In the round-up: Lewis Hamilton says his focus on getting his F1 career to its peak.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Lewis Hamilton insists his focus is on F1 (The Independent)
“There will be more things in the future, but at the moment there are more important things to do.”
Robert Doyle backflip on Australian Grand Prix (Herald Sun)
“Melbourne City Council has signed a three-year, $500,000 contract to sponsor the Australian Grand Prix, just nine months after Lord Mayor Robert Doyle called for the event to be scrapped.”
GPDA backs tyre allocation changes
“The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) has written to Pirelli saying it backs the tyre manufacturers’ push to change compound allocations next year, in a bid to end unused rubber getting wasted.”
“Not every day you get a letter from Buckingham palace: http://t.co/s6zQdFY”
Via the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app
Trulli sure to be racing in 2012 (Reuters)
“‘Obviously it is not down to me to say where we are but, yes I am pretty happy with the way we are working with the team and the relationship for the future. I would say that we are settled.’ Asked whether he would stay in F1, he replied: ‘Yes’.”
Domenicali at FOTA Fans Forum: "Formula 1 must not lose its appeal for youngsters" (Ferrari)
“We must realise that the means of communication change at a very fast rate and, I have to say, it can be hard to keep up. This can lead to a widening communications gap, especially as far as the younger generation are concerned and this is a mistake that Formula 1 can ill afford to make.”
Why don’t Italians drive for Ferrari and other questions at FOTA Fans Forum, Italy (James Allen)
“Domenicali acknowledged this in an answer about why Italians don’t get to drive in F1 for Ferrari. He said that he has started the Ferrari Driver Academy, which has a number of promising Italians in it, and he wants to help prepare them better for the life of an F1 driver.”
Ferrari F1 onboard lap of the Red Bull Ring (F1 Fanatic on YouTube)
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
Urooz Virk has bagged tickets for the newest event on the F1 calendar:
I have booked my tickets for the race!
Classic Stand 1 West (Block D) for Rs. 6,500 each. I was eligible to purchase a parking pass (Rs. 1500) for one car because I booked five tickets (three are minimum for car, two for a two-wheeler).
If anyone can share info about pit walk passes it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Urooz Virk
From the forum
Rib Khalifa wants to find some celebrities who love their F1.
Site updates
Added Renault chief race engineer Alan Permane to the F1 Twitter Directory:
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
Nigel Mansell beat Ayrton Senna in the Italian Grand Prix 20 years ago today, reducing the gap between them in the drivers’ championship.
Alain Prost finished third ahead of Gerhard Berger.
In fifth place was Michael Schumacher, scoring points in his second race having switched teams from Jordan to Benetton.
While the paddock was abuzz with reaction to the controversial move, Schumacher impressed on the track, as noted by James Hunt in this video:
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th September 2011, 0:22
Really, Jarno?
Sorry, but I think Trulli’s time is up. He’s just been completely anonymous, and while he has aided Team Fernandes in the development of their car, I think it’s time to hang up the helmet.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
8th September 2011, 1:25
Couldn’t agree more. Lotus don’t need him anymore either, as they have Heikki. They could grab a faster and slightly younger guy.
Like Hulkenberg, or someone like that.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
8th September 2011, 1:25
Not that Hulkenberg is “slightly” younger… but you know what I mean, someone younger.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th September 2011, 1:34
I was thinking Grosjean.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
8th September 2011, 6:52
Would probably work. What, with Renault being the engine supplier.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th September 2011, 7:16
Actually, I was thinking that they need someone fast, young and affable. But yeah, the Renault connection helps.
Zecks
8th September 2011, 13:21
Nothing is official until the team announces it, and even then (remember Heidfeld) that doesn’t mean trulli will drive for the entire season.
John H
8th September 2011, 8:59
I agree with PM… Feels strange. ;)
Tom
8th September 2011, 12:04
Why do you always call it Team Fernandes? You have an unnatural obsession with Fernandes.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th September 2011, 13:08
With Lotus’ Mike Gascoyne being very much convinced of Trulli’s skill it might be he is right.
But I think it really is time to invest in getting someone with more years of running left in him into that car to build up for the future.
AmirAnuar (@amiranuar)
8th September 2011, 1:03
schumacher for the win this week :)
Fixy (@)
8th September 2011, 10:37
Unlikely but would be great – and I’m a Ferrari fan.
Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson)
8th September 2011, 1:36
I personally think both Jarno & Rubens should both think carefully about continuing. They have both had their time in formula 1, let somebody else have theirs.
Woffin
8th September 2011, 2:17
I forgot how much I used to love the A1 Ring (now Red Bull Ring) but I’ve got to admit I was expecting it to be at least a little bit different. Considering Red bull have spent a lot of time and money ‘redeveloping’ the circuit I can hardly see anything that’s different.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
8th September 2011, 2:40
They rebuilt the pits and main grandstand. A few years ago, there was a plan to completely redevelop the circuit, which included upgrades to pit and spectator facilities and a circuit extension dubbed the “Westerschleife”. The pits and grandstands were the first stage of the redevelopment, and they were promptly knocked down … before construction halted. I can’t remember exactly what happened, but I recall reading about how a group of NIMBYs – envionrmentalists or locals who didn’t like the noise – managed to get a court injunction to stop the construction. And because the pits and grandstand had been knocked down (one suspects the timing of this injunction was done deliberately), they could not be rebuilt, making the circuit useless and bringing about an inglorious end to the one-time home of the Austrian Grand Prix. It was only recently that Red Bull got their hands on it and managed to get construction started again, and they obviously had to rebuild the pits and grandstands. They were very hesitant to restart construction of the new circuit extension (Dietrich Mateschitz shot down the prospect of reviving the Austrian Grand Prix), and so simply restored it to its pre-demolition state to allow racing to resume. The extensions might go ahead at some point in the future, and Formula 1 may even return one day, but for the time being, the Red Bull Ring is simply operational – which, given its turgid history, is good enough for now.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th September 2011, 13:11
I gather, that for Red Bull it makes more sense to just have the track as a nice base for their Red Bull shows and events.
