Today I’m at Rockingham watching the British F3 race – apparently Karun Chandhok is there too so I’ll see if I bump into him.
Here’s today’s round-up:
Links
Motorsport SA’s position on F1 (Motorsport South Africa)
“Dr Nyabadza shared the sentiment of millions of F1-fans that it would be wonderful to have F1 back in South Africa. He however made it clear that one of the conditions should be around the number of South Africans on the grid or at least with the opportunity, based on skill, to get there. ‘F1 enjoys very little support in countries where there is no representation. Only when we can wave our rainbow flag will there be public interest and national unity.'”
Comment of the day
Lee’s planning a trip to the season finale in Abu Dhabi:
I will be attending my first Abu Dhabi GP last year flying out from Newcastle or London possibly on my own.
Is there anyone else going on there own that would be interested in meeting up at the circuit, just for a bit of company as imagine it could be quite lonely out there on your own!
Lee
From the forum
Magnificent Geoffrey is having some fun with anagrams.
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Emerson Fittipaldi made his Formula 1 debut on this day 40 years ago at Brands Hatch.
He drove a third Lotus entered by the team alongside the regular cars for Jochen Rindt and John Miles. However, while they had the latest 72, Fittipaldi had to make do with the earlier 49.
Nonetheless he qualified 21st – ahead of Graham Hill, driving a Rob Walker-entered 49 – and brought it home eighth, two laps adrift of the victorious Rindt.
sato113
18th July 2010, 0:47
sorry lee, i’m not going. but why go to abu dhabi on your own? surely a GP closer to home would be better? (unless you’re from there)
Ads21
18th July 2010, 1:09
Great to see some retro F1, I was watching a season review of the 1970 season today and just wish they had more cameras around back then to cover it.
http://f1.f-e-n.net/index.php/url55
This website has every season review going back to 1970 and loads of Full length races from the last 20 years inculding BBC coverage for every session for the last two years. Needless to say FOM wouldn’t approve but who cares? I think its a great little archive.
Mike
18th July 2010, 1:33
http://f1.f-e-n.net/index.php/url11917
Oh my god I love you.
Are you ok with that? because it’s ok if your not, you know, I mean, I am ok if you don’t feel the same way, you know, like, I don’t mind, I just want you to be comfortable.
I miss Murry Walker :(
Mike
18th July 2010, 1:47
I’m Sorry, but Legard is dire.
http://f1.f-e-n.net/index.php/url3109
I knew what happened at the start, I’ve watched it a few times before.
But because of the commentary in part, my heart was racing and the adrenaline was definitely felt.
Legard can’t cause that excitement.
He can’t even get close.
Michael Griffin
18th July 2010, 2:28
I pray to God that a certain F1 organisation do not discover that site.
Einar AI
18th July 2010, 6:25
I fully second that.
Scalextric
18th July 2010, 7:13
My wife prays they do. I see many wasted (her opinion) evenings ahead.
Ads21
18th July 2010, 10:57
I feel the same about Legard. Watching the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix again I managed to enjoy a race without constantly cringing at the commentary. Ok Allen made the odd mistake as does Brundle but it was easy to listen to without occasional random increases in volume to abuse your ears.
The Walker – Brundle team was easily the best of all. You had Murray’s voice and style which was just perfect with Brundle there to correct his gaffes and provide great insight. Which in the early years used involve a lot of “they’re going to have to red flag that” every time there was a crash.
Ads21 (@ads21)
18th July 2010, 12:05
Oh and just looked at your link. Watched the full race on youtube about a year ago. It’s completely irrational but when Hill developed that problem my heart started racing and was still begging for him to hold on just one more lap! Its still absolutely agonising to watch and more so because its probably my most vivid and painful F1 memory from when I was little.
Mike
18th July 2010, 20:10
There are mistakes, Like yelling “It’s Schumacher!” as Schumacher’s team mate spins of into the gravel. And then there is Legard…
sato113
18th July 2010, 20:55
the streaming speed is awful on that site. still amazing selection!
