It's Wednesday and that means we are about halfway through the week already. I had to break open the F1 Happy Place yesterday, but the good news is that it mostly worked, and I do feel a bit happier about F1. It's still rubbish, but at least there are good times to remember! Anyway, here are some other things we're talking about:
I missed this when it was posted, because it was hectic busy at Sidepodcast Towers, but I love this idea from RG, comparing the new teams in a championship all of their very own. The premise is simple - the drivers in the new teams get points based on the order they finish, no matter where they are in the overall result itself. Interesting idea and I'm curious to see what will happen at the next race.
I don't quite understand why Button is having to defend himself already. Fair enough, Lewis got on the podium but it wasn't exactly looking likely to begin with and the word lucky springs to mind. If his confidence was seriously dented after just one race, then he would be in for a really long season.
Bernie Ecclestone has jumped to the defense of F1, saying we shouldn't jump to conclusions, submit to knee-jerk reactions, and make any rash changes. He thinks that teams will get the hang of racing under these new regulations and maybe just some tweaks to the tyre rules would help. Ahh, all about the tyres as per usual!
It's St Patrick's Day today, and I believe there is meant to be a Sidepodmeetup in our capital city today, although I don't know if it's still on. Sadly, we can't be there, but we will be in the comments, as always.
This third episode of the 2010 Season Preview takes a closer look at the calendar, whisking you on a whirlwind tour around the globe to find out which circuits are going to present a challenge, and which we could live without.
The Calendar
We begin in Bahrain, which is a change from last year's season opener in Australia. Will the dusty circuit be able to provide a chaotic start to the year or will it be less than enthusiastic? Canada is back on the calendar this year, a supremely popular decision by Bernie, and we also have a brand new circuit to ogle in Korea.
Another change sees the European race move up the calendar quite a lot, whilst Abu Dhabi remains the season finale - clearly they learnt nothing from 2009.
This week, Dan Brunell has taken the lead for Thursday Thoughts, posing a rather tricky question over on his Racing Eagles blog. This week, we are tackling economics, and whilst I work with numbers, I still spent some time scratching my head on this one. The question, then:
Is government finance of Formula One events, teams, and personal a good thing for the common good of that area? What is the line between regional economic investment and the wholesale fleecing of the public?
Immediately, I think of Silverstone. Damon Hill is constantly bemoaning the lack of support the BRDC gets when it comes to running the Grand Prix for Britain. Even when Donington took over, they were allowed to fail spectacularly without even a blink from the government. The question over whether taxpayers should fund Formula One really falls back to a more general one of whether we should fund sport at all. If we're helping to pay for one, there's no reason not to pay for another, even if it is a rather expensive one. With the Olympics dominating headlines at the moment, this is really a timely question.
The thing about Silverstone is, it does help the local economy. I'd never even heard of the place until I became a fan of F1, let alone been anywhere near it. At the track itself, Porsche have invested in an incredible car and human performance facility, there is a science and technology park, with the Silverstone Innovation Centre. Plus nearby teams, such as Force India, are creating work for hundreds of people.
When Canada lost their race, their economy suffered enough for the government to turn to hotel owners to make up the difference. A tax levied on hotel occupancy, and presumably on restaurants and fans themselves.
So, you could certainly make an argument that F1 is beneficial to sport, and to the local economy. The problem arises, as it so often does, with one Mr Bernie Ecclestone. Damon Hill is miserable because Bernie is charging enormous amounts for the race and leaving little for development. If the government poured money into the circuit, it's conceivable that Bernie would increase his fees, and there would still be little room for development. I'm not in favour of the taxpayer money heading straight for Bernie's pockets any more than it has to.
Thus, I conclude, in my roundabout way, that Damon Hill is going to have to stay miserable for now. I want the government to support all kinds of sports, but Formula One doesn't have the right attitude to make that a feasible option right now.
For this week's Thursday Thoughts, Adie of F1 Tailpipe has offered us a fabulous question:
What can F1 do to enhance the experience of fans in attendance at the circuit? Does the ‘exclusivity’ of the sport add to the mystique of F1 in general, or has F1 set itself too far apart from your Average Joe?
For me, the question falls into two distinct parts. I don't mind if F1 is exclusive, and some of the real contact with teams and drivers is reserved for corporate parties and the very rich. However, this can only be the case, if the money generated from such things makes the experience cheaper for everyone else. Feel free to keep drivers on the inside of the circuit, and close off the bridge, but only if I get cheaper ticket prices.
If the money from such corporate exclusivity is simply going into Bernie's pocket, then I'm not interested.
Credit: sidepodcast.com
Keeping Formula 1 apart from the fans who love it
Of course, I also argue that drivers should do the mandatory signing sessions and it's excellent when they make appearances at their team merchandise stands. However, the lack of direct contact is part of what makes F1 so appealing. Even catching a tiny glimpse of your favourite driver is ten times more exciting if you know you're not going to bump into him round every single corner.
