Strathlachlan

2008 Formula One World Championship

A long season came down to one last race, one last lap, and one last corner at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil. In the end, it was Scuderia Ferarri Marlboro's Felipe Massa that won the race and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton that won the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship for 2008. Ferrari won the Constructors' Championship over McLaren.

Hamilton becomes the youngest World Champion in F1 history and McLaren wins their 12th Drivers' Championship. Hamilton overtook Toyota's Timo Glock on the last corner of the last lap in raining conditions to take fifth place in the race and to secure the title by one point. It was probably the most exciting finish to a Formula One race and season we'll ever see.

This was also the last Grand Prix race for David Coulthard, who crashed out in the first lap of the race. I've been a fan of the Scotsman for many years now and it is sad to see him retiring from the sport. But a new champion has been crowned and Lewis Hamilton has many bright years ahead of him in the sport.

A McLaren driver last won the title in 1999 when Mika Hakkinen took home the title. It has been a long drought for the team and Hamilton nearly won it in Brazil last year. And I've been a long suffering fan all these years watching Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Kimi Räikkönen win championships.

The Silver Arrows of McLaren Mercedes finally break their losing streak and win the greatest prize in motorsport. It was well worth the wait.

United States Grand Prix Gets the Axe

The 2008 Formula One calendar will not include the United States Grand Prix. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has hosted the American round of the world championship for the past eight years, made the announcement today. Add Indianapolis to the list of other former USGP venues that includes Sebring, Riverside, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, and Phoenix.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as saying "We didn't reach an agreement. Let's see if we miss America." That statement is a far cry from what Ecclestone said about the event in 2000: "Indy is Indy. When you go anywhere in the world, and you talk about Indianapolis, it is like talking about Coca-Cola or Rolls-Royce: everybody knows it...and we need to have that kind of place that our people [i.e. the sponsors] can bring their guests to."

There will be a lot of finger pointing and a lot of debate over why a new contract didn't happen. There will also be those that bring up the attendance hit at the second race just days after September 11th, the "mysterious" finish of the Ferrari's in 2002, and the race that wasn't in 2005. But these would all miss the three main factors why there won't be a race at Indy in 2008:

Money: Anyone who says it's not about the money knows it's always about the money.  F1's contract with IMS involved a sanctioning fee rumored to be between $10 and $15 million to host the event each year. F1 also keeps all the money from trackside advertising and broadcast rights. This means that the venue has to recoup their costs from ticket sales and an event title sponsor to just break even. USGP attendance has hovered around 100,000, still one of the largest events on the schedule, but has been without a title sponsor for the past five years. SAP was the title sponsor for the first three races and the failure of IMS to replace them is a factor even Tony George noted in today's press conference. It should also be noted that in most other countries there are substantial state subsidies to help pay these costs. Assuming that cost can be covered there is the reality that other venues like India, Singapore, and Dubai are all willing to pay $35 million per race. Their governments and businesses are eager to get an F1 event to help promote these emerging economies. So yes, this is about money.

Media: A little known fact in F1 is that Formula One Management also controls all media around the event. The host broadcaster pays a hefty fee to F1 for exclusive rights and everyone else in that country gets nothing. This is why you haven't seen anything about the past few USGPs on ESPN because Fox is the broadcast rights holder in the US. They can't show a clip or a highlight that doesn't get sent to them by F1. This idea makes sense in other countries and is very similar to the broadcast rights model for the Olympic games. NBC gets total control of their coverage in the US and the other networks get nothing but still images and highlights on delay. But this makes no sense in a market where you are trying to grow interest in the sport. You want coverage everywhere and broader media access to cover the event. This is one major rule that Bernie has refused to loosen up in the US. Another media problem is the lack of a committed major broadcaster in the US. Speed Channel has had rights to broadcast F1 races in the US for many years now, but it is not a major network. And in recent years ABC, CBS, and Speed's parent company Fox have shown certain races periodically. But they are tape-delayed and packaged shows to fit into a two-hour time block on Sunday afternoons. There is more promotion around a hotdog eating contest or a homerun derby than for an event that has one of the largest global TV audiences.

