July 31, 2009
Formula1.com: Not Partisan At All!
So, I guess Formula1.com, official FIA corporate shills website for F1 has made their rooting interests known to all. Here's a screenshot from today's front page:
Yep, that's Slappy, staring majestically at the address bar... and, no, usually the page color isn't Ferrari Red.
One gets the feeling that if, say, David Coulthard's Chin or Jack Newtown made a triumphant return to F1, they wouldn't get a banner on the front page... Could we be a little less blatant, guys?
Yep, that's Slappy, staring majestically at the address bar... and, no, usually the page color isn't Ferrari Red.
One gets the feeling that if, say, David Coulthard's Chin or Jack Newtown made a triumphant return to F1, they wouldn't get a banner on the front page... Could we be a little less blatant, guys?
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July 29, 2009
BMW Out, Slappy In! And Other News (UPDATED)
Busy day in the F1 world!
BMW announced that they would be withdrawing from Formula 1 racing effective at the end of the current season. The company restructured their entire motorsports division, citing a desire to "dedicate more resources to developing new, sustainable road car technologies."
The German manufacturer took over the Sauber-Petronas team in 2006, and in 2008 finished second in the Constructor's Championship, behind Ferrari (McLaren were excluded, otherwise they would have finished 2nd). The team's shining moment would have been the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, when they got their first victory behind Robert Kubica, with Grizzly Nick Heidfeld finishing second. 2009 has been a horror story for them, however, earning only eight points to date.
At the moment, it is unknown what BMW is going to do with the team's infrastructure: sell it off, much like SuperAguri did, or attempt to spin it away in one piece, like Honda did with their team (now BrawnGP). This all came as a surprise to Grizzly Nick, who said on his website "BMW's decision no longer to compete in Formula One was totally unexpected. I feel very sorry for the members of the team with whom it has been my privilege to work over the years. I would like to thank all of them for their tremendous support and for everything we have achieved together."
Unless another BrawnGP-like resurrection occurs, expect Kubica and Heidfeld to be in quite a bit of demand during the "silly season". After all, Manor Motorsports needs drivers...
In the other bit of surprising news, god help us all, Michael "Slappy" Schumacher is back.
I find it ironic that I may have brought this upon us. Just a few days ago, in a post dealing with the FIA SuperLicense, I mentioned that if the FIA votes unanimously to give a driver a license, he can be given one without meeting any of the requirements, then added "if Slappy Schumacher was hired to drive a F1 car again, that's how he'd qualify, I'm sure." When will I learn?
Anyway, Slappy will be undergoing a special training program to prepare for his first race back, at Valencia in a month. Not that he's out of shape, particularly for a 40-year-old, but he hasn't driven a F1 car in anger since he retired in 2006. If nothing else, his neck muscles have to be built up in a hurry to deal with the g-forces. He has never driven Ferrari's current car, and with the testing ban in place, he won't get to until Friday practice for Valencia. Still, there's that little thing about seven world championships...
...and at least the Official First Reader of The Pond, Mallory, will be happy.
Finally, it's pretty safe to say that while Renault may not be on-track due to their penalty in Hungary, Nelson Piquet Unemployed will not be. Team boss Flavio Briatore said after the Hungarian Grand Prix that "...when a driver lacks results, he opens the book of excuses and begins: the fault is the weather's, a spectator's sunglasses, a spin on the straight, this and that... I expected more from Nelson."
Piquet's response was somewhat... um... energetic: "Flavio is a business man, but he doesn't understand sh*t about F1." Now, we're not saying that Piquet is wrong, but that's never a good thing to say about your boss... particularly when it's true.
Romain Grosjean, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
UPDATE: Felipe Massa was able to answer questions in three different languages (English, Portugese, and Italian) today. He also took his first steps since the accident, and will be transferred out of Intensive Care within the day. Docs are saying that he'll likely be discharged within two weeks. How cool is that?
BMW announced that they would be withdrawing from Formula 1 racing effective at the end of the current season. The company restructured their entire motorsports division, citing a desire to "dedicate more resources to developing new, sustainable road car technologies."
The German manufacturer took over the Sauber-Petronas team in 2006, and in 2008 finished second in the Constructor's Championship, behind Ferrari (McLaren were excluded, otherwise they would have finished 2nd). The team's shining moment would have been the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix, when they got their first victory behind Robert Kubica, with Grizzly Nick Heidfeld finishing second. 2009 has been a horror story for them, however, earning only eight points to date.
At the moment, it is unknown what BMW is going to do with the team's infrastructure: sell it off, much like SuperAguri did, or attempt to spin it away in one piece, like Honda did with their team (now BrawnGP). This all came as a surprise to Grizzly Nick, who said on his website "BMW's decision no longer to compete in Formula One was totally unexpected. I feel very sorry for the members of the team with whom it has been my privilege to work over the years. I would like to thank all of them for their tremendous support and for everything we have achieved together."
Unless another BrawnGP-like resurrection occurs, expect Kubica and Heidfeld to be in quite a bit of demand during the "silly season". After all, Manor Motorsports needs drivers...
In the other bit of surprising news, god help us all, Michael "Slappy" Schumacher is back.
The birth of "Slappy"
With Ferrari making the intelligent decision to keep the injured Felipe Massa out of the cockpit for the rest of the season, the team needed a replacement driver for the second half of the season. The team's test drivers, Luca Badoer and Marc Gene, would have to be called merely serviceable: both have driven in F1, though not since 2004 (Gene) and 1999 (Badoer). And there's that little thing about seven world championships. I find it ironic that I may have brought this upon us. Just a few days ago, in a post dealing with the FIA SuperLicense, I mentioned that if the FIA votes unanimously to give a driver a license, he can be given one without meeting any of the requirements, then added "if Slappy Schumacher was hired to drive a F1 car again, that's how he'd qualify, I'm sure." When will I learn?
