In the round-up: The British Racing Drivers Club, which organises the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, has rubbished reports claiming it offered to pay Liberty Media the £30 million it receives in ticket money from the race in exchange for a subsidy to cover the cost of holding the race.
What they say
BRDC chairman John Grant told RaceFans:
As previously stated, we have no intention of talking about the British Grand Prix contract negotiation in public. The Pitpass and Mail on Sunday articles are pure fiction and spurious speculation.
As has been made clear recently by Stuart Pringle, Silverstone’s managing director, we have consistently said that we would like to maintain the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, but only on terms that are commercially viable and, obviously, that means a deal that is also commercially acceptable to Formula 1. We have agreed with F1 to keep these discussions private and will continue to do so.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
Congratulations to @GeraintThomas86 for his win at #SPOTY last night! Disappointing that @LewisHamilton chose to use this event to make negative comments about his home town. Nowhere is perfect but we’ll go high & say we are #ProudofStevenage
— Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, OBE (@SharonStevenage) December 17, 2018
Yes, @LewisHamilton's choice of the word "slums" during #SPOTY was poor, but he immediately corrected it. Nonetheless, some are leaping at the opportunity to take offence at it, in that shallow and depressingly predictable way attention-seekers do.#F1
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) December 17, 2018
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Snapshot
Juan Manuel Fangio’s son Oscar gave the signal to start the inaugural re-running of the Grand Prix of South America. Now a historic rally, the original event was a gruelling 10,000-kilometre trek through Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
The revived rally was won by Andrew Davies and Paul Dilley in a 1929 Chrysler 75.
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Webber: Hamilton the best qualifier since Senna (Speedcafe)
"He has definitely had the measure of Sebastian (Vettel) of late. We know he is as strong as Fernando, so he’s been hard work for all of us over the years and that’s why he’s got the track record that he has."
Hamilton under fire for Stevenage 'slums' comment (BBC)
"It really was a dream for us all as a family to do something different. For us to get out of the slums. Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something."
DragonSpeed confirms IndyCar plans (Racer)
"The team has purchased a new Dallara DW12 chassis and will compete with Chevrolet power and England’s Ben Hanley behind the wheel."
Hulman and company announces organisational changes for IndyCar, IMS (IndyCar)
"Jay Frye will become President of IndyCar as part of Hulman and Company organizational changes announced today by Mark Miles, President and CEO of the parent company."
McLaren drivers want Alonso's input on 2019 car (Autosport)
"It's something that for sure is in McLaren's interests, or also Fernando's interests to keep himself active."
ESPN Sees Viewership Growth, Positive Momentum in Formula 1 Return (ESPN)
"Over the course of the 21-race season, ESPN networks averaged 547,722 viewers for race windows airing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, a two percent increase over the 2017 average of 538,114 across NBC, NBCSN and CNBC."
"He is, it can be revealed, living with his close family in the main body of his house rather than in an outbuilding that some reports suggested had been constructed in response to his injuries as a special medical facility, a sort of hospital at home."
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Comment of the day
Should Alonso appear higher than fourth in this year’s F1 Driver Rankings?
In terms of Alonso, I can’t see how he can be rated behind Leclerc. I don’t see any kind of criticism here – in fact, from what I can tell from this article Alonso didn’t let a single point get to waste this season.
I think he’s been absolutely phenomenal, and the stuff he pulled off in Azerbaijan or maybe even Singapore should be stuff of legends. Leclerc was pretty fantastic this year no doubt, but he did have a lacklustre first three races, and just like with Verstappen that shouldn’t be discounted.
Alonso easily gets my number two spot.
PeterPegasus
From the forum
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Iosif (@afonic)
18th December 2018, 0:15
Alonso had some pretty bad races when he was out of the points. The moment he wishes Vettel has damage was telling…
MaliceCooper
18th December 2018, 0:33
Well we can likely disregard any “news” from the Mail?
I’ve been to Stevenage many times. It’s a bit rough around the edges in places but it’s not the worst by any means.
budchekov (@budchekov)
18th December 2018, 1:09
Stevenage became New Town around 1946.
If he lived in one of those terraced council estates, like I did in Hemel Hempstead in the 60’s, unless they’ve rebuilt them, slum would be an appropriate word. (I’ve used far worse)
Best a day of my life was when my parents moved us out of that hellhole, to a nice place nearby in the country.
@Best Stevenage memory ? The Kinks at the Locarno :)
Drop Sochi
18th December 2018, 2:37
Lewis has been to slums in India and the Philippines, so he knows it’s no slum.
W-K (@w-k)
18th December 2018, 7:05
As a schoolboy I lived in East Lancashire, home of the cotton industry, and in the 90’s I did a 3 month contract in Stevenage. I know which place I prefer and it is not Stevenage.
