F1: Super clipping sucking soul out of Sport

As “Battery world Championship” isn’t an encouraging F1 moniker!

 

Why did I think of that ‘Ol Kansas song with the following lyrics, Eh?

 

“Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high”

 

VIDEO: Carry On Wayward Son

 

Max Verstappen

“I found a cheaper solution. I swapped the simulator for my Nintendo Switch and yeah, practicing a bit of Mario Kart, actually.

 

“Finding the mushrooms is going quite well. The blue shell is a bit more difficult, but I'm working on it. The rocket's still not there. It's coming.”

(Source: grandprix.com)

 

Those were the words of Four-times F1 World Champion Max Verstappen during Thursday’s Chinese Grand Prix press conference. When asked if simulator work helped drivers in managing the complex 2026 car’s energy systems.

 

This year’s Formula 1 season finds myself at multiple crossroads. Having religiously “watched”, Err followed Formula 1 for nearly 40 years now, with my debutante F1 race being the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix. And cannot say I’m overly impressed with the latest interpretation of thee “Pinnacle of Motorsports”.

 

Think we’ve all heard Max Blunderhead’s critique of it being Formula E on Steroids, which I tend to agree with. As what’s happened to the late Ayrton Senna’s famous quip “If you no longer go for a Gap that exists, then you’re no longer a racing driver!

 

“As I’m mot here to finish third, fourth or fifth, I drive to win”.

 

VIDEO: Ayrton Senna – If you No longer Go for a Gap

 

And Fernando Alonso’s sarcastic quip about how the (Aston Martin) chef could drive the car. Hell, half the team could drive the car now! Since you no longer need any skill to drive these cars, instead just managing the energy management system…

 

As formula 1 used to be about skill, bravery and bravado of finding the outer limit of driving a car through flat out corners like Spoon and 130R at Suzuka, which have been neutered!

 

Whilst Lando Norris has rightly pointed out how the current F1 chassis has killed the soul of formula 1! With Charles Leclerc lamenting how its all become about consistency over a lap and not being able to drive on the ragged edge anymore…

 

While I’m guessing we’re all learning about what this Super clipping is, eh? Which if I understand correctly, is when today’s F1 chassis is left with no battery power on the straight and depending solely upon the internal combustion engine (ICE) to propel the car forwards. Seeing to a dramatic drop in performance and overall top speed.

 

Although I’ve read that this Super Clipping phenomenon can even occur when the Power Unit is under full power, with the energy management system deciding to “cut-in”.

 

F1 2026 Super Clipping explained

 

Today’s racecars are dependent upon the 50% battery power, and with the subtraction of the MGU-H, (Motor Generator Heat Unit) harvesting exhaust gasses to limit turbo lag. Drivers can only recharge their battery during braking in corners, which leads to a lack of electrical energy on circuits with long straights and little corner braking, which Suzuka used to be.

 

Now am I advocating for the return of those shrieking 3.0-litre normally aspirated V-10’s. I said speak up Sonny! What do you mean my hearing Sucks? Huh? Did you say something eh?

 

I’m just left feeling that Formula 1 has gone too far forward with this technical regulation cycle. With two immediate thoughts, Err three springing to mind…

 

Do you all remember that despised Delta wing racecar? Once hailed as the next generation of Indy Cars. As where did the Delta wing go?

 

Along with the Handford device which made overtaking occur Ah-Plenty’ in (CART) IndyCar racing. Perhaps being the original Yo-Yo racing format, Eh?

 

Or how about the ridiculous amount of drivers passing and then being repassed during the 2013 Indianapolis 500 Me Thinks? Or whatever year there was some ridiculous 68 passes for the lead or something to that effect.

 

As I’ve said many times before, I’m not an engineer, nor do I pretend to play one. Or stay at Motel 6 or whatever the tag-line is? Meaning I’ve got zero clue on how to solve this current dilemma…

 

But you only need to look at Oliver Bearman’s nasty crash at Suzuka when encountering Franco Colapinto at a closing speed of 28mph. And indeed, Formula 1 is extremely lucky that Ollie’ walked away from His 50G impact at 191mph with only bruising to His extremities!

