F1 2017 Cars - Getting the formula right

With the 2017 Formula 1 season underway much has been written about these new look F1 cars.  Several years ago the FIA made changes to the regulations aimed at making the cars faster and more challenging to drive.  Many believed these changes were brought in because the cars had become too easy to drive in the modern hybrid era.  The changes were dubbed "The Max Verstappen rule" following the young Dutchman's sensational debut into F1 at just 17 years old in 2015.

During the off-season all of the drivers have been building up their fitness and strength to prepare for the challenge of driving these new quicker cars.  Haas driver Romain Grosjean summed it up well in Australia:  "The cars are brutal to drive – we are not far from 8G with the peak in high corners – so it is pretty good fun.  But it is hard on the body, it is hard on parts, it is hard on the cars".

These new cars certainly look much quicker on-track, especially through the corners.  When the technical regulations were released, a target improvement of 4-5 seconds per lap was set.  It is worth noting that at Albert Park for the first race of the season, the pole lap was 1.6 seconds quicker than 2016, and the fastest lap was 2.5 seconds quicker.  Cornering speeds did increase by over 30 km/h in some corners.  As the cars develop during the season, we can expect them to go even faster!

Most fans agree that the revamped cars also look better.  Wider and longer with revised front and rear wings definitely make the cars look more aggressive; more racy.  Some additional aerodynamic elements this year such as "sharkfins", "T-wings" and "thumb noses" have been less well received.  A balance needs to be found.

What about the racing?

Critics have cited that these changes do nothing to improve the racing and overtaking in Formula 1.  The reason is these new cars produce more aerodynamic disturbance on the car following which impedes close racing and the ability to overtake.

We will see how the 2017 season progresses and what improvements can be made in future.  The FIA has already stated it wants to change the engine formula in 2020.  This will hopefully help another key concern which is the cost of the Formula 1 powerunits as well as the lack of sound.

Overall the sport is heading in the right direction and new owners Liberty Media have plenty in their plate to further improve the show... and the racing.

F1's Fastest Circuits

Most Formula 1 fans would be aware that the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, home of the Italian Grand Prix, is the fastest Formula 1 circuit on the modern calendar.  It's not called "The Temple of Speed" for nothing!

F1's fastest ever lap was completed there by Juan Pablo Montoya driving a Williams in 2004.  He averaged 262 km/h (163 mph) over one lap.  So yes this beautiful Monza circuit, set in parklands outside Milan, is super fast!

That question answered, how do the other circuits rank?  The table below shows all of the circuits in the 2016 calendar, ranked fastest to slowest.  The figures show the average lap speed of the fastest lap in the race.

Source: https://www.formula1.com

Looking at the figures, Monza - the last of the true "low downforce" circuits left - is clearly a lot faster than the next circuit on the list: Austria's Red Bull Ring.  The revamped circuit - itself an emasculated version of the frightening quick Österreichring - rejoined the F1 calendar in 2014 and finds itself taking second place, knocking-off both Spa Francorchamps and Silverstone.

The Belgian circuit has been largely unchanged since the shorter 7 kilometre layout debuted in 1983.  Silverstone, meanwhile, has existed in a multitude of configurations, with it's latest "Arena" layout debuting in 2010.  It's average speed, however, hasn't changed too much.

During 2016, both Monaco and Brazilian Grand Prix were rain affected races but the historical statistics show that this wouldn't materially change the table rankings above for the former, as the Monte Carlo street circuit is easily the slowest circuit on the calendar.

Brazil's Interlagos circuit, however, would slot itself somewhere between Russia's Sochi Autodrom and Germany's Hockenheimring in dry conditions.  The fastest race lap recorded there under the current V6 turbo hybrid regulations was Lewis Hamilton's 1:13.555 (210.895 km/h) in 2014.

Some circuits with long straights such as China's Shanghai International Circuit and Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit seem to be fast, however their sequences of slower corners or sectors reduce the overall average speed.

Australia's Albert Park is impressively high up the list based on last year's fastest race laps, with the sixth-fastest overall average speed.  It ranks comfortably as the quickest temporary or street circuit on the schedule.

A footnote to this story is that this year Monza is getting even faster should planned changes being completed occur in time for September's Italian Grand Prix. 

Work is underway that will see the field bypass the first Rettifilo chicane.  Instead, drivers will go through a fast right hand kink before the Curva Grande and rejoin the existing layout at the exit of the Curva Grande via a new fast left-right chicane.  The result is expected to reduce the lap time by over one second.

We need a variety of tracks in F1 and we certainly have that.  Overall lap speed is, of course, not everything.  Watching an F1 car fly through the swimming pool complex at Monaco is proof of that!

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Jason Goodacre.

Pep, F1Podcast
https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

Non-Championship F1 Races

Since the official FIA Formula 1 World Championship began in 1950, non-championship races have featured on the Grand Prix calendar.  These races continued to be a major feature on the motorsport schedule well into the 1970s, with the latest non-championship race being in 1983.

With that historic nod, should modern F1 embrace the non-championship race once again?

According to Formula 1's new head of motorsport, Ross Brawn, this is an option for the future of the sport.

"It might be rather optimistic, but you can imagine if we had a non-championship race there'd be a lot more capacity to look at different formats and approaches and see if the fans take to it with much less risk or exposure than we would if we were doing something in the championship,” he said.

With new owner Liberty Media now calling the shots in Formula 1, fresh ideas need to be tried.  A good way to achieve this could be to hold a race which does not affect the World Championship.

"We often had non-championship races in the old days but getting it all to work is another matter.  Brawn added.  "It needs to be commercially viable of course, and that's the challenge. Again, it couldn't just be 'pick ideas out of a hat'. It needs to be properly thought through, but maybe an opportunity."

So what new ideas could be tested?

Shorter race formats is probably a given.  This idea has been mooted many times in the past and sprint races would be a different spectacle: less about conserving the car and more about driving as fast as possible!

More racing action on a Saturday is also very likely.  Other concepts such as reverse grids could also be trialled at a non-championship meeting.  While F1 purists would want the sport to steer clear of gimmicks, non-championship races could explore artificially wetting the circuit (if a circuit was able to offer it).

Non-championship races in the past were often held in locations which were considered exotic, so perhaps these could be a means of trialing new locations. What about a race through a major city, a hill climb, or a race with a truly spectacular backdrop. 

Purists will argue that the current format is fine and should not be changed.  However, if F1 is to increase its appeal and grow, then new ideas need to be tested.  Other sports have benefited from updating and changing their format; with cricket’s move to Twenty20 being a prime example of this.

Formula One does need to evolve as well as cater to a younger audience.  It also has heritage, more than any other motorsport.  So this needs to be respected too.

Non-championship race meetings would provide the means to try new things, while still respecting F1's heritage.

As Brawn says:  "We expose ourselves whenever we make changes like this.  Fingers crossed, it is going to work out but l think it is a good example of where we didn't go through the right principles to begin with."


Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Jason Goodacre

Pep, F1Podcast

Daily updates on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

My F1 Collection

My F1 collection started when I was a teenager in the late 1980's.  As a big F1 racing fan, my first purchases were magazines and posters for my walls.  So that was "Prix Editions" magazine and some Alain Prost posters I'd picked up somewhere.  Big Prost fan.

