Webber drives Red Bull in Bangkok

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Mark Webber, Red Bull, Bangkok, 2010

Mark Webber’s demonstration run for Red Bull in Thailand attracts 100,000 spectators.

Links

Historic F1 show (Bangkok Post)

“More than 100,000 people watched Thailand’s first-ever exhibition of Formula One driving on Ratchadamnoen Avenue yesterday, organisers said.”

Christmas at the home of Santander for Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)

“I really hope to deliver them a present by winning next year’s world championship.”

Palace honour for former race ace (Yorkshire Post)

Someone needs to explain to the Yorkshire Post that David Coulthard is still racing in the DTM.

Alonso: 2011 rule changes will succeed (Autosport)

“I’m confident that next year, finally, the rules will help overtaking and we will have a better show for everybody.”

Comment of the day

Here’s Robert’s thoughts on the outcome of our 2010 predictions:

I think it is interesting how many people, including me, thought Schumacher would win a couple of races. But, he ended the season as the only driver in the top four teams to not score a podium.
Robert

From the forum

Which drivers and celebrities were separated at birth? I think Dan Thorn’s suggestion of Vitaly Petrov and Will Self is inspired!

Happy birthday!

No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailling me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.

On this day in F1

Fernando Alonso dropped a bombshell on this day five years ago: he would be driving for McLaren in 2007.

The shock news meant Alonso would drive his (successful) title defence for Renault in 2006 in the knowledge that he would be leaving them to drive for a different team at the end of the year.

More picture of Mark Webber in Thailand

Images © Red Bull/Getty images

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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37 comments on “Webber drives Red Bull in Bangkok”

  1. Prisoner Monkeys
    19th December 2010, 0:19

    Mark Webber’s demonstration run for Red Bull in Thailand attracts 100,000 spectators.

    Since Red Bull originated in Thailand, it’s only a matter of time before we get a Thai Grand Prix. Then again, we did say the same thing about getting a revived race in Austria.

    1. Alex Bkk
      19th December 2010, 0:33

      Well the money is certainly here to do it and the Thais won’t be haggling over the costs and politics of putting on a race. It would be more a question of who get the credit for doing it.

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        Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
        19th December 2010, 4:28

        And Thailand is kind of unstable politicaly. Plus, Vietnam has a proposal for a race, and so I doubt they’d want to be competing irectly with one another.

        1. BasCB
          19th December 2010, 22:03

          So we should expect Red Bull to sponsor the Vietnamese GP together with the Thai government and make it a southeast asian GP?

  2. Alex Bkk
    19th December 2010, 0:20

    Yep… I missed that… I found out about it about just as it was wrapping up.

  3. inc0mmunicado
    19th December 2010, 0:27

    “I’m confident that next year, finally, the rules will help overtaking and we will have a better show for everybody.”FA

    Ending the ban on team orders is not going to make the show better, Fernando. Stop. Gloating. About. It.

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      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      19th December 2010, 0:29

      I think he’s talking about the adjustable rear wings and KERS here.

      1. Mike
        19th December 2010, 3:43

        I really hope the smaller teams manage to have a good Kers system as well next year.

        A repeat of 2009 Spa might just kill me.

  4. inc0mmunicado
    19th December 2010, 0:34

    The press should refrain from asking Ferrari or Alonso about the rules because we all know what Ferrari think of them!

    1. inc0mmunicado
      19th December 2010, 0:37

      That was a response to Keith’s comment above.

    2. Julian
      19th December 2010, 5:06

      2 things.
      First, did you actually read the article or just the headline? Because it clearly states that it was a Ferrari press release. The ‘press’ didnt ask him anything and as Keith politely pointed out, he was talking about the adjustable wings and KERS.

      Secondly: Hamilton has said the exact same thing about the rules. Have you accused him of gloating?

      I can’t believe how petty some people can be. A driver says something positive about changes in the rules and gets attacked for it solely because some people dislike him.

      I’m sure that anyone else with even half an impartial mind would agree that your comments about Alonso reek of bigotry.

      And i apologise if it sounds like im attacking you but i hate blatant fanboyism with a passion.

      1. inc0mmunicado
        19th December 2010, 15:11

        My original comment was over the top. I apologize too. Not really a fanboy (anymore)- call me a disillusioned former Ferrari fan.

  5. NewBoyLewisFan
    19th December 2010, 1:11

    Anyone notice the lack of F-duct on the red bull in Thailand, and the different nose cone. Maybe im wrong or some cheeky testing?? or even a sneak preview to the RB7

    1. inc0mmunicado
      19th December 2010, 1:16

      Looks like the car is running the original spec. It still has outboard mirrors.

