Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Alonso Sweepstakes are over, Finally...



No Fenders "B-Team" Tomaso & Claudio poses with two thirds of the eventual 2015 McLaren F1 Driver line-up at Austin Fan Fest, 2014. (The Tomaso Collection)
Ho-hum, thought if thy 'Ronster, aka Ron Dennis can Dither 'N Slither 'round upon making 'JENSE and MAGS JR' wait 'N wait to find out who'd be "Fredrico Suave's" (Fred Alonso) team-mate at McLaren,  then so could I lolly-gag upon posting this; Hya!


Personally I wanted Button to stay on, although it'd be at the expense of Kevin "Bacon" Magnussen, who'll stay on as McLaren's "Simulator Jockey," i.e.; Test & Reserve Driver, although as one F1 Hack' pointed out, the 'Dane will be pressed by rising McLaren talent and GP2 runner-up Stoffel Vandoorne...


Interestingly, Button's new contract is for a further two years, which makes me wonder how long MAGS JR' will stick around in hopes of returning to racing in Formula 1?

As 2yrs is an eternity in F1, although I can wildly speculate, eh? As it would seem logical that Hondre' (Honda) would wish to spread out its costs by supplying a second F1 team, which I think Haas Formula would be the ideal candidate. As it would be good for the sport, Americre' and Honda could solidify its Open Wheel Racing stature Stateside... Just Sayin' - with Uhm? One of the race seats going to the aforementioned Magnussen?

And cannot say how funny I found I-T that Fernando's 'Mega 5'O-Clock shadow; Err beard jumped out at Mwah whilst watching the video... As I thought that Ron Dennis was a clean shaven type 'O guy and frowned upon facial hair...

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Why does F1 always tinker with Controversy?



Hadn't had a chance to scribble 'bout this, although I thought Grizzled Journo' Joe Saward put it so eloquently in his recent Podcast last year, which is definitely worth a listen, albeit I cannot seem to find I-T upon Zed Internetz...


As one of the many issues Joe tackled was the rumoured, or proposed? Attempts for the B-I-G Teams to once again try flexing their muscles in regards to allow "Customer Teams" back into the fold of Formula 1, as Joe worries over the utilization of intellectual property rights, specifically to make Formula 1 chassis on the quick 'N cheap! Albeit I think this has already been done before, which I scribbled 'bout 'Wayback in 'Twenty-oh-Six; YIKES!


All I can say about Uncle Bernaughty's twisted behaviour over watching the sports minnows die slowly by twisting in the wind, as its par for the course of his F1 Darwinism, and general philosophy over life on whole; as 'Wayback just days prior to last year's Thanksgiving, as I was pulling chicken off the bone I pondered to myself, do you think Mister E EVER gets his hands dirty doing such domestic tasks, eh? but I digress...


 


Do I expect the sport of Formula 1 to change? HELL NO!  As its always been a power "Strudel;" Err struggle par excellence, and like the current One-per center's generation, surely Y'all don't expect them to share the wealth, right?

As perhaps the word Cartel is a bit strong; NOT! As why aren't A-L-L of the teams included? Since CVC Capital Partners seem more like The Syndicate and Ecclestone simply their mouthpiece and Bully for you Force India, Lotus and Sauber, there's NO Begging Bowls here, and good riddance to Yuhs Marussia and Caterham, don't let the door hits Yuh; Oh Never Mind! Since as thy "Wee Willie Buxom (Will Buxton) notes;


And while I understand the sport needs to continuously change, if nothing else for appearance sake, as far as I can tell, from another overly long, languishing story here in Nofendersville, the last time a team was permitted to run a third car was 'Wayback in 1985 when le Reggie, aka Renault ran a third chassis with Francois Hesnault at the wheel in order to evaluate in-car camera technologies during that year's French Grand Prix...

Having been a fan of thee pinnacle 'O motorsports, nee Formula 1 for nearly 30yrs now, what's always drawn me to the sport is the fact that each and every F1 team contesting the championship needed to be their own Constructor, nee produce their own unique chassis!

