DC gets a ride for 2005
It was almost starting to get embarrassing
with poor old David Coulthard begging for a drive for 2005.
However, it has now been revealed that Coulthard has signed
with Red Bull Racing (formerly known as Jaguar Racing) for 12
months. This actually makes a huge amount of sense for both
parties.
While many of the Jaguar team have stayed
on for 2005, they certainly need someone with a level head and
experience in the driver’s seat. Coulthard may not be now
ultimately as quick as Raikkonen was in 2004, but he certainly
wasn’t slow. And he showed a great team spirit and never
‘gave up the ship’ the way Schumi Junior or Montoya did.
And he is also a good ambassador for his team.
David
Coulthard
“What is important to me at this moment
is that now I know I’m going to be racing with a competitive
Formula One team in 2005,” Coulthard told the BBC.
“Everything I’ve seen has been very, very positive, and
with the developments I know the team has planned, things are
looking good for 2005. We’ve got a lot of testing to do
before the first grand prix in Australia in March, but know we
can get the work done. I’m not going to make any silly
predictions, except that we will be more competitive than many
people think. I’m confident we’ll surprise more than a few
people on the grid.”
Coulthard also said that he wanted to stay
in F1 because that was what he liked doing best. He is a race
driver, and gets his enjoyment from driving race cars. I can
relate to that feeling very much. I still miss driving race
cars and would hop in one tomorrow if there was one on offer!
Managing director of Jaguar/Red Bull, David
Pitchforth is also feeling positive about the team’s
prospects. “My big goal is to get us back on the track of
building the team,” he said. I’d like to think we’re
still in the fight there with Toyota and Sauber. The biggest
thing that has affected the team has been the ability to hire
the type of people we want in certain key roles. I want to
build the team as far as getting those key positions
filled.”
All very rah-rah stuff, but since Jaguar
couldn’t get on the podium last year, even with a fired up
Mark Webber behind the wheel, I doubt very much if 2005 will
see much of a competitive effort, but he may as well have his
goals, everyone does.
However, he did insist that contrary to
popular belief Red Bull would not be giving the team unlimited
funds and that they would work within a budget. “We’ve
done a budget which is basically similar to previous ones
because I want to make sure we build properly,” Pitchforth
said. “I don’t want anyone to think we’re flush with
money, but Red Bull are committed to doing a good job in
Formula One and building the team year on year and eventually
being in there to contend for race wins.”
Last year (2004, when Jaguar was being
funded by FoMoCo) there was not enough cash in the piggy bank
to get the car further up the grid, so Pitchforth’s comments
do not bode all that good for the team. However, he did say,
“So we’re going to have to increase the budget in some
areas and in others see what happens to the sport.”
The bottom line is that you can expect to see Red Bull
fighting tooth and nail with Jordan and Minardi.
A late entry for the
Autotrivia Quiz
I received a late entry (like about 12
months late) for one of the quiz questions from Stuart
Penketh; however, he did append a little Ferrari history,
which was interesting enough for me to include here.
Stuart wrote, “Throughout the 1920’s
Ferrari spent a lot of time surrounding himself with his close
collaborators, including Gioacchino Colombo (the man who would
eventually design the first Ferrari car after masterminding
the Alfa 158s) and former Fiat technician Luigi Bazzi.
Dr.
Farina
Bazzi had joined Alfa Romeo in 1922 after a
spell in Fiat’s experimental department, and would later
become tagged as the man who conceived the fearsome
twin-engined Alfa Romeo ‘Bimotore’ in the 1930’s.
The concept of the Scuderia Ferrari was
originated during a dinner in Bologna during 1929. Co-founders
of the team with Enzo Ferrari were the Ferrari-based Caniato
brothers, Augusto and Alfredo (heirs to a textile fortune),
and keen amateur racer Mario Tadini.
Ferrari fielded what amounted to the works
Alfa Romeos during the 1930’s, but the team soon expanded to
become what amounted to a small, autonomous division of the
Alfa Company.
By 1940, Ferrari had manufactured a couple
of eight cylinder, 1.5 litre sports cars, designed by former
Fiat engineer Alberto Massimino, which were used to compete in
the 1940 Mile Miglia and, although they carried no formal
designation apart from ‘815’ standing for eight cylinders,
1.5 litres, they were widely and correctly regarded as the
first Ferrari cars.
Ferrari’s first proper Formula One car
was the Colombo-designed supercharged Ferrari 125 which made
its debut in the Italian Grand Prix staged at Turin’s
Valentino Park on 5th September 1948.”
Thank you for that, Stuart, though technically you are not
correct referring to Formula One in 1948, as the category did
not exist until 1950, with the first race being at Silverstone
on May 13th, in front of the British Royal family. Ferrari, in
fact, did not even compete at the inaugural F1 Grand Prix.
This event was won by Dr. Nino Farina in the Alfa Romeo.
Incidentally, he was 44 years old at the time. The second F1
GP was held at Monaco one week later and this was won by
Fangio, who was a mere lad at 38 years of age!