And having a Ferrari customer day there, surely helps it get known as a high class leasure location. Good move, and it might even give ppl the opportunity go get a day of driving in themselves.
Dr Le Quack
8th September 2011, 11:22
Personally, I really don’t see the attraction to the A1 Ring.
It’s a series of straights punctuated by hairpins and slow corners.
yes, it’s a lovely location and there is some elevation change, but there’s not ONE challenging corner. And not one that’s taken above 100mph (or thereabouts) I’d wager…
Now, the original circuit was something to behold…!
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
8th September 2011, 2:51
I doubt Jarno will be there,he have no reason for that.It’s better for him that he retired.
Mike
8th September 2011, 15:29
What if he enjoys it?
HounslowBusGarage
8th September 2011, 8:40
About the Pirelli story.
The Autosport article says “. . . that a set of the harder rubber for each driver never gets used – and then has to be destroyed”
Why do they have to be destroyed? Is it that the rubber compound decays or alters in the two to four weeks to the next race so they can’t be held over?
bananarama
8th September 2011, 9:50
Actually, rubber does change slightly with age, especially with temperature swings and it can “dry out”. So if you mix tyres of different age there might be performance differences. Also every tyre by regulation is assigned to a driver for a session/weekend (with a barcode). The last reason I can think of is that Pirelli doesn’t want to ship around tyres from race to race. They send them from their factory to the venue directly, some of them months ahead by ship to overseas ones. They also wouldn’t be able to plan ahead about the capacity for race to race transportation so they’d either have too much space (waste) or too little (spending extra for short notice).
Guess I studied too much supply chain management, but those are the reasons I can come up with.
HounslowBusGarage
8th September 2011, 11:14
Aha! So it’s the barcode identification that’s the problem . . . unless they can reassign the barcode of course. But I take your point about the return or onward trip for unused tyres as well.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th September 2011, 13:24
I also think the tyres are sealed to the rims and get damaged when taken off, so they would need to have the tyres complete with wheels somewhere in between the races!
Toby Bushby
8th September 2011, 9:10
Just had a link posted to me on FB about proposed changes to the race weekend by the FIA, Keith. It involves restructuring Friday practice into 3 segments of one hour, with the first hour for test drivers only.
The link’s a bit screwy, so check it out at grandprix.com.au. Go to the “Grand Prix Blog” section in the red menu. Interesting reading, if you don’t mind bad English….
Cheers.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
8th September 2011, 10:44
Like the idea.
Ed Marshall
8th September 2011, 12:35
Forward thinking for once, like it.
BasCB (@bascb)
8th September 2011, 13:26
Like it as well, hope they will be able to fit that into the schedule for the Fridays, as there is no real disadvantage I can see.
gavmaclean
8th September 2011, 9:28
18 World Championships covered by that Italian GP top 6. That’s quite amazing!
Casanova (@casanova)
8th September 2011, 13:03
That must be the record for any race, surely!
maxthecat
8th September 2011, 11:42
I really hope Lewis doesn’t become another Kimi. He should be Double world champ at least by now and it has to be said his performances are getting worse year by year, not better as you would expect.
Phil
9th September 2011, 6:32
Well you can see the problem from that interview, he is too concerned with Puff Diddy and Pharell and the like, I mean honestly, in awe of them ??? What is that all about ? You are a Formula 1 WDC Lewis, what have they ever done but cash in on the modern day obsession with **** music ? Give your head a shake.
DaveW
9th September 2011, 15:27
You would probably be cool with his outside interests if he, say, liked to play classical piano, right?
BasCB (@bascb)
8th September 2011, 13:32
Looks like the Japanese will have another guy to look out for at Montegi circuit this time around http://www.gpupdate.net/en/indycar-series-news/267465/mutoh-to-return-for-motegi-round/
@HoHum (@hohum)
8th September 2011, 16:46
To all those that think F1 will be the Apex of open wheel motor sport even as the cars become more and more homogenised look out. The management of Indy car are on the way back having learned lessons from the break-up and collapse of the series, they are adding more areas of competition, going in the opposite direction to F1 and charging promoters a lot less to stage an event. Being a series managed by track-owners and promoters is no doubt an advantage when it comes to understanding what the fans want.
Shimks
8th September 2011, 15:49
Am I allowed to go off-topic? I looked at the other current articles but wasn’t sure where to post.
I’m really excited to see how Bruno Senna does this weekend. It was great to see him drive so maturely in qualifying with so little recent experience. Sure, he blew it on the first corner of the race, but he still finished impressively all considered. I think almost all of us must want to see Bruno do well and it seemed to me last weekend like the Senna name may for the second time have some magic attached to it.
(I think my English grammar is just getting worse and worse over the years but y’all know what I mean, right?!) :O)
MB
8th September 2011, 16:30
Hi, thought people here might enjoy this. It is a bit techy as it is a HTML5 demo. It will be best viewed in a modern browser, FF6, Chrome etc.
http://helloracer.com/webgl/
Basically a Ferrai F1 car in HTML5 / Javascript.
I have nothing to do with the demo, just providing a link.