Sidepodcast

F1 Advent Calendar 2009 - Day Ten

• Length: 3:01 
• Size: 3.5 MB 
• File: advent10.mp3 
• Transcript: advent10.pdf 
• Torrent: advent10.torrent 

This is the Sidepodcast F1 Advent Calendar 2009, welcome. We’re running an extended mini-series for each day of advent, taking a closer look at the story of 2009, one short show at a time. We’ve reached double figures now as we peer behind the door of Day Ten - So Long, Farewell.

In the last episode, we discussed the German Grand Prix, which debut winner Mark Webber took by storm - heading up a Red Bull 1-2. In their sister team, things were quite different and much less jubilant. Buemi did the best he could, finishing 16th, which was ahead of Trulli and Hamilton, although only one place up from where he started. Bourdais, though, finished last, retiring on Lap 18 with a hydraulics problem.

Of course, this mechanical failure was not his fault, but when he returned to the garages, stopping by the pitwall, the consolatory hugs he gave his engineers were tinged with a sadness more than just frustration about the retirement. These were goodbye hugs.

There was no mention of anything out of the ordinary in the post-race press quotes, but just four days after the race Toro Rosso confirmed that they were parting company with the Frenchman. Team boss Franz Tost said: “In Sebastien’s second year with us, the partnership has not met our expectations and therefore we have decided to replace him as from the next round of the world championship, the Hungarian Grand Prix.”

Up to that point, Bourdais had retired from three races, finished eighth in two, and finished 10th, 11th, 13th and 18th. It’s not a great record, but Buemi wasn’t exactly doing much better. He had a 7th and 8th finished, and just two retirements instead, with the other results down in the late teens.

It wasn’t completely unexpected, then, when Bourdais came out and said Toro Rosso’s decision was a complete surprise to him. He said: “I am very disappointed and shocked by the decision taken by STR of not allowing me to drive for the team until the end of the current season. I consider that, in doing so, Scuderia Toro Rosso has breached its contractual duties towards me; also I believe that nothing in my behaviour would legitimate a decision of the team to terminate the contract.”

He got his lawyers involved, and Toro Rosso decided to settle, with the rumoured deal to be his salary plus damages of just over $2 million.

Bourdais moved on to race in the Superleague Formula, winning a couple of races for the Sevilla FC team. His plans for next year are as yet unknown. Meanwhile, Toro Rosso brought in Jaime Alguersuari, but if they were expecting great things from the Spaniard, they were sorely disappointed. Of the eight races left, Alguersuari retired from five and finished 14th, 15th and 16th in the others.

It could be argued that Bourdais would have achieved results similar to that, but the team were clearly ready to move on, and they were willing to pay over the odds to make that happen.

That’s all for this episode of our F1 Advent Calendar 2009. Thank you for listening and I hope you’ll be back tomorrow when we look behind the door of Day Eleven.

F1 Advent Calendar 2009 - Day Nine

• Length: 3:14 
• Size: 3.8 MB 
• File: advent9.mp3 
• Transcript: advent9.pdf 
• Torrent: advent9.torrent 

Hello and welcome along to the F1 Advent Calendar 2009 - an extended mini-series from Sidepodcast where we open up a new door each day of advent to find a key story from the 2009 season. Yesterday was all about politics, so let’s hope for some racing action this time, on Day Nine - The First Time.

With the future of Formula 1 back on an even keel for now, attention turned back to the racing. The British Grand Prix had been a sombre affair overshadowed by the politics, so it was down to the German race at the Nurburgring to pick things up again. Vettel had won the race at Silverstone, and the Brawn dominance was beginning to look a little shaky, although their championship leads were still very much in tact.

Qualifying was a wet affair, and played right into the hands of Red Bull. Webber and Vettel made it a very strong 1-2 until last minute laps from the Brawn boys split them up. Webber retained his pole position, followed by Barrichello and Button, with Vettel winding up fourth. Notably, Sutil managed to qualify up in 7th, which was the highest Force India grid position since it’s inception.

The race was dry, and got underway with a collision between Webber and Barrichello. The pair of them got off the line essentially together, and whilst Barrichello kept it in a straight line, Webber moved across and bumped into the Brawn. Still before the first corner, Hamilton came flying past both of them, but Webber’s front wing nicked the McLaren’s rear right tyre. Hamilton overshot the first corner, ran wide, and then limped back to the pits with a puncture. He returned to the track one lap down and finished in 18th, which was last with two retirees behind him.

Barrichello didn’t seem to have been too affected by the incident with Webber initially as he took the lead. Webber received a drive through penalty for that first corner incident, so had to make an extra stop, but despite that he kept the pace up and his strategy saw him continuing to fight at the top. Barrichello, though, was beginning to slow, and holding everyone up. Ross Brawn was on the radio telling him he was going too slowly and if he couldn’t overtake, he needed to let Button have a go.

