In the round-up: The promoter of the Australian Grand Prix says the late decision to cancel this year’s race came about due to a “perfect storm” of circumstances.
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Below the Bonnet podcast with David Reynolds and Michael Caruso (Motorsport)
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott: "The timing was probably the perfect storm, but it was anything but perfect for all of the teams, whether it's Supercars or TCR or the staff at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, our sponsors and the fans that were outside the gate when lots of decisions were being made."
Motorsport UK Extends Suspension of Motorsport Permits to 30th June (Motorsport UK)
David Richards: "Motorsport UK has a vital role to play with its community in re-inforcing that, at this time of national emergency, we must all stay at home to play our part in protecting the NHS and ultimately saving lives."
Red-Bull-Star Verstappen: Mit Angst im Simulator (Kronen Zeitung - German)
Helmut Marko said 'with a wink' that Max Verstappen was terrified of contracting Covid-19 but he would be better off catching it now so it doesn't affect his championship situation.
TAG Heuer joins Porsche Esports Supercup as title sponsor (Porsche)
"The 2020 'Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup' schedule will feature the introduction of multiple tracks to the championship, kicking off with a pre-season test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 28 March, which made its iRacing debut in fall 2019."
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Comment of the day
@Eurobrun has found a form of motor racing Esports he likes – and it wasn’t F1’s virtual grand prix:
Having been very dubious about all this going into the weekend, I went and watched both the Veloce Esports and F1 races on Sunday (both F1 2019), plus Monday night’s Team Redline event (iRacing).
Monday night’s racing was 100% better, both in terms of racing, entertainment and pool of talent. A field of 40 F3 cars around Spa. At least 30 names were legitimate racers from all fields (F1, F2, F3, FE, WEC, DTM, FR). The presentation (replays, etc…) was infinitely better too.
I don’t think F1 fully understands what it has got with Verstappen and Norris. They have such infectious personalities. Lando’s Twitch feed was hilarious at the same time as the race was compelling, which is crazy really. In Monday’s second race they were effectively having a laugh – they were bump drafting each other along the Kemmel Straight (unrealistic I know in an F3 car – damage had been disabled deliberately as they had opened up to many drivers with little experience – like Nelson Piquet Jnr who was pretty awful). Yet they were doing this while leading the pack and putting in exceptional lap times. And hearing the two of them live egging each other on was hilarious. Also Felix da Costa’s comments on Tom Dillmann were fully uncensored!
I think I might have found one series that I might genuinely follow thru these testing times.
Its also persuaded me to get my (albeit basic) rig out and return to rFactor (I don’t think I can really afford the financial commitment to iRacing).
@Eurobrun
Social media
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The first full season of #F1 I watched. Gorgeous cars, hair-raising Senna-Prost rivalry, Mansell's heroics and histrionics, massive grid, great tracks, Murray Walker…
No wonder I became a bit of a fan!https://t.co/KiucMaxxpI #F1
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) March 24, 2020
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On this day in F1
- 30 years ago today Alain Prost won the Brazilian Grand Prix for Ferrari after leader Ayrton Senna collided with backmarker Saturo Nakajima
Chaitanya
25th March 2020, 0:53
Given how badly Australia has reacted to pandemic and with winter about start there, rescheduling the Australian GP is least of their worries. I wish best of luck.
Jere (@jerejj)
25th March 2020, 13:40
@Chaitanya Australian GP won’t take place this year, that’s for certain—no way to do it given the infrastructural-logistics as well as the distance to Europe.
Trayambak Chakravarty (@major-dev)
25th March 2020, 7:36
I started watching F1 exactly 20 after you, Keith! Cheers to another decade!
Balue (@balue)
25th March 2020, 11:17
Perfect pragmatic response from Marko. It would be ironic if the virus should indeed knock a driver out for an important weekend.
Hugh Lynn
25th March 2020, 12:20
It might be strategic, but it’s not very responsible suggesting people go out and actively get infected. Even though the virus’s worst effects are mainly felt by the older or more infirm there are plenty of young healthy people ending up in intensive care because of this.
Jere (@jerejj)
25th March 2020, 13:44
That’s Checo’s age thus far. Coincidently, I also was nine when I started watching and following F1, but in my case, that was 2004 due to the age difference. I had seen some stuff before that point in time, though, but that was when I first properly started watching and following, not only F1 but WRC as well.