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YOUTH, EXPERIENCE AND THE UNMENTIONABLES

Saturday, July 17, 2010

It’s a great thing to see a F1 team manager finally recognising that youth is not the simple answer or solution to hiring an F1 driver. The announcement of former Super Aguri & Spyker driver Sakon Yamamoto being given a second chance to race this year in the German Grand Prix for HRT comes after his drive the British GP a fortnight ago. Unfortunately, that comes at the cost of the popular Karun Chandhok being cast aside. This age long debate of balancing youth or experience in professional employment continues to be a raging argument in motor racing. As the current F1 season has turned out, Michael Schumacher’s return to full time racing has not produced results and the seven time World Champion is lagging well behind his much younger team mate Nico Rosberg. (A situation not helped by yet another Brackley dud). On the other hand, an experienced drivers such as Sakon has been recognised and rewarded for his persistence, qualities and experience directly related to the job at hand.

TURBOS BACK IN FORMULA ONE ?

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

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On a night when a 30 year old TV show made it's return to Australian television screens, now comes a report that Formula One may soon return to the days of the 1.5 litre turbocharged engine. According to the popular motorsport website Pitpass, serious consideration is being given to introducing a four cylinder 1.5 turbo engine for F1 from 2013. The 1.5 litre turbo era saw some of the most powerful and fastest F1 cars ever built with some engines claimed to be putting out well in excess of 1000 BHP. The cars were however often unreliable and very expensive to build and maintain. What do you think? Would you like to see a return to the turbo era of F1? That, and many other issues will be just one of the subjects we'll be talking about in our In Pit Lane Live Forum Thursday April 15 at 8.30 pm Australian EST here on the In Pit Lane website. To join just check out the chat box on the right hand side of the page and enter your email to register. It's free, and we hope it'll be fun.

GT1 WORLD TITLE’S GOLD COAST DISAPPOINTMENT

Monday, March 8, 2010

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GT1 WORLD TITLE’S GOLD COAST DISAPPOINTMENT

FIA GT1 World Championship promoter Stephane Ratel has expressed his disappointment at not gaining a berth on the Gold Coast Street Race card. Speaking on Tuesday night's edition of the C31 Melbourne television show "In Pit Lane" Mr Ratel said that Australia had always been an important part in his plans for the World Championship and he was disappointed that his proposal to be a part of the Gold Coast event had been refused. " We had a big ambition to launch the Championship on all five continents." he said. "I visited Australia twice in the last couple of years... I had a lot of hopes that something would come together and the last one was to join Surfers Paradise, but as you know... they finally decided to do V8's (V8 Supercars) only." Mr Ratel believes that the new World Championship would have been a considerable asset to the event bringing International glamour, media attention and corporate support to the race. "I personally think that we are an excellent fit for any big event in Australia." he said.

AUSSIE A1, SUPER GP, SUPER FARCE

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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Gold Coast "Super GP" General Manager Greg Hooton has addressed the Australian Media regarding doubts over the A1 GP event scheduled in only seven days time. In a prepared statement Mr Hooton emphasised the fact that the meeting would go ahead with the V8 Supercars as the main attraction. “I need to make it clear that this event is happening next week. Do not lose sight of the fact that I’m standing in V8 Pit Lane where next week the V8 Supercars will for the first time ever have two, 200km races. The V8 Supercars are absolutely a major aspect of this event and will be here in force next week,” said Hooton. Mr Hooton did acknowledge that their were doubts over the appearance of the A1 GP and his statement did little to inspire confidence that the situation had changed. “There are certainly rumours surrounding the appearance of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport at the Nikon SuperGP at this time, there is no question about that. “At this point in time, I need to make clear that A1GP has not breached any terms of contract with GCMEC (Gold Coast Motor Events Company*). “The current situation is as follows:

THE FORMULA THAT CAN NOT BE CURED

Sunday, September 20, 2009

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With the latest scandal in Formula 1 involving race fixing claims splattered in all manners of media, I certainly was glad I’m no longer a Formula 1 fan. I very definitely do not want to be associated with those scammers, liars, cheats, nor any of the like-minded ego-maniacs that populate this field. However, I find it very disturbing the sort of level Formula 1 as a brand image and its integrity has sunk towards with scandal after scandal within and beyond the last ten years of its existence. If you’re still interested in this sport or entertainment, or whatever you’d like to call it. I’m sure you’d be asking when any of this will ever stop, so you can get to enjoy your Formula 1 racing again. Having watched and studied the field for almost 20 years, I really don’t like the prospects of any of these huge egos with limitless pockets being put in their place and coming to terms that honesty, sportsmanship and values are not just merely words in press releases and sponsorship proposals.

