April 12, 2008
Yuri's Night: A Surprising Fact
Tonight is Yuri's Night, the annual celebration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human in space.
It's amazing to think that we've been going into space for 47 years now. Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Taikonauts, those of other countries, and those of us who have ever dreamed of traveling into the "final frontier", should all raise a toast (vodka and Tang?) to Gagarin, the first of a select few.
But did you know that, during the run of NASA's Space Shuttle program, there have only been 830 crewmembers for all flights (including people who have been on multiple missions)? A VERY exclusive group, considering the population of our planet. Fewer than 500 individuals overall have gone into space. A tiny amount of people from 37 different countries have "slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the sky."
Now here's the Surprising Fact I mentioned in the title of this post:
Only 734 people* have ever driven in a Formula 1 race. Fewer than the number of Space Shuttle crew. Not that much more than the total number of people who have made it into space.
Who knew?
*That number includes individuals who drove in the Indianapolis 500 from 1950-1960, when it was considered part of the GP series.
It's amazing to think that we've been going into space for 47 years now. Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Taikonauts, those of other countries, and those of us who have ever dreamed of traveling into the "final frontier", should all raise a toast (vodka and Tang?) to Gagarin, the first of a select few.But did you know that, during the run of NASA's Space Shuttle program, there have only been 830 crewmembers for all flights (including people who have been on multiple missions)? A VERY exclusive group, considering the population of our planet. Fewer than 500 individuals overall have gone into space. A tiny amount of people from 37 different countries have "slipped the surly bonds of earth and touched the sky."
Now here's the Surprising Fact I mentioned in the title of this post:
Only 734 people* have ever driven in a Formula 1 race. Fewer than the number of Space Shuttle crew. Not that much more than the total number of people who have made it into space.
Who knew?
*That number includes individuals who drove in the Indianapolis 500 from 1950-1960, when it was considered part of the GP series.
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April 10, 2008
Random Anime Picture #18 and Trivia Question
UPDATE: Jeff Lawson guessed "the sloth in CardCaptor Sakura", which is the right answer! See the comments below for the link betwixt them!
ANOTHER UPDATE:
From CardCaptor Sakura, ep 13 ("Sakura and the Elephant's Test of Strength")
...or Sloths In Anime, #1.
-Special A, ep01
Basic plot: Our Heroine is the best and the brightest. Except for one guy who's better at everything. Hijinks ensue.
Sounds fairly lame, but at least episode one was good enough for me to decide to keep watching.
And, hey, it's the second time there's been a sloth in anime. That's gotta count for something, right? (Bonus Trivia Question: what was the FIRST time? Extra Special Bonus Trivia Question: what's the link between the two, other than being sloths?)
Basic plot: Our Heroine is the best and the brightest. Except for one guy who's better at everything. Hijinks ensue.
Sounds fairly lame, but at least episode one was good enough for me to decide to keep watching.
And, hey, it's the second time there's been a sloth in anime. That's gotta count for something, right? (Bonus Trivia Question: what was the FIRST time? Extra Special Bonus Trivia Question: what's the link between the two, other than being sloths?)
UPDATE: Jeff Lawson guessed "the sloth in CardCaptor Sakura", which is the right answer! See the comments below for the link betwixt them!
ANOTHER UPDATE:
From CardCaptor Sakura, ep 13 ("Sakura and the Elephant's Test of Strength")
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April 09, 2008
Bamboo Blade Ganbatte!
So Bamboo Blade has come to an end. I'll admit to being kinda bummed about that.
Truthfully, and I'm going to have scorn heaped upon me for saying this, the adventures of Tama-chan and the gang have been the ones I've most eagerly awaited each week. More than Kimikiss, more than Rosario+Vampire (easily more!), more than Spicy Wolf... and dare I say, maybe even more than Clannad?
Please don't get me wrong, BB is hardly high art... more like high Fred, Art's younger, less talented, brother. In some ways, in fact, the show is kinda cheesy at times, sappy at others. The character designs, particularly Dan-kun and his egg-shaped cranium, take a little getting used to. The plot is nothing you haven't seen in a gazillion sports movies and anime before; the only difference is that our heroes are swinging kendo blades instead of baseball bats.
But yet...
It's the characters that make any show, of course, and Tama, Kirino, Miya-Miya, Saya and Satori are a fun group to watch. Yuji and Dan are just sorta... eh. But, darn it, by the end of the series, I actually liked all of them.
Sure, the plot is hackneyed and cliche-ridden. Granted. I don't care.
Sure, the art isn't the greatest. Granted. I don't care.
Sure, there are better shows out there. Granted. I don't care.
Bamboo Blade was some of the most fun I've had watching anime in a couple-three years, easy. Here's hoping for a second season!
I feel the same way, Tama-chan.
Truthfully, and I'm going to have scorn heaped upon me for saying this, the adventures of Tama-chan and the gang have been the ones I've most eagerly awaited each week. More than Kimikiss, more than Rosario+Vampire (easily more!), more than Spicy Wolf... and dare I say, maybe even more than Clannad?
Please don't get me wrong, BB is hardly high art... more like high Fred, Art's younger, less talented, brother. In some ways, in fact, the show is kinda cheesy at times, sappy at others. The character designs, particularly Dan-kun and his egg-shaped cranium, take a little getting used to. The plot is nothing you haven't seen in a gazillion sports movies and anime before; the only difference is that our heroes are swinging kendo blades instead of baseball bats.
But yet...
Sure, the plot is hackneyed and cliche-ridden. Granted. I don't care.
Sure, the art isn't the greatest. Granted. I don't care.
Sure, there are better shows out there. Granted. I don't care.
Bamboo Blade was some of the most fun I've had watching anime in a couple-three years, easy. Here's hoping for a second season!
...and more BLADE BRAVER!
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April 08, 2008
Bahrainian Wrapup
On the ITV broadcast of the Bahrainian Grand Prix, broadcaster Martin Brundle mentioned that Lewis Hamilton was in "the last place he wants to be", moments before he plowed into the back of HWMNBN's Renault. Immediately following the accident, he said that HWMNBN "surely must have lifted (off the gas pedal)." The speed of the impact coming out of the turn was such that it DID look suspicious, to be fair.
He later semi-recanted his accusation by adding that they had to wait for the Renault telemetry before a serious accusation could be made, but his partner, Mark Blundell, was not so reticent, flat-out accusing HWMNBN of brake-checking Hamilton's McLaren. HWMNBN has a history of doing just that, so it's not completely out of the question.
Well, the telemetry was released to Autosport Magazine today, and they confirm that HWMNBN did NOT lift off, nor did he tap the brakes. Surprisingly, McLaren agreed with that assessment today as well. They said that Hamilton's 'bridge wing' over the nose failed just before the accident, giving him an unexpected burst of speed (loss of downforce = extra speed). As I happen to have a copy of the ITV broadcast on my computer, I went back and watched said accident very, very slowly, and saw this:
Sure enough. In the video, that piece on the left can actually be seen flapping up and down. In case you're wondering, as the car comes through the turn, the light and shadow changes across the nose, and that gap isn't an optical illusion.
