Who to believe?
After he has once again come in for scathing criticism from various sections of the media and, lets face it, just about everyone, for his dumb performance in the Japanese grand prix, Lewis Hamilton has hit back ahead of the Chinese race, particularly against the oft-used accusation that he is far too arrogant. "Recently, there have been lots of different quotes attributed to me...Sometimes I've said things that have either come out the wrong way or been taken out of context, so people get a different feeling of what I've said when I haven't expressed myself correctly". He tearfully complained at length. One issue in particular he wants to put straight is the comparisons between him and Ayrton Senna, comparisons that he has been quoted as stirring up. "I never said that and I definitely wouldn't say it about Ayrton because he's my favourite driver," he confirmed. Interesting...
...And here's the thing
Interesting because what News Junkie was going to do next was to simply remind everyone of Hamilton's earlier quote regarding the whole Senna issue (namely "I know that I am as good as Ayrton Senna was") and leave this issue at that, but giving Hamilton the benefit of the doubt, NJ decided to google the quote to double check it's veracity. Interestingly, no official news source results are returned. Yes there's plenty of opinions from the "blogosphere" and plenty of irate shouting from a whole plethora of forums, but aside from that, no actual news stories on this apparent quote of Hamilton’s that RTL initially picked up on. As NJ said, interesting.
Mosley continues to count costs
The UK Times newspaper has "obtained" documents which reveal Max Mosley's plan to "save" F1's future. Ahead of the post-China meeting with FOTA to talk about limiting expensive splurging in a climate of financial turmoil, Mosley will propose "the introduction of standard engines from the beginning of the 2010 season, built by teams themselves at a fraction of present costs or produced by a single supplier or contractor," with the view to 2013 seeing "a second new engine regime...incorporating heat and exhaust recovery systems...cars will also be required to have a chassis with many more “common parts” and will include standard suspension systems, wheels and underbodies". Further to that is the potential that we will see "all work on cars during a race weekend will be banned except for necessary maintenance". Despite the fact that this sort of information is likely to induce a whole new sway of angry blogging regarding "Mad Max" and his "loony schemes", it will nevertheless be interesting to see the usual due process get underway, for the teams to turn up with the exact opposite idea, and for everyone to agree somewhere in the middle.
The flip side of the coin
While Max worries about cutting costs, FOTA themselves are more concerned about "improving the spectacle". How? By reducing the spectacle, of course! According to Autosport, "A ban on refuelling, shorter races, wide-scale testing restrictions, and a competitive element to Fridays are some of the ideas that will be discussed by Formula One teams in China this week," which all sounds positively dreadful. McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh, who is in charge of this particular aspect of the FOTA quango, says that "I think there are quite a few good ideas on the agenda which would change the format of racing and change the format of the weekend...We've got to look at our agenda on Friday and decide whether that's a worthwhile agenda where we can make more spectacle and have a bit of competition on that day". NJ's only question is whether his word of the day toilet paper was "agenda" or "format" that morning.
Abu Dhabi track in "state of the art" shock
The new Yas Island circuit in Abu Dhabi has been unveiled with a suitably big great hoo-hah over in the Gulf Emirate city. The presentation of a number of posh photoshops of the circuit design, which includes a bonkers big hotel complex that straddles the track, was coupled with a number of cloying statements about just how brilliant and grandiose the facilities will be. "I’m very proud that Abu Dhabi can present one of the most sophisticated Formula One race tracks in the world. A hotel which spans the track, a marina with a beautiful yacht club, and with grandstands which are 100 percent completely covered - this has never been seen before," said Philippe Gurdjian, the boss of the track owners. Yes, we certainly don't have an F1 track with a marina next to it. Erm, no, that's not right. Either way, assuming the whole thing gets built in time, and it probably will because it isn't in Britain, it will make it's debut as the 2009 season finale next November, possibly as a night event.
Planet F1 continues to stand up for impartiality
Not that Patronise can really throw stones in the glass house that is "driver bias", but Planet Hamilton continues to offer a uniquely one-eyed view of all things F1, all dressed up in a shiny suit of being fair about everything. On the front page following the contentious series of issues in Japan, is a story that the race stewards "ignored" Charlie Whiting's advice when penalising Bourdais, "replays of the incident show Bourdais tucked in to the right-hand side of the track as he left the pits. With his wheels on the edge of the track, Bourdais was then struck by Massa's Ferrari as the Brazilian sought to overtake" the article trumpets, oddly choosing to illustrate the incident with a photo that clearly shows Massa leaving Bourdais racing room. Elsewhere on the front page, an article titled "Alonso: 'I Don't Know What Hamilton Did But He Was Guilty Anyway'", an interesting translation on Alonso's interview with the Spanish press which, when more rationally translated into English reads "I don't know what he did, but he has been significantly punished". Character assassination, not just used to win US elections.
More Silly Season guff
There may not be many seats left to be claimed for next years grid, but those still embroiled in the mad rush for one of them are no less nervous for it. Sebastien Bourdais has urged Toro Rosso to sort their lives out and make an announcement on his future at some point earlier than the end of the year. ""If, in December, they choose to go with someone else then I could be left with no seat, so there is no way I can wait for that long" the Frenchman uncharacteristically complained recently. Meanwhile, his number one rival for the seat, Bruno Senna, is set to test for Honda at the end of the year, which will no doubt have Boobens worried.
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