What did we learn from the British Grand Prix?
Well, we learned that Mark Webber can
drive, and hasn’t lost any of his sarcastic Aussie humor. On
his victory lap he caustically replied to his team’s
congratulations by saying, “Not bad for a number 2 driver!”
Team manager Christian Horner may be good at logistics, but
he certainly does not know how to manage people. The front
wing debacle on the Saturday in taking the wing from Webber
and giving it to Vettel did nothing to patch up any cracks
between the two garages. As they claim, “Red Bull gives you
wings!” Yes, but Red Bull also takes them away!
The apparent “number 1”, Vettel showed
that he is very fast, but has flaws. Unable to just stay
calm and slot in behind Webber at the start and bide his
time, the red mist came down and he lost the plot, track
position, and the respect of all non-Germans.
By the way, did you see Webber’s car was
sporting an “Amazing Thailand” sticker? Non-amazingly, TAT
didn’t bother telling us.
Hamilton drove the wheels off his McLaren
(again) and deserved 2nd place. Button
kept his nose clean and lucked his way into 4th.
Silverstone showed what a good track, in
a country with real motor racing history, can expect in the
number of spectators. 85,000 on practice day Friday is more
than has been the total for entire weekends at some of these
new Bernie E inspired circuits. The total sell-out on the
Sunday at Silverstone was 125,000 people. We can all see the
difference, but will the FIA acknowledge it? Don’t bother
waiting by the phone.
Ferrari goes from bad to worse. Stefano
Domenicali, Ferrari Team Director saying, “We are not happy.
We must not allow ourselves to give in to frustration.
Clearly, the championship situation is looking complicated.”
Stefano, the championship situation has long since left you.
The Sulky Spaniard doesn’t even want you to talk to him on
the pit to car radio any more, and Massa is slipping down
the order every race. With my medical hat on, I believe that
his brain injury from last year is the cause. It has removed
the last millisecond judgments that an F1 driver needs to
continuously compete at that level.
Massa should retire; however, he did give
us the most dramatic pit entrance of all time. Not that it
mattered, the Ferrari crew rushed out to greet him and then
found they had left the wheels in the garage. Further to the
Sulky Spaniard, his pass on Kubica was obviously against the
rules, and Alonso knew it the minute he did it. Did he then
cede the position unfairly gained? No he did not, but
complained that he had been pushed off. However, why did it
take the FIA many laps to take action? Nevertheless, after
the world cup, it at least showed that Spain can kick balls,
even if it can’t kick ass!
What can you say about Mercedes? Rosberg
is showing that the car has potential. Schumacher is showing
that his potential ran out three years ago. There is a limit
to the number of excuses the team can put forward. Unless
there is a very marked change in performance, Mercedes has
wasted its money with its high priced driver.
Barichello, going for the honor of being
the first driver to compete in 1,000 Grands Prix, showed
great consistency to finish 5th for
Sir Frank. Team mate Hulkenberg also collected one point for
10th, but has not lived up to his
previously stellar reputation.
Kobayashi in the Sauber impressed, as did
Sutil in Team Poppadum. Forget the rest.
84 percent of older drivers want refresher courses
The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists)
has welcomed the new RAC report on older drivers which finds
that 84 percent of drivers aged 70 or over acknowledge the
value of a refresher driving course. What about you?
Ready for a run down the shops?
Neil Greig, IAM Director of Policy and
Research said: “With ever-growing numbers of older drivers
looking to stay safe and maintain independence, it is
encouraging to see that there is a high degree of support
for refresher courses.
“Older drivers have most of their crashes
on high speed roads, particularly on slip roads and at
junctions and roundabouts. Updating their skills to deal
with these hazards and helping them to stay mobile for as
long as possible should be the key aim of refresher courses.
The IAM provides a Drive Check 55 refresher course which
specifically address these issues (this is in the UK).
“The IAM does not support compulsory
retesting or medicals as we believe they will force many
perfectly safe drivers to give up driving too early. This
loss of mobility makes them a far greater financial burden
on society and less able to access services and support. GPs
need more training and information to help them advise
patients on giving up driving and refresher courses.”
I have to take the IAM to task here. In
Australia there are compulsory medicals over the age of 70,
and really, what is the problem with this? At least you know
the fellow on your left should be able to see you! I do not
see how it could possibly force “perfectly safe drivers to
give up driving too early.”
True story, I had a lovely old chap come
in to my surgery for his driving medical. He was 92 years
old. I asked him why he still wanted a driver’s license at
that age and he said that every Thursday he went to the
supermarket to get his week’s supply of groceries. That was
it. He never drove at night (when his visual problems would
be a worry) and never went more than three km each way. The
authorities would have had me fail him as his vision was not
100 percent, but I decided that the best medical test I
could give him was to go as passenger. I left my rather
perplexed nurse looking after the surgery and away we went.
