In the round-up: Germany’s two F1 title winners team up again for the Race of Champions.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Michael at the Race of Champions 2011 (Michael Schumacher)
“Home heroes Michael and Sebastian Vettel have become the first drivers to sign up as they bid to win the ROC Nations Cup for a record 5th year in a row. The Race Of Champions will return to their home soil in 2011 at Frankfurt’s Commerzbank-Arena.”
"Since I’ve been at McLaren no other guy has spent as much time as me in the wind tunnel. Every moment I get, every chance I get, on my way to or from the lunch canteen, or when I’m going to the toilet, whenever I get a second, I have a quick look in."
Hospitality sales at Formula 1 are in the red again (Daily Mail)
“Despite the addition of new races in Canada and South Korea, revenues stalled as sponsors cut spending on corporate hospitality. F1 is majority owned by private equity firm CVC and the accounts reveal that it has racked up a combined $200 million loss since it was acquired in 2006.”
Williams F1 share price plummets 27% after win-less Grand Prix run (The Guardian)
“Williams has no points after three races and out of 12 teams it lies 10th in the standings. The best result scored by its two drivers this year has been 13th place in the Chinese Grand Prix on 17 April . Its shares fell 3.4% when they opened for trading the day after the race and over the past month they have lost 13.9% of their value.”
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Comment of the day
Some extra tips of taking pictures at F1 races from Ol Peculier:
Just to point out there are places that will do equipment hire, as pointed out anything less than a 300 isn’t goint to get you close enough. The downside is by their very nature they are heavy, and cumbersome (I almost knocked somebody out with a Canon 600 F4 once?óÔé¼?ª) and best taken as carry on rather than in the hold if you are flying.
I’d also recommend practicing on your metering, I was taught "off the grass and + 2/3rds of a stop" but depends on your gear and environment.
And when you are home, study the EXIF data for the images that worked, and those that didn’t to get an idea of what part of the triangle you miscalculated
Ol Peculier
From the forum
Craig-o asks which drivers have improved the most since the end of last season?
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Mags and Tim!
On this day in F1
Fernando Alonso won an exciting San Marino Grand Prix, resisting fierce pressure from Michael Schumacher in the closing stages.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
24th April 2011, 0:21
The Germans do make a formidable team! I wish other F1 drivers signed up. I know Button and Coulthard have before – but it’d be great to see Hamilton or Alonso having a go! Do Spain even have a team? It’s still a great event and i’m looking forward to it!
unnnococooc
24th April 2011, 2:49
Agreed. I’m still hoping for a Webber + Ricciardo Team Australia…. Webber was invited and said yes but then broke himself and didn’t go back last year.
As long as we’re not relying on V8 SC drivers to win it’s ok. Webber vs Vettel (RBR war) + Ricciardo vs Schumacher (young up and coming, vs old going but still good with the cars, especially slower)…
So….
Team Germany – Schumacher & Vettel
Team Australia – Webber & Ricciardo
Team Finland – Raikkonen & Hirvonen/Jari-Matti (fat chance on the former)
Team Japan – Sato & Kobyashi
Team Scotland – DiResta & Coulthard
Team England – Hamilton & Brundle (martin that is…)
Team GB – Franchetti & Button
Team Brazil – Senna (Bruno) & Barichello/Massa/Piquet (doesn’t really matter for the later)
Team France – Prost (Nicolas) & Loeb ( Nic Prost started racing at 22 and is doing well for that but started too late)
Team Land Down Under (Where women glow and men plunder) – Power & whoever from V8 supercarp
Team France II – Ogier & Grojean (doing well in gp2)
That’s 11 so far… another 5 required
Any thoughts
Dan
24th April 2011, 3:29
It’s interesting but I think i is for champions or almost-champions (like Massa , Barrichello or Coulthard), nevertheless I’d like to see those youngs also.
TheBrav3
24th April 2011, 19:03
Kovalainen raced in and won the race of champions after his first season of f1 it’s not just for people who have come close to winning a championship in the big series’.
