Monthly Archives: July 2011

Jenson’s Finest Race

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On Sunday, Jenson Button will make his 200th Grand Prix Start. The Frome Flyer has had some very memorable races in his eleven years in the sport, but which was his best out of his 199 to date? Today to put their cases forward for their favourites, I’m delighted to welcome @Miss_F1 and returning for his second appearance on Marshall GP’s weekly debate @SebbyHaughtonf1. Please vote in the poll at the end of the debate. If your favourite isn’t there, please add it in the comment box below.

First up is @Miss_F1 - Hungary 2006

Jenson Button will this weekend, compete in his 200th grand prix. To date, Jenson has won ten races during his F1 career. But his first win was in 2006, at a wet Hungaroring, in a Honda no less.

The weekend started badly after a 10-place grid penalty for an engine change which left him in 14th. Myself, and I’m sure many others would agree, there looked to be little hope for the Brit to grace the top spot on the podium. How wrong we were…

The track was inundated with heavy rain allowing Button to quite easily pass many of his competitors in the early stages of the race on the Michelin tyre. By lap 10, Button was already in fourth. Button struck gold when front runners Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso retired from the race.

Raikkonen crashed into the back of Liuzzi’s Toro Rosso leading to the safety car to enter the track. Alonso’s substantial lead at the front, was obliterated. This paved the way for Button to take advantage and keep up with the Renault. Both drivers needed to pit for a second time but it was Button who came in first but only to re-fuel, whilst Alonso created a gap on a drying track. However, once Alonso pitted, his exit from the pits lost him the race after a wheelnut was insecurely fastened gifting the lead, and ultimately the win, to Button. For his final pit stop, Button finally changed to dry tyres and was able to cruise to the end.

With a combination of luck, correct tactics and talent, the underrated master of the rain went on to win the race with a lead of over half a minute. He was then followed by podium newbies, Pedro de la Rosa in 2nd and Nick Heidfeld in 3rd.

To read more from  @Miss_F1 visit her new blog at http://f1musings.wordpress.com/

Next up is @SebbyHaughtonf1 - Canada 2011

This weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix will be Jenson Button’s 200th Grand Prix. A career full with great drives in half-a-dozen different cars. However the drive that sticks out for me is the Canadian Grand Prix in 2011, driving for McLaren-Mercedes.

Where do we start? He started 7th & didn’t have a good start and ended up duelling with his team-mate (Lewis Hamilton), who went for a gap that wasn’t there, and ended up crashing out, with Button surviving the collision but having to go into the pits. He made up places before a driver through penalty for speeding behind the safety car dropped him down again. He made up ground on the intermediate tyres after his 3rd trip through the pits, including passing both Renaults.

But when the race was stopped, Button was down in 12th. The race started again & he was in the pits again for intermediates again (because you have to be on full wets on a wet-safety car start). Jenson was early to do this, and gained places & was challenging 8th placed Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard came out of the pits; going into turn 3, Alonso went to close the door but Button was already there & they touched; Alonso was bumped out of the race causing another safety car & Button with a puncture was down in last (21st).

The fight back was now on. He passed cars like there was no tomorrow, like he was fighting for a title, passing Adrian Sutil & Pastor Maldonado in one corner, before going into the pits a lap earlier for slicks to get the under-cut. It worked & he knew where the grip was; he was passing the Renaults, Massa & Kobayashi & was 4th before another safety car backed the top 4 up. There were now just 5 laps left; he took advantage of Mark Webber missing the final chicane before using DRS to pass Michael Schumacher & then catching Sebastian Vettel. On the last lap, he pushed Vettel into a mistake & took the lead! He went on to win the Grand Prix.

No race of Jenson’s can beat that, surely?

To read more from  @SebbyHaughtonf1 visit his blog here  http://sebastianhaughtonf1.wordpress.com/

And finally @MarshallGP - Brazil 2009    

For me, Jenson’s greatest race wasn’t one that he won. It was the race that clinched him the world championship, Brazil 2009.