 

Since why does the late Gilles Villeneuve crash come to mind?

 

Whilst Lando’s comment about how He repassed Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka even when He didn’t want to, solely due to the battery system kicking in. And then having Hamilton immediately repass Him when His energy store was depleted and Lewis could call “Slingshot On!” Is definitely not real racing!

 

Although Lando sarcastically quipped after the Japanese Grand Prix: “this is the Best racing ever!”

 

Yeah, I understand that IndyCar has its vaunted P2P, ergo Push-to-Pass turbo boost system, going back at least to Champ Car. And Formula 1 previously had DRS. (Drag Reduction System) Both artificial methods to increase overtaking.

 

Its just that I’ve always thought F1 was supposed to be the pioneers of technology that one day would filter down to our road cars. Meaning do we really want everyone saying Slingshot On! Or pushing the turbo boost button on our Freeways and residential streets?

 

And is Formula 1 really all about Megajoules deployment? You make the call…

 

Partial song lyrics from: Kansas’s Carry On Wayward Son; 1976 Leftoverture Album. 

A Weekend of Motorsports Firsts

As who’ll break the next record?

 

Yeah, who knows what will happen next? Especially since we’ve been in the relatively “Quiet” month of April. With Formula 1 having cancelled both Middle East races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the Iran War! And MotoGP postponing its Qatar round until early November, in hopes the Straight of Hormuz will have been reopened, Splat!

 

IndyCar got off to a frenetic start with three races in three weeks, before a week off for the 12 Hours of Sebring. And then March’s Nightcap at thee Oh, so Beautiful Barbers. Saw some drivers and teams race five weeks in-a-row.

 

Before a three weeks gap to Long Beach and an Open test at some ‘lil ‘Ol Oval. (April 28-29) Gave drivers and their teams plenty ‘O time to hunt for Easter Eggs, but I digress…

 

Alas, a month ago now, I began the weekend of March 15th by tuning into Friday’s IndyCar first practice on FOX. Although really didn’t feel like we learned anything.

 

Then began Saturday morning by listening to Chinese GP Sprint race highlights, which Ho Hum, George Russell won, Yawn!

 

Then I “watched”, err listened to the entire IndyCar Qualie’ session on FOX, being my very final TV show before the Spectrum technician arrived to take away my overpriced cable box, having finally “cut the Chord!”

 

Being somewhat surprised with the amount of “air-time” Josef Schlick’ Newgarden got for having to switch to a backup chassis after crashing in practice. Before ScottyMac’, aka Scott McLaughlin crashed in the exact same corner during qualifying, Youch!

 

Have to say I was totally rootin’ for Marcus Ericsson to secure His first IndyCar pole, with two sets ‘O fingers crossed. As believe it was James Hinchcliffe who mentioned Ericsson may be had the advantage of going first in the Fast Six Shootout. Since His tyres and brakes were totally warm, while the other waited. With Marcus having the shortest turn-around time between sessions…

 

One-by-one, they couldn’t go faster than Ericsson. With only Alex Palou, the “Surgeon” waiting to break Ericsson’s Heart! But Palou ended up a half second slower than Ericsson, and the Swede claimed His first pole position in thirteen Gory years, Aye Karumba!

 

During Sunday morning’s pre-race blather. Heard IndyCar Radio’s Ryan Marin say it was Ericsson’s first pole in any discipline in 13 years. Since claiming pole for the June 30, 2013 Silverstone GP2 race. Which interestingly, somebody named Alexander Rossi was also participating in…

 

Actually, it was the day prior (June 29) when Ericsson claimed His second and final pole position of the season driving for DAMS for the Feature race. As the Swede’ won once at Germany’s Nurburgring, with a total of five podiums to finish sixth overall that year.

