What did we learn from the Turkish Grand Prix?
We learned that all the guff about Istanbul being a track
that had passing opportunities was just that - guff. When
you have Raikkonen and Alonso both saying that they can’t
pass anyone, you have to wonder just what Formula 1 is all
about. Pit stops that take around eight seconds twice per
race does not add up to much excitement in my book.
Wheel-banging action, such as drivers did a few years ago
was exciting. One of the people watching the race with me
gave up and watched the football instead.
We had drivers like Raikkonen explaining his fastest lap at
the end of the race saying, “I was a bit bored with spending
the whole race behind another car and so I tried to see how
quick I could have been.” I ask you - how quick he could
have been! Why didn’t he try for the whole goddam race? We
were bored too!
Understatement of the year came from the grumpy Spaniard who
said at the post-race press conference, “It was not the plan
to lose two places at the start, and so my race was pretty
much over when I came into the first corner in sixth place.
I was following Nick Heidfeld for 17 laps at the start, and
it was very difficult to overtake him.” What do these
drivers want? An invitation? We want to see drivers slogging
it out. “Difficult to overtake”? Fernando, that’s what motor
racing is all about. When you’re in front, you try
everything you can to stay there, and when you’re behind you
try everything to pass, including forcing the car in front
into error. It seems that today’s drivers accept what they
get after qualifying and then expect to stay in that
position for the race.
BMW looked good after qualifying until we found out in the
race that Kubica was running on fumes, and Heidfeld on fumes
plus a teaspoon. Quick Nick saying about having jumped
Alonso at the start, “Of course I dreamt I could keep him
behind me over the distance, but we knew he would refuel
later than me. After the stop he was in front of me and he
was also faster.” The whole race hinging on refueling stops
and petrol load. Such unbridled excitement!
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was in a secure third place until
his front tyre blew, and he was very lucky to only drop down
to fifth, whilst his team (not very happy) mate Alonso was
even luckier, inheriting third and taking another two points
out of Hamilton’s lead in the championship. Hamilton does
seem to be taking these setbacks on the chin, and the next
five races should be closely contested by the world
championship contenders, unless they all decide that it’s
too hard to pass anyone!
The Renault driver encouragement award goes yet again to
Heikki Kovalainen, being told that he was two tenths quicker
than the car in front, but that was not good enough and he
was expected to reel in three and a half seconds in seven
laps. Perhaps Mr Briatore might try praising his drivers
occasionally?
As for the rest, they were purely make-weight. Honda shaking
hands with themselves because Button pulled up to 13th
place! Whoopee! He started 21st and managed to pass the
Spykers who currently have all the pace of a baht bus and
the Roaring Tossers who are not much better. Button saying
after the race, “It was a lot of fun passing 10 cars! If you
put to one side where we finished - because 13th position is
still far from a good result.” You said it Jenson! You said
it!
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I asked you to look at this
photo. I did say look carefully at this car. I asked what is
it? Clue: 1978, so it was not a Smart. The correct answer
was a 1978 Zagato electric car. It was powered by four 12
volt groups of batteries and it had a top speed of around 50
kph and had a range of 50 km. It did not catch on.
So to this week. Eric Broadley, a British architect, built
himself a club-special racing car. What was it called? And
before you get excited, it wasn’t called a Lola.
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Formula 1 calendar for
2008
The FIA has released the provisional calendar for 2008, so
start penciling it in to you diary, especially now that we
will have two GPs reasonably close to us here in Thailand,
with the Malaysian GP March 23 and the new Singapore GP
September 28, as the EffWun circus makes its way across
Asia. There will be 18 races on the calendar with the
addition of Singapore and Valencia (which will be called the
European Grand Prix, as the Spanish GP is at Barcelona).
Australia (March 16)
Malaysia (March 23)
Bahrain (April 6)
Barcelona (April 27)
Turkey (May 11)
Monaco (May 25)
Canada (June 8)
France (June 22)
Britain (July 6)
Germany (July 20)
Hungary (August 3)
Valencia (August 24)
Italy (September 7)
Belgium (September 14)
Singapore (September 28)
China (October 12)
Japan (October 19)
Brazil (November 2)
Another local youngster
looks at the stars
Make a note of this name - Sandy Stuvik. He is only 12 years
old, but has just recently qualified for a place in the ROK
Junior World Final for Go-Karts, which will be held in Italy
in October. The age group is 12-15 years, so Sandy Stuvik
only scrapes in, but he has done so well in the local ROK
Junior Thailand championships that he has earned a berth in
Italy racing at the South Garda Circuit on October 11-14,
2007.
