In the round-up: Red Bull score a publicity coup by getting Tom Cruise to drive their car.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Tom Cruise jumps into an F1 car (Red Bull)
“Cruise, an avowed racing fan who has driven various race cars over the years but never a Formula One car, reached a top speed of 181 miles per hour, just four miles per hour off of Coulthard’s top speed, when racing the 850bhp car around the 2.5-mile (4km) Willow Springs race track in Rosamond, California.”
Heidfeld could fight planned axe from Renault (The Daily Telegraph)
“Heidfeld – hired earlier this year to stand in for the injured Robert Kubica, whose career remains in the balance following a major accident in a rally car – is prepared to use legal channels to hang on to his race seat.”
Organisers expect full house for Indian GP (Reuters)
“Tickets worth 12.5 million rupees ($273,768) were snapped up in the first three hours of sales on Saturday, leaving Ashish Hemrajani, head of race ticketing partner Bookmyshow.com, in no doubt that there will be a full house at the Buddh International Circuit.”
Has work stopped on F1 track? (Austin-American Statesman)
“His explanation for any appearance of non-activity at the 900-acre site: The construction work is phased. Thanks to the dry weather, he added, early work has moved ahead quicker than planned. But because the construction phases also include a timetable for payments to be released, Hahn said, it’s likely that contractors now must wait a few days for the next instalment.”
Sourabh first to test India’s F1 racing track (The Times of India)
“He feels that the introduction of F1 racing in the country will have no impact on the sport in the country. ‘Indian racers have no sponsors to compete in F1 standard racing. Per race, there is an expense of 5 Crore and, after factoring in damages, expenses can run up to 100 Crore in a year. Even names like Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok have difficulty finding sponsors.'”
The art of helmet design (Will Bucton)
“The job, start to finish, it’s around a week in terms of actual days spent. At the end I’ll clear coat it, too, and that takes another 24 hours to dry, which I’ll send off to have done.”
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Comment of the day
Laird18 thinks Renault’s problems are more serious than replacing one driver with another:
The reality is that with Kubica’s injury Renault have been left with no good measure of performance.
Their driver line up this year has been a complete shambles – the worst on the grid – and has shown the folly of going for a first-driver/pay-driver combination. I honestly think that Renault’s poor performance this year has largely been down to the drivers. Heidfeld and Petrov are doing a Luca Badoer/Giancarlo Fisichella style job for that team. There is no way that Renault should be behind the likes of Force India, Sauber and Toro Rosso on race day.
And from now they’ll be running two pay-drivers, of questionable talent. Good luck to Bruno, but through Renault’s greed and a disrespect for the importance of driver talent, I think we’re seeing the biggest implosion of an established F1 team in recent years.
Laird18
From the forum
PinkMaggit is looking for pictures of the Williams FW14 in its black testing livery.
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday to Andrew White, Hlahalasas and Lord Stig!
On this day in F1
Motor racing was banned in Switzerland in 1955, but that hasn’t stopped its name being applied to Grands Prix. In 1975 a non-championship Swiss Grand Prix was held at Dijon and attracted several top drivers and teams.
Clay Regazzoni won for Ferrari, eight seconds ahead of Patrick Depailler’s Tyrrell and Jochen Mass’s McLaren.
Jean-Pierre Jarier started from pole position and led over half of the race before a gearbox glitch sidelined his Shadow.
Calum
24th August 2011, 0:04
Motor racing was banned in Swizerland? When did that happen and how was Clay Reggazoni allowed to race, presumably Swiss people were allowedto race but no races took place there. Has the ban been lifted ever?
Hamish
24th August 2011, 0:21
From what I recall the motions of lifting the ban were presented to Parliament, however the ban still exists.
James
24th August 2011, 0:24
I’m sure there have been Swiss GP’s in the past, although we’re talking during the 50s here though.
James
24th August 2011, 0:30
Also, Buemi is swiss, as is his cousin and they race. Being Swiss doesnt stop you from racing, just cant racing within Switzerland (which is a shame from a rallying perspective!).
matt90 (@matt90)
24th August 2011, 0:32
1955. It was in the wake of the huge le mans crash I think. And no, they wouldn’t be able to ban their citizens from racing elsewhere, although if there is no karting championship it must be difficult.
TimG (@timg)
24th August 2011, 8:21
Switzerland is so close to countries with major karting and junior series that it doesn’t make as much difference as you may think. France, Italy and Germany are all within easy reach.
The ban is on motor racing, not motor sports – so hillclimbing and sprinting is still permitted, for example, which I think is where the likes of Peter Sauber and Clay Regazzoni started.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
24th August 2011, 0:36
It was banned following the Le Mans 55 disaster. They tried to allow motorsports again (I remember reading something a couple of years ago) but it just didn’t happen, so the ban still runs.