Jenson’s qualifying was compromised by a wrong tyre choice in Q2 which saw the champion elect start from a lowly 14th. To add to the pressure, his team-mate and closest championship rival was on pole position in front of his home support.

Button made a good start, managing to avoid several first lap collisions ahead of him and was running in 9th by the end of the first lap. Jenson started to pick his way through the traffic pulling off a great move on Grosjean around the outside of turn 6 before taking Nakajima into T1. Next up was the impressive debutant Kobayashi who frustrated Button for several laps. After eventually clearing him again into T1, Button started to gain good ground on his one stop strategy, leapfrogging several two stop runners in the process.

Coming into the closing stages of the race Button passed Kovalainen when he made his final stop and one more lunge into T1 on the Torro Rosso of Buemi had elevated him into 5th. With title rival Barrichello unable to capitalise on his pole position (eventually finishing 8th after a puncture), the pressure was off for the final laps and Jenson duly crossed the line in fifth position to become world champion.

I can’t remember who said it but this summed it up for me “A drive worthy of a world championship!” After being on the back foot for most of the second half of the year and with the pressure reaching boiling point. To produce a drive like that, throwing caution to the wind to claim the ultimate prize is why I regard this as his finest race.

An Open Letter to Bernie Ecclestone

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Dear Mr. Ecclestone,

I would like to thank you for the many years of enjoyment that I’ve had watching Formula 1. My first real memory of F1 was my parent’s hosting a barbeque in the summer of 1988 with some family friends, I was being constantly told to come out side and stop watching the television. I didn’t want to because the British Grand Prix was on! I was ten at the time, neither of my parents were motor sports fans, nor were any of my friends but there was something special happening on that TV for me, something that I must have stumbled across while Grandstand was on I guess?

My Dad used to collect Tiger tokens from the local Esso garage, during 1992, when I was 14. I asked my dad if I could use some of these tokens to buy some VHS cassettes so I could tape all the races (a collection I still have to this day) so I didn’t miss a thing and could watch it again to my heart’s content.

As I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, I’m not just a fan who turns the TV on in time for the start of the race. Now, at the age of 33, it’s fair to say that Formula one is a passion of mine for many years, so much so that I write my own F1 blog as a hobby.

After reading the details of this morning’s announcement and getting over the initial shock. I started to think how different my life could be if back in the 80s F1 wasn’t on free to air TV? I’m sure I’d still be a motor sports fan, most likely following the British Touring Car Championship being the other live free to air racing on at the same time.

Names like Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell wouldn’t have the same meaning to me, let alone be my sporting Idols. I’d probably keep a glancing eye on it as I do on the World Rally Championship or Indycar.

Having football on pay TV isn’t the same as F1. If want to go and watch my team I know they will be playing a couple of miles down the road. Kids will always have that local exposure, the same can’t be said about F1.

I know for the short term, dedicated F1 fans will have to dig deep to continue to follow the sport we love. I hope this doesn’t rob the ‘new ten year old me’ of the same magical moment to start their own lifelong passion with Formula 1 in the future.

Yours sincerely

Gary Marshall

Jenson Button 200 not out 2006 – 2011

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This weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix marks Jenson Buttons 200th Grand Prix. To mark this milestone I’ll be taking a look at his F1 career to date, today 2006 – 2011

2006

Honda completed the buyout of the remaining shares from BAR during the winter, rebranding the outfit, Honda Racing F1. Jenson was quoted at the time saying   ”Honda buying the team is amazing news and really shows their commitment to winning the world championship”

Jenson got his new employers off to a good start with a fourth and third place finishes at the first two rounds before putting his Honda on pole for the third round in Australia. He was on for another decent points finish before his engine let go on the last corner of the last lap. The early season promise tailed off going into the European races; a string of low to no points finishes and DNFs.

Things were looking to be going from bad to worse by the time the teams arrived in Hungary. An engine change had cost Jenson a ten place grid penalty, dropping him down to fourteenth on the grid. In a race affected by heavy rain in the early stages, the track bagan to dry out and Jenson began to move his way through the traffic. His cause was helped by the retirements of Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso but Jenson took the lead and went on to win by over half a minute. It had taken him 113 races but Jenson was finally a race winner. He followed this up with more strong points finishes in the final races for the year finishing a credible 6th in the championship with 56 points.

