Nico Rosberg announced his retirement at the World Championship prizegiving. Not the hottest news but it does make for an interesting situation in the off season.
Niki Lauda is furious because he wasn't warned in advance but racing drivers are human. Niki is particularly annoyed to learn that Nico would have continued if he hadn't won, but of course, why would you give up the chance to achieve your life's ambition when you're in the best car and team combination?
However, having achieved it, and great wealth, and having a young family, well, other things will come to mind. And frankly Mercedes are in no trouble whatsoever, they still have Lewis, who, whatever you think of him has to be a top three talent and half the grid are chasing Nico's seat to keep Lewis honest. Nothing to worry about.
Verstappen probably has a watertight contract with Red Bull and we fans wouldn't want to see Mercedes have it all their own way, but boy what a showdown that would be!
Anyway Christmas is coming and car enthusiasts might be interested in this.
Monday 5 December 2016
Sunday 27 November 2016
Don't Take Anything From Nico
Congratulations Nico Rosberg you drove like a champion this year, you held your nerve when things got tricky and you achieved your dream. Well done, you are a worthy winner.
In sport you have to believe in yourself, so asking Lewis Hamilton in a Channel 4 interview if he could say that the best man won was not just mischievous, but possibly devious. That said Lewis could have been a deal more gracious than he actually was.
Last year Nico took the championship down to the last round as I recall and over the last few years I think that mechanical failures have been roughly equal. Lewis has sought to diminish Nico's achievement and that is rather sad.
I remember there was a period when David Coulthard had the ascendancy over Mika Hakinnen, but that turned around once Mika got a taste of success. I wonder if Nico can turn the tables on Lewis now that he's champion. He won a lot of races at the end of last season and the beginning of this one, maybe he'll get into a winning spree next year, maybe not, but 2016 is his year and let no one and nothing try to diminish it.
Happy Christmas car and motor sport fans.
In sport you have to believe in yourself, so asking Lewis Hamilton in a Channel 4 interview if he could say that the best man won was not just mischievous, but possibly devious. That said Lewis could have been a deal more gracious than he actually was.
Last year Nico took the championship down to the last round as I recall and over the last few years I think that mechanical failures have been roughly equal. Lewis has sought to diminish Nico's achievement and that is rather sad.
I remember there was a period when David Coulthard had the ascendancy over Mika Hakinnen, but that turned around once Mika got a taste of success. I wonder if Nico can turn the tables on Lewis now that he's champion. He won a lot of races at the end of last season and the beginning of this one, maybe he'll get into a winning spree next year, maybe not, but 2016 is his year and let no one and nothing try to diminish it.
Happy Christmas car and motor sport fans.
Monday 24 October 2016
Ferrari Shoot Themselves In The Foot
The United States F1 Grand Prix was not a classic. Hamilton drove faultlessly to keep his championship hopes alive and to extend an amazing run in the USA actually. I think he's won five or six there now from memory.
Nico Rosberg did enough with second to maintain a healthy lead if cut a little. He left the door open to Ricciardo trying to take the fight to Lewis in the first corner and dropped to third. Ricciardo might have finished second if it weren't that Rosberg benefitted from a virtual safety car late in the race, and ironically the virtual safety car was brought about by Ricciardo's Red Bull team mate retiring, probably with transmission failure.
With one Red Bull retired Ferrari should have scored a healthy clutch of points, but shot themselves in the foot again. It wasn't so much strategy as a pitstop which went horribly wrong and actually put Raikkonen out. Sad for him and for the team as he was quicker than Vettel in qualifying and at that time had fastest lap. In the dying minutes Vettel took fastest lap with low fuel and new tyres but by then Kimi wasn't running. A reminder that pitstops can go wrong even for well drilled pros. I feel for them.
It sounds like Ferrari should have been competitive but really only Red Bull are taking the fight to Mercedes. It's good the title isn't decided, for the fans anyway, but F1 still isn't as exciting on track as it should be and we don't want more tyre degradation to make it falsely exciting, we need more mechanical grip and less dependence on aero.
Still Button from 19th to 9th was something special, lap one amazing!
Christmas gifts for car enthusiasts, well, why not?
