Hungarian GP this weekend

Hungaroring

As a racing venue, Hungary has a long history, with its first GP run in 1906, and regular events in Budapest since 1926. Built with state backing, and laid out in a natural amphitheatre, the Hungaroring opened in 1986 and attracted an estimated 200,000 spectators. Though the event was well organized, and the hosts very appreciative, it was felt that the 4 km Hungaroring had been laid out more in the style of a twisty street circuit rather than a bespoke road track. There were few opportunities for overtaking, though things were eased from 1989 when a tight corner was by-passed and the lap distance became slightly less than 4 km. However, it remains a circuit that is not high on any of the drivers’ lists, unless you are after a piece of quick action behind the pits, as the Hungarian government actually erected (nice word in the sex scene) some mobile brothels a couple of years ago (sponsored by Viagra?). I think they are still in use today!

After the German GP, will we get the same sort of racing? Find out this weekend. I will be watching from my favorite roost at Jameson’s Irish Pub on Soi AR (next to Nova Park) and the racing begins at 7 p.m. We get there early and have something to eat and wet the whistle before the racing begins, while watching the BBC commentary, which has no adverts and is so much better than the others. Why don’t you join me at around 6 p.m. for a natter and some food (the weekly roast is great value) and then sit down for the Grand Prix.

What did we learn from the German GP?

Well we learned that the Red Bulls can be stopped, and we didn’t have to put up with “the finger” after qualifying or the race. Sebastian Vettel should start on a course of happy pills, Mark Webber should spend the next week practicing starts, and the Red Bull strategists should recognize when a car on old tyres is slower than its competitors on new ones. This amazing technology is called a stop watch.

So, are the Red Bulls now Dead Bulls? This coming weekend in Hungary will tell us more.

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) had an inspired weekend and deserved his win. Well judged pit stop strategy and a flawless drive. McLaren looks as if it has found the speed they had lost, and Hamilton was the fastest man on the straights by around 20 km/h. However, the other side of the McLaren garage was not celebrating, after a very lack-luster performance by Jenson Button, which ended up in a hydraulic failure.

Another sterling (or should that be ‘peseta’?) drive by Alonso (Ferrari). Like Hamilton, old Spanish eyebrows never gives up, and Ferrari worked out their fuel consumption to the very last drop, with Alonso running out of fuel on the slow-down lap. He was given a lift back by Webber who resisted the urge to fling him off at the first corner. Felipe Massa in the number two Ferrari showed once again that he is the second driver, complete with grid and race positions to prove it. However, his relegation to fifth on the last lap was through the slower pit work by the Ferrari crew.

Mercedes can claim a win in the German GP, as the McLaren runs the Mercedes engine, but with Rosberg 7th and Schumacher 8th, they have little to celebrate as a team. Great to see Schumacher give the young pretender to the throne some big hurry-up in the race, but a spin ended it all.

Heidfeld (Renault) was given a drive-through penalty for clobbering Di Resta (Force India) at the precise moment he was flying through the air after being launched off Buemi (Toro Rosso). The stewards were not impressed with Buemi’s excuse, however, and he gets a five grid place penalty for Hungary. Petrov in the other Renault put in a solid drive, though some of his blocking maneuvers were somewhat doubtful, but he did escape the wrath of the stewards.

If Sauber could ever get Kamikaze Kobayashi to qualify well, he could win races. He pulled up five places (from 17th) on the first lap and finished 9th. Sergio Perez in the other Sauber was never seen but did finish 11th. Yawn.

Way down in the boonies where the TV cameras never go, young Aussie Daniel Ricciardo in the Hispania finished and lapped faster than his team mate Liuzzi. However, they are a long way off being competitive.

Likewise Virgin has little to be happy about, and for Timo Glock to be shaking hands with himself after signing a long term contract with the Virgin team is the kiss of death for his F1 racing career. An also-ran forever.

Lessons to be learned from the Super Car Thailand meeting

Thunder from Down-under Corliss V8 Falcon. (Photo by Martin Bilsborrow)

Hot Subaru. (Photo by Martin Bilsborrow)

A couple of weeks ago, we had the Super Car Thailand race meeting at the Bira circuit. After a week of rainstorms, Thomas Raldorf in the 4WD Subaru was on his knees praying for rain to help him get in front of the big V8 Ford Falcons from New Zealand. Unfortunately for Thomas he was praying to the wrongs gods!

