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Saturday, September 29, 2012

Land of the free?

Since voicing my candid appraisal on the entire "PSL" ticket debacle, I've spent the better part of 2012 trying to turn a new leaf, trying to approach the USGP in Austin as an optimist.     I freely admit that this is a trait I'm probably not best known for in certain circles . . . LOL.

The closer truth is that at heart I am a realist who does not suffer fools nor arrogant schemers gladly.     However, it is with caution that I want to initiate this thread on this week's release from CoTA regarding "Prohibited Items."

I am currently seeking clarification on a couple of points regarding their somewhat unexpected, highly unusual, and rather vague proclamation.    Key to my interest is learning the criteria entrants will be judged upon and how this process of exclusion will be implemented.     Given that most attendees will be shuttled to the circuit, thus unable to easily return prohibited items to their vehicles, this raises many questions about how CoTA plans to address the challenges this places upon their ticket buying customers.

From the outset, I think it is important to set a proper perspective on this question.  

This is NOT a policy brought upon CoTA from the FIA, FOM, nor any sanctioning or commercial body remotely associated with F1.     (Many will blame Bernie . . . geez, sometimes I really have to feel for him.)

This is NOT consistent with other F1 Grands Prix staged around the world.  

This is NOT consistent with motor sport events . . . road racing and ovals . . . held in the US.

Therefore, this dilemma, the questions it raises, and the discussion which will certainly follow across the internet is of their own making.

Hopefully this coming week will bring some degree of clarity, qualification, and adjustment from CoTA before the real debate begins . . . but I am certain that debate will be fierce.  

For the sake of those who have worked to bring the USGP to Austin I hope that CoTA will pay attention.   No sensible motor sport enthusiast will pay hard earned money only to put up with such nonsense.  

I will not, and I'm certain that I'm not alone.


Friday, September 28, 2012

A clear picture . . .

The clock is spinning way too fast.   F1 2012 has now truly entered the home stretch and although much remains to be decided, I can't help but wonder where the latter part of the European season went, even when it evaporated right before my eyes.

I also can't help but ponder 2012's new found schizo personality . .  we've lost the crap shoot of the first seven or eight rounds to find ourselves back where we started:   Red Bull, McLaren, wondering if Ferrari can rise in answer.    Clearly everyone has finally figured out Pirelli's tricks and have returned to the annual ritual of out tweaking each other to Brazil.

Spa proved to not be much of a race this year.      Sure, I was excited to be there . . . no complaints, how can there be? . . . but even without the first corner calamity I doubt anyone had anything for McLaren.    Sans Hamilton's departure, we probably would have seen a McLaren 1-2 finish.  Thankfully everyone emerged from the first corner with all of their "attachments" in tact, living to fight another day.

I'd high hopes for Kimi as he always drives so well in Belgium, but he simply did not have the car for the job.    The Lotus-Renault has no doubt proven competitive and did initially look strong . . . but Saturday was odd and it was as if the other teams, between a single FP3 session and quali, found a pace that they could not.     Although Räikkönen survived the first corner melee, Button simply drove away from him in the race.

Given Kimi's command of the circuit, that was really saying something.  

Alonso could've wound up on the podium, and perhaps even mounted a challenge to Button, but my instincts counter that the McLaren pace could not have been matched.  

This was not the case in Monza where for all intents Fernando should have won from pole.      He was clearly quickest in FP3, Q1, and Q2.     Then came Q3.   Many suggest that the broken rear sway bar was merely a cover story . . . perhaps so . . . but from my vantage at the Prima Variante, the cause was not as clear as the immediacy in which that pole was lost.      The Ferrari struggled through the left hand exit of the chicane onto the opposite curbing.     The resulting lack of launch into the Curva Grande spelled disaster, and I wonder whether Fernando immediately backed off, knowing his day was done.

Alonso recovered on Sunday, driving a magnificent race to claim what initially looked to be a 2nd place finish.     That was until Sergio Perez served up another stunning example of how to preserve one's tires to their fullest advantage and stole the 2nd step from Fernando in what Niki Lauda later described as the drive of the race.  



Fernando still managed to leave Monza increasing his lead in the driver's title, but Singapore has since rendered that buffer merely a brief respite from his competitors who are getting quicker.

So despite all of Alonso's tenacity, despite his busting Ferrari's collective tails to haul the F2012 from obscurity, his real work begins now.  

There isn't a circuit remaining on the calendar where Alonso and Ferrari can rest.   Suzuka will prove favorable to Red Bull and McLaren, and they will be more likely suited to the heavy dose of Tilke circuits which carry us to Interlagos.

I've heard that provided Alonso can stay on the podium he'll preserve his lead and take the title, but my math does not support that theory.     Ferrari are faced with a battle they know all too well . . . a car that does not maximize tire performance.     It will be upon Ferrari's ability to respond where Alonso's much deserved third driving title will hinge.

Alonso's driven beyond the F2012 all season.  He's already merited the title in a fashion few world champions before him have.   However, his skill alone probably can't answer the rising challenge ahead.


