Massa pledges support to Alonso in title bid
F1 Fanatic round-up
In the round-up: Felipe Massa says he’ll do what he can to help Fernando Alonso win the championship.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
My Ferrari future depends on results in second half of season, admits Massa (Daily Mail)
“If I’m near Alonso or in front of him I’ll do what I can to help him win the championship, that’s obvious. He is in a completely different position than I am in the championship.”
Spa secured on calendar until 2015 (GP Update)
“Organisers of the Belgian Grand Prix have confirmed a new three-year race contract with Bernie Ecclestone and Formula One Management (FOM).”
Caterham technical director Mark Smith: “We are making the 2013 car very much a development of the current car. So there’s not a fundamental shift in what we’re doing and therefore we are going to develop this car a little bit further in to this season than we would have done.”
McLaren: Clinical finish key to title (Autosport)
Martin Whitmarsh: “This season has been difficult for everyone – and you would have to say Fernando and Ferrari have done a great job: one in terms of development and two in terms of getting the best out of the package. We haven’t got the best out of our package.”
F1 2012 interview: Codemasters on reaching out to a new audience (Digital Spy)
“Most people who haven’t played F1 instantly think its going to be too time consuming or too difficult for them. So a lot of the campaign this year is about showcasing that F1 is a game for everyone, it’s a sport game just like FIFA is a simulation of football.”
Davidson expects fewer shocks (Sky)
“I don’t know whether we’re going to see a surprise like a [Pastor] Maldonado say win a race through to the end of the year. I think now you’re starting to see that natural progression of top teams starting to pull away. But I could be wrong.”
F1 Race Stars Gamescom 2012 footage (720p) (YouTube)
The Formula 1 engine (MotorSport)
“[Colin] Chapman used to infuriate Cosworth’s Keith Duckworth with design sketches that included a skew-whiff box that had the word ‘engine’ jotted within; and it was Duckworth, no fan of turbos, who 30 years ago proposed the introduction of a fuel-flow formula, an idea that will come to fruition in 2014.”
F1 Tales: Brushes With The Law (Viva F1)
“With most of the important staff having deserted by the time the Formula One circus arrived at Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix the story of Andrea Moda Formula reached its climax when Sassetti was arrested in the paddock for allegedly forging invoices. The following week at Monza, the FIA decided that enough was enough and threw the team out of Formula One before it could damage the reputation of the sport further.”
Topiary Williams F1 car installed at team’s HQ (BBC)
“The display was designed to mark the team’s 35-year history and won gold at the Chelsea Flower Show in May.”
“The door, about six ft in height with an equal width, has a 2.4 kilogram gold cladding which cost Rs 80 lakh (£91,000), including the fine work. Later speaking to the media, Mallya said,’I have been a devotee of the deities of this coastal district. I have been visiting Kollur Mookambika temple, Tirumala Venkatarama Temple at Bantwal (the home town of his grand father Bantwal Ganapathi Mallya) and Kukke Subrahmanya. In business, it is but natural to have ups and downs. I will be successful again with God’s grace.’”
Great winners on F1’s greatest track (Unibet)
My new article for Unibet on the history of the Belgian Grand Prix.
Tweets
Welcome aboard to two new members of the family, USI Italia and Linde Material Handling: twitpic.com/amtapr
— Caterham F1 Team (@MyCaterhamF1) August 23, 2012
Yesterday I was focused on the race and didn’t say anything about the interview I spoke about Senna. That’s NOT what I really said!
— Nelson Piquet Jr. (@NelsonPiquet) August 23, 2012
Comment of the day
Would F1 still be F1 if it wasn’t an open-wheel, open-cockpit formula? @Drmouse says yes:
The central idea of F1 is that it is, and should remain, the pinacle of motorsport. This core value is only enhanced by enclosed cockpits and wheels.
Having them open is vastly inefficient. Huge amounts of effort go into mitigating this at the moment: See all the aero devices designed to stop the wheels interfering with the aerodynamics of the car. I would say that enclosing the wheels would stop the manufacturers concentrating their efforts on such an irrelevant part of the car.
These efforts could then be put back into the more relevant areas: Overall aero, engine/powertrain, suspension, etc. I cannot see how it would detract from the racing, or the core F1 values, at all.
@Drmouse
From the forum
- DaveG (@lensman) wants to arrange a meet-up at the Singapore Grand Prix
- rouble brewing in IndyCar?
- Casey Stoner’s Moto GP season is ruined as he requires surgery on his Indianapolis injury
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Andrew White, Hlahalasas and Lord Stig!
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
Michael Schumacher dominated a wet Belgian Grand Prix 15 years ago today.
The race was started behind the safety car but Schumacher elected to start the race on intermediate tyres (which is forbidden under the today’s rules) and quickly passed the wet-shod runners in front of him.
Giancarlo Fisichella came in second for Jordan but Mika Hakkinen was disqualified from third place due to a fuel irregularity, promoting Heinz-Harald Frentzen in his place.