Anyway, Slappy will be undergoing a special training program to prepare for his first race back, at Valencia in a month. Not that he's out of shape, particularly for a 40-year-old, but he hasn't driven a F1 car in anger since he retired in 2006. If nothing else, his neck muscles have to be built up in a hurry to deal with the g-forces. He has never driven Ferrari's current car, and with the testing ban in place, he won't get to until Friday practice for Valencia. Still, there's that little thing about seven world championships...
...and at least the Official First Reader of The Pond, Mallory, will be happy.
Finally, it's pretty safe to say that while Renault may not be on-track due to their penalty in Hungary, Nelson Piquet Unemployed will not be. Team boss Flavio Briatore said after the Hungarian Grand Prix that "...when a driver lacks results, he opens the book of excuses and begins: the fault is the weather's, a spectator's sunglasses, a spin on the straight, this and that... I expected more from Nelson."
Piquet's response was somewhat... um... energetic: "Flavio is a business man, but he doesn't understand sh*t about F1." Now, we're not saying that Piquet is wrong, but that's never a good thing to say about your boss... particularly when it's true.
Romain Grosjean, please pick up the white courtesy phone.
UPDATE: Felipe Massa was able to answer questions in three different languages (English, Portugese, and Italian) today. He also took his first steps since the accident, and will be transferred out of Intensive Care within the day. Docs are saying that he'll likely be discharged within two weeks. How cool is that?
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July 27, 2009
RIP Merce Cunningham
The great modern/avant-garde dance choreographer Merce Cunningham passed away today at the age of 90. Considered one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century, he was also one of the great dancers as well. He was a soloist with the Martha Graham Dance Company for six years before forming his own troupe.
In my prior life as a lighting designer, I did mostly plays and musicals. Whenever I was asked to design for a modern dance concert, though, I always lept at the chance. The apparent lack of structure to a modern dance piece let me play with techniques I wouldn't ever try during a play, simply because I was being graded on my "formal" designs.
I put "apparent" in italics up there because in many ways, modern dance is all about structure. Just like ballet, it is never, ever improved, though it is often hard to tell. There's a common symbolic language for modern dance that allows a choreographer to put a piece on paper, just like a score for an orchestra. Nowadays, it's done via computer programs, of course.
But that structure was less confining than the traditional ballet style, letting a choreographer pull off some amazing things. Because of that, I LOVED designing for dance. It was really the only time that I, as a designer, felt like I was one of the performers.
Usually in a stage production (with some rare exceptions), the best lighting designs are the ones you never notice... kinda like a baseball umpire. It may take hundreds or thousands of hours to accomplish, but the lights are there to make the actors look good, not to make themselves look good.
With modern dance, however, lighting is there to accompany the dancers on-stage, sometimes literally. I remember one senior dance project I worked on when I was in grad school where the choreographer wanted a duet on stage: one physical dancer, and the lights were the other 'dancer'. She came to me before she started anything and asked for my opinions and input... and I was thrilled. It was a bear to pull off with limited resources, but we made it work.
Modern dance allows you to do things like that. While Cunningham's style was much closer to ballet than, say, Twyla Tharp's, and not for everyone's tastes, he was still one of the great innovators of a style of art that I love.
In my prior life as a lighting designer, I did mostly plays and musicals. Whenever I was asked to design for a modern dance concert, though, I always lept at the chance. The apparent lack of structure to a modern dance piece let me play with techniques I wouldn't ever try during a play, simply because I was being graded on my "formal" designs.
I put "apparent" in italics up there because in many ways, modern dance is all about structure. Just like ballet, it is never, ever improved, though it is often hard to tell. There's a common symbolic language for modern dance that allows a choreographer to put a piece on paper, just like a score for an orchestra. Nowadays, it's done via computer programs, of course.
But that structure was less confining than the traditional ballet style, letting a choreographer pull off some amazing things. Because of that, I LOVED designing for dance. It was really the only time that I, as a designer, felt like I was one of the performers.
Usually in a stage production (with some rare exceptions), the best lighting designs are the ones you never notice... kinda like a baseball umpire. It may take hundreds or thousands of hours to accomplish, but the lights are there to make the actors look good, not to make themselves look good.
With modern dance, however, lighting is there to accompany the dancers on-stage, sometimes literally. I remember one senior dance project I worked on when I was in grad school where the choreographer wanted a duet on stage: one physical dancer, and the lights were the other 'dancer'. She came to me before she started anything and asked for my opinions and input... and I was thrilled. It was a bear to pull off with limited resources, but we made it work.
Modern dance allows you to do things like that. While Cunningham's style was much closer to ballet than, say, Twyla Tharp's, and not for everyone's tastes, he was still one of the great innovators of a style of art that I love.
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Massa's Condition Update III
Some grim news came out of Hungary this afternoon as it was announced that Felipe Massa was still suffering from swelling of the brain. That's bad enough, and explains why he'd been in a medically-induced coma for so long, but the really horrible news is that the Brazilian may have suffered damage to his left eye.
If that is the case, and he can't recover whatever vision is lost, then this incident may very well have ended his F1 career.
