Sidepodcast

Tell Us How 2009 Was For You

On this week's F1 Debrief show, we opened up the floodgates for the 2009 Season Review Megamix submissions. We debuted this idea last year, with the first ever show that featured neither Mr C nor myself, and it was a great success. Now we want to repeat the process.

What is it?

We want to get thoughts from all across the globe about the 2009 season. If you have even a simple sentence to sum up how the F1 year was for you, we want to hear it. Equally, if you've got a full season review ready to go, we'll take longer submissions as well. The more voicemails and mp3s we get the better, so we can mix them all up into one great big montage, and really break down the season for each and every one of you.

If you think you have nothing to say, then you're wrong. You must have an opinion about the season just passed, I know you do. Remember way back at the beginning of the year when Hamilton lied to the stewards? Or when Button won his first Monaco GP and celebrated by doing a lap of the track? Remember when Massa had his huge accident? Or when Bourdais spoke to his Toro Rosso pit wall in a way that left us in no doubt he was leaving the team? So much has happened this year, and this is your chance to sum it all up.

What do I do?

Getting involved is simple. You can either leave us a voicemail, or if you have the technology to record yourself, you can email an mp3. If you're on Skype, the username is "sidepodcast", or you can dial the number 0121 28 TRACK, that's +44 121 28 87225. The voicemail has a limit of ten minutes, but if you want to go over, you can call back and announce it as part two.

If you want to have a go at recording yourself, it's relatively easy to do. If you've got a microphone - either handheld or built in - all you need is to download something like Audacity and hit record. There will always be plenty of help in the comments for stuff like this. You can email your files to christine at sidepodcast dot com.

Is there a deadline?

We want to get the montage out by the end of the year, but there's still a good couple of weeks to get your submissions in. I think we'll set a deadline of the 14th December, but in true Bernie fashion, there is always room for negotiation.

If you're still in two minds about getting involved, I will once again point you towards last year's efforts, which were a great round up of the 2008 season. We featured some names you know and love, and some new participants as well. I want this year to be bigger and better, with more of you getting involved. From just a few words to a lot of minutes, everything is acceptable.

Take a Wild Guess

This time last year, we asked you guys for your predictions - the top three finishers for the Australian Grand Prix. We had a great response, and mixed them all up into what is now known as the "Rocky Montage." The music, the excitement, it all came across to make a special few minutes.

If you haven't heard it already, need a quick reminder, or simply want to hear it again, here's the 2008 Rocky Montage.

During live streaming a couple of weeks ago, the predictions montage was mentioned and it seems as though you guys would like to do another one. We are nothing if not obliging, and actually quite excited about the prospect. We want to do this again, so now it's over to you.

The upcoming season is a complete unknown, I'm sure we all agree, but don't be shy. There's no harm in taking a guess and seeing if you get it right or not. I've been talked into making predictions this year, so it's only fair I drag you all along with me.

The original post for last year's montage gave some decent instructions, but I will just leave you with this:

Hi, I'm... [your name] and my predictions for the top three finishers in Australia are:

• 3rd place... [driver name]
• 2nd place... [driver name]
• 1st place... [driver name]

We'd really like to keep them snappy, so although a little bit of explanation is okay, we don't want 20 minute voicemails. If you want to put your psychic hat on and let us know who's going to be triumphant at the first race, then you can leave us a voicemail on the details below:

Skype username: Sidepodcast
Phone number: 0121 28 87225

If you have the capacity to record yourself, then you can simply email the file to christine at sidepodcast dot com. The deadline is next Saturday - 21st March 2009 - to give us time to squeeze them in the final show before the season kicks off. I can't wait to hear your guesses, so get predicting!

P.S. - If you've got any suggestions for music to be used on the montage (not Rocky, but just as emotive) then please leave them in the comments.

The 2008 Megamix

A little while ago, actually a long while ago now I come to think of it, Rich sent us an email containing his personal 2008 season review in audio. At first we figured we'd slot it into F1 Debrief along with other voicemails, but it was a long review, weighing in at nearly 15 minutes, and we didn't want to lose any of the insight. Thus the idea of an end-of-season megamix was born.

We've already discussed this plan on the past two shows, but I promised to go into the idea in more detail as well as put up a reminder, plus Dom's threatened to keep hassling me until I do.