Sutil, having started seventh, had made his way up to second place, but after coming out the pits for his first stop, found a fast moving Raikkonen coming up behind him. The Ferrari had to take avoiding action and went round the outside at the next corner, but it wasn’t quite wide enough, and the pair collided. Sutil was knocked down to finish in 15th, whilst Kimi later retired with engine troubles.

Finally, it was Webber who crossed the line first. Despite losing places at the start, bouncing off a couple of cars here and there, and receiving a drive through penalty, he had fought hard and worked his way back to the top to take his debut victory. He was joined on the podium by teammate Vettel and Felipe Massa. After the race, team boss Christian Horner paid tribute to the Australian: “I think lying in a hospital bed in Tasmania in November, he could never have dreamed about today... The comeback that he has had has been remarkable - and it is testimony to his determination and commitment that he has got himself back, he has got himself fit and he is driving better than ever.”

That is all for this episode of our F1 Advent Calendar. We have peeked behind nine doors so far and tomorrow we’ll start again with Day Ten.

And It's Goodbye From Him

Toro Rosso confirmed today that they'd be waving goodbye to Sébastien Bourdais. This didn't come as a surprise as the rumour has been doing the rounds for a long time. Speculation stepped up prior to the German Grand Prix, and I suppose as Bourdais didn't do anything to impress the bosses during the weekend, his exit was inevitable.

It did seem to come as a surprise to the man himself, though, as he has issued a statement suggesting he will seek legal action against the team. Obviously he feels he hasn't fallen below whatever performance related clauses are the excuse for seeing him out.

I have a funny feeling he will lose that battle.

I supported Bourdais pretty much from the beginning, because he is small, and he is French, and he seemed like an all round nice guy. I even put up with his constant moaning in radio transmissions because, let's face it, the car isn't exactly stellar.

Except, last year that car won, and it wasn't Bourdais putting his foot to the floor to make it happen. His brief flashes of potential just as quickly sputtered out, and it didn't seem like he would get another chance. However, I really wanted him to, and was pleasantly surprised when he did.

But what has he done with that opportunity? Not very much. This year was supposed to be the making of the four-times Champ Car Champion, as the new regulations, and particularly slick tyres, brought it back to a level he was comfortable at. It doesn't seem to have worked, and as the STR's trundle around at the back, it's easy to forget they are even there. Buemi has shown the flashes of potential this year, but Bourdais has proven very little.

I feel like Toro Rosso knew this was going to happen, but had very little option other than to sign Bourdais when it came to it. Now, they know that rather than spend their time watching Le Seb retire from each race, they can give the seat to a young driver who needs the experience. It makes sense, and I understand their decision. I'm still a little sad to see Le Seb go, but I concede that he has been about as useless as Piquet.

Still, Bourdais has provided two very special things this year, if nothing outstanding out on track. We've seen the first active Formula One driver for a long time compete in Le Mans (and finish second!), and now we have our first midseason shuffle for well over a season too. Now, if only Renault could sort out their second seat, all would be well with the world.

Daily: 13th July 2009

It's Jarno Trulli's birthday today, the Italian hitting the grand age of 35 years old. I wonder if he will have any of his wine to celebrate the day, or if he will be sulking over finishing the German Grand Prix in 17th place, whilst his pitlane starting friend in Glock ended up 9th. Poor Trulli. Anyway, here's some other things going on today:

• The stewards thought about it for a while and decided not to issue any penalty to Sutil or Raikkonen, deeming their collision to be a racing incident. Can't think why it took them so long to come to a decision, but who are we to question what the stewards do, eh?
• Ross Brawn took another step along the "really quite a very good team boss" path, as he handled the Barrichello incident beautifully. Whilst I personally loved seeing a driver stamping his foot a bit, Brawn wasn't ruffled and said they'd talk about it and things would be fine.
• If you want to catch up on all things Sidepodcast, we've got a Parade lap replay you can enjoy, plus the live stream of the Debrief and the delightful edited version as well. There should be an F1 Digest to consume later on today.

That should keep you busy for a while, but if you're bored with all that, then feel free to share what's on your mind as the day wears on. I will see you in the comments.

