SG GP: Why?

[SD_GR]

I've not seen the GP yet, I've watched Friday practice and I've watched qualifying, and I've watched the first two (2) laps of the GP itself. I'll watch the rest tonight.

I admit though, I'm confused. Why another Asian GP? In a country with no history, when historic tracks are gradually being removed from the calendar? Strictly money then?

I don't see the point in yet another road circuit when MC is demanding, historic (as historic as any other event), guaranteed to provide drama, and the atmosphere is always exceptional as well. The course itself at SG would be fine if it were not on roads -- if we wanted a twisty Asian GP why not just go to Suzuka or something?

In their defense, the organizers at least didn't make a completely boring circuit like other "new" events on the same continent (think MY). It does have all the makings of a great GP and even of a great event. It's still redundant though in light of MC (granted, there's a regional US oval track event that overlaps with the MC GP sometimes as they are both run in late May, but I doubt any of the fans that would watch either and have the coin for a Merc or Ferrari or BMW won't have a DVR anyway).

Anyway, looking forward to the race.

[SD_GR]

OK saw the rest. Wow! What a fiasco.

Ferrari need to sort that green light/red light thing. In the US, there's a game toddlers play that teaches them when to go and when to stop with the colours. Also, Ferrari need to consult someone like Menea because their crew run worse than I dance ballet. It took them a week to run down the pit lane. Then, when they finally got the fuel hose off the car they carried it off like some sort of primeval serpent they'd killed. Stay off the lasagna, learn green from red... Oh! And keep the cars off the walls more.

Alonso deserves a win. I've not been his greatest fan (...) but he has worked hard at Renault (they must have bent over backwards for the return of their great diva). Still, he probably doesn't deserve this win. It came about because of Alonso's personality, not because of his driving.

Why personality? Alonso has proven he cannot cope with not being #1. Prost and Lauda co-existed, Prost and Senna co-existed, but Alonso didn't have it in him to deal with Lewis Hamilton in the same colours as him. So he talked Renault into spending a prince's fortune to hire him again. The cost and the "#1" demands meant that Renault had to hire someone both inexperienced and cheap (those two go together usually). So Renault got Piquet. Who stuffed the car into the armco... which lead to the safety car event(s) that gave Alonso the win.

Winning a GP because your team mate took out a wall?!

On to more important things: Did anyone notice what watch Massa's father was wearing? Frank Muller? Anyone?

Oh! One of the stewards pushing Rubens out of the way managed to run himself over with the car. Monty Python had a skit about that, with upper middle class twits. One of them tripped over a painted line on the ground, another ran himself over with his own car, a third could not shoot a rabbit tied to the ground with a rope on each leg etc. Why does it take forever to remove a stranded car? Why did Piquet have to run across the circuit to reach safety? Why was Barichello steering his own disabled car while the local help were killing themselves with it while trying to push it backwards and out of the way? Wasn't this supposed to be the GP that would be tops for organization?

[mycologist]

Dude, it's cool though because they got the lighting just right for TV!!!11

Seriously though, WTF? At least Hamilton is showing that he may be able to drive for a championship instead of choking out like last year. I was amazed he stayed behind Coulthard so long.

I was kind of psyched that the Ferrari International Assistance program's ruling in Belgium got overturned by the Ferrari organization itself though. I really like Massa and Ferrari I suppose, but the way things were handled really makes me want to see them lose.

[SD_GR]

It's a shame about Ferrari. They showed a close-up of the nose section on Friday, and there sat the "Martini" logo. A decades-long FIAT sponsor; there were "there" during all those Group C and Group B and Group A battles (wins and losses alike) and to this day "Martini" livery on any car (Lancia, Porsche, anything) is my all-time fav. Sentimental for me but the Ferrari lads made a pig circus out of the GP.

Hamilton's no-blink stare while driving was outright creepy. Did you catch the face-on camera angles from practice? Very spooky vacant glares from everyone, no blinking, just deer-in-headlights stuff. Impressive but probably not the best pose for any of the drivers.

[cavallino333]

It was quite a disaster for Ferrari. They need to scrap the damn light system. What I don't get is 1. massa didn't jump the light this was parent from the replay. 2. The system is supposedly automatic and triggers when the sensor no longer senses the fuel filler. So wtf is going wrong? At any rate the age old lollipop system seems to work fine for every other team so after this 3rd error with the light why reinvent the wheel.

