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!

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!

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!

It's a Numbers Game... Number two in at number one... Double Zero up front, 4 corners make all the difference, and roll on 2012...

Well done Mark Webber!!

What planet is Sebastian Vettel from??

Red Bull are doing a good job on track this year, taking the fight to McLaren, but off track they are a mess. Firstly they try to blame Webber when Vetter took them both out a few weeks ago, and now the front wing PR mess up.

Vettel gets annoyed when Webber gets a better start than him and stays down the inside going into the first corner. His interview after the race was a joke. Its called "racing", Sebastian.

The best things about the GP... firstly watching Webber get one over Vettel, and then seeing the BBC guys grill Horner afterwards. They were not going to let up, and good on 'em.

The guy I feel sorry for the most was the Sutil, the Force India driver who spent the last part of the race defending from Vettel. Vettel should have walked passed the Force India, but he seemed to find it hard work. The only way Vettel managed to get passed Sutil was to run into him. Not a convincing drive, unlike his lap one save when his tyre went, which to be fair, was good.

Liked the new Silverstone layout though. I am not a Silverstone fan, too flat, too wide, too dull, but the new section has changed my opinion. It seemed challenging, fast in places, but also created a couple of overtaking opportunities. It gave the run into the old complex a new lease of life as well, with Brooklands and Luffield now another genuine overtaking point. The bumps made life interesting, watching Hamilton in an normally loose car struggle, getting a bit crossed up over them was good fun while it lasted. The bumps need to be smoothed but they did make life interesting.

Also... Well done to David Reutimann for winning the Cup race at the weekend. Not the most dramatic of Cup races, but good to see the 00 win a race "for real". 2010 is building up to a great Chase race. The question is, does the 48 have anything in reserve, waiting to turn it on once the Chase begins, or have others closed in on him. Who would I like to win? Is it flippant to say anyone other than the 48?? I would love Kurt Busch to be up there, or would want Harvick to hold on, but hey had better bring it to the 48, or they may find JJ running away with it... again...

Also also... The Indycar Series have announced that Dallara will supply the new chassis from 2012, and it will have a variety of bodywork options to give the cars different looks. I was a fan of the DeltaWing concept, but the Dallara looks like a nice middle point between the current generation car and the extreme DeltaWing idea. Can't wait to see a new lease of life breathed into the series and the Indy 500.