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Tag Archive | "Albert Park"
F1: PINNACLE OR RIDICULE ?
The Formula 1 circus has once again returned to Melbourne for the annual Australian Grand. Amidst the controversy of the processional previous race of Bahrain as well as the poor organization and lack of performance of the new teams, I’m thankful that I am no longer a fan to what is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor racing. Unlike previous years when I was living and breathing Formula 1, where I would be literally stalking drivers and know first hand when and where they will make appearances. I no longer have any feelings for any of this; and given how poorly Formula 1 at large continues to treat its fans, I would not at all be surprised if a queue of dissatisfied former Formula 1 fans forms behind me from all over the world. I am at a loss to understand a sport which requires a “working group” to encourage and manufacture an on track action called “overtaking”. It is beyond ridiculous that such a basic action of the sport has to be encouraged or manufactured by a committee for it to actually happen in the arena. Matters are not helped either by today’s Formula 1 drivers.
Continue reading...MELBOURNE TO LOSE F1 OPENING RACE ?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Melbourne's traditional place as the opening round of the World Formula One Championship may be under threat with Bahrain rumoured to replace the Victorian capital as the season opener. According to SpeedTV.com & Autosport, team bosses have been shown a provisional calendar for 2010 in which Melbourne becomes the second round of the season. Melbourne GP boss Ron Walker has always put great value on Melbourne opening the season, often claiming his "special" relationship with Bernie Ecclestone would ensure the Australian race the prestigious first round. Media Spokesperson for the Australian Grand Prix Corporation Laura McLachlan said that the Corporation had no comment to make at this stage "until the FIA releases the official calendar"
Continue reading...FIA RESPONDS TO FOTA THREAT: SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO…
Friday, June 19, 2009
The FIA have released a terse press release in response to the announcement that FOTA teams including Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, BMW Sauber and Brawn GP would stage a rival Formula One series in 2010. The simple 110 word statement reads: The FIA has noted the latest press statement from FOTA. The FIA is disappointed but not surprised by FOTA’s inability to reach a compromise in the best interests of the sport. It is clear that elements within FOTA have sought this outcome throughout the prolonged period of negotiation and have not engaged in the discussions in good faith. The FIA cannot permit a financial arms race in the Championship nor can the FIA allow FOTA to dictate the rules of Formula One. The deadline for unconditional entries to the 2010 FIA Formula World Championship will expire this evening. The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship entry list will be announced tomorrow. Meanwhile here in beautiful GirtbySea, Victorian tourism and special events apologist Tim Holding has announced to an eager and bewildered mainstream media that the Albert Park GP will go ahead as planned no matter what happens in Europe. Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said the contract with Mr Ecclestone ensures a Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place every year up until 2015. "This is part of the pushing and shoving that Formula 1 is well known for,'' Mr Holding said. Speaking to the Murdoch media owned Herald Sun Holding said "We know these negotiations will continue and we also know that we will get a good outcome. Let's give the negotiations that are currently underway an opportunity to run their course.'' Mr Holding left the media conference on his magical flying carpet to return to Asgard.
Continue reading...BUTTON WINS, MELBOURNE MEDIA LOSES
Monday, March 30, 2009
The sensational win by Jenson Button of the Australian Grand Prix has reinvigorated the sport. The team formally known as Honda faced extinction only six weeks ago and yesterday in front of over 105'000 people the new Brawn GP team dominated as Button led team-mate Rubens Barrichello home in a Brawn Mercedes 1-2. Toyota's Timo Glock crossed the line in third but was later penalised for passing under a yellow flag giving reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton the final podium spot. Local hero Mark Webber again had a dire home GP after tangling with Barrichello into turn one forcing him into the pits and well out of contention. After the race an emotional Webber couldn't hide his intense disappointment. "For all the fans to come and watch today, I wanted a good result for many reasons today." Drivers were critical of the race's new start time with glare from the setting sun causing problems for several drivers including the winner. It was really difficult, you know a few of the corners, it's strange for such an open circuit you could not see the exit of the corners at all," he said. "I used a visor that was slightly tinted and that was the correct thing to do, but with the glare from the sun and the change in light from the trees it was so, so difficult - so easy to put a wheel wrong." Toro Roso driver Sebastian Bourdais was one of the most vocal critics "We do half of a lap with the sun in your eyes," he said. "It's not the most enjoyable racing. Visibility is quite poor. Turn one is difficult, turn three is difficult. The shade from the trees makes it tough to get your eyes accustomed." Despite the current economic crisis and a clash with the local AFL football ( a regional curiosity much loved by the simple folk) crowds were down only about 16'000 overall. The race day crowd of 105'000 was only 3000 down on last year yet the Melbourne mainstream media have seized upon the downturn as a clear sign that the GP has passed it's use by date and that it should be shut down. Led by the taxpayer funded ABC, who launched into a tirade of the evils of taxpayer funding, and the inner-city broadsheet The Age, the football dominated Melbourne media spent most of the weekend trying to find any reason real or imagined to attack the race. Well known and respected football journalist Caroline Wilson was totally dismissive of the event when it came to discussion on the myopic ABC gabfest "The Outsiders"
Continue reading...WHY I WONT BE AT THIS YEARS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Every year since 1996 when the Australian Grand Prix first came to Melbourne, I’ve always looked forward to it as the highlight of the year. The opportunity to watch my favorite sport live in person without exuberant travel expenses is always a good opportunity. To live that “chasing the dream” lifestyle if only for one week of the year. However, 2009 will set another precedent for me as I chose to shun the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park and Formula 1 as a whole. To my friends that I have made over the years at Albert Park especially wonderful fellow fans and former members of the Super Aguri F1 team who have found employment elsewhere and are traveling to Melbourne, I apologize for not being able to see you at the AGP this year. For those of you who know me well, your first reaction to my statement above would be: “Is it only because Takuma Sato lost his ride?” That is partially correct. Amongst other arguments, for a sport to encourage and changing rules to suit overtaking then deny a competitor who doesn’t need rule changes to be able to overtake on track is well beyond me. However, that is not the entire story. I estimated I’ve spent over AUD$10,000 over the last 13 AGPs I’ve attended, and that is not including the souvenirs that I have purchased. However, I’ve found other than making friends at autograph alley and being given some very special privileges by Takuma Sato and his management as well as my friends at SAF1; my memories of the AGP are almost always of working like a slave for meager student wages to save up to fund my one big splurge each year at the AGP. However, for where the money has gone, I’ve learnt the hard way that trackside F1 fans are still very much being given a raw deal by F1, the FIA, race organizers and certain local businesses.