Daily: 11th July 2009

Qualifying day, and if you're anything like us, this is the best day of the weekend. We're very much looking forward to watching the battle for pole position, and hope you'll join us when the live commenting threads appear. Here are some of the other topics we're talking about:

• So, why has Geoff Willis left Red Bull? They say his position was no longer there, redundant, if you will. Is he heading to another team? Is he just unable to hang on to a job for any reasonable length of time? What exactly is going on with all these movers and shakers in the paddock?
• Will this really be Bourdais' last weekend? He says not, naturally, but the rumours are circling, and there's even talk that his wife might have accidentally mentioned something somewhen. Even though I am in the Le Seb fan camp, I kinda hope this is true. It's about time we had some mid-season driver changes.
• What is all this about Force India and their motorhome? We already know that Jake Humphrey off the good ol' Beeb was struggling with the doors, but now there are money issues to go with those doors? It seems odd that the bailiffs would turn up at a racetrack, but I suppose at least you know the team will definitely be around.

That'll do it for now. As ever, let us know what you're up to, if you're watching qualifying and the race, and who you tip to do well. I'll see you in the comments.

The 2009 Calendar - Germany to Abu Dhabi

This article was originally written for BellaOnline, but is republished here for posterity.

The 2009 calendar looks slightly different to last year's, with a couple of tracks knocked off the list, and a brand new one added. Organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are hoping to have their circuit ready in time, but they've got a few months left yet. Here's a quick guide to the second half of the year. Don't forget to check back on the first half, if you missed it.

Germany
Last year the race was held at Hockenheim, but now the hosting duties swing back to the Nurburgring. The full track at the 'Ring is enormously popular but the reduced version can still see some good racing. It features a really tight hairpin that can sometimes catch drivers out.

Hungary
Hungary is notorious for hosting boring races, but the 2008 event was every bit as exciting as you could hope for. Unfortunately, that was due to the weather, rather than the track, so all we can do this year is cross our fingers and hope for some rain, otherwise it might be back to a procession.

Europe
Talking of dull races, the inaugural Grand Prix in Valencia last year fell completely flat. The surroundings were not at all picturesque and the racing left a lot to be desired. Bernie has been pushing for this race a long time, so it needs to have a strong year to get the fans behind it.

Belgium
One of the most popular races on the calendar clings on to its spot, despite ever growing financial pressures. Most drivers count Spa as their favourite circuit, and the Eau Rouge is one of the highlights of all the destinations we visit. When the race was dropped in 2006, it was sorely missed, so let's hope it can remain there for the forseeable future.

Italy
Last year saw the Monza circuit introduce a new young winner into our midst, and although the weather played a big part in that, the circuit can produce some great results. Ever popular with the Ferrari (and now Toro Rosso) fans, the Italian Grand Prix will no doubt remain on the calendar for a long time to come.

Singapore
The inaugural night race in 2008 was hailed as a great success, and I can't imagine the novelty will have worn off by the time the Singapore GP kicks off for '09. The one problem was a worrying lack of organisation amongst the marshals, and this needs to be watched carefully, as a street circuit is notorious for crashes and safety car periods.

Japan
Suzuka takes over hosting duties from Fuji for 2009, and the race looks set to be a good one. Suzuka has hosted the Japanese Grand Prix for all but the last two races, so it's return should make interesting viewing. Ferrari tend to do well at Suzuka, although Alonso unexpectedly won the race at Fuji in 2008.

Brazil
Last year's season finale becomes the penultimate Grand Prix, which is a real shame, as the circuit boasts intense fans and a great atmosphere. Staunchly supporting their drivers, particularly Massa in 2008, the end of season races have always been a great watch. It will be interesting to see whether the passion remains even when the racing moves on.

Abu Dhabi
A new track on the calendar, it's hard to say what Abu Dhabi is going to be like, except that they are trying to push the boundaries in terms of facilities, and provide access for the fans to get closer to the action. Whether they will be able to match the excitement of Brazilian fans at the end of the season remains to be seen.

It's going to be a fascinating year, and hopefully there will be enough excitement to turn around some of the losses the tracks are making. There is a lot of talk about teams getting involved to bring back a race in North America, so hopefully the 2010 Calendar will have even more good locations on it.

F1 2008, Round 10 - Germany

This article was originally written for BellaOnline, but is republished here for posterity.

The initial Free Practice sessions for Germany were overcast and sometimes wet, and it was assumed that this weekend’s weather would be similar to the British GP. However, come race day it was nice and sunny.

Hamilton lined up on the front of the grid, having dominated all previous session less one – in which Kovalainen showed that McLaren were the ones to beat this weekend. Massa was faring okay in his Ferrari, but Raikkonen was seriously struggling and could only qualify in 6th, behind a Renault and a Toyota.

The opening few laps of the race were nice and clean with no major incidents. Hamilton got away very cleanly, and sprinted to an early lead. He pitted after 18 laps, which meant he wasn’t particularly light, just super fast. In the middle of the second stint, however, Glock had an accident in his Toyota. He spun round having run wide at the last corner, and smashed into the pit wall backwards. He climbed from the car okay, but was holding his back and visibly winded. The safety car was deployed.