Marketing: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has not done a very good job marketing the event. And that's probably being kind. They may not control all the money or the media aspects of the race, but they do control marketing and promotion. I have always gotten the sense that the folks at the IMS believe that if they held a snail race at their "Racing Capital of the World" that the stands would be jam packed. Sorry but you can't just rest on your tradition and history to get people to line up for tickets. Even attendance at the Indy 500 is not what it used to be and the massive draw of NASCAR requires little to no promotion for the Brickyard 400. There are a ton of things they could have done to build awareness and attendance. That is not to say that 100,000+ fans for most of the races is not a good thing. But I think everyone would agree that the overall marketing effort has been a disappointment.

I'm not the biggest fan of Tony George, but he was spot when remarking that "I think the future will depend on recognizing the fact that the United States is a bit different, and we're going to have to figure out how to make it work." Sadly I'm not sure Bernie really cares at this point and the loss of the USGP at Indy is a loss to the sport and its fans.

For me, the race has been an annual pilgrimage for the past eight years. A few days away from work and the world inside the F1 circus tent. A lot of sun, fun, photos, and time with friends. I tuned out the gripes of Indianapolis media, the xenophobic comments from the locals, and the adjusted prices of everything to spend a few days with the stars and cars. I hope the race will return to Indy but that's probably a long-shot. Thanks for the memories...

Formula One Podcasting

Following my return to the blogosphere I started thinking about doing some F1 podcasting. Thankfully, Brett Johnson and Corey Krause over at Formula Pod have already put together a great F1 podcast.

After a few weeks as a listener and trading some emails with the guys at Formula Pod I had the opportunity today to do my first ever podcast. Brett had me do a fill-in interview for a sidelined Corey.

To check it out just stop on by Formula Pod and listen to the British Grand Prix Qualifying show (podF1-2005-07-09_Q). I might also do something following Sunday's race. This could get interesting...stay tuned...

Grand Farce at Indianapolis

There were multiple points of failure that let to the farce that was the 2005 United States Grand Prix. The finger pointing from the teams, the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone, Michelin, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was only usurped by the finger pointing from the 100,000+ fans in attendance. Here are just few of the reasons why all of this happened:

Culpability - Michelin screwed up. Sure, you can talk about the poor resurfacing of the track, the tire problems experienced by both the Indy Racing League and NASCAR during tests, and the possible forewarning Bridgestone had thanks to their stateside brand Firestone. But at the end of the day Michelin came to Indianapolis with two tire choices that were failing under loading. Given the two tire failures during Friday practice and further investigation they could not guarantee the safety of their tires in race conditions. Bridgestone got it right. Michelin got it wrong.

Chicanery - Michelin informed the FIA in writing on Saturday that they could not guarantee the tires would hold up "unless the vehicle speed in turn 13 can be reduced." A volley of letters continued until the FIA eventually said "your teams have a choice of running more slowly in Turn 12/13, running a tyre not used in qualifying (which would attract a penalty) or repeatedly changing a tyre (subject to valid safety reasons)." Michelin eventually lobbied "for a chicane to be installed prior to Turn 13 and nine of the teams were prepared to run under these conditions even forgoing championship points or by allowing non-Michelin teams to take top positions on the grid." The FIA declined the request.

Compromise - Although the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was willing to build the chicane the FIA turned that request down and threatened not to sanction the event if a chicane was built. Michelin simply could not guarantee the reliability and safety of their tires and were not willing to open the liability floodgates. Red Bull Racing driver David Coulthard put it best when he said, "The reality is that mature adults were not able to come to a resolution that would have allowed us to put on the show that everybody wants to see in Formula One."  A standoff between the FIA and the Michelin shod teams ensued.

Control - The FIA controls the rules. Bernie Ecclestone controls the money. The teams want more control of both. The battle for control at the USGP escalated to a behind-closed-doors meeting between Ecclestone and several of the team principals. According to reports Ecclestone essentially told them "you are going to get in that car and race" and they called his bluff. The FIA wasn't going to budge and the teams weren't going to budge either. There would be no chicane and the teams running on Michelin tires would do the bare minimum to uphold their contractual obligations under the Concorde Agreement by taking the formation lap. In that moment, most of the teams were throwing down the gauntlet to take back control of Formula One.

Communication - The world press and media in the United States have had a field day with the entire fiasco. The event got little coverage in the US until video of a near-empty grid and fans throwing bottles were broadcast. Suddenly morning news programs, sports talk shows, and the major networks in the US covered the Formula One fallout at Indianapolis. This is not the kind of coverage F1 was hoping for but you reap what you sow. Ecclestone had complained about the poor promotion and publicity surrounding the event earlier in the week. Be careful what you wish for Bernie.