That's a closeup of the above shot. It really isn't there... and it's visible for a few seconds just before the nose is destroyed on the rear of HWMNBN's car. This one is nobody's fault.
We're still not taking the MOOOOO-OOOVE of the Race away from Lewis, though.
In other F1 news, Max Mosley is completely self-destructing. It seems that after being told by the Crown Prince of Bahrain that he was not welcome, Mosley called Darth Bernie and went on a tirade, hurling epithets about the Gulf Kingdom in a very loud voice.
Sitting next to Bernie Ecclestone at the time? The Crown Prince of Bahrain. Who heard every single word.
Oops.
Mosley has claimed that he has a number of backers in the F1 paddock, people that will support him when it comes right down to it... but not one single team, sponsor, or driver has said a single thing, except AGAINST Mosley.
Further, some of the member organizations of the FIA have begun to call for his head. The largest of the FIA's constituent organizations, surprisingly, is the American Auto Association (the AAA)... and on Monday, they asked Mosley to step down.
Mosley's defense is that the British tabloid that started this whole mess invaded his privacy, and legal proceedings are being started against them for exactly that reason... but I'm reminded of the Stepneygate sentencing against McLaren, where the FIA's final statement says "The World Council's only concern is whether that list is accurate and truthful. We are not concerned with whether there are issues over how that is obtained. Unless there is evidence that it is forged or inaccurate, we will take it on its face value."
Max Mosley wrote those words.
Oops.
He later semi-recanted his accusation by adding that they had to wait for the Renault telemetry before a serious accusation could be made, but his partner, Mark Blundell, was not so reticent, flat-out accusing HWMNBN of brake-checking Hamilton's McLaren. HWMNBN has a history of doing just that, so it's not completely out of the question.
Well, the telemetry was released to Autosport Magazine today, and they confirm that HWMNBN did NOT lift off, nor did he tap the brakes. Surprisingly, McLaren agreed with that assessment today as well. They said that Hamilton's 'bridge wing' over the nose failed just before the accident, giving him an unexpected burst of speed (loss of downforce = extra speed). As I happen to have a copy of the ITV broadcast on my computer, I went back and watched said accident very, very slowly, and saw this:
Sure enough. In the video, that piece on the left can actually be seen flapping up and down. In case you're wondering, as the car comes through the turn, the light and shadow changes across the nose, and that gap isn't an optical illusion.
We're still not taking the MOOOOO-OOOVE of the Race away from Lewis, though.
In other F1 news, Max Mosley is completely self-destructing. It seems that after being told by the Crown Prince of Bahrain that he was not welcome, Mosley called Darth Bernie and went on a tirade, hurling epithets about the Gulf Kingdom in a very loud voice.
Sitting next to Bernie Ecclestone at the time? The Crown Prince of Bahrain. Who heard every single word.
Oops.
Mosley has claimed that he has a number of backers in the F1 paddock, people that will support him when it comes right down to it... but not one single team, sponsor, or driver has said a single thing, except AGAINST Mosley.
Further, some of the member organizations of the FIA have begun to call for his head. The largest of the FIA's constituent organizations, surprisingly, is the American Auto Association (the AAA)... and on Monday, they asked Mosley to step down.
Mosley's defense is that the British tabloid that started this whole mess invaded his privacy, and legal proceedings are being started against them for exactly that reason... but I'm reminded of the Stepneygate sentencing against McLaren, where the FIA's final statement says "The World Council's only concern is whether that list is accurate and truthful. We are not concerned with whether there are issues over how that is obtained. Unless there is evidence that it is forged or inaccurate, we will take it on its face value."
Max Mosley wrote those words.
Oops.
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April 06, 2008
F1 UPDATE!: Bahrain 2008!
It was a special day for one team, a dominant day for another, and a disaster for a third, but it's always a great day for F1 UPDATE! Let's get to the race!
*NOT AS GOOD AS WE HOPED...: We at F1 UPDATE! thought that this was going to be a "helluva race" after Quals. Well... not so much. Felipe Massa blew a wheel-spinning Robert Kubica off the line when the lights went out, and the race was over. Then it just became a question of which Ferrari would win, and by how much.
*APPLY HAND TO THROAT, SQUEEZE.: That must have been the McLaren race plan for Lewis Hamilton. First he nearly stalled the car at the start and lost 10 places, then he crunched into HWMNBN, lost his nose, and suddenly it wasn't a question of "can he win," it was "can he get points," then finally "can he finish in the top half?" The answer in all cases was "nope." We at F1 UPDATE! are on record as thinking that Hamilton may be weak driving in traffic, and Bahrain has done nothing to change those thoughts.
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: Felipe Massa, Ferrari. With two DNFs in the first two races, and rumors of HWMNBN being considered to take his seat next year, Massa desperately needed a good race, if only to get the rabid Italian press off his back. He got it. He got past Kubica before the first turn, then drove a nearly flawless race the rest of the way. The only bobble was a quick on-and-off around the halfway mark as he was about to put a lap on a Farce India. This was even his first win from a position other than pole... all in all, a pretty good race for Felipe Massa.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: Ferrari finished 1-2, but they don't get this designation today, if only because they're expected to finish 1-2. Besides, I suspect that even they would (in private, quietly, where nobody else could hear them) admit that BMW-Sauber deserves the award today. Kubica was pole sitter, finished third and is fourth in the Driver's Championship, Nick Heidfeld was 4th, had the fast lap of the race (for the second race in a row) (Koveleininninnie deep-sixed that at the end of the race), and is now second in the Driver's Championship. But more importantly, the team is now leading the Constructor's Championship for the first time ever. Yep, they may not quite be in position to compete for a win just yet, but they are definitely for real.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: The best place to pass on the Bahrain circuit is turn one. Generally, the best way to do it is to get to the inside of your target and outbrake him. You saw that exact thing occur a number of times today, as a matter of fact. On lap 4, however, Robert Kubica was trying to hold off Kimi Raikkonen for second place and it looked to all of us here at F1 UPDATE! that he'd managed it. He had the inside line closed off solid, and the speed difference between the Ferrari and the BMW isn't so great that Kimi could get past before the turn. Kimi then surprised us, the announcers, Robert Kubica, and Mrs Edna Snodgrass of Llanberis, Wales (who wasn't even watching) by going to the outside of Kubica's BMW... and making it stick. He then managed to keep Kubica from repassing by raw power. A skillful pass, and one well-deserving of the MOTR.
*MOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: Even the best racers in the world have moments where they chew their cud and lumber around the circuit. For those entertaining incidents, the Mooooo-ooove was created. Today's winner is actually two seperate incidents from the same man: Lewis Hamilton. First, he had the worst start in the history of mankind, dropping 10 places in the blink of an eye, when he managed to nearly stall his McLaren. A brisk walking pace would have passed him, quite honestly. That's bad enough, but on Lap 2, while trying to recover from his atrocious start, he was all over the back of HWMNBN. The Renault was heavy with fuel, and couldn't accelerate as quickly out of a turn as the McLaren. Hamilton neglected to consider this fact, and the result?
