F1 Fanatic round-up: 6/10/2010

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The deadline is 3am (British time) on Saturday morning.

Here’s today’s round-up:

Links

Rules barring motor races on public roads may be eased (BBC)

Obviously I’m all in favour but the government should pay more attention to protecting existing racing circuits from onerous and unfair noise restriction regulations.

Ferrari explain the logistical challenge of flyaway races (F1 Fanatic on Youtube)

The Secret Life of Kamui Kobayashi (F1.com)

He says his most embarrassing mistake was “this year in Canada on my first lap.” Remember to tell us about yours here.

Red Bull accounts reveal massive F1 spend in 2009 (Adam Cooper)

“The title campaign, and specifically the requirement to build a double diffuser after the start of the season, contributed to the fact that the team spent more than in 2008. However a leading team source insists that the bulk of any increase reflects not so much the cost of competing, but the cost of success, and actual operating costs were less.”

F1 Austin organizers miss track design deadline (Austin Business Journal)

It’s a couple of days old, afraid I missed this one first time around.

Comment of the day

The questions over HRT’s driver line-up for this weekend has Red Andy reaching for the rule book:

I can’t remember when the rule came in but it has definitely been in force for some years (obviously post-2001).

It’s in the Sporting Regulations, Article 19.1a:

"During a season each team will be permitted to use four drivers ?? Additional changes for reasons of force majeure will be considered separately."
Red Andy

From the forum

Now that Sauber have signed Sergio Perez for 2011, what happens to Nick Heidlfeld? Share your thoughts on Prisoner Monkeys’ thread in the forum.

Site updates

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to gaston_pdu!

On this day in F1

Alain Prost won his first world championship on this day 25 years ago by finishing fourth in the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.

It sealed his first title having narrowly missed out in the previous two seasons. He lost to Nelson Piquet by two points in 1983, and then to team mate Niki Lauda by half a point – the narrowest winning margin ever – in 1984.

The race also saw the first F1 win for Nigel Mansell – and a controversial tangle between Ayrton Senna and Keke Rosberg. Mansell took the lead when Rosberg emerged from the pits with the leaders bearing down on him and got in Senna’s way in revenge:

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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51 comments on “F1 Fanatic round-up: 6/10/2010”

  1. That Austin news is slightly disturbing. Hopefully they’ll still break ground in December, but if I were a financial backer I would want it in writing that it was approved by the FIA before any of my money were spent. Hope this doesn’t end the whole project before it’s even started.

    1. Actually, the articles on the subject make it pretty clear that the deadline was self-imposed. They can apparently sumbit it any time between now and this time next year.

    2. Reading the article, it’s nothing really. The organisers set this deadline for themselves but they are not required to submit the design until well into 2011.

      1. Yeah it’s not really a big deal, I don’t think. As long as the circuit owner keeps paying the invoices, there’s a pretty good chance that Tilke GmbH will still be working of the design, and the drawings.

      2. But setting yourself a deadline, then not meeting it and keeping quit about the why of that does not sound like being in control of what your doing.

        On the other hand, i suppose the Comission had quit a lot to do with discussing the latest developments in India with the Games and all as well as having to decide weather to give Korea another bit of time to possibly make it this year.

        1. But neither the designers or the circuit owner have any obligation to disclose to the public (or to the FIA for that matter) that they missed a self imposed target date. No doubt there are regular meetings between all the stakeholders (which the FIA is not), and no doubt they are all aware of the passing of a self imposed target date. The FIA is simply an approval authority. The stakeholders probably had the good sense to hold off submitting anything, until everything is ready. Last thing they want to do is submit half baked plans and get them rejected.

          Also I imagine if things get tight, they’ll start building at risk. I imagine there’ll be some pretty extensive bulk earthworks to chew through, so that’ll take a couple of months, and then by then the design will probably be approved anyway.

  2. Could this result in a British street race soon? A night race in London sounds very exciting or even one in Cardiff or edingbrugh and we could then have an English grand prix and a welsh/Scottish grand prix. The fanbase is already in place and I think we could sell out both grand price with the fanbase we have in Britain. We had a Luxemburg and a San Marino grand prix so why not?

    1. Formula 1 is exotic. Formula 1 has prestige. You know what I think of when I hear “Welsh” and “Scottish”? Galoshes. And no matter how sexy you make those galoshes, they are still galoshes.