2007/2008

Due to a karting accident during the winter, Jenson was unable to take part in pre-season testing, putting him on the back foot going into the opening round. The car however would prove to more of a handicap than his pre-season injuries. A poor aero package left the car with chronic understeer. The result was three points finishes, 6 points and a lowly fifteenth in the Championship.

2008 was ever worse for the Frome Flyer! Sixth place at the Spanish GP was the only points paying outing of the year.

Honda announced on 5th December that they were pulling out of Formula 1 due to the global economic crisis.

2009

With the whole team’s future hanging in the balance, Ross Brawn and Nick Fry lead a management buyout of the team from the Japanese manufacturer and duly turned up at the final test of the winter with an untried car, fitted with a Mercedes engine. After his first run, he returned to the pits to report that the car didn’t feel that bad! His engineers then informed him that he had just gone seven tenths faster than anyone else. This turned out to be no fluke, Jenson put his Brawn on pole for the first race in Australia and converted it into a lights to flag victory. He went on to win six out of the first seven races giving him a commanding lead going into his home race at Silverstone. By this time the likes of McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari were hot on their heels who all now had their own version of the ‘double diffuser’.

Jenson seemed to be feeling the pressure of leading the championship by this point, his performances, especially in qualifying were significantly suffering. Martin Brundle commented “He has tightened up in the car and his natural instincts behind the wheel are being restricted.” Although he was still consistently finishing in the points (his only DNF coming at Spa), his team-mate Barrichello and the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel were closing in on his lead and with only three races to go, his lead over Barichello was down to just 15 points with thirty up for grabs. Japan was a race to forget for both Brawns with Barrichello heading Button home in a 7/8 finish.

With two rounds to go Jenson’s weekend got off to a very poor start in Brazil when a wrong tyre choice in qualifying left him starting down in fourteenth. To make matters worse, team-mate and closest championship rival was on pole.

Jenson went on to produce a performance worthy of a world champion making his way up to fifth and went on to wrap up the driver’s championship with a round to spare after Rubens finished down in eighth after picking up a puncture following contact with Hamilton.

2010

With Brawn GP being bought out by Mercedes, thing were looking up for the Brackley based team and most thought Jenson would sign a new deal with the team that had given him world championship winning machinery. Jenson surprised many by joining McLaren instead, joining Lewis Hamilton in ‘his team’. Jenson said he wanted to test himself against the best and to give himself a new challenge.

After a low key start in Bahrain, Jenson once again showed his brilliance in changeable conditions to win his first race for his new team. This was followed up two races later with another win in the wet in China. Jenson was in the hunt again for the title right up to three races to go but a twelfth place finish in the inaugural Korean GP saw him give up the defence of his title, eventually finishing fifth with 214 points.

2011

Jenson has had a consistent start to this season, albeit being in the shadow of the Red Bulls. Never finishing outside the top six in the first eight races including three trips to the lowers steps of the podium and one to the top step. In Canada, starting seventh on a wet track, Jenson’s race didn’t get off to the best start, colliding with team-mate Hamilton forcing him out of the race. Incurring a drive through penalty for speeding under the safety car didn’t do much for his chances as did picking up a puncture after colliding with Alonso left him dead last. Jenson had made a total of twenty-six on-track passes to put himself on Leaders Vettel’s gear box going into the last lap. A rare mistake by the German gifted the lead to Button with half a lap to go to elevate him to the top spot. Jenson goes into his 200th Grand Prix weekend off of the back of two DNF’s in Germany and Britain. Hungary has only seen one wet race in the 26 years of the event. That was Buttons first win, the weather in the region looks unsettled again this weekend so wouldn’t it be nice to see him on the top step at Hungary once again.

Happy 200th race weekend Jenson.