The doctors are saying that it'll be at least a week before they can judge whether or not Massa has suffered any impairment from the brain damage, though they did take him off the ventilator and pulled him out of the coma. He'll remain in intensive care for the forseeable future, however.
If that is the case, and he can't recover whatever vision is lost, then this incident may very well have ended his F1 career.
The doctors are saying that it'll be at least a week before they can judge whether or not Massa has suffered any impairment from the brain damage, though they did take him off the ventilator and pulled him out of the coma. He'll remain in intensive care for the forseeable future, however.
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Massa's Condition Update II
Even better: he is now able to move his hands and legs, and is "actively communicating", said Hungarian Defense Ministry spokesman Istvan Bocskai. That would suggest that there isn't significant brain damage.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo is supposed to pay him a visit today. Despite this, Felipe Massa's condition is expected to improve.
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemelo is supposed to pay him a visit today. Despite this, Felipe Massa's condition is expected to improve.
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July 26, 2009
F1 Update!: Hungary 2009!
We admit that we're writing this while the race is still running on FOX. The ending doesn't seem to be in doubt, and it's been a pretty dull race for the most part. THIS is your F1 Update! for the Hungarian Grand Prix!
*MISSING MAN FORMATION: There was never any question but that Felipe Massa wasn't driving this race, but we were surprised to hear that Ferrari wouldn't field a second car.
*ALL BETS ARE OFF: It's now a free-for-all for the Driver's Championship. With Seb Vettel retiring from the race and Mark Webber finishing third, suddenly Webbo is second in the points. Throw in Button finishing a weak 7th and Rubens Barrichello's customary bad getaway at the start forcing him to scramble for 10th place, and we're starting to get a little tighter in the Constructor's Championship, too. Suddenly, however, the 600lb gorilla known as McLaren have to be considered in the running for something with their runaway victory and 5th place finish. About the only thing we feel safe to call is that Farce India won't win either championship.
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: "The car has come alive. I can win with it now." Those were the words of Lewis Hamilton back before the the German Grand Prix, and perhaps it was only because of his bump in the first turn of that race that he couldn't make them come true then. But he has now. Once he got past Mark Webber for second (see below), it was pretty clear that he was going to be running the show. Once HWMNBN removed himself from the lead for a pitstop on lap 11, it was clear sailing for Hamilton, who turned in one of his usual flawless runs from the front.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: McLaren. 1st and 5th for a team that looked like it was more likely to be dicing with the Farce Indias for 20th at the start of the season? They're back, and they're ready to take over.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: On lap 5, Hamilton was dueling with Mark Webber coming down the front straight, neither driver giving an inch as they rocketed towards turn 1. Webber had the middle of the track staked out, and Hamilton swung to the outside, looking like he was going to try to outbrake the Red Bull. Instead, he slowed early, cut to the inside of the Aussie, then jammed his finger down on the KERS button and flew away. Totally effortless, and there wasn't a darn thing Webber could do about it, save for wrecking both cars.
*MOOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: In a repeat of the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, HWMNBN came into the pits for fuel and a tire change. Unfortunately, the chief engineer gave the two-time champion the okay to go before everything was finished being tightened down. The result?
For the record, a F1 car loses a lot of grip when there are tires on only three corners. Congratulations, Renault, not only do you get the MOOOotR, but you've also been suspended for the European Grand Prix for "allowing HWMNBN to leave the pits with a wheel not properly secured." Good jorb!
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
more...
*MISSING MAN FORMATION: There was never any question but that Felipe Massa wasn't driving this race, but we were surprised to hear that Ferrari wouldn't field a second car.
*ALL BETS ARE OFF: It's now a free-for-all for the Driver's Championship. With Seb Vettel retiring from the race and Mark Webber finishing third, suddenly Webbo is second in the points. Throw in Button finishing a weak 7th and Rubens Barrichello's customary bad getaway at the start forcing him to scramble for 10th place, and we're starting to get a little tighter in the Constructor's Championship, too. Suddenly, however, the 600lb gorilla known as McLaren have to be considered in the running for something with their runaway victory and 5th place finish. About the only thing we feel safe to call is that Farce India won't win either championship.
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: "The car has come alive. I can win with it now." Those were the words of Lewis Hamilton back before the the German Grand Prix, and perhaps it was only because of his bump in the first turn of that race that he couldn't make them come true then. But he has now. Once he got past Mark Webber for second (see below), it was pretty clear that he was going to be running the show. Once HWMNBN removed himself from the lead for a pitstop on lap 11, it was clear sailing for Hamilton, who turned in one of his usual flawless runs from the front.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: McLaren. 1st and 5th for a team that looked like it was more likely to be dicing with the Farce Indias for 20th at the start of the season? They're back, and they're ready to take over.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: On lap 5, Hamilton was dueling with Mark Webber coming down the front straight, neither driver giving an inch as they rocketed towards turn 1. Webber had the middle of the track staked out, and Hamilton swung to the outside, looking like he was going to try to outbrake the Red Bull. Instead, he slowed early, cut to the inside of the Aussie, then jammed his finger down on the KERS button and flew away. Totally effortless, and there wasn't a darn thing Webber could do about it, save for wrecking both cars.
*MOOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: In a repeat of the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, HWMNBN came into the pits for fuel and a tire change. Unfortunately, the chief engineer gave the two-time champion the okay to go before everything was finished being tightened down. The result?
For the record, a F1 car loses a lot of grip when there are tires on only three corners. Congratulations, Renault, not only do you get the MOOOotR, but you've also been suspended for the European Grand Prix for "allowing HWMNBN to leave the pits with a wheel not properly secured." Good jorb!
