where has the time gone?

I can't believe that F1 2011 is history.   I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, despite Sebastian Vettel's dominance from moment the lights dropped in Melbourne.

I managed to post my first Top Ten list last year.     I found this season much harder to qualify.    Don't hesitate to comment with your own thoughts if they differ.  

Here's Vol. 2:

1)  Sebastian Vettel    

I hold no contempt toward this adolescent world conqueror even though I very much enjoyed his early departure in Abu Dhabi!  

Ok, fair enough, he's no longer an adolescent.

He is, however, a rare talent.   With the exception of Montreal, I'm having trouble recalling a single mistake that Seb made all season long.    I must acknowledge that consistency.    Seb has obviously demonstrated an uncanny knack for finding the quickest, grippiest line.

2)   Fernando Alonso

I feel like an idiot putting a number 2 in front of Fernando Alonso's name.     Let's start this again.


1)  SEBASTIAN VETTEL & FERNANDO ALONSO

If Alonso is one thing, he is that supreme pilot who can raise his game above it's already lofty perch when the occasion demands.   He is also one of very few drivers who can drive a car to race finish well beyond it's mechanical and aero threshold.  

Fernando is the best driver in the world.     Despite Seb's innate skill, I believe Alonso would beat him in equal machinery.

Several moments come to mind.    His starts in Barcelona and Monza.    His tenacity in England and Abu Dhabi.

2)  JENSON BUTTON

Button may not be the most exciting guy to watch at times but his race craft is becoming legendary.    Very much his own man . . . he gets my vote as the sportsman on the 2011 grid.
 
Stepping into McLaren Jenson has silenced his skeptics and dominated his teammate, never once displaying the slightest insecurity.     He's driving better now than when he won the title with Brawn, and I suspect he will continue to grow stronger.

I feel very fortunate to have witnessed his amazing drive in Montreal first hand.

3)  NICO ROSBERG

I find it interesting to compare Nico with his father.     I sometimes feel that he is actually a more naturally gifted driver, but wonder whether he lacks Keke's fighting instinct.     Keke Rosberg clawed his successes in F1 from drivers such as Senna, Lauda, Prost, Piquet, Mansell.

To the contrary, Nico appears to qualify ahead of Schumacher with apparent ease.    Those qualifying results aren't necessarily translating into race pace, and although I feel both he and Schumi are currently handicapped against Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari, the question remains:   Is Nico too nice a guy for F1?

I greatly respect Nico for his skill and maturity, but he resides at this level on my list by default.

4)  MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

Schumi had an inconsistent season, but managed to give us a few glimpses of his old self.     I personally found several of his better drives to borderline on sublime . . . granted all sub podium results, they were beyond the reach of lessor drivers.

I can't add too much other than to express my hope that AMG Mercedes will give him a more competitive car in 2012.     His 20 years in F1 have been a gift, and I will certainly break down to pathetic heap if he finds his way back to the top step.

5)  MARK WEBBER

Geez this was a tough call.      

I've joked that Mark Webber has spent too much pre-race time prepping for his post retirement broadcast career, but the serious truth is that he had a rough year.  

Mark has never been the most consistent driver on the grid . . . I've found him prone to brain fade over the years.    However this season he seemed to develop a strange habit of making those mistakes only at the start then recovering with controlled, solid drives to obtain reasonable results.

It's a mixed bag.    His incredibly brave pass on Alonso into Eau Rouge was a season highlight.    However, the late race recoveries contrast the manner in which he was so dominated by his teammate.    

6)  LEWIS HAMILTON

Another very tough call.     A solid argument can be made as to why Hamilton was not one of 2011's top ten drivers, and I came very close to expressing that belief.

That said, I don't want to belabor the ridiculous infantile moments of 2011.     Let's just say that within his wretched year I found a couple of noteworthy performances.  

I will be very interested to see how 2012 shapes up.

