Hiatus

Well, it's pretty apparent that lately, it's been a bit of a ghost town around here.

So I've decided not to let things drag on and put the bullet in. These last few months, I haven't found much desire to write here for one reason and another. While it has been a great platform, she never took off like I would've liked. The situation isn't helped when you look at how people react online in discussions. That's the problem, they aren't discussions - they are just all out slander wars. It doesn't matter what you say, or how well you present your agreement. There is always a clueless, idiotic fanboy, blinded by his obsession with whatever topic to see past it.

So with that, I've decided to put the Chequered Flag on indefinite hiatus. Maybe one day I will return it, I don't know. Right now, I feel like I'm skills are needed elsewhere.

For those that have followed me throughout, thanks.

Until whenever, Sláinte

Jean versus Ari

After much humming and hawing, Max Mosley has finally stated that he will for sure, step down as FIA president. Queue the applause from many the world over. While has left, I'm sure many will feel it as a slap in the face that he is nominated Jean Todt, former Ferrari boss, as his replacement.

Over the past number of years, the FIA and Ferrari have been inextricably linked – how tight, well, that depends on which fans you talk to. The FIA has adopted the moniker has 'Ferrari In-season Assistance' amongst those supporting drivers fighting against the famous marquee.

How tight, well, I suppose we'll never know. We do know there was some below board dealings in place – such as Ferrari's ability to veto new rules by themselves. But after that, it's mostly conjecture.

The prospect of Jean Todt, FIA President is likely to have some people up in arms. Personally, I don't have anything against him getting the job – but at the same time, I also don't think that giving the job to a recent principal of an F1 team is the best thing going forward either. The same would go for other recent F1 team principals mentioned for the role.

So far, the only other candidate to put his name in the race is rally ace, Ari Vatanan. The Finn had a good interview with the BBC at the German Grand Prix this weekend and I'm sure, has a lot of public support for replacing Mosley.

The thing is – can Vatanen not be accused of the same sort of bias, when it comes to rallying? While F1 is the jewel in the FIA crown, it is easy to forget that it isn't the only motorsport under the FIA umbrella. Could Vatanen be under the same scrutiny from rally sceptics as Todt would be from F1 fans?

Chances are, whoever else runs, there is likely to be some conflict with some part. Why? I for one would hope that anyone who does apply, has experience in motorsport. While yes, getting someone without an outside perspective would rule out anyone being bias – at the same time the job needs to go someone with hands-on experience in the realm so they completely understand it.

Over the coming months, it will be interesting to see how Mosley's influence will help the Todt campaign. I don't think the outgoing president is lying when he said he had a lot of support to stay on – who wouldn't when he brings motorsport away from it's European home to the arse end of nowhere and a fat cheque with Bernie. He is likely to send all that support Todt's way, making Vatanen's job that more difficult to get elected.

I wonder, if Max sees Todt as a final slap in the face to the F1 teams, which he as duked it out with over the past number of months. Surely, is aware of the public perception of the close Ferrari-FIA links – and that the teams know of special agreements towards the Italian team. Its definitely going to beg questions from people on whether Todt will be his own man in the job, or simply Mosley's puppet.

Life, Through Tinted Shades

Sports fan can be so fickle. It's not just a case of in motorsport, but in all forms. It's great to support sports, but how die-hard some get always baffles me. Is it that important that it encompasses your entire life. Better yet, that you blindly to the point where even in the face of a bald faced truth, you still can't accept it.

At times, it reminds me of religion. I consider myself an open minded person. Do I believe everything told to me. Hell no? I try to keep an open mind on things, so that I can better understand all sides of an discussion. But there are those that cling to something like their very existence depended on it – and to refute such belief would be tantamount to trying to talk the Pope out of the idea that there is no God.

It is the same with sports. Before I start, let me state, I don't lump all sports fans into this category. I am not out here to make generalisations and to lump everyone into one category. But I do see an unfortunately growing trend.

A recent high profile example is Cristiano Ronaldo. Up until about two months ago, he was adored by the United faithful. Now, with his move to Real Madrid, he is the subject of public scorn by those who once cheered his name. His past exploits forgotten as he 'betrayed' them. The fact he has won everything he possibly can in England is irrelevant, nor is the opportunity to play with one of footballs historic teams.

That is just one example. There are countless others. It's pretty sickening the crap you see on message boards. It sometimes makes me wonder why I bother writing. The internet is a great forum for debate, but a lot of people just use it as a way to bully their point across.You look at the majority of sporting forums and they are full of ignorant people, most who lack such basic things as grammar and spelling skills.

There is no incentive to write a well versed debatable post when it surrounded by such garbage. I don't even bother looking at forum discussions anymore because there just is no point. People either see it as bias and unfair to their favourite team or sports star or just plainly resort to name calling.

It makes you wonder about these guys away from the computer. Before, I'd used to think that these are the sort of people who would never speak out in public. They use the Internet as a faceless way to speak their mind without any repercussions. Lets them feel high and mighty about it all.