*NOT AS GOOD AS WE HOPED...: We at F1 UPDATE! thought that this was going to be a "helluva race" after Quals. Well... not so much. Felipe Massa blew a wheel-spinning Robert Kubica off the line when the lights went out, and the race was over. Then it just became a question of which Ferrari would win, and by how much.
*APPLY HAND TO THROAT, SQUEEZE.: That must have been the McLaren race plan for Lewis Hamilton. First he nearly stalled the car at the start and lost 10 places, then he crunched into HWMNBN, lost his nose, and suddenly it wasn't a question of "can he win," it was "can he get points," then finally "can he finish in the top half?" The answer in all cases was "nope." We at F1 UPDATE! are on record as thinking that Hamilton may be weak driving in traffic, and Bahrain has done nothing to change those thoughts.
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: Felipe Massa, Ferrari. With two DNFs in the first two races, and rumors of HWMNBN being considered to take his seat next year, Massa desperately needed a good race, if only to get the rabid Italian press off his back. He got it. He got past Kubica before the first turn, then drove a nearly flawless race the rest of the way. The only bobble was a quick on-and-off around the halfway mark as he was about to put a lap on a Farce India. This was even his first win from a position other than pole... all in all, a pretty good race for Felipe Massa.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: Ferrari finished 1-2, but they don't get this designation today, if only because they're expected to finish 1-2. Besides, I suspect that even they would (in private, quietly, where nobody else could hear them) admit that BMW-Sauber deserves the award today. Kubica was pole sitter, finished third and is fourth in the Driver's Championship, Nick Heidfeld was 4th, had the fast lap of the race (for the second race in a row) (Koveleininninnie deep-sixed that at the end of the race), and is now second in the Driver's Championship. But more importantly, the team is now leading the Constructor's Championship for the first time ever. Yep, they may not quite be in position to compete for a win just yet, but they are definitely for real.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: The best place to pass on the Bahrain circuit is turn one. Generally, the best way to do it is to get to the inside of your target and outbrake him. You saw that exact thing occur a number of times today, as a matter of fact. On lap 4, however, Robert Kubica was trying to hold off Kimi Raikkonen for second place and it looked to all of us here at F1 UPDATE! that he'd managed it. He had the inside line closed off solid, and the speed difference between the Ferrari and the BMW isn't so great that Kimi could get past before the turn. Kimi then surprised us, the announcers, Robert Kubica, and Mrs Edna Snodgrass of Llanberis, Wales (who wasn't even watching) by going to the outside of Kubica's BMW... and making it stick. He then managed to keep Kubica from repassing by raw power. A skillful pass, and one well-deserving of the MOTR.
*MOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: Even the best racers in the world have moments where they chew their cud and lumber around the circuit. For those entertaining incidents, the Mooooo-ooove was created. Today's winner is actually two seperate incidents from the same man: Lewis Hamilton. First, he had the worst start in the history of mankind, dropping 10 places in the blink of an eye, when he managed to nearly stall his McLaren. A brisk walking pace would have passed him, quite honestly. That's bad enough, but on Lap 2, while trying to recover from his atrocious start, he was all over the back of HWMNBN. The Renault was heavy with fuel, and couldn't accelerate as quickly out of a turn as the McLaren. Hamilton neglected to consider this fact, and the result?
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have liftoff!!!
more...
A lost nose and the resulting pitstop put Hamilton nearly 1:10 behind the leaders, and his day was done. Well done, lad... here's your Mooooo-ooove!
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
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April 05, 2008
F1 Quals Bahrain '08: POLE ON POLE!!!
FINALLY!!!
The first Polish polesitter in the history of F1.
The first pole in the 15 year history of the Sauber team.
The first pole in six or seven years for a BMW engine.
The first pole in 22 races NOT held by either a Ferrari or a McLaren.
Robert Kubica took pole away from Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen, and announced to the F1 Circus that BMW-Sauber is for real. The team may not be quite at the level of Ferrari and McLaren, but they're not far off, that's for sure.
The provisional grid:
It's likely, of course, that Kubica has a lighter fuel load than the Ferrari and McLaren boys, but the speed was no fluke... the Pole was third quickest in Q2. This is shaping up to be one helluva race!
Kubica (center) showing extreme levels of emotion
The first Polish polesitter in the history of F1.
The first pole in the 15 year history of the Sauber team.
The first pole in six or seven years for a BMW engine.
The first pole in 22 races NOT held by either a Ferrari or a McLaren.
Robert Kubica took pole away from Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikkonen, and announced to the F1 Circus that BMW-Sauber is for real. The team may not be quite at the level of Ferrari and McLaren, but they're not far off, that's for sure.
The provisional grid:
| 1. | Robert Kubica | Poland | BMW Sauber | 1:33.096 |
| 2. | Felipe Massa | Brazil | Ferrari | 1:33.123 |
| 3. | Lewis Hamilton | Britain | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:33.292 |
| 4. | Kimi Raikkonen | Finland | Ferrari | 1:33.418 |
| 5. | Heikki Kovalainen | Finland | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:33.488 |
| 6. | Nick Heidfeld | Germany | BMW Sauber | 1:33.737 |
| 7. | Jarno Trulli | Italy | Toyota | 1:33.994 |
| 8. | Nico Rosberg | Germany | Williams-Toyota | 1:34.015 |
| 9. | Jenson Button | Britain | Honda | 1:35.057 |
| 10. | Fernando Alonso | Spain | Renault | 1:35.115 |
| 11. | Mark Webber | Australia | Red Bull-Renault | 1:32.371 |
| 12. | Rubens Barrichello | Brazil | Honda | 1:32.508 |
| 13. | Timo Glock | Germany | Toyota | 1:32.528 |
| 14. | Nelson Piquet | Brazil | Renault | 1:32.790 |
| 15. | Sebastien Bourdais | France | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:32.915 |
| 16. | Kazuki Nakajima | Japan | Williams-Toyota | 1:32.943 |
| 17. | David Coulthard | Britain | Red Bull-Renault | 1:33.433 |
| 18. | Giancarlo Fisichella | Italy | Force India-Ferrari | 1:33.501 |
| 19. | Sebastian Vettel | Germany | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:33.562 |
| 20. | Adrian Sutil | Germany | Force India-Ferrari | 1:33.845 |
| 21. | Anthony Davidson | Super | Super Aguri-Honda | 1:34.140 |
| 22. | Takuma Sato | Japan | Super Aguri-Honda | 1:35.725 |
It's likely, of course, that Kubica has a lighter fuel load than the Ferrari and McLaren boys, but the speed was no fluke... the Pole was third quickest in Q2. This is shaping up to be one helluva race!
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Better Late Than Never: Bahrain Friday Practice!
It's a practice session... of course nothing happened.
Oh, except for Lewis Hamilton destroying his car by trying to jam it through a tire barrier... sideways and backwards. Pretty impressive, actually. With about seven minutes left in the session, Hamilton came off a turn a little wide and got onto the curb. That ruined the aerodynamics of the car pretty quick, and suddenly the car was swapping ends.
