I’m off to Brands Hatch today to watch the Formula Ford Festival so if you’re heading down that way give me a shout on Twitter or leave a comment below.
Here’s today’s round-up:
Links
Mercedes keen to see di Resta in F1 (ITV F1)
Norbert Haug: “It would be nice for Paul, nice for our junior scheme, nice for DTM to bring another driver up and hopefully he has a good chance.”
“My buddy in Korea tells me already there are concerns with infrastructure and track surface and seems hotels are miles away for team members.”
Own a Piece of Mark Webber’s F1 Car (Wired)
“Red Bull Racing and Racing Gold are offering a limited-edition run of objets d’art crafted from components taken straight from the team’s F1 cars. Like everything else in Formula 1, everything in the "Part of the Team" collection is ridiculously expensive, but the proceeds benefit the Wings for Life spinal cord research foundation.” (Thanks to Tracy Smith for the tip)
Comment of the day
Too few characters in the pit lane these days? Doug thinks so:
Such a sad day to see the end of Jordan, Minardi and Tyrrell who may never have been world champions, but contributed so much towards F1 in the nineties/noughties. With Eddie Jordan, Ken Tyrell and Paul Stoddart, I felt you got to see the real side of F1 rather then corporate Jean Todt at Ferrari and Ron Dennis at Mclaren.
Nowadays, you don’t see the team managers as much for the lower teams: Toro Rosso, Virgin, HRT and Force India. The exception being Lotus where it is good to see Mike Gascoyne always willing to please the fans.
Doug
From the forum
The silly season rumour du jour: Maldonado set for Williams?
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 F1 race to be held at Las Vegas took place on this day in 1981.
The unusual circuit was based in a car park at Caeser’s Palace casino, and featured a very cramped layout.
It was the scene of Nelson Piquet’s first championship win and Alan Jones’ final Grand Prix victory.
If, like me, you loved Clive James’ commentaries on the old Grand Prix season review videos, you’ll get a kick out of the preview of the race below which includes him driving the track with Piquet.
Piquet’s remark that he might be sick while driving the track turned out to entirely accurate – he did vomit during the later stages of the race en route to winning the title:
James
17th October 2010, 0:14
I’d have to disagree with Doug a little. Steffanio Domenicalli, Martin Whitmarsh and, to a degree at least anyway, Christian Horner haev a fair amount of banter going on between them as well as the interviewing journalists, at least that’s what I see on the BBC’s coverage (5live, BBC1 and the F1 Forum)
John Booth and Nick Wirth dont really get mcuh coverage to do them and Virgin Racing justice, as BBC F1 has a small love affair with Lotus, although this is understandable given that Mike Gascoyne worked on the show last year and has close connections with Eddie.
There is some banter between team owners as well though. Vijay Mallaya, Richard Branson and Tony Fernandes, the airline owners, have a little bit of a laugh with each other (not really televised, but it does happen). Remember Branson and Fernandes struck a bet before the season, stating that the losing team owner had to dress as an air stewardess on the opposites airline if they finished lower than the other in the championship standings.
It is a shame that characters such as Jordan and Tyrell are not in the pits any more, but that is not to say that other entertaining characters are not there. Remember, we still have Eddie on our screens regardless, and he has been on good form this year!
Sideshow Bob
17th October 2010, 1:20
Eddie flaps his jaws. Rarely contributes anything of worth.
BasCB
17th October 2010, 19:46
I miss Stoddard a bit, that was a real character. But the current lot are not that bad, with nice comments going between Horner, Brawn, Withmarsh and the new lot are not to bad for intrigueing comments at times as well.
Charlie Watts
17th October 2010, 0:19
Clive James, genius. I loved his quirky commentary. Brundle/ James for bbc commentary team 2011?!
wasiF1
17th October 2010, 1:34
Dispite every odds been an F1 fan I want the Korean GP to go smooth so fingers crossed.