Then I bought some photo's of F1 cars from the Adelaide Grand Prix which were available to purchase via the newspaper.  And that was how it remained for quite awhile: magazines and posters.  "F1 Racing Magazine" replacing the previous title.

The next thing I started to get was a few F1 books.  These were mainly Grand Prix annuals from the mid 1980's and also some VHS videos of seasons in the 1990's.  Later there was DVD's and as always gaming of course.  I've written a separate blog on F1 gaming.

But it was in the early 2000's that I started to buy more and across different categories.  Online shopping was opening up lot's of opportunity!  The first significant purchases were F1 replica helmets.  Over a period of several years I bought Schumacher, Prost then Senna.  They remain the core and much loved part of my F1 collection.  I'm keen to get more.

Then one day I found an F1 stamp with my 3 favourite drivers and I had to own it.  That began an period of about a year where I binge purchased F1 stamps.

And here's the thing about collecting. 

When you collect, you learn about each category or genre you are collecting within.  For example with stamps you learn all about the world of "philately", the study of stamps.  Model cars?  I learnt all about the types, history, manufactures, scale sizes and details of this genre.  Trading cards and games provide a great history of our sport.

There were several items during the next stage that I collected a lot of:  keyrings, badges, cards and some models.  Later my focus turned to collecting F1 books, especially the older ones.  All the while adding to the other categories whenever I found something.

There are several things I've not been interested in collecting.  F1 clothes is one, season DVD reviews is another.  Expense is always a big consideration too - there is a lot of excellent (and very expensive!) stuff out there. 

I'm also strict that it must be F1 or Grand Prix Racing.  No Indy or lower formula open wheeler please.

Here is my collection summary.  The one's in bold I've been concentrating on recently:

What sort of F1 things do you collect?
What are your favourities?

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast

Daily F1 commentary on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

What-If ... these F1 drivers hadn't died?

Formula One is the best sport in the world.

In F1, like all motorsport, drivers have died doing what they love.  And unfortunately more will die in the future.  That is part of this sport; part of life.

Recently I read an excellent book - "Senna vs. Schumacher".

The authors wrote a fictional account of how the rivalry between these drivers might have played out if Senna had survived Imola in 1994.  It is a great read, insightful and highly recommended book. 

There are 5 stories they tell:

• Senna versus Schumacher
• Villeneuve versus Prost
• Moss versus Clark
• Ascari versus Fangio
• Richard Seaman, European Champion

It's an excellent concept and a huge amount of research, dedication and love went into writing it.  It's very well written and I would recommend any F1 fan to pick-up a copy.

For each story I tried to predict the outcomes myself before reading and below are my thoughts on that.  There are no spoilers here, just my opinion prior to reading the book. 

Ayrton Senna - 3 more championships minimum, Gilles Villeneuve - World Champion, Stirling Moss - World Champion, Alberto Ascari - a 3rd World Championship.  In the case of Senna, I am convinced that after F1 he would have done many great things for the people of Brazil, perhaps even becoming President.

Finally there is Richard Seaman, I didn't know much about the pre-1950 racing, so this book allowed me to learn so much and immerse myself in that era. 

"Senna vs. Schumacher" made me think about other F1 drivers who passed away and what their future could have been. 

Peter Collins - in 1956 while still in contention for the title, Peter famously handed his Lancia-Ferrari D50 over to eventual champion Fangio.  There is little doubt that Peter had the speed to be champion himself one day.  His selfless act will never be repeated in Grand Prix racing.

Wolfgang von Trips - driving for Ferrari in 1961, the year of his death, "Taffy" had a very competitive car - the iconic Ferrari 156 "Sharknose".  Would he have had the car to win it after 1961?  Probably not as the next 2 years were dominated by Graham Hill and Jim Clark.  1964 is another matter though as Ferrari did it again with John Surtees.  I think von Trips would have been an influential part of the sport given his skills and outgoing personality.  Champion too?  Perhaps.

Jochen Rindt - there is plenty of debate about whether Jochen would have continued to race in 1971 after becoming World Champion in 1970.  My guess is that he would!  Given the dominance of Jackie Stewart and Tyrrell in 1971, his next chance would have been in 1972 which of course Lotus won with Emerson Fittipaldi.  Rindt might have been a double World Champion.  What is clear though is that Jochen was an astute businessman and very close to Bernie Ecclestone.  Hence I am sure that he would have been heavily involved at in F1 for many, many years to come.

Francois Cevert - the popular and charismatic Frenchman died while under the wing of Jackie Stewart in 1973.  Jackie himself has no doubt that Francois had everything needed to be World Champion ... and that's good enough for me.

Roger Williamson, Tony Brise and Tom Pryce - this trio of British drivers were all considered massive talents and potential future World Champions.  They lost their lives in 1973, 1975 and 1977.  A book "The Lost Generation" was written about them by David Tremayne and surely they were destined for much success in Formula One.

Ronnie Peterson - Ronnie was always considered a sublime talent behind the wheel of an F1 car.  Therefore I am certain greatness was in-store had he not perished at Monza in 1978.

Jules Bianchi - Jules was only in his second F1 season when he died following an accident at Suzuka.  Already a Ferrari protégé and test driver, he was widely regarded as having the right stuff and was destined for race wins and more.


There are many more drivers of course who had potential for greatness not listed above: Eugenio Castellotti, Luigi Musso, Stuart Lewis-Evans, Alan Stacey, Chris Bristow, Ricardo Rodríguez, Lorenzo Bandini and Piers Courage to name a few.

Not only did all of these drivers tragically lose their lives but the world was denied their talents and contributions both within and outside the motorsport world.

Circling back to the book "Senna vs Schumacher", I believe there should be more F1 fiction and this book is a great example of how good it can be.  These stories really make you think about what might have been.  An excellent book!

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Pep, F1Podcast.

Daily F1 commentary on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast


Links:

Senna vs. Schumacher book:  https://senna-versus-schumacher.com/

List of Formula One fatalities:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Formula_One_fatalities

Liberty Media - The Future of F1

This blog attempts to translate the comments from new F1 boss Chase Carey and other Liberty Media management.  What changes are they planning for F1?

18 September 2016 - Chase Carey - Chairman (interview F1 website)
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/interviews/2016/9/building-for-the-future---exclusive-q-a-with-chase-carey.html

Below are some of his quotes and in brackets, what it means ...

"It is too early to have a clear plan”.
(We are planning to make changes soon).

“But we clearly will have a plan to develop America, to be in the right market".
(F1 is under-sold in America, there will be at least one more race there).

"Formula 1 is a great premium brand and that means to me that you want to be at a location like Los Angeles, New York or Miami”.
(I’ll mention 3 North American locations because we will probably end up with at least one of them.  Also COTA is not necessarily safe ...)

“ ... ideally in the great cities in the world!".
(Expect calendar changes with more “iconic” locations globally which could mean more street circuits).

"F1's three biggest assets are the amazing cars and technology; the stars – the world is built on heroes; the global aspect with these amazing venues".
(Some existing venues don’t match this vision).

“I have not been to all the venues so far, but Singapore certainly is amazing. The race is great – that's the core – but it is a week-long extravaganza with music and entertainment”.
(Take note existing circuit owners – “WEEK LONG EXTRAVAGANZA”).

"That's really what it is about – great events. This is it: creating a great event".
(Again, a message to the existing races: raise your game or lose it.)