Ferrari scored a 1-2 finish and Jordan's Tiago Monteiro took the podium for the first time in his career. All of this was overshadowed by a seismic shift in Formula One's balance of power that has been building up for quite some time. On Sunday there were no real winners...just losers all the way around. This is only going to get more interesting...stay tuned...

2005 United States Grand Prix*

The spectacle that was. The race that wasn't. I had started drafting some thoughts on how they could improve the promotion of the USGP but that seems a moot point at the moment. A bad day all around for everyone involved.

Having spent that last three days and a few dollars at the circuit it is fair to say that this is a new low in Formula 1. A couple of points and observations:

• I knew on Friday night that Michelin was very worried about the safety of their tires running on the oval section of the circuit.
• I knew on Saturday night that there was a serious possibility of the Michelin shod teams not running if certain changes were not made.
• I knew on Sunday morning before heading the the circuit that the situation was not much better.
• I knew 50 minutes before the scheduled race start that the Michelin teams were threatening not to run if a chicane was not put into turn 13.
• I knew 5 minutes before the scheduled race start that the Michelin teams would do the formation lap and just pull into the pits.
• None of the thousands of people sitting in turn 1 with me had a clue what was going on.
• Many fans began to leave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the first few laps of the race.
• Most of the 100,000+ people who showed up on Sunday left very dejected.

Follow the finger pointing here:

Letter from Representatives of Michelin to Charlie Whiting, the FIA Formula One Race Director

Letter from Charlie Whiting, the FIA Formula One Race Director, in reply to above letter from Representatives of Michelin

Follow-up letters between Representatives of Michelin and Charlie Whiting, the FIA Formula One Race Director

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway issued the following statement.

Senna and Imola: Ten Years Later

Senna. The word itself evokes powerful images and emotions ten years after the legendary driver's tragic death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. If you want to capture the magnitude of his loss, then use the word Earnhardt around NASCAR fans and multiply the reaction ten fold. Imola, Formula One, Brazil, and the world have never been the same since May 1st, 1994.

Ayrton Senna da Silva was born on March 21, 1960, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. By the age of four he was already driving a small go-kart, a gift from his father. When Senna turned thirteen he could finally race legally and spent a lot of time competing at the karting track near Interlagos. By 1977, Aryton had won the South American Kart Championship and repeated the feat the following year before moving to karting in Europe. But the young Brazilian could only manage successive runner-up finishes in the Karting World Championships in 1979 and 1980.

In 1981, Senna moved up to the British Formula Ford 1600 series where he won the championship that year. This shining new star on the racing scene next took the Formula Ford 2000 championship in 1982 and the British F-3 title in 1983. Senna finally broke into Formula One with the Toleman team in 1984 where he scored 13 points and finished 9th in the Drivers' Championship. The following year Senna made the jump to Lotus and scored his maiden F1 win in Portugal and finished 4th in the Drivers' Championship. Senna would race with Lotus for two more seasons before moving to McLaren in 1988.

Aryton Senna won his first Formula One World Championship with McLaren during his very first year with the team. Senna would take the title again for McLaren in 1990 and 1991, and his popularity and legendary skill as a driver became known around the world. His battles on the track with other drivers and his own teammates are still remembered to this very day. By 1993, Senna was racing on a race-by-race contract with McLaren at $1 million per Grand Prix. Driving an underpowered and uncompetitive car, Senna still managed to finish second in the Drivers' Championship and won the final two races of the year. What no one knew was that Aryton Senna's win at the 1993 Australian Grand Prix would be his 41st and final Grand Prix victory.

For the 1994 season Senna moved to Williams following Alain Prost's retirement. Prost and Senna were once rival teammates at McLaren and Prost left Williams and Formula One after winning the Drivers' Championship in 1993. Senna took pole in the first two races of the season in Brazil and Japan, but failed to finish either race. A very young Michael Schumacher had won the first two rounds of the championship for Benetton. Now the pressure was really on Senna as Formula One headed for Imola and the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

Ask anyone who was at Imola that weekend and most of them will tell you that there just seemed to be some indescribable sense of impending tragedy in the air. The season saw a whole host of technical regulation changes that banned several driver aids like traction control and active suspension. Senna was still adjusting to his new team and struggled to find the right setup for his Williams-Renault FW16. Ayrton and his teammate Damon Hill had modifications made to their cramped cockpit, including changes to the steering column and monocoque, to give themselves more room.