      1. NewBoyLewisFan
        19th December 2010, 1:18

        Fair enough i stand corrected

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      rfs (@rfs)
      19th December 2010, 1:32

      That’s the Red Bull show car.

      http://www.redbull.com/cs/Satellite/en_INT/Red-Bull-Racing-Showcar/001242807167563

      They use this instead of the RB6 for public demos.

      1. matt90
        19th December 2010, 13:07

        Where’s that nosecone from though? It looks too low to be from the RB5.

        1. BasCB
          19th December 2010, 22:06

          They do try to add a lot of parts each year to make it look a bit like the car they are running that season. But it a Cosworth engined car from i think 2006.

          1. Paul
            20th December 2010, 9:32

            The Red Bull showcar is an RB1 Cosworth from 2005.

          2. BasCB
            20th December 2010, 10:11

            Ah, thats it Paul, a 2005 car wich is made to look a bit more like the current cars with its livery and the nose cone.

    3. sato113
      19th December 2010, 1:36

      nope its just their ‘demonstration’ car. notice the massive exhaust ducts and the high seating position.

      1. Scalextric
        19th December 2010, 5:40

        The other car shown in the article is built to next year’s rules. Right?

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          Adrian J (@adrian-j)
          19th December 2010, 18:30

          That’s built to the 2014 rules which will state that all parts of the car must be built from materials that are also used as flooring in a factory…

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    wasiF1 (@wasif1)
    19th December 2010, 1:54

    Just like Alonso I hope the adjustable rear wing should help some overtaking but one other element which I think & may be I am wrong that if the front wing can be make as a single unit just they do in GP2 series then I think the turbulence effect can be reduced by a good margin.

  7. sato113
    19th December 2010, 2:23

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfK1BMBLjZc&feature=related

    who went to this? I did but therre were too many people in the way!

    1. Hamish
      19th December 2010, 10:01

      Oh how I miss the V10s

    2. Tim
      19th December 2010, 22:01

      Not me, although Damon Hill did demo a year old Renault in my office car park in 2006 to promote the London Motor Show.

      I was in a meeting when they were warming the car up and thought “that sounds like an F1 car, but it can’t possibly be…”

  8. Journeyer
    19th December 2010, 6:46

    Demo car or not, Mark probably wasn’t running that fast at all – note the lack of any barriers between the car and the crowd.

    And either Red Bull’s private security staff wear fatigues, or those are Thai military personnel wearing Red Bull kit.

  9. HounslowBusGarage
    19th December 2010, 10:51

    I just followed the link to the Autossport site.
    At the top of the News Index page, it reads “84 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, four seconds to the Bahrein GP”
    Groan.

    1. matt88
      19th December 2010, 11:01

      luckily, in a month’s time we’ll have the first 2011 cars…

      1. BasCB
        19th December 2010, 22:09

        Now that is something to look forward to! But I am curious to see weather HRT will be presenting their car earlier than in 83 days and about 2 hours.

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    Adrian J (@adrian-j)
    19th December 2010, 18:29

    Someone needs to explain to the Yorkshire Post that David Coulthard is still racing in the DTM.

    You’re lucky they acknowledged he even got an honour…it’s not like he’s from Yorkshire!!

    1. BasCB
      19th December 2010, 22:08

      I suppose he would have to give up on that, if he is to be the permanent presenter for the BBC next to Brundle.

  11. Antranik
    19th December 2010, 18:39

    Does Fernando see F1 as a show or a sport??? Some of his comments during recent years make no sense…

  12. matt88
    19th December 2010, 19:06

    http://www.superesportes.com.br/app/20,17/2010/12/19/noticia_automobilismo,6048/piquet-se-envolve-em-escandalo-de-lavagem-de-dinheiro-na-federacao-cearense.shtml

    According to Brazilian media, Nelsinho Piquet and father are involved in a money laundering affair. I bet no one will be surprised…

  13. Calum
    19th December 2010, 22:17

    “Sir Frank Williams, who has been given the 2010 Helen Rollason award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity, has never seen his disability as an excuse not to succeed at the very highest level.” Andrew Benson-BBC

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/12/frank_williams_honoured_for_ac.html

  14. Gty
    20th December 2010, 2:11

    Love the distinct lack of barriers at the Bangkok demonstration…

Comments are closed.