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
more...
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Massa's Condition Update
Felipe Massa remains in a "life-threatening, but stable" state, and will be kept in a medically induced coma for the next 48 hours.
Peter Bazso, the medical director of the AEK Military Hospital in Budapest, also said that he's "in an acute phase. What can come next, we don't know." The good news is that there was no neurological damage and the results of brain scans were "encouraging." He will be given another CAT scan later today, according to the Ferrari press office.
Massa was woken up briefly so doctors could check on his condition and so he could see his family.
I think it's safe to say that he's probably going to be out for the rest of the season.
Peter Bazso, the medical director of the AEK Military Hospital in Budapest, also said that he's "in an acute phase. What can come next, we don't know." The good news is that there was no neurological damage and the results of brain scans were "encouraging." He will be given another CAT scan later today, according to the Ferrari press office.
Massa was woken up briefly so doctors could check on his condition and so he could see his family.
I think it's safe to say that he's probably going to be out for the rest of the season.
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July 25, 2009
F1 Quals: Hungary 2009, Massa Seriously Injured
Okay, here's the results, then we'll get to the important stuff:
However, that's all secondary. Felipe Massa was involved in a very hard crash right towards the end of Q2. At first, it was thought that there was some malfunction with the car, as tiremarks showed that he never even tried to make the turn at Turn 4, and went straight into the barrier at Turn 5.
Then came the news that Rubens Barrichello, who went out in Q2, was hampered by rear suspension problems: something important, but not crippling, came off the suspension, something called a damper spring, which is the F1 version of a shock absorber. It weighs about two pounds and is made of steel, "about the size of a microphone" as the BBC reporter put it.
Then came the video:
Felipe Massa was last known to be in "serious, life-threatening, but stable condition", after requiring surgery to fix a skull fracture, cuts to his chin and forehead, and a concussion. He was sedated and on a respirator, in intensive care, and was expected to be woken up on Sunday morning. Obviously, he's out of the Hungarian Grand Prix, and may be out of the next race in four weeks. The latest news is that his life is no longer in danger.
A dreadful coincidence, coming so soon after the death of Henry Surtees.
Race tomorrow.
However, that's all secondary. Felipe Massa was involved in a very hard crash right towards the end of Q2. At first, it was thought that there was some malfunction with the car, as tiremarks showed that he never even tried to make the turn at Turn 4, and went straight into the barrier at Turn 5.
Then came the news that Rubens Barrichello, who went out in Q2, was hampered by rear suspension problems: something important, but not crippling, came off the suspension, something called a damper spring, which is the F1 version of a shock absorber. It weighs about two pounds and is made of steel, "about the size of a microphone" as the BBC reporter put it.
Then came the video:
Felipe Massa was last known to be in "serious, life-threatening, but stable condition", after requiring surgery to fix a skull fracture, cuts to his chin and forehead, and a concussion. He was sedated and on a respirator, in intensive care, and was expected to be woken up on Sunday morning. Obviously, he's out of the Hungarian Grand Prix, and may be out of the next race in four weeks. The latest news is that his life is no longer in danger.
A dreadful coincidence, coming so soon after the death of Henry Surtees.
Race tomorrow.
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DuckFest 2009 Is Today!
The 7th annual meeting for rubber duckie collectors, DuckFest 2009, is taking place in New York City today.
...and I'm not there.
I am sad.
The owner and operator of The Duck Show, Digicolleen, is the host of this year's convention, and I'm sure there will be tons of pictures posted over the coming days. She's also where I ganked the above photo, but I know she won't mind.
Have fun, everybody... next year, I'll finally meet you!
I hope.
...and I'm not there.
I am sad.
The owner and operator of The Duck Show, Digicolleen, is the host of this year's convention, and I'm sure there will be tons of pictures posted over the coming days. She's also where I ganked the above photo, but I know she won't mind.
Have fun, everybody... next year, I'll finally meet you!
I hope.
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F1 Quals: Hungary 2009 Will Be Even More Delayed
Last night's thunderstorms have, apparently, done something bad to Pond Central's satellite feed, or SPEED is trying to clear dead crows out of its antennae, or something, because I'm just getting a black screen with choppy voice during today's coverage of the Hungarian Quals.
I'm pretty sure it's on SPEED's end, because none of my other channels are affected.
So I'll either have to d/l coverage, further delaying the F1 Quals report, or I can just go and base it all off of coverage from the F1 website, which is cheating.
It seems like even the weathergods have a problem with Hungary. The 2007 Hungarian GP is the only race I've missed in five years.
I'm pretty sure it's on SPEED's end, because none of my other channels are affected.
So I'll either have to d/l coverage, further delaying the F1 Quals report, or I can just go and base it all off of coverage from the F1 website, which is cheating.
It seems like even the weathergods have a problem with Hungary. The 2007 Hungarian GP is the only race I've missed in five years.
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July 24, 2009
F1 Practice: Hungary 2009!
Much to my surprise, the Legendary Announce Team was on a "Hungary is a really good track" kick today during P2. "Because of the terrain (the Hungaroring is built in the valley of three hills) It's a great place to watch the race." "The race always gives us some special memory." "It's a driver's track."
But yet, after the first lap there's usually no action to speak of, the drivers hate it, and it's more of a destruction test than a race at times. No, I'm going to go out on a limb here and disagree with the L.A.T.: it's a horrible track.