He was careful and mindful of his visual problems, but
really drove well and safely. I gave him a pass on his
promise to restrict the driving to daylight hours and
between home and supermarket. Did I do wrong? I don’t think
so - he came back the next year for his annual medical and
he still drove with care.
As an aside, since for me, driving is
much more than A to B, I would hate some doctor somewhere to
tell me I could no longer drive either.
Autotrivia
Quiz
Last week I mentioned that Iran received
hundreds of thousands of British CKD cars in 1969. I asked
what was it called in Iran and the UK? The answer was the
Peykan in Iran and the Hillman Hunter in the UK. First in
was Kevin Maguire.
So to this week. It is often thought that
Henry Ford ‘invented’ the assembly line approach to building
cars, but he did not. Who did pioneer the assembly line
approach in cars? Clue 1901.
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
World’s
Fastest One-Make Series
They say that motor racing is like having
a bonfire in your backyard and inviting other drivers round
to throw 100 dollar bills into the fire. The person with
most hundred dollar bills left by the time the BBQ is out of
coals is called the winner.
Cheap motor sport?
Well, here is the closest I can find to
that and it is called the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo
series. The 2010 season is featuring the Lamborghini Super
Trofeo: a lightweight version of the Gallardo LP 560-4. The
Super Trofeo has a reworked chassis and a power output of
419 kW (570 hp in the old money) from its V10 ‘Iniezione
Diretta Stratificata’ engine. The race car features
Lamborghini’s permanent four-wheel drive, making the Super
Trofeo the only one-make, all-wheel-drive motorsport series
in the world, and excluding F1 probably the most expensive.
And what is ‘Blancpain’? Hardly a
household word (in my house at least). It is a luxury Swiss
watch called Blancpain, which is the series’ title sponsor,
creating a perfect partnership between two prestigious and
highly innovative brands (according to Lambo’s press
handout). Its President and CEO, Marc A. Hayek, races a
Super Trofeo following his successful 2009 race season,
where he secured four race victories and finished second in
the Pro-Am drivers’ classification.
That’s the way to do it. Buy your own
series.
Initializing
This has nothing to do with getting hard
disks to work, but a quick look at the number of cars that
have been sold as initials only. Most of them were due to
boardroom fallouts and bankruptcies!
Curved Dash Olds 1903
Remember the name Ransom Eli Olds, the
man who made the Curved Dash Oldsmobile a household name in
1901. You can be excused if you can’t remember, but Ransom
Eli Olds was squeezed out of his own company by the board,
so he went off and formed a company called the REO. REO went
on to make trucks through to 1975.
Remember the Stutz Bearcat? Performance
cars built by Harry Clayton Stutz way back around 1912. Sold
well and the Stutz name had a good following. However, Harry
decided that Stutz needed competition and formed the HCS
company, also producing sporty runabouts, but when HCS
started producing taxicabs, that was the end. By 1927 Harry
was out of business.
Korea’s
Grand Prix circuit to finish on time?
There has been much speculation as to
whether the new Korea International Circuit will be finished
on time for the Korean GP in October. Yes, say the
management! I just wonder.
I wonder even more about the decision to
site this circuit, so far away from the principal cities in
Korea. Seoul is South Korea’s capital city, and according to
KIC, the circuit can be reached by air, car, bus and shuttle
bus. For those arriving from outside of South Korea, the
majority of flights will be routed through Seoul Incheon
International Airport (ICN), with domestic flights from the
nearby Kimpo International Airport (GMP) connecting to
Kwangju Airport (KWJ).
If you think Gatwick North and Gatwick
South represents a hassle, try this, as far as getting to
the KIC. From Seoul Incheon (ICN): By Air: airport bus
(approx US$5) or taxi to Kimpo International (GMP) - approx
45 minutes, then flight from Kimpo International (GMP) to
Kwangju Airport (KWJ) on Asiana Airlines or Korean Air -
approximately 1 hour. You’re not there yet, from Kwangju
Airport (KWJ), the KIC can be reached by car (1 hour) or by
KIC shuttle bus service, which will run from October 21-24
at regular intervals.
However, if car or bus suits you, then on
arrival at Seoul Incheon (ICN), self-drive car hire with
English GPS to KIC - approx four and a half hours, or catch
the bus, approx 5 hours.
KOVA also released some photographs of KIC. Does it look
to you as if it will be ready? I have my doubts.
The unfinished KIC