The Last Pope
25th April 2011, 3:12
That was 2007. He lost that year in the final to Vettel and Schumacher.
It was 2004 (when he was driving the Nissan world series) that he won, beating Schumacher in the semis and Loeb in the Final.
Macca (@macca)
24th April 2011, 5:30
Team Down Under – Will Power & Ryan Briscoe
Team New Zealand – Scott Dixon & Brendon Hartley
Team Two Wheels – Chad Reed – Travis Pastrana
US_Peter (@us_peter)
24th April 2011, 18:20
Team two wheels – Rossi and Pastrana
Pinball
24th April 2011, 5:53
It’s meant to be “Race of Champions”, not the “Race of Current and Past Formula 1 Drivers”.
The Race of Champions thing is a gimmick, but if they were going to be real about it, entries should only be open to champions of the various series from the previous year, and should be a series of actual races in proper race cars, on a proper race circuit. Karts, Open Wheelers (Formula Ford or equivalent), Sedans, Rally Cars etc. Somewhere like Abu Dhabi would be good, with a nice fleet of school cars, and a variety of track layouts.
Mike
24th April 2011, 6:35
Or you could make it a fun and relaxed event.
The quality of drivers is absolutely supurb, and the quirky track/cars makes for some great and eventful viewing.
driftin
24th April 2011, 19:40
No, it’s not supposed to be a serious race, it’s meant to be a fun evening for everyone including the participants.
Toro Stevo (@toro-stevo)
24th April 2011, 7:54
Team Australia would be better off being James Courtney and Will Power, although I think the Homebush V8 race happens the same time ruling out Courtney. Maybe Casey Stoner or Chad Reed instead, for a two wheel team?
unnnococooc
24th April 2011, 9:21
Yeah, agree that it should be champions with a few nearly champions… Barichello deserves to be in it too. Massa was 1 corner away, Coulthard almost their. I think Nicolas prost has done well in his stuff too. Webber is nearly and is capable of beating vettel in equal machinery many a time. Ricciardo is a British F3 champion. Raikkonen is 2007 F1 champion and Kimi. Ogier is able to challenge Loeb, Hirvonen is very good (bar last year) but has been in a ford while citeron have had the better car. Jari-matti has been challengin especially last year.
Brundle it doesn’t even matter he has never won a GP. Most people think highly of him simply because he is a commentator and many would love to see him race. Maybe not him.
Franchetti won IndyCar, Power nearly won it. (and only didn’t because he can’t drive certain tracks…. reminds you of someone… cough webber cough)
Senna again started late, and has been brilliantly learning in his few years motor racing. That just leave team Japan but I thought many might like Sato and Kobayashi.
DiResta is a DTM champion.
So that is all, most champions or nearly. Only a few not really Ricciardo (F3 Britian doesn’t really count, Team Japan, etc…).
a 12th coul dbe Team Spain – Alonso (double F1 world drivers championship) & maybe someone biky like Lorenzo (motogp champion 2010). or PDL.. champion development driver… lol… or not.
eddie3 (@eddie3)
25th April 2011, 20:18
Carlos Sainz, a former WRC champion from Spain with Alonso.
DVC
24th April 2011, 10:28
Do you actually think we might see Brundle race? He is a past WSC champion, so he qualifies.
unnnococooc
24th April 2011, 10:52
No and didn’t know that.
The problem is that their are alot of high level drivers in a few countries and not many in others.
Germany has heaps of F1 drivers + DTM etc…
GB has heaps of drivers, only 3 in F1, 2 of whom are WDC, the oterh a DTM champion.
Finland is made of them from Kimi to Kovalinan, Hirvonen to Jari-Mati.
Australia has recently picked up a large group for our mere 20 million or so population. Power and Briscoe in Indy, Webber and Ricciardo in Single Seater + a whole lot of
hacksV8 SC drivers.A bit like the number of top level drivers called Sebastian.. with Red Bull backing
Sebastian Loeb
Sebastian Ogier both in red bull backed WRC
Sebastian Vettel in RBR
Sebastian Buemi in STR (aka Red Bull)
And then their are countries with few… Japan, Belgium, Netherlands, Arab Emirites and co… etc… only one driver or so.