Ads21 (@ads21)
18th July 2010, 21:52
yer I’ve begun to notice that, perhaps my advertising it has given it too much traffic! but it has seemed to have gotten worse over the last day and it was deffinately quicker yesterday so so it probably varies.
Mike
19th July 2010, 4:12
It has slowed down. hmmm….. I blame everyone else…
Oh by the way, I’m just watching the intro for the BBC pre race show for the first time now.
Now, actually, err, I’m going to admit something, which, to be honest I’m not entirely proud of. Which is, looking at the Silverstone pre race show, about 3 minutes in so far. I am, not close to tears, but quite moved. This is how F1 should be presented, I have to say, It actually has the feel, of the history of the sport, sort of, embedded in the film.
If they want F1 to be more popular in Australia they should be showing this. If they showed this on TV here, It would be seen by most how I see the sport, not, as a joke, which even I sometimes am fooled into thinking by our home grown presentation.
Sure when EJ came on my eyes started bleeding. (the beard!)
But comparatively speaking, I was thankful for that.
At least he didn’t start talking about the new Mercedes Badger Class of road cars or worse still, Moto GP.
And, most differently from the Australian show, They were actually explaining about the cars, what’s gone right and wrong, and why. But there was still “casual” chat, or humour, for example one of them said “it’s so rare to get this close to a car before a race” Which is what an F1 enthusiast would say!
Long post… But I think this revelation I’ve had watching the BBC pre race show for the first time warrants it. And your lucky I cut it short. So be be thankful you ungrateful fanatics…
Oh sorry I’ll add, I’m noting they are siding with Webber about the wing, But! they also explained the point of view of the other side.
Anyone in the UK want to put me up?
mail123456
20th July 2010, 12:32
it’s like that because it is intended to be used in Bulgaria :)
IDR (@idr)
18th July 2010, 8:25
Great link. Thanks so much!
Maciek
18th July 2010, 10:16
Fantastic link – though it might be a good idea not to advertise stuff like this too loudly, lest FOM get wind.
Ads21
18th July 2010, 10:58
True, but then again newnhamlea1 has uploaded most of the 2005 season with links in the forum and nobody seems to have noticed yet
Magnificent Geoffrey (@magnificent-geoffrey)
18th July 2010, 11:31
The fact that we as F1 fans have to try and resort to such ‘underground’ means to watch footage of our favourite sport in this day and age is beyond pathetic.
Thanks for that link, never come across it before myself. I think I’ll ‘fill my boots’ while I still can…
dsob
18th July 2010, 17:18
Well, another “underground link” then … http:/justin.tv
Select the “Racing” link at the main page and see what channels are broadcasting…usually at least 2 F1 channels….and the “F1 Legends” channel is brilliant!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
18th July 2010, 1:27
Wow! Lee is going to Abu Dhabi last year? I’m so jealous, I’ve always wanted to time travel.
Scalextric
18th July 2010, 2:10
On this day Pre-F1: July 18 1948: Juan Manuel Fangio raced in his first European GP in France at the Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France in Reims.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhAdtr-WhD8
Hamish
18th July 2010, 7:50
15 years ago yesterday the great man passed away.
Hamish
18th July 2010, 8:54
Sorry to repost but I found something interesting about that man:
He returned to the spotlight in 1994, when he publicly opposed a new Province of Buenos Aires law denying driver’s licences to those over 80 (which included Fangio). Denied a renewal of his card, Fangio reportedly challenged Traffic Bureau personnel to a race between Buenos Aires and seaside Mar del Plata, a 400 km (250 mi) distance, in two hours or less, following which an exception was made for the five-time Grand Prix champion.
Brilliant
bosyber
18th July 2010, 9:27
That’s great stuff Hamish!