Those who've followed Sidepodcast for a while, may remember back at the start of the year we requested listeners to call in with their predictions for the outcome of Melbourne Grand Prix. The results were compiled into a dazzling montage that set up the season nicely. It seems only correct that we should close the year with something similar.

Therefore what we're after is yet more contributions from your good selves. We promise this will be the last thing we ever ask of you, this year... probably. What we'd really like is for anyone and everyone to let us know what you loved, hated, supported or derided between the months January to December 2008. What made you cheer and and what made you jeer? Can you name the moments you'd watch again and again, and the ones you'd sooner forget?

12 months is a long time though, so just in case you've forgotten, here's a potted history of F1 in 2008 to help dust off the cobwebs:

• The banning of traction control
• The magically, magnificent, combustible Red Bull
• Kimi losing control in Monaco and taking Force India's sole chance of points with him
• Début wins for Kovalainen, Vettel and Kubica
• The resurgence of Renault and fall of BMW
• Poor stewarding descisions, pretty much everywhere
• The making of Massa
• Pitlane lights, both red ones and green ones
• The rain at Silverstone and again Monza
• Rosberg outdriving his penalty at night
• That corner, on that lap

You can tell us everything either by calling our voicemail on 0121 28 87225 or Skyping the username sidepodcast. If neither of these appeal, but you have the ability to record your voice onto computer, you can mail us by attaching an MP3 and posting to christine [at] sidepodcast.com.

It doesn't matter how long or how short you make it. We already have donations spanning from 1 minute to 20 minutes. Whatever you've got to say, we'd love to hear it.

I've put back the deadline twice already, but I swear that Sunday 14th December is the very last day we'll accept contributions and then we'll compile them altogether, and create a 2008 Megamix to keep forever.

Tremayning

Hot on the heels of his Champagne Challenge two weeks ago, Stuart has again suggested a task to keep us occupied during the Sunday morning before racing begins. So this weekend we're Tremayning.

Admittedly it's not a phrase we'd come across before, but apparently Tremayning is a popular pastime amongst paddock insiders, who ought probably be making better use of their time debating the various merits of Lewis vs. Kimi or softs vs. super-softs.

We're in no position to make judgement on frivolous F1 activities of course, so what does Tremayning actually involve? Well, I'm glad you asked because Stuart kindly phoned in a description and a demo to get the ball rolling:

So in short, the key points to emulating the legendary David Tremayne are:

• You should dress entirely in black
• You must get needlessly angry about a mundane subject
• You must talk through clenched teeth
• You will ideally start and finish each rant with a growl

Easy right? Okay, maybe not as simple as shouting "champagne", and certainly a little trickier than your average ITV competition, but by far the toughest thing is figuring out which tiresome subject gets your goat the most.

Just in case you haven't got it all figured out yet, here's the voice of experience retelling tales of yore.

As before, we'll be taking live phone calls during The Parade Lap which this week starts at the earlier time of 10:30am (GMT+1) and runs for a whole 90 minutes.

We obviously can't see you down the phone, so we'll be trusting that you're wearing clothing from the gloomier end of the colour spectrum. However, Christine will be marking Tremaynisms for the requisite anger and tedium as well as for the quality of growl. There are no prizes for this one, just kudos from your peers and the knowledge that you too may have what it takes to become a Formula 1 journalist.

As always we'll be taking calls via Skype (search for the user name sidepodcast) or you can ring from any phone on +44 (0) 121 28 87225.

For the record, the icon that is David Tremayne is a Formula 1 journalist / writer, and although we can't find a single photograph of him, it sounds like he mostly dresses like Johnny Cash. The sole fact I can tell you about DT, is that I once ordered a book of his and it took so long to arrive, I'd forgotten I ever wanted it in the first place.

Grr.

The Champaaagne Challenge

The trackside commentator at all Grands Prix is a certain Bob Constanduros, and lately he's been raising his profile somewhat with long-play renditions of his trademark podium "champagne" call.

Stuart commented earlier today that Bob recently managed an astonishing 28 second performance without taking a breath. In the same comment, a challenge was issued to see if any of our brave listeners could beat it.

It's possible that due to the incessant nattering of a certain ITV commentator, most people may never have heard Bob in action as the drivers cover each other with the bottled sticky stuff, so to give you a rough idea of how it works, Stuart offers up this handy example:

I clocked that effort as a meagre 15 seconds, but you get the idea. Short "cham", big "aaaang" and a swift "ne" to finish off. After several attempts I haven't actually been able to beat that attempt, but I just know someone can do better.