DVC
24th April 2011, 12:03
Yeah, I’m Australian too, so I’m aware we are punching above our weight.
I originally started following Brundle, as at the 1986 (I think) Australian Grand Prix there were no Australians, and he was driving a Brabham, so I figured that was close enough.
Macca (@macca)
24th April 2011, 15:10
Plus you have David Brabham in GT1, John Martin in Formula Superleague, Marcus Ambrose in NASCAR, Chris Atkinson leading Rally Asia plus a plethora of 2 wheel riders like Casy Stoner in MotoGP, Ant West in MOTO2, Troy Corser, Chris Vermeulen, Mark Aitchison and Josh Waters (had to put him in because he is from my home town which only has about 20,000 people in it) in WSBK, Brock Parks in Superstock, Jason Crump (also from my home town and a 3 time world champion), Chris Holder, Davey Watt in Super Speedway and about 20 others in the Britsh Speedway Premier Leauge, 2 time champion Chad Reed in AMA Supercross and Robbie Madison plus about 4 others in the Red Bull X Fighters.
Plus we have a very competitive Touring Car Championship which contains 2 more drivers from my home town, one of which is a former champion (ok, now i’m just bragging :) ), so like you said, for a country of around 20 million, we are punching way above our weight.
KeeleyObsessed (@keeleyobsessed)
24th April 2011, 15:22
GB seem to use Andy Priaulx (of WTCC fame), and quite rightly so, he’s a good driver, I’ve not seen Hamilton do a ROC yet, maybe Priaulx and Hamilton would be a good team?
I remember going to the ROC when it was at Wembley Stadium for the first time, and seeing a young guy called Sebastien Vettel, now he was good… Wonder what’s happened to him recently..
Which brings me on to a very talented young Brazillian called Felipe Abuerqueque (I can’t remember his last name) Who won the last ROC in 2010 in truly amazing style for a rank outsider, he’s my tip for future years in F1..
Calum (@calum)
24th April 2011, 11:47
Scotland – D Franchitti and P Di Resta! ;)
unnnococooc
24th April 2011, 14:22
I guess my point was that the teams are too spazmodical and their are either too many drivers for too few positions or not enough drivers to fill the opsitions and hence it looks weird for a Race Of Champions to contain people who aren’t champions.
I think Schumacher and Vettel might be the 2 best German drivers in the world they are winning, and last year the only other team who I would say contained a pretty strong team was France.. Loeb (billion time WRC champion) and Alain Prost (aka the guy who was ~= to Senna but mostly forgotten for many). Not the strongest country having a guy is only doing Andros Ice Racing and is quite old.. makes Schumacher look young.
ANYWAY. That really shows the state of affairs.
All-Sars – Doohan (no series in in 2010), Foust (Even a NASCAR drivers would be better…)
Benelux – ah, yes who thinks of motorsport and doesn’t think of the economic union of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. Drivers Bleekelmolen won the Porche Supercup in 09 and didn’t in 2010 by a long shot. While Baguette’s record isn’t much more appetising, having won Renault 3.5 series before moving to IndyCar where he came 22nd, with a best of 10th, and 2nd best result of 15th and a whole lot of not much else.
Team Germany was made up of 7 time Vorld Champion Michael Schumacher and new wdc F1 Sebastian Vettel.
Team GB – could it be WDC Hamilton?, WDC Button?, perenial runner up Coulthard? no, it’s Plato (actual champion!) and WTCC’s Praulix who’s won the championship 3 times. I’d still bet on Hamilton beating him though…
Team Nordic – yes, nordic because there aren’t enough good Finish drivers out there… ablh blah Raikkonen blah blah Hirvonen blah blah Jari-Mati blah blah etc… THey have Kristensen of the LeMans Series and Kovalinan who while overlooked as he didn’t get proper treatment at McLaren isn’t exactly a champion on the world level.
