Just Me

I’m disgusted, Fernando Alonso, a two times world Champion, ignored his pit crew and sat in the pit box as Lewis Hamilton waited for a change of tyres and have one last crack at pole position. Fernando delayed Lewis long enough that he wasn’t able to attempt his last flying lap before the qualifying ended and took pole position from Lewis.

Shame on you Fernando, you have often criticised other drivers for tactics such as these and now you do the same! To your own Teammate? of course your counting on Ron Dennis not lodging a formal complaint, as it would compromise the team, your counting on Ron Dennis not feeling the need to ‘change your engine’ or ’start you from the pit lane’ or even firing you. It was obvious from the coverage that this was not planned and approved by the team.

I’m reminded of ‘Rascassegate’ at last years Monaco GP and Flavio Briatore’s comments in particular.

“Someone who was seven times a world champion wants us to believe that he didn’t do it on purpose - it’s fairyland.”

At least there could be some debate over Schumacher’s intentions, but, in my opinion, there can be no denying that Fernando sat still despite being ordered out of the pits by the team.

This all comes right in the middle of the whole Stepneygate affair and I have to say thing’s look bad for McLaren, they were found guilty of cheating, yet not penalised as ‘they gained no benefit’ from the information. I’m sorry, but cheating is cheating and unless some punishment is applied to McLaren even as a token gesture, I believe it calls in to question the impartiality of the FIA and it almost legitimises cheating maybe that’s why Fernando did it.

I’m sure there will be a lot of comment in the next few days/weeks regardless of what the outcome this weekend and in the whole spy thing, at the end of the day, it would be easy to say the only ones losing out are the stakeholders in the sport, as they are making a mockery of what has been an incredibly entertaining season in F1 for all the right reasons.

But I love F1, have done since I were a nipper and I’m a stakeholder in the sport, granted as a spectator only but it’s the spectators that the sponsors want to entice and it’s the sponsors that provide the funds for the teams and drivers to go racing. I’m glad I’m not a vodafone customer because I would now have to change phone companies, I’m glad I don’t drive a Mercedes because I would have to change it.

OMG! This is simultaneously the greatest and worst thing ever!

Greatest because I’ve wondered for a long time just what a modern F1 car could do on the old Ring. I mean it’s nearly 30 years since the last F1 car had a lap. The current lap record is held by a Radical, for those who don’t know that basically a Rollerskate with a very well tuned motorbike engine.

Worst because, well lets face it Nick Heidfield ain’t exactly renowned for pushing limits, hell his change of teammate midway through last season saw him improve dramatically, because his new team mate was pushing him harder than Jaques Villeneuve ever did. That and the rather disapointing quote at the end of the article are making me think that Nicky ain’t gonna even try. I really hope I’m wrong.

In fact if I were in Nick’s shoes I’d be thinking “well I’m never gonna beat Schuey’s records but I could be the last F1 driver to set a Lap record around the Nordschleife.” I’m calling you out Nick, if you’ve got a pair, to hell with doing a demo lap for the masses, make a mark on history and go for it. Go on, I dare you!

It’s been a while since I had an F1 post, but then the off season is never terribly interesting there is always some rumour or other, not a huge amount of news and the odd award. So here’s a quick round up.

First off the pre-season rumours of Silverstone’s demise from the calander are back, (did they ever go away?) this time in some sort of weird Grand prix swap with the French??? and shure lets fire in the threat of Donnington for good measure

David Richards is a busy man, what with running prodrive, Aston Martin’s racing program, getting his Formula 1 team on it’s feet and now, apperently, he’s trying to buy Aston Martin? hmmm here’s a thought Aston Martin F1 Vantage 2008.

Over in Ferrari land, well they are not missing Michael or both there drivers whould like us to believe. It’s only fair to wonder is the ould fella is maybe over staying his welcome but then who could blame him, it’s Ferrari for gods sake Still it must be nice to know the books are all good, they look good in testing and Massa is picking up the Bandini Trophy in recognition of his impressive performances for Ferrari last season. Well deserved if you ask me. It’s not all perfect though, their recent TV commercial shoot went a bit pear shaped in Australia, hopefully though it’ll be the only bad luck for ferrari down under in 2007.

Roll on March 18th

Last weekend, I woke early on Sunday morning a bit like a Kid on Christmas day, excited full of anticipation for what the day would bring. As we know at this point It wasn’t the best day for Ferrari in Suzuka. Michael’s championship hopes all but gone, he even said him self he didn’t want to win it like that, meaning Alonso not finishing in the last race. The constructors championship doesn’t look good for them either 9 point’s adrift but as we head into the last race of the season, the last race of an era even, I’m looking forward to what I hope will be a memorable climax of a phenomenal championship and career.