Nico Rosberg did enough with second to maintain a healthy lead if cut a little. He left the door open to Ricciardo trying to take the fight to Lewis in the first corner and dropped to third. Ricciardo might have finished second if it weren't that Rosberg benefitted from a virtual safety car late in the race, and ironically the virtual safety car was brought about by Ricciardo's Red Bull team mate retiring, probably with transmission failure.
With one Red Bull retired Ferrari should have scored a healthy clutch of points, but shot themselves in the foot again. It wasn't so much strategy as a pitstop which went horribly wrong and actually put Raikkonen out. Sad for him and for the team as he was quicker than Vettel in qualifying and at that time had fastest lap. In the dying minutes Vettel took fastest lap with low fuel and new tyres but by then Kimi wasn't running. A reminder that pitstops can go wrong even for well drilled pros. I feel for them.
It sounds like Ferrari should have been competitive but really only Red Bull are taking the fight to Mercedes. It's good the title isn't decided, for the fans anyway, but F1 still isn't as exciting on track as it should be and we don't want more tyre degradation to make it falsely exciting, we need more mechanical grip and less dependence on aero.
Still Button from 19th to 9th was something special, lap one amazing!
Christmas gifts for car enthusiasts, well, why not?
Sunday 9 October 2016
It Ain't Over Till It's Over
The Orient had it all this week, Formula E in Hong Kong and F1 in Japan. As interesting as Formula E is F1 is still the pinnacle. There was some good dicing in Formula E and given that Nelson Piquet led from pole with his team mate acting as rear gunner it's quite something that he finished out of the points. Reigning Champ Buemi came through to win but Di Grassi was quite amazing coming back to finish second after pitting with a broken wing.
Formula E is interesting and healthy but all the talk this weekend will be about Nico Rosberg's faultless performance in Suzuka. We think of Hamilton as being blisteringly quick in qualifying but Rosberg snatched pole position by the slimmest of margins at the last moment and its not his first pole position at Suzuka either. It was his first win there however, one of several circuits he's won at this year for the first time. He really is driving like a champion.
Rosberg and Hamilton have been rivals right from their youth, right through the climb to F1. Hamilton now has three world championships, Rosberg none. Psychologically next year will be interesting. If Rosberg wins will he soar, much like Hakkinen did, after for a while at least, being apparently under Coulthard's heel? If Hamilton pulls it back at the last will Rosberg be crushed?
It's my opinion that Rosberg has been driving like a champion this year, if he wins it will be on merit, despite Hamilton's engine failures. For one of the most privileged men on the planet Hamilton can be more than a little petulant, with the media and sometimes with his team too.
Nico is now 33 points ahead in the championship and second in the last four races would see him crowned, a strong position, but racing is unpredictable. A non points finish for Nico and a win for Lewis would open it right up again. Given technical failures do happen, tyres do puncture, accidents do happen and drivers can be caught up in someone else's calamity nothing is certain till the mathematics say so.
What the mathematics do confirm is that Mercedes are again constructors champions and that only a Mercedes driver can win the championship, Ricciardo can no longer overtake Rosberg, only Hamilton could do that, so for Mercedes both championships are effectively won. Many congratulations.
If you missed the race Hamilton started on the damp side, spun the wheels and dropped to eighth position. His fight back took him to third, not second as young gun Verstappen hung on dramatically in the closing laps. He defended hard and Hamilton had to take to the escape road at his last overtaking opportunity. Hamilton complained Verstappen had moved under braking, ie too late a move to be legal, but the stewards took no action.
As someone who likes to see racing and NOT courtroom dramas I kind of approve, but if there are rules they have to be applied equally all the time. My own view is there are too many rules, but that's another matter.
Both Ferrari drivers drove great races, but Vettel lost track position due to Ferrari strategists getting it wrong yet again, a previous post refers to that weakness. Vettel made a couple of nice overtakes on Ricciardo and Perez and Raikkonen on Hulkenberg lap 6 I think, but expecting Vettel to overtake Hamilton just because he had softs at the end was asking too much. The Mercedes is a superior car and the Ferrari just couldn't do it in the dirty air.
