In the round-up: Motor racing may be banned in Switzerland but it didn’t stop Sebastien Buemi showing up there with a Red Bull F1 car.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Racing The Showcar Around Switzerland (Red Bull)
“More than 25,000 saw Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi put the Red Bull Running Showcar in his home nation this afternoon.”
Italian Grand Prix race video (F1)
Little new footage from FOM, so still no idea what happened in the Felipe Massa/Jarno Trulli/Sebastien Buemi collision.
How F1 came to India, why it took long (Hindustan Times)
“In a nation that was just warming up to cable television, [Vicky] Chandhok and his associates wondered if going pay-per-view was the right way to take things forward. The safest bet, and the one with the widest reach, was showing it on the national network, Doordarshan.”
The real story: Raikkonen, Williams and Sutil… (Joe Saward)
“It is not credible that [Kimi Raikkonen’s] visit to Williams was a private one.”
Christian Horner explains Mark Webber’s problem with starts this season (James Allen)
“The Spa thing was more a calculation on the Renault side really, measuring the amount of torque that was required and Sebastian [Vettel] was within just 100 revs of having exactly the same start as Mark.”
Michael Schumacher insists he’s not making 2013 plans yet (ITV)
“I don’t give a damn about suggestions. There is no point to talk about my future right now.”
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Comment of the day
Great to hear from Handcart whose sixtieth birthday was on Friday and received tickets to next year’s Belgian Grand Prix:
For sure I am a very lucky and very happy sixty year old!
F1 Fanatic is my regular company for races as though I’m not posting I’m always reading the articles, comments and follow the live chat. Now I’m excited about maybe meeting up with F1 Fanatics there. Bonus!
Handcart
From the forum
Still getting lots of great contributions to “You know you’re an F1 Fanatic fanatic when…”
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to UKK!
On this day in F1
Jackie Stewart won the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport 40 years ago today.
The race was stopped after 64 of the scheduled 80 laps due to heavy rain. Ronnie Peterson was second for March in front of Mark Donohue’s McLaren.
It was the sixth win for Stewart, who had already won that year’s world championship title.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
18th September 2011, 2:13
I’ve done a bit of number crunching.
IF, which is a big word in motor racing… In fact, it’s Formula 1 spelt backwards ;)
Anyway, if the top 5 at Singapore are as follows:
1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Webber
4. Button
5. Alonso
Vettel will be champion.
I.e.
For Vettel to be champion at Singapore if he wins:
Alonso must be 4th or lower
AND
Button must be 3rd or lower
AND
Webber must be 3rd or lower.
If Vettel finishes 2nd:
Alonso must be 8th or lower
AND
Button must be 5th or lower
AND
Webber must be 5th or lower
AND
Hamilton mustn’t win.
If Vettel finishes 3rd:
Alonso must be 9th or lower
AND
Button must be 7th or lower
AND
Webber must be 7th or lower
AND
Hamilton must be 4th or lower.
If Vettel finishes out of the top 3, the title will roll onto Japan.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 2:29
Yeah, we’ve known all this since Vettel won at Spa.
Havergal
18th September 2011, 9:00
Maybe you did, but I didn’t (having been on holiday), so you have my thanks, Craig-o!
Maciek
18th September 2011, 11:37
Looks like this is worth a second look https://www.racefans.net/forum/topic.php?id=2327
Mike
18th September 2011, 2:38
First time I’ve seen it laid out so well. Nice one! Even if someone doesn’t agree…
Icthyes (@icthyes)
18th September 2011, 7:23
Nice one Craig, all nice and clearly laid out instead of fiddling with numbers in my head!
Mark Hitchcock
18th September 2011, 8:01
PM doesn’t like it so you know you’ve made a good contribution to the thread.
Nice to see it laid out clearly!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 8:05
That was unnecessary. And also wrong. I never said I didn’t like it, I simply pointed out that the championship standings have been known for some time.
In the future, play the ball – not the man.
bobo
18th September 2011, 9:31
grumble, grumble, grumble… well, that’s surely part of why we enjoy reading your posts PM!
Thanks for the number-crunching craig-o, it’s always a cool contribution.
Mark Hitchcock
18th September 2011, 22:35
It was, I apologise.
graham228221
18th September 2011, 9:39
Nice.
I hadn’t realised that Hamilton was so close to being mathematically eliminated from the running. He has to finish in front of Vettel or that’s it for him.