"So the cars and technology; the stars; and the events – the live experience".
(4 things mentioned here, but the last one is key because he clearly wants to improve the show).

Comments

It is very clear that Chase believes Formula One needs a bigger footprint in North America.  He is right.  I expect there to be an additional GP in North America within 3-4 years.  This will join COTA and the other rounds in Canada and Mexico.  4 Grand Prix on that continent sounds about right.  On a side note, I expect another South American round too – perhaps Argentina.

Looking at the 2016 F1 calendar - the longest in history - any races which are lacking in the areas Chase mentions above should be very worried.  I'm looking at you Hungary, Spain, Sochi, Bahrain and Baku.

22 September 2016 - Greg Maffei - CEO Liberty Media

"Less than one percent of revenues are from digital.  They really have no organized digital effort. I think there's a lot of things that can be done around gaming, VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality)".

(Greg stating what we all knew already, Bernie has ignored digital and social.  The percentage is interesting and needs addressing.  The fact he mentions gaming is really interesting and exciting).


"There's an enormous amount of video feed and data about the races that we are already capturing that we are not in any way processing incrementally for the dedicated fan, or opportunities around things like gambling".

(The first part of this I love!  I've long believed that the amount of footage available - especially historically - is an untapped gold mine.  For current data, capturing and selling this makes a lot of sense to me.  Greg loses me badly at the end though ... "THINGS LIKE GAMBLING??!?"   I don't like this at all!)

"Outside of the United States there is a huge gambling opportunity in the sport, none of which we capitalize on."

(This quote disturbs me.  A huge opportunity perhaps, but Liberty Media is the OWNER of the sport.  Is it the owners job to exploit its fans via gambling?)


Thanks for reading, please leave your comments. 

Pep, F1 Podcast.

Daily comments on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

 

Codemasters F1 2016 Game - First Review

Last month a new F1 game was released.

We all knew that right!?  The marketing and social media push for this title has been huge.  Codemasters certainly believe they have a good story to tell with F1 2016 - and they are right!

This is the 8th generation of this franchise.  Many have said that this is the game that Codemasters always wanted to make.  Probably right.  There have been lot's of reviews already and they are all very positive from what I can see.

Below are my initial thoughts on the game and I'll write a more comprehensive review soon.  The reason for this is that I'm playing it without a steering wheel.  For me to fully enjoy and appreciate the game - I need a wheel.  So a Logitech G29 is coming very soon.

Overall game

It's beautiful.  The menu's are fast, easy and intuitive.  The intros and cut scenes are fantastic and all skipable - very important.  The cars feel great to drive, the AI is on target and the tracks look stunning.  It really is very good. 

Graphics

The graphics on this game are the very best I've seen.  The small touches they have made around lighting, texture and attention to detail are amazing.  The replays have been tweaked and work well.  Nothing more to be said; it's great.

Game Play

There are many things to like about the gameplay for F1 2016:

• Practice programs - these provide an excellent way to spice up practicing or learning a new F1 circuit.  I like this enhancement very much.

• GP weekend - the way you can play or experience different parts of the weekend is an excellent feature.  It just feels easy to get to where you need to go.

• Customisations - these are great and enough to satisfy 99% of F1 gaming fans.  There is a small community of gamers who enjoy enhanced customisations (car, vehicle, track) and they can stick to rFactor.

• Safety car - the introduction of the safety car was much requested though in reality for me it's just another example of how immersive this game is.  Clutch starts, radio comms and in-car menu instructions are other examples .

Career mode

This game features an enhanced career mode which is presented very well.  I love the way the game guides you through driver setup and progression through your career.  It's the best we've seen from his franchise or any other F1 game.  I decided to start my career driving for Renault wearing a "Senna yellow" helmet I customised.  My objectives are based around the team's current standings.  I will race for 10 seasons at 25% distance and build my career.  Brilliant!

Final thoughts

This game is easily the best F1 game ever released.  No question about that.  For any F1 fan who loves gaming, this is a must-have!  I am very much looking forward to practicing, racing, exploring and building my career with this game.  It ENTICES you to do so!  That's why it's so good.

Firstly though ... steering wheel.  :-)

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast

Daily comments on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

New F1 Circuits - "Massive Track Evolution"

"Massive Track Evolution".

That's how one of the F1 team principals described what the new track - Baku - will do as the cars clean-up and rubber-in this brand new circuit.   The result of course is faster and faster lap times.

Those words could also describe what's happened to F1 circuits generally over the years as new tracks, territories and ever more modern facilities are added.

Baku, Azerbaijan is the latest addition to the F1 calendar in 2016, putting the city and the country on the map.

Personally I always enjoy it when new Grand Prix circuits arrive on the calendar!

Below are some highlights of new F1 circuit additions.  Each one of these has provided an evolution in terms of either the track itself or in Formula One's history books. 

Since 2010

• Two new venues really stand out because they cemented the Formula One World Championship as being a truly global sport.  The addition of the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi since 2014 as well as the long awaited return of F1 in U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas in 2012.

• Notable mentions are the return of the Mexican Grand Prix (2015) and the Austrian Grand Prix (2014) both providing a new life to old tracks and a welcome nod to F1's history.  A push into Asia brought less success with India (3 races) and Korea (4 races).

2000's

• The Singapore Grand Prix (since 2008) has provided a unique and historic addition to F1 racing with the addition of night racing.  This concept is now emulated by 2 other venues, including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (since 2009) which is a model of the modern racing circuit.

• Bahrain (since 2004) spearheaded more Grand Prix races in the Middle East plus has run under lights since 2014.  More new territories too with Shanghai (since 2004) being very successful while Turkey (2005-2011) not so much.

1990's

• The Sepang Circuit and the Malaysian Grand Prix (since 1999) has been universally applauded for it's layout and facilities.  It is a track that continues to be enjoyed by the drivers.

• Notable mention goes to Albert Park, Melbourne, (since 1996) which replaced the very popular Adelaide street circuit race (1985-1995) and managed to take the event to even higher levels.

1980's

• In 1987 started a legacy still going today with the Japanese Grand Prix racing at the Suzuka Circuit.  The addition also of the Hungarian Grand Prix (since 1986) was a big deal at the time.  This was because it was the first GP behind the "Iron Curtain". 

• In 1983 after 13 years absence, the F1 circus returned to Spa, the first Belgian Grand Prix to be held on the modern Spa circuit.

1970's

• The Japanese Grand Prix (since 1976) at Fuji Speedway added further reach to the calendar.  Also in 1976 saw the addition of a second race in America, the so-called "U.S. Grand Prix West".

• New territories were explored during the 1970's starting with the Brazilian Grand Prix at the (old) Interlagos circuit in 1972. 

1960's

• F1's global reach continued with the addition of Canadian Grand Prix in 1967 and the South Africa in 1962.

• Starting another legacy in 1961 was Watkins Glen which became a classic venue for the U.S. Grand Prix after taking over from Riverside and Sebring the previous 2 years.

1950's

• During the 1950's new circuits were added due to the expanding calendar.  Several circuits hosted just one race during this decade:  Morocco (1958), AVUS (1959), Monsanto, Portugal (1959), Pescara (1959), Sebring (1959).

• Argentina was an obvious choice for a race which started in 1953 helped along of course by Fangio's stature.  The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort (since 1952) was one of several to provide additional European venues.