The first sign of trouble at Imola was during Friday practice when Jordan's Rubens Barrichello had a very heavy crash at the Variante Bassa chicane. Barrichello's car was thrown against the tire wall and fencing at 140mph knocking the young Brazilian unconscious and he swallowed his own tongue. A quick response from the FIA's trackside doctor Professor Sid Watkins saved Barrichello's life. Barrichello would later recount that Senna was the first face he saw in the medical center after regaining consciousness. "He had tears in his eyes. I had never seen that with Ayrton before. I just had the impression he felt as if my accident was like one of his own," recalls Barrichello.

During Saturday's second qualifying session Roland Ratzenberger's Simtek crashed at high speed into the wall at the Villeneuve Corner. The young Austrian driver hit the wall at around 180mph and came to a halt slumped in the shattered car. Senna saw the accident on the monitors in the Williams pit and quickly commandeered a safety car and drove to the scene of the crash. Ratzenberger had already been taken to the medical center and Senna rushed back to the pits to find out more about the condition of the driver. Senna tracked down Prof. Sid Watkins and the FIA's chief medical delegate broke the grim news that Ratzenberger was dead.

Roland Ratzenberger's death was the first Formula One fatality in 12 years, and Watkins later recalled that "[Senna] was very shocked. He had never faced the reality of his profession before so starkly because no one had been killed during his time in Formula One. He was always fatalistic about death; he was a religious man and intelligent enough to think it through. This was the first time it had come so close." When the session resumed Williams withdrew and Senna returned to the motorhome instead of attending the traditional pole position winner's press conference.

Ayrton Senna would start the race from pole position for the 65th time, a record that still remains unbroken even today. During the morning driver's briefing Senna voiced concerns about the use of the Safety Car during the warm-up lap. The Safety Car was used for the first time at the Pacific Grand Prix in Japan two weeks earlier to keep the field bunched before the start. Senna argued that the Safety Car could not go fast enough to keep the F1 tires up to temperature, and if the Safety Car needed to be brought out during the race a similar problem would occur. The race stewards acknowledged these concerns but made no changes.

The race itself was in trouble from the start. Senna led the field when the lights turned green, but J. J. Lehto’s Benetton stalled on the grid and Pedro Lamy’s Lotus slammed into the back of the stricken car at nearly full speed. Debris was scattered all over the circuit and into the crowd, injuring nine people. Instead of red flagging the race the Safety Car, a standard Opel Vectra, was brought out. After just two laps at full speed the Opel's brakes were completely worn down trying to keep a sufficient pace. At one point Senna actually pulled up along side of the Safety Car trying to encourage the driver to go faster.

By lap 6 the debris had been cleared from the starting grid and the Safety Car pulled into the pits. Senna quickly jumped on the throttle to make a gap between himself and a fast pursuing Michael Schumacher. Going through the left hand Tamburello Curve on that lap everyone noticed how Senna's car bottomed out and twitched. The tires were not yet up to racing temperature and the lowered ride-height of his Williams sent out a shower of sparks when it made contact with the track.

Going through the Tamburello Curve once more on lap 7, Senna’s Williams veered sharply off the track at a speed of 190mph and slammed into an unprotected concrete retaining wall. The front-right side of the car took the full force of the impact, a wheel flew off, the suspension crumpled, and the Williams-Renault FW16 catapulted back on to the track. Senna was able to slow the car to 137mph before the impact, but a part of the front suspension, with the wheel still attached, speared through Senna's visor entering his skull. Marshals ran to help Senna but stopped just short of the car when they saw blood coming from Senna's helmet. Rescue workers rushed to the accident and the race was quickly stopped.

Senna's lifeless body was freed from the wreckage and attended to on the scene by several medical personnel, including Prof. Sid Watkins. The BBC chose not to show footage of blood seeping from the car and doctors frantically working to revive Aryton Senna just a few feet away. Alain Prost, who was commentating for French television, could hardly disguise the fact that he was crying as he described the scene. As they worked to stabilize the stricken driver a helicopter landed on the circuit to transport Senna to Maggiore Hospital in Bologna.