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

the long, hot silence

I find little use for summer's miserable discomfort unless seated poolside, and I can't remember the last time I could enjoy such hedonistic pleasure on anything remotely resembling frequent basis.  

However, with the Rolex Historics, Concorso Italiano, and the relief of 68 degrees Fahrenheit on the Monterey Peninsula, I came a step closer to kissing these dreadful days goodbye.  

At this moment I'm seated in a comfortably air conditioned lounge on my way back to the Ardennes . . . to the greatest road racing circuit in the world and the beginning of what I suspect will be a nail biting push to both the 2012 driver's and constructor's titles.

I can't wait to return to Spa . . . Fall is fast approaching and so is the core of my 2012 motor sport experience.    Hopefully I'll soon have plenty to share here.    Cheers.      Go Kimi.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Valencia!

Such is life, but 2012 is flashing by while throwing up challenges of greater complexity and frequency than I'm used to.      Therefore, it is somewhat a shame that I'm not free to sit back in further dissect this amazing F1 season.

This season has already produced more uncertain outcomes than the prior five or six seasons combined.     If I had more time, I'd do some serious research to back up that assessment.

The European Grand Prix at Valencia was no exception.  

Valencia looks a blast to drive . . . especially the practically flat out blind weaving back to the start/finish straight . . . but until yesterday the venue had never offered much in terms of racing.   Last year's GP was probably the most boring in recent memory.

Therefore it was very much a surprise on Sunday to be treated to the stuff from which F1 legends are drawn, and Fernando Alonso's sensational drive from 11th to an emotional victory in front of his native Spanish fans will be replayed on highlight reels for years to come.   

It's hard for me to ignore the potentially symbolic nature of the Valencia podium:     Alonso, overcome with emotion, standing between Ferrari's two most recent world champions.    This crazy season is a long way from becoming subject to internet trending but if I were a betting man I might put a small fortune on this moment.

Alonso won from midfield on this circuit aforementioned for guaranteeing lackluster racing.     He came into 2012 with a dog of a car that would confound most drivers, and has demonstrated remarkable tenacity driving beyond the car's capability and respect for his team in patiently, diligently working for improvement.      Sunday Alonso and Ferrari were rewarded.   

I found Alonso parking his somewhat revitalized F2012 in front of the grandstand and unrolling his newly gifted Spanish flag reminiscent of Senna's celebrations at Interlagos.

What makes this year's European Grand Prix so exceptional, however, is that Alonso's drive was not the only noteworthy performance on display.

Alonso benefitted from a couple of key retirements, most notably Sebastian Vettel, who in typically ho-hum fashion sped away from the front.   Whatever I personally feel for the marketing entity he drives for, I have to hand it to Vettel for remaining a driver not to be discounted.    

Romain Grosjean was also sensational, and had his Lotus Renault electrical system not packed up he might have ultimately robbed victory from Alonso.     Grosjean's path into F1 has been rocky, but his speed and fight are very real.     Despite that his 2012 has so far proven a collection of peaks and valleys, he's holding his own against Kimi Raikkonen.    If he can continue to mature and avoid some of the mistakes which have cost him, he may very well finish ahead of Kimi in the final tally.

Raikkonen put in another solid drive to 2nd.    Kimi capitalized on good fortune when Hamilton's tires went off in the closing stages, but after what happened in China that pendulum was due to swing his way.     I still find Kimi perplexing.    His flashes of brilliance are often segued by moments where it appears some young lady in the grandstands might have caught his attention.      That said, he's an amazing talent, a great benefit to the sport, and I fully expect him to provide quite a show over the remainder of the year.

It was great to see Michael Schumacher back on the podium.     Two and one half seasons following his 2010 return?     I doubt most of us thought it would take that long.      It was fantastic.   I'm hoping he finds his way one or two steps up before year's end.

Finally, a word about Hamilton.    I really have to feel for the guy.      He has been thwarted by his own crew at some point in practically every GP this year.      I'm not anti-McLaren, but when it comes to how passionately and fervently many McLaren fans lash out at Ferrari, I can only laugh at their calamitous pit stops.  

I lost respect for Hamilton several years ago because he'd spend more time on the radio yelling at his team than driving the car.     The irony is that if he were doing that now I'd probably back him up!    LOL

Regarding his clash with Maldonado, I laugh at claims that Hamilton was an innocent victim of an overly aggressive overtaking attempt.     Hamilton was not t-boned.    Much to the contrary, he drove over Maldonado's wheel as result of an ill conceived attempt to squeeze Pastor and protect his position.     The accident was a racing incident, nothing more, with both drivers carrying equal blame.

All in all an absolutely fantastic European Grand Prix . . . and we've much to look forward to as the circus now moves to the core of the European season and some of the fastest, most fabled circuits on the calendar.

  




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Moving on . . .

With news that the legal dispute between Tavo Hellmund and his former partners with The Circuit of the Americas has been resolved, its time to get back to everything we should be focusing upon with the return of the United States F1 Grand Prix.

