European GP round the houses
in Valencia this Sunday
Valencia
street race circuit
A new venue this weekend, with a ‘round
the houses’ of Valencia for the European Grand Prix. This is
a new circuit for the F1 circus and it will be interesting
to see just what they make of it. I am sincerely hoping that
it will allow overtaking, as we certainly do not need two
Monaco races in the year.
The points at this stage are:
1 Lewis Hamilton British McLaren-Mercedes 62
2 Kimi Räikkönen Finnish Ferrari 57
3 Felipe Massa Brazilian Ferrari 54
4 Robert Kubica Polish BMW Sauber 49
5 Nick Heidfeld German BMW Sauber 41
6 Heikki Kovalainen Finnish McLaren-Mercedes 38
7 Jarno Trulli Italian Toyota 22
8 Fernando Alonso Spanish Renault 18
9 Mark Webber Australian Red Bull-Renault 18
10 Timo Glock German Toyota 13
11 Nelsinho Piquet Brazilian Renault 13
12 R Barrichello Brazilian Honda 11
13 Nico Rosberg German Williams-Toyota 08
14 Kazuki Nakajima Japanese Williams-Toyota 08
15 David Coulthard British Red Bull-Renault 06
16 Sebastian Vettel German STR-Ferrari 06
17 Jenson Button British Honda 03
18 Sebastien Bourdais French STR-Ferrari 02
The Qualifying is at 7 p.m. on Saturday 23 and the race is 7
p.m. on Sunday 24. We watch the racing, using the South
African feed, which does not stop the telecast for
advertisements, on the big screen in Jameson’s Irish Pub,
Soi AR, next to Nova Park. We get there around 6 p.m. and
have something to eat and a small drink before the start.
Why don’t you come and join us.
Track day in Malaysia
Our motoring editor at large is John Weinthal who
has just returned from sampling some performance machinery.
John wrote:
Porsche
Gamballa
“CIMB is Southeast Asia’s fast growing universal services
bank. It also promotes my adopted country’s Performance Car
of the Year, organized by glossy Get@Car mag.
“Read all you like, chatter to all the experts, but nothing
beats getting behind the wheel. Cars offered for drive or
ride ran from Lambo Gallardo via assorted Lotus, Lexus,
Porsches, Fairlady 350Z and VW’s rabid R32 to the chunky
Volvo 2.4i C30 - an odd looking, not-so-wieldy and rather
outspoken relative slow-poke; best left in the paddock.
“Missing were a WRX or Lancer EVO. The latest BMW M3, 6
Coupe and X5 were seen but not driven. I have been
threatened with a play at a later date.
“First lesson: Most, but not all, change is for the good.
The maroon auto MX5 with folding tin-top was the exception
and the major disappointment of the day - a fave for nearly
two decades turned dog. Definitely disimproved.
Lotus
Exige S
“Lesson 2: Not all new is good - see Volvo C30, or
preferably look the other way.
“Big Hooray: Four years ago the only good ‘F1’ paddle auto I
had tried was Toyota’s prissy MRS. Maserati’s Cambiocorse on
3200GT was just hopeless. On CIMB day the latest variations
in Lexus iS250, Volvo’s S40 and S60, Porsche Cayenne and
Nissan 350Z convertible proved very impressive. Each was
quite desirable in its own way (Nissan specially - a Porsche
match in all but badge). These manual/autos just about
overcame this aged guy’s prejudice for ‘proper’ manuals.
“Lesson 5: Lotus Elise and offsprogs just get better and
better. Europa - Elise with hardtop - is a fantastic fun
machine. Ultimate Exige S is even better - gloriously
impractical but we all NEED one as fourth or fifth car!
“And 6? Small and affordable can be great. Many people’s
second choice for CIMB Performance Car of the Year was the
chuckable, responsive, super-communicative 1.6 liter Suzuki
Swift Sport. Honda Civic Type R costs twice as much in
Malaysia and impresses (a lot) only above about 4500rpm; not
much use in town!
“Lesson 7 - Dr. Iain can be wrong! He writes off Porsche
Cayman as ugly and a pussy. I say wrong on both counts; for
me it’s gorgeous, specially viewed from 3/4 rear and
flatters while inspiring the driver.
“More: Just cos it can be done is not sane excuse to do it.
Cayenne S, and moreso the Turbo, reek clever engineering and
are utterly pointless. Don’t confuse ability to spend big
bucks with big brains, unless you are Porsche who have never
banked such a money-spinner!
“Finally: It ain’t just about the car. The 650 bhp Porsche
Carrera GT by Gamballa (yours for RM 3.5 million or 35 mill
baht equivalent!) is awesome in straight line acceleration;
sounds sensational (only rivaled by V10 Gallardo on full
song) but, sadly, Porsche-supplied driver was not up to the
car in the twisties.
“So what won? No arguments with the judges’ choice of Lotus
Exige S!