7)   SERGIO PEREZ

Perez demonstrated to me that he is controlled, relaxed, smooth, and exceptionally quick.    He's demonstrated that he can take care of his tires.     The on-board moments prior his crash in Monaco were something to behold.

I'm convinced that he is a force to be reckoned with in the coming years . . .

8)   PAUL DI RESTA

I don't have quite the same handle on di Resta's talent . . . I'm lacking thorough insight into why I find him impressive.     He did not finish the year as well as he started, but again I don't fully understand the reasons that he fell behind his teammate.

Despite my need to study this topic further, I've no doubt that di Resta has merited this spot in my top 10.

9)  KAMUI KOBAYASHI

Selecting a driver for this spot was a toss up.

When I ranked Kobayashi 9th on my list last year, I wondered if he'd garner similar notice in years to come.      

Kamui had a formidable teammate this time around and pretty much held his own.    It's fair to say that given the equipment, he probably could not have risen above mid-field, but I'm again curious as to how I'll rate him next year.

I hope to see more growth, less I fear he risks his potential becoming diluted to just another fixture on the grid.


Other drivers of note . . .

Nick Heidfeld.     I'm afraid we may have seen the last of quick Nick in F1.     It's sadly too easy to forget his amazing start and podium in Malaysia.      Had he survived the year I probably would have rated him, but that did not happen.

Adrian Sutil.     I've never fully understood Sutil's potential.    He started to impress me in the final races, but I'm wondering if this was coincidental or due to the threat of losing his job?    

Rubens Barrichello.     I'm sure Rubens deserves more credit but despite his experience he appears incapable of lifting Williams from disarray.    

Felipe Massa.     In all fairness, Felipe spent the year proving that it does in fact take two to tango.    He may have been the victim more often than Hamilton, but he made enough bad judgment calls to prevent my rating him for 2011.    I saw fleeting glimpses of the Massa I knew pre-Hungary 2009, but it would be a stretch to describe this as a year of growth.     I'm fairly certain 2012 will be his last season with the Scuderia.

Thoughts?

Monkey Business

I found this interview with Texas Comptroller Susan Combs revealing.  

I've questioned Bernie Ecclestone's agenda and modus operandi many times over the years, but not this time.    To say that I have a pretty clear idea on where the problem actually lies with F1 in Austin would be an understatement.

Although the USGP has proven a tenuous venture since the days when F1 was a gentlemen's pursuit, Tavo Hellmund's vision for this purpose built permanent home was in my mind genius.  

I believe the Austin iteration of the US F1 Grand Prix was destined to become a fixture for many years to come.     F1 would finally have a worthy home on US soil; a circuit which could provide a real challenge to the drivers and allow US F1 fans a chance to see the pinnacle of automotive technology perform on the absolute limit.

The annual F1 GP accompanied by the Moto GP and V8 Supercar series pretty much assured that the Circuit of the Americas would prove a boon to the region's economy.

Business is business, I respect that.     However I'm sensing, much as sports franchises are hustled from city to city with practically no regard for the paying fan, a suspect lack of stewardship.     Mr Hellmund almost pulled off a miracle, and I can't see it succeeding without his continued involvement.

Worth watching . . .

Here's some truly inspirational filmmaking from both sides of the pond . . .

24HOURS MOVIE TRAILER from STEREOSCREEN on Vimeo.

The Racer's Group: 2011 Finale from TRG on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

2007, four years on . . .

I haven't had much to say about Sebastian Vettel in my occasional ramblings on the 2011 F1 season.     I guess it's because I've not found much to add to a success story so cut, dry, and free of scandal that thinking about it induces sleep.     Just about the only really intriguing question arising from Vettel's 2011 walk took the form of fantastic manufacture by bored pundits promoting nonsensical doubt over the über-quick German's ability to fight, defend, overtake.  