Jenson Button 200 Not Out 2000-2005

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This weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix marks Jenson Buttons 200th Grand Prix. To mark this milestone I’ll be taking a look at his F1 career to date. Jenson’s first taste of F1 machinery came in 1999 in a McLaren, his prize for winning the coveted McLaren Aurosport BRDC young driver of the year award at the end of 1998. He also tested for the Prost team before Sir Frank Williams decided to pit him against Bruno Junqueira in a ‘shootout’ and winning the battle to replace the axed Alex Zanardi as Ralf Schumacher’s team-mate for the 2000 season.

2000

Jenson made history becoming the youngest British driver to compete in F1 when he took his place on the grid for the first race in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. Despite qualifying second to last for his first race, Jenson drove an excellent race to and was looking good to pick up a point for a sixth place finish until his BMW V10 blew up with only 11 laps to go. He didn’t have to wait long to score his first point however. At the next race in Brazil, at Interlagos, Jenson picked up the point that was robbed from him in Australia, finishing Sixth. Five more points finishes were knocked up in his debut season, the highpoint coming in Germany where he finished fourth. Although Jenson had signed a three year deal with Williams. The team were eager to put 2000’s indy 500 race winner Juan Pablo Montoya in the car for 2001, buying the Columbian out of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing. After a dip in form towards the end of his debut season, Williams opted to loan out their young driver to Benetton to give him more time to develop while pairing Montoya with Ralf Schumacher.

2001

Joining the Benetton team, newly bought out by Renault, Jenson was partnered by Italian  Giancarlo Fisichella in the uncompetitive B201. Button was regularly outperformed by his more experienced team-mate and questions were starting to be asked about his commitment to the sport due to his over exuberant ‘play boy’ life style. Team boss Flavio Briatore issued him with this ultimatum “Either he shows he’s super-good or he leaves the top echelon of drivers” His season highlight, again coming at Germany with his only points finish of the season, picking up two points for fifth.

2002

Despite his poor season the year before, Jenson retained his seat at the now re-named Renault team. Jarnu Trulli was drafted in as his new team-mate and the team made good progress over the winter and headed into the season with a renewed confidence.  A DNF in the first race didn’t deter the Frome Flyer and at the second round at Sepang looked odds on to take his first podium before a suspension problem in the closing stages dropped him from third to fourth. Trulli is well renowned for his qualifying exploits so it was little surprise to see Jenson starting regularly behind the Italian on the grid. Trulli couldn’t translate his qualifying pace into consistent finishes with Button picking up seven points finishes to finish the season in seventh place in the championship, five points and one place ahead of his team-mate.

Jenson’s desire to stay with the French team had little effect on Briatore who decided to replace Button with the teams test driver, Fernando Alonso for the following season. Briatore once again calling him a “Lazy Playboy”.

2003

British American Racing was Button’s destination for 2003 where he was welcomed by team boss Dave Richards, but not so much by his new team-mate, 1997 World Champion  Jacques Villeneuve who claimed the team “had only hired him for marketing purposes.” The driver’s relations were strained further at the first race in Australia when Villeneuve stayed out a lap too long for his pit stop for fuel, forcing Button queue up behind him in the pit lane costing him vital second in the race. Villeneuve blamed a faulty radio, Button disagreed!  During practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, Jenson suffered a massive crash into the chicane after exiting the tunnel, losing control at around 180MPH, rendering him unconscious for a short time. He was held overnight in hospital for observation and missed the race, returning for the next round in Canada.

Jenson was to make Jacques eat his pre season words by consistently outperforming the ex World Champion, again with a season best finish of fourth coming in Austria and Japan.

2004  

Joined in the BAR 006 by Japanese rookie Takuma Sato, becoming a teams lead driver for the first time. He was in confident mood ahead of the season opener after an impressive winter testing programme “This year I could be a front-runner. We want to run alongside the top teams. I want to be consistently in the points and on the podium.”Jenson was to go on to have by far his best season to date, scoring his first career podium at the second round in Malaysia and followed it up two weeks later in Bahrain to bank back to back third place finishes. In a season dominated by the Ferrari’s of Schumacher and Barrichello, Jenson went on to score points in every race he finished, only failing to see the chequered flag on 3 occasions to finish 3rd in the driver’s championship with 85 points and helping BAR finish second in the constructors championship.

