In the round-up: It’s the end of an era at Williams as Patrick Head steps down after 34 years.
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Patrick Head Steps Down from WGPH Board of Directors (Williams)
“Frank Williams commented, ‘Patrick and I have been in partnership for 34 years. During that time, he has been the leader of the technical team that has won the majority of our race wins and championships. This is a remarkable legacy and one which will be treasured and definitely not forgotten.'”
New Year Honours for Newey and Mansell (F1)
“[Adrian] Newey, Red Bull’s chief technical officer, receives an OBE (Officer of Order of the British Empire) for services to motorsport, while [Nigel] Mansell picks up a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to children and young people in his role as president of charity UK Youth.”
“Mark Webber is surely one of the most underrated Australian sports stars ?������ a true talent and humble operator who worked diligently to get a drive and, now a success, appears free with both his time and his charity enterprises.”
Call me MC Laren: Lewis Hamilton records secret R&B album (The Sun)
“Sadly we won’t be hearing any of his singing. It’s just for his own pleasure.”
“Happy Newey ear from F1 Fanatic: http://yfrog.com/oc4jqij”
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Comment of the day
Girts speaks for myself and hopefully you too. Have a fantastic 2012!
I’m really proud to belong to the F1F community. There’s no better web place for me to be. I wish every F1 Fanatic a merry New Year.
Girts
From the forum
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On this day in F1
Happy birthday to Jacky Ickx who turns 67 today.
Scalextric (@scalextric)
1st January 2012, 0:06
Happy New Year!
Hope Mr. Head enjoys his well earned retirement.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
1st January 2012, 0:07
I’m not sure if I want to hear Lewis’ singing or not. It could be a laugh or just painful!
I normally switch off when Alan Jones opens his mouth (thanks to all of those painful years at Channel 9…), but for a change, I agree with him. The whole “F1 needs to set an example” is completely bewildering to me and it makes no sense. Even trying to compare F1 to road cars is silly.
I’m going to miss having Pat around. We’ve not seen much of him in the last year or two, but it’s great having people around that have been there from the very start. I hope he still attends the races though.
This is also my first comment of the year! Happy New Year, F1 Fanatics, and I wish you all the best the next 366 days. :)
George (@george)
1st January 2012, 0:14
Maybe Hamilton and Alguersuari should form a band. Happy new year everyone :)
celeste (@celeste)
1st January 2012, 18:07
@George there is an idea :D
Happy New Year everybody :)
electrolite (@electrolite)
1st January 2012, 21:29
Sutil is apparantly a highly skilled pianist, also. Maybe he can keep himself occupied with that this year if he doesn’t get a drive.
dennis (@dennis)
2nd January 2012, 7:06
“Now this is a story all about how
my car got flipped turned upside down
and I’d like you to take a minute so just sit right down,
I’ll tell you how I became the prince of a sport called Eff One.
West Hertfordshire, born and a raised
on the kart track is where I spent most of my days,
chilling out, maxing, relaxing all cool
and all racin’ some soap boxes outside of the school
when a brazilian guy said “I’m up in no good”
started makin’ trouble in my neighbourhood
I got in one little fight and the FIA got scared
and said “you’re driving through the pit lane at totally lame speed”
celeste (@celeste)
2nd January 2012, 16:32
@dennis A.W.E.S.O.M.E.
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd January 2012, 9:46
@dennis – yeah!
f1alex (@f1alex)
1st January 2012, 0:37
Happy new year!! :D
Derek Ziman
1st January 2012, 0:50
Instead of singing the blues Lewis should be crooning the reds. That Red Bull is going to be as dangerous as ever in 2012. The red cars too may be worth a lullaby.
John H (@john-h)
1st January 2012, 1:07
Happy new year to Keith and all the F1fanatics out there. Bring on 2012!!
David-A (@david-a)
1st January 2012, 1:34
Sadly?
Antranik (@antranik)
1st January 2012, 17:39
I had the same reaction :P
celeste (@celeste)
1st January 2012, 18:12
@David_A AND @Antranik more like “Thank God” kind of though…
But it´ll be fun to watch Martin W and Button getting the question ” So what fo you think of Lewis single “seeing red”?
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd January 2012, 9:47
I had quite enough of F1 drivers singing after watching those video’s of the Mercedes GP christmas party, thank you!
Calum (@calum)
1st January 2012, 1:57
I had a dream where I was in Abu Dhabi at a young driver test and I ‘saw’ the 2012 Williams car.
It’s white, with blue sidepods, and two horizontal blue stripes on the airbox, and Williams written in between the lines. Thin blue pin stripes on the nose and top of the sidepods.