Considering how long it was since 1955 and how much safety has improved over the years, it does sound a bit extreme. Why the ban still applies is beyond me. Maybe someone from Switzerland can explain better.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
24th August 2011, 0:39
Nevermind, I just searched again and the ban has was overturned! =)
wasiF1
24th August 2011, 3:40
Such a beautiful country can’t host a GP.feel sorry.
Hamish
24th August 2011, 7:52
Ban still stands.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
25th August 2011, 1:00
I think the law got changed so that being a racing driver was no longer classed as “unemployed”, but you still can’t race in Switzerland. The Swiss Formula Three series is mostly in France and Germany.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 7:09
The ban is still in place. It got signed off on the back of the horrible LeMans accident where a lot of people were killed (a lot of countries were thinking of doing the same at the time)
Moolander
24th August 2011, 12:54
Interestingly, the ban is only on circuit racing. We still get hillclimb races and rally.
iamdanthomas
24th August 2011, 0:08
So all I have to do is star in a few multi-million pound films and I could drive a McLaren?
Much simpler than finding a sponsor, working my way up through Formula Renault, etc.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
24th August 2011, 0:11
Well, Tom Cruise certainly has the right build for the job! Would be great to see a video of this. Nothing on the RBR site unfortunately.
I know motorsport is banned in Switzerland, but can anyone tell me why it was and still is to this day? Always escapes me that one.
Guilherme
24th August 2011, 0:17
It was banned because of the 1955 Le Mans disaster. Can’t answer your second question though.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
24th August 2011, 0:19
I decided to stop being lazy and Google it. Found this (regarding Swiss motorsport ban)…
https://www.racefans.net/2007/06/06/switzerland-ends-52-year-motor-sport-ban/
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 7:11
Great you got fed up with laziness there Andrew so we can just follow the link!
DeadManWoking
24th August 2011, 14:24
Still just a tad lazy, had you dug a little deeper you’d have found these:
https://www.racefans.net/2007/06/06/switzerland-ends-52-year-motor-sport-ban/comment-page-1/#comment-48896
https://www.racefans.net/2010/06/04/f1-fanatic-round-up-462010/comment-page-1/#comment-381299
Ethan Hunt
24th August 2011, 16:54
Agree with you, it will be cool to be able to see the video
Hamish
24th August 2011, 0:23
Got to hand it to Red Bull in regards to their F1 demonstrations.
bosyber
24th August 2011, 9:08
Pity they didn’t manage to get some audience to see it, but I suppose that would have made it much more of a logistical effort, getting all the barriers in and walkways etc., keeping people away from half finished sloped, corners and the like.
But good job getting a big star in their car, we need the teams to do this stuff more. Of course, they can’t all be as short as Cruise, but since they have to fit a Petrov too, there is space for bigger guys, as long as they are fit.
James
24th August 2011, 0:28
Disagree with the comment of the day. Part of the issue has been the ban on being able to change engine maps between qualifying and race day. Also their concept of the blown diffuser has caused a few problems too, despite it been a pretty smart idea when it works.
The team are low on cash, unable to develop as quickly as they would like. Heidfield is a quick and good driver. Look at his career to date (best to see it up to the end of 2009), several podiums, consistent point scorer and unlucky to not win. He’s not a great driver, probably just on the cusp of it (which makes the difference).
He’s been thrown into a car which was designed around someone else with a completely different driving style and way of racing. Of course he’s going to have issues. It’s like last year’s Mercedes. The car was basically designed around Button, which meant Rosberg and more particuarly Schumacher struggled to adapt to it.
People are writing Heidfield of unnecessarily. He can deliver the goods, but he needs the car and more importantly the team behind him.
Jay
24th August 2011, 3:01
@ James,
I agree with you. Renault are not as competitive as last year for sure, they started the year well, but its gone downhill from there, partially down to the points in your comment.
I like Nick. He’s not your star driver ala Kubica or Alonso, but he gets the job done. He’s a great driver to have in your team because he will keep bringing the car home consistent based on the cars capability. You can have two swash buckling drivers in your team, then you will end with a lot less points!
With all his experience, he is definitely an asset to the team when it comes to car development.
This has got nothing to do with performance, its all about money. I mean, if you had to pick between an old german who’s been around the block a few times and who gets a wage as opposed to a young Russian kid that pays his wages and the team to race….who’d you pick?
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 7:13
I tend do agree with what you are writing about the reasons for Renaults lack of results.
But I do get why they would want to put in Senna for a few races now (even apart from the money probably involved), and expect they will give Grosjean a few outings as well this year.
