In the round-up: The United States Grand Prix plans suffer a setback according to local reports.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
F1 funding pulled from Senate budget (Austin News)
“State Senator Dan Patrick said Friday that he made the move to pull a $25 million incentive package to assisted the development of the planned Formula One race track in east Travis County because it suggested the state’s priorities are out of whack.”
Chinese Grand Prix – Conference 3 (FIA)
Lewis Hamilton: “Clearly the last race showed how important it is to have fresh tyres during the race. Obviously we would have a used option if we are doing a three stop. In the last race I only had two options I could use and then I had a new prime and an old prime. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of fresh tyres so we are in quite a strong position. I have got the options I just qualified on, a new set of options and a new set of primes and a very decent set of options again.”
Bernie talks to German prosecutors (Adam Cooper)
“I am confident that when the full facts have been established, I will be exonerated of blame for any wrongdoing.”
Williams set to drop new diffuser (Autosport)
“We got a lot of data this weekend from Rubens. He went straight into qualifying with a different aero set-up and I’m not sure we want to do that again because in Istanbul we will have the new front wing, new rear wing, new brake ducts, diffuser [modifications].”
Whitmarsh: F1 needs to engage more with commercial right holder (Grand Prix)
“F1 is used to going to new venues that don’t really understand F1 but we are not good at promoting our sport in new territories. We have fantastic worldwide TV audiences but we have to work harder at the circuits. You’d struggle to find much promotion in downtown Shanghai and we have to do more.”
Lewis Hamilton hits back at claims he was ‘groomed’ for F1 (The Guardian)
“People always said I was the best-prepared driver ever as I was groomed and all that crap. It was absolute rubbish. I was given an opportunity in the different categories and I had to win in those categories before I moved on.”
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
Bigbadderboom reads the start of the race:
I really don’t think the Red Bull has seven-tenths of race pace, and it would be interesting to see what Vettel has really got if Jenson can jump him at the start, we’ve not really seen Vettel under pressure yet, the car has given him a comfort zone, but if he gets away first then he will be long gone before Jenson can activate the Drag Reduction System.
Bigbadderboom
From the forum
Tomc suggests an alternative to DRS.
Site updates
Apologies to those of you who are still experiencing the page loading problem. It is still being worked on although obviously the race weekend has limited the progress that can be made.
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
The first race at the TI Aida circuit was held on this day in 1994, and won by Michael Schumacher.
xbx-117 (@xbx-117)
17th April 2011, 0:11
Its a shame they are losing some funding, but frankly I wasn’t aware they were getting help from the government anyway. At times like this the government shouldn’t be putting money into these projects. Building and hosting a GP should be, at least in this case, an independent companies/investors responsibility.
The governments have enough to pay for at the moment anyway, so it doesn’t make sense why they offered any money to begin with.
Corrections Dept
17th April 2011, 2:57
Yes and no.
Never pleasant to hear about commercial rights holders and circuits sucking on the welfare teat.
But turnabout is fairplay surely, so what are the chances of the various governments keeping their grubby mitts of the revenues, incomes, and profits generated by tracks, promoters, teams, spectators, concessions and merch, transport and accommodation … yeah, thought so.
So yes, governments shouldn’t pay for racetracks fair enough, but they then shouldn’t come round extorting revenues from others risk and hard work.
xbx-117 (@xbx-117)
17th April 2011, 4:22
I agree completely.
Lee
17th April 2011, 7:54
Im fairy sure, but could be wrong, but the Texas state government put a fair bit into the Dallas Cowboys stadium
BasCB (@bascb)
17th April 2011, 17:06
From how I read that piece, it is just bragging politicians showing how “good” they do their jobs. Those last sentences make it pretty clear these supports will probalby get back into the budget.
And the money would never even get to be in the state coffers, without visitors of the GP paying it in the first place. Only the first year will the promotors get the money before the event bringst loads of VAT payments in.
TheBrav3
17th April 2011, 3:54
Doesn’t bother me in terms of f1 we already have great and more importantly proven tracks on the f1 calender. What does bother me is that they’re taking from something which would have brought joy to some people in america and fans around the world. To in the grand scheme of things probably bail out some failing company which no one will ever hear or care about and that’s if we’re lucky. For all we know it could get reinvested into mr dan patricks seychelles yaught fund, typical politician b/s.
Oliver
17th April 2011, 4:09
How do you equate the joy factor in the profit vs cost equation? Makes you wonder how states can fund the Olympic games where people just run about, jump like crickets or toss their used stuff.