This is where the strategy would really come to pass. Nelson Piquet in the Renault was one stopping, and had already had his pit stop, so when everyone else dived into the pit lane for their second stop, he simply fed up towards the front of the pack. He, Hamilton and Heidfeld all remained out and therefore headed up the pack when the restart took place a few laps later.

The decision for Hamilton not to pit was a risky one. If he had fuelled up, he would have then put extra strain on his tyres, and the McLaren has been known to suffer tyre issues. However, staying out meant he had to rebuild his lead and be able to pit and come back out in front of Massa. It turns out, although he put his foot down considerably, he wasn’t able to do this.

With just 14 laps to go, he had to overtake Kovalainen, Massa and Piquet. You can be forgiven for thinking Kovalainen made it easy for his team mate, but Hamilton stormed past the other two in legitimate overtaking manoeuvres to take the chequered flag. Piquet, amazingly, stood on the second step of the podium, undoubtedly lucky, but consistent at the same time. Massa rounded out the top three.

Elsewhere, Coulthard and Barrichello had a coming together, both having very bad races, Raikkonen continued to struggle, and Heidfeld finished a strong fourth, having qualified 12th.

Episode 71 - You Know Things are Bad When it all Rests on Piquet

• Length: 46:25 
• Size: 42.9 MB 
• File: episode71.mp3 
• Enhanced: episode71.m4a 
• Transcript: episode71.pdf 
• Torrent: episode71.torrent 

This week is all about Hockenheim, and thus all about McLaren as Lewis Hamilton dominated the entire weekend. We make mention of everyone else though, including Glock and his accident, plus Massa's inability to defend.

Intro

Another sporting injury obtained a ridiculous way, but can it beat Massa in a lift?

Good Week / Bad Week

Good week for Vettel as he's snapped up by Red Bull, although will he find himself evacuated from the factory like Webber? Bad week for Abu Dhabi because Singapore is just too good.

News and Views

Just a quick mention of BMW and their KERS technology - ready and out in the wild world. They may be implementing it at the upcoming Jerez test, along with Honda and their updates, plus Force India and their new gearbox.

Qualifying

We evaluate the return to the Hockenheim circuit, Hamilton's domination, the weather, and the grandstands.

The Race

Glock had a major crash, which threw everyone's strategy out the window, but it worked better for some than for others. We try and understand the Safety Car rules, yet again. We discuss the vast difference between Ferrari drivers, McLaren drivers and Renault drivers.

Feedback

Three emails - one about yet another Sebastien, one small complaint for Mr Christine, and one asking about Bernie's decision making.

Linkage

• BMW KERS video
• Axis of Oversteer
• Fantasy Racers

F1 Digest - Germany GP

• Length: 10:54 
• Size: 10.1 MB 
• File: digest40.mp3 
• Transcript: digest40.pdf 
• Torrent: digest40.torrent 

The German Grand Prix had everything, strategy decisions, incidents, tyre issues, and plenty of overtaking. Listen to today's F1 Digest to catch up with everything that happened.

The Race

Hamilton continued to show serious form, that's two races in a row where he has outclassed everyone else. The run of unusual podiums continues though, with a Renault making an unexpected appearance.

Conclusions

Whenever the safety car comes out, it always causes controversy, although today perhaps more so than others. Confusion reigned supreme when some drivers pitted and others didn't, and one in particular has the penalty to prove it.

Live Commenting: Germany - The Race

The weather in Hockenheim this morning is warm and bright. A quick look at the official webcam shows sunshine and blue sky.

Anyone hoping for rain (or snow!) will probably be disappointed by this, but I'm betting the Ferrari team are all smiles right now. The rubber that was laid down on Saturday should offer a nice grippy surface for all the drivers and the warm temperatures will likely benefit those who can make the best use of the softer tyre.

While all this means we probably won't have quite as exciting a race as last time out, the run to the first corner is a big one, and there's often been race ending accidents leading into the right-hander in the past.

Three RB4's line up 8th to 10th, so there could be an almighty scrap between these closely matched cars and while Räikkönen will be wary of those behind him, it's Alonso and Trulli in front that he'll be mostly focussing on. Further back, we have an out of position Heidfeld in 12th with Rosberg directly behind him. What kind of strategy will those two be running to jump them up the order?

A selection of useful links for today's action:

• Official live timing
• ITV video feed (UK)
• TVlizer channel 335
• Radio 5Live

More links available on the F1 on the Internet page.

The last race thread made something like 1,600 comments. While that may be a record never to be broken, do let us know where you're watching and all your race predictions.