Sandy
Stuvic and proud father.
Sandy is Norwegian/Thai and has been racing since he was
four years old! His father, Martin Stuvik is also a motor
racer who would have liked to have had a crack at reaching
F1, but left his run a little late. Drivers like the new
sensation Lewis Hamilton also started racing go-karts well
before they were in their teens, so young Sandy is going
about it the right way, from the right age. By making the
world final in this closely contested class, Sandy is also
showing he has the raw talent, as well as the wish to
proceed up the motor racing ladder.
Congratulations from us all at Automania, and best of luck
in Italy!
Thailand to miss out on
Malaysia’s #1?
By John Weinthal
Word whipped around the Bangkok International Motor
Show last April that Malaysia’s top-selling car was on the
way to Thailand. But now Malaysia’s nominal number two car
maker Perodua, which in fact outsells the government-backed
Proton by a substantial margin, says this is not on the
cards, now and perhaps forever.
Perodua
Myvi
Perodua is effectively a member of Clan Toyota with a
variety of stakeholders. These include Toyota subsidiary
Daihatsu. Five of Perodua’s seven model range are direct
Daihatsu clones.
Malaysia’s top-seller, the Perodua Myvi was launched in May
2005. It is a substantially and successfully restyled
Daihatsu Sirion (Boon or Toyota Passo in some markets). In
May this year a similarly rejigged Mira was launched as the
Viva with choice of 660, 850 or 1000cc twin cam, three
cylinder engines each featuring fuel-injection and variable
valve timing.
Tis a pity Thailand won’t see this pair as both aim for
Toyota build standards and are right up with the best of the
medium-small and small cars around.
Perodua
Viva
However, Perodua boss Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar says export
of any kind is a very expensive game for a company with
annual production capacity of 240,000 and which already has
heavy home and other export market demand.
“We go no place where we cannot guarantee to provide the
best in customer support and back-up service. Where we do
export it is through established networks mainly in the
Toyota family and where there is no conflict between our
product and other Toyota/Daihatsu family models,” Hafiz
said.
“For example, the Malaysian Myvi is marketed as a Daihatsu
in Indonesia. We in turn assemble the Indonesian-made Toyota
Avanza for sale through the Toyota network in Malaysia.”
I recently spent a week covering several hundred km in a
Viva 1000 and a few days of more hectic but fewer kays in a
1300cc Myvi. Both were autos. Both were top-of-line models.
First the No brainers: The handsome Myvi has greater eye
appeal than the taller, narrower (and fractionally longer!)
Viva. Build quality seemed excellent, if not maybe full-on
Japanese Toyota. Both are thoroughly thought out and bang on
target for the Malaysian buyer.
Both sported airbags, ABS, remote locking, power windows and
mirrors, alloys, vestigial rear spoilers and smart inviting
interiors. Lesser models do without some of these, notably
ABS and air bags.
It was the Viva which took my fancy, to mine and Perodua’s
surprise I gathered. It came across as more agile, more
‘fun’ than the “I wanna be a big car” feel of the forever
understeery and more softly sprung test Myvi. I also felt
the auto and engine match was much more enlightened on the
Viva. There were moments when the test Myvi was plain unsure
what gear it wanted. It was also less amenable to ‘manual’
changes of the standard pattern centre console auto lever -
no paddles or buttons in this market segment!
Both would appeal more to me with their optional manual gear
boxes. Auto/air/power steer can be a bit much for either car
when it comes to hills or safer overtaking. Wisely auto is
not offered for the Viva 660 and 850.
In truth few potential owners will give a hoot about these
differences, thus it’s easy to understand that Myvi’s many
attractions, well beyond its stylish good looks and Toyota
family links, will keep it atop the charts for many a moon.
Conclusion: Viva would make a great Mira alternative. It is
a pity that it seems unlikely for Thailand.
Whatever, I came away from a one-on-one 90 minutes with the
urbane, articulate and widely experienced Datuk Hafiz and my
time with these two cars anything but surprised that at
latest count Perodua claimed 39 percent of the Malaysian
market in June while Proton tumbled further into the mire in
the low 30s (down from around 70 less than a decade back).