Another powerhouse of motorsport – Portugal has a driver from the Italian GT championship and a driver from SuperLeageue who also did the Spanish GT championship.
And finally the USA (which Foust isn’t part of…) – Edwards (NASCAR… it’s nascar but it’s a good driver finally), and Pastrana of Rally America.
So to sum up, out of the 16 drivers, 3 of them were American, I struggle to think of any Americans in International Motorsport winning… nup, if you include Indy that is mostly in USA then… no still nup. But they have the majority of the drivers.
ANYWAY.
16 drivers in the Race of Champions a total of 3 champions in 2010! (Plato, Vettel Loeb), and 2 of them at World Level (Vettel and Loeb)… sorry Brits but the British Touring is about as International as the Aussie V8’s… which even take a short trip overseas occasioanlly.
2 International Champions, 3 Champions in a Race of Champions. I don’t see how this can be such a thing.
Sure some drivers like Prost (double Andros Trophy and 4 time F1 WDC), Schumacher (7 time WDC) etc.. deserve a place because of their record, but neither of the drivers from Portugal deserve a place, and it’s not as if they have a great driver who deserves to be their and they need a 2nd driver frm the country to make up the numbers, they are both useless drivers who haven’t won anything besides jr formula stuff.
Benelux is another, just why… 1 Porsche Supercup between them. That is all!
To actually make it a Race of Champions the invites should only be given to the follow
– Those who have won the championship at international level anytime in their life
– Those who have won a championship at national level this year
– Those who have won multiple world championships internationally anytime in their life
– Those who have won at least 3 world championships nationally anytime in their life
– Those who were nearly there internationally can fill up the extra places in the past few years
In that order. Fill it up.
So Finland either gets drivers like Raikkonen, Jari-Mati, Hirvonven or the team isn’t there, maybe add in Petter Solberg if you want (I know he’s not Finish). If only 1 can do it, then call it allstars or whatever.
Next, Britain, Plato gets an invite, so does Button (09 International), Hamilton (08 International), Franchetti (Indy 2010) and Di Resta (DTM 2010). If all can do it Team guys realted to Franchetti and Team England. If 3, then Team GB and 1 for allstars
etc….
ANd yes I know the result from last year.
Calum (@calum)
24th April 2011, 14:47
There are tones of German drivers, why not have two teams, like a Germany North and Germany South team (to split the nation but avoid political unrest).
KeeleyObsessed (@keeleyobsessed)
24th April 2011, 15:24
Ah! He was Portugese! Damn it! I kept thinking he was brazillian (see my previous comment)
Damon (@damon)
24th April 2011, 16:31
NONSENSE. Damon Hill at 22 had not even started racing motorbikes yet.
This isn’t athletics where you have to develop your organism for years.
unnnococooc
25th April 2011, 4:33
Damon Hill born 17 September 1960
Hill started his motorsport career in motorcycle racing in 1981
1981-1960=21… even if you playw ith birthdates he was at latest 22 when he started.
And in this day and age whre Vettel is the youngest as of 2010 which Hamilton was in 08 and Alonso in 05… the younger gets it not the 32 year old anymore.
DVC
25th April 2011, 14:53
Sato didn’t start karting until he was 19. I don’t see a big difference between 19 and 22.
Fixy (@)
24th April 2011, 16:21
I like a lot that team of an old and young German, two world champions, two people very close even outside the track, almost like a family. The past and present of Formula 1.
sato113 (@sato113)
24th April 2011, 0:43
oh god the pirellis are going to look ugly… like fruit polo sweets.
http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/46852.html
Fred Schechter
24th April 2011, 1:31
taste the rainbow.
Macca (@macca)
24th April 2011, 5:35
I think they should incorporate a lights system to differentiate the tyre compounds, similar to what they have in Aussie V8 Supercars. The lights could be on the side of the roll hoop cameras and it could glow red for hard and green for soft. That way it would be visible from most camera angles.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 19:24
It should be part of the on screen graphics, mabye having the number of laps run on each compount in the right colour (yellow/silver and red/white with added blue and orange for the inters and rain tyres.) That way you can really fathom the stragety going on.
