Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Looked at the web site for the new project. Nearly ready. Going to be in tune with the Spanish heritage of the area and the climate, Sol Real (Royal Sun) Motorsport Resort. Architecture will be Spanish Mission. Project will be very stylish. Need to agree on a logo so we can finalize the website, and just a few tweaks. Really hard to find good photos of country club type tracks, but my good buddy Greg Sarni has helped out. Need to catch up with what has happened since my little detour via Louisiana.

Next week will be busy with setting up the hanger for meeting prospective members, and actually starting sessions with them to explain the project. Just heard that the nearby casino has committed to building a new $20m tower as an addition, so someone else has confidence in the local economy, and it is a great amenity for our members. They will of course prefer our clubhouse, but it is nice to have options.

On the motorsport scene it seems Red Bull management cannot learn when to shut up. After saying they are all friends again, Helmut Marko comes out and says he does not know what Mark wants, he is in a great team and winning races. Vettel should be the one complaining due to all his mechanical problems. If you do not understand what Mark wants Helmut then you should do as Hans Stuck suggested and retire. Jos Verstappen said he would have trod on the wing so neither of them could use it, Go Jos!

Ferrari say they were not told "immediately" to let Kubica back past, Charlie Whiting took a whole 1 minute and 55 seconds. Wow! And of course Charlie only told them his opinion based on what he thought the Stewards would do, and he was correct, so stop whining Ferrari. If you had taken his advice, or better still do it your self straight away, Alonso would have re-passed Kubica easily as the Renault had a problem, and he would have been in a great position.

So Yamamoto did such a great job at Silverstone that he is going to replace Chandook for the next race. I guess HRT   think that if they keep giving him rides his wallet will weigh less each time so he will get quicker? Buemi denies he has re-signed with Torro Rosso and says the transfer market is still open, but where is he going to get a better ride? Does he know something we do not? Does he think a seat is coming available at the senior Red Bull Team? On a similar note Virgin hope to retain Timo Glock, but what seats are open to Timo, as good as he is? Nico Rosberg's new team mate?

Valentino Rossi amazed everyone with his pace yesterday at the German Motorcycle GP, finishing seventh fastest. His fit team mate, Lorenzo, could only manage one place better. Medical science and the willingness of these guys to ride with pain is unbelievable. I saw it with Wayne Rainey, Wayne Gardner, and Mick Doohan, the mark of a true champion, and basically anyone in this sport.

How sweet it must have been for Mark Webber to win the British F1 GP  yesterday. "Methinks they protesteth too much" is how I would treat Red Bull's continual assurances that Vettel is not getting preferential treatment. Team Principal Christian Horner insisted that the differences between the two wing versions were minor, and only affected driving characteristics. If that was true why risk having a problem with Mark by changing it over to Vettel's car after Vettel's wing had broken in practice? Sources have revealed that there was both a lap time and a weight difference between the two versions. Mark commented that the car felt better with it on. Horner saying that they gave the wing to Vettel because he was ahead in points makes more sense than "there were minor differences." It's like the Turkey deal all over again, they cannot stick to a story. So, if Mark wins the World Championship are we going to see a Champion walk from his team again? You have to love him for his honesty and lack of PC!

Not that winning the Championship is going to be easy. They said that Jim Clark could just drive around a car's problems, as did Senna. Now I am not yet saying that Hamilton is in that illustrious company, but you have to admire his ability to take a car that is not well set up and putting it fourth on the grid when  his World Champion team mate can only manage 14th and says it is undriveable. Then he runs a strong second in the race, setting fastest times. Cudos to Button to take that ill handling car and get it up to fourth, he has a different style to Lewis but is still very effective. You do not really see how he does it. McLaren have a great team with these two and of course the engineers and mechanics, and yes I am biased.

Ferrari are again exercising their selective memory and "the rules do not apply to us" mentality. Do they not recall Spa three years ago and that great duel between Raikkonen and Hamilton? When Kimi pushed Lewis wide at the "bus stop" and Lewis did pass Kimi, let Kimi back past him again, and then overtook him, only to be penalized for not letting Kimi by far enough! Lost the race and the Championship. So why was Alonso's pass on Kubica any different?

Nice to see Williams up there again, and the Cosworth is obviously not too shabby. Yamamoto ran around last, must have been weighed down by his wallet! Well done Nico Rosberg, beat your elderly team mate again. Michael is not driving well and cannot be enjoying his time back in the car. Even the TV commentators are now comparing his age with every other driver he gets passed by.

Did not get to see the ALMS at Miller, but well done Highcroft, and it seems that the Drayson car ran well. Keep Emmanuele in the car so we have some competition for Brabham and co.

Did not see WSBK either, but it is turning into a Biaggi benefit. Pity about Corser and the BMW's. Did anyone see the accident in practice? Brno is a safe track so I am surprised at his injuries, was it just a high speed get off?

Congratulations Spain for the World Cup. I lived in Spain for a year and love the people and the Country, so if England could not win I am glad Spain did. Hard to believe it was their first final and win.

Sad to see Lance Armstrong having such a tough time on the Tour, but I guess when your luck runs out. He is still amazing, but in a way he is finding out what Michael is finding out, the current crop of riders are pretty damn good! I know I am an Aussie, but I think Andy Schleck is who I would like to win.