Prisoner Monkeys
18th July 2010, 2:53
Oh, God: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=377883&FS=F1
This is absolutely brilliant: Durango have confirmed they’re working with Villeneuve. So, this is basically what their bid is: a washed-up singer-songwriter who has been trying to make a comeback for at least a year lends his name to a bankrupt, wannabe GP2 team with a nam straight out of A CLOCKWORK ORANGE and who have been investigated for tax evasion and fraud, whose time in GP2 was marked by frequent rushed repair jobs of an Andrea Moda quality that ignored the rules and with rumours that they’ll be running a redundant and obsolete 2010 car purchased from Toyota. The only way this could be any more awesome would be if the team’s second driver was a certain DTM pilot who was and still is desperate to escape his brother’s shadow. And if they came up with some super-pretentious “boutique” name, like Villeneuve Racing by Durango, possibly with a certain Serbian who has a limited command of the English language and a name like a James Bond villain as team principal. There is no way this can end well.
Somebody has to let this team in – even if their main rivals for the place are some Epsilon Euskadi/Prodrive/ART super-conglomerate (ProART Euskadi?) – just so that we can have some hilariously-inept team to entertain us when the races get boring.
adam mason
18th July 2010, 4:02
yeah I hope it works out for J.V but he,s always seemed pretty cool.
Prisoner Monkeys
18th July 2010, 4:16
Oh, I don’t want the team to enter so that JV can have another bite at the cherry – I want the team to enter because it sounds like such a farce that they’ll be equal parts hopeless and hilrious.
bosyber
18th July 2010, 9:29
I think that it has to be between this entry and Stefan GP if you are going for comedy!
Villeneuve must be either desperate, delusional, or in possession of very well laid plans and finances to go ahead with this.
Prisoner Monkeys
18th July 2010, 9:33
I’d say delusional. There’s some weird perception that he was a great driver, and I just don’t get it – he scored more points in 1998 than he did for the rest of his career. I don’t know how that translates into being one of the all-time greats, but if you want to be a part of the Autosport forums, he’s one of the two drivers (the other being Kimi Raikkonen) that you’re not allowed to say a word against.
adam mason
18th July 2010, 10:59
raikkonen,s got nothing on J.V
Scribe (@scribe)
18th July 2010, 12:52
Maybe, if there going for a record, Durango can buy out HRT’s entry.
BasCB
18th July 2010, 17:14
Then name the team with some acronym and have Sakon and Jaques driving the cars! Sounds good, they’l go for WDC in year one (where have we heard this before?)
Maciek
18th July 2010, 13:31
Autosport forums aside, he did win the CART championship, the Indy 500 and F1 WDC… I don’t know about all time great, but he certainly received more than his fair share of flak.
Villeneuve’s biggest impediment was (is?) his ego and bad choice of friends – he started the BAR project with Craig Pollock, a man who looked slimier than Bernie, and then was unable to admit that the project was a bust, or that younger drivers could be just as good if not better than him.
But that doesn’t take away from the raw talent he displayed in the first half of his career.
Scribe (@scribe)
18th July 2010, 18:01
It’s weird but as a world champion Villeneuve truly underacheived. Ah well, what would have been more interesting would have been if Damon had stayed at Williams. Then we’d have got his true worth.
Spud (@)
18th July 2010, 13:46
If this is true, Villeneuve is clutching at straws in a big way.
That is all.
BasCB
18th July 2010, 17:16
Looking forward to comic relief? It might go a little bit Tom Walkinshaw at the end of the whole Saga.
We all know Villeneuve has great experience of building up a F1 team, and Durango’s experienced in succesfully running a racing team as well, look at their record in GP2.
KNF
18th July 2010, 3:23
Hi Keith, if you do meet up with Karun, maybe you can find out how many races does he have to sit out while Yamamoto drives that HRT, “digging deeper” would be a plus…
Also if F1 ever returns to South Africa, I can only imagine the horror of a million vuvuzelas drowning out the V8s…
James
18th July 2010, 11:18
His contract probably forbids him from talking about that.
bananarama
18th July 2010, 12:16
Probably, but one can try.