Continue reading...BRABHAM SNUBBED BY HOME GRAND PRIX
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Next weekend at Sebring in the USA the achivements of Australia's own three times World Champion Sir Jack Brabham will be honoured on the 50th anniversary of his first title win. No such fuss in his home country as Australia's most celebrated racer hasn't even been invited to this year's Australian Grand Prix. According to Ian Tate of the Victorian Historic Racing Register, of which Sir Jack is Patron, as of Monday night Sir Jack had not received any invitation to the event. Brabham is Australia's most famous and successful international racing driver with three World Titles including two in cars of his own manufacture. His legendary status though is celebrated more outside of his home nation than it is in it. At Sebring, Sir Jack's son David, a champion international driver in his own right will drive his Father's winning Cooper Climax to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of his first World Title. One would hope that Sir Jacks snub is an unfortunate oversight on the part of Grand Prix organisers and one which we have no doubt will be fixed very soon.
Continue reading...FORMULA 5000 RETURNS TO THE AGP
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Formula 5000, the category that ran for the Australian Grand Prix from the late 60's throughout the 70's will return to the event with the announcement that Albert Park will host the final round of the MSC New Zealand F5000 Tasman Cup Revival Series. There will be two races for the F5000 Tasman Cup Revival cars with both carrying points for the 2008/09 series which is currently led by veteran New Zealand driver Ken Smith (Lola T430). The long anticipated announcement of the races is reward for many years of hard work by the New Zealand F5000 Association and spokesman David Abbott says that the events confirmation is - quite literally - a dream come true. “Formula 5000 was the premier category across the Tasman for many years and we have several cars running in our series which contested the Australian Grand Prix” said Mr Abbott. “So one of our goals - our ultimate one if you like - was to take them back." Places on the support roster at any Grand Prix are eagerly sought after and Abbott says that the New Zealand Association owes a debt of gratitude to Australian member Bob Harborow for the time and effort he and fellow members of the Victorian Historic Racing Register (VHRR) put into the proposal and process.
Continue reading...AUSSIE AUTO SHOWS MERGE
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Conformation today that the 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show (MIMS) starting February 27 at Melbourne's Exhibition Centre will be the last in it's current form. From 2010 the event will alternate with Sydney under the new title of the Australian International Motor Show. MIMS organisers The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), and its new car division, AADA (Vic) and the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), organiser of the Sydney Motor Show and have announced the formation of a new Motor Show Joint Venture to run the new event. The move comes after many years of often bitter rivalry between the two cities, both seeking to be the pre-eminent Auto show in the country. VACC Executive Director, David Purchase said that today's announcement was “a significant and important step forward for the future of motor shows in Sydney and Melbourne and establishes a strong relationship between the FCAI and VACC which no doubt will be of benefit to the broader Australian automotive industry,” FCAI Chief Executive, Andrew McKellar said that the new relationship will allow a new direction, while maintaining the tradition and heritage of the motor shows in the two capital cities.” One sticking point still to be announced could be a regular date, Melbourne's early March date fits perfectly into the packed Melbourne major events calendar, often running close to, or concurrent with the Australian Grand Prix at the nearby Albert Park. Sydney is commited to it's traditional October date and it's this date that will feature the first of the new combined shows in 2010. The move to combine the two shows came after pressure from manufacturers and the media who considered the proliferation of motor shows in a small market like Australia as being too costly”
Continue reading...TAKU FANS FROM MELBOURNE TO MONTREAL
Friday, October 3, 2008
We are not alone. I came in contact with Yusze Tong at Melbourne 2003 and he was a Michael/Ferrari fan and I of course was caked in Jordan yellow, but we both have one thing in common: Takuma Sato fans based in Melbourne, Australia. We decided to make a banner for Taku for Melbourne 2004 and our efforts were seen of course on TS’ official website and a tradition was started where we would make a banner for Taku every year for the AGP. Yusze and I both also ended up posting a message on TS’ official forum whether if any fans are travelling to Melbourne for the race. We had a group of about 10 from Japan join us at Melbourne as well as everybody else we met at the track over the course of the week… a rather formidable little army! There are many that were surprised that Taku had non-Japanese fans and even more so when they discover we’re Melbourne locals. This started another tradition also where we would try to make as many friends as possible and be united as Takuma Sato fans without bounds or barriers such as language and communication difficulties.
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