I also hadn’t actually realised how close we were to the end of the season! That winter break is looming large :(
Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson)
18th September 2011, 2:28
Nice one craig, i might make a note of that and have it handy whilst i watch the singapore race pan out, and keep glancing at it like, if the race ended now…
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 2:30
No doubt the commentators will bring it up a few times. Particularly given that we get on-screen graphics showing how the championship situation will look if the drivers held their positions at the time. It came up a few times at Monza.
daykind
18th September 2011, 12:23
I remember when it was 207, and the title was close, they (FOM) brought up a “championship prediction” where they showed what points Hamilton, Alonso, Raikkonen and Massa would be on. I hadn’t seen it back up until recently.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
18th September 2011, 2:36
DID the Swiss government permitted him to drive or did he drove illegally?
Kimi to Williams isn’t happening, they are just hopeless.
Mike
18th September 2011, 2:40
The Swiss really do not like Motorsport…
No lectures by the way, I know why they banned it but…come on, seriously. Time to move on.
Journeyer
18th September 2011, 2:52
A few lawmakers have tried getting it removed a few times, but they always get outvoted. Why the ban keeps getting upheld is beyond me.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 3:13
I suspect the Swiss government disapporves of motorsport, as opposed to the Swiss people.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 3:12
And yet, they produce a whole heap of racing drivers – Sebastien Buemi, Clay Regazzoni, Jo Siffert, Neel Jani, Jean-Denis Deletraz, Gregor Foitek and Marc Surer all raced in Formula 1, while Fabio Leimer is in GP2, Christopher Zanella is in Formula 3, Zoel Amberg is in GP3, and Alain Menu in touring cars.
Strangely enough, Switzerland also produces a whole lot of feamale racing drivers – like Simona de Silvestro, Natacha Gachnang, Rahel Frey and Cyndie Allermann.
Burnout
18th September 2011, 7:10
It’s a shame, really. The Swiss are holding on to 1955 a bit too tightly.
Or is it a case of NIMBY-ism? Not wanting to see the green slopes “desecrated” by purpose-built circuits.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 7:38
No, I think it’s just good old-fashioned Swiss conservatism. They see no reason to lift the ban (which I think was a massive over-reaction), so the ban does not get lifted.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 8:49
I think you are right on that.
“The ban has now been in place for over 50 years, why change it?” will be the predominant thinking about it.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
18th September 2011, 9:09
What they need is a world champion. In all seriousness though, having the ban for this long is ridiculous. But I guess people can’t miss what they haven’t really had so perhaps little incentive to lift it.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 9:39
I don’t think that will change their mind. They’ve got dozens of racing drivers, plus racing teams (Sauber, Jenzer, matech), and they’ve proven to be perfectly successful without being based in Switzerland.
The only thing lifting the ban on motorsport will do is open the door for actual racing in Switzerland. And given the country’s proximity to Germany, France and Italy – where there is plenty of motorsport – there is no real need for it. It would be more of a problem if Switzerland was isolated, like Australia.
George (@george)
18th September 2011, 12:39
The Swiss are big on their green issues, I imagine the argument is directed more that way these days
MattB
18th September 2011, 8:23
Can anyone tell me if Alonso were to win every race from now, what vettel will have to do to clinch the title?
(not that i want that to happen!)
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 8:53
Minimum is to get 38 points in the following races (including Singapore) to be tied on points and win on countback by having more race victories.
In effect a couple of podiums and an low points position will fight off even that.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 8:57
By my rough estimation, if Alonso wins every race, then all Vettel has to do is finish no lower than sixth at every race for the rest of the season.
Hamish
18th September 2011, 12:44
Yeah, we’ve known all this since Vettel won at Spa.
BOOM!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
19th September 2011, 1:00
If you don’t have anything constructive to say, then don’t say anything.
BOOM!
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 8:53
Happy birthday robk23.
daykind
18th September 2011, 12:24
Yes, happy birthday from me as well!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
18th September 2011, 9:19
That article from Joe Saward is pretty weak. For a start, one of his last points about the Renault situation is a load of rubbish, Kimi pretty much told them where to get off.
I really doubt we will see Raikkonen at Williams. He could do better, so much better.
snowman
18th September 2011, 9:31
I agree, from what I remember about the Renault thing they were the ones trying to get publicly of being linked to Raikkonen and he as you said told them where to get off!
Think the problem is none of the top 4 teams will take a chance on him after being out so long and maybe looking under motivated at times at Ferrari in his last year.
But there is a Red Bull & Ferrari seat vacant after next year so if he can get the right contract and impress at Williams he could have a chance then of getting somewhere better. There is zero chance either of them two teams would even consider him if he spent another year away.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 9:42
That’s Saward for you – one part fact, one part rumour. And one part insinuation. He’s okay for soft news if you take it with a grain of salt, and his extrapolations can be quite interesting at times.
mvi
18th September 2011, 10:39
An example of “play the ball – not the man”?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 11:02
An example indeed. Saward’s posts are often constructed in the same way: they start out with established facts, and progress to the rumour, all tied together with insinuation.