This leads nicely onto the second part of my answer. There's something about the elite nature of Formula 1 that keeps it so interesting. If I wanted to see cars up close on a regular basis on a cheap ticket, I could just visit my local circuit and watch some club racing. That's not the point. The point is these machines are special, these drivers are the best (well, some of them), and it is, in a way, a fantasy.
I want events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed to remain something very special. Our overriding impression when we went for the first time was that being so close to the cars in the paddock area was an amazing experience and something we would remember forever. To reduce the barriers at a race would reduce that feeling to a simple 'oh, there are those cars again.'
That's not to say that F1 does everything right, not by a long shot, but I do believe that the exclusivity of F1 is what keeps us all wanting more.
Coming up on this week's show, we discuss Flavio Briatore, US F1, testing, rankings, tyres, pit stops and shortcuts.
Intro
Welcome to 2010! Is that two thousand and ten, or twenty ten?
Good Week / Bad Week
Good times for Jenson Button and Ross Brawn as they are honoured by the Queen, and for Toyota as they are eyed up by Zoran Stefanovich. Bad times for safety as Abu Dhabi aren't changing very much at all, and for headline grabbing news items that don't really tell us much at all.
News and Views
There's a lot of news to cover this week, as we get started with Flavio Briatore's overturned ban, and Renault's team principal replacement - Eric Boullier, Mr C's new best friend!
Meanwhile, Mercedes have a new sponsor, and a new driver who is already up to tricks by testing out a GP2 car. The new teams are trying to prove Bernie's doubts wrong, and Peter Windsor is stirring up a hornet's nest with his thoughts on the summer shutdown, whilst US F1 are simultaneously getting extra tests.
Mr C manages to get through the segment about the Castrol Driver Rankings without swearing - a first, and we discuss Ted's thoughts on the strategies for 2010, and Bernie's ideas for taking a shortcut.
Feedback
Four excellent messages - one putting us straight about CFD, one happy to hear the history from Steven, one worried about the sheer number of comments appearing on the site, and the final one concerned about a seatless Heidfeld.
Housekeeping
We tried out some F1 Minute video, and the experiment is mostly halted but slightly ongoing at the same time. Our first 2010 show wasn't live but the server will be back bigger and better - or so says Mr C.
Another double birthday today, as Giancarlo Fisichella celebrates alongside Narain Karthikeyan. Fisichella is also looking for a race seat in 2010, alongside his testing duties for Ferrari. Busy man! Meanwhile, here are some of the things we're talking about:
Bernie has been talking again, with a couple of suggestions, including a bit of a tweak to the new points system, again. He doesn't think the change has made any difference at all, and wants still more of a gap. He's also proposed the idea of shortcuts on a racetrack to stir things up a bit. Odd.
There's even more testing news, as Schumacher's GP2 fun was hampered by the weather yet again, Ferrari are going to give Valentino Rossi another test, and Virgin are preparing for the second test, skipping the first just like Red Bull.
Meanwhile, I've been handing out homework assignments again, with a blog post request for the sentences on circuits. Essentially, your thoughts about each circuit on the calendar in some quick soundbites. You know you want to.
That'll do for now. It's the first day of Autosport International, when trade and media types head up to the NEC, so keep your eyes peeled for news and pictures, and I'll see you in the comments.
Today it is the birthday of one Mr Sam Bird, sometime test driver for Williams, who is currently racing in the GP2 Asia series. That series confuses me greatly because it is a feature and sprint race, but only at two circuits, just a couple of events, and quite far apart. Still, it keeps the drivers busy over the winter months, I suppose. Meanwhile, here are some of the things we're talking about:
Bernie has been busy, as per usual, launching a bid to buy Saab with the major shareholders of Renault, Genii Capital. Goodness knows what he would do with it if they were successful - would they become an F1 team? It all seems a bit too cozy. Anyway, we have a breakout thread on such matters, so head on over and share your thoughts!
Meanwhile, US F1 have become the FIA's new best friend after being given special allowances to test over in the US, before joining everyone else in Europe. We put up an F1 Big Picture of the Barber Motorsports Park they have in mind. It looks very... simple.
Whilst we're on the subject of F1 Minute, don't forget to keep your eye on the videos as they are released. We know they are behind at the moment, but we're catching up all the time. We'll be blogging about our thoughts and findings very soon, but for now, just sit back and enjoy F1 sixty seconds at a time.
That should do it for now. Let us know what you're up to this weekend, if you are able to do anything due to the weather. Personally, I'm voting for sitting next to a radiator all day long, and while I do that, I'll see you in the comments.
With one hand in his pocket. Bernie is taking a keen interest in Saab Automobile.
F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is teaming up with Genii Capital to bid for the motor company, Saab Automobile AB. The partnership was announced Thursday evening and sees Ecclestone join recent Renault F1 investors Genii Capital in going head-to-head against one time F1 team owners, Spyker Cars.
