F1 on Sky

Like everyone else I felt angry when it was announced that half the races wouldn't be shown live on the BBC in 2012.  I thought the BBC coverage was great and was not impressed that we should have to pay to see live F1. 

But can you be a true fan if you don't pay to make sure you catch every bit of action?  Highlights don't give the whole picture.

Having upgraded my sky package I have to say I am very impressed with their coverage already, and the season hasn't even started yet.  I am getting to watch things never seen before; testing, car unveiling. 

Mercedes unveiling

There are reviews of classic seasons and interviews with drivers, current and legendary.  The 2011 season review has shown footage you wouldn't normally get to see.  The BBC just don't have the airtime to show all of this.
Martin Brundle recognised what Sky had to offer the fans when he decided to move, and now I understand why he made that decision. 

A STEP in the wrong direction?

Yuk.  What is going on with the beaky nose of the 2012 cars?  The new stepped nose looks like a that of a witch.

 Notice any similarities?






How have Mclaren managed to avoid having his piece of grotesque machinery?

As usual, Mclaren take a different approach to the rest of the field.  Whether this affects their performance positively or negatively remains to be seen, but personally, I hope it is positive.  Then we might see the back of the stepped horrorshow and a return to beautiful cars. 

Roland Ratzenberger

A tribute to the man who died at Imola on Saturday 31st April 1994 when qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix.

His death, so often overlooked because of Senna's death the next day, was just as tragic but hardly ever heard about.  Does being a better driver mean your death is more of a loss?

Senna - the other story

Whether people were trying to stop themselves crying or they were just in deep thinking mode, there wasn't a sound from the audience watching Senna as we left the cinema.  After this initial emotive experience, I began thinking about how Prost had been portrayed in the film.   Let's face it, he didn't come off well, kind of reminding me of  Jack Lemmon's character in The Great Race, but without the comedy.






Prost on the left.  Senna is the 'good' one in the middle, played by Tony Curtis.












Having previously read about, and seen photos of, Senna taking a swing at his new young rival Schumacher...

 ...I wondered if there was another side to the way Senna was protrayed in the film.

Reading Senna versus Prost by Malcolm Folley I have found there is.  It is ironic that the pictures above show Senna threatened by the new talent on the grid, when as a young driver, he came into a Mclaren team built around Prost and took over making it HIS team, ultimately making Prost leave.   Did Prost try to bash him up?  No.

Does the film show the incident in 1987 when marshalls failed to move his Lotus the way he wanted, he got out of the car and hit one of them?

Does the film talk about the lack of testing he did on the Mclaren? Following his winning on the championship in 1988 he went home to Brazil leaving Prost to do all the testing.  Prost got just

2 weeks holiday.

Does the film talk about his inability to give in depth feedback, and make changes to the car? 

Was he a selfish driver?  After all, when he saw Williams becoming better than Mclaren he jumped ship.  When we talk about the great champions, are they really the ones who just follow the best cars, turn up and drive on the day? Or are they the ones who help and support the development of the car even if it means not winning for 4 years?

Was Senna such a great driver, or is it a case of a rosy glow because he died so tragically?...

Happy Birthday Schumi!  43 today.

Raikkonen Renault bound?

So Lotus Renault GP are responsible for the return of Mr Monosyllable to F1.  It was music to my ears the day I found out he was leaving  F1 to join the World Rally Championship.  Now the music has been replaced by a dull, monotonous sound.

When Raikkonen joined Ferrari, they went from having a driver who involved himself completely in the team and the development of the car, to one who turned up, drove the car and went home again. 

His contract at McLaren was terminated a year early in favour of Jenson Button.  And why not?  Button is personable, marketable and as a good a driver. 
In these money driven times a driver has to be worth the money, they have to bring the cash in through sponsorship and endorsements.  Media hating Raikkonen just hasn't got the commitment needed for F1. I sincerely hope that he doesn't have the commitment needed to reach the required fitness level over the winter.

His own words: "I got the feeling from the start that the people involved in rallying are more interested in the sport and what is happening on the stages, rather than creating bullshit stories"  
So why are you coming back then? 

Season highlights

It's that time of year again.  The time when I have to be content with F1 magazines and season reviews to give me my fix.  March is a long way away...
2011 was a great season, despite Vettel's runaway success.  Here are my personal top 5 highlights.

5. Vettel's puncture in Abu Dhabi.  Was good to see a different winner for a change.

4.  Webber's overtake on Alonso at Eau Rouge.

3. Jenson's win in Canada.

2. Schumacher running 2nd in Canada.  Just missed out on a podium.

1. 20 years since his debut, Schumi fights his way from 24th to 5th at Spa, overtaking Rosberg on the way.  Fantastic!