Increasingly however, especially with the youth of today, such disrespect for others carries over. Not just in the sporting realm, but in all aspects of life. The attitude of the youth of today is down right despicable. Honestly, I don't remember being like that at all in my day – and that was only about ten to twelve years ago. How things have changed. Like I said at the top, I don't think all people are like this, but it just feels that there is a growing number of people with this narrow minded approach on life.

The most prevalent motorsporting example of this comes from America (see, I had to work in motorsport at some point.) The big 'feud' right now in Nascar is between long time fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Junior and public enemy number one, Kyle Busch.

To recap briefly, this whole thing started with Busch being dropped at Hendricks in favor of Junior. The major boiling point came at Richmond last year, when in a battle for the lead, Busch tapped Junior into a spin, denying him a victory. (At this point, Junior was still on a long win-less streak with the exception of a non-championship win at Daytona at the start of the year.) The funny thing is, Earnhardt himself had a carbon copy incident at the same race this year, spinning Jeff Burton out. But of course, no public outcry there.

Earnhardt Nation cried foul. Queue beer cans on the track (a common thing mind you when someone rattled up the 'Nation and calls for the head of Kyle Busch. Thus began the feud.

Busch became an hated individual amongst a majority of fans. One thing I liked about Busch was that he relished it. He could've been meek and tried to smooth things over. Instead, he relished the role of the bad guy and played it up. He developed his character of the bad guy, but still played fair (depending on who's opinion you gauge) on the track. Theatrical bows followed his victories to the crowd as the Las Vegas native tore up the track. Countless victories followed, while Earnhardt has one solitary championship victory to his name at this point.

His success only riled those who hate him on. But his driving style has seen him garner many fans. Busch's desire to race anything and everything is something that I love about the guy. On numerous occasions, he has raced three times in the one weekend. He wants to race, he wants to win and he is not afraid to use all the track. Busch is probably the only guy who can go three wide on a track all by himself.

Unfortunately, he doesn't always put himself in the right light, which I think hurts him with some of the neutrals. On the track, he is awesome. But off the track he does need some work. The guitar smashing incident at Nashville this year is a perfect example of that. While he had his reasons for it, there was probably a better way to go around it.

From my standpoint, I'd be concerned with his desire to outdo Earnhardt Nation. Yes, if I was Busch, I would feel aggrieved that a bunch of narrow minded fans were giving him hell for no other reason that he once spun him out. This is Nascar, people get spun all the time. But at the end of the day, Busch is clearly the more talented driver. Earnhardt, while popular, is never going to match his fathers achievements. Kyle needs to rise himself above that and focus on setting his own benchmarks.

People dig at him for not wanting to talk after he's not had a good race. The guy wants to win. I thought America was all about that. They love winners, hate losers. Yet when Busch doesn't want to be chatty after a race, they label him a cry baby and sore loser. I always find it interesting how values that American's hold so tightly are thrown out the window just because they hate the guy.

It was the same again last weekend after Daytona. Busch got in a tangle on the final straight while leading and crashed. He stalked off, not wanting to talk. Those who don't like him bitched and moaned, reciting the fact that he was a cry baby and didn't want to talk.

Here is a reality check. If you have had a good race turned sour, the last thing you want to do is talk. I've experienced this in my sim-racing career. Hell, I've gone through a patch of five races where I've had a great car only to have terrible results. The last thing I want to do is talk about it, and if I do to someone, there is usually an expletive every third or fourth word.

So why should Busch give those who are on his back further ammunition? Had he spoken right there and then, he would've. His decision not to speak, if you ask me, is the best one. Cool down, review what happened, talk in private rather than airing it all to the public.

I'll finish up with returning to the ideal of narrow-minded fans. See, Junior inherited many of his fans who supported his father. The funny thing is, Kyle Busch probably has more in common with Earnhardt Senior than Junior has. Yet, because his name isn't Earnhardt, they don't see it. I think trying to compare Senior's style to Busch would be again, like trying to talk the Pope about God. You would be lynched and locked up for it.

The strange thing is, fans cry out for drivers with character. So often they complain that the drivers are strictly controlled and un-interesting. The greatest example of his is Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon. Both are often accused of being cookie-cutter drivers, very politically correct. But then when someone breaks the mould, he is chastised for it. It's irritating, if you ask me. They want drivers with attitude, but only in a certain shape or form.

Suffice to say, this is a problem that is only going to get worse, one I doubt will ever truly get better. The people I feel for most are the open minded fans. No longer do we have a forum for frank, open discussions. Instead, we are left simply to chat to ourselves as the haters rule the world.

Smoking the Peace Pipe

Peace has returned to the world of Formula One. But at what cost?

Yet again, after everyone makes kissy-faces and make up, the sport is left with a black eye in terms of public perception. Actually, a black eye would be lucky. It feels like the sport got dragged through a ditch backwards and left on the road.

Hasn't anyone learned from the past few years? You would think the experiences over the past few years would make people think 'hey, lets try to keep a lid on this?' Instead, we get a public mud slinging match that overshadowed a good weekend of racing. Now, only half a week after that, everyone is friends again, more or less.

For a group that was so willing to be public about things, they are being closely regarded about the particulars of how peace was made. Now that everyone is back in the same bed again, does that mean the fans once more are shut out with everything decided behind closed doors?