Thirty-seven minutes after Senna’s crash, the race was restarted. Before the race was over Michele Alboreto's Minardi lost a wheel in pitlane that injured several Ferrari mechanics and a Lotus mechanic was also hit by debris. Word began to spread in the F1 Paddock that Senna was already dead. Benetton's Michael Schumacher went on to win his third straight race of the season but was unaware of Senna's condition until after the race. The drivers were told of Senna's grave condition prior to the podium ceremony and there was no traditional champaign celebration.

Senna was being kept alive by life support until his heart gave out at 6:40pm that evening. The chief medical officer, Dr. Maria Theresa Fiandri, pronounced Senna dead and the whole world was in a state of shock. The greatest racing driver in the world, Ayrton Senna, was dead at age 34. Later that evening, in the shattered remains of Senna's car, they discovered a furled Austrian flag. Aryton Senna had intended to dedicate his 42nd Grand Prix victory to Roland Ratzenberger's memory.

Aryton Senna's body was flown back to Brazil's Guarulhos airport with a fighter escort. Brazil's President Franco ordered three days of national mourning, including the closure of all state schools. Senna's flag draped coffin with his signature yellow helmet atop would lie in state at the Monumental Hall in Ibirapuera Park for just one day. During that time over a quarter of a million mourners would pay their respects before the funeral ceremony began.

Military cadets bore the coffin to a fire engine for Senna’s last journey to Sao Paulo's Cemitério do Morumbi. Aryton Senna's pallbearers included Emerson Fittipaldi, two-time World Champion, Gerhard Berger, his closest friend in Formula One, former World Champions Alain Prost and Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill, Rubens Barrichello, Derek Warwick, and Johnny Herbert. The simple grave remains a comforting place for family, friends, and fans to this day.

Aryton Senna's death changed the face of Formula One forever. The countless number of F1 safety changes to protect the drivers, teams, and fans have become the standard by which other forms of motor racing measure themselves. The cars undergo mandatory cockpit safety cell testing and a variety of other safety features have gone on to save lives. The drivers are required to use the HANS device and other rules stipulate that a driver can be removed from the car while still strapped into his seat. A pitlane speed limit and other rules were also put in place to protect team members. The Safety Car has since become a highly modified automobile capable of keeping an appropriate pace without difficulties. The circuits all have large run-off areas, gravel traps, tire walls, and high-friction tarmac to slow cars down in case of a crash. Numerous other changes to the sport have meant that Ayrton Senna was the last driver to lose his life during a Formula One Grand Prix since that fateful weekend in 1994.

2004 Bahrain Grand Prix Review

Another new Grand Prix circuit designed by Hermann Tilke. Another dramatic race day weather change. Another dominate Ferrari 1-2 finish. Another podium finish for BAR's Jenson Button. Another solid result for Renault. Another mixed result for Williams BMW. Another disastrous weekend for Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren. Another battle between Jaguar, Toyota, and Sauber for points table scraps. Another out-of-sight out-of-mind weekend Jordan and Minardi. Just when you think the Formula One season is about to get boring it gets even more interesting.

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher has led all but 10 laps through the first three races of the 2004 season. His teammate Rubens Barrichello has also helped the Scuderia to capture the top spot in the Constructors' Championship standings. The car, tires, drivers, and team are just hitting on all cylinders at the moment. Meanwhile, BAR and Renault continue to show that their success is no fluke. What must Jacques Villeneuve be thinking on the ski slopes right now?

Williams BMW's technical director Patrick Head looked beside himself throughout the weekend. The car is very quick but qualifying problems and technical gremlins are letting them down. Ralf Schumacher had another racing incident but managed to capture a few points for Williams BMW. Juan Pablo Montoya limped home with engine problems in what must have been an agonizing crawl down the classification list.

McLaren is officially in chaos mode and there will be another round of finger pointing at their engine partners Mercedes-Benz. Raikkonen had another early retirement from the race when his engine erupted in flames and smoke. David Coulthard was running in the points with just a few lap remaining before making an unexpected pit stop to fix a pneumatic pressure problem. The Scot's MP4-19 gave up the ghost before making it off of pit lane. What must Mika Hakkinen be thinking from his Monaco home right now?