“Thanks and congrats to CIMB and Get@Car. John Weinthal.”
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I mentioned Archie Scott-Brown
who was a driver of incredible courage, competing at the top
level with only one usable arm. There was another driver, an
American, who won championships on both dirt and asphalt
with one hand and a hook. I asked what was his name?
It was of course Mel Kenyon. Kenyon has seven USAC National
Midget championships, eight runner ups in the season points
standings, and Top Five point finishes in 21 of 27 seasons
between 1966 and 1988.
At his Motorsports Hall of Fame induction in 2003 he had 111
feature wins, 131 seconds, 107 thirds, 81 fourths, and 69
fifths, for a total of 419 Top Five finishes. He also had
688 Top 10 finishes. The totals are for USAC National midget
races only, and do not include races in the NAMARS national
races, regional or local races. He had counted 380 midget
total feature wins, including wins in Australia and New
Zealand, and three NAMARS midget championships. Kenyon
competed in 65 USAC Championship (IndyCar) and eight
Indianapolis 500 races. That is some CV.
So to this week, and let’s get away from dirt speedways.
Mercedes-Benz tried to make a come-back in 1951. Where? And
what cars did they run?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
Motorcycle racing at
Bira this Sunday
Following a wonderful weekend of two wheel racing
a few weeks ago, the Grand Prix International sponsored
motorcycle racing is again on at Bira this weekend.
The racing ranges from one-make step-throughs in the hands
of teenagers to unlimited capacity bikes in the hands of
some very senior riders.
Many classes and almost non-stop action. Definitely worth a
visit to Bira. Racing starts at around 10 a.m. on the
Sunday.
Race winner
eight year old Kemin Kubo
International
motorcycle racing - Isle of Man TT 2008
My motorcycling editor at large, Alan Coates,
sent me this item from UK about his latest trip to the Isle
of Man. Alan was one of the official photographers for the
races this year, and one of his photographs is attached to
this UK report.
Last year, 2007, the Centenary year, there were a number of
one-off social events preceding the seven TT races (two
sidecar, three for 1000cc machines and one for 600cc
‘bikes). This format was changed slightly for 2008 without
as many social events and with the addition of a second race
for 600cc class.
John
McGuiness
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. have, for many years,
sponsored various classes of racing on the Saturday
following Race Week. These take place around the Billown
Circuit near Castletown. The event is perceived as an
appeasement to those spectators that are unable to leave the
island due to lack of capacity on their ferries.
For 2008, these races were incorporated into the official TT
race programme and were for two-stroke machines, Ultra
lightweight (125cc) and Lightweight (250cc).
John McGuiness was the man of 2007 with two wins, two second
places and the outright lap record of 130 mph to his credit.
The expectancy for 2008 was that John would do well again,
but as luck would have it, mechanical breakdown and
magnificent performances by the colonials Bruce Anstey and
Cameron Donald reduced McGuiness’s tally to a single win in
the Gold Ribbon event, the Senior TT, and two second places
in Superstock and Supersport Race 1.
Cameron Donald surprised many with his brilliant riding to
win two of the big capacity races, the Superbike and
Superstock classes. Fellow New Zealander veteran Bruce
Anstey won the second of the 600 Supersport races while last
years newcomer Steve Plater was gifted the win in the first
Superstock due to a technical infringement.
Once again there was heartbreak for the sidecar men who are
noted for the length and depth of machine preparation; next
year’s outfit is conceived at the end of this year’s TT
meeting. Dave Molyneux, one of the most popular and heroic
riders (having come back from serious injury in a monumental
crash in 2006) failed to make it to the start line in
sidecar race 1 when his clutch expired exiting the paddock.
Nick Crowe and passenger Mark Cox took the honours in both
sidecar races while John Holden was second in race 1 and
Molyneux managed second in race 2.
Overall the weather was kind for racing again, there were no
delayed starts or postponed races in 2008. There was a full
programme of events on non-race days which included a 1/8
mile sprint along the promenade in Ramsey, a true
“Run-what-you-brung” occasion. Memorable for me was my first
on the road sighting of the 1300cc Suzuki B King muscle
bike. This was ridden down the strip by BSB Superbike racer
John Reynolds with some style. The spinning, squirming rear
wheel of the big Suzuki shrouded in a pall of blue smoke for
the entire run is something I will remember for some time.
For enthusiasts who follow the older machines the Vintage
Owners club organised a number of events where members
displayed a wide variety of original bikes.
For those of you who wish to know more about the TT, the
official (and free) website for the IOM TT is www.
iomtt.com. I can heartily recommend a visit here since not
only does the website have 2008 race and practice results
but also the results going back to the start of the TT in
1907. There are also analysis of the history of the TT in a
database that covers machines, riders, podiums and much
more.
Thanks Alan. Enjoy the warmth of the British winter!