Tickets have finally gone on sale, and despite the all of the nonsense associated with the Personal Seat License fiasco, they have arrived fairly consistent with the prices of Grands Prix I've attended in Europe and Montreal.    I realize many do not share this assessment, but to be honest I get the suspicion that their orientation on F1 ticket pricing is based solely upon the very unique way things were at Indianapolis.

Austin may not offer Indianapolis' expertise and infrastructure when it comes to getting everyone to and from the circuit.     Those of us who chose not to cough up the dough for a PSL will be shuttled.     Given the lack of road improvements and parking, this actually makes a lot of sense, but it must be adequately funded and properly executed.     I must wonder whether the surrounding roads will be able to handle the shuttle traffic alone, so I can only hope that they've got a solid plan in place to keep those buses moving.

That said, I'm looking forward to a great weekend in Austin.     There's plenty of positives to focus upon and that's what I intend to do from this point forward.     Looking back over the past eight months The United States Grand Prix has teetered on the brink of disaster.     The fact is that we are still here, the race is a certainty,  and Hellmund's vision, more than partially intact, is about to become reality.  

We've much to be thankful for.    The race could have remained attached to Montreal's June date thus requiring all of us to sweat it out under an oppressive Texas summer sun.    Cooler heads prevailed, and the November date comes with the added potential that the title could be decided on US soil.     (Speaking of Montreal, Sunday's Grand Prix du Canada convinced me that the world championship will be wide open when the lights go out in front of all of those PSL premium seats, but I digress . . . )
Having cleared all of these hurdles, I fully expect that the buzz surrounding the USGP in Austin will finally begin to pick up momentum.  

Growing up in Atlanta, I'd always hoped that the USGP might one day come to Road Atlanta.    I remember a good friend and Porsche race car mechanic musing that the F1 cars would shave ten seconds off the lap times set by the GT Prototypes of the era.     Ten seconds was probably fantasy, but I could only imagine what it would have been like to see Senna, Piquet, Prost attacking that wonderful undulating circuit in the mid to late 1980s!

I have no idea whether the people of Austin realize this, but my belief is that this is the beginning of something for which they'll be very proud of in years to come.    


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Proper World Championship

Five races.   Three continents.   Five winners, four nationalities.    Five constructors . . . three engine manufacturers of three separate countries . . . a virtually elusive grid featuring drivers of three other nationalities and teams from another two who almost certain will also taste victory . . . and we are only one quarter of the way into the season.

This is F1 circa 2012 and it's one helluva show.    We may be witnessing the most chimerical example of the world championship F1 has offered yet.     I also doubt very seriously that either title will be decided by the time the teams reach Austin in November, which bodes well for the USGP.  

This sport which I so obviously adore only seems to get better and better.    Each era in the sport's history has provided unique memories for the ages, but despite the ever shifting technological front, heavier rule books, and over populated steward's quarters in economically challenging times, 2012 may prove that at the heart of the matter that spirit has not been lost.

No driver or team has established anything close to resembling dominance.    Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel currently reside at the top of the points table despite the fact that both men are struggling with lessor machinery, a testament to their skill and race craft.    Kimi Räikkönen has impressed and arguably returned to the form he initially brought to Ferrari.     We have two very deserved first time winners, Rosberg and Maldonado, and my feeling is that Monaco will deliver the season's sixth different victor.

Although evident from the outset in Melbourne, Spain clearly reinforced Pirelli's ante in determining who can go not only quickest but smoothest.      I find it fascinating that Maldonado, Alonso, and Raikkonen, each at different stages of the Grand Prix, set the Catalunya pace.  

It's going to be a very tough road forward to predict.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Dog Star

It's hard to imagine that I'll ever tire of the atmosphere at Laguna Seca on the Monterey Peninsula.    I've been fortunate to take in over a half dozen race weekends since seeing the circuit for the first time just a few years ago.  

Between the micro climates that roll across the peninsula, the sunshine combines with pleasant, cool marine air to create an energy that I'm certain I'm not alone in drawing upon.  

On one of my first visits, I left Monterey with an indelible memento of that energy which I carry with me to every race circuit I've been since.    During one lull between sessions, I could not help but notice the circuit piping Perry Farrell's "Wish Upon a Dog Star" over the tinny sound system.

There is an energy in that piece of pop music (love the bass line LOL) that is in my mind synonymous with throwing a car into a corner on full opposite lock!    Whether I'm at Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, or Monza, I'll listen to that track in the morning on my way to the circuit . . . perhaps to further stimulate my focus on capturing something unique on camera.    

Anyway, I'm still learning . . . and with news that I've acquired media credentials for this weekend's "Ferrari Racing Days" Challenge event, I'm hoping to channel Laguna Seca's energy beyond merely wishing to creating work that celebrates everything that is amazing about motor sport.

The laughable thing, however, is that I don't know whether I'm better at air guitar thumpin' that bass, or air double de-clutch downshifting . . .  



CLICK HERE for American Le Mans/Monterey Slide Show

Cheers