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Say no to Rome – I’m backing Monza

Posted on September 6, 2010 by thatconsultantbloke

The Italian Grand Prix belongs to Monza, end of story. Any possible talk of alternative venues should be swiftly stamped on, so I’m adding my voice, for what it’s worth, to the argument.

Yes, I’m also happy with a San Marino GP at Imola. For me that’s a different story and I’d love to see that race back on the calendar, but a Rome GP? They used to have one of those for F2 at Vallelunga (see below), so if they want another one, redevelop that track and hold it there. We don’t need a street race in Rome.

More on the subject from my friends over at Paddock Talk and here is a nice film clip by Roy Pagliacci from the 1971 F2 Rome GP at Vallelunga

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Weekend round up 5 September 2010 #indycar #NASCAR #BTCC

Posted on September 6, 2010 by thatconsultantbloke

Indycar. So the Toowoomba Terror led a lot of laps, but fell short on fuel and the finish and lost a little more ground at the top of the table. Come on Will, two to go, so keep in cool and the title is yours in your first full season. Good to see Helio with a win. I was there for his Indy Car debut many years back and have followed him since. A good bloke.

NASCAR. Happy to see Todd Bodine winning in the trucks. They’re a good bunch the Bodine boys and I’ll be happy to see Todd pick up another series title if he can. I can recommend the truck series as something to go and see, especially on the shorter tracks. In the Sprint Cup Smoke finally got one this year. My man MM dropped another place away from the chase and that’s pretty much it for 2010 for the #5. What went wrong after last year?

BTCC from Knockhill. Always good action on this tight little track and nice to see the wins shared three ways. First time for a while that I’ve watched some of the ITV4 coverage and they did a pretty good job with the support races giving some of the club racers and up and comping names getting exposure.

I don’t mention the bikes much as it’s not really my scene. I respect those guys a lot though and many of my favourite racing drivers of old came up via bikes; Surtees, Siffert, Hailwood, Beltoise and more, all from an earlier age, Damon Hill being about the last that I recall. They are a supr competitive bunch and very brave racers, so it is sad to hear that they have lost a second up and coming rider in just a week. Motor racing is still dangerous.

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Weekend round up 30 August 2010 #F1 #Indycar #NASCAR

Posted on August 30, 2010 by thatconsultantbloke

F1 Belgian GP. So Spa throws up another wild card race. Shame that the Mineral Water Kid took out JB, but there you go. Cobbler Snr went well in the Mercedes and good to see him smiling at the end, even after losing out to his team mate.

Indycars. Shame about Will Power’s fuel problems over in Chicago. That is a big hit in points terms, but he did well on an oval, so let’s see how the season pans out over the last three races. Well done also to Sarah Fisher for leading a few laps even if it was because of a different fuel strategy. Good to see her out front, the first woman to get an Indycar pole, and first to stand on the podium.

NASCAR. Nothing doing on the Sprint cup this weekend. It pains me a lot to mention the Animal (see earlier blogs for why), but he won the Nationwide event north of the border. JV only managed third; doesn’t bode well for an F1 comeback in 2011 does it?

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Weekend round up 23 August 2010 #NASCAR #DTM #BTCC #F1 #indycar

Posted on August 23, 2010 by thatconsultantbloke

So Shrub (small Busch) got a couple at Bristol. Can’t stand the boke myself, but there you go. Good job Rootie for a fine second despite helath issues, and best wishes for a full recovery to Brian Vickers after his heart surgery. Hopefully you can come back next season and take up where you left off. The Double M had another bad night and is now just over 100 points out of the Chase; doesn’t look like he’s gonna make it. Shame. I’m looking forward to being over next month and seeing some racing on TV in my den plus all of the other round up shows.

Another strong UK day for the DTM boys and girls at Zandvoort. Well done GP and PdR for a great one two. Audi in trouble over team orders! Where would this championship be without them (I know they have ruled them out, but come on)?

Also on the team order front the outher double M has apparently said that Ferarri, Alonso and Massa should all lose their points from the German GP. Personally I think that this is nonsense. The most that should happen is that the result should be reversed, but I don’t care if they just tell them that they’ve been naughty and don’t do it again. There wouldn’t have been much of a fight if Alonso had had to make the pass unaided as he was so much quicker by that stage. The only possible other outcomes were that; a) they would have had eachother off, or b) that they would have slowed themselves down a bit and allowed Vettel to catch them. Ah! That must have been it; they wanted a German to win the German GP! Stupid of me not to have thought of that. Oh, yes. How do team orders not come into play when you want to take a part off one car and put it on the other one? Answers on a postcard please.

Fords rule at the Silverstone BTCC. I just can’t get excited about these hatchbacks pushing each other off. It’s not really racing to me somehow.

Will Power dominant in Sonoma. Looking good for the title Will; all ovals from now, so keep it going. Simona de Silvestro impressive again even if a couple of incidents left the final result looking less worthy.

Spa next week for the Belgian GP. One of the better tracks even if it’s a bit shorter than it used to be, and why oh why do they continue the stupidity of releasing an F1 pack of the start and into the slowest corner on the track? Why not move the start back round La Source and let them charge off down to Eau Rouge like in the old days? Anyway, it’s been a wet August so far so what are the chances of a wet race next Sunday? Should shake things up a bit.

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Weekend round up 16 August 2010 #NASCAR #F1

Posted on August 16, 2010 by thatconsultantbloke

Good to see that the worst kept secret on two wheels is now out in the open and good luck to Rossi with Ducati.

Over at Michigan the NASCAR race saw Kevin Harvick pull off a confident win, his third of the season. My favourite MM had a bad result and slipped back out of the chase. Not so good there.

Twenty five years since Manfred Winklehock died after crashing his Porsche 956 at Mosport, and Stephan Bellof was lost at the next race  at Spa in a similar car trying to do with Jacky Ickx what Siffert and Rodriguez had pulled off a few years before in Porsche 917s; side by side through Eau Rouge. Two great talents lost.

Staying with German drivers, best wishes to Hans Stuck for a quick recovery from surgery to remove blood clots.

News that Bahrain will revert to the old layout doesn’t impress me. Sorry guys, but let’s bring back a race that people will actually show up to watch.

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