Formula One has a serious image problem that it needs to fix. It will take time to mend the bridges that were blown up during this civil war. Di Montezemolo was right about one thing, the sport does need to be relaunched.

Now, that apparently everyone is back at the same table, is the time to fix issues that are up with this sport. While steps have been made to make the sport more accessible, such as the interviews after each session of qualifying, the sport can do so much more to become more fan friendly. The spectacle itself needs much work. Despite work by the committee for overtaking, we still have cars unable to get close when they get around a second behind another.

Of course, that may just be wishful thinking. Only time will tell.

Stig-meister

Did anyone see that one coming? Really?

I for one was shocked when the Stig removed his helmet, revealing Schumacher. I have to say bravo to the BBC for it. If you want to unveil the Stig, someone they have touted as a driver of immense talent, who better to 'play the role' than one of the greatest motorsport drivers in history.

It also feels like a cheeky slap from the BBC to the media outlets that were reporting on the 'true' identity of the Stig earlier this year.

Obviously, the idea that it was Schumi all along is far fetched. White Stig has been in use since 2003. Not to mention, in the hands of the seven-times F1 champion, a car went seven seconds faster than anything before around the Top Gear test track. While I'm sure the car is fast, we have seen plenty of speedy cars fail to be super quick around there. I wonder just how much that had to do with the driver.

Admittedly, it would have been fun to see him do a proper lap around in the 'reasonably priced car', if just to see where he matched up against the other F1 racers that have been on the show.

A guy can dream.

Formula Fucked

I've spent the last month wondering what to do. As I watch the sport I love implode, I find myself in a situation where I don't really want to write anymore. As both sides bicker as they look to take the biggest slice of the cake for themselves, we fans are left, given the royal screw job as is usually the case.

Tonight, as the FIA and FOTA sat on either side of the poker table, the dealer said to call. FOTA have called the FIA's bluff and finally, many years after the idea was originally thrown around, decided to set up their own series.

Suddenly, the prospect of the British Grand Prix this weekend seems pretty forgotten. Is there much point in watching Formula One for the rest of the year now? Really? With eight out of the ten teams leaving for their own championship. Chances are the World Champion won't be on the grid – heck, will any of them be?

I just keep thinking about the Indycar split. The Indy Racing League took the prestigious race. CART took the drivers and the teams. The latter was the more popular one for many a year. Formula One may have the name, but without the Ferrari's and the McLaren's, the Alonso's and the Hamilton's – is it truly the pinnacle of the sport.

Why Medals Won't Work

With Button’s fifth win out of six races, it just goes to show why Bernie’s deluded winner take all plan would be terrible for the sport.

The Formula One season has eighteen races. Button now has five. If we were running the winner take all system this year, Jenson would only need to win four more times. So in theory, in two months, Button would be crowned champion. Let’s be fair, when you see the stunning form the Brit is on, entirely possible.

Personally, I don’t even think you would need to cross that line. Last year Massa won six races, a season high. Button will no doubt blitz that marker.

Even with the current points system, Button is in a commanding position. At this stage, he could almost afford to finish each race second and he would still do it. This is the problem with the current points. Once you are up and in front, you can take it easy. Alonso had a similar situation in his championship years, where he was stunning in the opening part of the season that he could afford to let off the gas in the second half of the season.

Yet, somehow, some people believe that such a medal system would be good for the sport? You are seriously having a laugh, Bernie.

A Farcial Mess

Been a little time since I’ve made a decent contribution here. Honestly, with all the goings-on in Formula One, I have had a serious lack of motivation to write anything conductive about the sport right now.

With the ‘deadline’ for teams to sign up rapidly approaching, the sport remains mired in a mess. We have two sides that want their own way, struggling to find the middle ground. I think Formula One fans must feel like the only child in a divorce, with both parents vying for who gets the fancy cutlery. I feel like the fans are getting the short-shift here.

The fact we are at this point is pretty pathetic. Both sides are at fault here. It reminds me of why I hate politics. At the end of the day, they don’t really give a fuck about anything but themselves.

First off, Ferrari. Looking for a court injunction solo was just nuts. At the very least, it should have been a FOTA thing. Ferrari come off looking after their own interests. FOTA are supposed to unified, yet if the last few weeks are anything to go by, that doesn’t appear to be true.

The FIA themselves tried to drive a wedge, informing teams of Ferrari’s special veto. This was a case of two shots in the one foot. On one hand, how can the sport be seen as fair to all if Ferrari has a veto over rule decisions? Better yet, why did the FIA give it? Letting us know it is there just reminds us why people view the FIA so poorly.

This reminds me of what a debacle the WRC has become. A few years ago, it had numerous manufacturers involved. Then the FIA decided to start chopping and changing the rules. The result so many of the manufacturers leaving the sport and public interest waning in it. You would think the FIA would learn that if you start messing with the formula consistently, it is going to cause trouble.

We have had rule changes this year. We have a spate of them coming next year. I thought Formula One was supposed to become more ‘fan friendly’. Anyone else see the contradiction there?

The whole situation is a mess. Whatever happens, Formula One yet again finds itself with a black eye because of how they choose to air their dirty laundry in public.