Vettel may not have got a podium anyway, although he always has at Suzuka. Ferrari need to work harder on strategy, they have such a great team in so many other ways. Honda really disappointed at their own track and Williams appeared to be out of the hunt too, slipping further behind force India in the constructors championship and ultimately if they don't pull it back in financial terms.
Interestingly there were no safety cars, no virtual safety cars and all twenty two cars finished. There may be big performance gaps between teams and it would be nice to see things get closer, but the professionalism displayed was top notch from almost everyone.
Car nut?
Formula E is interesting and healthy but all the talk this weekend will be about Nico Rosberg's faultless performance in Suzuka. We think of Hamilton as being blisteringly quick in qualifying but Rosberg snatched pole position by the slimmest of margins at the last moment and its not his first pole position at Suzuka either. It was his first win there however, one of several circuits he's won at this year for the first time. He really is driving like a champion.
Rosberg and Hamilton have been rivals right from their youth, right through the climb to F1. Hamilton now has three world championships, Rosberg none. Psychologically next year will be interesting. If Rosberg wins will he soar, much like Hakkinen did, after for a while at least, being apparently under Coulthard's heel? If Hamilton pulls it back at the last will Rosberg be crushed?
It's my opinion that Rosberg has been driving like a champion this year, if he wins it will be on merit, despite Hamilton's engine failures. For one of the most privileged men on the planet Hamilton can be more than a little petulant, with the media and sometimes with his team too.
Nico is now 33 points ahead in the championship and second in the last four races would see him crowned, a strong position, but racing is unpredictable. A non points finish for Nico and a win for Lewis would open it right up again. Given technical failures do happen, tyres do puncture, accidents do happen and drivers can be caught up in someone else's calamity nothing is certain till the mathematics say so.
What the mathematics do confirm is that Mercedes are again constructors champions and that only a Mercedes driver can win the championship, Ricciardo can no longer overtake Rosberg, only Hamilton could do that, so for Mercedes both championships are effectively won. Many congratulations.
If you missed the race Hamilton started on the damp side, spun the wheels and dropped to eighth position. His fight back took him to third, not second as young gun Verstappen hung on dramatically in the closing laps. He defended hard and Hamilton had to take to the escape road at his last overtaking opportunity. Hamilton complained Verstappen had moved under braking, ie too late a move to be legal, but the stewards took no action.
As someone who likes to see racing and NOT courtroom dramas I kind of approve, but if there are rules they have to be applied equally all the time. My own view is there are too many rules, but that's another matter.
Both Ferrari drivers drove great races, but Vettel lost track position due to Ferrari strategists getting it wrong yet again, a previous post refers to that weakness. Vettel made a couple of nice overtakes on Ricciardo and Perez and Raikkonen on Hulkenberg lap 6 I think, but expecting Vettel to overtake Hamilton just because he had softs at the end was asking too much. The Mercedes is a superior car and the Ferrari just couldn't do it in the dirty air.
Vettel may not have got a podium anyway, although he always has at Suzuka. Ferrari need to work harder on strategy, they have such a great team in so many other ways. Honda really disappointed at their own track and Williams appeared to be out of the hunt too, slipping further behind force India in the constructors championship and ultimately if they don't pull it back in financial terms.
Interestingly there were no safety cars, no virtual safety cars and all twenty two cars finished. There may be big performance gaps between teams and it would be nice to see things get closer, but the professionalism displayed was top notch from almost everyone.
Car nut?
Tuesday 4 October 2016
Cut It Out Lewis
A little behind with my blogging due to other commitments, but last weekend saw the Malaysian Grand Prix. Congratulations to Jolyon Palmer on scoring his first world championship point for Renault. Lets hope Renault keep him and raise their game, the Renault engine in the Red Bull shows there must be plenty more to come from Renault, as indeed does their past history.
Of course Renault wouldn't have scored that point if Vettel had lasted and Hamilton come to that. No one likes to see a world championship contender taken out by someone who isn't a contender this year. Vettel seems to be making rookie mistakes, naturally the start is a place where you can make up places, but a little circumspection is required, you can't win the race at the first corner but you sure can lose it, as my own performance at Daytona Bike week years ago taught me - the hard way.
