Italian GP at Monza this weekend
Like many other circuits, Monza has not
been a single layout, but a series of more than a dozen
layouts which have ranged in length from 2.4 km to 9 km. The
circuit was opened in the Monza Royal Park, near Milan, in
1922 and featured bankings, though these were demolished in
1939. The bankings which featured in some races, 1955-69,
were new structures built on the format of the original.
Bankings were used for the Italian GP in 1955, ‘56, ‘60 and
‘61, and were last used for racing of any form in 1969 when
the concrete became in need of substantial resurfacing and
rebuilding.
The 1971 Italian GP holds the record for the fastest-ever
Formula One race but, emphatically, that is not the same as
saying the fastest race for Grand Prix cars. That honor
remains in the possession of the 1937 Avusrennen.
After 1971, the circuit underwent some revisions to
discourage slipstreaming and to lower the average lap speed.
Chicanes were added in 1976 and, in 1994, the second Lesmo
Bend was tightened and the Curve Grande was re-profiled.
The World Championship is still very open, so we can expect
that the main protagonists will still be trying very hard.
Massa (Ferrari) has the bit between his teeth and wants to
show his team that they should assist him, and not the
lackadaisical Finn Kimi Raikkonen. Likewise, Hamilton over
at McLaren wants as many wins as he can, too. There will be
nobody just cruising for victory.
We will be watching from our perches at Jameson’s Irish Pub
(Soi AR, next to Nova Park) and the racing commences at 7
p.m., but check your local TV feed to be sure. We watch the
South African feed which has no adverts and better
commentators than UBC. Join us around 6 p.m. for dinner and
a chat before the race begins.
What did we learn from
the Belgian Grand Prix?
After watching one of the most exciting endings
to a GP in years and dreaming up headlines such as “Lucky
Lewis” I came down to breakfast to find that the FIA
stewards had acted out another of their decrees of deity and
awarded the race to Massa! What a travesty!
Much will have been written in other publications before you
read mine, but the case hangs on whether Lewis Hamilton
benefited by cutting a corner on the penultimate lap, and
thereby gained an advantage to pass Raikkonen.
Did he? He definitely did not. For the benefit of the
faceless, visually challenged men in the stewards’ box,
Hamilton ranged up on Raikkonen’s left as they approached
the hairpin. They touched. Hamilton went across the grass
and rejoined the track with his nose marginally in front of
Raikkonen. All drivers know they are not allowed to benefit
from corner cutting, so Hamilton slowed (McLaren’s data
logger showed that Hamilton was 6 kph slower than Raikkonen
at that point) and allowed Raikkonen to pas him. Hamilton
then changed position on the track to slip around the rear
of Raikkonen’s Ferrari and then ranged up on Raikkonen’s
right and outbraked him for the next corner to take the
lead. The ‘no advantage’ rule had been adhered to in all
respects. However, the ‘use your common sense rule’ was yet
again ignored by the stewards.
So here we have yet another (brilliant) race spoiled by
stewards’ decisions after the race had finished. The winner
of any race is the first across the line. You are not the
‘winner’ when the chap who crossed the line before you is
later given a 25 second time penalty.
How do we stop this? Actually, it could be stopped quite
easily. The drivers and the teams should refuse to
acknowledge such decisions. In this case, Massa and Ferrari
would refuse the post-event win and Hamilton remain the
winner. However, this would require drivers and teams to
take the high moral ground - and are they capable of this?
Somehow I doubt it, personal ambition, greed and commercial
considerations will overcome the frail hold we humans have
on ethics.
Back to the race at Spa. The only team that really was
smiling at the end was Toro Rosso, with Vettel in 5th and
Bourdais in 7th. That Vettel ended up in the points did not
surprise me, but the ultimatum given to Bourdais had
certainly lit the fire in the Frenchman’s belly. His best
drive to date. But will it be enough for him to retain his
seat in 2009? He will need more results like that to be
given a contract.
Piquet in the Renault ended up with another black mark in
his report card. Unless his sponsors throw in another large
bag of cash to Flav I do not expect to see him at Renault
next year. The Sulky Spaniard just kept his nose clean, and
deserved his 4th position.