• The stand-out new venue was of course the awesome Nurburgring Nordschleife which started in 1951.  It was one of two new additions after the inaugural season, the other race being the Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes.

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Pep.

F1 Podcast.

Daily comments on twitter:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

Formula One Bucket List

With unlimited cash, my ultimate F1 Bucket List experience would be following the Formula One season for an entire year; travelling the world, seeing every race.

And of course owning an F1 car, a track car!

But realistically, here is my F1 Bucket List.  The one's in bold I've done.

Experiences

• Attend as many Grand Prix as possible (6 so far; 5 Albert Park, 1 Sepang)
• Drive an open-wheel race car 
• 2 or 3 seater F1 rides
• Drive an F1 car
• Drive the Nurburgring

Museums

Basically, any museum showing F1 cars or Grand Prix history.  But these one's definitely:

• Ferrari Museum, Maranello
• Donington Museum
• The Jim Clark Room
• Brooklands Museum
• The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu England
• Hockenheimring Motorsport Museum
• Cité de l'Automobile
• Red Bull Hangar 7
• Driver specific collections, e.g. Bruce McLaren, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso and Nigel Mansell

Respect

• Senna's grave, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Senna statue, Imola
• Jim Clark memorial, Hockenheim

Historic

• Visit old F1 circuits
• Maranello, Italy

Other

• FerrariWorld, Abu Dhabi
• Goodwood Festival of Speed
• Various team headquarters (e.g. Red Bull Hall of Fame)
• Go-karting, Kerpen Germany

And finally on the home front, I'd love to have a room or space to display all of my F1 collection.  This would go along perfectly with my state-of-the-art sim racing setup.  Oh yes ... and my own private racetrack.

What is on your F1 Bucket List?

Please leave your comments.

Thanks for reading.

Pep, F1 Podcast.

Open Cockpit Safety - Active Cockpit Protection

In recent times there has been plenty of debate about improving safety in Formula One and open wheel racing.  The reason of course has the death of 5 drivers in open cockpits since 2009.

Henry Surtees, Dan Wheldon, Maria de Villota, Jules Bianchi and Justin Wilson.

A lot of this debate has centred around 2 particular ideas which involve a permanent addition to the car while racing: the halo and the canopy.  But perhaps there is a compromise?

The idea is now being dubbed "Active Cockpit Protection".  This involves the car itself providing maximum protection to the driver when they need it most - in a very big accident.

Consider this ... the driver has had a bad accident or there is a dangerous, life threatening hazard ahead.  They have a critical few seconds or less until disaster...

So what can they do?  At the moment they can do nothing.

Perhaps, with imminent disaster looming they could push a button or pull a lever and this deploys the car itself into "accident mode".  The car then instantly creates the safest possible environment for the driver to survive.

This could be much more than just an airbag which happens in road cars at the point of impact.  This is technology could be deployed BEFORE, during and after impact.  Once initiated, in microseconds a screen could deploy to increase safety substantially.  The car could change from being a aerodynamic device to the ultimate safety cell, cushioning the driver and protecting exposed areas.   

Take the example of Ayrton Senna's death.  There was a crucial time between when his Williams was on the circuit lapping normally and when Senna knew that he was going to connect with the wall very hard indeed.  It is during those key moments, given modern technology, something could be deployed to provide maximum safety and maximum chance of survival.  It's about "telling" the car that a big accident is about to happen.  This kind of technology could have saved Senna's life.

In fact Active Cockpit Protection could have potentially saved the lives of all 5 drivers mentioned above with the possible exception of Maria de Villota.

An issue with this idea could be additional safety concerns, i.e. what about the drivers arms?  The system would have to include a safeguard to ensure the arms don't extend beyond the cockpit.

In summary, head protection in open cockpits is clearly an area that needs improvement.  Why not give the driver every chance of survival when they need it the most?

For more on F1 safety, please read my blog "Improving Safety in Formula One".

http://formulaonepodcast.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/improving-safety-in-formula-one.html?m=1

(UPDATE: July 2016)

F1, via Charlie Whiting, has reviewed this technology and has so far deemed it to be "impractical".  He has said; "I cannot see how you can deploy it in the right amount of time".

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/whiting-active-cockpit-safety-system-impractical-803358/

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast.

F1 Country Guide - New Zealand

New Zealand is a country with a proud history of Grand Prix racing and famous F1 racing names ... McLaren, Hulme, Amon.  This blog will explore New Zealand's Grand Prix racing past and also what it offers F1 fans today.

The Past

Drivers

In total, 8 New Zealand drivers have contested the Formula One World Championship.  Let's look at some ...

McLaren of course is the mega successful F1 team was started by New Zealander Bruce McLaren.  Bruce himself won 4 Formula 1 Grand Prix, his first win in 1959 made him the youngest ever driver to win a championship Grand Prix at the time.  Bruce and was also very successful in other forms of motorsport, particularly Can-Am. 

Denny Hulme was the most successful New Zealand F1 driver ever with 8 wins and also winning the F1 World Championship in 1967.

Chris Amon; at 19 years old was the youngest ever driver to start in a championship Grand Prix at the time.  Chris he is often quoted as the most talented driver never to win an F1 championship race.  He won non-championship races, drove for Ferrari and was also an F1 team owner. 

Mike Thackwell; at 19 years old qualified on pole for the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix.  The youngest qualifier ever, a record that would stand for 29 years.

The New Zealand Grand Prix

The New Zealand Grand Prix began in 1950 and was held mainly at Pukekohe Park Raceway and the Ardmore Circuit.  It had many famous winners such as Sir Stirling Moss 3 times (1956, 1959, 1962), Sir Jack Brabham 3 times (1958, 1960, 1961), Graham Hill twice (1965 and 1966), Chris Amon twice (1968 and 1969), Bruce McLaren, John Surtees and Sir Jackie Stewart. 

Of course the New Zealand Grand Prix was also part of the Tasman Series which ran between 1964 and 1975.  So there were other Tasman races held in New Zealand at this time at circuits in Levin, Wigram and Teretonga.

Today

Activities for F1 fans

If you are visiting New Zealand, these are the options for F1 fans:

• Various motorsport circuits, events and experiences (see below).
• Take a ride in the Orange Arrows F1 3 seater car.
• The Bruce McLaren Trust and Museum (located at the site of the old McLaren Service Station).
• Visit Bruce McLaren's childhood home; 8 Upland Road Remeura.  His grave is at Waikumete Cemetery, Glen Eden, Auckland.
• The National Motorsport Museum, Otago which has 2 F1 cars on display.
• Maybe buy a supercar (?): The Hulme Supercar.
• Several go-karting locations.
• Sim racing (see below).

Shopping

• Various motoring bookstores (see below).