Sliding off the track and onto the asphalt runoff area, he had all four wheels locked up and still didn't lose much speed. Boom, one dead McLaren. Not as bad as Kubica's crash, or maybe even Hamilton's wreck in quals at the Nurb last season (when he got airborne and nearly flew over a tire wall), but pretty severe.
The McLaren mechanics will be up very, very late fixing that one.
The two Ferraris were fastest on the day, with the usual suspects right behind. We'll see how it works out in quals, though.
Oh, except for Lewis Hamilton destroying his car by trying to jam it through a tire barrier... sideways and backwards. Pretty impressive, actually. With about seven minutes left in the session, Hamilton came off a turn a little wide and got onto the curb. That ruined the aerodynamics of the car pretty quick, and suddenly the car was swapping ends.
Sliding off the track and onto the asphalt runoff area, he had all four wheels locked up and still didn't lose much speed. Boom, one dead McLaren. Not as bad as Kubica's crash, or maybe even Hamilton's wreck in quals at the Nurb last season (when he got airborne and nearly flew over a tire wall), but pretty severe.
The McLaren mechanics will be up very, very late fixing that one.
The two Ferraris were fastest on the day, with the usual suspects right behind. We'll see how it works out in quals, though.
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April 03, 2008
Mosley vs The Teams.
With the Grand Prix of Bahrain just a few days away, the F1 teams are starting to react to the Max Mosley "Nazi Dungeon" scandal.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz put out a joint release to the FIA to take action against Mosley, calling his hijinks "disgraceful." The release went on to say "This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as President of the FIA, the global umbrella organisation for motoring clubs. Its consequences therefore extend far beyond the motor sport industry."
Echoing the sentiment, the two Japanese teams released similar statements. Honda F1 Racing Team (as opposed to the manufacturer) stated that they are "extremely disappointed by recent events surrounding Mr Mosley and we are concerned that the reputation of Formula One and all its participants is being damaged."
Toyota Motorsports, which is based in Germany, laid down what was perhaps the most scathing reply to the incident, saying that they "(do) not approve of any behaviour which could be seen to damage Formula One's image, in particular any behaviour which could be understood to be racist or anti-Semitic. Senior figures within any sport or business, including motorsport, must adhere to high standards of behaviour. When all the facts are known, it will be for the FIA to decide whether Mr Mosley has met the moral obligations which come with the position of FIA President."
Mosley himself has refused to step down from his position as FIA President, and has called an Extraordinary General Assembly of the FIA governing body as a whole, to meet at the earliest practical date. While some believe that the meeting is being called so he can announce his resignation, Autosport Magazine is saying that Mosley will ask for the organization's backing. The meeting will not be anytime soon, however, as the FIA Senate comprises 200 members from many different racing disciplines.
While the condemnations are certainly interesting, I find fascinating those who AREN'T saying anything. I would have expected Ferrari to have at least given some support to Mosley, perhaps in a statement such as "until all facts are known, we blah blah blah." Instead, they've been completely quiet. McLaren, perhaps the team that above all others would cheer for Mosley's leaving, has said nothing officially, preferring to let Mercedes do the talking. And with a Gallic shrug, Renault has been totally quiet.
If any of those three teams says something either positive or negative, you can bet that Mosley's fate will be sealed, one way or the other.
Again, the official stance of F1 UPDATE! is that Mosley should either leave on his own, or be pushed out the door.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz put out a joint release to the FIA to take action against Mosley, calling his hijinks "disgraceful." The release went on to say "This incident concerns Max Mosley both personally and as President of the FIA, the global umbrella organisation for motoring clubs. Its consequences therefore extend far beyond the motor sport industry."
Echoing the sentiment, the two Japanese teams released similar statements. Honda F1 Racing Team (as opposed to the manufacturer) stated that they are "extremely disappointed by recent events surrounding Mr Mosley and we are concerned that the reputation of Formula One and all its participants is being damaged."
Toyota Motorsports, which is based in Germany, laid down what was perhaps the most scathing reply to the incident, saying that they "(do) not approve of any behaviour which could be seen to damage Formula One's image, in particular any behaviour which could be understood to be racist or anti-Semitic. Senior figures within any sport or business, including motorsport, must adhere to high standards of behaviour. When all the facts are known, it will be for the FIA to decide whether Mr Mosley has met the moral obligations which come with the position of FIA President."
Mosley himself has refused to step down from his position as FIA President, and has called an Extraordinary General Assembly of the FIA governing body as a whole, to meet at the earliest practical date. While some believe that the meeting is being called so he can announce his resignation, Autosport Magazine is saying that Mosley will ask for the organization's backing. The meeting will not be anytime soon, however, as the FIA Senate comprises 200 members from many different racing disciplines.
While the condemnations are certainly interesting, I find fascinating those who AREN'T saying anything. I would have expected Ferrari to have at least given some support to Mosley, perhaps in a statement such as "until all facts are known, we blah blah blah." Instead, they've been completely quiet. McLaren, perhaps the team that above all others would cheer for Mosley's leaving, has said nothing officially, preferring to let Mercedes do the talking. And with a Gallic shrug, Renault has been totally quiet.
If any of those three teams says something either positive or negative, you can bet that Mosley's fate will be sealed, one way or the other.
Again, the official stance of F1 UPDATE! is that Mosley should either leave on his own, or be pushed out the door.
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April 02, 2008
F1 on SPEED!: Bahrain '08
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the organizers of this week's race in Bahrain have... requested... that Max Mosley perhaps not appear at the track. He's expected to do comply with that request.
However, we're still invited via the good folks at SPEEDchannel, and the schedule for the TV coverage is what this post is all about!
Friday, April 4th, brings us LIVE coverage of the 2nd Practice from 6a - 730a. As you're no doubt aware, Bahrain is a small, sandy island. How small? The F1 race distance is actually more than one lap around the island. While that's an interesting (if pointless) bit of trivia, it's the sand that's important to the race. The Grand Prix weekend is, essentially, the only time this track is used during the year, so the grip level is very much the definition of "green". Throw in the sand blowing onto the track, and there's a reason the first cars on track (invariably the junior teams) are called "sweepers" by the folks in the paddock. They also wind up sliding around like they're on ice. Immediately following practice, stay tuned for Inside Grand Prix from 730a - 8a. Mr. Snooty Voice is back, as is Allianz ("Sending your money into a rathole while we take insane commission charges: we're Allianz.").
Saturday, April 5th, from 6a - 730a, is the time for LIVE coverage of the Qual sessions. It's been announced that McLaren will be moved to the very end of the pit lane this race, as befits their last-place status from last year. This is curious, as they've been in the middle of the paddock in the previous two races. Why is the FIA suddenly enforcing their rules now, when to date, they've ignored them? There's something fishy going on there...