On track, there wasn't much to report. Oh, the Ferraris were having serious problems with grip again, and Felipe Massa in particular looked like he was driving on an ice rink, but they've had those problems before, too. McLaren were on top of the timesheets all day. Heikki Kovaleininninninnie was fastest until the final second or so, when Lewis Hamilton turned in the quick lap of the session. The very interesting result, though, was that the entire field back to 17th place was separated by just one second. That's pretty tight, and makes Quals look particularly exciting.
In other news, the New Kid On The Track (NKOTT), Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari has been at the center of a firestorm of controversy. It turns out that, before today, he had turned a grand total of ZERO laps ever in a Formula 1 car. He's done some straight-line runs (which are all that are allowable under the regulations), but not even many of those. He earned his FIA SuperLicense, without which one cannot drive in F1, by winning last year's British Formula 3 championship.
There are many ways to earn a SuperLicense. Winning or being in the top three of some FIA-sponsored series (Formula 3, GP2, F3000, etc), or finishing in the top six of the Indy Racing League or CART can earn you one. Driving 300km in a F1 car at race speeds within 2 days can, with approval of the FIA, earn you one (this is how Fast Yuji Ide earned his provisional SuperLicense). You can also be granted one by unanimous vote by the FIA license board, but that's not very common... if Slappy Schumacher was hired to drive a F1 car again, that's how he'd qualify, I'm sure.
Many drivers have mentioned that NKOTT is going to be something of a risk out there. Nobody doubts he has the skillset to be a F1 driver, just that he doesn't have the experience. I tend to be more of the "If you're good enough, you're experienced enough" school of thought (see Vettel, Sebastian, US Grand Prix, 2007), but the drivers certainly have the right to voice their concerns. And, for the record, NKOTT was dead last on the timesheets today, 1.8 seconds behind.
Finally, BMW had something weird on their car during Practice 1 today. Take a look:
Eventually, the LAT's tech wonk, Steve Matchett, suggested that perhaps it's something related to testing for the 2010 car. Since there's no testing allowed outside of race weekend, he said, maybe the 'table' is to simulate the design of the bodywork for next year's chassis, so as to check sightlines and visibility over the nose. "After all, it'd be a bad thing if you put the driver in the car and he says 'it feels great, but I can't see anything'!"
Certainly there's no way the aerodynamic techies would let something like that hit the track, what with that flat front screwing up airflow! It wasn't there in P2, so it seems like Matchett has the right of it, or at least is in the neighborhood.
Quals tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, I'm working at the Duck U. Bookstore in the morning, then having lunch with Momzerduck and Ph.Duck afterwards, so don't look for the report to be up until the evening. See ya then!
UPDATE: Almost forgot the most important news! David Coulthard's Chin has been rehired by Red Bull as the team's third driver, replacing NKOTT. This means that if Mark Webbo or Seb Vettel get sick, or injured, or are otherwise unable to race, The Chin will be back!
But yet, after the first lap there's usually no action to speak of, the drivers hate it, and it's more of a destruction test than a race at times. No, I'm going to go out on a limb here and disagree with the L.A.T.: it's a horrible track.
On track, there wasn't much to report. Oh, the Ferraris were having serious problems with grip again, and Felipe Massa in particular looked like he was driving on an ice rink, but they've had those problems before, too. McLaren were on top of the timesheets all day. Heikki Kovaleininninninnie was fastest until the final second or so, when Lewis Hamilton turned in the quick lap of the session. The very interesting result, though, was that the entire field back to 17th place was separated by just one second. That's pretty tight, and makes Quals look particularly exciting.
In other news, the New Kid On The Track (NKOTT), Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari has been at the center of a firestorm of controversy. It turns out that, before today, he had turned a grand total of ZERO laps ever in a Formula 1 car. He's done some straight-line runs (which are all that are allowable under the regulations), but not even many of those. He earned his FIA SuperLicense, without which one cannot drive in F1, by winning last year's British Formula 3 championship.
There are many ways to earn a SuperLicense. Winning or being in the top three of some FIA-sponsored series (Formula 3, GP2, F3000, etc), or finishing in the top six of the Indy Racing League or CART can earn you one. Driving 300km in a F1 car at race speeds within 2 days can, with approval of the FIA, earn you one (this is how Fast Yuji Ide earned his provisional SuperLicense). You can also be granted one by unanimous vote by the FIA license board, but that's not very common... if Slappy Schumacher was hired to drive a F1 car again, that's how he'd qualify, I'm sure.
Many drivers have mentioned that NKOTT is going to be something of a risk out there. Nobody doubts he has the skillset to be a F1 driver, just that he doesn't have the experience. I tend to be more of the "If you're good enough, you're experienced enough" school of thought (see Vettel, Sebastian, US Grand Prix, 2007), but the drivers certainly have the right to voice their concerns. And, for the record, NKOTT was dead last on the timesheets today, 1.8 seconds behind.
Finally, BMW had something weird on their car during Practice 1 today. Take a look:
Look directly in front of the driver.
At first, the LAT speculated that the team neglected to remove the platform that the team places a video monitor on when the car is in the garage. The monitor allows the driver to see telemetry, replays, or even the FIA video feed, but usually the base is designed to sit on the bodywork directly, no 'table' needed. Eventually, the LAT's tech wonk, Steve Matchett, suggested that perhaps it's something related to testing for the 2010 car. Since there's no testing allowed outside of race weekend, he said, maybe the 'table' is to simulate the design of the bodywork for next year's chassis, so as to check sightlines and visibility over the nose. "After all, it'd be a bad thing if you put the driver in the car and he says 'it feels great, but I can't see anything'!"