Irish Smiles

This year continues to be a fantastic one for Irish sport in general. The international football team is looking somewhat capable of a decent go for World Cup qualification and in rugby, our Grand Slam triumph in the Six Nations has also being joined by Leinster making the Heineken Cup final, after coming through an all Irish semi-final.

Irish motorsport has also enjoyed what can only be described as its best year ever. Not since the days of Jordan Grand Prix have we had much to celebrate here. (And for those boffins not in the know, while Jordan was based in the UK, it ran under the Irish flag – hence the reason Amhrán na bhFiann was played when the stewards didn’t cock up the ceremony.

The year started with the Irish Rally as the opening round for the World Rally Championship. Granted, it doesn’t feel like the WRC has the same sort of lure as it used to, but it was a fantastic achievement nonetheless in the days where everyone is starting races anywhere except in Europe.

The icing on the cake came this weekend, with Adam Carroll winning the fourth A1GP series for Team Ireland. The victory is the first time an Irish national has taken an international motorsport title. Carroll took it in dominating fashion, with pole position and race victory in both the Sprint and the Feature.

It is a fantastic achievement that will hopefully put more emphasis on motorsport back in this country. Currently, it has handled very poorly and even when Formula One as shown on terrestrial television, the commentary was down there in the basement alongside that of James Allen.

'B' for the Beeb

We now stand four races into a season that has been met with many unknowns.

For most of us who were stuck with the narrow-minded views of the majority of the ITV team last year, we awaited the BBC coverage with bathed breath. Surely, it couldn’t be worse than the abysmally bias coverage we had to endure over the last few years.

I could’ve easily written something up after Australia, but felt it was unfair to judge after just one race. With the first four flyaway races, it is much easier to gauge how the BBC have done, much like F1 teams regroup before heading into Europe.

I have to say, I am very impressed thus far with the BBC coverage that I have watched. Okay, that probably wasn’t going to be too hard given how low an opinion I rated Ryder, Allen and Blundell. But I fully admit I was concerned that it could’ve turned out worse.

The coverage is by no means perfect. After Austraila, I was worried about new race commentator, Jonathan Legard. It felt like he was commentating on the radio. A good deal of his commentary sounded more suited to the Curragh than it did on the Formula One circuit. But to his credit, he has toned it down as the season has gone on.

Together with Martin Brundle, they form a great front team for the BBC. Small mistakes are made, but the nice thing is that they are capable of picking up on them, unlike recent years where they were oblivious to such. Some might see me as a hard ass with my views on the ITV, that I require perfection. It isn’t so. Mistakes will always be made. That is how we learn. But at the very least, one expects to correct those errors. While the odd few slip through the net, it is nice that most are caught now.

The man who has impressed me most is David Coulthard, who has seamlessly transitioned from driver to pundit. In the off chance that you are reading this, Mark Blundell, this is how a former racing pundit is supposed to be. Coulthard is a breath of fresh air and has provided valuable insight for the viewers.

Jake Humphrey, as anchor, is another astute choice by the BBC. I didn’t know much about him myself, with the exception of the odd appearance on a BBC show as I flicked the channels looking for something decent to watch. Like Coulthard, he has taken to it like a duck to water. Given that he is the youngest team member of the team, he is nothing but assured. His recent interview with Lewis Hamilton that was shown before the Bahrain grand prix was brilliant and intelligent, showing off the more human side of Hamilton that was missing during the ITV interviews that felt very staged.

The only part of the team that doesn’t appear to gel just yet is Eddie Jordan. Personally, I expected better. This is Eddie Jordan, the man famous for the quick-fire response and witty banter – a man who could talk his way out of a paper bag and still come out with the better deal.

Yet at times, Eddie seems a little at sea in front of the cameras. Maybe it will take longer for him to adjust to life as a TV personality. But at this stage, he is the only real chink in the BBC team at this time.

I would comment on the extra features bit via the red button, but I haven’t tried them yet. While I don’t mind getting up early for races, I quite like my bed on a Friday and Saturday mornings! With the European season starting up, I hope to sample these and see how the expanded coverage of the BBC does.

All in all, I feel like the BBC has started with a firm footing with the coverage. If I was signing a report card, I would give them a solid B, with room for improvement. It is so nice to not to wake up on Monday morning hoarse from shouting at the television anymore.

Fifty Years Young

In today's day and age, we expect motor racers to retire early. Gone are the days where they race deep in their forties. Heck, even as some turn thirty, we hear of retirement plans. It is all about getting the young, raw talent behind the wheel.

In Nascar, that is no different. Rookie Joey Logano is eighteen and racing at the highest level of stock-car racing. Right now, the sport has a crop of drivers under twenty-five that have the potential to be long-running contenders for wins and champions.

But on Saturday night, Mark Martin dominated in a fashion to remind everyone that despite being the elder statesman of the Sprint Cup, he still has plenty to give. His victory, his first in nintey-seven races, made him only the fourth driver to win a Nascar race over the age of fifty. He is the first to do so since 1993.

But it wasn't just at Phoneix. Martin has looked as sprightly as those drivers thirty years his junior. Already he has notched up three poles. If it wasn't for issues out of his hands (two engines going up in smoke and a tire blow out), he would be comfortably inside the top-12. Going into the fourth race of the year, he was on the cusp of falling out of the top-35 in points.

