Phew, what a weekend of motorsport. Mercedes continued their domination of F1 at the new street circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan with Nico Rosberg's clean sweep of pole position, fastest lap and a start to finish leading position, ably controlling every lap.
Eddie Jordan criticised Sergio Perez for throwing away a podium by hitting a barrier in practice. I hope he's eaten humble pie. As we know from the so called 'wall of champions' hitting a barrier can have minimal or devastating consequences and Baku was nearly all barriers close to the corners. The margin between hero and zero is narrow indeed. Sergio seems to have something of Mansell about him, slow to learn his craft in F1, but very, very good indeed now he's a few seasons in.
The main event for me this weekend was Le Mans, for so many reasons. When people are racing in an event I've dreamed of competing in for years, it's hard to feel sorry for anyone, but Toyota's heartbreak was palpable. I even felt a bit sorry for Inés Taittinger crashing her LMP2 Pegasus with an hour and a half to go, despite all the opportunities which come your way as a twenty six year old scion of the Taittinger Champagne dynasty.
However, about Toyota, what can be said? As a former employee of a Toyota advertising agency I was willing them home. Toyota debuted at Le Mans in 1985 and this was their eighteenth attempt to win it. They have had five second places and been on the podium six times. In 1994, with one and a half hours remaining they lost an almost certain win to a simple broken gear linkage, in 1999 they had the fastest car by some margin, but both suffered catastrophic high speed punctures.
Last year Toyota were outclassed, but they went away, designed a new car and came back. I was mentally preparing a blog about persistence paying off when, after twenty three hours and fifty something minutes, I heard that terrible radio transmission and watched the leader slow then stop.Although the car was restarted to crawl round at the end it wasn't even classified as a finisher so that the Toyota in third was elevated to second, Porsche claimed their eighteenth win with terrible symmetry and Audi after a poor showing by their standards found themselves on the podium.
One might think that the old adage about second place being first loser shouldn't apply at Le Mans, so great is the challenge, so gruelling the race, but in the world of huge corporations, huge budgets and commercial competition, that's just what it does mean. Not that I wouldn't buy Toyota's excellent and fun GT86 because of it.
In LMP2 the Alpine Nissan took the win, I'm surprised by the name as it always reminds me of the iconic Renault and I can't quite put it together with Nissan, anyhow that leads us on to the GTE class, divided into professional and amateur and based on road legal cars as Le Mans used to be before about 1970. Ford set out to win the Pro class and GTE generally to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of their outright win in 1966, the first of four, for the fabulous Lola inspired GT40. So determined were Ford that they weren't above a little sandbagging in the earlier races and test days - allegedly and not by me!
Very happy to see Sebastien Bourdais in the class winning car. I felt he was bumped unfairly by Red Bull in F1, a tradition they're keeping up with their recent action in demoting Daniil Kvyat. A ruthless and political organisation, looking in from the outside at least. Bourdais is a multiple champion in Champ Car, the American Indy Car series. It would be nice to see him in a competitive LMP1 sometime.
The good news is that Toyota have promised to be back at Le Mans again next year, good luck guys, if anyone deserves it you do.
Malcolm Snook is published at Nook, Kobo and Amazon
Monday, 20 June 2016
Saturday, 18 June 2016
So Much Going On!
I love all forms of motorsport but rallying isn't top of my pops. The main reason is the against the clock element rather than pure racing, the same goes for hill climbs, nonetheless it's still exciting and there's some great machinery involved. Not only that, but this year's Rally of Sardinia saw the fifth winner from five events. Contrast that with Mercedes dominance in F1 and it starts to look a little more interesting.
This weekend though sees both the European Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Give me Le Mans every time, the greatest challenge in motorsport, sixty odd cars, major manufacturers, different classes, night racing, day racing, a week of partying and processions and build up, funfairs and croque monsieur to oysters and champagne.