      1. PM – how about taking the condescension down a notch, ey?

      2. That’s why there will be a Korean Grand Prix. Posh.

    2. I bloody well hope not. Monaco is usually dull as dishwater but whilst it was the only street race (not for very long, I know) it was something interesting. Now we have Valencia and Singapore with Rome coming up too.

      Besides, living in London I can tell you there’ll be nothing but moaning from the locals about noise, cost, etc. with the whole project going massively over-budget and the end product’s standard being short of what was promised. The organisers will promise it will bring jobs to the local economy and then half of the people hired will come from out of London. The directors behind it all will be paid over-inflated sums and get virtually nothing done. Then everyone will forget about it for the weekend, have a great time, proclaim they were always behind it and what a great symbol for modern Britain the race is, before writing to the newspapers to have the funding cut because it’s too noisy and disrupts their travel plans for one weekend. And that’s if the Tube doesn’t go on strike too.

      1. LOL. That sounds very much like how all big events are planned in the Netherlands, and Germany, too.

    3. The Cars would freeze in Scotland, and be under water in Wales. The British Grand Prix needs to stay at Silverstone, there are few enough decent tracks on the calendar as it is.

  3. Does anyone else feel that all these street races are actually detrimental to motor sport? I hope these changed laws don’t have a negative effect on the U.Ks great tracks.

    I grew up in Adelaide, home to the F1 and V8 Touring cars street races, and every year the state government spends millions of dollars building and tearing down a race track, yet does little for grass roots motor sport.

    There is one, rather average, remote track, and they have knocked back proposals for other motor sport parks in other parts of the city.

    Yet then they act outraged when people race on the street, and introduce draconian anti-hoon legislation.

    From afar the U.k seems to have a great, track based motor sport culture, it would be a shame to let it go to waste for the sake of another bland street race.

    1. The difference is that motorsports is controlled racing. The people who spectate and race know full well of the danger they put themselves in, and the drivers are all professionals. When it comes to hooning and street racing, though, the drivers are anything but professional racing drivers, and there is a serious risk of injury and/or death to anyone who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You just can’t reasonably compare them.

      1. I’d think that dying negates the status of any injuries you have obtained. I mean injuries will hardly matter to one if one dies, hence there cannot really be a ‘serious risk of injury [i]and[/i] death’, for apart from describing the physical state of an individual, ‘death’ stands in contrast to life, and being alive is the state in which injuries matter. So whilst they’re not exclusive (one can obtain injuries and die), there is no significance whatsoever to any sort of physical injuries in the state of death. This is not to say that injuries cannot cause death, but again, if they do, the latter state supersedes the former in importance, and hence makes the statement that there is a ‘serious risk of injury and death’ pointless.

        1. How do you make italics work?

          1. Pointy brackets, not square ones. If you look immediately above the comment box you will see!

            Easy!

      2. Excuse me, but where did I condone street racing?

        My point was that illegal street racing is such a huge problem in South Australia because of the lack of infrastructure.

    2. I agree magnaf07. Temporary street circuits benefit the major race series, but do nothing for grass roots guys, and motor sport needs grass roots racing, it’s the grass roots guys that make motor racing what it is.

      As for why you’d want to hold a street race in the UK, is beyond me. To me it seems like there is a plethora of good quality circuits to race on. Being an Australian, I suspect most Aussies are jealous at the number of motor racing circuits in the UK. I live in Queensland, which is about 7 times larger than the entire UK, and we have three permanent circuits (one of which is only used for track days), and two temporary circuits.

      1. Actually the main driver behind this is not racing but rallying and hill climbing. Even if the change of law is passed I do not envisage many street races happening other than as support for special events, we have sufficient good quality circuits. But Rallying at all levels has had many potential closed road events that have the support of local councils as have some of the ‘classic’ hill climbs but most have been impossible to stage because of the current law. Only the Tour of Mull and the Festival Stages in rallying and Kop Hill in hill climbs seem to been able to overcome the current obstacles.

        Personally I’d love to see some tarmac stages mixed in with the forests on Rally GB.

