Japanese GP this weekend
Suzuka circuit
One of the greatest tracks used in
Formula One today, Japan’s Suzuka circuit is a massive test
of car and driver ability. Built by Honda as a test facility
in 1962, the track was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholz,
the Hermann Tilke of his day. A huge theme park was also
constructed at the track, including the famous big wheel
which dominates the Suzuka skyline.
At Suzuka the race has provided the scene for many
nail-biting end-of-season deciders, including the infamous
collisions involving Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.
Suzuka includes some of the Grand Prix calendar’s most
challenging corners. Among the drivers’ favorites are the
high-speed 130R and the famous Spoon Curve.
I will be watching from my usual perch at Jameson’s Irish
Pub, Soi AR, next to Nova Park for the 53 lap GP. Now,
important - with the time differential between here and
Japan, the race on Sunday starts at noon, Thai time.
Qualifying on the Saturday is also 12 noon.
The Great Grand Prix
Scandal!
With everyone aghast at Renault and the rigging
of the race in Singapore last year, let me assure you that
was nothing compared to the 1933 Tripoli GP.
This GP was a star spangled affair, proposed by Marshall
Italo Balbo, the Military Governor and Viceroy of Libya.
They decided to throw in a nationwide lottery held in
conjunction with the GP. The concept was simple. Twelve
lucky punters would draw one of the names of the twelve
drivers, and the winning driver and his ticket holder would
share the prize money. Prize money - ah, how does 860
million baht sound? It was enough to get some of the
greatest racing brains more than slightly revved up.
So the plot was hatched. Four of Italy’s best drivers,
Nuvolari, Varzi, Campari and Borzacchini got together with
the holder of the “Varzi” ticket and they agreed to pool
their winnings and share the proceeds, after Varzi had won
the event with their help.
Of course, there were eight drivers not “in the know” and
any one of these could ruin the master plan. In the first
few laps, that was just how it looked as Sir Henry (Tim)
Birkin, stiff upper lip and all, roared into the lead in his
Maserati.
Fortunately, the Englishman developed tyre trouble and after
a botched pit stop rejoined well down. Unfortunately, Varzi
also had tyre trouble and his pit stop took even longer.
During the lengthy stop his engine temperature rose and when
Varzi rejoined, the Bugatti was definitely off song.
Meanwhile, at the sharp end of the race there were the three
Italian co-conspirators. On cue, Campari and Borzacchini
developed tyre and mechanical problems and they dropped out,
leaving Nuvolari in the lead.
Once again Birkin became a bother as he stormed through the
field to get within 10 seconds of Nuvolari, by the half way
mark, who was driving looking over his shoulder for the
non-appearing Varzi!
Again luck was on their side as Birkin’s tyres said enough
and the English threat was over. However, there was now
another problem. No matter how slowly Nuvolari was driving,
Varzi’s sick Bugatti could not catch it. With great creative
thinking, Nuvolari began to make several unannounced pit
stops, changing anything that was changeable on the Alfa
Romeo. This became so frequent that one mechanic was heard
to mutter, “We’ve rebuilt everything. If he comes in again
it must be for a pee.”
Now while this managed to get Varzi back into the lead, the
locals began to get restive. They could smell a rather large
rodent. Race fixing was almost a national pastime in the
camel racing stakes, and after all they had been perfecting
it for over 2000 years. There were now 90,000 enraged locals
and 11 unhappy ticket holders, but it looked as if Nuvolari
was going to be forced to win.
Again fate smiled on the “Varzi” ticket holder, when his
driver scorched into the pits, ripped off the air filter and
the Bugatti sprang to life again. Simultaneously Nuvolari
experienced genuine tyre problems and was forced to pit.
When he rejoined, Varzi was in the lead and the two Italians
put on a brilliant display of scripted choreographed racing,
with Varzi getting to the chequered flag first. He declined
his lap of honour and Nuvolari quietly disappeared. But the
race was not to end there.
There were numerous protests, probably ninety thousand and
eleven. After deliberations, the Club Royale degli
Automobile di Libia cleared all four drivers of any wrong
doing. Cynics noted that within a few weeks three of the
five board members were driving new Lancias, the fourth a
new Alfa while the fifth suddenly found the money to visit
an aged uncle in Chicago.
The only real loser (other than the 11 remaining ticket
holders) was in fact Marshall Balbo who died a war hero
after being shot down by his own anti-aircraft gunners!
Perhaps a fitting end?
Footnote: Since I was not around for this Grand Prix, I must
acknowledge the work and words of wisdom of my late friend
Leo McAuliffe, who had researched all the details for this
article.