This is not to say that I've already forgotten 2010's intra-team squabbles at Red Bull, Istanbul, the fate later callously dealt to Mark Webber by the Austrian hierarchy, nor the sensational manner in which Vettel dominated the season's final two GP's to steal the 2010 title from Fernando Alonso's and Ferrari's late season charge.   Nor have I forgotten Vettel's almost ridiculous shrill "thank you boys" over the radio as he took the chequered flag and became the youngest World Driving Champion in history.


2011 has been very different, and for those hoping to experience a repeat of 2010's down to the wire title contest, it has served as a reminder of the days when Schumacher redefined perfection with 5 titles in a row at Ferrari.   It's been a great year nonetheless, but I for one hope that someone at Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, etc. can come up with a car as easy on tires and easy to pivot around a corner as Adrian Newey has at Red Bull.     Otherwise Seb's record setting pace might continue at all of our expense.


2011 has also drawn strict contrast between Vettel and another driver who essentially entered the sport at the same time:   Lewis Hamilton.


I've been fairly outspoken in my criticism of Hamilton, but I want to express understanding for the predicament in which he now resides.    Given the manner in which the British media went completely overboard on his arrival into F1, it was impossible that his career would proceed with any degree of simplicity . . . simplicity that might manifest in and allow for the pure, cut, dry, and boring ascent realized by Vettel.


Both drivers in four years time have become World Champion.     However as I sit typing the contrast between their immediate futures appears sharp.     Vettel appears to have only begun, whereas Hamilton has become unraveled.    Hamilton now languishes in virtual chaos . . . his aura penetrated by constant altercations with Felipe Massa and by being dominated by his soft spoken teammate Jenson Button.


I imagine Lewis is a good guy . . . I value his contribution to F1 and hope that the events of the past year make him stronger as opposed to taming his dynamic will to compete.     I'm brave enough a critic to acknowledge that he is an exciting driver, and that F1 is better with him on his game than off.


Unfortunately, I suspect Lewis has suffered from sensationalism and poor management.     It would be foolish to dismiss the youth factor here.     Although I will freely admit that both of these men are far more mature than I was at their age, I can't ignore the differences in how their careers have unfolded.      My guess is that Hamilton can not escape the distraction of ridiculous media hysterics on both sides of the pendulum.      I think it is fair to admit that some . . . not all . . . but some motor sport media personalities still froth just a bit too much at the mouth when it comes to assessing the 2008 World Champion.     


Consequently I've noticed more than one online reference this week that the Suzuka podium was populated by the moment's three best drivers in F1.     I agree with that assertion.     Who would've guessed some 18 months ago that Lewis Hamilton would not be one of those men?


Who also could have foreseen the depth and width of the chasm between the fates of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton scantly four years on from 2007?

Forza Fernando

Fernando Alonso's performance in yesterday's Italian Grand Prix was epic, and his stunning move past Hamilton and Vettel to take the lead into the Prima Variante will stand time as one of his finest moments in F1.    He almost always starts well, but following a remarkably similar jaw dropping performance earlier this season at Catalunya, Alonso's place among the all-time greats must now be firmly cemented.  

Through sheer force of will and extraordinarily disciplined car control, Fernando managed to gift the Scuderia and the Monza Tifosi a podium finish that almost certainly was not on offer.    

The F150 in Massa's greatly improved hands has proven a midfield runner at best.    Given the strength of Red Bull and McLaren, it is mind boggling to consider that the European season has closed with Alonso lying 2nd in the championship.    Given Ferrari's endless struggle with tire temperature and compounds, it is hard to grasp how Alonso has managed to keep up with everyone else chasing Vettel.

Fernando was certainly aided in his quest by Michael Schumacher, who served a significant part of the GP as yet another thorn in Lewis Hamilton's wayward season.      I have to feel for Lewis, as though I much enjoyed Schumacher's drive among the front runners, Hamilton was probably robbed the opportunity to close on Alonso and eventually assume his spot on the podium.     I don't subscribe to the suggestion that Schumacher was driving dangerously, only that he pushed boundaries as he always has.