If Schumacher leaves after 2012 then Mercedes can have him as their test driver for 2012 & then a full time racing driver for 2013.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
17th October 2010, 1:51
that’s a very expensive collection of rubbish, really…
looks like the sort of stuff Clarkson and company show as motoring themed Xmas present every year. Utterly stupid!
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
17th October 2010, 1:56
after having a closer look at it… the coat stand is superb! haha $11600! I’d have requested that as birthday present instead of the tennis shoes!
codesurge
17th October 2010, 5:35
It’s expensive, but the proceeds go to charity, so if you think of it as a charitable donation that comes with an ex-F1 souvenir..
Ed
17th October 2010, 6:31
It would be a pity if Williams sacked Hulkenberg. He’s improved greatly over the year, and looks like he’s getting closer to Barrichello all the time.
He does seem a bit hot-headed though – throwing his helmet in Singapore, kicking the wall in Valencia, as well as some agressive overtaking and defending. If he can use this emotion to his advantage, it could really help him.
BasCB
17th October 2010, 19:45
I agree, what would they win by taking on Moldanado, well, the money surely, but they would end up with a new rookie learning the ropes from zero again.
Harv's
17th October 2010, 6:37
… RBR selling peices of marks car?…
… sounds like a conspiricy to help a certain young german. lol
Sush Meerkat
17th October 2010, 9:49
LOL, yeah if Marks RB6 turns up at Korea missing its gearbox I’m calling shenanigans!.
RobertG
17th October 2010, 7:25
one of the worst drivers ever- Vincenzo Sospiri (LOLa 1997) has birthday today
RobertG
17th October 2010, 7:43
Sorry, i mada mistake. Sospiri was born in October 9. Today Kimi has a birthday
Bleu
17th October 2010, 7:44
How about “driver of one of the worst cars”?
Sospiri didn’t really get chance in F1. No, I don’t think he was championship material but could have had decent career.
RobertG
17th October 2010, 11:02
well, what would be if… If Gachot wouldnt be arrested, myb Schumi wouldnt have a chance to drive F1 car… However, Rosset at least drove some gp after that season instead of Sospiri
Mike
17th October 2010, 12:14
….. They should make up their minds,,,,, Your either going to cancel Korea, or race there….. If you choose to race, Just get on with it…. Sadly I think this weekend “facility issues” will be all we hear…..
They know it will improve next year, All the teams are in the same boat, And F1 personnel are paid enough money that they should deal with being out of their comfort zones……. Just go racing please!
Rob
17th October 2010, 12:46
“…and Tyrrell who may never have been world champions”
Except for that time in 1971 when Tyrrell were World Champions.
Tim
17th October 2010, 21:19
Not to mention the three WDCs that Jackie Stewart won at the wheel of a Tyrrell or a Tyrrell-run Matra. And the constructors’ title Matra won after it supplied chassis to Tyrrell.
Alex Bkk
17th October 2010, 13:33
Congrats on going over 11,000 on twitter!
Got to agree with Doug, F1 is a bit sterile compared to the way it used to be.
There are a few characters around here that we could send down to the paddock to spice things up a bit…
I like the Korean GP already… it’s almost in my time zone ;)
Icthyes (@icthyes)
17th October 2010, 13:54
What tyres are Bridgestone bringing to Korea? Super-softs and Hard please :)
sato113 (@sato113)
17th October 2010, 14:59
softs and hards i think. would be too risky for bridgestone to bring supersofts to a new circuit. would make good racing tho, but bridgestone don’t want that…
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
17th October 2010, 15:55
Hard and soft: Korean International Circuit – circuit information
Paul
17th October 2010, 14:31
I’m hoping the surface at Korea IS oily. Should make for an interesting race to liven up the Tilke long straight tight corner stereotype
Fixy (@)
18th October 2010, 13:38
Today is Kimi Raikkonen’s 31st Birthday!