  4. Love the Kobayashi interview! Such a legend.

    1. Q: Name five things that you hate?
      KK: Carrots, cold, dirt.

      He’s either run out of things he dislikes or counting’s just not his strength. ;)

  5. Love the Senna vid! The Williams pit crew looks like a bunch of blokes who wandered in on the way home from the pub and decided to “have a crack at this formula one lark”, I’m sure there’s a guy with a Haynes manual in there somewhere :)

    No blue flags in those days, huh?

    1. Haha well said! Was just thinking the same thing about the pits and flags myself though by the sound of it, I think Rosberg would still have held Senna up anyway and just taken a penalty or DSQ. Great clip, thanks!

  6. Oh, and the whole concept of building a housing estate next to a race circuit that’s been there for 60 years and then imposing stupid noise limits because of complaints from the residents makes me mad too. The fun police at their very worst.

    1. Know how you feel, these are the same people who build on a flood plain then complain when it floods..

    2. Jarred Walmsley
      6th October 2010, 10:27

      There is a new track in Hamilton, New Zealand called Hampton downs where apartments are located track side and the owners also get track time when races are not on and obviously free viewing of all races at the track, sounds like a motorsports fans dream huh.

      The 450ha development also includes an industrial park, events cafe, motor lodge, lifestyle blocks, 80 trackside apartments and convention centre (re-located Britomart Pavillion) and the track is already booked out 5 days a week for driver training and various industry promotions. Currently in construction is a purpose built skid pan, pit building, hospitality suites, SUV Course, Jet Sprint Course, Paint Ball Arena, Commando Course, Corporate Karting Circuit, Business Park, Business Apartments (with 7-car garages) and a national Museum.

      The track has been certified for FIA Level 2 usage, so potentially could be made to F1 standard in a few years, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Downs_Motorsport_Park ,if anyone’s interested in having a look

  7. Kimi Raikkonen isn’t happy with Renault and has ruled out racing for them completely:

    Angry Raikkonen rules out F1 return with Renault

    Kimi Raikkonen has broken his silence to scold Renault and reveal he will not be joining the Enstone based Formula One team in 2011.

    Team chiefs Gerard Lopez and Eric Boullier have said numerous times in recent days that the 2007 world champion, who switched to world rallying at the end of last year, is a candidate to race alongside Robert Kubica next season.

    Boullier told F1’s official website this week that despite being unsure if the Finn is sufficiently motivated to return to the sport, his interest is flattering.

    “Yes it is because it shows that the work we’ve done this season is noticed and that we are considered a challenger for the championship in the future,” said the Frenchman.

    But Raikkonen, 30, has angrily revealed he will not be driving for Renault in 2011.

    “I am very disappointed with the way they have used my name for their marketing,” the former McLaren and Ferrari driver is quoted in Finnish by Turun Sanomat newspaper.

    “I have never seriously considered driving for Renault, and I can assure you 100 per cent that I will not be driving for them next year,” Raikkonen added bluntly.

    He said his management contacted Renault once “weeks ago and that is all”.
    http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=390017&FS=F1

    Game over.

    1. Funny that he has waited until now to tell the world how angry he is with Renault “using his name for their marketing”. I’ll bet you anything they told him he’d have to prove himself and he balked.

      1. I’ll bet you anything they told him he’d have to prove himself and he balked.

        I suspect as much. Nobody likes having their motives questioned. Either that, or he doesn’t like the way Renault have said Petrov is their first choice and they’ll keep the Russian if he lives up to expectations. Or it might be as simple as not liking the offer made. There’s probably a dozen reasons for it, but they all have the same effect – they push it onto Renault.

        Perhaps the most interesting question now is who will replace Petrov if Renault decide to drop him. I can’t imagine they’d take Nick Heidfeld, since it seems Kubica doesn’t want to work with him again.

        1. It does seem a bit of an over-reaction. Assuming the quote is accurate.

          1. Well, I’d be pretty upset if someone was using my name to try and get sponsors – especially if I was interested in the team, but waiting for them to make more contact.

    2. Because he had no idea whatsoever that Renault might mention that he had contacted them.

      1. One take on it was that was Renault simply contacted Kimi about a possible drive for 2011. Even if he had replied nothing, Renault could have then (rather misleadingly) said to the media ‘we have been in contact with Raikkonen’ so maybe we all just got a bit excited.

        1. Except it was Raikkonen (or at least his representatives) who initiated contact.

      2. @Prisoner Monkeys:

        Ummm, I guess I can’t use your name to market a special “I know it all” iphone app then?