It's part of a world championship too BUT if Porsche and Toyota in particular have reliability problems in a six hour race at Silverstone what chance twenty four hours at Le Mans? Qualifying for Le Mans is done with, Porsche locking out the front row, Toyota the second and Audi the third. A front row start is good for TV coverage but it doesn't mean much more with 3.1 seconds covering all six hybrids on what is by today's standards a long lap.
Audi lost the first race on a very minor technical infringement due to wear on a skid plate underneath, they won't make that mistake again and they won at Silverstone, they have an enviable recent record at Le Mans too (now in its 93rd year!). Whilst Audi's cars would seem to be favourites I'd like to see Toyota pull it off, I used to work for one of their advertising agencies and they have made a lot of unsuccessful attempts, it would be a great achievement. Although I believe they invest less financially than Audi.
Not that I'd be sad to see Porsche do it again; the 917 from the seventies is arguably the most beautiful and iconic Sports Prototype of all time.Whether that's due more to Siffert, Redman and Rodriguez or to Steve McQueen I'm not sure, but I personally fell in love with it as a youth at the BOAC 1000 at Brands Hatch.
I've been to Le Mans several times, including a couple of trips in a Ford GT40 replica and one on a Laverda Jota. The GT40 and the Ferrari 512M are two more of my all time favourite Le Mans cars and the Ford GT is back in a new guise with four of the top five GT qualifying places taken by the Ford car. However, the organisers like a level playing field and have since limited Ford's boost and added ballast so the Ferraris, Corvettes, et al aren't out of the picture.
Qualifying for the Grand Prix of Europe is next up, lets hope Ferrari and Red Bull have closed the gap to Mercedes!
Malcolm Snook
This weekend though sees both the European Grand Prix and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Give me Le Mans every time, the greatest challenge in motorsport, sixty odd cars, major manufacturers, different classes, night racing, day racing, a week of partying and processions and build up, funfairs and croque monsieur to oysters and champagne.
It's part of a world championship too BUT if Porsche and Toyota in particular have reliability problems in a six hour race at Silverstone what chance twenty four hours at Le Mans? Qualifying for Le Mans is done with, Porsche locking out the front row, Toyota the second and Audi the third. A front row start is good for TV coverage but it doesn't mean much more with 3.1 seconds covering all six hybrids on what is by today's standards a long lap.
Audi lost the first race on a very minor technical infringement due to wear on a skid plate underneath, they won't make that mistake again and they won at Silverstone, they have an enviable recent record at Le Mans too (now in its 93rd year!). Whilst Audi's cars would seem to be favourites I'd like to see Toyota pull it off, I used to work for one of their advertising agencies and they have made a lot of unsuccessful attempts, it would be a great achievement. Although I believe they invest less financially than Audi.
Not that I'd be sad to see Porsche do it again; the 917 from the seventies is arguably the most beautiful and iconic Sports Prototype of all time.Whether that's due more to Siffert, Redman and Rodriguez or to Steve McQueen I'm not sure, but I personally fell in love with it as a youth at the BOAC 1000 at Brands Hatch.
I've been to Le Mans several times, including a couple of trips in a Ford GT40 replica and one on a Laverda Jota. The GT40 and the Ferrari 512M are two more of my all time favourite Le Mans cars and the Ford GT is back in a new guise with four of the top five GT qualifying places taken by the Ford car. However, the organisers like a level playing field and have since limited Ford's boost and added ballast so the Ferraris, Corvettes, et al aren't out of the picture.
Qualifying for the Grand Prix of Europe is next up, lets hope Ferrari and Red Bull have closed the gap to Mercedes!
Malcolm Snook
Monday, 13 June 2016
From Canada to The Isle Of Man
Most motorsport enthusiasts are probably contemplating the return to form of Lewis Hamilton and whether Ferrari goofed in putting their boys on 'Supersoft' rather than the yellow walled 'Soft' tyres in the middle stint in Montreal. It was great to see three marques on the podium and Ferrari are truly back in the hunt thank goodness.