Thanks for reading.  Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast



Links:

New Zealand Grand Prix:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Grand_Prix
Tasman Series:  http://tasmanrevival.com/history-of-the-tasman-series/
New Zealand F1 drivers:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_drivers_from_New_Zealand

Circuits:

Pukekohe Park Raceway (Pukekohe):  http:/ /www.countiesracing.co.nz/motor-racing/
Highlands Motorsport Park (Otago):  http://www.highlands.co.nz/
Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park (Taupo):  http://www.brucemclarenmotorsportpark.com/
Hampton Downs (Waikato):  http://www.hamptondowns.com/
Ruapuna (Christchurch):  http://www.canterburycarclub.co.nz/ 
Teretonga (Invercargill):  http://www.teretonga.org.nz/

F1 3 seater ride:  http://formula1ridesnz.co.nz/
Bruce McLaren Trust and Museum (Remuera, Auckland):  http://www.bruce-mclaren.com
Bruce McLaren grave:  http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12763417
National Motorsport Museum:  http://www.highlands.co.nz/museum/
Hulme Supercars:  http://www.hulmesupercars.com/

SIM racing:

Virtual Racing Centre (Auckland): http://www.vrracing.co.nz/
Hyper Simulator (Auckland and Wellington):  http://www.hyperstimulator.co.nz/

Motorsport books:

DML Motorbooks (South Canterbuy):  http://www.manuals.co.nz/
Pace Publications (Auckland):  http://www.pace.net.nz/
FAZAZZ (Christchurch):  http://www.fazazz.co.nz/
Octane Books (Auckland):  http://octanebooks.co.nz/







 

Jochen Rindt - An Open Letter to F1 (1969)

The following is a letter penned in 1969 by F1 driver Jochen Rindt.

It was an open letter, sent to all of the major motorsport publications of the day.  It has some very interesting observations about wings on Grand Prix cars and the turbulent effect they cause any cars following.  It is a particularly poignant letter given the circumstances of Rindt's death just one year later.

And the letter also relates strongly with the debate that is still raging about wings ... 47 years later.

This is an open letter to all people who are, interested in Formula 1 racing.  I want to demonstrate a few points about the aerofoils which at the moment are used on most of the F1 cars, in order to convince the so-called experts that they should be banned.

Basically I have two reasons why I am against them:

1. Wings have nothing to do with a motor car. They are completely out of place and will never be used on a road-going production car. Please note, I mean wings and not spoilers which are incorporated into the bodywork. You can say they bring colour to racing, and I cannot argue against that; but after all F1 racing is meant to be a serious business and not a hot rod show.

2. Wings are dangerous, first to the driver, secondly to the spectators.

When wings were first introduced to F1 racing at Spa last year they were tiny spoilers at the front and back of the Ferraris and Brabhams. They had very little effect except at high speed when they were working as a sort of stabiliser. This was a very good effect and nobody thought any more about it until Lotus arrived for the French GP at Rouen a month later with the first proper wing. Suddenly everybody got the message about what could be done with the help of the air; but unfortunately nobody directly concerned gave much thought to what could happen if the wings went wrong, and what effect they would have on racing.

First of all, it is very difficult to design a wing which is going to stand up to all the stresses, because who knows how big the forces are. If you make the wing stronger, it is going to be heavier and therefore produce bigger forces on the construction; you make it lighter and it all goes the opposite way. This is not my wisdom, it all comes from one of the most successful racing car designers. Nevertheless I am sure that after some time - and a few more accidents because of wing failure - this problem could be solved.

Now some personal experience gained by racing with the wing:

The wing obviously works via the airflow over it, and this situation changes rapidly if you happen to follow another competitor; he has the full use of the wing and you yourself have to put up with the turbulence created by his car. This could mean that the man in front is actually going slower than you, but you cannot pass him because after getting near to him, your wings stop working and you cannot go so quickly. This fact spoils racing to quite a large extent. On the other hand the turbulence can be so great that your car starts behaving very strangely and completely unpredictably.

This, I think, explains Oliver's accident at Rouen last year, and I personally have been in similar trouble very often, but luckily I have always managed so far. You will understand that these two facts stop close racing, which is one of the most exciting things to watch. Therefore it is in the interest of the spectators and the drivers to ban wings.

Let us have a look at the wing if something goes wrong with it. And they do go wrong quite often, but so far nobody has been severely hurt. My accident in the Spanish GP has been the biggest one so far and, through a lot of luck and the safety precautions taken by the Spanish organisers, nothing serious happened. Naturally I will always be grateful to the Automobile Club of Barcelona for lining the circuit with double guardrails and for providing such efficient marshals.

To explain the reason for my accident, I was happily driving round the fastest bend on the track when my wing broke and changed its downthrust into reverse. The back end of my car started flying, and I nearly flew over the double guardrail on the left side of the track. Fortunately I was flying about 10 inches too low and got bounced back into the road. I have got a picture to prove it.  Can you imagine what would have happened if the car had flown into the crowd? By next year we will probably have wings big enough to do so, and all the owners of the circuits will have to think about new crowd protection. You can also get lift instead of down-pressure if you spin the car at high enough speed and start going backwards.

Altogether I have come to the conclusion that wings are very dangerous, and should therefore be banned.

JOCHEN RINDT.

Begnins, SWITZERLAND.

F1 City Guide - Adelaide

Many people will fondly recall the Adelaide street circuit as the home of the Australian Grand Prix for 11 years from 1985-1995.  Next to the CBD, the circuit was a mixture of city streets and then into the parklands to finish the lap.

Adelaide was always the final race of the season, so it had it's fair share of title deciders, drama, intrigue and of course the party atmosphere that came with finishing the season.

This blog will explore Adelaide's Grand Prix racing past and also what it offers F1 fans today.

The Past

Grand Prix racing has been held near Adelaide since 1937.  These circuits were amazing ...

• Unbelievable by today's standards, the 1937 Australian Grand Prix was held on a road course 12km long, in-between the seaside towns of Port Elliot and Victor Harbour.

• Lobethal Circuit: 1939 Australian Grand Prix.  At almost 14kms long, this wild circuit in the Adelaide Hills passed through the towns of Charleston and Lobethal.  It is the longest racing circuit in Australian history.

• Nuriootpa Road Circuit: 1950 Australian Grand Prix, this circuit was 7km long!

• Port Wakefield Circuit: 1955 Australian Grand Prix, won by Jack Brabham.  This circuit has now "faded very quickly back into the scrub".

• Mallala: 1961 Australian Grand Prix, a former RAAF base, still going today.

Vern Schuppan is the sole F1 driver born in South Australia.

Today

Activities for F1 fans

If you are visiting Adelaide, these are the options for F1 fans:

• Walk the circuit. Start in Victoria Park at the start/finish line. Turn one: on the left, a plaque of Ayrton Senna's handprints at the Senna chicane, near Wakefield Road.
• Hutt Street: more handprints on the east side notably Lauda, Berger and Coulthard at 120 Hutt Street
• Visit The Stag Hotel on Rundle Street. The site of many iconic photos as the cars passed there

• Adelaide Motorsport Festival - hoping this will return soon.
• Mallala Motor Sport Park
• Several go-karting locations

Shopping/Eating

• Motoring Bookshop, 47 Gouger Street, Adelaide CBD - now closed. The sign is still there.
• La Trattoria restaurant on King William Street, Adelaide CBD has F1 photo's on the wall. 

Thanks for reading.  Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast

Links:

Australian Grand Prix:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Grand_Prix
Tasman Series:  http://tasmanrevival.com/history-of-the-tasman-series/
Australian F1 drivers:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_drivers_from_Australia

Adelaide Street Circuit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_Street_Circuit
Adelaide Motorsport Festival:  http://www.adelaidemotorsportfestival.com.au/
Mallala Motor Sport Park:  http://www.mallala.com/

La Trattoria - La Trattoria | Adelaide | Italian Food

 

F1 City Guide - Melbourne

Melbourne is synonymous with the Australian Grand Prix.  Since 1996 Albert Park, near the CBD, has hosted the race and is contracted to do so until at least 2023.