Overlooked in all of this is just how well Bridgestone have gotten their tire problems sorted out and how another Japanese company, Honda, have gotten their groove back. BAR was indeed not running light in winter testing and at Bahrain they qualified with a heavier fuel load than both Ferrari and Williams BMW. Rumors in the F1 Paddock have BAR unveiling a new radical rear wing for Imola and Renault are eagerly awaiting an engine upgrade. That should turn on the heat on everyone, including Ferrari.

The teams now have three weeks to regroup before the start of the European season at the San Marino Grand Prix. Can anyone put a dent in Ferrari's performance advantage? Can BAR continue their impressive start to the 2004 season? Can Renault add more horsepower to their impressive aerodynamic package? Can Williams BMW sort out their drivers and their reliability problems? Can McLaren build an engine that can last an entire weekend? Can Jaguar keep improving and stay ahead of Sauber and Toyota? Can Jordan or Minardi pick up some points or additional funding? These questions and many more will be answered when Formula One returns.

POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT LAPS TIME/RETIRE
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 57 1h28m34.875
2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 57 1.367
3. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 57 26.687
4. JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 57 32.214
5. TAKUMA SATO Japan BAR-Honda 57 52.460
6. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 57 53.156
7. RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 57 58.155
8. MARK WEBBER Australia Jaguar-Cosworth 56 1 Lap
9. OLIVIER PANIS France Toyota 56 1 Lap
10. CRISTIANO DA MATTA Brazil Toyota 56 1 Lap
11. GIANCARLO FISICHELLA Italy Sauber-Petronas 56 1 Lap
12. FELIPE MASSA Brazil Brazil 56 1 Lap
13. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 56 1 Lap
14. CHRISTIAN KLIEN Austria Jaguar-Cosworth 56 1 Lap
15. NICK HEIDFELD Germany Jordan-Cosworth 56 1 Lap
16. GIORGIO PANTANO Italy Jordan-Ford 55 2 Laps
17. GIANMARIA BRUNI Italy Minardi-Cosworth 52 5 Laps

R DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 50
R ZSOLT BAUMGARTNER Hungary Minardi-Cosworth 44
R KIMI RAIKKONEN Finland McLaren-Mercedes 7 Engine

FASTEST LAP: M.Schumacher Germany Ferrari 7 1:30.252

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT POINTS
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 30
2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 21
3. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 15
4. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 12
5. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 11
JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 11
7. RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 7
8. DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 4
TAKUMA SATO Japan BAR-Honda 4
10. FELIPE MASSA Brazil Sauber-Petronas 1
MARK WEBBER Australia Jaguar-Cosworth 1

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS CONSTRUCTOR POINTS
1. FERRARI 51
2. RENAULT 22
3. WILLIAMS-BMW 19
BAR-HONDA 19
5. MCLAREN-MERCEDES 4
6. SAUBER-PETRONAS 1
JAGUAR-COSWORTH 1

A Different Kind of Grand Prix

The 2004 Bahrain Grand Prix is the first Formula One race to be held in the Middle East, and just about everything about the race has brought with it a unique set of challenges. For those that need a geography lesson, the Kingdom of Bahrain is an island group located off the central southern shores of the Arabian Gulf between Saudi Arabia's east coast and the Qatar peninsula. The Kingdom of Bahrain signed a long-term deal to host the event with the FIA back in September 2002.

The brand new $150 million Bahrain International Circuit located in Sakhir was literally built in the middle of the desert. More than 3,000 workers spent 16 months to build a venue comprised of over 70,000 cubic meters of concrete, more than 60,000 tons of Welsh granite, and 8,500 tons of steel. 82,000 tires and 5,000 meters of fencing enclose the BIC.

The Bahrain International Circuit's facilities are state-of-the-art and have a total capacity of 50,000 spectators. The grandstands, pit complex, race control tower, media center, and 9-story VIP tower all have a distinctive look. Hospitality suites, under track pedestrian and vehicle tunnels, and brand new parking facilities and access roads complete this oasis.

The FIA's approved circuit designer Hermann Tilke is the brains behind the 3.366 mile, 12-turn (5 left, 7 right), track where cars should reach speeds in excess of 200 mph. The current estimated lap time is around 1' 33'', but of course high temperatures and humidity could play a big factor. There are three good areas for overtaking at the circuit and the variation in track width from 46 to 66 feet should remind viewers of Sepang in Malaysia.