After those issues, many wondered if that was it. Had the fairy-tale turned into a nightmare? The veteran responded by remaining ever positive and has steadily notched up the points. With victory over the weekend, he now sits a mere nine points from the coveted twelfth position. Will Mark Martin make the Chase? I think the answer is pretty clear.

His victory was a popular one up and down the pitlane. It was great to see so many different people come and congratulate Martin in pitlane. Team-mates current and old, former team owners and long time competitors. Outside of a Dale Earnhardt Junior victory, one for Mark Martin would be the choice of Nascar fans.

The question still remains - can he finally win the championship. Some still question whether he has that killer instinct to take victories which are all important to the Chase. As the season goes on, I really think he is in with a shot. He is consistently up the front and now with the first victory for the team, they can only move on from here.

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well, in Mark's case, there is no need for new tricks when the old ones still impress.

Tactical Errors

This piece is way overdue, so you will all have to excuse my lethargic nature that it has taken me a week to write this.

Ferrari. Man, oh man, you wonder where it all went wrong. There was a time when a strategic call to be made, nine times out of ten, Ferrari could come singing. In the past three years, it seems like fat lady has truly sung in regards in the tactical department.

I often wonder, are people paid to flunk? Is it like those overpaid prats in the banks, that these guys gets bonuses and commendations for a bad job? You have to wonder.

The fact that it has taken Ferrari over two years to actually do something about it, is more shocking. But then again, this is the team that continue to employ a Kimi Raikkonen that increasingly looks like he is phoning it in.

This week has seen Luca Baldisserri, Ferrari team manager, moved to a factory based role. I wonder if it has come too late. As I said above, it has taken over two years of bad decisions before this call was made.

It’s not like any of this calls have been particularly difficult. Even the most casual of armchair motorsport fans could probably have called a better strategy on some race days than Ferrari has. At this level of competition, only so many mistakes can be tolerated.

Confessions of a Sinner

Wow, what a difference a day makes. I nearly regret writing yesterday’s post because of how quick information came out on the Hamilton incident.

First off, it was great to actually get the audio files from the FIA. For the fans, this is important that we actually get to see the evidence, rather than just be told what it is. Granted, I would’ve liked to see the telemetry data myself between the pair, and a transcript of the stewards meeting. The latter however isn’t needed since the truth finally came out today.

David Ryan, McLaren’s sporting director and the man who attended the stewards meeting with Hamilton has been suspended after telling Hamilton to ‘mislead’ the stewards.

Okay, this really annoys me about the character of Hamilton. He was told to lie, and he did. Honestly, I thought the guy had more integrity than that. Why not stand up and say ‘this is wrong.’ Heck, you listen to the radio transmissions and you see how much he wanted clarification on the whole thing. He didn’t do any wrong, until he lied to the stewards.

The sporting director takes the rap for this idiotic move. In this day and age of technology where basically everything is recorded, how did they think they could get away with it? It also begs the question as to why McLaren have spent the last couple of days claiming that they didn’t mislead the stewards when they clearly did. This may have been between Hamilton and Ryan at first, but I’d bet the McLaren bosses learned pretty quickly about it once he was disqualified.

The whole thing is a stupid, unnecessary affair because Hamilton was actually in the right in regards to overtaking Trulli. They just shot themselves in the foot big time.

Apparently, he received applause from a number of journalists after the press conference when he came clean about it all. You won’t be seeing one from me. He apologised and that is all well and good – but only after they couldn’t hide from the bare face facts of it all. The fact it took this long to come out takes a lot of the shine away from the apology.

Hamilton Excluded from Melbourne

No, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke. Lewis Hamilton has been excluded from the Australian grand prix for giving ‘misleading’ evidence to the stewards.

Okay, now show us. Seriously, I want to see all the relevant info shown at some stage during the weekend. Obviously, widespread bitching and moaning is going to happen. The only way this is going to stop is if all the evidence is shown to the public. Granted, that won’t be enough for some, but for those of us with a rational mind it would be great.

Will we get shown? Hmm, that is a good question. We were told last year that we, the fans, would be told more about these decisions. Especially after the whole situation at Spa. We deserve to know ourselves. This can’t be just kept on the stewards side and expect us to trust them. Such trust must be rebuilt after years where their decisions have been called into question.

So, show us.

Cinderella Story

With the first weekend of Formula One racing wrapped up, I still find myself needing to question ‘did it really happen.’

This weekend has been surreal. I honestly don’t remember such a game changing moment as we witnessed. Pre-season testing has been more or less spot on, something that doesn’t always carry forward into the season.

Brawn’s one-two is nothing short of a fairytale. The whole story is sort of thing that you expect from a Hollywood blockbuster, not Formula One. It just isn’t supposed to happen, barring an intervention from Mother Nature.

Fortune as well as skill was on their side. I was surprised how long it took for the safety car to be pulled out after Nakajima found the wall. That being said, Jenson Button drove superbly; with only a slight hiccup in the pits his only blotch on his copybook. Barrichello had an eventful day but still came home second. Even watching, you can sense that feel good buzz that is around the team right now.

