each other room and driving round each other, not just into each other.

Button round the outside of the last corner, the McLarens all over each other, the drag race in the pit lane... the list goes on... all good stuff!

I might even be looking forward to the next race, but don’t tell anybody...


“Hand Bags at Dawn” or “Racing Rivalries”


At Richmond it was Montoya Vs. Newman. At Darlington it was Harvick Vs. Kyle Busch.

The winner in each case?

NASCAR!!

Sure JPM and Newman beat up two perfectly good race cars and wrecked their own chances of a good finish, let alone each others, but it WAS a short track race and this IS NASCAR!

Was Busch loose coming off turn 4? Was he ever in control of that car? Could he have done more to avoid taking Harvick out?

Yes... no... maybe... I don’t care!



The fact is that both sets of incidents made for great TV. Long may drivers get passionate about their chosen sport, and show that passion!!


After all we all know that drivers who lack passion or emotion, and are more interested in strategy than racing don’t race in NASCAR they race in Fomula 1...

Then again...

Down To The Wire

A “Good” GP!

A Grand Prix with pit stop strategy and late race overtaking!

With the introduction of DRS, the movable flappy paddle wing things, and the reintroduction of KERS, the nod to the environment slash overboost push to pass button, Formula 1 accepted the need to do something to aid overtaking.

They may be a bit false. They may be gimmicky. They may work, they may not...

They did provide us with a GP worth watching!

Overview - Red Bull badly need KERS, McLaren need more qualifying pace, Ferrari are not good enough, Rosberg is doing well, Schumacher is a waste of space, DeRista is looking good!



4 x 2 x 0.002

The second ‘plate race of 2011 was another two car draft story.

If you like the latest style of restrictor plate racing then it was a good race.

If you don’t...it wasn’t.

I kinda do, so I enjoyed it.

2011 is turning into the year of great finishes and todays was no exception!

Two deep, four wide, and first to second was 0.002 seconds!

You can’t tell me that wasn’t good!?!

British Bumper Car Championship

Good things - The new turbo engines seem to be working. Anybody can now buy an engine, put it in a car and be competitive! Lots of different cars!

Bad things - The driving standards are appalling! Most of the cars are old... I hope the teams running the new spec cars can sort out their issues and be a factor later in the year as I don’t fancy watching old Vauxhalls and Focus’s up front all year.

Come on race control, get a grip, instill some kind of respect and stop the blocking and the bump n’ run.



Ginetta is Betta... erm Better...

I am loving the new G55‘s. They look good, sound good and race great! At last a National series I look forward to watching!

Crossing Over To The Other Side

Why can I not get excited about Kimi Raikkonen testing and racing a NASCAR Craftsman Truck?

When Juan Pablo Montoya started in NASCAR I thought he was the sort of driver who could do well. He had raced in the IRL and won the Indy 500, and he had never really fitted in in F1 as he was a “racer” not a corporate “driver”. He was more likely to crash trying to overtake you than execute the perfect pit stop strategy and win.

I guess I don’t see Kimi as that sort of driver. Maybe I am being harsh. We are talking about a driver who went rallying, because he wanted too! To give him credit, he is starting out his NASCAR adventure in the Craftsman Truck series. Many non-American drivers have tried to break into stock car racing by jumping straight into a Cup or Nationwide car and then failed to learn the craft or make an impact.

If you are going to make it work you have to do your time, earn the respect. Obviously you have to learn to drive the cars, but for a driver from a “European” background you also have to learn the etiquette. Grooves are an alien concept in most European racing, especially single seaters and that includes F1. In Europe we have a racing line, not grooves, we have no idea of spotters and quite frankly not many race cars even have three pedals anymore.

So which non-American drivers would I like to see testing or racing a NASCAR Craftsman Truck?

If, like me, you are from this side of the pond, you may have a favourite short oval driver who you would like to see have a shot at the big time. You may even have a favourite ex-ASCAR or Pickup Truck driver who could give it a go, or a BTCC driver you think might make it. But in terms of F1 or other international series?

With moderns form of communication and transport the world is not as big as it used to be, however in racing terms I still believe the world to be a big place.

I believe different parts of the world have different styles of racing that work in their own markets but don’t necessarily work in other parts of the world. In the UK we like F1 and touring cars. In Australia they love touring cars too, but theirs are very different to the UK machines. The same applies to Germany. In Japan they like a different sort of racing again. Americans love NASCAR, but we are not talking about moving championships, we are talking about drivers crossing over. Drivers like Marcos Ambrose, and JPM have switched disciples successfully. Others like Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti found it much, much harder.

Would I like to see Messrs Hamilton or Button in a Cup car? No. I would rather NASCAR concentrate on developing the next generation of American stock car drivers.

I have nothing against international drivers racing in NASCAR as long as they earn their place, and as long as the series for the “good old boys” stays true to that.