For the teams, the Bahrain International Circuit brings with it a whole new set of unanswered questions. Up until now the only track time the drivers have had has been in advanced computer simulators. Only Williams BMW test driver Marc Gene has actually driven a Formula One car on the circuit and that was only 25 laps in last year's car. This year's one engine per weekend rule, very high temperatures, and 13-seconds at full throttle will present a challenging combination of factors for each team's engineers.

Sand, wind, and weather could also make the Grand Prix weekend a bit more interesting. A special layer of film has been sprayed on the sand surrounding the circuit in an attempt to glue it in place. High winds or even small amounts of blowing sand will be very tough on both drivers and engines. The possibility of thunderstorms and windy conditions on Sunday could really influence the outcome of the race.

There will be some other differences in Bahrain in keeping with Islamic culture that are worth noting. The traditional Mumm champagne shower following the podium ceremony will be replaced with a non-alcoholic carbonated drink called Warrd, which is a blend of locally grown pomegranate and trinj juice mixed with rosewater. It goes without saying that pit babes and grid girls will not be making an appearance in Sakhir this weekend.

Security measures for the Bahrain Grand Prix are also unlike other Formula One events. The Bahrain Ministry of the Interior has elements of the National Guard and the Bahrain Defense Force in place. The teams have also been provided with special security escorts to and from the circuit. Despite these additional measures the British Foreign Office has issued two warnings for westerners attending the event. That doesn't appear to be deterring guests like Great Britain's Prince Andrew, Sir Jackie Stewart, Spain's King Juan Carlos, and possibly Volkswagen chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder and Mercedes-Benz's Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard. Hopefully all the surprises happen on the track this weekend.

2004 Malaysian Grand Prix Review

The 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix proved that Ferrari has their tire problems sorted out, Williams BMW and Renault are both very competitive, and that my two predictions were right. McLaren's weekend would have been considered a major success if not for Kimi Raikkonen's late retirement while running third. Instead the talk of the F1 Paddock was Jenson Button's first career podium for BAR Honda.

Jaguar's Mark Webber race couldn't have gone much worse. After qualifying second, his and the team's highest qualifying performance ever, the Australian nearly stalled at the start, had to pit for a right-rear tire change after clipping Ralf Schumacher's front wing, was later assessed a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane, and eventually spun out near the final turn. Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello picked the wrong tire compound and his poor performance also probably held up Williams BMW's Juan Pablo Montoya. In the closing stages of race Montoya opted for the 8 points than risk a retirement like his teammate, Ralf Schumacher.

Despite changes in qualifying formats, new technical regulations, and a host of other variables the reality is that Ferrari have the best car and the best driver, Michael Schumacher, at the moment. Bridgestone also appear to have sorted out their warm weather tire problems from last season. This is not simply a matter of money. Toyota have the largest Forumula One budget but the Cologne-based team can't seem to build a chassis to match their powerful engine.

The unknown now lies ahead for each team as they head to the Middle East and the first ever Grand Prix of Bahrain at the newly built Bahrain International Circuit. The track temperatures will be even hotter than in Malaysia and the race engineers only have simulations to go on for race setups. Up until now the one engine rule has meant fewer laps but that should all change on the brand new Hermann Tilke designed circuit. The teams will need to get significant track time while still limiting engine revs. This could prove to be a slight advantage for teams like BAR, Jaguar, and Toyota that can run a third car during Friday practice.

POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT LAPS TIME/RETIRE
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 56 1h31m07.490
2. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 56 5.022
3. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 56 11.568
4. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 56 13.615
5. JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 56 37.360
6. DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 56 53.098
7. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 56 1m07.877
8. FELIPE MASSA Brazil Brazil 55 1 Lap
9. CRISTIANO DA MATTA Brazil Toyota 55 1 Lap
10. CHRISTIAN KLIEN Austria Jaguar-Cosworth 55 1 Lap
11. GIANCARLO FISICHELLA Italy Sauber-Petronas 55 1 Lap
12. OLIVIER PANIS France Toyota 55 1 Lap
13. GIORGIO PANTANO Italy Jordan-Ford 54 2 Laps
14. GIANMARIA BRUNI Italy Minardi-Cosworth 53 3 Laps
15. TAKUMA SATO Japan BAR-Honda 52 4 Laps
16. ZSOLT BAUMGARTNER Hungary Minardi-Cosworth 52 4 Laps