RENAULT WILL NOT CONTEST RACE-FIX CLAIMS AS BRIATORE SAYS GOODBYE

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

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In a bombshell announcement Renault said that they will not dispute the serious allegations of race fixing in last years Singapore Grand Prix when the team appears before the FIA World Motorsport Council on September 21. The team also announced that controversial team boss Flavio "fun bags" Briatore and executive director of engineering Pat Symonds have "left" the team. The team will face the WMC to answer the charge after disgruntled former driver Nelson Piquet Jnr alleged that he had been asked to crash his car during the early stages of the race in order to advantage his team-mate Fernando Alonso. In a brief statement Renault said:

NO SPLIT IN F1, MOSLEY GONE! IT’S GOOD NEWS WEEK!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

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NO SPLIT IN F1, MOSLEY GONE! IT’S GOOD NEWS WEEK!

The great Formula One breakaway crisis is apparently over with FIA President Max (hurts so good) Mosley finally falling on his sword and doing what he should have done this time last year. Mosley announced to the World Motorsport Council meeting in Paris today that he would not be standing for re-election. Mosley told reporters after the meeting that there will be no split. "We have agreed to a reduction of costs," he said. "There will be one F1 championship in 2010 but the objective is still to get back to the spending levels of the early nineties within two years." It is believed that Mosley's position became untenable after meeting with long time supporter Bernie Ecclestone and [FOTA] chairman Luca di Montezemolo. It is believed that Ecclestone warned Mosley that if he did not stand aside then Ecclestone would join with FOTA in staging an alternative World Championship. The new agreement means that the teams must call off the breakaway series and sign up to a new Concorde Agreement until 2012. A unified Formula One, and we get rid of Mosley. all in all a job well done. I think Champagne is called for.

IMG LINK RAISES THE STAKES IN F1 BREAKAWAY

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

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IMG LINK RAISES THE STAKES IN F1 BREAKAWAY

Website Grand Prix.com is suggesting that global sports management juggernaut IMG could be the people behind the promotion of an "alternative F1" series. IMG is one of the World's largest sports promotion and management companies and if anybody can rival Bernie Ecclestone for professionalism and global reach then it's IMG. IMG has a global portfolio that includes many of the worlds biggest sporting events and the company has plenty of motorsport experience including running a number of major street races including the Surfers Paradise Indy race and several Champcar rounds in the USA. It also has run Bathurst and the Sandown enduros here in Australia. Currently they are responsible for the media and marketing rights to events including the LeMans Series, NASCAR, NHRA Drag Racing and The World Speedway Grand Prix. Interestingly IMG is also a media partner of the Williams F1 racing team, one of only two current F1 teams to commit themselves to the traditional FIA series next year. FOTA is scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss the planning for their series, certainly, if as rumoured IMG is involved, then the chances of it happening and operating successfully just got a whole lot better.

FOTA’S RUMOURED CALENDAR. EMERALD CITY GP MISSES OUT, WIZARD SAID TO BE FURIOUS

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

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Several media outlets including "The Guardian" in England are reporting an alleged calendar for FOTA's break away Formula One series. Of most interest to Australian fans is the inclusion of Adelaide as the series finale in November. Adelaide's end of year bash was always a highlight of the International F1 year and many GP regulars would be thrilled to see it's return. However the listing of Surfers Paradise as an alternative clearly shows the true nature of this calendar. There is about as much chance of Surfers ever hosting any kind of serious F1 standard race as there is of me hosting the Oscars. The track is seriously narrow, there is no run off area and the area seriously lacks much of the major infrastructure need to host a GP type event. The track already struggles to cater for the previous Champcar/IndyCar event so how they would cope with something five times as big is anybody's guess.... More

FIA RESPONDS TO FOTA THREAT: SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO…

Friday, June 19, 2009

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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.