Anyway back to Suzuka, The pre-race coverage on ITV contained something very rare. They managed to grab an interview on race day, no less, with one of the most formidable men in F1, the evil genius behind the Ferrari conspiracy, Mr. Jean Todt. You can read it here.

I thought this was particularly interesting in reference to Felippe Masa. I can’t remember the last time I heard any team principle be so up front about there “second driver” and my hat goes off to him for not only standing up for his driver but also the way he slapped down the implied Ferrari conspiracy that Ted Kravitz was looking for confirmation on.

Congratulations Jean, I hope Felippe always has this much support from you

So F1, whats been happening since Monza, where as we all know once again the evil FIA ganged up with that evil german and well those guys wot build the evil cars, you know they’re red like the Devil for god’s sake.

Well that’s what some people would have us believe anyway. After all the commotion in Monza, I’m so disapointed in the mainstream F1 press they all wanted to say it but none of them would. You wonder why? I did but then I realised there just trying to make a story where there isn’t one, yup that’s it if enough people start to believe a story then it starts to take on a momentum of it’s own it creates it’s own smoke so there has to be a fire right?

Fair play to Fernando and Flavio they said what was on there mind Flav more than Fernando who just seemed to think F1 isn’t a sport anymore. Then again Flav retracted Fernando didn’t and infact has gone considerably further since.

I know Alonso is the youngest world champion in the history of the sport but what does he hope to achieve by slagging off the most succesful driver in the history of the sport? that’s not going to win you the championship only keeping a calm head and scoring points will do that, not driving beyond the limits of your car until the engine explodes or whinging into the radio or sideswiping a friday test driver at high speed before brake testing him.

Schuey has his history too as so many people have been quick to point out since Monaco, but for some reason the media are blinkered to Alonso’s wrong doing’s and very quick to point to Schuey’s past indescresions at every available oppurtunity. Yet very quick to forget that schuey has been penalised severly in the past as well, both on and off the track.

Well whatever Alonso and flav had hoped to achieve by there actions at Monza what they did achieve was a clarification of the “blocking” rule in F1 although you can tell by the tone that the FIA aren’t happy about the way these 2 conducted themselves. I really am surprised that neither have been pulled up for bringing the sport into disrepute.

I think there are 2 thing’s Fernando needs to learn from what has happened at and since Monza.

1. You’ll never win an argument with the referee
2. If you wanna have a bitch about a competitor get your manager to do it for you

Still it’s nice to know the fans have more sense than to listen to the media and have made there own minds up by voting Schuey and Ferrari there favourite by a country mile.

Wow, what a weekend in F1. Where to start, the Midland sale to Spyker?

The ‘blocking’ incident that relegated Alonso to 10th on the grid? and upset him just a smidge

Kubica’s incredible start?

Kubica’s amazing drive to third place?

Alonso’s engine blow up?

Hhhhhmmm there was something else as well…

What was it again?

Oh, yeah the Greatest F1 driver of all time announced his retirement.

Where to start on that one? Well to be honest I am going to write something on this but I think I should wait till the seasons over, just to save myself revising it when he does/doesn’t win his eight championship.

Personally, I’d love to see him go out on a high note

So I hear, any way. It just goes to show you shouldn’t believe everything you here

Ok so it still isn’t the best second and third place battle in F1 History, and to be fair Ranault have been waiting a while to get there own back,  but how long is it since we saw 2 world champions that close at the end of a race? (Conor are you out there?)

Oh BTW the link above is Described Completly incorrectly so ignore that, this is the closing laps of the 1979 French Grand Prix in Dijon, the race was the first race to be won by a Turbocharged car in F1 by Jean-Pierre Jabouille in a Renault.

Those of us who saw this on the day (tv or at the circuit) know what really mattered that day and that was the battle for second place between Rene Arnoux (Renault) (who’s quoted at the start and end of the clip) and Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari) Even at 4 years old (okay almost 5) I knew I was watching something very very special.

Right, minutes from the start of the turkish GP Massa on pole, Schuey 2nd, needing to get at least 2 points more than Alonso per race, every race, for the rest of the year, to win the championship and (all signs point to) retire at the ‘peak’ of his career.

I’m hoping that’s the way it pans out, anyway, here we go, Go, GOOOOOOO!!!