The track while I'm sure very entertaining was way too bumpy (those sparks from bottoming out were insane), didn't have enough openings in the giant safety walls, and it took them forever to get a car out.

Perhaps they should rename F1 to: Barnum, Bailey and Ecclestone's and then there woudln't be the expectation of any decision being made for any reason other than entertainment and money.

On to more important things: Did anyone notice what watch Massa's father was wearing? Frank Muller? Anyone?

I saw that. Last time he had a BRM like Massa's.

[mycologist]

It's a shame about Ferrari. They showed a close-up of the nose section on Friday, and there sat the "Martini" logo. A decades-long FIAT sponsor; there were "there" during all those Group C and Group B and Group A battles (wins and losses alike) and to this day "Martini" livery on any car (Lancia, Porsche, anything) is my all-time fav. Sentimental for me but the Ferrari lads made a pig circus out of the GP.

Hamilton's no-blink stare while driving was outright creepy. Did you catch the face-on camera angles from practice? Very spooky vacant glares from everyone, no blinking, just deer-in-headlights stuff. Impressive but probably not the best pose for any of the drivers.

I didn't know the Martini story but always was a fan of the idea that they sold cars so they could afford to race, not vis-versa.

The eyeballs were actually cracking me up a bit - they looked like kids trying to beat the ultimate final super-bot on some video game.

[SD_GR]

It was quite a disaster for Ferrari. They need to scrap the damn light system. What I don't get is 1. massa didn't jump the light this was parent from the replay. 2. The system is supposedly automatic and triggers when the sensor no longer senses the fuel filler. So wtf is going wrong?

Here's a scenario -- the only one I can come up with frankly: The nozzle seems to be out but the crewman isn't quite sure, he repositions it momentarily to find out where it's at (tactile feedback; he just "wiggles" the thing) and the light goes green. Massa sees it, thinks it's show time, but the crewman's not done and the light turns red again -- but by this time Massa's ripped off the fuel hose, run over two people, and made half of Italy hate Brazil.

At any rate the age old lollipop system seems to work fine for every other time so after this 3rd error with the light why reinvent the wheel.

At this point it's probably a semi-masochistic point of honour for them; they have to get it working and show they were right all along. No matter how many fuel hoses it takes.

The track while I'm sure very entertaining but was way too bumpy (those sparks from bottoming out were insane), not enough openings in the giant safety walls, and it took them forever to get a car out.

Yes safety was apparently job #9 or thereabouts. Still, did you see Rosberg's pass on Trulli?! Sparks everywhere, then SMOKE from all fours, and he's by! Great pass. Completely ape, all-or-nothing.

I saw that. Last time he had a BRM like Massa's.

I could swear it had either a skeleton face or even a tourbillion showing. I had no way of zooming the image though, so that's that. Last year, Massa's brother knew he'd be on TV in the pits and he decided to wear (brace yourself) a pink Lacoste polo (if memory serves, with the collar turned up). Welcome to 1986 (BTW the old man was still alive back then, he'd have had the fuel crew chief and Raikkonen and the whole lot tarred and feathered).

[cavallino333]

Here's a scenario -- the only one I can come up with frankly: The nozzle seems to be out but the crewman isn't quite sure, he repositions it momentarily to find out where it's at (tactile feedback; he just "wiggles" the thing) and the light goes green. Massa sees it, thinks it's show time, but the crewman's not done and the light turns red again -- but by this time Massa's ripped off the fuel hose, run over two people, and made half of Italy hate Brazil.

Hmm that would make sense. Hardly a great system if something that small means completely ruining the race and or maiming people. Although it looks like the guy that got hit got back up and started work on the kimi's car.

[mycologist]

Hmm that would make sense. Hardly a great system if something that small means completely ruining the race and or maiming people. Although it looks like the guy that got hit got back up and started work on the kimi's car.

A thankless effort that was. What was Kimi doing anyway, he wasn't going to get a position or anything.

[cavallino333]

I was kind of surprised Massa made it the full race considering the engine idled for such a long time as the pit crew ran over. (It seemed like it took the along time maybe the pit lane is longer then it seems on tv.) At least he'll have a new one for next race.

[SD_GR]

It is going to be a l o n g flight home...