Certainly there's no way the aerodynamic techies would let something like that hit the track, what with that flat front screwing up airflow! It wasn't there in P2, so it seems like Matchett has the right of it, or at least is in the neighborhood.
Quals tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, I'm working at the Duck U. Bookstore in the morning, then having lunch with Momzerduck and Ph.Duck afterwards, so don't look for the report to be up until the evening. See ya then!
UPDATE: Almost forgot the most important news! David Coulthard's Chin has been rehired by Red Bull as the team's third driver, replacing NKOTT. This means that if Mark Webbo or Seb Vettel get sick, or injured, or are otherwise unable to race, The Chin will be back!
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July 23, 2009
Wonderduck Watches Watchmen
Wow.
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July 21, 2009
Blatant Pandering!
So a few days ago, I asked you, the reader, for topic ideas. Toad, bless his heart, came up with "Anything below the fold NSFW."
Without further ado, I bring you...
ANYTHING BELOW THE FOLD NSFW!!!
more...
Without further ado, I bring you...
ANYTHING BELOW THE FOLD NSFW!!!
more...
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July 20, 2009
F1 on TV: Hungary 2009
It's twisty, it's slow, it's dull, and it's not Monaco? Then it must be Hungary!
Here's the trackmap... look at it and weep:
Occasionally called "Monaco without the glamour", the Hungaroring is one of the slowest tracks on the F1 schedule. With only one turn that could remotely be called fast (#10, and even that's a nearly-90o bend), and one of the shortest straights on the calendar (only 700m), the main concept for the teams is to crank on as much wing as possible, coat the tires in superglue, and anything else they can think of to gain downforce. Five of the corners on this track are taken at about 60mph... that's a huge amount.
The slow speeds and usually hot air temperatures throw in another problem for the teams: cooling. Both the driver and the engine suffer mightily from the heat at Hungary. While there isn't much they can do for the man, don't be surprised if we see huge radiator ducts and cut-away body panels at the back of the car. Even then, we might see some overheating... unless it rains.
There's only one good passing spot here, Turn 1. Unfortunately, the slow speeds and the processional nature of the track generally render the Hungarian GP a snoozefest.
Fear not, fellow F1 fans! We here at F1 Update! will take one on the chin for you and deliver our usual stellar* performance for the race recap, so you won't miss a thing, and SPEED will do their usual good work on bringing us the sights.
They start off on Friday from 7am to 840am, with LIVE coverage of Friday's Second Practice. Skipping on to Saturday, from 7am to 830am we get plausibly live coverage of Quals.
On Sunday, however, we switch over to FOX (for the last time this season) from 2pm to 4pm for tape-delayed coverage of the Grand Prix of Hungary.
In other F1 news:
*As expected, Jamie Alguersuari was officially named as the driver who gets SeaBass' recently vacated race seat at Toro Rosso. Just in time for the cars to get a much needed aero update... don't be surprised if the youngest driver in F1 history scores a point, and makes SeaBass look just that much worse.
*Danica Patrick recently told the LA Times that she's not interested in driving for USF1 next year. "I'd say it's probably not F1," she responded when asked what series she'd be racing in. "I've had opportunities to take it a step further with Formula 1, and I don't want to lead anyone down a path. It's not in my heart to go there. I've explored Europe before. I particularly like to be here and I like my family and I like my friends and I like my creature comforts of my home country." Unless Bernie Ecclestone, misogynistic gnome that he is, leaves the sport, we'll probably never see Patrick in a F1 car.
*There are reports that Nelson Piquet Jr needs a good showing at Hungary to save his seat. The official Renault press release for Hungary says that he's "targeting a top-10 grid spot and points in the race." After Hungary, F1 takes another three-week break, which would be an ideal time to kick Piquet to the curb. There's ominous music in the background...
*Max Mosley has officially stated (again) that he won't run for re-election as FIA President. Until we (metaphorically) see his body buried at the crossroads with a stake in his chest and his mouth full of garlic, I won't believe he's gone. Maybe not even then, if Jean Todt gets elected in his place.
*"stellar" in the same way that brown dwarfs and black holes could be called "stellar".
Here's the trackmap... look at it and weep:
Occasionally called "Monaco without the glamour", the Hungaroring is one of the slowest tracks on the F1 schedule. With only one turn that could remotely be called fast (#10, and even that's a nearly-90o bend), and one of the shortest straights on the calendar (only 700m), the main concept for the teams is to crank on as much wing as possible, coat the tires in superglue, and anything else they can think of to gain downforce. Five of the corners on this track are taken at about 60mph... that's a huge amount.
The slow speeds and usually hot air temperatures throw in another problem for the teams: cooling. Both the driver and the engine suffer mightily from the heat at Hungary. While there isn't much they can do for the man, don't be surprised if we see huge radiator ducts and cut-away body panels at the back of the car. Even then, we might see some overheating... unless it rains.
There's only one good passing spot here, Turn 1. Unfortunately, the slow speeds and the processional nature of the track generally render the Hungarian GP a snoozefest.
Fear not, fellow F1 fans! We here at F1 Update! will take one on the chin for you and deliver our usual stellar* performance for the race recap, so you won't miss a thing, and SPEED will do their usual good work on bringing us the sights.
They start off on Friday from 7am to 840am, with LIVE coverage of Friday's Second Practice. Skipping on to Saturday, from 7am to 830am we get plausibly live coverage of Quals.
On Sunday, however, we switch over to FOX (for the last time this season) from 2pm to 4pm for tape-delayed coverage of the Grand Prix of Hungary.