However I'd like to say a word about the Isle Of Man motorcycle TT races. Tragically this year we saw five fatalities, a terrible price and my heart goes out to the families of those we lost. For me it brings back memories from years back.
I got involved in motorcycle racing after racing single seater cars for several years as a result of a good friend of mine by the name of Colin Gable. I met him when I sold a car to his father and I went to Colin's first race at Castle Combe. In those days Colin owned a Kawasaki GPz900 for use on the road; he'd bought it on finance and I imagine racing it was against the terms and conditions, but would have been a huge risk anyway given he was a hard working lad in debt, not landed gentry.
Colin bought an old, secondhand Yamaha LC to go racing but unfortunately despite a couple of engine rebuilds it blew a ring on one side each time he tested it. The problem was correctly diagnosed and sorted but when he entered his first race meeting he wasn't confident the bike would last the day. So it was that he entered the Kawasaki in a couple of races for larger capacity bikes, competing in four races that day, two on the Yam and two on the Kwaka.
As luck would have it his first ever race was on his pride and joy GPz of which he owned just a part in reality. Most of us would be a bit circumspect under those circumstances but Colin finished in second place, beaten only by an out and out race prepped Superbike.
He went on to be best newcomer at the Isle of Man and one year I went to watch him at the TT. That year he broke down on the mountain. A year or two later he was killed at the island.
After this year's tragedy calls will be renewed to end the event. I doubt the government on the island will allow the loss of revenue, but I'd rather consider the moral issue. Agostini was right, I think, to campaign for the TT to be removed from the World Championship. Racing is primarily about skill and neither riders nor drivers should be pressurised to compete in the most dangerous events.
As I've mentioned in previous posts, we no longer have the Mille Miglia or The Targa Florio, nor do we have a Grand Prix on the old Nurburgring. I think we're poorer for the loss, but I don't think people should be entering events which are particulalry dangerous because to miss them would compromise an entire season or championship.
It seems to me that those who race at the Isle of Man choose to do so. People have always challenged themselves and I think it's an important part of what makes us human. We may challenge ourselves to a greater or lesser extent. There may be debate about whether climbers and hill walkers and long distance sailors and rowers should be rescued by others who have to put themselves at risk, but lets not stop challenging ourselves. And frankly if climbers and seafarers are ready to rescue their fellows then I think that's also a part of being human.
So where does that leave the TT? So long as there are riders who want to enter the races I believe it should continue and that it's morally correct to continue it. I don't believe in the nanny state and I do believe in both personal freedom and personal responsibility. This year's accidents represent an almost unbearable loss for the friends and family of those killed and those who compete should weigh in their minds the possible effects on their loved ones, but at the end of the day, if the entry lists are full, I for one salute those with the courage and determination to face any of the world's great challenges and the TT is the toughest challenge left in motorsport.
Malcolm Snook
However I'd like to say a word about the Isle Of Man motorcycle TT races. Tragically this year we saw five fatalities, a terrible price and my heart goes out to the families of those we lost. For me it brings back memories from years back.
I got involved in motorcycle racing after racing single seater cars for several years as a result of a good friend of mine by the name of Colin Gable. I met him when I sold a car to his father and I went to Colin's first race at Castle Combe. In those days Colin owned a Kawasaki GPz900 for use on the road; he'd bought it on finance and I imagine racing it was against the terms and conditions, but would have been a huge risk anyway given he was a hard working lad in debt, not landed gentry.
Colin bought an old, secondhand Yamaha LC to go racing but unfortunately despite a couple of engine rebuilds it blew a ring on one side each time he tested it. The problem was correctly diagnosed and sorted but when he entered his first race meeting he wasn't confident the bike would last the day. So it was that he entered the Kawasaki in a couple of races for larger capacity bikes, competing in four races that day, two on the Yam and two on the Kwaka.
As luck would have it his first ever race was on his pride and joy GPz of which he owned just a part in reality. Most of us would be a bit circumspect under those circumstances but Colin finished in second place, beaten only by an out and out race prepped Superbike.