Robbie
24th August 2011, 13:15
While I dislike the first-driver, pay-driver combo as Laird18 comments on, I also agree with James that this is more about the car than the drivers…I’m sure if the car was better, even NH who is no Senna would still have had some better days such that they would not be replacing him.
As to them replacing him now, it might simply be a case of why not…what have they got to lose at this point? Although it sounds like NH and his lawyers will have something to say about that.
LordHesketh
24th August 2011, 18:15
I disagree as well. I’ve always been a Heidfeld fan, so perhaps I’m a little biased. I honestly think that Eric Boullier is the worst team principal in Formula One.
Lee Harrison (@lee-harrison)
24th August 2011, 0:33
You think Cruise keeps his sunglasses on inside his helmet? ;)
CarsVsChildren (@carsvschildren)
24th August 2011, 0:39
Will Buxton’s helmet design is SWEEEEEEEEEEET. Very classy.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
24th August 2011, 1:05
i liked it too
GeeMac (@geemac)
24th August 2011, 8:57
His star has risen in my book, a Senna fan and a Beatlemaniac!
Mark Hitchcock
24th August 2011, 1:10
Apologies if this has been featured before, but I only just discovered it.
Super slow-motion footage of Buemi at Misano
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-fEn1NHh4o&feature=player_embedded
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 7:20
Don’t think anyone posted that here before. Looks like they are doing a straight line test.
Mike
24th August 2011, 1:34
Will Buxton’s helmet design is awesome!
Jay
24th August 2011, 3:04
COLE TRICKLE DRIVES AN F1 CAR!!!
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
24th August 2011, 4:14
Uncyclopedia is coming true!
Dane.
24th August 2011, 5:25
I wonder if TC is the reincarnation of race car driver ‘the Green Dragon’? He had the topgear record for a while too
GeeMac
24th August 2011, 5:54
I wish I could phone up Red Bull and say “Hi, I’m an avowed racing fan who has driven various race cars over the years but never a Formula One car, can I have a go in yours please? Thanks, see you on Tuesday.”
Hamish
24th August 2011, 7:56
Ditto. We all wait for that break in life as I’m sure most of us think all we need is that chance to prove that we are up to F1 standard.
I do anyway.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 7:53
A very happy birthday to HH Lord Stig, I hope you enjoy the day.
And the same to Andrew White and Hlahalasas.
bosyber
24th August 2011, 8:59
Good days to all of the birthday people, wishing you many years of great motorsports to come. :)
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 8:03
I guess its good to see, first sales are good for the Indian GP. On the other hand, these are the ppl who were going to visit just because its new and glittery.
And doing just about 1.1 Million USD of sales in the first day is great, its not as if that will make it a smash hit. As is said in the article (and i think Todfod mentioned it on the site), this is the first GP, it is bound to get a lot of curious people in in a big country with a lot of wealth like India.
Success will be achieved only when they can get a good crowd in the years to come.
Andrew White
24th August 2011, 8:28
Thanks for the birthday shout out Keith, its my 18th too :D
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 8:50
Happy birthday Andrew!
bosyber
24th August 2011, 8:58
Have a great birthday Andrew!
Hare
24th August 2011, 8:48
Cruise Control.. anyone? He has a neeeeed for speeeeed. Red Bull didn’t give him those wings…. ( and so forth.. :) )
BasCB (@bascb)
24th August 2011, 8:53
LOL :-D
No thunder today, he’s now had a mission possible
bosyber
24th August 2011, 9:04
So much awesomeness in crappy jokes and I can’t come up with anything credibly lame in relation to top gun – but it doesn’t matter, he still got a ride in an F1 car, the iceman is long gone :)
KNF
24th August 2011, 9:12
We have the late Paul Newman to thank for getting Tom Cruise into race car driving…
Which makes me wonder whether if Paul Newman himself ever get into a contemporary F1 car back in those days?
Ethan Hunt
24th August 2011, 16:51
Maverick is back..Paramount pictures presents in association with i feel the need…the need for speed: Top Bull
RBAlonso
24th August 2011, 22:57
I thought TC had been banned in f1 for a few years ;)
BasCB (@bascb)
25th August 2011, 20:46
looks like that might explain why RBR have been so fast and looked like their cars were running on rails lately :-D
Fixy (@)
24th August 2011, 14:05
Happy birthday Andrew White, Hlahalasas and Lord Stig!
Paddy Irishman
24th August 2011, 16:30
What is Heidfeld doing. He has to go to court to stay in F1. What a disgrace, hope he loses his court case
Tim Reynolds
24th August 2011, 22:43
Really cool to watch, especially being a big fan of Days of Thunder. Keep on rockin, Tom.
NFS
25th August 2011, 14:51
+1
Just like DC said Tom Cruise is the real deal.