This blog will explore Melbourne's Grand Prix racing past and also what it offers F1 fans today.

The Past

The first eight Australian Grand Prix starting in 1928 were held at the Phillip Island circuit.  It's one of five locations near Melbourne to have that honour:

Phillip Island 8 times:  1928 - 1935
Point Cook: 1948
Albert Park twice: 1953, 1956
Sandown 6 times: 1964, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978
Calder 5 times : 1980 - 1984

Some of these races were part of The Tasman Series which ran from 1964 to 1975.

Other races held near Melbourne were part of the Australian Drivers Championship.  e.g. 1958 Victoria Trophy Race at Fisherman's Bend and the Melbourne Grand Prix in 1958 at Albert Park, won by Stirling Moss.

So what did the Albert Park circuit look like back then?  It was faster and much more dangerous of course.  It was also 300 metres shorter than the modern layout and travelled in the opposite direction. 

Also in Melbourne, Sir Jack Brabham's BT19 Repco engine (winning the title in 1966) was built at Richmond and then relocated to another Repco site at Maidstone.

There were 5 Formula 1 drivers from Melbourne or regional Victoria; Larry Perkins, Paul Hawkins, Paul England, Brian McGuire and Ken Kavanagh.

Today

Activities for F1 fans

If you are visiting Melbourne, these are the options for F1 fans:

• The Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park.
• Various motorsport events the other circuits mentioned above, except Point Cook and Fisherman's Bend.
• Victorian Historic Racing Register - Sir Jack Brabham Annex.  Here you can see Jack's world championship winning Brabham Repco BT19 from 1966, plus his extensive trophy collection.
• Albert Park also hosts commemorative brass busts for Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.
• Several go-karting locations, "Ace Karts" looks like fun!
• Sim racing at Docklands.

Shopping/Eating

• City Sports & F1, Melbourne CBD.
• Model Mania, Melbourne CBD.
• Motor Book World, Canterbury.
• F1 theme cafes on Lygon Street: eg. Café Corretto (complete with Ferrari replica F1 car on the roof!) and Café Cavallino.

Thanks for reading.  Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast

Links:

Australian Grand Prix:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Grand_Prix
Tasman Series:  http://tasmanrevival.com/history-of-the-tasman-series/
Australian F1 drivers:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_drivers_from_Australia
Victorian Historic Racing Register - Sir Jack Brabham Annex:  http://vhrr.com/wp/sir-jack-brabham-annex-opens-at-vhrr-headquarters/

Phillip Island:  https://www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au/
Calder:  http://www.calderpark.com.au/
Sandown:  http://www.sandown.net.au/

The Grid, Docklands:  http://www.thegridracing.com.au/racing-simulators-melbourne



F1 Special Events Shop:  www.citysportsandf1.com.au
Model Mania: http://www.modelmania.com.au/
Motor Book World:  http://www.motorbookworld.com.au/

Café Cavallino:  http://www.cafecavallino.com.au/
Café Corretto:  http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g255100-d722921-Reviews-Cafe_Corretto-Melbourne_Victoria.html 

F1 City Guide - Sydney

When pondering Formula One in Australia, most people naturally think of the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne and the Adelaide street circuit.

However, Sydney and it's surrounding areas also has a history of Grand Prix racing.  This blog will explore it's past and also what Sydney offers F1 fans today.

The Past

The first Australian Grand Prix was run officially in 1928, however there was an unofficial race the year before near Sydney at Goulburn.

Sydneysiders could also enjoy Australian Grand Prix races at:

Bathurst, NSW 4 times: 1938, 1947, 1952, 1958
Warwick Farm, Sydney 4 times: 1963, 1967, 1970, 1971
Oran Park, Sydney twice: 1974, 1977

Some of these races were part of The Tasman Series which ran from 1964 to 1975 as well as The Australian Drivers Championship.

Bathurst, near Sydney, is an iconic track in Australian motorsport.  The Grand Prix circuit at Warwick Farm is gone however the horse racecourse is still there (with no references to it's Grand Prix past!)  Oran Park is now a housing development.

Sir Jack Brabham

Sir Jack Brabham was born in Hurstville, Sydney.  The house was in McQuarie Street near Queens Road but it's no longer there.  As a boy he raced his soapbox down Patrick Street.  In the early years, Jack worked on this famous "RedeX Special" car from his workshop in Penshurst. 

Jack raced on several Sydney circuits early in his career: Sydney Showground, Parramatta Park and the Mount Druitt Racing Circuit (now Whalen Reserve).  Later, much of his aviation was conducted from Bankstown Airport and after he retired he setup "Brabham Aviation" there.  He also owned a Ford dealership in Bankstown.

Today a street is named after him in Hurstville; "Jack Brabham Drive".  Also in the city of Orange, NSW, there is Sir Jack Brabham Park on the site of the historic "Gnoo Blas" circuit.

Sir Jack Brabham is not the only Sydney born F1 driver.  Joining him are Tim Schenken, David Walker, Frank Gardner and Warwick Brown.

Today

Activities for F1 fans

If you are visiting Sydney, these are the options for F1 fans:

• Events at Sydney Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek and Sydney Speedway, Granville.
• Goulburn and Bathurst circuits; a short drive from Sydney.
• Several go-karting locations, "Ultimate Karting Sydney" has a replica F1 car. 
• Sim racing at Bondi Junction and Darling Harbour.

Shopping/Eating

• The Motorsport Shop, Hurstville.
• Automoto Bookshop (Sydney CBD) & Pitstop Bookshop (Warriewood).
• Wheels Automotive Books, Parramatta.
• Model Cars Too, 152 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD.
• Various hobby stores such as Hobbyco.
• Bridge Street Garage, Sydney CBD.

Thanks for reading.  Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast


Links:

Australian Grand Prix:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Grand_Prix

Tasman Series:  http://tasmanrevival.com/history-of-the-tasman-series/
Australian F1 drivers:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_drivers_from_Australia

Wakefield Park, Goulburn:  http://www.wakefieldpark.com.au/
Bathurst:  http://www.mount-panorama.com.au/
Sydney Motorsport Park:  http://www.sydneymotorsportpark.com.au/
Eastern Creek Karts:  http://easterncreekkarts.com.au/
Sydney Speedway:  http://valvolineraceway.com.au/

Ultimate Karting:  http://www.ultimatekartingsydney.com.au/
GP Shop, Hurstville:  http://gpshop.net/
The Grid, Bondi Junction:  http://www.thegridracing.com.au/sydney/racing-simulators-Sydney
RaceCentre, Darling Harbour:  http://www.racecentre.com/

Automoto Bookshop:  http://www.automotobookshop.com.au/
Pitstop Bookshop:  https://www.pitstop.net.au/
Hobbyco:  https://hobbyco.com.au/
Bridge Street Garage:  http://bridgestgarage.com.au/

Improving Safety in Formula One

Safety in Formula One has again come into the spotlight following recent deaths in open cockpit racing.  Questions are rightly be asked and discussions will continue.  Inevitably, some changes will be made.