Interesting that Kvyat was demoted from Red Bull after Vettel threw a wobbly about a relative rookie making a rookie mistake, that was unfair and Vettel, no rookie, has no excuse.
Rosberg's drive back through the field, thank goodness he survived to do so, shows that he's driving like a champion this season. I was sorry, as a big Raikkonen fan, to see the collision with Kimi but any suggestion that Nico isn't a racer can be categorically laid to rest now, it was actually an inspired and unexpected move from a man who could have stayed behind Kimi, wrecked his tyres and his race for a second time.
The penalty given to Nico by the stewards was a big mistake I believe. Derek Warwick who I was also a fan of once was the driver's steward, I wonder what his view was, but I don't think it's a one man decision. Be that as it may F1 has been too predictable a high speed procession for too long and that decision was anti racing. It says wait until you can use DRS and no dicing. It's a nonsense.
Without that ten seconds, although unlikely, it's possible Nico could have taken the race to the Red Bulls, after that decision, no point trying. Bureaucrats eh!
It's true that Hamilton has had virtually all the engine problems Mercedes have experienced this season, but until now, not in races and his questioning of Mercedes smacks of a spoiled silly schoolboy. He should be careful. Lightening fast he undoubtedly is but character is important too and understanding. It's in the nature of random events to NOT be spread around evenly, accusing, even hinting at malpractice in his team is not going to endear him. Either to team, or to genuine fans.
I paid to go racing, cars and motorcycles, but by the time I'd made enough money it was too late really, there have been world champions crowned around the age I started. Millions of people would love just to drive an F1 car once, or even a Formula 3 car come to that. Not everyone has parents who will pay for karting and get you on the way at an early age.
Birth is a lottery I thank my lucky stars I wasn't born in Kosovo or Aleppo or a hundred other war torn places. Hamilton has led a charmed life by any measure, private jet, glamour, wealth, cars, you name it. He hasn't even driven an uncompetitive F1 car yet, ever. Any whingeing from any F1 driver is a bloody disgrace actually, cut the crap Lewis. And if Nico wins don't sulk.
Gifts for car and race enthusiasts
Of course Renault wouldn't have scored that point if Vettel had lasted and Hamilton come to that. No one likes to see a world championship contender taken out by someone who isn't a contender this year. Vettel seems to be making rookie mistakes, naturally the start is a place where you can make up places, but a little circumspection is required, you can't win the race at the first corner but you sure can lose it, as my own performance at Daytona Bike week years ago taught me - the hard way.
Interesting that Kvyat was demoted from Red Bull after Vettel threw a wobbly about a relative rookie making a rookie mistake, that was unfair and Vettel, no rookie, has no excuse.
Rosberg's drive back through the field, thank goodness he survived to do so, shows that he's driving like a champion this season. I was sorry, as a big Raikkonen fan, to see the collision with Kimi but any suggestion that Nico isn't a racer can be categorically laid to rest now, it was actually an inspired and unexpected move from a man who could have stayed behind Kimi, wrecked his tyres and his race for a second time.
The penalty given to Nico by the stewards was a big mistake I believe. Derek Warwick who I was also a fan of once was the driver's steward, I wonder what his view was, but I don't think it's a one man decision. Be that as it may F1 has been too predictable a high speed procession for too long and that decision was anti racing. It says wait until you can use DRS and no dicing. It's a nonsense.
Without that ten seconds, although unlikely, it's possible Nico could have taken the race to the Red Bulls, after that decision, no point trying. Bureaucrats eh!
It's true that Hamilton has had virtually all the engine problems Mercedes have experienced this season, but until now, not in races and his questioning of Mercedes smacks of a spoiled silly schoolboy. He should be careful. Lightening fast he undoubtedly is but character is important too and understanding. It's in the nature of random events to NOT be spread around evenly, accusing, even hinting at malpractice in his team is not going to endear him. Either to team, or to genuine fans.
I paid to go racing, cars and motorcycles, but by the time I'd made enough money it was too late really, there have been world champions crowned around the age I started. Millions of people would love just to drive an F1 car once, or even a Formula 3 car come to that. Not everyone has parents who will pay for karting and get you on the way at an early age.