On the podium, we saw real emotion between the two. Not the fake stuff we often see between team-mates up there. Both were genuinely happy for each other. And why not! Up to a few weeks ago, both were written off. Button criticised for not exploring other options, Barrichello considered ‘past it’. Now they are the toast of Formula One.

It was great to see that the paddock is happy for them. I can’t remember a time where we say cars applauded down pitlane as they headed up to their parking slots. It was a wonderful gesture from the teams in a day and age where people are more likely to snipe at each other rather than pat them on the back.

As for the pre-season championship contenders, Ferrari looked strong at times. At the time of writing, we are still waiting to find out what happened to Massa. Somehow, I’m not surprised to see Raikkonen fight the wall. His race drew too many similarities to those he raced last year - quick when he wants to be, but also quick to find the wall.

Lewis Hamilton is another who deserves a pat on the back. In an inferior car and assisted by retirements, he drove the sort of race that a world champion should. He picked up valuable points that will aid his fight to retain the title down the line.

Alonso was steady if unimpressive. Kubica was the only one of the five who looked an actual threat, until he stuck it up the inside of Vettel and the two of them took each out. That isn’t the way to win championships.

As for KERS, I definitely find myself on the fence about it. To me, the way it was explained and how it affects the weight would concern me that it would alienate certain types of drivers – for example Mark Webber and Robert Kubica, because of their stature.

That been said, in the race, you could see where those using KERS could use it to their advantage. It’s definitely something to watch over the coming races. Much the same can be said about the new aero-packages.

Qualifying was brilliant. I haven’t enjoyed a quail session like that in years. It was fantastic with the field so close that not even the perceived front runners could play it safe. If the gaps stay like that for the rest of the year, it will definitely make Saturday watching mandatory!

Malaysia is next weekend, at the wonderful starting time of 9am GMT. Got to love the lie in!

Five Down...

Five races into the Nascar season and a number of traits are already developing.

The end of Bristol is always a nerve wracking time, with the dreaded Top-35 standings coming into play. Up until the fifth race, teams who were in the Top-35 last season are guaranteed a starting spot. From the sixth race on, the Top-35 is based on the current year’s owner standings.

Much like Formula One, it has been difficult to gauge how things would sort themselves out when we got racing. The testing ban adds a lot of unknown factors in the run up to a season. Already, we are seeing cases where it may be having an effect. Going into Martinsville, I want to pick out the major trends to watch over the rest of the season.

Kyle Busch is back!
It is like the last ten races of 2008 never happened. (For those of you who don’t know, the #18 crashed and burned in The Chase.) Kyle is back to what he does best, winning races – and not just in the Sprint Cup. He has already secured victories in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. If he keeps up this pace, he could easily surpass the twenty-one wins in all competitions he took last year.

Of course, winning races in the regular season is one thing, what the #18 have to prove is that last year’s Chase was a once-off. He can all the races he wants now, but at the end of the day people remember the champion.

Jeff Gordon is back (too)!
Last season was struggle for the four time champion, who clearly was at odds with the Car of Tomorrow. Yet, despite a lack of pre-season testing, Gordon has been on fire this year. A victory is just around the corner for the #24. His consistent run through the first five races sees him perched on top of the standings, with four top-10’s out of five so far.

Rookie Struggles
I spoke above concerning where the pre-season testing ban appeared to be having an effect. Judging by the performances of Logano and Speed, the two official participants in the Rookie of the Year have both failed to set the world alight.

I still think it was too much, too soon for both. Red Bull obviously hasn’t learned from the grooming troubles with AJ Allmendinger. Speed was poor towards the end of last year, a clear indicator that there would be trouble. The Formula One exile could have done with cutting his teeth in the Nationwide Series for a year.

The same can be said about Logano. The much heralded talent has been trust into the spotlight and has yet to shine in it. All the talent in the world can’t save you from feeling the psychological knocks you take when things go bad.

Going into Martinsville, Logano is just inside the Top-35, insuring him that he will be in the field. A good result is necessary for the youngster, which may not possible on the unforgiving short track. Scott Speed finds himself on the outside looking in and will have to make the race on time.

For the second season in a row, it appears that there will be another lacklustre year for Rookies. Coincidently, Nascar has been using the new car for two years now. Is there a link? Or is it the lack of testing that is really hindering the class of ’09. Maybe Nascar should take a page out of the Indy Racing League’s book, and offer rookies additional practice sessions to make up the miles.

Stewart a success, so far
I couldn’t have predicted we would see Smoke inside the Top-12 at this early stage. Despite backing from Hendricks, I expected teething problems with the new team. But judging on Stewart’s first five, it looks like he hasn’t skipped a beat.

Team-mate Newman has been less fortunate in the luck department, with a myriad of issues giving him cause to sweat going into Bristol. A strong result has elevated him up the rankings and if the car stays together, both cars have the speed to give the front runners something to think about.

Roush Woes?
It has been hard to read the Ford super-team so far. Two wins opened the season courtesy of Matt Kenseth but the championship hasn’t been set ablaze in the way I thought it would. On top of it all, the team has had to deal with a slew of reliability issues in the engine department.