The reason change needs to happen is that we've had 5 deaths in open wheel cars in the last 6 years.  Henry Surtees died in 2009 driving F2, aged just 18.  Dan Wheldon died in 2011 in an IndyCar, age 33.  Maria de Villota died in 2013 testing F1, age 33.  F1 driver Jules Bianchi died in 2015, age 25.  Most recently Justin Wilson also died 2015, aged 37.

So yes, something must be done.

 

F1 and other open wheeler racing formula have different rules and safety aspects, especially when it comes to the actual car itself.  Formula One is of course considered the pinnacle.  That said, open wheel cars have shown in recent years they have several weak points in regard to safety.  When these weak points "line-up", it can cause serious injury or death.

Motorsport is dangerous and the worst can still happen. But that doesn’t mean improvements can’t be made.  Below are some ideas and suggestions around circuits, procedures as well as the cars and drivers.

 

Circuits

 

The circuits themselves are nowadays generally quite safe of course, especially the newer ones.  They have ample run-off with good general design and safety procedures in place.  Monaco is the exception to this which is tolerated.

 

There should be an ongoing and comprehensive review of circuit safety – race by race, corner by corner.  This should be done to find any weak points or possibilities for improvement.  In addition, F1 should always listen to the drivers themselves.  If the drivers believe by consensus that a change should be made to a circuit - however minor - then everything should be done to facilitate that change in the shortest possible timeframe.

Some other suggestions:

• Cranes.  We need the latest and best available.  The optimal outcome is to have adequate cranes behind the safety wall removing cars from circuit.
• Catch fencing :  Improvements can be made.  Take for example Dan Wheldon's accident or the unfortunate death of volunteer marshal Graham Beveridge at the Australian Grand Prix in 2001.
• We need improvement and standardisation of different track elements such as kerbs, rumble strips, run-off, catchment, tyre walls, fencing, gravel vs. asphalt etc.

Trucks

 

In any racing situation, there will be a time where a person or a truck needs to be on the race track itself.   So, can the trucks themselves be improved?  I hope so.  In any case, when a truck or a person are needed on the race circuit, at that point the F1 cars need to be driving at safety car speeds.

 

Procedures

 

The rules around safety car and procedures can also improve.  Firstly of course flags are not adequate.  For years now safety warnings have also been displayed via bright illuminated signage on-circuit and instant driver notification via steering wheel or radio transmission.

 

Are these adequate?  This technology needs to be maximised to ensure we have appropriate and plentiful illuminated signage at each Grand Prix.  And the race director of course needs complete control to make any safety decisions and communicate safety messages to every driver and team instantly.

 

Slow zone - "VSC"

 

This concept has been used in LMP1 racing and has now been adopted in F1 as a "Virtual Safety Car" (VSC).  This concept has proven to work well and it should continue.

 

Cars and drivers

 

We should never be complacent with regard to safety of the F1 cars themselves.  This is especially the case with the safety cell.  As new technologies and materials become available, F1 should always respond with improvements.  For example improving frontal and side impact regulations, stronger wheel tethers etc.

 

And for the drivers themselves improvements in helmets, HANS devices, race gear and even accident deployment technology could also be a possibility.

 

Canopy

 

Some have suggested the introduction of a fighter jet style canopy for F1 cars which could also include a forward roll hoop.  This would significantly reduce the chance of injury to drivers heads.  Of course the introduction of canopies presents a range of safety challenges.  Not insignificantly, it would also involve a brand-new era of F1 where we no longer have “open cockpit” cars.

 

I can live with that.  I believe that F1 can and should adopt fighter jet style canopies.  If it saves one life (and surely it will save more) ... then it’s worth it.

 

The issues with canopies are several.  Drivers exiting the car, fogging and weather, the impact on the drivers particularly their vision.  All of these can be overcome.

 

Let’s do it.

 

Conclusion

 

It is pleasing to see that a Strategy Group was setup in order to tackle this issue.  I hope and expect that this Group will be bold and forward-thinking.  Along with the other parties involved; the FIA, Bernie etc, we need real change with realistic timeframes for introduction.  Every area of F1 needs to be reviewed and changes to the regulations need to be swift.

 

We owe that to those who have been killed or injured as well as their families.

 

 

Pep, F1 Podcast.

 

Thanks for reading, please leave your comments.

An Evening With Mark Webber

How could I resist?  "An Evening With Mark Webber" was promoted as part of his Australian book signing tour.  It was a chance to hear Mark talk plus a Q&A session and book signing.  All with drinks and canapés. 

Ticket in hand, I arrived 10 minutes early to see several hundred people already there.  All ages, some in Red Bull and even Porsche clothing.  After some refreshments, it was time.

Mark arrived and took the stage with ARDC President, Andrew Leithhead who was hosting the evening.  Mark's initial comments were around his happiness with the book sales (second print run already) and also about being in Australia during the winter, which was unusual for him.

Andrew's questions covered lots of areas and I'll try to provide a summary of what Mark said.

Leaving Australia, climbing the ladder, David Campese loan

Mark described his difficulties in securing money and motor racing opportunities in Europe.  He told the story of getting funding from Yellow Pages.  This was despite one of the decision-makers not liking him or wanting to do it.  That particular person is now friends with Mark and receives constant friendly reminders that he nearly derailed Webber's career early on!  Also David Campese, the rugby legend who funded Mark at a critical time.  That loan was offered interest free and was of course paid back as soon as Mark could.

Mercedes Le Mans accident

Another time when Mark's career could have ended.  He described how himself and Peter Dumbreck could have easily been killed.  Not to mention the marshals and spectators.  Webber was very upset with the team who initially blamed him.  The cause of the flip?  A "crap engine" low on horsepower which forced the team to strip too much weight in the search for pace. 

Minardi F1- 5th on debut

A very special day of course, Mark said it almost felt like a race win.  He described the battle he had with Mika Salo and his determination to finish the race despite gearbox issues.  He joked about race winner Schumacher congratulating him which provided a photo opportunity for Michael to ensure he got in the newspaper the next day.

Monaco

Webber told of his love of the circuit itself and the crazy and different nature of that particular race.  He also talked about the concentration and fitness required to do well there.  The walls get narrower as the race progresses.

Fitness

It was noted by Andrew Leithhead that Webber has a resting heart rate of 40 bpm.  Mark talked about his dedication to fitness and nutrition and the implications on his personal life.  He joked about being out with friends with him having small meals and early nights.

Red Bull success, Vettel

For this part I was recording video, so what follows are actual quotes:

"We had an incredible amount of success quite fast.  You obviously start at the back end of 2009 and then in 2010 we were both going for the championship.  That was quite hard for the team to... first of all we didn't predict it and couldn't believe we had both of us going for the championship.  We had Fernando and Lewis still in the game so it was a very, very hotly contested World Championship - the 4 of us going for it".

 

"What I found difficult honestly inside the team was not so much Sebastian; Sebastian was doing his job, working hard, he was young, of course incredibly fast, incredibly, incredibly sharp, probably "Schumacher-esque" in his approach to the job in terms of how technical he was."

 

"But I obviously struggled with Helmut (Marko) a lot, I really struggled to work out Helmut's role in the team and how much he actually brought Sebastian along.  They spent a huge amount of money to get into this position.  And this could be our only chance to win the championship, there is no guarantees that other championships are going to come in the future.  So we've got to make sure that in 2010, you know, he's going to be the youngest World Champion ..."