Here’s Schumacher passing Jean Alesi early in the race:
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero) said on 24th August 2012, 0:04
Great to know the Belgian Grand Prix isn’t going anywhere. For now. If Spa ever goes off the calendar, well Formula One just wouldn’t be the same, would it?
Lin1876 (@lin1876) said on 24th August 2012, 1:41
Assume it doesn’t rip itself apart in the meantime, I’d probably spend more time following IndyCar, let’s put it that way.
Kingshark (@kingshark) said on 24th August 2012, 6:51
Spa was off the calendar in 2003 yet it was still a fantastic season. There’s no need to overreact.
I also believe that it wasn’t on the 2006 calendar either.
Lord Stig (@lord-stig) said on 24th August 2012, 7:21
There is no doubt F1 could survive without Spa. However, the track is one of the best that is up to the standards of modern F1.
montreal95 (@montreal95) said on 24th August 2012, 15:24
@kingshark Yes but then I knew that It’ll be back the next year. No need at all to call this over-reaction because not everyone has the same values as yours. To me Spa is an integral part of what F1 is, the proverbial “straw that breaks the camel’s back” and the moment it’s permanently gone, I’ll be gone as well
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 27th August 2012, 13:26
@kingshark I don’t think one element of F1 is more important than any other, losing Spa would be a shame, but you’re right.
Alfie (@alfie) said on 24th August 2012, 0:07
Who’s a good boy Massa? Who’s a good boy? Have another treat, go on..
HoHum (@hohum) said on 24th August 2012, 0:45
WOOF WOOF
sato113 (@sato113) said on 24th August 2012, 13:58
yes, massa doesn’t have to say these things in public. wish he’d stop being Alonso’s little b*tch…
Theo1 said on 25th August 2012, 3:49
Top 10 things Massa can (realistically) do to assist Alonso’s title bid – (Letterman style!)
10. Have a ridiculously long first stint and block the front runners.
9. Impede Raikkonen, Hamilton or Vettel in qualifying.
8. Crash into the other two on the first lap of the race. Hamilton’s probably missing the love?
7. Give Alonso a DRS boost when getting lapped.
6. Act as a tyre degradation dummy. (Check!!)
5. Alonso has provisional pole? Time to bring out the yellow flags!
4. Retire his car in chance that Alonso might need extra spare parts mid-race.
3. Keep Kimi distracted with ice creams… hehe…
2. Park in Vettel’s pitstop box! And finally…
1. Crash at Turn 17 in Singapore!!!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 27th August 2012, 13:27
…what do you expect? It’s the professional thing to do.
Gwannel Sandiego (@gwan) said on 24th August 2012, 0:19
“If I’m near Alonso or in front of him”. Yeah, “if”…
Nick.UK (@nick-uk) said on 24th August 2012, 0:39
C’mon now. Enough Massa bashing already! Sure, he’s not what he was and yes, Alonso is pretty much whiping the floor with him. But their qually times have been very close lately and Massa could well score a podium or two before the seaon is over. Hopefully in Brazil. I think he could leave (likely/potentially) happy from Ferrari if that happens. I’d quite like to see him move to Williams next season; and I also hope their car remains fast for him. A new environment that focuses on him could be just what he needs after the last couple of years in a rut.
HoHum (@hohum) said on 24th August 2012, 1:11
It is all a bit to easy, isn’t it ?
Blackmamba (@blackmamba) said on 24th August 2012, 3:22
I take it he means to revert to last year’s tactics of bashing wheels with Lewis just because it’s Lewis. If he can ram him off the road that would improve Alonso’s title aspirations and I’m sure Massa would be rewarded with a new contract.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 24th August 2012, 7:54
It bears pointing out Massa has only been in front of Alonso for 15 of the 672 laps both have been on track this year, and it has only ever happened when Alonso has pitted first of the two.
MazdaChris (@mazdachris) said on 24th August 2012, 10:00
I think he means if Alonso is lapping him
Gwannel Sandiego (@gwan) said on 24th August 2012, 11:47
It is easy, but in all fairness (??) I’ve always thought Massa sucked, so I’m not just jumping on the bandwagon now ;)
Tyler (@tdog) said on 24th August 2012, 0:35
Only 7 more sleeps!
Brian (@satchelcharge) said on 24th August 2012, 4:29
lol good way to look at it.
Julian (@julian) said on 24th August 2012, 0:48
Hmmmm I’m not so sure about Race Stars now. I love the whole Mario Kart thing which is why I was excited about this but the gameplay looks dreadfully boring. The cars go much to slow, they barely go faster than the traffic on the highway, and it definitely doesn’t look frantic enough to keep me excited. It looks like there are only 12 cars per race but the tracks are quite long, another 12 cars on track would give it a bit more oomph.
Hopefully it was just a lower difficulty or something like that and the cars speed up at higher difficulties plus the full 24 on track. If not, well I’m just praying we were watching beta/test demo footage, and they will speed the cars up in the completed game.
Lin1876 (@lin1876) said on 24th August 2012, 1:44
I wasn’t convinced to begin with. Developers have tried combining real racing with arcadey features for some time now, and it’s never worked. Sony tried it on the original PlayStation about 10 years ago and it fell on its face, and the less said about NASCAR kart racing the better!