 

Alexander also claimed one win at Abu Dhabi’s season finale on Yas Isle, starting from pole. With Rossi Finishing ninth overall in the (2013) GP2 championship, driving for Caterham Racing.

 

As it was Rossi’s maiden GP2 win, and the first ever by an American driver. With Rossi claiming three more wins in 2015 for Racing Engineering, enroute to Vice Champion, err runner-up, albeit a distant second to Stoffel Vandoorne.

 

Meanwhile in Shanghai, Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed His maiden Formula 1 pole in just His 26th Grands Prix. Becoming the sport’s youngest ever pole winner, as a teenager!

 

Antonelli’s pole came at the tender age of 19 years, six months and 18 days. (19yrs 201 days)  The first ever teenager to do so. With the previous record holder being ‘lil Syd Viddle’.

 

As Sebastian Vettel claimed the first of His eventual 53 pole positions at 21 years, two months and 11 days old. (21yrs, 73 days)  At the 2008 Italian Grand Prix, some 18 years ago, Momma Mia!

 

Also the site of where Vettel would win His first Grand Prix for Scuderia toro Rosso at Monza. The Minnowesqe Italian team’s debutante Grand Prix victory! And the first non-Ferrari chassis to do so, since toro rosso was utilizing 2.4-litre V-8 customer Ferrari lumps’.

 

Antonelli becomes the 116^th maiden Grand Prix winner, and the first since Oscar Piastri at Hungary, 2024. The year that both current McLaren F1 drivers scored their maiden Grand Prix wins at, with Lando Norris having done so at the Miami Grand Prix earlier that year…

 

Yet Antonelli wasn’t done setting records yet. Since not only did He go back-to-back with another pole position and win at the Japanese Grand Prix. Kimi also left Suzuka with the drivers point lead, becoming the youngest ever to do so.

 

As move over George, (Russell) Thars’ a New kid in town! 

INDY 500: Who’ll be No. 33?

Inquiring Minds wanna Know…

 

What had been a fairly quiet start to April, revved up Thursday morning, April 9th.

 

Whale’, at least for Mwah. Awaking to the news that the FIA had rescheduled two Formula 2 rounds to the forthcoming Miami and Montreal races. The first time Formula 2 will compete in North America.

 

With the Canadian Grand Prix unwisely being held the very same day as some ‘lil ‘OL Oval race at 16th & Georgetown. Throwing a spanner in Colton Herta’s plans to run the fourth Andretti Global entry at Mother Speedway, due to clashing with His “Day Job”.

 

As Herta was ranked 11th in the Formula 2 standings following the Melbourne rounds, before Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to the ongoing Iran War. With Colton hoping to garner enough points to secure a FIA Super license in order to race in Formula 1 for Cadillac.

 

Although not sure why He’d want to compete in the “Battery World championship”. Or who Herta would “Bump” from the current Cadillac F1 driver lineup, Eh?

 

Andretti Global’s new IndyCar boss Ron Ruzewski immediately told Marshal Pruett that Andretti Global would therefore just focus upon its three fulltime IndyCar drivers and not run a fourth entry this May after Herta got “Bumped”.

 

Thus, this would imply there’s a single Honda engine lease available. With word still waiting on whether or not Prema Racing’s new

Single car venture shows up at Mother Speedway?

 

As Pruett notes that three possibilities to field the 33rd entry for Indianapolis seemingly is between Prema, A. J. Foyt Enterprises or Bryan Herta Autosport.

 

As my “Money’s” on BHA (Herta) running a single car entry for Thy Leggy Juan’, aka Katherine Legge with Honda power. Since Larry foyt has said they’re not planning on running a third entry.

 

Although Stefan Wilson and Sparky’, aka Devlin DeFrancesco have both been mentioned as having the necessary budget and obviously seeking a ride. While Juncos Hollinger Racing supposedly has plenty ‘O spare Dallara DW12 chassis…

 

As perhaps we’ll have more clarity at the end of the month during the two day Open test between April 28-29    ? 

