Bob Barnard Track Engineering

It is interesting, and annoying, to compare the different views the media and those involve have of the same event. A good friend, Allen Petrich, who watched only snippets of the Indian GP, commented how at odds were the comments of ESPNF1 compared to my blog.

I see this all the time, and it has an element of "The Emperor's new clothes" about it. I heard the SPEED pit reporter say what a "fabulous circuit" India was. What basis has he for saying this, is he just mouthing the press release from Bernie? Too many journalists do not know anything about what they are seeing and reporting on, so just repeat what someone with a vested interest has told them. Drivers say they love the track. Do they really are are they just part of the business. I admit India may be a fun track to drive around. There are many like that, Barber here in the US is I'm sure a fun track to drive on your own, but race? That is a different matter, and that is what we are here to do. Tracks need to produce good racing, overtaking opportunities and not just corners thrown in just to have one. There were a few of those in India. The "parabollica" was great, and if you did not have the next two slow corners we could probably have seen overtaking into that nice downhill right, but as it was there was no way to get close enough. 

Of course Bernie says it was all wonderful, he had his check a long time ago, and as an event it went OK, as a race it was awful, but that is my opinion, and a few others. Bob Constanduros has been writing a "postcard" from India on Pit Pass. Bob is a long time F1 track commentator and thought the race was interesting, good battles going on for 14th! Now I am not saying Bob has a vested interest, but who do we think suggests tracks use him? Bob comments in his Sunday piece that he had lots of tweets about the boring race, so there are some more of us out there.

Have a look at the ESPNF1 piece on media reaction. "Great weekend, forgettable race," and see what I mean,

http://en.espnf1.com/india/motorsport/story/63151.html

I understand that people like Martin Whitmarsh are going to say it is all great, they can see dollar signs from Indian sponsors, but the media have a responsibility to tell it like it is. Unfortunately the motor sports media seem to think it is in their interest and their employers to beat up how good everything is. Most of us true fans can tell for ourselves thank you.

The "lease" of Silverstone by a Qatar based group that was denied so strongly now seems to be happening, and a good job too says Bernie. 

"It's what Silverstone needs," he said. "They need to let the professionals run it."

"The new owners will put proper people in, commercialise it and run it properly. They will get the job done. They won't muck around. Europe has got to understand that Europe will be sold to the Chinese or India or these people in the Middle East." Ouch! I'm sure the BRDC who have run Silverstone for 60 years are glad that a bunch of Arabs with no motor racing history can come in and show them how to run it "professionally." Yas Marina is such a success the developer has had to have the Government take over.

Where does Bernie think all the knowledge and development has come from to build the sport to where it is, Korea? As far as I know all the tracks are designed and built by Europeans, and you will usually find a European running the place.

Oh sorry, I guess Bernie is talking about all the essential hotels and BS that he loves to see.