GeeMac
18th July 2010, 5:32
Hi Lee, I recently relocated to Dubai, so I am planning on going to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I’m excited to finally get a chance to go to my first race despite having been an F1F for nearly 20 years!
The race will probabbly be a hopeless bore, but we live in hope!
Scribe (@scribe)
18th July 2010, 12:54
I don’t know about that, the track doesn’t produce the worst racing ever. An it might be were the title’s gets wrapped up so, you never know. Drama? probably.
GeeMac
18th July 2010, 15:12
That’s what I’m hoping for. The championship is so thight at the moment it may well go down to the wire, in which case it would be great to see a WDC on his victory lap….
GeeMac
18th July 2010, 15:14
“thight”… epic spelling fail.
perveze7
18th July 2010, 9:34
Hi lee & geemac,
I’ll be going to Abudhabi GP . See you guys at the circuit.
GeeMac
18th July 2010, 15:13
I’ll be holding up a big sign saying “Hi perveze7”. ;-)
BasCB
18th July 2010, 17:12
Would be great if the 3 of you can give a first hand view of what it is like.
Have fun there!
Calum
18th July 2010, 12:57
Timo Glock was on motogp grid walk, bbc2. The motogp race is also in Germany but it is at sachsenring, not nurburgring
Ads21
18th July 2010, 16:35
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/07/marko-where-would-webber-be-without-red-bull/
Marko causing more trouble at Red Bull
dsob
18th July 2010, 17:38
Marko is an idiot. Where would RBR be without Webber is a more pertinent question. (Include Coulthard on that as well.)
Marko is an idiot. He forgets who developed the car for RBR. He forgets who made it possible for the Great White German Hope to step into a truly competitive car.
Marko should be on his knees kissing Webber’s as…oops….feet. Truly.
Marko points out that it is Vettel’s car that always breaks. OK. That should tell Marko that if indeed the cars are totally equal, Webber is the better driver.
Marko is an idiot. Did I say yet that Marko is an idiot?
RBR would not now be where they are without Webber & Coulthard having developed the car. Vettel is a beneficiary of others knowledge and effort, and it irks me that the boy never acknowledges this, and constantly whines when things are not his way…and that he is not man enough to admit it when he has made a mistake.
And it irks me that RBR make out like Vettel is perfect and that in any conflict Webber is at fault. They have forgot who brung them to the dance. Shame on you, RBR.
Good luck with your golden boy, Marko. Methinks he may yet make you regret your support of him.
BasCB
18th July 2010, 17:45
I think there is really something wrong in RBR. Horner keeps denying he gets instructions to have Vettel as nr. 1. But then Marko clearly bashes Webber (as he did before), maybe understandably with his past guiding of Vettel, but very damaging for a top running team.
And Marko is close to Mateschitz, so it must go totally bang some time in the close future.
This team clearly needs another couple of years close to the top to be a real top team.
dsob
18th July 2010, 18:04
Thing is, with all I said earlier, I can actually inderstand Marko’s reactions. Marko has brought Vettel up, groomed him for F!, and like any mother, he will promote and defend his child with a passion.
any perceived threat to his babu will be met with extreme unction. The bad thing here, and now agreeing with your comment, BasCB, there IS something wrong in RBR. They can’t decide who is really running the team. They need to do so, and soon.
Suggestion for Mateschitz: Muzzle Marko, go sit down after that and let Horner truly exercise full authority over the team(I do rate him as a good manager if his hands are not tied), and have a REAL “no favorites” policy. Then the cream will rise to the top. And RBR will have a fair shot at realizing their potential.
BasCB
18th July 2010, 19:26
Fully with you there (both on Marko and Horner).
Vikas (@vikas)
18th July 2010, 18:35
Well said dsob… :)
John H
18th July 2010, 19:50
Marko, in his nonsensical way does make a little point though… I was surprised with Webber washing his pants in public to be honest at the end of the race, it wasn’t exactly professional adult behaviour (imagine doing something similar in your job in front of all your colleagues).