I did find it curious, however, at how effortlessly Button managed his way past Schumi when Lewis continually found himself blocked.

Finally, Liuzzi had no one to blame but himself for the season's best display of a F1 car posing as a bowling ball.       Having sat right at that spot in 2006 and 2010, I can't imagine what it must've been to witness first hand that errant HRT skittering across the grass!

All in all, another fantastic race in what has been a season full of memorable Grand Prix moments!

Looking Back: Monza '06

Watching the Italian Grand Prix this morning had me thinking back to my first Grand Prix at Monza - 2006.  We stayed in a little town called Cinesello Balsamo, which is just a train stop away from Monza. This is the trip I think of as our “planes, trains and automobiles” trip, though in reality it was more like trains, busses, cabs, shuttles and a whole lot of walking, and when I say a whole lot of walking, I’m not exaggerating even a little bit.


Our first Grand Prix ever was in 2004 at Imola, also in beautiful countryside much like Monza, only in Imola our lovely host drove us from our apartment right up to the race track. Staying in Cinesello Balsamo, we thought, how much trouble could one extra train stop be? Well, for starters, a bus ride was required from our hotel to the train station, and then from the train station in Monza either bus or race shuttle to the track entrance – and when I say entrance, that’s a loose term. The bus dropped us off at the far edge of the Parco di Monza – what seemed about a 3-mile walk to the actual entrance to the track. But I digress, we were excited to be there, no matter how much walking was required, I was just glad I had brought good shoes.


The good thing about the walk into the track was that all along the way were lots of places to get cappuccino, espresso, panini and brioche. The park is also quite beautiful and as we walked around, checking out the track and getting the lay of the land, I’ll never forget how astonishing it is to see the old banked track in person. The steepness is like nothing I’ve ever seen and can only be fully appreciated in person, particularly after the race when the fans are allowed to climb up and over it to get out onto the track.

Aside from the walking, the other thing that stands out is how good the food was at the circuit – pomodoro e mozerella and prosciutto e formaggio panini – the latter being my favorite. Even after the race weekend was long over and we were on our way to Tuscany, I still thought about how wonderful those simple sandwiches were - on bread that is nothing like anything you can find in a US grocery store.


On Thursday, after the pit walk, as the crowd was shooed towards the exit at the end of the day, we followed signs to a place that will, for us, always be a part of our Monza experience – The Pit Stop. A little bar tucked away off the beaten path, far enough off, in fact, that we thought somehow the signs were wrong. Just as we were wondering if we’d made a wrong turn, we saw the small patio with six tables. Inside was a bar with a few more tables, and not crowded like you would think, a friendly, welcoming place to rest our feet and have a beer.


When we were unable to successfully get a cab from The Pit Stop back to our hotel, we took the bus to the Monza centro storico where we made two great discoveries. The first being a wine shop that sold some fantastic wine from Italian F1 driver Jarno Trulli, the second Prater Pizzeria where we had a great dinner, but I think the dinner the following night at Ristorante Costa was our favorite.


On Friday, after making our way back to Cinesello Balsamo from a long day at the autodromo, the concierge at our hotel recommended Ristorante Costa to us for dinner. Not wanting to do any more walking, we asked if he could call us a cab. To him, my request made no sense, as he assured me this restaurant was only 50 meters from our hotel, just a few short blocks. He even wrote the brief instructions on the back of the hotel business card – make a left at the light, walk 50 m to the square where the restaurant is.


This is where we learned how true our Italian instructor’s joke about the Italian term “due piedi” is. The term literally means “two steps” and as she explained to us, when you ask for directions in Italy, you are often told the destination is only “due piedi” when in reality, it’s quite a hike. After twenty minutes of walking, we were just about to give up when we saw the restaurant on the far corner of a square. Glad we didn’t give up. We got a great meal, even with my super limited Italian – fortunately my Italian vocabulary is strongest when it comes to food. In addition to the great food and a particularly good tiramisu, they also had a man on a tiny stage playing keyboards who was very entertaining. When we first arrived, we was playing The Beatles and James Taylor. Later he was joined by a woman who sang Italian songs.  