TribalTalker (@tribaltalker)
18th December 2018, 13:25
My memories of Stevenage are from the mid-1980’s. It was a mixed area but parts were very run down and depressed. I would not have used the word slum (and Hamilton retracted that word immediately) but it was definitely on that path. I’ve seen slum areas in other parts of the world, and although the severity of the social problem was worse in places like Venezuela, Malaysia and Hong Kong, the “feel” was the same. Desperation, people trapped by (relative) poverty and a lack of opportunities. Don’t get me wrong though, I really liked Venezuela (and Colombia), Malaysia and Hong Kong. In each of them the difference between luxury and slum was astonishing.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
18th December 2018, 0:41
I didn’t know they revived the Grand Prix of South America. The “Buenos Aires-Caracas” as it’s also known was a ridiculous race even by the standards of the day. Fangio nearly died after rolling over… And Onofre Marimon’s father, Domingo won it after Juan Galvez (THE star in argentinean racing back then) was penalized because a spectator assisted his broken car when he was meters away from the finishing line.
It took them 112 hours to race the 10000 kms of special stages. In Chevrolets and Ford cupes modified by a handful of people in workshops all around Argentina with finantial support from neightbours or clubs (“peñas” as they were called). My grandfather worked in one of those workshops later on, on Carlos Menditeguy’s car.
bosyber (@bosyber)
18th December 2018, 13:19
Nice bit of motorracing history @fer-no65!
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
18th December 2018, 13:47
@bosyber argentinean racing of that era has ridiculous stories like those. I assume Grand Prix racing felt like child’s play for Fangio, Froilan and the lot…
Sundar Srinivas Harish (@sundark)
18th December 2018, 2:29
I keep getting confused between DragonSpeed racing (owned by Elton Julian) and Dragon racing (owned by Penske heir Jay). My heart skipped a beat at the prospect of seeing a father-son battle in IndyCar, at least team owners-wise.
Victor (@mrmuffins)
19th December 2018, 16:16
Dragon racing was an IndyCar team at least until 2014. Sebastian Bourdais was the driver.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
18th December 2018, 3:12
It would certainly be interesting if Alonso tested the MCL34. It would give McLaren someone to compare the 2019 and 2018 cars, but it would also enable them to evaluate the performance of their drivers with a known benchmark.
And as for Hamilton, people really are making a controversy out of nothing. This doesn’t even surprise me anymore. But maybe Hamilton could refrain from mentioning his rags to riches story so often. He didn’t come from a privileged place, and he is now the best driver in F1, and it really is an inspirational story, but it just feels like it’s mentioned a lot, even from when he joined F1 for the first time. Unless I’m very much mistaken, Esteban Ocon came from a similar background (his parents had to sell their house and live in a caravan just to support his karting), and I don’t remember it really being mentioned by anyone.
TribalTalker (@tribaltalker)
18th December 2018, 13:34
@mashiat – we know the Hamilton story well but many do not. Most people in the world haven’t a clue about F1. As a simplified yet inspirational potted history, I guess it has its uses and will continue to be used. It’s just not aimed at us – we’re the “F1 illuminati” after all. When Esteban becomes a focus of attention outside F1 I’m sure he will use a similarly concise “origin story” many times. Leclerc also has a nice backstory. Stroll is out of luck with that one.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
18th December 2018, 16:19
@tribaltalker You do certainly have a point. Sometimes we get so caught up in this F1 bubble, that we forget that there are many who have no idea what F1 is, or who Lewis Hamilton is. But even then, I personally do think that maybe he should dial it back somewhat. He used to mention it a lot more when he was battling against Rosberg, I think perhaps to garner more sympathy and play the protagonist.
Adam
18th December 2018, 6:07
😱😱😱 LEWIS!!!?
I’m triggered.. I’m now going to rage all over the internet in order for someone to notice my struggles and hardship… and maybe, just maybe somebody might pay me a compliment!
KGN11
18th December 2018, 6:13
Does she not have more important things to do than coming out with this fake outrage?
He’s talking about his lived experience that she nor anyone who’s chomping at the bits to lash out at him, has no experience of.
I’ve seen the BBC put out the same story with the headline, “Lewis at war with Stevenage council” …… at WAR!!
Let it go
ColdFly (@)
18th December 2018, 7:49
Let it go
KGN11
18th December 2018, 8:48
I must say, you are persistent.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
18th December 2018, 11:01
No, it’s “can’t hold it back anymore”.
KGN11
18th December 2018, 11:58
You joining in too? Ok, the more the merrier.
Joao (@johnmilk)
18th December 2018, 11:11
He was singing the theme song from Frozen with you
KGN11
18th December 2018, 12:00
I know that.
My comment relates to something else.
Joao (@johnmilk)
18th December 2018, 13:56
Turn away and slam the door
Phylyp (@phylyp)
18th December 2018, 14:43
The cold never bothered me anyway
(Blows hair away from forehead)
Jere (@jerejj)
18th December 2018, 12:07
£30 million, LOL.
– People are always eager to make a fuss out of the smallest of things.
– I agree with Webber and I also partially agree with the COTD. Yes, FA could’ve been ranked higher than 4th, but I don’t feel 4th is too unjustified either.
Retired (@jeff1s)
19th December 2018, 8:09
Michael, do you keep fighting?