Yes, Aussie grit, and all that crap. But there’s a limit and then it becomes, well, a little stupid.
Steph90 (@steph90)
18th July 2010, 21:11
Webber probably would have been wiser to keep his mouth shut but personally I love a good comeback and a bit of drama :P I can’t really blame Mark either as he wouldn’t have been at his calmest after a race that he’d just won and a tense weekend. I think he probably regrets it now but heat of the moment and all that
BasCB (@bascb)
18th July 2010, 21:48
So what do you make of the story i heard, saying Mark’s press talk and after race words (not signing the contracts under these conditions and not bad for a 2. driver, etc.) were on advice from Flav.
The target being, that he has signed for 8 million, but with the public behind him and a shot of going for the title maybe they could push to get closer to 20 million? (this is coming mainly from the German press though).
Not bad for a fight back, eh! Still Mark is driving amazingly and makes for good one liners.
iBlaze (@)
18th July 2010, 18:11
“Today I’m at Rockingham watching the British F3 race – apparently Karun Chandhok is there too so I’ll see if I bump into him.”
I was also there today. Some cracking F3 racing I must say, especially in the second of the races – 5 drivers nose-to-tail fighting for 2nd place at one point – great stuff! I just kept mis-hearing that “Felipe Massa” was leading the race whenever the trackside commentators were talking about Brazilian driver Felipe Nasr.
I have to say I was impressed with the marshalls too – they managed to clear a first lap incident involving 6 cars with just 2 laps under the safety car. I’ve often heard it said that Britain has some of the best marshalls in the world and that was definitely evident today.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
18th July 2010, 19:24
Yeah I was planning to Tweet a lot from the event but yesterday was my stag night and I lost my ‘phone :-(
BasCB
18th July 2010, 19:27
Good to hear you survived the stag night Keit!
Cari Jones (@cari-jones)
18th July 2010, 21:15
Oh dear… Hope your best man was kind to you.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
19th July 2010, 16:38
Yeah he couldn’t overdo it as he had to get up early to do the circuit commentary at Rockingham!
mr. t
20th July 2010, 19:42
All the best for your wedding :D
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
19th July 2010, 16:38
Yes I saw Nasr racing at Silverstone last year and I had the same problem. Good to see him finally win one he’s not had a great start.
BasCB
18th July 2010, 20:02
Seems the drivers themselves think the best current driver is Alonso (anonymous answers to Germany’s Bild)
Found it in Czech quality papers, link below (translated):
http://translate.google.cz/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=cs&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fsport.ihned.cz%2Fc1-44973820-nejlepsi-pilot-f1-jezdci-si-mezi-sebou-vybrali-alonsa&sl=cs&tl=env
BasCB
18th July 2010, 20:28
The last part of it is nice, it’s about the best looking women in F1. A French TV reporter was first, then Hamilton’s friend Nicole Scherzinger.
Ten pilots voted to their own partner, Red Bull and Valencia hosesses.
But the nicest one was this, wonder who said it:
Thanks Mark!
BasCB
18th July 2010, 20:52
James Allen moderated on radio with Irvine and Adam Cooper (and Chris Rea, not sure where he came from for F1). The whole show is over 2 hours.
Pretty nice interview with Horner (nothing really new, but Irvine has nice questions), Ian Philips as well as Karun Chandhok (about 47 minutes in) answering about his drive and the team. Seems Chandhok is pretty OK with the decision. A shame they did not ask him what are the chances of him getting back into the car soon.
http://www.talksport.net/shows/show.asp?showId=101139&id=111468&c=100085&sCatType=shows
RemynRay
19th July 2010, 21:00
Pasted in ……… F1 enjoys very little support in countries where there is no representation…….. bla bla bla
I heard a similar remark from King Bernie a while back and as then I now find this remark utterly ridiculous. American drivers have been very few and far between but many of us have been fans in spite of who or where the drivers or teams come from as long as the racing is good and the cars are interesting……. I like some of my friends have been fans since the F5000 days and beyond. Thanks, R & R