2005

During the latter half of 2004, Jenson was embroiled in a contract dispute Between Williams and BAR, The dispute went to Formula One’s Contract Recognition Board, who ruled in favour of BAR ‘forcing’ Jenson to stay. During the winter Honda bought a 45% stake in the team, Dave Richards went as team principle as a result being replaced by Nick Fry. None of this seemed  to have a positive effect on the resulting BAR 007. A lacklustre 11th followed by two retirement wasn’t anything like the team were expecting but things were going to get far worse for the team and Button at San Marino. After finishing third, the race stewards found the team’s cars to have a second fuel tank hidden within the main tank. As is the norm after the race, the cars are drained of fuel to make sure they meet the minimum weight requirements. After the second tank was drained, the cars were found to be over 5kg under weight. The FIA acted, stripping Button and Sato of their points from the race and banning the team for the following two races. Jenson and the team were again forced not to race in the US GP along with most of the grid after safety concerns from tyre supplier, Michelin. Jenson did manage to make the podium twice towards the end of the year at Germany and Belgium but 9th in the driver’s championship and only 37 point, it was a year to forget by enlarge.

Coming Up This Week

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There’s no blog as such today but the rest of the week is very busy so I thought I’d give you all a little preview in what’s in-store!

To celebrate Jenson Button reaching his 200th Grand Prix, I’ll be looking back over his Formula 1 career in a two part article over Wednesday and Thursday charting his decade in F1. On Friday, the weekly debate will be on Jenson Buttons greatest race, where I will be joined by @Miss_F1 and returning for his second appearance as a panellist is @SebbyHaughtonf1 to put our cases forward for three great drives by the 2009 World Champion.

Also tomorrow sees the release of Final Sectors third race preview ezine. Follow  @Finalsectormag to be among the first to read the latest edition.

 

 

Alonso’s Plan to Catch A Bull

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What was Fernando Alonso doing the week before the German Grand Prix? I don’t know, but I would hazard a guess that he took a trip back to his homeland to see how the towns folk of Pamplona deal with being charged at by raging bulls (albeit real bulls not cars called Red Bulls). Never the less it’s the Encierro or ‘running of the bulls’ participants mentality that the Spaniard has seemed to have adopted after another fine showing in Germany, finishing second to Lewis Hamilton.

In the bull run, the objective is…well quite obvious to stay alive by not being trampled by the marauding beasts! The best way of not being trampled to death is by staying ahead of the bulls and keep as many bodies between yourself and the bulls for added protection. A strategy Alonso seems to have in mind “We have a small chance to recover the gap in the Championship, if we do races like this, we are on the podium and he isn’t,” he said.

“To have that combination in our case, we need the best possible performance from our team-mates, in my case, we need the best McLaren performance as well, to see the McLarens very, very strong and taking points from Red Bull.”

This means Alonso will have to be on the top of his game for the remainder of the season if his closest rivals are also going to have a car capable of beating the Red Bulls, and Webber of course to do what he can until the obvious “maintain the gap” call comes over the team’s radio.

Not everyone can run the encierro. It requires cool nerves, quick reflexes and a good level of physical fitness. Anyone who does not have these three should not take part. It is a highly risky enterprise. Bearing this in mind I’m sure Fernando would love to see a competitive Renault up there in the hand of his own title wrecker last year, Vitaly Petrov, who once again giving Button a master class in defensive driving at the Nurburgring.

Even if Ferrari and McLaren can steal a march on Red Bull in the second half of the year, we would surely see a repeat of 2009 when by half distance Button had an almost unassailable lead. Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull took points off of each other and Button eventually took the title in Brazil with a race to spare despite not winning another race.

The fat lady hasn’t sung yet on this year’s championship, even with Alonso’s optimism and ‘bullish’ attitude. I think she is definitely rehearsing with a few warm ups.

(Team) Lotus Versus (Group) Lotus The Outcome?

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An outcome is on the cards? No, not yet any way. During my (internet less) week away I have been devoid of all Formula 1 news and gossip so you could imagine my delight when Thursday came so I could catch up with AutoSport!