Birth is a lottery I thank my lucky stars I wasn't born in Kosovo or Aleppo or a hundred other war torn places. Hamilton has led a charmed life by any measure, private jet, glamour, wealth, cars, you name it. He hasn't even driven an uncompetitive F1 car yet, ever. Any whingeing from any F1 driver is a bloody disgrace actually, cut the crap Lewis. And if Nico wins don't sulk.
Gifts for car and race enthusiasts
Wednesday 21 September 2016
Car, Bike, Bike, Car, Or How About Both!
Anyone remember Carl Fogarty, Britain's World Superbike hero and national icon? Well there are three Brits in the top three places of the World Superbike Championship right now and I wonder how many people who aren't dyed in the wool bike racing fans can name them.
They are Jonathon Rea, the reigning champion, and currently leading the championship in his title defence, multiple race winner Tom Sykes and Chaz Davies, the champion in 2011, currently lying third. You can and should watch highlights on ITV, or better get along to a race. Magny Cours is next and it's just over the channel in France.
World Superbikes are supported by Supersport races and Superstock races, of course they are race tuned, but they're really pretty close to the bikes you can buy, especially the latter class. You can't buy an F1 car so easily and the racing's not so close these days in F1 either. Don't give up on the cars, but if you haven't watched bike racing, then perhaps you should.
Malcolm Snook former racer of cars and bikes.
They are Jonathon Rea, the reigning champion, and currently leading the championship in his title defence, multiple race winner Tom Sykes and Chaz Davies, the champion in 2011, currently lying third. You can and should watch highlights on ITV, or better get along to a race. Magny Cours is next and it's just over the channel in France.
World Superbikes are supported by Supersport races and Superstock races, of course they are race tuned, but they're really pretty close to the bikes you can buy, especially the latter class. You can't buy an F1 car so easily and the racing's not so close these days in F1 either. Don't give up on the cars, but if you haven't watched bike racing, then perhaps you should.
Malcolm Snook former racer of cars and bikes.
Monday 19 September 2016
Don't Panic Get A Strategy
I watched British Superbike Racing from Oulton Park recently and the F1 from Singapore. Thrills and spills in Superbikes resulting from close racing and dicing. Most of the excitement in F1, (single seater racing cars were my first love by the way) comes these days from whether the gap is getting bigger or smaller.
Rosberg was peerless, winning the two hundredth Grand Prix he has taken part in. It seems he must be the winningist driver not to have won the championship, but he is looking like a champion right now. He's won three races on the trot since the summer break, all, and I think this is significant, at places where he has never won before.
Being British I should support Lewis, but I have to say I like Nico's personality and if he wins it on merit then I wish him the very best.
I've long been a Kimi fan and when he was in front of Lewis on yellow sidewall tyres I expected him to go to the end. Ferrari knew they'd made a mistake when they radioed him in the pits exit telling him he could do it, hoping he would cover for their error. The ultrasofts just weren't that much of an advantage, certainly not against a Mercedes. Kimi had been on red hot form all weekend and a podium was thrown away.
The pieces fell into place for Vettel, last to fifth and doubtless Ferrari managers will point to that to hide their embarrassment, but they need a strategist of the calibre of Ross Brawn and they need him soon. I'd like to offer my services but......
Motor Racing Gifts
Rosberg was peerless, winning the two hundredth Grand Prix he has taken part in. It seems he must be the winningist driver not to have won the championship, but he is looking like a champion right now. He's won three races on the trot since the summer break, all, and I think this is significant, at places where he has never won before.
Being British I should support Lewis, but I have to say I like Nico's personality and if he wins it on merit then I wish him the very best.
I've long been a Kimi fan and when he was in front of Lewis on yellow sidewall tyres I expected him to go to the end. Ferrari knew they'd made a mistake when they radioed him in the pits exit telling him he could do it, hoping he would cover for their error. The ultrasofts just weren't that much of an advantage, certainly not against a Mercedes. Kimi had been on red hot form all weekend and a podium was thrown away.
The pieces fell into place for Vettel, last to fifth and doubtless Ferrari managers will point to that to hide their embarrassment, but they need a strategist of the calibre of Ross Brawn and they need him soon. I'd like to offer my services but......
Motor Racing Gifts
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