Finally, Sunday, April 6th, from 6a - 830a, the cars hit the grid for the Grand Prix of Bahrain. Will Ferrari run away with it? Will McLaren reassert themselves? Will BMW break through and turn the Big Two into the Terrific Three? And what of the mid-pack? Will Williams, Renault or Red Bull step up and take the next step towards the podium? Or will we see something weird, like a sandstorm in the middle of the race? Tune in the Legendary Announce Team and find out! For those of you who are actually, y'know, asleep at 6am, SPEED brings us a replay from 1230p - 3p.
So that's the TV schedule. All times Central; add an hour for the East Coast, subtract two for the West Coast, add five if you're in the middle of the Atlantic.
However, we're still invited via the good folks at SPEEDchannel, and the schedule for the TV coverage is what this post is all about!
Friday, April 4th, brings us LIVE coverage of the 2nd Practice from 6a - 730a. As you're no doubt aware, Bahrain is a small, sandy island. How small? The F1 race distance is actually more than one lap around the island. While that's an interesting (if pointless) bit of trivia, it's the sand that's important to the race. The Grand Prix weekend is, essentially, the only time this track is used during the year, so the grip level is very much the definition of "green". Throw in the sand blowing onto the track, and there's a reason the first cars on track (invariably the junior teams) are called "sweepers" by the folks in the paddock. They also wind up sliding around like they're on ice. Immediately following practice, stay tuned for Inside Grand Prix from 730a - 8a. Mr. Snooty Voice is back, as is Allianz ("Sending your money into a rathole while we take insane commission charges: we're Allianz.").
Saturday, April 5th, from 6a - 730a, is the time for LIVE coverage of the Qual sessions. It's been announced that McLaren will be moved to the very end of the pit lane this race, as befits their last-place status from last year. This is curious, as they've been in the middle of the paddock in the previous two races. Why is the FIA suddenly enforcing their rules now, when to date, they've ignored them? There's something fishy going on there...
Finally, Sunday, April 6th, from 6a - 830a, the cars hit the grid for the Grand Prix of Bahrain. Will Ferrari run away with it? Will McLaren reassert themselves? Will BMW break through and turn the Big Two into the Terrific Three? And what of the mid-pack? Will Williams, Renault or Red Bull step up and take the next step towards the podium? Or will we see something weird, like a sandstorm in the middle of the race? Tune in the Legendary Announce Team and find out! For those of you who are actually, y'know, asleep at 6am, SPEED brings us a replay from 1230p - 3p.
So that's the TV schedule. All times Central; add an hour for the East Coast, subtract two for the West Coast, add five if you're in the middle of the Atlantic.
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March 31, 2008
Emperor Mosely In Trouble... BIG Trouble.
Ve hav VAYS uf makink you cheer ver Ferrari...
According to a story in The Australian, Max Mosley, the grand-high vizier of the FIA, is embroiled in a sex scandal and is under pressure to resign from his position.
Allegedly, Mosley (the son of Sir Oswald Mosley, who was the leader of the British Union of Fascists during the 1930s and '40s) was videotaped enjoying a "Nazi-style orgy" with five prostitutes in "an underground torture chamber" located in Chelsea, England. After being 'subjected' to an inspection for lice and an interrogation whilst being locked in chains, he then wielded a leather whip on the women while speaking German.
When asked about the allegations, Bernie Ecclestone, F1's commissar-in-chief and long-time friend of Mosley, said “Assuming it’s all true, what people do privately is up to them. I don’t honestly believe (it) affects the sport in any way. Knowing Max it might be all a bit of a joke. You know, it’s one of those things where he’s sort of taking the p*ss, rather than anything against Jewish people.â€
Sir Stirling Moss, the former champion driver who's father was Jewish, said "I don’t see how he can continue. I hope he can, frankly, because I think he’s very good at what he does. I suppose what goes on behind closed doors is his business but when a thing comes out like this . . . it’s an absolute shocker.â€
I think maybe he should pay a fine... say, $100 million? Surely there's more proof involved than that brought against McLaren last year.
Mosley is pursuing legal action against The News Of The World, the tabloid that either took or acquired the videotape in question.
More info as it becomes available.
UPDATE: The creepy News Of The World article is located HERE. Yeesh.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Mosley responds to allegations HERE.
According to a story in The Australian, Max Mosley, the grand-high vizier of the FIA, is embroiled in a sex scandal and is under pressure to resign from his position.
Allegedly, Mosley (the son of Sir Oswald Mosley, who was the leader of the British Union of Fascists during the 1930s and '40s) was videotaped enjoying a "Nazi-style orgy" with five prostitutes in "an underground torture chamber" located in Chelsea, England. After being 'subjected' to an inspection for lice and an interrogation whilst being locked in chains, he then wielded a leather whip on the women while speaking German.
When asked about the allegations, Bernie Ecclestone, F1's commissar-in-chief and long-time friend of Mosley, said “Assuming it’s all true, what people do privately is up to them. I don’t honestly believe (it) affects the sport in any way. Knowing Max it might be all a bit of a joke. You know, it’s one of those things where he’s sort of taking the p*ss, rather than anything against Jewish people.â€
Sir Stirling Moss, the former champion driver who's father was Jewish, said "I don’t see how he can continue. I hope he can, frankly, because I think he’s very good at what he does. I suppose what goes on behind closed doors is his business but when a thing comes out like this . . . it’s an absolute shocker.â€
I think maybe he should pay a fine... say, $100 million? Surely there's more proof involved than that brought against McLaren last year.
Mosley is pursuing legal action against The News Of The World, the tabloid that either took or acquired the videotape in question.
More info as it becomes available.
UPDATE: The creepy News Of The World article is located HERE. Yeesh.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Mosley responds to allegations HERE.
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March 30, 2008
Random Anime Picture #17: Why I Like Clannad.
-Clannad, ep21
It's not my favorite KeyAni production (that's Kanon '06, of course), but Clannad has a LOT more humor than anything "serious" they've done before, excepting FMP: Fumoffu, a straight-up comedy series.
Slice-of-life + KyoAni + Key + humor = win. Lots and lots of win.
-Clannad, ep21
It's not my favorite KeyAni production (that's Kanon '06, of course), but Clannad has a LOT more humor than anything "serious" they've done before, excepting FMP: Fumoffu, a straight-up comedy series.
Slice-of-life + KyoAni + Key + humor = win. Lots and lots of win.
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Random Anime Picture #16
-Kimikiss Pure Rouge, ep24
I think JCStaff put this lass into the show just so she could dress up as a kitsune in this episode.
I think JCStaff put this lass into the show just so she could dress up as a kitsune in this episode.
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March 28, 2008
It's Baseball Season (almost)
Baseball starts on Monday. No, I don't count the Red Sox/A's games in Tokyo, or the Braves/Nationals game on Sunday, the first game of the season SHOULD be the Reds at home against whomever their opponent is.
My Fantasy Baseball League, however, has its annual player auction at 830am on Saturday... which is why this is a short post, because I've gotta get back to researching the 6th inning left-handed specialist pitchers...
My Fantasy Baseball League, however, has its annual player auction at 830am on Saturday... which is why this is a short post, because I've gotta get back to researching the 6th inning left-handed specialist pitchers...