DVC
24th April 2011, 10:29
That’s skittles, not fruit polos.
sato113 (@sato113)
24th April 2011, 17:59
+1
Mike
24th April 2011, 6:37
Blimey… To be honest, I think this is going too far, it wasn’t that hard to see last race.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
24th April 2011, 10:05
Absolutely pointless. At most you only have two dry tyres to remember over the course of a weekend. The stripe is fine.
RIISE (@riise)
24th April 2011, 15:19
I would’ve thought a thicker stripe to aid the people who can’t tell it out. But the entire side wall? Just plain silly.
DVC
25th April 2011, 14:55
Why is it silly? What is wrong with coloured side walls. It just seems like you guys want to complain.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
24th April 2011, 2:52
Both the San Marino GP of 05 & 06 were very exciting as it showed the no matter how slow is car is you can still defend if you have the skill.
Macca (@macca)
24th April 2011, 5:38
That was the point of these rule changes, it was to easy to defend.
Mike
24th April 2011, 6:53
It is very sad to see Williams struggling like this.
wasiF1
24th April 2011, 7:08
Since they broke their relationship with BMW they were never on track.
Todfod (@todfod)
24th April 2011, 8:01
Yeah it really hurts to see such a legendary team struggle like this. Unfortunately things dont look like they are going to get better for Williams any time soon, and that stock is going to plummet all season.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
24th April 2011, 10:36
Not looking good is it? :/
I hope they manage to pick things up. They had a nice moment in Brazil last year, would be good if they could have a few more moments like that!
unnnococooc
24th April 2011, 10:55
It was only ever a gamble. Hulkenberg sported more downforce and a setup for wet conditions, hence part of the reason for the massive time gap in the wet quali.
Then in the race it was dry and he couldn’t keep pace at all… he has heaps ahead and was heaps too slow in the race and only finished well back.
BasCB (@bascb)
27th April 2011, 19:29
That just is not true. Sure he got the car setup by Rubens, and the team made the right call to go at that time. But the car was not setup for anything like wet weather but for the race. Just its speed normally in the race was not for better than 8-12th place, with Hulk ending up in 8th.
Vettel was out at the same time as were others including Alonso and I think Hamilton.
If you watch that lap, you can just see how he is always on the dry patches of the track to keep warmth in the tyres for the whole 3 laps in a row. The other guys being out at the same time were astonished by it and his over a second advantage in his fastest lap (his first timed lap would have got him pole as well, just a second slower) was done impressively.
DVC
24th April 2011, 10:26
Hamilton’s helmet must be ultra aerodynamic with all that time he is spending in the wind tunnel.
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
24th April 2011, 10:55
Thanks for the forum shout out! Only just started using it!!!
TommyB (@tommyb89)
24th April 2011, 11:05
I’ll never forget that race at Imola 2005, the most exciting race I’ve been too.
I was at the time, an Alonso/Renault fan in the middle of the Tifosi going absolutely ballistic!
I remember when we got home and heard the news that ITV cut to an ad-break during the last 2 laps or something.
Bleu
24th April 2011, 11:51
I would really like to see Valentino Rossi in ROC. Just need another Italian to partner him.
Michel S. (@hircus)
24th April 2011, 13:12
Anyone planning to attend the ROC this year? We can do a F1 Fanatic meet-up
Mags
24th April 2011, 13:50
Thanks for the “Happy Birthday”, it’s sunny, chocolate Sunday, no work tomorrow and it sounds like Robert Kubica just got out of hospital-what more could a girl want?(a race perhaps?!)
PJ
24th April 2011, 19:15
Hey guys, just thought I’d share this, if you want to win one of the F1 posters I made take a look at the link :)
http://www.pjtierney.net/2011/04/new-product-launched-2-giveaways.html