Do I want to see a manipulated grid of 20, 22 cars made up unfairly of the B-I-G' teams selected entries; FUCK NO! As this seems arbitrary at least, not to mention A-L-L of the unfair advantages it would produce, since in reality, filling the field with 20-22 car grids simply to keep Bernie Ecclestone and his masters from breach of contract and ultimately having to  take a pay cut, i.e.; lose or refund money seems like the ultimate form of Hypocrisy!

For humour, if the "Big-4," i.e.; Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren were forced; Err enticed to provide a third car for Uncle Bernaughty's sake; Uhm, I meant for full grids so the F1 looked healthy on TV, then how would the championship points be awarded?

As I think these third car "Interlopers" shouldn't be eligible points scorers, but, I see three immediate problems with that. First, I'd presume that the entities supplying another car at millions of pounds each, would say what's the BLEEPIN' point? Secondly, this would be 'Uber confusing for the "Casual Fan" or HELL, everybody; like the third place car really isn't in third place, and lastly, it would only cheapen  the field and degrade the Formula 1 product. Like how can you say it's the pinnacle if they're running bastardized "Super GP2" cars? Or as Felipe Massa eludes to, would we really want the championship decided in June due to the continuous lock-up of the podium by Mercedes?


And although I still enjoy IndyCar, and at least it's got two different engine manufacturer's, currently, it seems a large shell of its former Glory Dazes, when I could name five independent chassis suppliers along with four individual engine providers... As does Formula 1 truly wish to become another "Spec-series" littering the landscape of single seater racing?

Now I know part of IndyCar's argument for multiple chassis  suppliers is cost, which is the true underlying problem of F1 at the moment, yet are Hulman & Co guilty of not re-investing into the sport's property a la Formula 1? And is the reason today's youth generation isn't interested partially a result of the cost and not seeing how a  multi-billion industry, nee F1 benefits them indirectly?

Then again, I suppose we could say 'RASSCAR'S  a "spec-series," or is I-T? since I don't follow it, I have NO idea if the teams are actually building their own chassis or not? As its largely an entertainment derived product with its circus side Freak Shows.

While it's funny hearing how that now IndyCar's supposedly going to finally unleash those 'Uber swooshy looking Aurora AFX "Body by Mennen" Aerokits;

Hmm? How many year's late now? And have they've been given too much freedom,  as rumoors  abounded that the Aerokits are producing too much downforce which is wreaking havoc upon the spec Dallara DW12 chassis...

So go ahead Formula 1, let Uncle Bernaughty, and more importantly, CVC have their way by allowing this "Dudley duo" to continue milking the golden goose... And ultimately become just like the others, a watered down "Spec" racing series for which nobody knows what's so special about this mythical pinnacle of motorsports royalty...

And that's before we even get to the point about what happens when "Deeter Majestik" of Red bull gets tired of F1, or Mercedes head honcho Dr. Z says the company's not getting a good enough return on investment, or any of the "Big Hitters" walk away and leave F1 floundering without a healthy competitive field a la Honda, Toyota and BMW all bailing back in 2008: Oh Never Mind!

Saturday, January 24, 2015

ROLEX 24: Roar Before 24 Entry list revealed, Open Wheel Racing Drivers abound...



Just four scant days before the Pre-Rolex 24 Roar Before Daytona weekend commenced, the Pre-Rolex 24 entry list was finally revealed, making me re-think my overall winners choices, as the Starworks No. 7 with RHR, (Ryan Hunter-Reay) and 'Rubino (Rubens Barrichello) creeps  across my mind. As I'd ARSE-sume this will most likely be the actual races entry list too, or should be fairly close...


While I also didn't do too bad upon my research for Open Wheel Racing talents contesting this year's Rolex 24, having "sussed" out my info pre Roar Before 24; for which Racer's Marshall Pruett wrote about greater detail in;