He went on to be best newcomer at the Isle of Man and one year I went to watch him at the TT. That year he broke down on the mountain. A year or two later he was killed at the island.
After this year's tragedy calls will be renewed to end the event. I doubt the government on the island will allow the loss of revenue, but I'd rather consider the moral issue. Agostini was right, I think, to campaign for the TT to be removed from the World Championship. Racing is primarily about skill and neither riders nor drivers should be pressurised to compete in the most dangerous events.
As I've mentioned in previous posts, we no longer have the Mille Miglia or The Targa Florio, nor do we have a Grand Prix on the old Nurburgring. I think we're poorer for the loss, but I don't think people should be entering events which are particulalry dangerous because to miss them would compromise an entire season or championship.
It seems to me that those who race at the Isle of Man choose to do so. People have always challenged themselves and I think it's an important part of what makes us human. We may challenge ourselves to a greater or lesser extent. There may be debate about whether climbers and hill walkers and long distance sailors and rowers should be rescued by others who have to put themselves at risk, but lets not stop challenging ourselves. And frankly if climbers and seafarers are ready to rescue their fellows then I think that's also a part of being human.
So where does that leave the TT? So long as there are riders who want to enter the races I believe it should continue and that it's morally correct to continue it. I don't believe in the nanny state and I do believe in both personal freedom and personal responsibility. This year's accidents represent an almost unbearable loss for the friends and family of those killed and those who compete should weigh in their minds the possible effects on their loved ones, but at the end of the day, if the entry lists are full, I for one salute those with the courage and determination to face any of the world's great challenges and the TT is the toughest challenge left in motorsport.
Malcolm Snook
Wednesday, 8 June 2016
Viva Valentino
Moto GP from Barcelona was a thriller, especially if like me you're a Valentino Rossi fan and want to see him gain that tenth world championship. Of course all motorsport can be incredibly hard and my heart goes out to the family of Luis Salom the Moto GP 2 rider tragically killed in practice.
I had thought that Barcelona could see Valentino take the fight to the Spanish riders and on Sunday he did just that, somehow Valentino seems to find that bit extra on a Sunday, even if qualifying doesn't go so well. After his engine blow up Valentino really needed maximum points; that team mate Jorge Lorenzo was taken out by a wild Ducati levelled things further although who would bet against Marquez or Honda?
Lorenzo is not happy that Iannone isn't being punished with a ban it seems.
Dani Pedrosa on the second works Honda completed the podium. It was nice to see a Suzuki putting in good consistent fast laps too and it'll be good for all of us if more manufacturers are in with a shout. Suzuki have a large test programme planned I believe and Cal Crutchlow apparently had a good post race test as well. Game on.
Malcolm Snook
I had thought that Barcelona could see Valentino take the fight to the Spanish riders and on Sunday he did just that, somehow Valentino seems to find that bit extra on a Sunday, even if qualifying doesn't go so well. After his engine blow up Valentino really needed maximum points; that team mate Jorge Lorenzo was taken out by a wild Ducati levelled things further although who would bet against Marquez or Honda?
Lorenzo is not happy that Iannone isn't being punished with a ban it seems.
Dani Pedrosa on the second works Honda completed the podium. It was nice to see a Suzuki putting in good consistent fast laps too and it'll be good for all of us if more manufacturers are in with a shout. Suzuki have a large test programme planned I believe and Cal Crutchlow apparently had a good post race test as well. Game on.
Malcolm Snook
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
Been A Bit Quiet from Me But.....
I've been away travelling and not blogging, but a lot has been going on at Barcelona, Mugello, Monaco and Indy. All old news now of course but I was sorry to find out that Valentino Rossi had an engine blow up while challenging for the lead, I'd love to see him get that tenth world championship and Yamaha engines have been so very reliable.
Monaco might just see a turn around for Lewis Hamilton who's been having the season from hell, although he's still burdened by warnings which could lead to penalties and a shortage of engines left in a long season. What went wrong for Nico Rosberg still seems to be a mystery and after being taken out by Lewis in the previous race his sportsmanship seemed to not be in question in Monaco, some may think it new found, but I think he's one of the good guys myself.
