In today’s round-up, Ecclestone has used the injuries he suffered in his recent mugging as part of a watch ad. More significantly, he’s hired the man believed to be the replacement for Paddy McNally at Allsport. Read on for more.
Links
Ecclestone’s bruised face in new watch ad (Top Gear)
“Both the comment and the original, untouched picture will form part of the ad, appearing in [today]’s Financial Times and International Herald Tribune for one day only (8 December).”
O2 Boss Quits For F1 Role (Sky)
“David Campbell, who has overseen the O2’s emergence as a premier destination for top music acts, live shows and sporting events, is to leave in the first half of next year, according to people familiar with his plans. I understand that Campbell is to become the managing director of Allsport Management, the arm of F1 which handles trackside advertising and sponsorship, merchandising and corporate hospitality.” He is expected to replace Paddy McNally who will retire next year.
The Highway Code Guide to 2010 (Viva F1)
An inspired idea for a review of the races!
Felipe Massa sofre acidente de barco (Lance net)
Looks like Felipe Massa has crashed his boat. Surprisingly, not into Vitantonio Liuzzi’s boat…
McLaren upbeat on 2011 car progress (Autosport)
Tim Goss: “It’s looking very good. We can’t say much about it at the moment, but Doug [McKiernan, chief aerodynamicist] and his team have done a great job of creating the aerodynamic platform for the car, and it is looking good.”
The secret of racing in the wet (Mercedes)
Michael Schumacher "I’ve always done well in the rain even though I perhaps didn’t enjoy the race very much."
(NB. No direct link available, requires login)
Evolution of the F1 species (Xtrac)
“All three new teams worked differently. With Virgin Racing Xtrac taking the internals only so they ran their own programme with assistance when required. Lotus Racing used the complete Xtrac gearbox and the common hydraulic system but again managed the programme themselves.
“However with HRT Xtrac provided engineers and technicians embedded into the team to not only oversee the programme ensuring product lifing, but also to carry out all new builds and overhauls of the gearbox and hydraulic system.”
Guide to carbon fibre (Renault)
“Is it true that carbon fibre has to be kept in the freezer before it is used? Indeed, that’s true. The resin in the fibres begins to harden when exposed to temperature – even ambient room temperatures. That’s why the material becomes incredibly hard when cooked at the high temperatures in our autoclaves. To prevent this from happening prematurely, the material must be stored in a frozen condition.”
Comment of the day
Today in tactics that will guarantee you a COTD: use an obscure word properly. Bonus points to Sergio Perez (no, not that one) for “homonymous”:
I, for example cannot rate Senna, Chandhok or Di Grassi because frankly they were driving completely useless cars. I hope they get a chance next year, and that those cars get better, at least to be half a second close in qualifying to the midfield.
As for my homonymous, Sergio Perez, I hope he delivers. Because I’m already preparing myself to be in the receiving end of the weekend Sergio Perez joke towards me here in my town??
Sergio Perez
From the forum
Guy asks about drug and dope testing in F1.
Happy birthday!
Bumper birthday fun today – happy birthdays to Rick DeNatale, Koper, James_mc, Joey-Poey and Gfasulo!
On this day in F1
The FIA World Motor Sport Council cleared the way for the return of many electronic driver aids on this day ten years ago:
The World Motor Sport Council noted the unanimous recommendation of the Formula One Technical Working Group that all restrictions on the electronic control of engines and transmissions should be removed, but confirmed the decision of the Formula One Commission that the Technical Working Group should incorporate this recommendation in a package of new measures to use electronic and other means to improve safety in Formula One. The Technical Working Group is also required to propose measures which will absolutely guarantee that there can be no additional use of electronics as an aid to competitive driving in Formula One.
Launch control, traction control and fully automatic gearchanges were legalised at the 2001 Spanish Grand Prix. The return of the technologies at the start of the season was blocked by Ferrari, who wanted more time to develop their systems.
Many of these systems have now been banned again including traction control, which went at the end of 2007.
Read more: Banned! Traction control
djdaveyp
8th December 2010, 0:02
Homonymous eh? Going to get the dictionary out myself!
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
8th December 2010, 1:10
Hononymous: having the same description, name, or term
You learn something new every day!
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
8th December 2010, 1:13
Oh blinkywinks, I misspelled it. That shows how unfamiliar I am with it! I’m surprised I haven’t come across it in a uni book actually, they love their complicated words
Maciek
8th December 2010, 1:54
Hmm, don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade or be picky, but that looks an awful lot like an adjective, so saying “my homonymous, Sergio Perez,” isn’t quite using the word properly, methinks. Maybe: namesake?
US_Peter (@us_peter)
8th December 2010, 4:28
That was my thought as well. It’s definitely an adjective. Homonym is a noun, but my understanding was that Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different spellings and/or meaning, i.e. to, too, two. I’m sure there are other definitions that aren’t in my dictionary though, and it could be one of those words that’s different in British English and American English.
Burnout
8th December 2010, 5:17
No, Peter. Too and two are homophones. Homonyms are spelled the same but don’t necessarily sound the same.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
8th December 2010, 7:13
That’s what my dictionary says…
Anagh
8th December 2010, 5:21
For those who dont know the meaning, well it means something else! :D
David BR
8th December 2010, 11:16
It’s a reverse literalism from the Spanish, homónimo, the right word in English is namesake! still, it’s how new words get invented
Alex
8th December 2010, 20:40
Homonymous hemianopia in medicine is the loss of one side of vision in both eyes. But the same side in each eye, i.e the right field of view in both eyes. Such as you would see in a stroke patient. Random fact for the day.