Penske and ECR reshuffle Engineering

Although they’re not alone in the pursuit of the “Unfair Advantage!”

 

Laying dormant over thoust winter slumber, thru the new year and first four races. I’ve finally been able to track down the results of the significant engineering reshuffle at Team Penske this season. With the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle being Tim Cindric’s re-hiring.

 

Following last May’s firing of Cindric, Ron Ruzewski and Kyle Moyer, Porsche Penske Motorsport major domo Jonathan Diuguid assumed Cindric’s role and is in charge of the IndyCar and IMSA GTP programs. With Travis Law serving as Competition Director.

 

David Faustino, Will Power’s engineer and 16 year Penske veteran has been appointed as Technical Director, overseeing R&D and technical aspects of the IndyCar program.

 

Ben Bretzman, who’s served as Simon Pagenaud’s and Scott McLaughlin’s race engineer. Was promoted to Engineering Manager of Competition, overseeing all three Team Penske IndyCar’s engineering efforts.

 

Josef Schlick’ Newgarden retains His Indianapolis 500 winning race engineer Luke Mason and team boss Jonathan Diuguid as race strategist.

 

ScottyMac’, ergo Scott McLaughlin has new race engineer Raul Brados. And on the timing stand, Tim Cindric as strategist.

 

David Malukas continues with James Schnadel as race engineer, the pair working together at Foyt last year. While Travis Law steps up to being a first time race strategist.

 

Matt Johnsson, a former chief mechanic becomes the new Assembly Manager. While Robbie Atikson becomes the new Team Manager.

 

Another IndyCar team making significant changes over winter was Ed Carpenter Racing. (ECR) With Matt Barnes being elevated to Vice President of Competition.

 

Thus relative newcomer Quentin Montigaud, who becomes Alexander Rossi’s new strategist. As the former Formula E employee will also engineer Rossi’s car, after serving as performance engineer last year on the No. 20 ECR entry. While Christian Rasmussen’s No. 21 entry retains Peter Craik.

 

Robert Gue, former Arrow Mclaren and Prema Racing employee joins ECR as Special Projects Manager. Derek Davidson, former Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) chief mechanic and team manager becomes ECR’s new team manager. And Chase Campbell has been hired as the team’s first ever Stregth and Conditioning coach; also overseeing pit stop practice for both entries, and serve as pit stop coach.

 

On an unrelated note. Ryan Briscoe, former sporting director of Prema Racing, has taken up a similar role for RLL, working with its three drivers, primarily newcomer Mick Schumacher. While veteran engineer Mike Pawlowski who recently worked with Kyle Larson, becomes Schumacher’s race engineer.

 

Then after finishing this story. I spotted news that Pawlowski will shift to an R&D engineering role at RLL, since the chemistry between Him and Mick wasn’t panning out.

 

Veteran engineer Ed Jones will fill-in at Barber, and remain with Schumacher thru Long Beach. Then shifts over to Takuma Sato’s No. 75 entry for theIMS Open test and Indianapolis 500. With the team using this time to determine who Schumacher’s next race engineer for the remainder of the season will be. 

F1: Godzilla races in Japan!

As Thar goes the Neighbourhood…

 

“With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound
He pulls the spitting high tension wires down

Helpless people on a subway train
Scream for God as He looks in on them

He picks up a bus and he throws it back down
As he wades through the buildings toward the center of town

Oh no, they say, he's got to go
Go go Godzilla, yeah
Oh no, there goes Tokyo”

 

Suppose I’m showing my age, Eh? Since upon reading the first time about Godzilla racing in Japan, I immediately thought of Ye Classic Rockers BOC. Better known as Blue Oyster Cult and their Hit song Godzilla…

 

VIDEO: Godzilla – Blue Oyster Cult

 

Tend to recall I’ve got a Summer Jam sticker on a notebook from the early 1980’s that featured Joan Jett and the Heartbreakers, and Blue Oyster Cult amongst others…

 

Arse-sumedly Y’all know about the Haas F1 Team running a special “One-off” Godzilla themed livery racecar at Suzuka this year. As the Haas VF-26 featured Godzilla blasting His Atomic breath on the car’s engine cover.

