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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Another GREAT clip

If you followed F1 last year, I'm sure you'll enjoy this clip from the BBC, narrated by Eddie Jordan.

Of note, I love the shot of Schumi powering out of severe oversteer with sublime grace.

BBC 2010 clip

Cheers

Mystery man to NASCAR?

Kimi Raikkonen marches to his own engine map, no matter how far off tune it may be from what most expect and where those who appreciate his innate skill prefer.

I was alerted to this report in Autoweek by a good friend and often sparring partner in the business of comprehending the sensationally talented yet mysterious Finn.   Proven accurate it would be the latest in a series of puzzling turns in a career which has seen more chicanes than Hermann Tilke's dreamscape. 

Take a look at this feature from Motors TV WRC coverage from Portugal (make sure to catch the clip's closing flyby . . . Whoa!):


Raikkonen struggled with consistent pace in last year's WRC campaign.    He was quick but crashed a lot, sometimes heavily.    In the two events he's competed this year, he's demonstrated remarkable maturity and appears poised to exploit his driving skill to the fullest.

I submit that it would be a shame to see him shift focus to another very different form of motor sport at a time when he seems to be getting a handle on the lessons of the prior 14 months. 

Monday, March 28, 2011

Dining on my words, Round 1

Vitaly Petrov showed me up.    Two solid drives in a row without going off . . . good for him.

Truly enjoyed the Melbourne race.    Found the early battle between Massa and Button an extended wheel to wheel contest worthy of the highlight reel.  

Vettel's pace was frightening.      It's too early to tell whether Red Bull are going to run away with everything this year, but he certainly seemed well out of reach.  

Alonso and his Ferrari were quick.    He somewhat recovered from a first corner that went awry, and managed to stay close to the front despite a zillion pit stops.    Both of the Ferraris appeared to lack grip and I can't help but wonder if Ferrari are going to have a lot of trouble with tire temperatures this season.

Several disappointments . . . Massa . . . Schumacher (I really expected more) . . . Heidfeld (is making me choke on my words) . . . and finally Webber, who I really wanted to see win what might be his last home race.  

Not sure what to make of Barrichello's weekend other than suggest it was a disaster.      Unfortunate to see HRT disqualified but I support the 107% rule.     Doubly sad to learn that Sauber were also disqualified, but I guess the rules are the rules.

Highlights must center on the Sauber duo . . . with rookie Sergio Perez setting the fastest lap in his very first Grand Prix.     He also managed to use his tires so well that his only stop was for the obligatory compound swap.   Amazing.    McLaren also looked very strong.    I think from now on I will stop paying any attention to pre-season testing analysis.

Cheers

Friday, March 25, 2011

Mild surprise at early McLaren pace

Given all that I'd read leading into this first GP, I'd never guessed Button and Hamilton to wind up at the top of yesterday's P2 time sheet.

Nowadays it's impossible to take too much from Friday practice.     Strict limits have turned these sessions into test runs where setup variations probably stretch beyond the weekend and circuit at hand.

Comparing P2 from last year in remarkably similar conditions, one can surmise that F1 isn't getting any slower.     A quick glance at 2010's time sheet might suggest otherwise, but if one considers that the teams entered Melbourne last year with one race at hand and tires that they understood, the numbers tell a different story.

The gap from the front to the back seems to be growing, a gulf probably due to those back markers not running KERS?    If this trend continues, don't be surprised to hear more griping from those in front as the year progresses.

At risk of sharing details better left alone, I've not been able to break 1:31 and change from the comfort of my living room.     Slinging real cars around a very real and slippery Melbourne circuit fully six seconds quicker is something that I can't quite grasp.     They make it look so easy on television.

Final note:     Stoked to see F1 in HD for the first time, I found myself slightly let down.  I was reminded at the start of Fox's commitment to 720.    They do not broadcast in 1080.  

I hate to sound like a grumpy "glass half empty" sort . . . oh well.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

. . . the year ahead

It sounds funny saying that now.    Late March, no really . . . late March.   I'm already looking at 2012.

We begin in Melbourne.     The F1 season should start in Melbourne.    It is perhaps too convenient to simplify events in the Middle East as westernization,  but in light of Ecclestone's insatiable thirst to push the sport east, it is ironic.

So under clouds of worldwide political turmoil and catastrophic events, F1 moves into a new season . . . and not a moment too soon.    We need this spectacle, the ultra violent pitch of 18,000 rpm, especially now.

I have not kept as keen an eye on winter testing as normal, but there is much to be excited about.     My observations are not unique, but I hope they may help turn focus away from turmoil if only for a brief moment.    

Off the cuff, here's my head space as we enter the 2011 campaign

Testing suggests that Mercedes have in fact built a car to Schumi's liking and that he will thus be competitive.      I would love to see BOTH Mercedes drivers win this year . . . Nico is due his first race win.     Seeing Schumacher back on the podium . . . the top step of the podium . . . might erase the short term memory many formed about the driver previously remembered as a 7 time world champion.

The season hasn't started and I already miss Robert Kubica.   I find his fortunes incredibly cruel.    The (Lotus) Renault was the first F1 car built specifically for him and it has looked very strong in testing.     How tragic would it be that Kubica could have in fact been a top three contender for the title?

I can't help but wonder that should Kubica return mid season, whether we'll see him reunited with Heidfeld for the remainder of the year.     Despite his disciplined drive in Abu Dhabi 2010, Petrov left me with more questions than answers concerning his place on the grid.

Despite their version of the F-150 looking very strong, Ferrari have their work cut out against Red Bull.      Massa must perform this year.      He must consistently place on or just off the podium this year to stem the points haul Red Bull look set to claim.      

No matter how great a driver Alonso clearly is, should Red Bull overcome their technical woes of 2010 ( brake and engine), he probably will not be able to defeat them alone.

Should the new McLaren fail to keep pace, it will be interesting to see how Button and Hamilton get on.   

Speaking of getting on, Webber may find himself on the back foot if he doesn't start strong.    This weekend, he may start to feel the true pain that comes from losing the title to his teammate. 

Unfortunately, I've not much comment on the latest overhaul in technical regulations.     

Good to see Pirelli back in the sport but I can't help but wonder if the purpose built obsolescence of their tires will do more to destroy great drives than create artificial drama. 

I don't know.    It seems nowadays that they rewrite the rule book every year . . . but after 35 years I keep coming back.     They can't shake me and they can't destroy one the greatest spectacles of modern competition.