I was very disappointed to read yesterday that Brits on Pole has suspended operations.
I met Andy and LJH at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year. They did great work on Brits on Pole and have provided guest articles for F1 Fanatic in the past. Their recent one on Superleague Formula was just one example of the high quality work they produce.
Motor racing blogging will be poorer without their excellent and original contributions.
Here’s today’s round-up:
Links
F1 urged to learn from Canada show (Autosport)
Christian Horner: “There was this myth of aerodynamics being the root of all evil – but in Canada you could quite clear see tyres have a much bigger influence on car being able to race each other.” Of course he’s not just saying that because he paid megabucks for the services of Adrian Newey.
Villeneuve’s star turn in NASCAR (Motorsport)
“Villeneuve hung on as best he could to Edwards and appeared to have second place wrapped up before his engine began to fail with two laps to go. He was able to keep going, limping home 25th, but showed everyone in NASCAR that he knows a thing or two about road racing.”
European Grand Prix preview (Red Bull)
“Once again the rule that no country may host more than one round of the Formula One World Championship is circumnavigated by the clever expedient of giving one race the title ‘European Grand Prix’. That’s what’s now happens in Spain, as apart from the national race in Barcelona, we now have this extra event in Valencia. And, along with Singapore later in the year, it means we now have two more street races to make Monaco a little bit less unique.”
Canadian Grand Prix video edit (F1.com)
Still no footage of Liuzzi’s final pass on Sutil, or the Barrichello-Alguersuari collision. Some ghastly music though.
Comment of the day
Rampante has misgivings about Bridgestone’s latest plan:
Is it only me who thinks the Playstation generation is taking over?
Drivers should race in cars prepared by teams who feel they have done the best they can. Not to have one of the most important factors messed about with. What’s next, clown cars with side panels falling off?
Rampante
From the forum
Tommy wonders if Liuzzi saved his place in F1 with his driver in Canada.
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
James Hunt scored his first Grand Prix victory in the Dutch Grand Prix on this day 35 years ago. It was also the only win for the Hesketh team.
A smartly-timed change from wet tyres to slicks turned ‘Hunt the Shunt’ into a Grand Prix winner, holding off Niki Lauda’s Ferrari.
Keep an eye out for a youthful Luca di Montezemolo, who appears to have just returned from filming a shampoo advert, in the video below (from 2:55).
US_Peter (@us_peter)
22nd June 2010, 0:21
Young Luca di Montezemolo looks a bit like a long-haired Sutil.
João Pedro CQ
22nd June 2010, 9:25
His 1975 face is just like Sutil’s, but with long hair.
Zahir (@)
22nd June 2010, 0:28
Ahh I hate it when Red Bull makes statements like that. Its another case of a team putting themselves first before the good of the sport.
Sure the tyres made the race great, but this was due more the unpredicatability of the medium compounds. If the mediums acted as they were predicted, it would have been a boring 1-2 for the Bulls.
With time the teams would learn all they need to know about the tyres and we will be back at square one again.
Recently I have found myself disliking Red Bull more and more. Thought they were different as a team but I guess all teams get like this when there is a chance of success.
Cacarella
22nd June 2010, 1:52
Agreed Zahir.
“A Myth about Aerodynamics” – This got me mad!!!
The Aerodynamics of the car didn’t play as big a role in Canada because the cars are not as dependent on down-force at this track!
I’m not sure if Horner thinks he’s so much smarter than everyone else and that’s why he says such things, or if everyone else is just smarter than him!?
Mike-e
22nd June 2010, 2:04
+1 a very good point.
Mike
22nd June 2010, 8:25
In perfectly normal circumstances, Aerodynamics will prevent passing to a large degree (see Bahrain).
When things don’t go as expected (See Canada/Rain). Other things, the ones that go unexpectedly, like tyres and grip levels, Create enough difference in performance for cars to close up. Add to this that Canada naturally aids overtaking, and you see how silly Horner’s statement was.
The only way that Bridge stone will re-create Canada, is if the lower the grip of the tyres, and, forget to tell the teams what’s going on.
RobR (@robr)
22nd June 2010, 0:38
Yes Rampante that is exactly what is happening.
President of Bridgestone
22nd June 2010, 13:41
How did Rampante get hold of our confidential “Top Secret F1 plans” memo?!?
Let’s just hope he didn’t see the pages with the oil slick dipensers, tyre-bursting drawing pins or Monty Python crushing boot traps…
James_mc
22nd June 2010, 0:41
That music is ghastly, it had me reaching for F5 so that I could soothe my ears with music from one of their other race edits!
newnhamlea1 (@newnhamlea1)
22nd June 2010, 0:49
ouch, it burned my ears!
sato113 (@sato113)
22nd June 2010, 1:44
disgusting choice. who chooses anyway?!
BasCB
22nd June 2010, 10:03
I don’t suppose this is Bernies tast for music, maybe the winner picks the music?