 

"There's a few things which, I just thought, I had a little bit of a headwind here and there where I probably didn't need it.  And even when I had the momentum and was leading the championship, they were still trying to keep Seb in the game.  Which again was not a huge reflection on Sebastian, it was just that I thought they were prepared to risk a lot to keep Seb in the game, then to also keep the other two in there as well; Lewis and Fernando".

 

Relationship with Ann Neal

Mark referenced Ann throughout the evening and again here.  He describes her as being as much responsible for his success and he himself is.  It's clear she is a driving force and positive influence both personally and professionally.

Integrity

Last question; Would you ever compromise your integrity to win?  Mark replied he was never confronted with that dilemma in his career but feels he would not.  He is proud that his trophy cabinet is clean in terms of himself and the cars he drove. 

Questions from the floor:

What's in the garage at home?  All Porsche's - great cars, just point and shoot.

Why didn't you sign the Ferrari contract?  This was my question!  Mark talked about wanting a 2 year deal rather than 1+1.  This meant he would be changing F1 teams toward the end of his career and 6 months down the track, he may not be offered his "+1 option".  Not wanting this, he decided to re-sign with Red Bull. 

Williams?  Mark admitted that he was the one to begin calling Nico Rosberg "Britney".  He also told a funny story about their last race together at Williams.  Rosberg crashed into Webber - Mark's rear wing was badly broken and Nico had front wing damage.  Webber was livid, behind Nico and expected to pit second.  But he was determined to pit first and overtake Rosberg.  After some eventful driving Mark arrived at the Williams garage first, much to Patrick Head's displeasure.

Alonso overtake at Spa  Mark explained the need for total commitment and trust in the man you are racing.  Much praise here for Fernando.  Mark had the best line at the bottom of Eau Rouge which setup the pass.

Favourite track?  Suzuka.  Largely unchanged, challenging and enjoyable; it's got everything.  He singled out "Degner" as a particularly good corner.

Favourite era?  1990's.

Will you return to Australia and race?  Very unlikely.  Enjoying his motorsport overseas and once the helmet is hung up there, then that is probably it.  Never say never though.  Mark commented he gets lot's of calls and offers! 

What about those poor starts in F1?  Webber talked about his difficulty with the Pirelli tyres in terms of recovering any wheelspin off the line.  The loss was usually around one metre which equated to one grid row.  Mark said he saw plenty of data comparing drivers starts and reaction times.  This showed the Red Bull was never great off the line.

How are you enjoying the Porsche?  Very much!  It's a very technical and quick car to drive.  It was here that Mark congratulated Nico Hulkenberg on his Le Mans victory.  Apparently he joked with Nico on the podium; "Do you still know how to use the champagne mate?".

After question time was the book signing.  With my copy of "Aussie Grit" signed and photos taken, it was time to go.  A fantastic evening, very insightful and enjoyable!

Thanks for reading.

Pep.

Tweeting daily about F1 here:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast

Sydney Retro SpeedFest - An F1 Perspective

For F1 fans living in Sydney Australia, access to Formula One can be very slim-pickings.

Hence it was with great glee that I read about the Sydney Retro SpeedFest being held at Sydney Motorsport Park ... just 30 minutes drive from where I live.

http://www.hsrca.com/sydney-retro-speedfest/

The lure was a selection of Formula One cars from the 1960's, 70's and 80's ... on display and close-up.  With pit access.  SOLD! 

Upon arriving at the circuit, I had my checklist of F1 cars that I needed to meet.  I was ready to go.

1979 Williams FW07 Ford - Alan Jones

First stop, I found the 1979 Williams in-front of me.  The car was sitting under a large pits-style marquee ... all alone, no one there.  What a beautiful piece of art!  I love it's simple, clean lines and efficient design.  I started photographing the car immediately and noted several things about it;

• Designed by Patrick Head, it was one of the first ground-effects F1 cars
• Powered by a Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine
• This chassis was driven by Alan Jones winning 4 Grand Prix

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

1973 BRM P160E - Niki Lauda

Next to the Williams was Lauda's BRM.  Again the car was under the marquee, no security, full access.  This car is not only the real deal but it was also used in the filming for the movie "Rush".

Huge tyres, huge wings, huge wheels - this beast would have been fantastic to drive!

• A whopping three litre V12 engine
• One of only 4 surviving P160E cars
• Recently purchased by an Australian collector after years at the Donington Museum

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

1967 Brabham Repco BT23A - Jack Brabham

Like small and nimble?  Check out this baby!  Next to the Lauda BRM car was the absolutely stunning 1967 Brabham.  This was actually a Tasman car which was used as a prototype for the 1967 Grand Prix car. 

• Powered by a 2.5 litre Repco V8 engine
• This car won the 1967 Tasman Series race at Longford, Tasmania
• Fantastic exposed engine and exhaust

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

So walking then to the main pit complex at Sydney Motorsport Park, there were 4 more F1 cars awaiting me ...

1985 Beatrice Lola Hart - Alan Jones

This was the car that Alan Jones famously drove on his return to F1 in 1985.  It was not to be a successful campaign but the promise was there:

• Designed by Neil Oatley, aerodynamics by Ross Brawn
• The car was engineered by Haas with the backing of Lola and Hart
• The engine could achieve 1,000hp with boost

This car is well known to many F1 fans especially in Australia.  It was great to see it back in Australia so that people can see it.

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

1986 Benetton 186 BMW- Gerhard Berger

The mid 1980's Benetton was an extremely quick F1 car.  And great to look at!   This particular chassis was driven by Gerhard Berger and the car overall has a elegant flow to it.  I love the rear and sidepods.

• Designed by Rory Byrne
• BMW engine, 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder turbo
• Generated an amazing 1,300hp at full boost

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

1985 Ferrari 156/85 - Stefan Johansson

Next up along the garage was this amazing looking car.  A Ferrari F1 car is always special and this is no exception.

• The V6 turbo engine produced an estimated 900hp
• While problematic during the 1985 season, it did achieve 2 second places
• This car is owned by Sydney businessman Guido Belgiorno-Nettis.  And guess what?  He has TWO of them!

This car was fantastic to see.  And according to its owner; "It's reliable, it's fun it's quick, it's a car that you can really enjoy. It's a thrill every time you drive it".

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/

1974 March 741-1 - Hans-Joachim Stuck

Finally, there was this striking orange 1974 March 741.  It looks great and similar to the Lauda 1973 BRM car ... it has big wings, wheels and airbox.  

• Powered by Cosworth - a 3 litre engine producing 450hp
• Best result was 4th
• The car is now owned and kept in Australia

Later on the track, this car sounded glorious and as seen on the video below, clearly had a vibration issue (watch the driver closely).

Photo's here:  https://instagram.com/f1podcast/
Video here:  https://twitter.com/F1Podcast  (06 June 2015 tweet)

And Finally ...

The Sydney Retro SpeedFest is highly recommended and a great day out for race fans.  During the day I saw 3 of these F1 cars lapping on track; Brabham, Williams and March.  All sounded fantastic with the Williams easily being pushed the quickest.

I left the circuit with an even bigger appreciation of these older F1 cars.  While museums are obviously extremely important, I believe these kinds of events are essential too.  They allow people to really appreciate F1's heritage, see the cars up close as well as lapping the circuit.

Thanks for reading.

Please leave your comments.

Pep, F1 Podcast.


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