DC (@dc)
17th April 2011, 7:33
The story says only one version of the State’s budget doesn’t have the $25 million. A competing version still has it, and the final line of the story suggests the money will remain.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
17th April 2011, 10:17
Disappointing because this is going to be a jobs creator, but this is more an issue of Republicans/Tea Party v Democrats than anything else.
Scribe
17th April 2011, 0:21
The guardian’s F1 department has becoming really quite poor recently, in fact the papers whole Sports departments dropped in quality. The constant, Hamilton to Redbull stories the guardian’s running just makes them look like there generating controversy for hits.
The article up there’s a bit different but a decent example, Hamiltons the most famous Brit F1 driver, guardian tries to put an edge on an old story, instant hits generator. Shame, used to swear by guardian sport.
Oh an there’s a race on! Hopefully SOMEONE stops Vettel doing his coast away thing, I can’t even respect him like the Lauda’s and Stewarts of old as set up and car are mostly done by computers and the team now. Just a 1 lap driver, under no preassure, he can keep stringing em’ together, “controlling a race from the front” in a dominant car is relativley easy by F1 standards.
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 0:26
I think they forget that Lewis lost all his Mclaren backing after a bad patch in F3 2004.
His father had to dig deep to find sponsorship money to take Lewis and his car to the Macau GP, and it was only because of this that Lewis was able to compete in this race, he won it and Mclaren renegotiated and he eventually got his backing back(?).
Oliver
17th April 2011, 4:17
I wonder why people still assume Mclaren just gave Lewis free money. I don’t see how his dad would need to have two jobs if they had it that easy. All he got was sponsorship into racing categories and that was only if he performed. Vettel has been with Redbull since he was 12 or 13 and no one makes any noise about that.
GeeMac (@geemac)
17th April 2011, 7:49
Well said. Its easier to say someone just lucked out on their way to F1 than to actually do a bit of investigative journalism I guess. The simple fact is that if you’ve made it to F1 you have put in tyhe hard work and deserve to be there. Unless you are Jean-Denis Deletraz….
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 0:29
Qualifying is no longer as important as race pace. Unfortunately it is not because of increased overtaking, close racing bonus DRS & KERS power-ups, the way the tyres break up is altering the way the drivers have to race – very conservative qualifying runs in order to save sets of tyres and maximise the tyre they must start on make F1 a much more enjoyable tactile sport!
Oliver
17th April 2011, 4:21
But you can’t just choose to qualify 4th or 5th as qualifying is not simply picking your grid slot. So a too conservative approach doesn’t guarantee the optimum grid slot.
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 10:00
Vettel – Pole
Webber – 18th
Webber had extra fresh tyres and this was extremely beneficial in the race, this goes some way to showing that being gung ho in quali in order to secure pole is not as good as being conservative on Saturday and saving for Sunday to have better race pace!
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
17th April 2011, 0:37
the same $25 million has been paid to everyone from school stadiums to the dallas cowboys. the intention is seed money, but of course it’s totally corrupt, so i guess it should be done away with all together. i won’t lose too much sleep.
Scalextric (@scalextric)
17th April 2011, 3:38
One senate committee does not a decision make.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
17th April 2011, 4:04
I was gonna say the same thing. The headline is misleading. They probably won’t lose a dime of funding.
Alex Bkk (@alex-bkk)
17th April 2011, 4:53
Agreed, and a certain politician won’t have to answer the “Why…..?” in the next election.
BasCB (@bascb)
17th April 2011, 17:08
Just a bit of “feel good” desicion making by the politicians here. Are there any elections upcoming soon?.
Not to mention the money will be brought back in by VAT earnings from the visitors of the GP.
Fer no.65
17th April 2011, 0:42
That’s it. F1Fanatic.co.uk is just NOT working at all on Chrome…
It’s impossible to open the mainpage and if for some miracle it does open, then the headlines is all you can see. Click on one article and there it is. DEAD!
=(! I’m missing so much information!
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 0:45
f.i.r.e.f.o.x ;)
sam
17th April 2011, 1:13
I’m on Chrome right now. F1Fanatic works fine. Don’t blame Chrome.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
17th April 2011, 4:06
For many of us Chrome works very poorly and intermittently. I can get it to load a few pages in a row very quickly every once in a while, then it won’t load anything again for some time without 5-10 refreshes on each page loaded. Firefox loads it up fine every time, albeit much slower than Chrome when it does work.
alejandro
17th April 2011, 2:00
chrome’s ok for me..