 

As folklore claims the mutant Godzilla creature spawned from radioactive waters of Tokyo, albeit far prior to Fukushima…

 

the American team, now known as TGR Haas F1 Team. Ran the livery in conjunction with Toho co. Ltd, the Japanese entertainment company responsible for producing the Godzilla Franchise.

 

Reportedly Haas will reveal another Godzilla livery at this fall’s United States Grand Prix. Which just happens to coincide with the release of Godzilla Minus Zero. Celebrating the movie franchise’s 75th anniversary, with 38 films having been made.

 

Had forgotten that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Japanese Grand Prix, which is worth celebrating itself. Especially since it was the 1976 F1 World Championship decider, albeit at Fuji in October…

 

50 years since James Hunt won F1 title in Japan

 

Whilst movie tribute F1 livery themes aren’t new, they also are fairly rare. With Red Bull Racing having run a Star Wars theme in 2005. As tend to still recall Storm Troopers storming thee Principality, ergo Monaco.

 

While Alpine ran a Dead Pool Wolverine livery in 2024, in conjunction with the movie’s release. As its star Ryan Reynolds and actors Rob McElhenny, Michael B. Jordan and others thru Maximum Efforts Investments, Redbird Capital Partners and Otro Capital currently own a 24% stake, having paid $218 million in 2023.

 

Although now negotiating to sell to the highest bidder, making thoust Pied Piper Chris Horner squirm, with Flavio Briatore admitting that Mercedes itself and not Herr Wolff, Ahem toto! Is also an interested buyer…

 

Yet I’m just hoping that Haas’s race went better than Jaguar’s Wayback’ in Bloody 2004! Since Y’all remember that glitzy Oceans 12 reveal, Eh?

 

Yuhs know when Jaguar ran its R5 with diamond encrusted noses for Mark Webber and Christian Klien. Each chassis carrying a $250,000 diamond on its noseconde!

 

Yet on the opening lap, Klien collided with another racecar, before striking the barriers at Lowes corner twice. Yep, Yuhs guessed it, the diamond was nowhere to be found!

 

As it done “Klien” disappeared, Yikes!

 

Although I’m not claiming that Christian Klien had anything to do with its disappearance on the streets of Monte Carlo.

 

And you’d have to say the publicity both before and after the race were worth the reported $250,000 price for Ford’s flagging Formula 1 Jaguar Racing programme they sold the following year to Red Bull.

 

While that diamond were reputedly lost forever, I still have a hard time believing real diamonds were used for this promotional stunt…

 

 

Oh no, watch out for that Alpine Godzilla!

 

Partial song lyrics from: Blue Oyster Cult’s Godzilla; 1977 Spectre Album. 

Stop the Hating!

Will we ever progress our behaviour as Humans. Or just continue being Neanderthals?

 

Had been planning on scribblin’ about this sometime early this season, after last years dearth of irreprehensible behaviour! But thanks to Daniel Dye, it came front ‘n center no less then upon St Patrick’s Day.

 

As I thoroughly applaud NASCAR and Kaulig Racing’s swift decision to suspend Dye indefinitely! For making a grotesque comment towards David Malukas, over the “Desert Double” NASCAR-IndyCar weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

 

As Craftsman Truck Series driver Daniel Dye was rightly suspended indefinitely for His mocking of Team Penske driver David Malukas when opening trading cards. Making His voice a much higher pitch and smearing Malukas’s sexuality. Calling Him you know what!

 

This follows on the heels of last year’s irreprehensible behaviour towards Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Jack Doohan. Not to mention Zak Brown’s really bad and inexcusable joke regarding His wife!