In other F1 news:
*As expected, Jamie Alguersuari was officially named as the driver who gets SeaBass' recently vacated race seat at Toro Rosso. Just in time for the cars to get a much needed aero update... don't be surprised if the youngest driver in F1 history scores a point, and makes SeaBass look just that much worse.
*Danica Patrick recently told the LA Times that she's not interested in driving for USF1 next year. "I'd say it's probably not F1," she responded when asked what series she'd be racing in. "I've had opportunities to take it a step further with Formula 1, and I don't want to lead anyone down a path. It's not in my heart to go there. I've explored Europe before. I particularly like to be here and I like my family and I like my friends and I like my creature comforts of my home country." Unless Bernie Ecclestone, misogynistic gnome that he is, leaves the sport, we'll probably never see Patrick in a F1 car.
*There are reports that Nelson Piquet Jr needs a good showing at Hungary to save his seat. The official Renault press release for Hungary says that he's "targeting a top-10 grid spot and points in the race." After Hungary, F1 takes another three-week break, which would be an ideal time to kick Piquet to the curb. There's ominous music in the background...
*Max Mosley has officially stated (again) that he won't run for re-election as FIA President. Until we (metaphorically) see his body buried at the crossroads with a stake in his chest and his mouth full of garlic, I won't believe he's gone. Maybe not even then, if Jean Todt gets elected in his place.
*"stellar" in the same way that brown dwarfs and black holes could be called "stellar".
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July 19, 2009
Henry Surtees Killed
Henry Surtees, 18-year-old son of F1 and motorsports legend John Surtees, was killed today while driving in a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch, England.
During the second race of the weekend, Jack Clarke spun and smacked into the barrier outside of Westfield Bend. One of Clarke's rear wheels was torn from his car, where it rolled into the racing line just as Surtees swept by.
Surtees, in the blue & yellow car, was struck in the head by the tire and knocked unconscious. His car then drove straight on into the wall of the next turn, Sheene Corner, at 140mph. It took the first corner worker less than five seconds to reach him after the car came to a stop.
He was quickly extracted from the car and taken to the track's infield care center, where he was stabilized. He was then airlifted to Royal London Hospital, where he passed away a few hours later.
We here at F1 Update! extend our sincere condolences to the Surtees family.
During the second race of the weekend, Jack Clarke spun and smacked into the barrier outside of Westfield Bend. One of Clarke's rear wheels was torn from his car, where it rolled into the racing line just as Surtees swept by.
Surtees, in the blue & yellow car, was struck in the head by the tire and knocked unconscious. His car then drove straight on into the wall of the next turn, Sheene Corner, at 140mph. It took the first corner worker less than five seconds to reach him after the car came to a stop.
He was quickly extracted from the car and taken to the track's infield care center, where he was stabilized. He was then airlifted to Royal London Hospital, where he passed away a few hours later.
We here at F1 Update! extend our sincere condolences to the Surtees family.
Henry Surtees 2/18/1991 - 7/19/2009
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July 18, 2009
Well
I'm open to suggestions.
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July 17, 2009
Walter Cronkite Dead
Walter Cronkite passed away today at the age of 92.
If any person can be a legend, it was him.
And that's the way it is.
If any person can be a legend, it was him.
And that's the way it is.
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The Remains Of The Day
As I mentioned back on Wednesday, the Duck U. Bookstore received its Fall shipment of used textbooks, totaling 130 boxes and nearly two tons of weight. None of these boxes were particularly well-filled, so there was a lot of shredded cardboard used as packing material. How much?
This much:
I DO know that all that packing material ended up in the dumpster, which took five trips. Bloody waste, that's all that is. I knew I shouldn't've worn black...
This much:
Mt Trashmore, scaled by duckie
By the time we had all the boxes opened, the pile was about four feet tall and about seven feet across at the base. Now, I'm just a duck with an uncanny ability to pack boxes well (called "box origami" or "pack-fu" in the store), but you'd think that you could just fill the boxes with, y'know, textbooks and ship fewer boxes. But what do I know?I DO know that all that packing material ended up in the dumpster, which took five trips. Bloody waste, that's all that is. I knew I shouldn't've worn black...
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SeaBass Cooked!
In what might be the least surprising move in F1 history, Toro Rosso today fired Sebastian Bourdais from his driver duties.
SeaBass, a four-time consecutive driver's champion in ChampCar, ran 27 races in F1, earning a total of six points. He had two seventh place finishes in 2008, and two eighth place finishes this season. Meanwhile, his teammates have consistently outscored him. Last year, Sebastien Vettel scored 35 points, including the team's first victory and 9 total points-paying finishes. This year, rookie Sebastian Buemi has three points. Of course, other than the points scored, SeaBass has outperformed Buemi in finishing position.
Still, for someone with his obvious driving talent, SeaBass has been a disappointment, though perhaps Toro Rosso has pulled the trigger a little too fast. SeaBass is threatening legal action for breach of contract.
The team has not yet named a replacement, but it's widely assumed that third driver Jaime Alguersuari will be given the drive. If so, he'll become the youngest driver in F1 history at 19 years, 125 days at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
In what might be the least surprising move in F1 history, Toro Rosso today fired Sebastian Bourdais from his driver duties.
SeaBass, a four-time consecutive driver's champion in ChampCar, ran 27 races in F1, earning a total of six points. He had two seventh place finishes in 2008, and two eighth place finishes this season. Meanwhile, his teammates have consistently outscored him. Last year, Sebastien Vettel scored 35 points, including the team's first victory and 9 total points-paying finishes. This year, rookie Sebastian Buemi has three points. Of course, other than the points scored, SeaBass has outperformed Buemi in finishing position.