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March 27, 2008
A Legend Passes
Wally Phillips 1925-2008
The Pond is in mourning right now, as the news of the death of Wally Phillips hits home. If you lived in the Midwest in the '70s or '80s, or you've worked in the radio business, you know who Wally was: the most popular morning drive host of all time.
Get this, Pond Readers... Wally Phillips was the morning host of Chicago's WGN-AM (720 on your dial) from 1965 to 1986. During that time, WGN's morning show was not only #1 in the Arbitron ratings (Arbitron is the Nielsen of radio), but was far and away the highest-rated show in Chicago, at times garnering HALF OF THE MARKET. His successors, Bob Collins (from 1986 until his death in a small plane crash in 2000) and Spike O'Dell (2000-present), have just carried on with the immense ratings.
But that was just in Chicago and the suburbs! WGN-AM is a 50KW station, and can be heard in 38 States and Canada.
In a business where five years is a long time, and 10 years is forever, 21 years is eternity. 21 years on the top of the ratings sheet is unheard of... but Wally did it in one of the largest markets in the country. He's often called the father of talk radio, though that might be stretching things a tad... certainly he was one of the originators of the genre. If you listen to a call-in radio show, you're hearing things that Wally pioneered.
He was elected to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. One of the quickest of wits ever on the radio, he died, ironically, of complications of Alzheimer's Disease.
You'll be missed, Wally.
Wally Phillips 1925-2008
The Pond is in mourning right now, as the news of the death of Wally Phillips hits home. If you lived in the Midwest in the '70s or '80s, or you've worked in the radio business, you know who Wally was: the most popular morning drive host of all time.
Get this, Pond Readers... Wally Phillips was the morning host of Chicago's WGN-AM (720 on your dial) from 1965 to 1986. During that time, WGN's morning show was not only #1 in the Arbitron ratings (Arbitron is the Nielsen of radio), but was far and away the highest-rated show in Chicago, at times garnering HALF OF THE MARKET. His successors, Bob Collins (from 1986 until his death in a small plane crash in 2000) and Spike O'Dell (2000-present), have just carried on with the immense ratings.
But that was just in Chicago and the suburbs! WGN-AM is a 50KW station, and can be heard in 38 States and Canada.
In a business where five years is a long time, and 10 years is forever, 21 years is eternity. 21 years on the top of the ratings sheet is unheard of... but Wally did it in one of the largest markets in the country. He's often called the father of talk radio, though that might be stretching things a tad... certainly he was one of the originators of the genre. If you listen to a call-in radio show, you're hearing things that Wally pioneered.
He was elected to the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. One of the quickest of wits ever on the radio, he died, ironically, of complications of Alzheimer's Disease.
You'll be missed, Wally.
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March 25, 2008
Random Anime Picture #15
-ARIA the Origination, ep09
Possibly one of the finest anime episodes I've ever seen. I went back and watched it again, as I'm feeling a little glum tonight. The first time I watched it, I had no idea what was coming, so it was as much a surprise to me as it was to Alice. This time, however, I knew what was about to happen... and I still got a goofy grin on my face.
That's good storytelling.
I find that I really don't want ARIA to end. After 49 episodes (to date) and one OVA, you'd think that the show would start to feel like it was dragging on, but it has stayed fresh for me. Even Kanon didn't give me that feeling... when it ended, it was time for it to end.
In fact, only one other series has evoked the "don't be over yet!" feeling from me: Azumanga Daioh, my favorite show of all time.
I believe that, with episode 09, ARIA has joined Azumanga and Kanon as My Favorites. Nobody is more surprised than me.
Possibly one of the finest anime episodes I've ever seen. I went back and watched it again, as I'm feeling a little glum tonight. The first time I watched it, I had no idea what was coming, so it was as much a surprise to me as it was to Alice. This time, however, I knew what was about to happen... and I still got a goofy grin on my face.
That's good storytelling.
I find that I really don't want ARIA to end. After 49 episodes (to date) and one OVA, you'd think that the show would start to feel like it was dragging on, but it has stayed fresh for me. Even Kanon didn't give me that feeling... when it ended, it was time for it to end.
In fact, only one other series has evoked the "don't be over yet!" feeling from me: Azumanga Daioh, my favorite show of all time.
I believe that, with episode 09, ARIA has joined Azumanga and Kanon as My Favorites. Nobody is more surprised than me.
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March 24, 2008
I Needs Me Some Of That...
In comments, Steven points out something interesting over at Peter's J-List Sideblog. Seems Peter was over in Tokyo recently, and he took a picture of a store with the intriguing name of...
Store My Ducks. Brilliant!!!
And you know it's the same location... there couldn't be two places with that much awesome on display in this world.
What I regret is that I haven't the faintest idea of what Store My Ducks actually sells... I have a feeling it's the greatest store EVER.
Store My Ducks. Brilliant!!!
But here's where it gets weird... or if you know me and my penchant for ducks, maybe it's not so weird after all:
See, the Brickmuppet hizzownself, Ken, went to Tokyo last summer, and he sent me this photo:
I ALREADY KNEW ABOUT THIS PLACE!!!
See, the Brickmuppet hizzownself, Ken, went to Tokyo last summer, and he sent me this photo:
Store My Ducks! Even MORE brilliant!!!
What I regret is that I haven't the faintest idea of what Store My Ducks actually sells... I have a feeling it's the greatest store EVER.
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March 23, 2008
F1 UPDATE!: MALAYSIA 2008
Will Ferrari bring itself back from the disappointment of Australia? Will McLaren charge off into the distance and take a commanding lead in the dual championships? Will BMW consolidate their gains? Will we stop asking questions and get on with it? THIS is the F1 UPDATE! for the Grand Prix of Malaysia!
*WHOOPS...: This might be getting ugly, and it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys than Ferrari. Those were the words of the owner of this website after Friday practice. Whoops. Kimi Raikkonen won by 22 seconds over 2nd place finisher Robert Kubica, and was over 70 seconds ahead of 8th place HWMNBN. The only dark spot on Ferrari's day was Felipe Massa burying himself in the kittylitter, costing the team a 1-2 finish. Since we can't sack the owner of this blog, we'll just point at him and jeer instead.
*TARNISHING?: We're starting to see signs that Lewis Hamilton may not be the greatest thing since rye bread. He appeared to be uncommonly hard on his front tires and brakes today, and that might have added to his day's troubles. In the last 15 laps of the race, he wasn't quite able to close up on Jarno Trulli's Toyota enough to mount a serious charge, and while some of that might be due to the improvement of the Toyota chassis itself, a good portion has to be laid at Hamilton's feet. We here at F1 UPDATE! believe that, perhaps, he's not as good as running in traffic as he is up towards the front. Understandable, since he rarely has to do so. We'd still take him...