A lot of carnage and penalties at Monaco, although the decision not to penalise Kimi Raikkonen was clearly correct given the radio communication evidence. Most of the other penalties were probably correct, but whilst we don't want to see stupid attempts to overtake we do want to see drivers fighting for places. In the world at large we've become very litigious and someone has to be blamed for every disaster, its as if the word 'accident' is now redundant. The 'racing accident' looks to be the next casualty.
The really good news was a surprise win for the other Rossi, Alexander Rossi, F1 test driver for Manor and sometime F1 racer. In a race where fuel economy was crucial he managed his race with fine judgement, running out victor and running out of fuel on the slowing down lap. 350,000 race fans watched the event at the Raceway. When I was racing my sponsorship presentation pointed out that the world's largest one day sporting event is a motor race, to emphasise to potential sponsors the interest there is in motorsport. I'm guessing the Indy 500 still is the world's number 1 one day sporting event.
As much as I love Formula 1, the Indy 500 and Le Mans are very special events, the more so considering we've lost the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia.This year was the 100th running of the Indy 500, a true landmark and Alexander Rossi has put his name into motor racing folklore forever, many congratulations and here's hoping he gets a competitive F1 drive.
Going back to F1 I suppose it's only right to congratulate Joss Verstappen on his maiden F1 win and a new youngest winner record. I cannot imagine how Daniil Kvyat feels though. Verstappen is an incredible talent, but we've also seen Daniil on the podium, I think what Red Bull did to him is pretty reprehensible, I have to hope it comes back to bite them. Although, feeling sorry for anyone earning so much money and playing with one of the most expensive and extreme toys in the world is a bit weird really. Goodness knows I would have like to have carried on racing!
Malcolm Snook
Monaco might just see a turn around for Lewis Hamilton who's been having the season from hell, although he's still burdened by warnings which could lead to penalties and a shortage of engines left in a long season. What went wrong for Nico Rosberg still seems to be a mystery and after being taken out by Lewis in the previous race his sportsmanship seemed to not be in question in Monaco, some may think it new found, but I think he's one of the good guys myself.
A lot of carnage and penalties at Monaco, although the decision not to penalise Kimi Raikkonen was clearly correct given the radio communication evidence. Most of the other penalties were probably correct, but whilst we don't want to see stupid attempts to overtake we do want to see drivers fighting for places. In the world at large we've become very litigious and someone has to be blamed for every disaster, its as if the word 'accident' is now redundant. The 'racing accident' looks to be the next casualty.
The really good news was a surprise win for the other Rossi, Alexander Rossi, F1 test driver for Manor and sometime F1 racer. In a race where fuel economy was crucial he managed his race with fine judgement, running out victor and running out of fuel on the slowing down lap. 350,000 race fans watched the event at the Raceway. When I was racing my sponsorship presentation pointed out that the world's largest one day sporting event is a motor race, to emphasise to potential sponsors the interest there is in motorsport. I'm guessing the Indy 500 still is the world's number 1 one day sporting event.
As much as I love Formula 1, the Indy 500 and Le Mans are very special events, the more so considering we've lost the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia.This year was the 100th running of the Indy 500, a true landmark and Alexander Rossi has put his name into motor racing folklore forever, many congratulations and here's hoping he gets a competitive F1 drive.
Going back to F1 I suppose it's only right to congratulate Joss Verstappen on his maiden F1 win and a new youngest winner record. I cannot imagine how Daniil Kvyat feels though. Verstappen is an incredible talent, but we've also seen Daniil on the podium, I think what Red Bull did to him is pretty reprehensible, I have to hope it comes back to bite them. Although, feeling sorry for anyone earning so much money and playing with one of the most expensive and extreme toys in the world is a bit weird really. Goodness knows I would have like to have carried on racing!
Malcolm Snook
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