The American company General Motors currently owns the failing Saab brand and are looking to offload the entire operation. Dutch car manufacturer Spyker had expressed an interest and made several offers to GM. Yesterday the company revised their offer and Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars said in a statement:
"We have continued a constructive dialogue with GM over the acquisition of Saab. We believe the Saab brand has lots of potential and would be keen to close a deal as quickly as possible."
The Luxembourg-based private investment firm Genii Capital put in a last minute offer on Thursday and stated:
"Genii Capital has decided that given an adequate and short timeframe for finalizing its offer, it will aggressively work towards a successful closing of the transaction with all the relevant stakeholders of the company."
In December last year Genii bought a large stake in the Renault F1 team, securing its position for the 2010 championship. Although it came to light yesterday that Genii might be interested in Saab, news that Ecclestone is involved has come as something of a surprise.
As yet it is unclear what involvement Bernie will play in the partnership, or what the long term ramifications on Formula 1 and the Renault team might be.
Peter Windsor recently spoke of how US F1 were keeping silent as they didn't want to get involved in the vast array of politics surrounding the sport. Bernie's concern over the lack of headlines coming from the team was unfounded, as Windsor claimed:
"We’re all in the entertainment business we call F1 and there seemed little or no point in adding to the situation from the perspective of a new team."
Fast forward just a couple of weeks, and Windsor is diving right on in to the way the sport is set up. The summer shutdown appears to be an issue of contention with the boss of US F1, as it isn't particularly convenient for them and is ultimately unnecessary. Windsor says:
"...remember the August F1 shutdown that was introduced for the first time in 2009? Well, it's happening again in 2010. Understand that most of Europe closes for August and you kind of understand the decision. Unless you're American, that is.
As in Australia, August for Americans is just another working month in which some people maybe take a week or two away. There's no nationwide shutdown, as such – not of the type that regularly afflicts massive F1 teams like Ferrari."
I understand his point, but he also complains about how little the European factories get done over the Christmas break as well. Everyone is allowed a holiday at some point, aren't they?
The real question lies with whether it's fair for the shutdown to coincide with the European shutdown, when not all the teams are in Europe. If it is to be a compulsory shutdown, do they all have to take it at the same time? Last year, the teams were keen to retain the summer break so their employees could have some time off and recharge their batteries after months of travelling to races.
The addition of the factory shutdown came about as an answer to the restriction on wind tunnel usage plus the obligatory cost cutting measures. In the recesses of my not-very-good memory, I recall some teams not being fond of the idea at all. Whilst the race staff could take a break, that didn't necessarily mean the design and factory staff needed to as well.
Nevertheless, Windsor's problem is not that the break exists, but that it is so focused on one continent. Formula 1 is supposedly meant to be global, but definitely rotates around the European industry and audiences. There are a lot of teams based in the UK and nearby, though, so would it be fair to them to move it again?
Windsor will most likely be up against it, though. When the possibility emerged that the 2009 summer break might go missing, there was outrage throughout the paddock. Ron Dennis was particularly vocal about the extra costs involved in rotating staff due to exhaustion and even Bernie got involved in rallying for the break to remain. Now that there's no testing, it only makes sense for the shutdown to occur in the break.
It looks as though Peter is aware of the challenge he faces:
"I was impressed to hear the McLaren guys say that it was a waste of time and that most of their staff had found it all very frustrating, but sadly these were lone voices: the majority of the teams, led by Red Bull, it seemed to me, are firmly committed to the summer shutdown. And so shut down we will."
I don't know the answer to any of these questions, so I am throwing it open to you. Should the factory shutdown remain compulsory? Is it right that it fits in so well with the UK industry, and perhaps alienates other countries? What are your thoughts?
The final point I want to leave on this is from Steven Roy when the topic was brought up earlier:
I just find it odd that Windsor is complaining about something that doesn't happen for 8 months. Surely he has more immediate concerns and more important stuff to put out to the press.
It has arrived, the final day of the year two thousand and nine. From tomorrow onwards we will be into double figures in this new millennium, and it is a chance to have a fresh start. Or equally, things will carry on in the same awesome way they have been. I am good at this fortune telling stuff. Anyway, here are some of the things we're up to:
Now is the perfect time to make your resolutions for the new year. We are accepting your F1 related (and otherwise) promises over on this post, where we have also listed out our own goals for 2010. Share yours, and we will revisit them at the end of the year to see how well we all did.
I spent some time yesterday (and by some time, I mean all day) sorting out the blog category of the blog. It didn't make sense as a category, now we have the blog section at the top of the page. Instead, I split up the posts into categories of their own, which you can see over on the Archive page. Have a look around and let me know what you think, as they are not finalised yet, and we are always open to suggestions.
Finally, turning to F1 for a minute, Bernie Ecclestone has hyped up Sebastian Vettel for the championship next season, and the young German himself is busy suggesting that the furore surrounding Schumacher will die down soon enough.
That's all for now, all I have left is to wish Lukeh a Happy Birthday for today, and to Journeyer for yesterday. I am doing well on my New Year Resolution before 2010 even gets here. Let us know what you're up to for New Year's Eve, and I will see you in the comments.