Carl Edwards has been consistent, but has shown none of that raw speed that saw him win nine races last year. The likable Missouri native still finds himself fifth in the standings. Kenseth has gone steadily backwards since his back to back wins. Biffle, Ragan and McMurray, who were all tipped for stand out years currently, find themselves mired mid-back. Granted, it is early days in the season, but gaps can quickly become too big to bridge.

Money
With the world finances up a certain creek without a paddle, it was an easy guess that by this stage, we would be looking at the loss of teams due to lack of sponsorship.

The first victim at the time of writing is Travis Kvapil. Kvapil drove most of last year unsponsored in the Yates #28. His reward was the transfer of his points to his new team-mates to ensure they made it. The Yates car qualified on time for four of the five races. Despite a valiant effort on his part, he could not get the car in top-35. It was announced at Bristol that if no sponsorship was found, the team would shut up shop.

While money isn’t an issue with the #98 Yates car, it does offer a worrying trend. Paul Menard, backed by his family company, strode in and took owner points from what was David Gilliland’s car. Now for the ironic twist. Menard is sitting outside the top-35 while Gilliland, the man he replaced, has got a guaranteed starters spot for Martinsville.

On a happier note, Richard Petty Motorsports announced during the week that they had pieced together sponsorship to run Allmendinger for additional races. That is great news, as long term readers of the blog will know I have been championing Allmendinger’s case for a full time ride.

The Californian currently stands 16th in the points, ahead of full-time team-mates Elliott Sadler and Red Sorenson. The latter finds himself down in 29th position. I wonder, if Sorenson continues to underperform, will we see Allmendinger in the famed #43 by seasons end.

New Team, Same Result
One question I had to ask during pre-season was – why break up a successful partnership. Clint Bowyer and the #07 team have been one of the talking points over the last few years.

Allegedly, sponsors wanted specific drivers. Mears had raced with Kellogg’s sponsorship during his time with Hendricks, which apparently didn’t sit all that well with new sponsor General Mills. So the drivers were swapped, landing Mears in a team that had made the Chase for the past two years and Bowyer with a new group.

I think that Bowyer is one of the most under-rated drivers in Nascar at the moment. His first five of the season go a long way to proving that. Bowyer finds himself third in the standings and continuing to pump out the consistency that has made him a Chaser for the past two years. Mears is around 25th, once more showing that he doesn’t have what it takes at this level.

F109 Countdown: McLaren

McLaren:
2008 Results
Best Finish: 1st (Lewis Hamilton x5,Heikki Kovalainen x1)
Points Scored: 151
Championship Position: 2nd
2009 Drivers: Lewis Hamilton & Heikki Kovalainen

Last, but not least, we finish up the F109 Countdown with McLaren, just seven days until the start of the new season.

If we are to believe what we have seen in pre-season testing, McLaren are going to struggle mightily at the start of the season. Do I believe that will be the case? No. I’m firmly of the belief that they are sandbagging. Now, maybe they won’t have the ultimate pace, but I find it hard to believe they won’t be in the thick of things.

It has been usual to see them hovering near the bottom for most of the pre-season. For a team like McLaren, which strives for excellence, it is out of character. But not impossible.

In the past, I’ve catalogued how McLaren have failed to produce winning cars consecutively. Last year was actually a change in the norm when they produced a championship contending car. So maybe there struggles are real, and that they will be in trouble.

I still have a hard time believing it. As I mentioned in previous articles, they have known well in advance how things were going to play out. For a team the size of McLaren, I can’t imagine they would take their eyes off the ball that much.

If they are, it will be intriguing to watch how their drivers react. Especially Hamilton. Not since Schumacher have we seen a driver with such raw talent on the grid. But, sceptics will point out that he walked into a winning ride, so how he deals with what is paraded as an ‘uncompetitive car’ will be a true showing of his talent.

If it is a poor car at first, I still expect him in the hunt. Personally, I think great drivers are defined by what they can do when they are not in the best car. I read how Senna did it; I watched when Schumacher did it. Even Alonso pulled some stunning results in a dodgy Renault. This could be a real chance for Hamilton to really cement his legacy and prove to any doubters regarding his skill.

As for Heikki, I would definitely class him as a driver who needs to perform this year. There was too many up’s and down’s from the Finn last year. While the early stages of the season could be put down to bad luck, some of his latter season runs, where he was needed to back up Hamilton, were poor.

Now with a year within the team, there will be no excuses for him. He has to put it out there and show he can match Hamilton. He has to contend for victories. Any less will be a failure.

F109 Countdown: Ferrari

Ferrari:
2008 Results
Best Finish: 1st (Felipe Massa x6, Kimi Raikkonen x2)
Points Scored: 172
Championship Position: 1st
2009 Drivers: Felipe Massa & Kimi Raikkonen

If there is one thing that has become a trend during the history of Formula One, it is how well Ferrari adapts to rule changes. During my reading of Formula One’s history, Enzo Ferrari always ensured his team were ready to adapt.

It has been a trait that has been carried forward since the great man’s death. Of course, one can easily say that a good reason for this is that Ferrari was often away from the top of the field, thus had good reason to be ready for the rules.