How to stay
upright on two wheels! Or move over Rossi!
Received this notification the other day,
which will be of interest to all the Valentino Rossi fans out
there. (If you don’t know who Valentino Rossi is, then skip
this item!)
HighSideTours has announced the launch of
its track day activities at the Bira International race
circuit. The activities will be marketed to local and
international riders of high performance sports bikes.
Valentino
Rossi
Starting on January 18th 2005,
HighSideTours will provide a three day all-inclusive package
of riding and bike hire using Suzuki GSR 600/750 race prepared
sports bikes. Bikes will also be provided for practicing
wheelie and stoppie skills. (This I do need, as I am already
proficient at falling off skills!)
As part of each day’s activities they
will have a one hour session where riders will have a range of
bikes to ride and compare and to allow for photo
opportunities. At present these bikes are Suzuki Hayabusa
GSX1300, Ducati 996SPS, Yamaha Fazer 1000 and Honda CBR 929.
Other bikes will be added as they become available. It is also
hoped that some smaller bikes (125-150cc) will be made
available for customers to ride during the event.
For more information, visit their website
www. highsidetours.com for more details on the day’s
activities (English and German language only).
The launch event will be from January
18th-20th and will be attended by representatives of the
biking press from the UK, Australia, and Germany, which will
be the premier international markets.
As part of its desire to promote rider
skill and safety in Thailand HighSideTours will also be
sponsoring a three race series for bikes of 500cc and over. It
is expected that up to 20 riders, both Thai and international
will compete at the first round on January 20.
For more information about the event please
contact Graham Knight 091190000 (English) or Unchalee Wisaed
022566770 (Thai).
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week, I mentioned that the first
company in the United States to produce petrol engined motor
cars was set up by two brothers in 1894. I asked who were
they? This should have been easy - they were Charles and Frank
Duryea. A prototype Duryea won the Times-Herald race in
November 1895 at an average speed of a little under eight
miles per hour, but regular production did not start until
1896.
So to this week. In South Australia, if you
find an old car built before 1930, the chances are that it
will be partially dismantled. What is the reason for this?
Clue - think of government regulations!
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be
the first correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Why motoring can be dull in
Thailand
I am kept abreast of what is happening in
other countries by some good friends who email me snippets of
information. George Comino keeps tabs on what is happening in
Australia (as well as our Down-under correspondent John
Weinthal). However, it was George who sent over a piece
reviewing the new cars of 2004 and what the testers thought of
them.
Reading through the list was, quite
frankly, depressing. Not that I have any beef with their
choices, but rather with the lack of choices we get in
Thailand. “Detroit of the East” says the sign as you drive
into the Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate, but Optras, Isuzu
D-Max and the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Rangers don’t
really cover the Detroit range!
For what it’s worth, here’s the
(depressing) list from Oz.
Cheapie - the Hyundai Getz which we don’t
gets! (Sorry, couldn’t help myself!)
Small - the new Golf diesel model. (Forget
it. We’re still talking about the “new” Beetle, that’s
almost ready to be pensioned off!)
Medium - the Aussies gave the nod to the
Honda Accord Euro and Subaru Liberty. We get neither of these;
our Accord is a different model.
Family Sedan - the new BA II Ford Falcon
was the choice. (Here we get 20 versions of the Ford Ranger,
leaving me totally underwhelmed!)
4WD SUV - no question here, Ford’s
Territory is the goods say the lads down-under. (Sorry folk,
but Ford doesn’t give us that one either - see my comments
on the 20 Ford Rangers!)
Serious 4WD - the Toyota Prado, especially
the diesel model. At last, one you can buy in Thailand - but
the Prado will set you back about 3.5 million. Still
interested?
Sports - the Mercedes 350 SLK wins hands
down, said the Australian market. (Here you will get the SLK
200, so we’re half way there and costs 4.25 million as
well!)
Luxury - their choice was the Audi
4.2-litre A8 Quattro, which is available here if you’ve got
13.5 million baht to spend.
People mover - in this category the Honda
Odyssey got the nod. And it is available here too, thank you
Mr. Honda, and it’s only 2.5 million, so almost affordable
(as long as you’re not a journalist!).
Finally, Commercial vehicles - the award
here went to any one of three Renaults - the Master, the
Trafic and the Kangoo. If someone can tell me where the
Renault showrooms are here, I’ll go and take a look at them!
But we do get the Toyota Vigo, the Isuzu D-Max and the
Nissan Frontier. Yes, this is the wild west (or should that be
the “wild east”?).
Natter Nosh and Noggin
The car (and bike) enthusiasts will be
meeting again this Monday night (10th) at Shenanigans Pub at 7
p.m. This is a totally informal meeting of like minded souls
which meets on the second Monday of every month to discuss
their pet motoring (and motorcycling) loves and hates. Just
ask any of the lovely Shenanigans girls where Dr. Iain and the
group are and they will point us out and give you a push.