Can you surpass Bob C, the "other" voice of motorsport, and a man who's being doing this for more years than I care to imagine?

Of course you can. Which is why we're asking everybody to practice for a bit (don't overstretch those vocal chords now), and either leave us your attempt via voicemail, or if you're feeling really confident, during Sunday morning's Parade Lap live on air. The voicemail number from any phone is +44 121 28 87225, or it's free if you Skype us (just search for sidepodcast).

As ever a couple of necessary rules:

1. In the absence of Bob, Christine shall be judging the competition, her decision (as always) is final.
2. Vocal emphasis is really important. Take a good listen to the example above - to beat Bob first you have to be Bob.
3. The closing date for voicemails is 8am (BST) on Sunday 14th September 2008.

Good luck and maybe if anyone gets close, we can twist Stuart's arm and ask him to play the winning entry to Bob to see what he makes of it all.

Now I'm Telling You What To Say

We all like to make predictions, don’t we? I know I do, and I love to find out what other people think too.

Before the 2008 Formula 1 season gets underway, I really want to hear your predictions for the finishing order of the first race. I’m so keen, in fact, that I’m trying to make it really easy for you.

As mentioned on this week's show, we have a free voicemail facility idly awaiting your call and I've even written you a script. It goes something like this:

Hi, I'm... [your name] and my predictions for the top three finishers in Australia are:

• 3rd place... [driver name]
• 2nd place... [driver name]
• 1st place... [driver name]

So all you have to do is figure out who it'll be!

Here's one I made earlier:

We'd really like to get enough messages to play a good selection on the podcast. Think about it, it only takes a few seconds and you'll make my day. Also, if you have a blog or website you want to promote, this is the perfect opportunity to get a free plug in.

Should you be worried about calling in, don’t be. It’s voicemail, which means if you mess it up, you can do it as many times as you like. We’re not going to play any mistakes on air, we’re not that mean.

So, call in now:

Skype username: Sidepodcast
Phone number: 0121 28 87225

It's the first race of the year, you've probably been thinking about it since Brazil, you only have pre-season testing and your gut feeling to go on. Tell the world what you're thinking.

Please Phone And Voice Your McLaren Opinions

We've had all sorts of wonderful thoughts posted on this site during the past 24 hours, but now we want to hear them. We have a Skype answer phone service ready and waiting to record all of your voices. Call us from the UK on:

  0121 28 TRACK

Or internationally on:

  0044 121 28 87225

And let us know your innermost thoughts. We'll play them all on this evenings post-race show. Which Macca driver are you siding with? Were the team correct to do what they did? What do you think of the stewards and their conclusions?

Basically we want to hear everything you'd normally comment here, except delivered with the passion, anger and excitement that sometimes gets lost in the world of web comments.

Try not to swear like Lewis does though, please!

Now You Can Join In, Too

More new stuff.

Whilst I know you love to hear us chatter away and share our opinions of all things F1, wouldn't it be cool if you guys could join in too? Let us know when you disagree or think we're spot on?

Well, now you can. Not content with being contactable via the blog, the forum, the twitter and the jaiku, Sidepodcast is now also available on the phone.

Chances are, we won't answer. But you can leave your voicemail comments, about the show, about drivers, about races, about anything you want, and they might just end up on the show.

We spent a while picking out a good number, and it kinda rolls off the tongue - ready?

01 2128 TRACK, that's 01 2128 87225.

It will start to roll off the tongue, I promise.

So, call in, share your thoughts, get on the show. We'd love to hear from you. In fact, we're sitting here, waiting for your call.

Come One, Come All

It's nearly time! Friday Practice 1 starts in 30 minutes (I think...timezones are complicated). The season starts here.

Anyhow, just wanted to remind everyone that we're planning to do two shows during the weekend. Saturday, to review qualifying and Sunday to catch up on the race. We'll do our best to keep on top of everything, but we'd really like to hear everyone else's thoughts too.

You can comment on this post, or on our forum [link removed], as well as on our MySpace page. Also, we'll be watching the threads on Forumula1.net, just to make sure we have a good grasp of everyone's opinions. Best comments will be read out during each of the shows.

Enjoy.