R KIMI RAIKKONEN Finland McLaren-Mercedes 40 Transmission
R NICK HEIDFELD Germany Jordan-Cosworth 34 Transmission
R RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 27 Engine
R MARK WEBBER Australia Jaguar-Cosworth 23 Spin

FASTEST LAP: MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 28 1:34.223

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT POINTS
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 20
2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 13
3. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 12
4. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 9
5. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 8
6. JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 6
7. RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 5
8. DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 4
9. FELIPE MASSA Brazil Sauber-Petronas 1

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS CONSTRUCTOR POINTS
1. FERRARI 33
2. WILLIAMS-BMW 17
3. RENAULT 14
4. BAR-HONDA 9
5. MCLAREN-MERCEDES 4
6. SAUBER-PETRONAS 1

2004 Australian Grand Prix Review

Ferrari dominates the weekend and finish 1-2. Another yawner Formula One season in the making? I don't think so. Scuderia Ferrari have dominated the Albert Park circuit in recent years, and the sudden drop in temperature for the race swung the tire advantage in their favor. A poor start by Williams BMW's Juan Pablo Montoya took the pressure off of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher. Brake problems with Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari also prevented any challenges at the front of the pack.

There is no question that Ferrari's F2004 was the best car on the grid in Australia, but there are still 17 races to go and miles to go before anyone sleeps. Michael Schumacher's Ferrari also appeared to be experiencing heavy brake wear, and the retirement by Sauber's Felipe Massa showed that their Ferrari-built Petronas-badged engine is not unbreakable. The "X" factor of course is Michael Schumacher, who captured his fourth career grand slam (winning from pole, leading every lap, setting fastest lap) on Sunday in Melbourne. The legendary driver Jim Clark accomplished the feat eight times during a career that was tragically cut short in 1968 at the age of just 32.

My prediction that Renault and BAR could bump McLaren from their top three perch began to take shape. Renault's engine might be down on power but their aero package is getting the job done, and their innovative approach to the launch control ban worked to perfection. BAR are showing signs that their strong winter testing performance was no fluke and Jenson Button brought home a sixth place finish on Michelin tires for the first time.

The F1 circus now moves to Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Much warmer temperatures and a circuit not known to be Ferrari friendly could mix things up a bit. I expect reliability to become a much bigger factor in Malaysia and Bridgestone will have their work cut out for them. Ferrari have indeed dropped the gauntlet and there are several teams vying to pick it up.

POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT LAPS TIME/RETIRE
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 58 1h24m15.757
2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 58 13.605
3. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 58 34.673
4. RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 58 1m00.423
5. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 58 1m08.536
6. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 58 1m10.598
7. JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 57 1 Lap
8. DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 57 1 Lap
9. TAKUMA SATO Japan BAR-Honda 57 1 Lap
10. GIANCARLO FISICHELLA Italy Sauber-Petronas 57 1 Lap
11. CHRISTIAN KLIEN Austria Jaguar-Cosworth 56 2 Laps
12. CRISTIANO DA MATTA Brazil Toyota 56 2 Laps
13. OLIVIER PANIS France Toyota 56 2 Laps
14. GIORGIO PANTANO Italy Jordan-Ford 55 3 Laps

R FELIPE MASSA Brazil Sauber-Petronas 44 Engine
R NICK HEIDFELD Germany Jordan-Cosworth 43 Clutch
R GIANMARIA BRUNI Italy Minardi-Cosworth 43
R MARK WEBBER Australia Jaguar-Cosworth 29 Gearbox
R ZSOLT BAUMGARTNER Hungary Minardi-Cosworth 13 Electronics
R KIMI RAIKKONEN Finland McLaren-Mercedes 9 Engine

FASTEST LAP: M.SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 29 1:24.125

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT POINTS
1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER Germany Ferrari 10
2. RUBENS BARRICHELLO Brazil Ferrari 8
3. FERNANDO ALONSO Spain Renault 6
4. RALF SCHUMACHER Germany Williams-BMW 5
5. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA Colombia Williams-BMW 4
6. JENSON BUTTON Britain BAR-Honda 3
7. JARNO TRULLI Italy Renault 2
8. DAVID COULTHARD Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1

CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS:
POS CONSTRUCTOR POINTS
1. FERRARI 18
2. WILLIAMS-BMW 9
3. RENAULT 8
4. BAR-HONDA 3
5. MCLAREN-MERCEDES 1