  8. Happy birthday to gaston_pdu from me, enjoy it :-)

  9. Wow, I thought I had spotted a mistake, there, Keith, with you mentioning Nigel Mansell’s first Grand Prix victory. I had a Lotus win in my mind for Mr Mustache, actually, but it appears that indeed Mansell needed 75 Grands Prix before he took the chequered flag.

    1. Nope – hence the quote the sadly departed Peter Warr is best remembered for: “Nigel Mansell will never win a Grand Prix as long as I have a hole in my ****”.

      Mansell went on to win 31 Grands Prix, more than any other driver bar Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.

      1. Although Alonso is within reach of at least tying that record some time next year or the year after… No other current drivers are anywhere close.

  10. You tell em Kimi!

  11. That video is a perfect example how a TEAM should operate.No coded radio messages in those days. Just 2 intelligent racers who knew Exactly what was expected of them and knew Exactly what to do. Compare that with the bleating bunnies of today! Perhaps if Nico could grow a mo like Keke and Nige the balls out racer might just emerge?

  12. HounslowBusGarage
    6th October 2010, 13:14

    Not a response to anything on the round-up today, but does anyone know the state of play with the Korean Grand Prix?
    I know the FIA inspection is October 11, but has there been any further information from the race organisers themselves?

    1. I have no idea really but F1lite has just tweeted that the organisers have said it is “98%-99% complete”.

  13. Massa to Sport-Bild: “I don’t want to be another Barrichello.”

    So probably next year Ferrari will have to choose a new driver, and they’ll have to choose him very carefully.
    Will they bet on a real title contender (aka Kubica) or on a good henchman (best situation for Alonso)?
    Massa’s a very good chap, but he’s too inconsistent for a real title challenge. Even in 2008, he lost a lot of precious points in the first GPs that cost him his first WDC. At the same time, I don’t want him to be Alonso’s armour-bearer, he doesn’t deserve this.

    1. Lewis was pretty inconsistent in 2008 too but I do agree he needs to cut out his wild ways. That said, he’s been consistent this year just generally off the pace and he was in fine form for 2009 but then he did miss half the season.

  14. The korean journal “The Korea Times” reveal Yeongam circuit is almost finished, according Kim Jae-ho, KAVO general manager for marketing and communication.

    The construction of the venue is now 98 to 99 percent complete. Before the inspection the only thing left to do is working on the surface of the track. The inspection team may put first priority on safety and appropriateness of the racetrack ahead of other factors such as cleanliness and makeshift stands.

    The final work on the racetrack started Tuesday and will take about six days, including three days to cure the asphalt.

    http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/sports/2010/10/136_74047.html

    1. Take careful note of the words “cleanliness” and “makeshift stands”.

      The most illuminating part of the article is saved for last;

      “Frankly speaking, we have little experience in building racetracks. …,” Kim said.

      We would have never known…

      “The Grandstand — the main stand — has a capacity of 13,000. And the spectators will see the race from the closest seats. I’ve been to other circuits in the world. But objectively, the Korean GP venue offers the closest view.”

      Does this mean that only the grandstands have been completed?

      I live in Korea, and I can’t get a straight answer anywhere, in English or Korean.

      I don’t have time to drive there, but the absolute absence of ANY current official photos truly worries me.

      And now I see that Austin, Texas, missed its ow self-imposed deadline for submitting the track design, and they are thinking of breaking ground BEFORE they get F.I.A. approval…

  15. HounslowBusGarage
    6th October 2010, 22:35

    Chris, you don’t sound terribly confident . . . It’s got to be ready on time. It will be.

    1. Chris Yu Rhee
      7th October 2010, 0:01

      I’m not, but knowing that they’ve (the FIA) let it go this far, I can’t imagine that it’ll be canceled, excepting something major being wrong. It’s now just a question of how “ugly” it’s going to be.
      I would have pulled the plug on the approval a long time ago.
      Probably too much money (and too many reputations) involved for the FIA to do that this late in the game.

      Again, if someone had been a little more open about the approval process, the daily reports to the FIA, progress photos, etc., they could’ve gotten a lot more free publicity as well as instilled a lot more confidence in the public.

      By being so silent, the doubts in my mind-and everyone else’s-have festered.

Comments are closed.