Who else impressed? Well, there was Trulli’s blinding start
that had him up to sixth before he was clouted. And then at
the end, Heidfeld’s do or die change to wets with two laps
to go was an inspired call, even if his driving isn’t.
Spa is a fabulous circuit and must be retained as a venue.
There were many passing maneuvers, with Kovalainen doing the
lion’s share until he was given a drive-through for a silly
and clumsy attempt on Webber. I am now very worried that
Singapore will be another Valencia. If it is, it will be
another nail in F1’s coffin.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I mentioned that Raymond
Sommer, Pierre Levegh and Briggs Cunningham all had
something in common in the Le Mans 24 hour race. I asked
what was it? All three of them drove for more than 20 of the
24 hours duration. Levegh blew up in 1952, one and a quarter
hours from home, Sommer drove for 21 hours before handing
over to his co-driver to win the race in 1932 and Briggs
Cunningham drove for 20 hours before handing over in 1950 to
come fourth.
So to this week. When we pull up at the traffic lights, why
should we remember Herbert Frood?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct
answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
India shoots itself in
the foot
It appears that Thailand is not the only country to shoot
itself in the foot. Now India is going the same way. The
launch of the world’s cheapest car, the Nano, has been
delayed by angry farmers who claim local car maker Tata
built its plant on their land.
Indian
state says No to Nano.
Tata Motors CEO Ratan Tata, a well known philanthropist, is
furious at being embroiled in a nasty, bitter mess that he
had nothing to do with. The disputed land was handed to Tata
by a West Bengal government eager to attract investment to
beat years of stagnation. Few Indian businessmen want to
invest money in a Communist-ruled state where rigid and
out-dated Leninist dogmas override other considerations.
The angry farmers who are being led by a local politician
Mamata Banerjee, who is looking for a populist issue to
remain in the news, say they want 400 acres of disputed land
at the site to be handed back to them.
Ratan Tata said earlier this week that if people did not
want the factory, he would happily move it to another part
of India, despite having invested $350 million dollars in
it.
As the Asian philosopher might say “My dogma has bitten your
karma!”
1500Max put to the test
The class which would appear to have the brightest future in
Asia is undoubtedly the Asian Touring Car Series (ATCS)
1500Max. Whilst the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia has been in
existence for a few years now, it is a playground for the
richer driver..
The
works Proton Neo at speed.
The same can be said about the Formula BMW Asia, which
although it is a great stepping stone for the young drivers
out there, Daddy has to have deep pockets. At least $250,000
deep.
The Asian Touring Car Series which has bigger cars, also
needs bigger budgets. For example, local star Thomas Raldorf
was offered a drive in the Engstler BMW at Bira, after
regular driver Jack Lemvard went to Europe to continue in
the ADAC series over there (where he blitzed the opposition
and will continue in Europe for the next month). There was
only one catch for Raldorf. They wanted 7,500 euros for the
one-off drive. That’s about 375,000 baht for a weekend of
fun. And in motorsport, that can be a weekend of
frustration!
In the lead-up to the weekend’s racing at our Bira
International circuit, Thomas was invited to try out the
works Proton Neo ATCS 1500Max, and I also scored an
invitation to sample this new class and the Proton.
Leading the Proton team is Alex Yoong, the only Malaysian to
drive in F1 a couple of years back, and a thoroughly nice
young man (in a sport that has more than its fair share of
cons and desperados).
With a series limit of 120 bhp at the wheels, the set-up of
the car is very important, to be able to get that horsepower
on the bitumen at all times. Assisting the team and its
drivers is a very sophisticated data logging system which
allows the team engineers to analyze exactly what the driver
is doing at all times, and then compare the different
drivers. In my case the engineer showed me that whilst I was
driving on the ‘perfect’ line, I was applying the brakes 50
meters before their number 1 driver and I was slower to
achieve full throttle after the corner. I just wish they had
that sort of system when I was at my peak!
With seven manufacturers committed to the ATCS 1500Max for
2009, and sensible financial figures to produce a
competitive race car, this series does represent a category
to allow truly affordable ‘international’ racing for our
Thai drivers. All that is necessary is for the RAAT to
ratify the class and regulations. After driving the Proton
1500Max, I am convinced this is a step in the right
direction.
My thanks to Alex Yoong and the Proton Team for allowing me
to experience ATCS 1500Max first hand.