LutzF1 (@lutzf1)
17th April 2011, 2:22
Chrome not working at all, but Firefox is doing the job
xbx-117 (@xbx-117)
17th April 2011, 3:48
Yeah, Chrome has been giving me nothing but problems as well.
Oliver
17th April 2011, 4:26
The problem isn’t really down to chrome. You can still experience the problem on firefox. The ad farms and servers can sometimes take different hops along their route depending on their analytics.
Pinball - roadography.com (@)
17th April 2011, 10:34
I have massive problems with Chrome and F1Fanatic, on Mac and Windows, seems to stop loading after the ads at the top.
Because I like F1Fanatic so much I’ll use Firefox just for F1Fanatic, and Chrome for everything else.
Fer no.65
17th April 2011, 14:00
same here. I’m using Explorer just for F1Fanatic.
Indeed, Chrome loads only the adverts and the F1F logo, but that’s it.
Neil
17th April 2011, 1:49
I’m running Chrome Version 10.0.648.205 and have never had any probs with F1Fanatic.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
17th April 2011, 4:07
I’m running the same version and it rarely loads for me.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
17th April 2011, 4:11
Very important news about Lewis Hamilton’s possible future in F1 courtesy of Will Buxton: http://wp.me/pwrRn-cR
Oliver
17th April 2011, 4:33
Where did you dig up this from. Well if he can’t grow the fro quick enough, he cal always borrow one of those Valentino Rossi wigs. :-)
US_Peter (@us_peter)
17th April 2011, 6:36
You gotta follow Buxton on Twitter. One of the best F1 personalities on there in my opinion.
BasCB (@bascb)
17th April 2011, 17:12
I would love to see Lewis “regro the fro”!
Anthony
17th April 2011, 6:19
I think the US Grand Prix will go ahead without any problems and it’ll finally be the permanant association of F1 and America after 60 years
DC (@dc)
17th April 2011, 7:36
I really hope you are right, but I have my doubts. I see from Curt Cavin that some IndyCar guys are already wondering about racing there when Austin can’t pay Bernie’s bill any more.
Bebilou
17th April 2011, 7:20
Austin’s track looks very good (it may even become one of the best tracks in the F1 calendar), which is quite unusal for a brand new circuit.
I hope they will be able to make it in time.
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 9:57
Moto GP will be taking place in 2013 at circuit of Americas, not breaking news but it’s a reminder of how serious they are taking the new Grade 1 Circuit in Texas.
Pink Peril (@pink-peril)
18th April 2011, 2:43
I did see that, although I hope its not at the expense of Laguna Seca.
Fixy (@)
17th April 2011, 13:27
Bigbadderboom can see the future!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
17th April 2011, 15:54
Not unexpected to hear about financial woes with the Austin track, it’s inevitable there will be set backs.
NCF1
17th April 2011, 17:11
the revenue this track will produce will be a constant flow. in my humble opinion they would be idiots not to get in. with F1 signed on there has to be others in the pot also, this will give this city international exposure, the long term draw will be great. I for one was extremely excited to hear they were doing this and would surely dump thousands in the Austin economy. there are always some kind of hicups with projects this size. may be the senator just needs to be on record due to trying to be reelected. who knows,
Calum (@calum)
17th April 2011, 21:08
Well MotoGP is in, and I would expect an Indy road race to be signed up too!
US_Peter (@us_peter)
18th April 2011, 7:29
It would be great if Indy ran a race there as well. Then we’d get to see how modern F1 and Indy cars compare to one another on pace!! For that reason alone though Indycar probably won’t sign up to race there for fear their cars would be made a mockery of.
CC
18th April 2011, 0:04
Problems loading the last 2 Grand Prix’s Post Race analysis page… https://www.racefans.net/2011/04/17/2011-chinese-grand-prix-analysis/
Get a ‘Stop running this script’ error message. after clicking ‘yes’ page eventually loads with no apparent issues.
I thought it might have something to do with the interactive graphs, but no problem with Driver form guide graphs or Driver / Team championship points graphs in Stats pages.
using IE8
Chris Yu Rhee
20th April 2011, 14:39
I hope that Texas does a better job with the new track than Korea did.
I live over in Korea now, and they really screwed it up over here. I didn’t even bother going, which in hind-sight, was the best decision I could have made.
The Texas track will probably be extremely busy year-round, and unlike Korea, it has the surrounding facilities to support everyone that comes to “the show”.
I can’t wait to see a real F1 track in the states!