 

Antonelli received Death Threats after Max Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase inferred the rookie Italian driver had let Lando Norris pass Him at the end of the Qatar Grand Prix in order to insure a Mercedes powered driver won the Formula 1 World Championship, Balderdash!

 

Of course Lambiase’s cryptic comment “Looks like He just pulled over and let Lando thru”, with one lap remaining was preposterous! Before Helmut Marco joined the fray. Pronouncing that Antonelli had let McLaren drivers by twice in the race, including Oscar Piastri earlier…

 

Naturally, this was complete rubbish! As Antonelli simply made a mistake and slid wide under the pressure of trying to secure a podium position and hold off Norris for fourth place.

 

Yes, I was disappointed over the extra two points Norris garnered, which eventually led to His securing His drivers title. But I never thought Kimi had done that on purpose.

 

Lambiase and Red Bull subsequently issues public apologies regarding this accusation, but the damage had been done!

 

Next, former Alpine F1 driver Jack Doohan joined Antonelli in blocking His social media account in December, after receiving vulgar harassment by “vile Trolls”. Following the Aussie’s three nearly identical crashes at Degner corner over three successive days testing a Super formula car at Suzuka.

 

Then there was Zak Brown’s bizarre speech at the McLaren team’s end of season meeting, where He told a really bad joke about His wife Tracy, when thanking family.

 

“We've been married 26 years, see the black eye? Like I said, we've been married 26 years,' Brown said.

‘No, I am joking, the dog hit her this morning.”

 

Reportedly Oscar Piastri couldn’t stomach the Domestic Violence joke and simply staired down at His feet as the smile left His face!

 

Not to mention the Aussie’ was firmly in Brown’s crosshairs during His bizarre rant…

 

And this doesn’t even include the vulgar abuse Callum Ilott was forced to endure not once, but twice when driving for Juncos Hollinger Racing.

 

As the team, specifically Ricardo Juncos and Agustin Canapino did little to quell the social media abuse seemingly the Argentine Fan base directed towards Ilott!

 

Then just learning that Esteban Ocon suffered a similar fate after His collision with Franco Colapinto during the Chinese Grand Prix.

 

Although Ocon fully took responsibility for the crash, and Colapinto raced to a tenth place finish. (scoring one point) Argentinians once again took to torching Ocon on social Media, including Death Threats!

 

While somehow I suspect that none of Ollie Bearman’s Fans will be attacking Franco Colapinto for causing the Haas driver’s massive shunt at suzuka when His Alpine began “Harvesting” in the corner.

 

While don’t forget about Kyle Larson and Juri Vips past transgressions…

 

Like the immortal Rodney King said: “Can’t we just All get along?” 

Barkley Towers Over Indianapolis

The Mother of All Airships! (The Tomaso Collection)

 

Who said the “Round Mound of Rebound” isn’t a role model?

 

This Blimp, Err Airship was recently spotted hovering over Downtown Indianapolis, in search of the Brickyard.

 

Officially known as the Sir Charles-1. The Barkley Blimp better known as “Chuck One”, at over 900 feet long Dirigible is a highly maneuverable Airship filled with nitrogen and powered by two Lycoming IO-360-L2A turbofan engines. With a top speed of nine knots.

 

As Chuck One was doing practice runs this March in preparations for providing the exclusive aerial coverage of the upcoming 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. Since after all, it’s not what’s in your ever shrinking wallet, but who can provide the best aerial coverage!

 

Goodyear Spokesman Jesse Ventura said although the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company had provided aerial coverage at the Speedway for nearly one hundred years with its “Wing Wonders”. The Akron based company would focus upon providing aerial coverage for its core business instead.

 

Stating the fuel cost is just too expensive too send our Wingfoot-1 from Charolotte to Indianapolis anymore…

 

Photo C/O No Fenders Offical’ Photographer CARPETS’