Be dead wierd if it was anything like this! ;)
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
1st January 2012, 3:12
I can see it in my mind’s eye. It would look good if it came true.
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
1st January 2012, 5:16
I just ‘favourited’ this comment. Now we wait… :)
Rob Wilson (@rob-wilson)
1st January 2012, 2:00
Happy New Year my fellow F1 Fanatics! Here’s hoping for a championship battle in 2012!
Would be weird to hear Lewis singing..not even sure if i would even want to hear that!
jamesluke2488
1st January 2012, 2:47
Happy new year, bring on the new season, if I can watch it otherwise who cares after 14 yrs of watchin it on free tv, we lov u Bernie : p
Anon
1st January 2012, 2:51
Happy New Year everyone!
I’d love to hear Hamilton’s music and am really glad he’s got a creative outlet. I feel that the greater his well-being is, the greater his driving can be and the greater F1 will be as a result.
Here’s to a year of happy drivers able to perform to the best of their abilities. :-)
sato113 (@sato113)
1st January 2012, 3:45
happy new year ALL. ;)
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
1st January 2012, 3:52
I don’t think the stories about Hamilton recroding an album are true. It is, after all, a story that has been started by The Sun, and it is worded in such a way that it is completely un-provable; they obviously expect us to take their word for it when they say he’s recorded it.
aka_robyn (@)
1st January 2012, 4:32
Well, after reading that article, I’m left wondering one thing: if it’s true, will Lewis be able to live up to this standard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbiBdWLoDg
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
1st January 2012, 5:13
Perhaps he should aiming for these lofty heights instead. It certianly describes his state of mind for most of this season.
celeste (@celeste)
1st January 2012, 18:16
@Prisoner_Monkeys OMG …. LOL
PieLighter (@pielighter)
1st January 2012, 5:47
Exactly my thoughts PM. Those pillocks think we are so gullible.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
1st January 2012, 5:52
No, they do something worse – they’ll publish whatever they think the public will believe to get more readership.
egsgeg
1st January 2012, 10:34
Well considering it is Lewis… I actually do believe he has recorded it lol
He’s not exactly the brightest.
Emma
1st January 2012, 22:05
But where do people like you get that idea that Lewis isn’t bright etc. And why do you feel the need to insult him all the time?
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd January 2012, 10:01
Now that is a very good question Emma, would you be so kind as to enlighten us egsgeg, into your ineffable sources pointing to a lack of brightness in Lewis Hamilton?
Banburyhammer1
1st January 2012, 10:53
Perhaps he should take a leaf out of Jenson’s book?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwN3_PyTuhg
Mike (@mike)
1st January 2012, 15:32
Oh my god. Brilliant!
Greatest find ever! Cheers :D
celeste (@celeste)
1st January 2012, 18:21
HAHAHA great video…
Steph (@)
1st January 2012, 12:10
Happy New Year everyone! I’ve fallen out of love a bit with F1 this year but not with any of you guys. Keith you’ve had another brilliant year with this blog and I’m very grateful you put so much time and energy into it (oh, and thanks to Cari esp for a couple of COTDs this year ;) ). Thank you to all of the fanatics who make this place so great though. There is nowhere else where anyone can debate F1 in such a friendly and enthusiastic way (except on Twitter where Keith and most of his crew are :P ).
I hope you all have a terrific year and get everything you want!
BasCB (@bascb)
3rd January 2012, 10:04
Thanks @steph, I wish you a very happy 2012 full of joy, happiness and good health.
And lets hope the coming season wins back your love ;-)
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
1st January 2012, 12:23
Unfortunately, Patrick Head stubbornly presided over his once great team’s demise, then forced them on the stock market to get his payout (I predict this will separate the F1 operation from the rest of the business in 3 years or less, through sell-off or spin-off.), and is now leaving them in the worst state they’ve been in ages.
Patrick Head should have quit while he was still ahead.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
1st January 2012, 12:24
… and a happy 2012 to everyone, staff and readers of F1Fanatic alike!
Steph (@)
1st January 2012, 13:11
Happy new year to you too but I can’t really blame the guy for staying on at a team he loved for so long when he was once so successful and I don’t believe he alone is responsible for the state of Williams right now. It’s a combination of lack of talent (design, strategy and driver wise but especially with design), the mess of BMW and lack of sponsors. Before Sam left he was getting a load of the blame and I think there’s a risk of that happening with Patrick but absolutely everything has to come together for a team to win and unfortunately it’s all falling apart for Williams.
Speed Damon (@speeddemon)
2nd January 2012, 19:54
Sad to see Patrick Head leave. An all time Great
amid lauren (@antoniobartolomeu)
3rd January 2012, 11:35
at last!