One story in particular caught my eye (which I will come to later) as it fits in quite perfectly with how I see this whole saga ending.

Assuming Group Lotus lose their appeal against their ‘victory’ in the High Court and Tony Fernandez is able to continue to use the Team Lotus name, things could get a little expensive for Group Lotus and chairman, Danny Bahar.

Tony Fernandez, to me has seemed to be two steps ahead of his rivals throughout this whole sorry affair. A merchandise infringement on Fernandez’s behalf lead to the initial revoking of the Lotus Racing licence, but the way he has conducted and positioned himself in the ensuing drama has left me with nothing but Admiration for him.

With Fernandez holding the ‘top trump’ card in being able to call their chassis Lotus, Danny Bahar and Group Lotus’s F1 ambitious plans are hanging by a thread. The Team Lotus name will now fetch a premium price, a price Group Lotus and Parent Company Proton if they want to see through on what would be a very expensive u-turn.

Rumours have been circulating for quite some time about Renaults (the Engine supplier) continued supply of their V8’s to the team that bare their name. Some sources have suggested that the team hasn’t got the budget to renew the deal. These Rumours grew stronger with last week’s announcement that Williams were to rekindle their infamous partnership with Renault that brought the pair so much success during the nineties.

The official word from Renault is that they have been looking to supply a fourth team, and although the FIA regulations stipulate any engine manufacturer can only supply three teams at any one time, the claim to have special dispensation to do so.

When these rumour first started, I joked that we could end up with a team called Lotus Renault Cosworth on the grid, as that seemed the only power option if Renault pulled the plug on the current deal. This is hardly the grand return to the sport that Danny Bahar had envisaged and the reason why he didn’t back Tony Fernandez in the first place.

Reading some quotes tonight (Thursday) from Cosworth, Mr. Bahar may have found the carrot he needs to dangle in front of Proton to back him further. Cosworth general manager Mark Gallagher told Autosport “There are several independent teams out there whose relationship with their current suppliers maybe have a question mark over them.” The USP for Proton/Group Lotus is Cosworths willingness to re-badge their engines, especially under the change to V6 power from 2014 “We have made no secret of the fact that we have ambitions to see a car manufacturers name aligned with us, we are agnostic about the Cosworth name being on our engine.”

Will the opportunity to have either a re-named Lotus or Proton engine be leverage enough to pay Tony Fernandez the considerable amount he would now be asking for the Team Lotus name?

Fernandez isn’t stupid, now he has purchased Caterham Cars, running under the Team Lotus Banner only helps to promote a now rival brand, especially since he plans to expand the range into models that will rival the likes of the Lotus Elise.

The chance to sell the name of the team at the ‘right’ price coupled with the opportunity to re-band his team under his own car companies name seems (to me) to be too good an opportunity to miss.

Danny Bahar has been bullish from the very first day he joined Group Lotus about returning the Lotus name to the sport, it would seem to have turned out to be more expensive than first thought but if Bahar can convince the Malaysian government backed Proton to further invest in his ambitious plans, he could have what he set out for.

And everyone’s happy?

Holiday Break

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Just a quick note to say that I’m away from today (Sat 16th – Sun 24th) When blogging will resume. I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has took the time to read, vote and contributed in the first six weeks of my blog.

In the mean time please read the excellent new Grand Prix preview ezine http://www.finalsectormag.com/ for who I’ve started writing for from the German race. Follow  @finalsectormag and @finalsector for information on the time of the publication.

Which Old Circuit Should Make a Come Back?

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Formula One has lost many circuits over the years some were main stays of the championship for years others only flirting briefly with the sport. But which one would we most like to see back on the Calendar? Today’s guests, championing their favourite tracks are @GregoryHainesF1. Motorsports editor at  http://www.gpupdate.net. Next up we have @Jimmyb_84 . motorsports reporter for http://www.motorstv.co.uk  .  