However, if in future you want to turn someone’s words around on them, make sure you’re not commiting the same sin that you’re attacking them for. it never looks good.
Fixy (@)
18th September 2011, 11:27
Kimi wanted a top team for 2010, and as he had no offers from one he left. He’s now been absent for two years, and he might be desperate if he is ready to drive for Williams. Kimi’s decision was wrong, he could have been driving in these two years with a decent team, instead of missing two seasons and “returning” (if he does) with a Williams in decline.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 11:37
I agree Andrew, Kimi at Williams to drive their F1 car seems a very far shot. He would cost money (probably, this is Kimi after all) and he is not known for being a development driver.
I can see them either keeping Rubens if they want an experienced developper, or take Sutil for potentially giving them a shot at points finishes, or some young kid with future potential and a big backing package attached.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 12:13
If he really wants back in, he’ll know he has to take a pay cut. Otherwise, he’s just wasting everyone’s time.
That said, I agree that it’s a long shot.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
19th September 2011, 0:19
There’s no way he could command the kind of pay packet he was getting from Ferrari.
That said, would money even be his biggest concern? He left the sport pretty easily and he did get a substantial payout I believe.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
19th September 2011, 6:26
The cynic in me does suspect Kimi priced himself out of a 2010 seat on purpose. Ferrari generally have a policy of buying staff members out of their contracts on the condition that they take a ‘sabbatical’ year so that nothing they learned at Ferrari could be used by another team; by the time they return to the sport, any knowledge they have is a year out of date and therefore worthless. I don’t think they’ve ever actually done it to a driver, but I’ve heard Raikkonen was “encouraged” to go rallying for a year by the senior management at Ferrari. Rather than simply take the money and go, Raikkonen may have entered into contract negotiations with other teams with a list of unrealistic expectations (full salary, heavily-reduced PR hours, championship-worthy car, etc.). This would make a show of him negotiating, so that when things fell apart (as he intended), it would simply look like he hadn’t been able to find a new team, rather than admitting he had taken the money and sat out. It was a way of saving face more than anything else.
sozavele (@formula-1)
18th September 2011, 10:25
If you want to see great gameplay videos of the new game go to TeamVVV youtube channel.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
18th September 2011, 11:04
Watching MotoGP at Aragon, I think Formula 1 absolutely needs to visit the circuit some day. It’s a shame the circuit organisers/owners won’t play ball – Bernie asked them if they wanted in last year in the event South Korea would not be ready, and they said no.
bobo
18th September 2011, 13:33
Maybe that in itself is a good strategy to end up getting F1 at a more or less reasonable cost. If they can build up a good reputation with other events before getting involved in negotiations they might be in a stronger position to negotiate. Unfortunately I’m speculating wildly, I wonder how well they are doing outside MotoGP…
bobo
18th September 2011, 13:39
Well the calendar looks busy but mostly with seemingly low profile events. Maybe that’s the way they like to do business. Let’s face it, F1 is an expensive (and therefore risky) business.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 11:26
Isn’t it funny how everyone was talking about wether Schumacher would throw the towel in the ring early and not do this year, or stop before next year. Now he’s had a couple of solid races he is being asked about 2013!
I am curious to see if the queston goes back to the former position in a race or two.
daykind
18th September 2011, 12:28
I reckon he’ll be in F1 in 2013, I really do. He’s shown that when his car is good, he can mix it with the “big boys.” You don’t lose talent.
wasiF1
18th September 2011, 12:47
I think if Schumi have a good car that can take him in the top 3 in the WC then he may think of 2013 given he have a good fitness which has never been his problem.
BasCB (@bascb)
18th September 2011, 11:56
That article from the hindustan times is a very nice read Keith.
The part about how far off a route it is for an Indian to get into F1 shows how big a task even getting in a backmarker team is for many people in the world. Actually instead of giving them slack, we should praise their effort to get to the grid. And when we consider Karthikeyan might have been at the top of his skill in the early 2000s its easy to understand why he now struggles (just compare Schu)
But the best part of it is the latter part where Chandhok describes their fitness regime.
handcart
18th September 2011, 12:54
I have COTD! Awesome! The gift that keeps giving… Thanks Keith, wow, I think I’ve peaked now – till the race weekend itself of course.
Gavin Campbell
18th September 2011, 16:11
Motor Racing in Switzerland hasn’t been banned since 2007.
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Switzerland_lifts_ban_on_motor_racing
(wiki news with sources, also this site posted the news)