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: Robert Kubica, BMW. Kimi Raikonnen won handily, but probably would have finished behind Massa had Felipe not decided to beach himself. Kubica, on the other hand, actually had to drive hard for his position, and was flawless with the lurking McLaren of Koveleinninnine just a few seconds back. Kimi, on the other hand, could have gone over to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, hopped a quick flight to Finland, had a drink or two, flown back to KLIA, picked up something in the duty-free shop, gotten back in his car, and resumed the race and still have a couple of seconds lead. Gotta go with Kubica this week.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: BMW-Sauber. They scored two podiums in a row for the first time ever, they put Kubica on the 2nd step of said podium, and Grizzly Nick Heidfeld had fast lap of the race. If that's not an indication that this team is for real, nothing is. They're still not up to Ferrari/McLaren levels yet, but they're closer now than they ever were before.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: Since we refuse to give a MOTR to anything that happens on the first lap of a race, we can't give it to Lewis Hamilton's breathtaking manuever at the turn 1, lap 1, where he started outside of HWMNBN, then dove underneath, passing the Renault AND Trulli AND Heidfeld, all in one go. No, instead, we're giving the MOTR to Heidfeld and HWMNBN for their sequence on lap 4. Both were behind David Coulthard's Chin on the short straight, and coming on strong. Heidfeld went right of The Chin, HWMNBN went left, and we had three-wide racing for a bit.
The Chin was probably apoplectic as Heidfeld went by, as he did a fine job of slamming the door on HWMNBN going into the turn. The Renault driver simply kept his foot in, and over the course of the next two turns and a short chute, got round the Red Bull. A gem of driving prowess from both Heidfeld and HWMNBN, though in different ways.
*MOOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: They can't all be gems, and the Mooooo-ooove celebrates the cow-like waddling that all F1 drivers display at one time or another. This race, the prize goes to Felipe Massa, who threw away a sure podium and a possible win simply by letting his rear-end pass his front-end on lap 31, turn 8. At the time, he was only a couple of seconds behind Kimi, but 20 seconds clear of Kubica. Even a simple spin would have been recoverable, but Massa went the extra mile by sliding offtrack, rolling backwards on the asphalt runoff area for a few lengths, then finding a big enough pile of gravel to high-center himself. He then proceeded to dig himself in for a few seconds.
Nicely done, lad... guess that lack of traction controll is a b*tch, huh?
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
more...
*WHOOPS...: This might be getting ugly, and it couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys than Ferrari. Those were the words of the owner of this website after Friday practice. Whoops. Kimi Raikkonen won by 22 seconds over 2nd place finisher Robert Kubica, and was over 70 seconds ahead of 8th place HWMNBN. The only dark spot on Ferrari's day was Felipe Massa burying himself in the kittylitter, costing the team a 1-2 finish. Since we can't sack the owner of this blog, we'll just point at him and jeer instead.
*TARNISHING?: We're starting to see signs that Lewis Hamilton may not be the greatest thing since rye bread. He appeared to be uncommonly hard on his front tires and brakes today, and that might have added to his day's troubles. In the last 15 laps of the race, he wasn't quite able to close up on Jarno Trulli's Toyota enough to mount a serious charge, and while some of that might be due to the improvement of the Toyota chassis itself, a good portion has to be laid at Hamilton's feet. We here at F1 UPDATE! believe that, perhaps, he's not as good as running in traffic as he is up towards the front. Understandable, since he rarely has to do so. We'd still take him...
*DRIVER OF THE RACE: Robert Kubica, BMW. Kimi Raikonnen won handily, but probably would have finished behind Massa had Felipe not decided to beach himself. Kubica, on the other hand, actually had to drive hard for his position, and was flawless with the lurking McLaren of Koveleinninnine just a few seconds back. Kimi, on the other hand, could have gone over to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, hopped a quick flight to Finland, had a drink or two, flown back to KLIA, picked up something in the duty-free shop, gotten back in his car, and resumed the race and still have a couple of seconds lead. Gotta go with Kubica this week.
*TEAM OF THE RACE: BMW-Sauber. They scored two podiums in a row for the first time ever, they put Kubica on the 2nd step of said podium, and Grizzly Nick Heidfeld had fast lap of the race. If that's not an indication that this team is for real, nothing is. They're still not up to Ferrari/McLaren levels yet, but they're closer now than they ever were before.
*MOVE OF THE RACE: Since we refuse to give a MOTR to anything that happens on the first lap of a race, we can't give it to Lewis Hamilton's breathtaking manuever at the turn 1, lap 1, where he started outside of HWMNBN, then dove underneath, passing the Renault AND Trulli AND Heidfeld, all in one go. No, instead, we're giving the MOTR to Heidfeld and HWMNBN for their sequence on lap 4. Both were behind David Coulthard's Chin on the short straight, and coming on strong. Heidfeld went right of The Chin, HWMNBN went left, and we had three-wide racing for a bit.
The Chin was probably apoplectic as Heidfeld went by, as he did a fine job of slamming the door on HWMNBN going into the turn. The Renault driver simply kept his foot in, and over the course of the next two turns and a short chute, got round the Red Bull. A gem of driving prowess from both Heidfeld and HWMNBN, though in different ways.
*MOOOOOO-OOOVE OF THE RACE: They can't all be gems, and the Mooooo-ooove celebrates the cow-like waddling that all F1 drivers display at one time or another. This race, the prize goes to Felipe Massa, who threw away a sure podium and a possible win simply by letting his rear-end pass his front-end on lap 31, turn 8. At the time, he was only a couple of seconds behind Kimi, but 20 seconds clear of Kubica. Even a simple spin would have been recoverable, but Massa went the extra mile by sliding offtrack, rolling backwards on the asphalt runoff area for a few lengths, then finding a big enough pile of gravel to high-center himself. He then proceeded to dig himself in for a few seconds.
Nicely done, lad... guess that lack of traction controll is a b*tch, huh?
*DRIVER QUOTES OF THE RACE:
more...
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March 22, 2008
F1 Quals: Sepang 2008!
Ouch, that's gonna hurt. First, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovaleininnie miss the front row, with Heikki being third, Lewis fourth behind Massa and Kimi.
That's bad enough, but both McLarens were then hit with a five-spot penalty for impeding rival drivers during Q3. As is usual, when they finished their final qual laps before Q3's time ran out, they immediately slowed down to conserve fuel. Unfortunately for them, they didn't realize that both HWMNBN and Grizzly Nick Heidfeld crossed the line with a few seconds to spare, and both were pushing to improve their grid position. About halfway through the lap, Heidfeld and HWMNBN had to zig off the driving line to dodge the two McLarens. In fact, they had to thread the needle between the McLarens (on the line) and two other cars on the far side of the track.
As a result, the stewards declared that the McLarens forced their rivals to slow up, which is a real no-no. That drops them to eight and nine on the grid, with a lot of quick cars between them and the front.
To be frank, they deserve it, too.