@GregoryHainesF1 : Bring Back the Red Bull Ring

Nowadays in Formula 1, debates tend to revolve around which tracks could be removed from the calendar to allow space for brand-new, Hermann Tilke-designed super circuits spanning all four corners of the globe. We already know, for instance, that facilities in India, the Unites States and Russia will be joining the calendar over the course of the next two years.

Another thing we frequently hear of is which classic venue one would return to – be it the original Nürburgring, Monza’s banked oval or our very own Brands Hatch. But what about the Red Bull Ring? Formerly known as the A1-Ring and (before that) the Osterreichring, the exciting thing about Austria’s only ever Grand Prix setting is that it could actually be back sooner than we think.

If you want pure battles, the track set in the picturesque Styrian mountains never failed to deliver. It’s got all you need for a wonderful motor race: the scenery, the drastic elevation changes, tight bends and fast sweepers. It also houses no more than eight corners. Yes, eight. Not like the generally unpopular Valencia Street Circuit which (officially) sports no less than 25 bends and is too stop-start in its nature.

The Red Bull Ring’s great selection of ups, downs and curves mean the lap actually flows. So cars can follow each other closely but won’t ever be a sitting duck, as there’s no overtake-aiding hairpin in sight. It allows for the close competition we all crave but without the slam dunk-style passes.

Talking of Valencia, you must remember that Spain’s chances for a second F1 race were boosted by ‘Alonso Mania’. So how fantastic is the thought that the Austrian track is owned by Dietrich Mateschitz – the same man whose name is behind the cars currently leading the championship.

@Jimmyb_84 : Bring Back the Old Hockenhiemring

I think this old circuit should be put back on the F1 calendar because-well it’s quite simple, because it’s dangerous. That is what makes Monaco and Spa brilliant tracks.

We watch F1 because of the speed and the danger that 22 drivers face every time they strap themselves in their cars. No one likes to see a driver getting injured or worse but if we’re honest, it’s the only reason we watch it because something might happen, Hockenhiemring had that in abundance.

After an epic Grand Prix in 2000 at the circuit where Barrichello won the race from 18th on the grid in changeable weather conditions, this seemed to be a problem for the FIA as all the overtaking had taken place away from the majority of fans. My solution would be-build stands where overtaking is possible it’s not brain science.

There was nothing wrong with the track-it wasn’t broke so they didn’t need to fix it (or make it worse) that danger has now gone from the venue. I want the old one back; we need that speed, a proper engine test and finally the search for the perfect setup on such a demanding track, a proper car killer.  We can’t have INDYCAR claiming to be the fastest motor sport on earth; we need this legendary circuit back on to shut them up. David Coulthard reached a speed of 224.8mph (361.8km/h) on the mile long straight we need that back! @Jimmyb_84 also has a new blog, read it here http://jamesfostermotorsportworld.blogspot.com

@MarshallGP : Bring Back Donington Park

To be honest, it took me a while to settle on Donington Park as my subject for this debate as I don’t want to take the British Grand Prix away from Silverstone. Then it dawned on me! The San Marino Grand Prix was at Imola (Italy), the Swiss race was at Dijon (France) and the Luxembourg Grand Prix was at the Nurburgring (Germany)

So I give to you the Isle of Mann Grand Prix at Donington Park! Donington Park deserves to be back on the race calendar for many reasons, The quality for the last (and only) race there in 1993 was an absolute classic and perhaps Ayrton Senna’s finest drive, but you don’t need me to tell you all about that.

It was the dream of the late Tom Wheatcroft to bring Formula 1 to Donington and although the circuit only hosted the European round of the championship for one year, he never gave up the hope of F1 returning.

Donington has been the scene of some great racing over the years thanks to its undulating landscape and one of the most challenging complex of corners in world motorsports. Speaking from experience the run down from the first corner, down through Hollywood and the Craner Curves towards the old hairpin is one of the most adrenalin pumping things you can do without jumping out of a plane.

I’ve visited Donington many times, watching touring cars, historic racing, World series by Renault or just to take a look around the museum. The one thing I’d like to see more than anything else would be another Grand Prix. The British fans deserve it, if there is a country in the world who’s fans can support two races it’s ours. Tom Wheatcroft’s memory deserves it and the circuit deserves it. So come on Bernie give Donington (and the Isle of Mann) a chance.