In the Saturday race, the massive grunt from 6 liters of Aussie V8 was just too much, and although a strong third, it would need mechanical disaster to get the Subaru in front. For a moment it looked as if prayers were being answered when the Dwayne Carter Falcon delaminated a tyre, ending his race, but then mechanical disaster struck the Subaru, with the cam belt coming off and the inlet and exhaust valves crossing their legs, forcing Raldorf’s retirement. Craig Corliss in the Falcon left being an easy winner.

On the Sunday, Thomas Raldorf was sent to the rear of the grid, after changing the cylinder head on the Subaru on the Saturday night. This was a ‘new’ rule applied at 11 a.m. race day. A decision that the FIA would have been proud of after the last minute blown exhaust nonsense at Silverstone the week before. Rule changes can apparently happen at will.

Sunday was also very hot, with no sign of rain. In the race, the Dwayne Carter Falcon hit the front and looked to be running away with the race, but behind him there was a very fiery battle going on between Nattavude (Toyota Team), Aki (Porsche) and Raldorf who had pulled right up on the leaders.

In rapid succession, all three cars caught fire, with Nattavude breaking the record for a cross-track sprint away from the car, while the rescue crew were running in the other direction. Raldorf’s was merely a breather pipe which had melted, whilst the Porsche suffered a fire in the fuel cell area in the front of the car.

Adding to the list or retirements, the Corliss Falcon broke a differential, as did the Carter Falcon, but it managed to finish. The Robinson V8 BMW retired with a dramatic spin to the outfield, performing a mid-air pirouette to end up facing the wrong direction. There were more, and it became a little difficult to work out who was actually leading; however, the ‘Retro’ B-Quik Porsche 944 of Henk Kiks showed its ultra-reliability, finishing fourth, and proving the old adage, “To finish first, first you have to finish!” The other Retro car entered was the DX of Mark Titterington which frightened itself so much on the Saturday, it wouldn’t come out to play on the Sunday!

Finding it difficult to park? Pity the Brits

Parking as an art form

BMW has announced a strategic long-term investment in the UK website ParkatmyHouse.com, an innovative online parking marketplace which connects homeowners who have driveways, garages and private parking spaces to rent, with drivers who need a convenient, safe and cost effective place to park.

BMW i Ventures, a venture capital company set up by BMW Group to identify and invest in companies which offer a solution to improve urban mobility, has taken a minority stake in the online parking website founded by British entrepreneur Anthony Eskinazi.

ParkatmyHouse.com is the second strategic investment by BMW i Ventures, helping drivers park smarter, reducing the amount of time they spend searching for a car parking space, and as a result cutting the level of carbon emissions (as if the frustrated car driver really cared).

There are currently more than 125,000 drivers registered on the ParkatmyHouse website, and collectively drivers have saved more than ฃ3 million in parking charges in the past year by renting an available private parking space through the website, rather than using public car parks and metered street parking.

Since Anthony Eskinazi launched ParkatmyHouse in 2006, at the age of 23, more than 15,000 home and business owners have advertised their parking spaces via the website. In the past 12 months alone, homeowners have earned more than ฃ1 million in revenue by renting out their driveways, private parking spaces and garages through ParkatmyHouse.com.

Founder Anthony Eskinazi comments, “We are delighted to have the backing of BMW, and this strategic investment represents not just a huge vote of confidence in the business model, but also marks the culmination of five years of hard work and dedication to take the seed of an idea and turn it into a successful business.

“With the support, advice and expertise that the BMW team can bring to the table, we have a global partner who can help us achieve our long term ambitions as we look to build on the successes achieved in the UK and expand into new territories. This is the beginning of a new and exciting future for ParkatmyHouse and its customers.”

Dr Bernhard Blaettel, Vice President Mobility Services, BMW Group, said, “This is the second strategic investment from BMW i Ventures and it’s a great example of why BMW i Ventures was set up in the first place, because it gives us access to great innovations such as ParkatmyHouse.”

“We see parking as a key asset for mobility services today and in the near future. ParkatmyHouse offers an innovative solution to those seeking parking spaces today as well as providing extra revenue to those who have under utilized space.”

Now I wonder if I could rent out Third Road to some party-goers in the evenings?