Still, for someone with his obvious driving talent, SeaBass has been a disappointment, though perhaps Toro Rosso has pulled the trigger a little too fast. SeaBass is threatening legal action for breach of contract.
The team has not yet named a replacement, but it's widely assumed that third driver Jaime Alguersuari will be given the drive. If so, he'll become the youngest driver in F1 history at 19 years, 125 days at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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July 16, 2009
Endless 8: a reply
(Over at Chizumatic, Steven has put up a post regarding the continuing saga of the second season of Haruhi Suzumiya. For those who don't know, the past four episodes have taken place in a time-loop, replaying the same two week timeframe. Kyoto Animation has reanimated each episode so everything is visually different, and while the dialogue is mostly the same, it isn't completely.
And there's been a huge uproar by various people over how annoying this is. I've been steaming about this uproar for a couple of weeks now; Steven's post just pushed me over the edge. This was going to be a comment over there, but I decided to make it a post here instead.)
There isn't anything clever about this. It just shows utter contempt for the fans.
I completely and totally disagree. I think it's experimental, very inventive, and quite fascinating to watch. Trying to see how they're going to make it different this time, how much closer they're coming to breaking the loop (don't let anybody tell you different, Kyon & Co. are coming closer)... it's been quite entertaining to me. Certainly better than Generic Harem Comedy & The Sword of Power, iteration #83.
I just don't get why people are complaining... you wanted Haruhi 2: The Wrath of Kyon, now it's here. There was no way it could possibly live up to the expectations of those people who thought everything else should be put on hold until KyoAni made it. Now that it's running, and it's not all Unicorns farting rainbows, it's immediately marked down as the worst thing EVAR.
I call bullhocky on that. Is it as good as the first season? No, no it isn't. Is it offensive and contemptable? No, no it isn't. Would I like to see "Endless 8" end? Yes, I would, but saying that KyoAni is disrespecting the fans because it hasn't ended is ridiculous. So you don't like the plot loop. Fine; I wasn't fond of the length of the Makoto arc in Kanon 2006, either, but that doesn't make it crap, or "poor judgement," or whatever.
Perhaps I'm the iconoclast here, because I'm enjoying the show. So be it. Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last.
UPDATE: Yes, this is how much KyoAni disrespects the fans. The setup is that the SOS Brigade visits a Bon Festival, and Yuki decides to buy a mask. Here's what the scene looks like in the first episode of "Endless 8":
In the second episode, this is how the scene appears:
Third time around:
...and fourth:
Yes, in all four episodes, she's buying a mask. But every time, KyoAni has given us a different look and feel to the scene. The masks are different, Yuki's kimono is different, the camera angle is different, and while you can't tell from these shots, her body language is different. Which, considering that in the storyline, she remembers every detail of every loop (over 15000, which works out to nearly 600 years), makes perfect sense.
Every single episode is presented like this; everything is the same, but completely different. If that's a lack of imagination from KyoAni and contempt for the viewer, then I'll take their contempt every single day of the week. It's still better than most of the crap out there right now.
And there's been a huge uproar by various people over how annoying this is. I've been steaming about this uproar for a couple of weeks now; Steven's post just pushed me over the edge. This was going to be a comment over there, but I decided to make it a post here instead.)
There isn't anything clever about this. It just shows utter contempt for the fans.
I completely and totally disagree. I think it's experimental, very inventive, and quite fascinating to watch. Trying to see how they're going to make it different this time, how much closer they're coming to breaking the loop (don't let anybody tell you different, Kyon & Co. are coming closer)... it's been quite entertaining to me. Certainly better than Generic Harem Comedy & The Sword of Power, iteration #83.
I just don't get why people are complaining... you wanted Haruhi 2: The Wrath of Kyon, now it's here. There was no way it could possibly live up to the expectations of those people who thought everything else should be put on hold until KyoAni made it. Now that it's running, and it's not all Unicorns farting rainbows, it's immediately marked down as the worst thing EVAR.
I call bullhocky on that. Is it as good as the first season? No, no it isn't. Is it offensive and contemptable? No, no it isn't. Would I like to see "Endless 8" end? Yes, I would, but saying that KyoAni is disrespecting the fans because it hasn't ended is ridiculous. So you don't like the plot loop. Fine; I wasn't fond of the length of the Makoto arc in Kanon 2006, either, but that doesn't make it crap, or "poor judgement," or whatever.
Perhaps I'm the iconoclast here, because I'm enjoying the show. So be it. Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last.
UPDATE: Yes, this is how much KyoAni disrespects the fans. The setup is that the SOS Brigade visits a Bon Festival, and Yuki decides to buy a mask. Here's what the scene looks like in the first episode of "Endless 8":
In the second episode, this is how the scene appears:
Third time around:
...and fourth:
Yes, in all four episodes, she's buying a mask. But every time, KyoAni has given us a different look and feel to the scene. The masks are different, Yuki's kimono is different, the camera angle is different, and while you can't tell from these shots, her body language is different. Which, considering that in the storyline, she remembers every detail of every loop (over 15000, which works out to nearly 600 years), makes perfect sense.
Every single episode is presented like this; everything is the same, but completely different. If that's a lack of imagination from KyoAni and contempt for the viewer, then I'll take their contempt every single day of the week. It's still better than most of the crap out there right now.
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