 

Hall of Fame – Graham Hill

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I am an artist. The track is my canvas, and the car is my brush.

You would think that a double World Champion of Hill calibre would have been racing anything and anything from an early age. Graham however didn’t pass his driving test until he was 24!

Hill’s first taste of motor sport came in 1953 when he paid five shillings to drive some laps in a F3 cooper. Hill was bitten by the racing bug and was soon employed by Colin Chapman at Team Lotus working as a trainee mechanic, also earning himself the occasional drive for the team.

By 1958 Team Lotus and Hill made the step up to Formula 1, debuting  at the Monaco Grand Prix, a race he would go on to win five times in his career. A drive shaft failure cut short his first race. Many more failures and an under performing car over the first two years left the ambitious Hill looking elsewhere for a drive.

The 1960 season saw hill switch to the Bourne based BRM team, unfortunately for Hill the first two years with his new team yielded as many retirements as he had with Team lotus. The one highlight came at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix where he claimed his first Podium of his career. In 1962 things came together at BRM, their car wasn’t only reliable now but fast as well. Hill took four wins (Holland, Germany, Italy and South Africa) on his way to his first World Drivers Championship.

Hill’s performances on track had earned him the respect of his peers and his quick wit and charm also made him a huge hit with the Media, featuring regularly on the chat shows of the time. Hill was riding the crest of a wave but couldn’t quite replicate his title success finishing in the runners-up spot in the following three years.

1966 saw Hill first win less year since 1961 and after finishing a lowly fifth in the championship, Graham decided the only way forward was to go backwards, to Team Lotus. This was a brave move as he was joining Jim Clarke in ‘his team’ at the height of his powers. Although 1967 was a frustrating year for Hill on track. He and Clarke were busy developing the Lotus 49. After a one – two finish in its debut in South Africa the stage was set for a fascinating battle between the two Lotus team mates.

Two tragedies hit the team early in the season, first, Jim Clarke lost his life in a F2 race at Hockenheim, shortly followed by Mike Spence at Indianapolis. Colin Chapman was notorious for building cars on the edge of what was considered safe, always pushing for further developments to gain that crucial advantage over his rivals.

Hill showed his strength of character by leading the team through those dark days, going on to claim three wins on his way to his second World Drivers Title. Hill’s last win came in 1969 at the circuit that he made his own, Monaco. His record five wins earned him the nick name Mr. Monaco.

The beginning of the end of his career came at the ’69 USGP Hill spun off and Stalled the car, he jumped out to push start the car and rejoined the race, before he had chance to fasten his seatbelt, a puncture pitched the car into the banking, throwing him from the car breaking his right knee and dislocating his left knee. Although Hill recovered from the injuries, his F1 career didn’t Hill continued racing for six further years but couldn’t recapture his past glories.

Away from F1(even though at the same time) Graham was part of the British invasion at the Indy 500. Hill won the famous race in 1966 driving a Lola Ford. He started fifteenth and only lead ten laps out of the 200 lap race.

Golf and Tennis has the Major tournaments, the 3/4 championships that mean the most to the competitors. In the ’60s and 70′s drivers were looking to take the triple crown. Monaco GP, Indy 500 and Le Mans. With five Monaco victories under his belt and the 1966 Indy 500 win, only Le Mans remained.

In 1972 Hill teamed up with Henri Pescarolo in the Mantra sports team. They went on to win the race covering 344 laps of the circuit in the 24 hours. Graham Hill was the first and still to this day the only driver to win all three triple crown events. The only current driver who could join him is Juan Pablo Montoya (Indy 500, 2000 and Monaco GP 2003)

Graham was killed in 1975 when a plane he was piloting crashed in heavy fog returning from Paul Ricard in France, several members of Hill racing team were killed including his young driver Tony Brise.

Graham’s iconic London rowing club colours lived on through his son, Damon who went on to become the first second generation world Champion from the same family. It may not be to long before we once again see the Hill name back in Formula 1with Damon’s son, Josh climbing the single seater ladder.