Lm1
8th December 2010, 0:08
Looks like the ad says ‘******** power’ under bernie at first glance. brilliant!
f1yankee
8th December 2010, 3:55
both interpretations are accurate, and probably intentional.
LewisC
8th December 2010, 11:55
Quite funny, too.
SoerenKaae
8th December 2010, 0:25
So Allsport also arrange F1 Rocks?
Victor.
8th December 2010, 0:27
Ecclestone’s advert is hilarious!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th December 2010, 0:35
Say what you will about Mr. E, he’s got a fantastic sense of humour.
Dave Blanc
8th December 2010, 1:56
Good on you Bernie. A small man but buy has a got balls and sense of humour to match!
Maciek
8th December 2010, 2:00
Well he’s got a fantastic sense of marketing, no question. I wouldn’t go beyond that.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th December 2010, 8:07
Don’t you remember the time he asked if the “cheap” replica of the Hungarian crown jewels were made in China?
He’s very quick on the uptake, our Bernie.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
8th December 2010, 2:03
Man he always makes money everywhere. & by buying a watch like that you will still run into a situation that the thing happened with Bernie can happen with you.
BasCB
8th December 2010, 6:29
That makes it a watch for the 60+ thrill seekers it seems!
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
8th December 2010, 0:40
I guess people won’t buy that watch.
“If you buy this watch, you’re gonna look like this”
or
“Want to be punched in your face, kicked in your stomach and be left by your girlfriend? buy this watch”.
It could backfire :P
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
8th December 2010, 0:47
Am I mistaken or did Ecclestone say following the incident something along the lines of “I had nothing on me worth stealing anyway”??
Well if Bernie think’s it wasn’t worth trying to steal then I won’t be buying it. I’ll get a Rolex instead
Jarred Walmsley
8th December 2010, 1:37
Actually what he said was “If I was wearing my Tag Heuer then they probably wouldn’t have bothered anyway”
Mike
8th December 2010, 4:16
How many years were Tag shelling out money to Bernie to have Tag logos on the screen?
Also, Bernie is bad ass.
David BR
8th December 2010, 11:19
That advert should come with an ‘only after you’ve had breakfast’ warning, no black pudding and fried egg for me today.
Ned Flanders (@ned-flanders)
8th December 2010, 0:43
Happy birthday to the birthday quintet! Particularly the two members whose names I recognise: Joey Poey and James Mc :)
Also, I watched the 2008 Brazilian GP review on the season DVD tonight… I always thought the Ferrari mechanic punched the wall, but no, on closer inspection he did indeed headbutt it. Funny, funny stuff!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
8th December 2010, 4:30
Yes, happy Birthdays all around.
Joey-Poey
8th December 2010, 6:33
danke! Glad I’m recognizable to the infamous Ned ;D
BasCB
8th December 2010, 6:38
I wish all off them a happy birthday as well.
It must have been a bit of an unhappy suprise for you in 2001, when the FIA realized they were not able to police the ban on driver aids, so ruled to allow them.
James_mc (@james_mc)
10th December 2010, 11:38
heers Ned! And thanks to Keith too :-)
Hare
8th December 2010, 0:51
They didn’t nick his balls though, did they? Gutsy Bernie ;)
LookingSpiffy
8th December 2010, 1:27
According to Globo, Massa wasn’t on the boat at the time.
sam crawford
8th December 2010, 2:26
Did he get ordered to move aside so Fernando could take control of it instead?
Mike-e
8th December 2010, 5:01
^ HAHAHAHA! nice one.
Himmat
8th December 2010, 5:46
I think the advert has a good sense of humour….but I do think that the picture has been dramaticezed…if you get what I mean..
Stephen Jones (@aus_steve)
8th December 2010, 5:49
My respect for bernie is going up at the same time as his reputation for being a “badass” goes up.
BasCB
8th December 2010, 7:22
Very interesting link to that Xtrac article Keith.
While we have been bashing them pretty much all year for delivering an under par product with the gearbox and even more with the hydraulics, they actually deserve respect for their acheivement.
As they say, the only good thing about the HRT during the season was, that they were reliable, probably no small part thanks to XTrac:
I never new, that they actually never planned to do the hydraulics, but rolled into it. And who would have thought Lotus more or less used the Dallarra/XTrac developed system to build the car. It gives new depth to their choise to source with Red Bull Technology now.
BasCB
8th December 2010, 7:39
I just wondered about what the Austinites are up to.
Last time we heard about them, they were quickly getting all the permits in place to break ground in December.
Come December, the news flow has died down. Anyone out there got a clue about them?
sato113 (@sato113)
8th December 2010, 8:27
its quite an off-putting advert actually. not good for hublot’s image.
respect to bernie tho.
Darren
8th December 2010, 11:59
Funny how people like Bernie and his sense of humor but I doubt he came up with the idea and I’m sure he didn’t agree to do it until the watch company flashed the cash.
Pink Peril
9th December 2010, 2:01
Trust Bernie to figure out a way of making some $$$ out of the attack…
RobR (@robr)
9th December 2010, 17:39
Don’t see what’s so funny about this ad really, Bernie wasn’t much to look at in the first place was he?