The provisional grid is as follows:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3. Jarno Trulli, Toyota
4. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
5. Grizzly Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
6. Mark Webber, Red Bull
7. HWMNBN, Renault
8. Heikki Kovalaininnie, McLaren
9. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
10. Timo Glock, Toyota
11. Jenson Button, Honda
12. David Coulthard's Chin, Red Bull
13. Nelson (Don't Call Me Junior) Piquet, Renault
14. Rubens Barrichello, Honda
15. Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso
16. Nico Rosberg, Williams
17. Giancarlo Fisichella, Farce India
18. SeaBass, Toro Rosso
19. Takuma Sato, Super Aguri
20. Adrian Sutil, Farce India
21. Ant Davidson, Super Aguri
22. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams (after his 10-spot penalty for buttsecks running into Robert Kubica's BMW behind a safety car last race)
It's looking more and more like Trulli and his Toyota are for real as far as pace goes. Of course, Jarno is a good qual-bad race sort of guy, so we'll see. One also gets the feeling that BMW is going to take a couple of races this year... they may not quite be as fast as the Big Two, but they're close.
And then there's the weather forecast. The entire quals session was under rain watch, though it never came. The race is under the same situation, with an 80% chance of thunderstorms during the race, with a high of 87oF. That can't be pleasant to drive in... but it could give us one of those wonderful races where anything can happen. We'll see Sunday!
That's bad enough, but both McLarens were then hit with a five-spot penalty for impeding rival drivers during Q3. As is usual, when they finished their final qual laps before Q3's time ran out, they immediately slowed down to conserve fuel. Unfortunately for them, they didn't realize that both HWMNBN and Grizzly Nick Heidfeld crossed the line with a few seconds to spare, and both were pushing to improve their grid position. About halfway through the lap, Heidfeld and HWMNBN had to zig off the driving line to dodge the two McLarens. In fact, they had to thread the needle between the McLarens (on the line) and two other cars on the far side of the track.
As a result, the stewards declared that the McLarens forced their rivals to slow up, which is a real no-no. That drops them to eight and nine on the grid, with a lot of quick cars between them and the front.
To be frank, they deserve it, too.
The provisional grid is as follows:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3. Jarno Trulli, Toyota
4. Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
5. Grizzly Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
6. Mark Webber, Red Bull
7. HWMNBN, Renault
8. Heikki Kovalaininnie, McLaren
9. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
10. Timo Glock, Toyota
11. Jenson Button, Honda
12. David Coulthard's Chin, Red Bull
13. Nelson (Don't Call Me Junior) Piquet, Renault
14. Rubens Barrichello, Honda
15. Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso
16. Nico Rosberg, Williams
17. Giancarlo Fisichella, Farce India
18. SeaBass, Toro Rosso
19. Takuma Sato, Super Aguri
20. Adrian Sutil, Farce India
21. Ant Davidson, Super Aguri
22. Kazuki Nakajima, Williams (after his 10-spot penalty for buttsecks running into Robert Kubica's BMW behind a safety car last race)
It's looking more and more like Trulli and his Toyota are for real as far as pace goes. Of course, Jarno is a good qual-bad race sort of guy, so we'll see. One also gets the feeling that BMW is going to take a couple of races this year... they may not quite be as fast as the Big Two, but they're close.
And then there's the weather forecast. The entire quals session was under rain watch, though it never came. The race is under the same situation, with an 80% chance of thunderstorms during the race, with a high of 87oF. That can't be pleasant to drive in... but it could give us one of those wonderful races where anything can happen. We'll see Sunday!
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March 21, 2008
F1 Practice: Sepang 2008!
So you're driving along and you blow a turn, wind up off-track. Happens all the time. No big deal, particularly because you're on an asphalt runoff area... you just steer yourself to come back on track as fast as possible. The only problem, and it's not that much of one, is that there's a curb in front of you. No sweat.
Oh. Dear.
Except the backside of the curbs at Sepang are, it seems, two feet tall and made of razorblades and C4.Red Bull Gives Tires Wings.
Officially, David Coulthard's Chin suffered a steering failure. Yes, having your suspension shatter like a window with a baseball through it could be considered "steering failure." This could have been a dreadfully serious incident, however, as wheel tethers are not supposed to fail under any circumstances, yet there's a Red Bull right-front flying in a graceful arc away from the scene of the crime. It wasn't THAT bad of an accident, guys.
The only real news to come out of the practice sessions was that Ferrari engines seem to be having more problems. Kimi had a shutdown in P1, SeaBass had problems in both sessions (the second of which impressively caused his engine to seize solid), and one of the Farce India cars was ill, too. That can't be encouraging to Ferrari proper.
Of course Ferrari is denying there's any problem at all. We'll see, won't we? The quals are on Saturday, and Lewis Hamilton's McLaren had fast lap of the day, and zero problems on track at all. This might be getting ugly, and it couldn't happen to a nicer buncha guys than Ferrari.
The only real news to come out of the practice sessions was that Ferrari engines seem to be having more problems. Kimi had a shutdown in P1, SeaBass had problems in both sessions (the second of which impressively caused his engine to seize solid), and one of the Farce India cars was ill, too. That can't be encouraging to Ferrari proper.
Of course Ferrari is denying there's any problem at all. We'll see, won't we? The quals are on Saturday, and Lewis Hamilton's McLaren had fast lap of the day, and zero problems on track at all. This might be getting ugly, and it couldn't happen to a nicer buncha guys than Ferrari.
Posted by: Wonderduck at
03:47 PM
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Random Anime Picture #14
Over at Civilis' place, I said that Alice had become my favorite character sometime in season 2, and that the recent string of episodes about her had cemented that feeling.
So when the events of episode 09 played out, I will admit to doing something much more appropriate for a college hoops game than for the laid-back ARIA...
Cheering.
I know this means that the series is heading into it's last episodes, and that certainly makes me sad, but if that's the cost for seeing (and hearing!) episode 09, it'll be worth it.
It's been a rough couple of weeks here at The Pond, what with the cold, and the tooth extraction (which had a complication that entailed an emergency visit to the oral surgeon... on a Saturday night, too), and End-of-Fiscal-Year at the Duck U. Bookstore, and there's a problem that I'm not at liberty to discuss but is extremely worrisome to me (more than the others combined, actually). In other words, life has blown chunks recently.
This episode didn't make it all go away, but it did allow me to (mostly) forget about the problems for a while.
And Alice smiled.
Orange Princess
-ARIA the Origination, ep09Over at Civilis' place, I said that Alice had become my favorite character sometime in season 2, and that the recent string of episodes about her had cemented that feeling.
So when the events of episode 09 played out, I will admit to doing something much more appropriate for a college hoops game than for the laid-back ARIA...
Cheering.
I know this means that the series is heading into it's last episodes, and that certainly makes me sad, but if that's the cost for seeing (and hearing!) episode 09, it'll be worth it.
It's been a rough couple of weeks here at The Pond, what with the cold, and the tooth extraction (which had a complication that entailed an emergency visit to the oral surgeon... on a Saturday night, too), and End-of-Fiscal-Year at the Duck U. Bookstore, and there's a problem that I'm not at liberty to discuss but is extremely worrisome to me (more than the others combined, actually). In other words, life has blown chunks recently.
This episode didn't make it all go away, but it did allow me to (mostly) forget about the problems for a while.
And Alice smiled.
Posted by: Wonderduck at
12:13 AM
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