Autotrivia Quiz
Last week I asked how many Bugatti Royales
were sold to the crowned heads of Europe? The answer was
none!
So to this week. Which amphibious car manufacturer sold
more than 3,000 cars?
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first
correct answer to email [email protected]
Good luck!
We had the Red Baron,
and now here is the Black Baron
German performance vehicle manufacturer
Brabus has done it again with the “world’s most powerful
high-performance sedan”. Brabus has a history of
churning out high performance sedans, but the new Brabus
E V12, ‘one of ten’ unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show
2009, outdoes all previous efforts.
Brabus
Black Baron
Dubbed the ‘Black Baron’, the car features a newly developed
SV12 R Biturbo 800 12 cylinder displacement engine boasting
a rated power output of 800 hp (588 kW) and 1,420 Nm of
torque, which is able to propel the car to a ridiculous top
speed of more than 370 km/h (230mph) and zero to 100 km/h in
3.7 seconds. (I want one, but do I need one!)
Based on the new 2010 Mercedes E-Class W 212, modifications
include a revised front bumper, new front quarter panels,
side sills, and Citroen-like rear wheel covers that are
there to aid the aerodynamics of the car, but look dreadful,
IMHO.
The high-performance sedan is equipped with 12 piston
aluminum fixed calipers and vented and grooved steel brake
discs measuring 380 x 37mm at the front, and six piston
aluminum fixed calipers gripping discs measuring 360 x 28mm
at the rear.
Only ten of the Brabus E V12 sedans of the “one of ten”
edition will be built and sell for USD$875,000.
What did we learn from
the Singapore GP?
Well, the event was a huge success. We learned
that Beyonce Knowles wears revealing dresses, several
Singaporean ladies will do anything to get in front of a TV
camera, thousands of liters of champers were gargled,
several tonnes of canapés were consumed and Lewis Hamilton’s
girlfriend wears red dresses. Did we learn anything else? Oh
yes, as far as a motor race was concerned, it was another
giant yawnfest.
However, Lewis Hamilton, spurred on by what was waiting for
him in the pits, carried out a faultless drive to win
easily. And by the way, we also learned McLaren-Mercedes’
secret code, and in case you missed it when you nodded off
around lap 20 it is “Default X30”. That is what Lewis
Hamilton was told to punch into the on-board computer. I did
try entering this code into the family Fortuner on the way
home, but got a message in Japanese, which translated as
“Don’t be sirry!” And what about McLaren’s other driver
Kovalainen? We never really saw him during the race and he
ended up at the back end of the points, but that will not be
enough to save his seat for 2010. Even Hamilton, the
ultimate diplomat, said about his team mate, “…clearly he
did a good job today, possibly.”
Glock’s second place for Toyota was a sterling effort, but
where was Trulli? Was he actually in the same race? They are
already painting out his name on the changing room door.
Goodbye Jarno.
Prize for the most socially unacceptable behavior must go to
Alonso (3rd). Is he so thick he didn’t understand Renault’s
punishment by the FIA, and the leaving (with immediate
effect) of principal sponsor ING? To say in the post race
interview, “And I dedicate this podium to Flavio - he is at
home but he is part of the success we had today.” Gaffe of
the year, Fernando.
The Red Bull challenge faded, and with it the hopes of world
championships for Vettel and Webber. Speeding in the pit
lane for the young German with a subsequent drive-through,
and ceding positions for the old Aussie after going wide on
the first lap. He was told by his pit to allow Alonso and
Glock to pass him, and he replied “Why Glock?” Considering
that Raikkonen did exactly the same thing at Spa and was not
penalized - but then one is a blue car and the other was a
red car, and as we all know, red cars have preference.
Webber finally exited from the race backwards after his
brake disc disintegrated. This was after he had been in the
pits and the mechanic scooped out brake material from the
cooling duct, but they let him out. The team was about to
call him back, when the brake decided to call it a day.
As for the rest of the runners, dismal. Synchronized
retirements for Toro Rosso, penalty for Rosberg in the
Williams, Ferrari nowhere, Knuckles Nakajima trundling
around somewhere, and Team Poppadum getting Sutil’s nose
neatly sliced off by a BMW, and to then get a $20,000 fine.
That’s a lot of plates of vindaloo. At least it was a little
bit of action.
Almost forgot Button and Barichello. Uninspired racing, but
by default leaving them both at the top of the points.
However, the “racing” was neatly summed up by Hamilton
post-race who said, “I have my girlfriend here. I got to
meet Beyonce here, so it has been overall an incredible
weekend. A great experience. I am very, very happy and I
look forward to the celebration tonight.”
I’m glad he did, the rest of us are looking forward to Japan
and the return of real racing.