Any of you think this is what Lewis likes to listen to.
Scribe (@scribe)
22nd June 2010, 17:34
The music taken a dip this year, last year it was mostly excellent, except for Brazil whoever thought Firestarter fitted that race watched about 10 seconds of it.
Jameson
22nd June 2010, 1:52
I was hoping they would pick Chromeo’s song Night by Night. They are a Canadian group actually from Montreal!
If anyone wants to hear the song you can get it for free here: http://www.greenlabelsound.com/artists/chromeo/
Bien
22nd June 2010, 0:48
F1 newbie here… So in the video, F1 had no pit stops at all?
James_mc
22nd June 2010, 1:24
Not so much no pit stops, more that pitstops were only when necessary (e.g. repairs or wet/dry tires) rather than tactical (e.g. fuel, prime/option compounds, etc).
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 7:57
Exactly. Teams didn’t practice pit stops much so when they did have to make them they took a lot longer.
James_mc
22nd June 2010, 1:28
What’s the rather snazzy looking black car with highlights running down it?
Ah it would be a Shadow as I thought it might be.
Anyone know why the Hesketh of James Hunt had a Saltire and a St George’s Cross on it (side of the cockpit)?
sato113 (@sato113)
22nd June 2010, 1:45
maybe Lord Hesketh was scottish?
James_mc (@james_mc)
22nd June 2010, 2:05
Nah, I think the Hesketh estate is somewhere in deepest, darkest Englandshire. He appears to be some sort of Tory.
graigchq
22nd June 2010, 9:34
haha – deepest darkest englandshire, seems like some sort of tory.
there is so much wrong with this country it hurts
matt90 (@matt90)
22nd June 2010, 2:05
Music wasn’t quite that awful. Didn’t fit with the video though.
Scribe (@scribe)
22nd June 2010, 17:36
yeh, I liked it enough to watch it again. Wasn’t offensive. Good race edit imo
Michael Griffin
22nd June 2010, 2:11
Love how Christian Horner makes zero mention of the fact that Canada is a low downforce track, hence aerodynamics not having such a big effect. That and he has the best mind in F1 on the RBR payroll.
paxdog57
22nd June 2010, 2:40
JV should continue racing in these other formats. F1 will not have many open rides in 2011. Pedro de la Rosa’s and Michael Schumacher’s slow starts has probably resulted in teams appetite for older drivers waning.
If JV could bring sponsorship money, it would be open a spot on a new team. However, Petrov has shown that rookie drivers are not all bad as pay rides.
Jim N
22nd June 2010, 12:19
I personally never particularly rated JV very highly, thinking his world championship more due to the car and luck than skill. I also thought him far too long out of F1 to stand a realistic chance of a return. But his performance in NASCAR was nothing short of stunning and an amazing return. Perhaps I was wrong all along and perhaps he is still good enough for F1, he obviously still has passion.
Jim N
22nd June 2010, 13:23
Just realised it was only the Nationwide series not the Sprint Cup series… so perhaps not so surprising….I should read the full article not rely on what I’ve read elsewhere!
F1Yankee
22nd June 2010, 4:40
regarding the red bull preview, saying the organizers are “circumnavigating” the rules and making unfavorable comparisons…i find it a refreshing change of pace from the sugar-coated nonsense we usually read and watch. i also loved the horse whisperer and unusually candid mclaren radio transmissions.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 7:37
Pity Red Bull couldn’t be quite so candid about what happened at Istanbul.
Scalextric (@scalextric)
22nd June 2010, 5:26
All the race edits this year contain the following:
(Please help me complete the list):
Christian Horner’s foot shaking.
A Ferrari excuse.
The future Mrs. Hamilton (speculation).
In car footage which we are denied on race day.
Pit to car audio which we are also denied on race day.
Crashes wherever possible.
50% pre- and post race fluff. 50% front runners.
I still like them.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 7:54
Terrible music!
Calum
22nd June 2010, 7:53
I just found out that RBR own the A1 ring in Austria, which incedently is being upgraded and will be completed before the end of the year. The main reason for upgrading is to hold DTM and MotoGP, hopefully it will mean an F1 return too!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 12:26
I think Mateschitz said a while ago he wasn’t planning to bring F1 back there.
Strange that they’re upgrading it again after it was done as recently as 1997.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 13:27
The Valencia track guide page has been updated with a video lap with Mark Webber:
Circuito Urbano Valencia (street circuit) track information
BasCB
22nd June 2010, 15:27
Keith are you planning to go here to the “FOTA Fans Formum”?
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/
Or any of the regulars here planning to go?
BasCB
22nd June 2010, 15:28
complete link – it seems James Allen might be moderating this: http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/06/fans-get-a-chance-to-talk-to-the-sport-face-to-face/
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
22nd June 2010, 16:47
By the way the current round of the Predictions Championship is open:
https://www.racefans.net/community/f1-fanatic-predictions-championship/