JimmyTheIllustratedBlindSolidSilverBeachStackapopolis III said on 24th August 2012, 2:38
Well it looks alot like mario kart to me and that’s a good thing just crazyer tracks, games could always be harder but that’s how it used to be and as a result your average joe got frustrated with them. They assumed it was some kind of black magic practiced only by spectacled nerds in darkened rooms.
In response to that games these days have a tendency to hold the players hand all the way through for fear that you might become distracted by the glowing light on your console or simply forget which way is up. Oddly this seems to have worked since game sales are higher than ever, so the fact that this one leaves something as important as oh say the steering down to a blood and flesh mistake making machine should be applauded.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 24th August 2012, 9:27
I think F1 Race Stars really offers what games like F1 2010-12 sometimes lack: a sense of humour. While I enjoy trying to better my lap times and taking part in a simulation of the season, sometimes it’s the last thing I want to do. I want to have a bit of a laugh and goof around a bit, and there’s no realy provision for that in F1 2010-12.
sato113 (@sato113) said on 24th August 2012, 14:03
you know what i find really quite lame? the fact that the ‘weapons’ are baloons… may FOM wouldnt let stuff like rockets be allowed.
HoHum (@hohum) said on 24th August 2012, 1:06
Idon’t suppose anyone will be surprised that I enjoyed and wholeheartedly agreed with the Motorsports article on engines.
As I see it the only ways to reduce the emphasis on downforce are either a severe reduction in wing area or a reduction in engine power sufficient to to make the drag associated with downforce to high a price to pay. I certainly don’t want F1 to be slow but the problem of turbulence affecting following cars is causing a raft of gimmicks debasing the sport to be introduced every year. Let’s get back to basics.
Atticus (@atticus-2) said on 24th August 2012, 1:09
Woohoo, Spa-Francorchamps contract extension, the best F1-related news of August, probably the whole year.
:D
Blackmamba (@blackmamba) said on 24th August 2012, 3:28
What, you mean you weren’t absolutely fascinated by Picquet jr’s wise and informed take on F1?
Or Villeneuve’s insights?
Eggry (@eggry) said on 24th August 2012, 1:18
To help Alonso, you should help yourself first, Massa.
maxthecat said on 24th August 2012, 1:20
“Massa pledges to support Alonso in his title bid”
Yeah, like he has a choice, he’s been supporting Alonsos’ title bid from race one.
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 24th August 2012, 1:45
Finishing 12th, 15th and 16th in races where Alonso won isn’t really support I’m afraid.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee) said on 24th August 2012, 1:33
that f1 race stars looks more realistic than anything from codemasters :P
James (@goodyear92) said on 24th August 2012, 4:07
You do realise it is from Codemasters also, right?
F1Yankee (@f1yankee) said on 24th August 2012, 4:56
obviously not. the lack of computer meltdown during the pit stop is what threw me.
Lin1876 (@lin1876) said on 24th August 2012, 1:46
Looking at the footage of F1 Race Stars, you have to wonder when Codemasters will learn the lesson that Sega, EA, Radical and countless others have learned: Mario Kart is king, and always will be!
James (@jamesf1) said on 24th August 2012, 22:55
Disagree, crash team racing/crash nitro kart etc are my favourites!
t3x (@t3x) said on 24th August 2012, 2:32
That game looks so much like Mario Kart !!
F1Yankee (@f1yankee) said on 24th August 2012, 4:58
extremely like mario kart. in these lawsuit-friendly days, i expect nintendo to bring the hammer down on them.
thedamntyres (@icemangrins) said on 24th August 2012, 3:45
Every word you read in that interview, you can feel how devastated Massa must feel. Massa’s current form and mindsets is all down to how Ferrari create a tier’ed structure in their driver line up. That one win in Hockenhiem might have shaped his future for his own good… they crushed his enthusiasm and using his loyalty against him. This is a team which I loved watching growing up and I don’t think I like them anymore.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee) said on 24th August 2012, 5:15
without trying to be rude, i disagree with everything you have said there
sumedh said on 24th August 2012, 5:44
I agree with everything you said. Ferrari DID build a team around one driver. They used his loyalty against him.
But I don’t hate them for doing it. It made complete sense to make Massa no.2 and Alonso no.1. No doubt about that. Rather I doff my hat off to them for recognizing this fact that early (10 races into 2010).
Aditya Banerjee (@chicanef1) said on 24th August 2012, 6:31
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/08/23/article-2192458-13F74E43000005DC-499_468x286.jpg
The picture tells the story.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 24th August 2012, 9:32
“One day, two men who owned red cars went for a drive. Unfortunately, it was very, very wet, and one of the men could not see where the road went, so he cut across the grass. Then they had cake. The end.”
Julian (@julian) said on 24th August 2012, 14:15
The cake is a lie!
AnonymousF1 said on 24th August 2012, 9:11
That Massa story is by AP. Don’t understand why it’s credited to “SPORTSMAIL REPORTER”. http://www.f1pulse.com/news/2012082319/massa-says-ferrari-future-depends-on-results