If pre-season testing is anything to go by, the Italian team will be fine. It has only been since McLaren have come out and claimed they weren’t looking too rosy for Melbourne that Ferrari has hinted similar problems. Both have used the ‘we were fighting for a championship excuse’.
Honestly, I’ve never bought that excuse. At the end of the day, these are two biggest teams in Formula One. There is no excuse for it, nor is there any point complaining about it. They know the situation well in advance. It is up to them to plan accordingly.

Felipe Massa went from a driver many felt would be lucky to survive the year into a realistic championship contender. I always knew the Brazilian was fast, but I often questioned whether he had the end product in him to fight for it.

Last season, he proved many a doubter wrong. I still feel that Massa lacks something. Whether he gains it, I don’t know, but I don’t think anyone will ever doubt his credentials from this point on. He blitzed his highly rated team-mate, took the most wins in the season and was within thirty seconds of being world champion

It will be interesting to watch just how Massa bounces back from that defeat.
As for Kimi Raikkonen, what can I say really? The Finn was shambolic for most of the year. He came out of the box roaring, but by the middle of the season, that roar had died to a whimper. He looked disinterested, unmotivated and on his way to retirement.
Then he went off a signed a new deal.

If I was Ferrari boss, I would’ve cut my losses and paid Raikkonen off to bring Alonso in. Unfortunately, that decision isn’t mine to make. I feel Raikkonen has lost a lot of respect in the paddock after such a terrible year where he just didn’t seem to give a shit.
Much like Massa, he will be one of the stories to watch in 2009. Will Kimi bounce back, or will he simply drive for a paycheck. I hope for the sake of his legacy, it is the former. But for some reason, I expect the latter.

F109 Countdown: BMW

BMW:
2008 Results
Best Finish: 1st (Robert Kubica at the Canadian Grand Prix)
Points Scored: 135
Championship Position: 3rd
2009 Drivers: Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld

Of all the teams, I feel that BMW are the ones who have no excuses regarding their 2009 performance. The team very publically dropped development on last year’s car after they achieved all their goals, much to the annoyance of Kubica. By all accounts. This is the year that BMW prove that they have what it takes to regularly contest with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.

They were first out of the traps to run their new challenger and at the forefront of the KERS technology race. When many teams were hoping for the KERS system to be delayed, it was BMW that forged ahead with the desire to use the system. I can’t blame them. They got the jump on everyone so why would they want to lose that development because nobody else was on the ball.

In Robert Kubica, they have a driver who is more than capable of winning world titles. I think whether that will be with BMW, we will learn this year. Like I said, there are no excuses for them this year. Given how vocal Kubica was towards the end of last year, he will expect to maintain the challenge over the course of the season.

Let us not forget, the Pole was still in contention for the title until the final rounds of the championship. No wonder he was left scratching his head as BMW basically gave up on his chance for the title. He is many people’s pick for the title. I would rate him in my top three. I do wonder whether, at this early stage in the career, he is just at that level to take it.

Nick Heidfeld came in for, what I would definitely label as unfair criticism last year. The German finished only fifteen points behind his much heralded team-mate. Yet alls we kept hearing was about how bad he was in comparison and that he might be on the chopping block. Compared to the other team-mates of championship contending drivers, he was the closest.

If the BMW is as good as it should be, I wouldn’t be surprised if the veteran finally takes a deserved victory. He is a driver who has earned his due over the years and not simply walked into a championship winning car as others around him have. If he can improve on his qualifying form, I foresee a great year for ‘Quick Nick’.

Common Sense to Prevail?

It appears that common sense may prevail regarding the new gimmicky Formula One rules.

After FOTA questioned the validity of the new system, the FIA announced that they would be willing to defer the new system for a year. It still wouldn’t be a perfect solution, but with a delay, it could allow for a realistic system to be put in place.

The ‘gold medal system’, which is basically what it is, has been universally condemned by drivers, teams, pundits, world champions and most importantly of all – the fans. The FIA make a big song and dance about wanting to get more in touch with the fans and then turned around and slapped them in the face. Motorsport forums across cyberspace have been set alight with disdain for the new systems.

What disappoints me most is that we are at a stage in the sport where cooperation is vital. With FOTA, we have the teams working together like never before. Could you imagine Ferrari and McLaren working side by side for the perceived ‘greater good’ a few seasons ago? If I wore a hat, I would definitely be tipping it to the teams for their concentrated unified front to try to make things better for the sport.

The FIA on the other hand, are left with egg on their face. Actually, I’d say they have the full Irish breakfast on it. I don’t think I have read one article that has stated support for the gimmicky system. We don’t need gimmicks for the sport. It has last this long on a traditional points system, so why change it now?

Better yet, what is wrong with the FOTA proposal? It was simple to understand and instilled that need to push for spots because of the additional points gained. How many fans will end up scratching their head at the end of 2008 is the driver with the most points doesn’t win? Formula One does not need to be driving fans away.

Just admit it – you cocked up. Take your lashings in good stride and give the people what they want. It is the people who you claim you want to make the sport better for. Here is a grand suggestion. Ask us, before you act.