On Saturday we decided to forget the bus to the train to the shuttle to the edge of the park ritual, and hired a cab to take us right to the entrance of the circuit for qualifying. This was a good call, not just for saving our feet, but also because that’s how we met our great friend Jon who, along with his traveling companion, was also looking for a more direct route to the track and was more than happy to share a cab with us.


At the end of the end of the day, we returned to what would become our favorite post race hang out, The Pit Stop. Too tired and hungry to imagine making a trek anywhere else, we ordered a meat plate where I was first introduced to the mysterious cold cut called “speck.” Delicious, but I had a hard time figuring out exactly what it was. It was only later that I learned that it is cured ham – similar to prosciutto. We also ordered some pasta, nothing fancy, but both the torchetti pesto and the tagliatelle Bolognese were surprisingly good for what was basically bar food.


Race day was the perfect combination of everything I think the Monza experience should be – the weather was beautiful, Ferrari won (this particular race it was Schumacher – his last win at Monza, at least up to now) and after the race was over, we celebrated with a bottle of Jarno Trulli’s wine with our friends on the patio at The Pit Stop. Wish I was there right now.

Traci Carroll

"Senna" Discussion Pt.3

CAUTION:  SPOILERS

I was reminded by a friend that I can find a dark cloud around any silver lining.    I've heard that so many times before that I'm sure that my reputation is ripe in that regard.    I'm also sure that to some my comments on "Senna" fall perfectly in that category.

Oh well, I might have suggested to my friend that he take two pills and call me in the morning . . . but a more productive suggestion might have been that he go back and reread what I've offered with his own negative filters turned off.

Ayrton Senna had an enormous impact on my life.    I can't say that he became my all-time favorite F1 driver, but from a distant vantage I was captivated by the manner this man scantly 14 months my elder so intensely attacked the world's greatest, most challenging form of motor sport.

I remember that it was right around Senna's 1985 season with Lotus that on-board cameras began to appear in sparse use.     It was the dawn of a sensational new era for those who followed the sport and Senna was taking center stage.    In the following years television audiences worldwide exploded.

Yet despite those staggering numbers, F1 has remained largely overlooked in the cinema.     Very few motor racing films have been made, and most are arguably disappointing.    "Le Mans"and the racing sequences in Frankenheimer's "Grand Prix," (both made prior Senna's era), are the most notable exceptions.
  
With this in mind, the movie "Senna" is a remarkable accomplishment simply in the fact that it arrives as one of the stronger films on the topic.      

I could have focused on those things which work so well . . . the unbelievable archival footage, the fantastic score, the fluid editing, and poignant ending.      No doubt, I am fully appreciative of the film on many levels.     Perhaps I should have left my commentary on that point.

However, my broader reaction to the film is almost identical to the contradictory nature I sometimes recognized in Senna's career.    If the film and ensuing discussion serves to keep Senna's impact on motor sport vibrant, then let's have at it.

I want to leave the topic with two further viewing recommendations.  

"A Star Named Ayrton Senna" is a noble documentary effort that comes close to presenting a more complete picture of the man, albeit with some handicaps such as a very weak score.  

I would also recommend Senna's 1989 qualifying lap at Suzuka as presented on the DVD "50 Years of Formula 1 Onboard."    The fascinating aspect to this narration free clip is not the lap alone but the intensity clearly evident in Senna's approach as he studies his competitor's times (probably Prost's!), climbs into his car, and pulls on his gloves.    Stunning.

SPA

Has Spa-Francorchamps ever produced a boring Grand Prix?     I highly doubt it.  

Despite the fact that Sebastian Vettel has pretty much run away with the title, I continue to find each round in this year's championship incredibly exciting, and Spa was no exception.  

This year's weather brought back memories of our trip there in 2008.

 
I can't wait to return!