Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Whatever they are. The F1 Commission met earlier today and voted to delay the new engine formula for F1 until 2014, and then go to a V6 1.6 liter turbo. Makes sense to go to V6, but not sure how this helps Bernie's problem with the noise, if there ever was a problem. This does not change the fact that manufacturers are going to have to spend a bunch of money developing a new engine, I can't see they can just lop off the end two cylinders of the existing. Still, it keeps Ferrari happy, and as I said, even Nissan makes a bunch of V6's, as does Honda, Toyota etc. These are now going to a fax vote of the WMC. Another win for Bernie?

I'm glad things had settled down in Bahrain. They just sentenced a bunch of Shiite dissidents to long prison terms, which is sure to make the 70% of the population that are Shiites happy. Next comes the trials of the medical staff, which should quieten things down even more, not.

Joe Saward has his usual informative blog today with the news that the next stop on the GP trail, Valencia, is in a State that has debts of $25 billion, and the race costs then $40m. Do we think this race has a future?

France in the shape of its Prime Minister has woken up and decided it must have an F1 GP back, as soon as 2013. Paul Ricard is the track being suggested and the track Director is saying that it will only happen if they can find a promoter. Look closer to home, who owns Paul Ricard in whatever corporate guise you want? Bernie. So like the BBC, if he really wanted a French GP it would be easy, except then he would be playing with his own money, and he knows what he will lose on that bet.

On a different note, Trulli is frustrated by the ongoing problems with the Lotus power steering. I'm not surprised, I'd be frustrated too, and worried, steering the car seems a pretty basic requirement, and one I cannot fathom that Lotus out of all the teams cannot resolve. Wouldn't you go and find the best person in the world in power steering and pay them whatever to fix this? Better yet, steal the best person in the paddock. I can imagine this is not your average power steering set up, so can anyone reading this tell us what the issue is?

No I did not watch it, but congratulations to the Wood Brothers, nice to see them back in the winners circle. Growing up in England I used to read the monthly NASCAR reports in Motor Sport when it was all totally foreign to me and ruled by King Richard Petty, and the Wood Bros. So what will we see next at Daytona, cars with couplings built in or a sort of "stretch limo" in the shape of two cars?

No news on Bahrain, but the expectation is still that it will be "postponed." So when would you fit it in to an already crowded schedule? Before or after Abu Dhabi? The general consensus is not to go, so even if it goes on there may be those not attending.

Testing continued in Barcelona, but the new President of the region is now saying they cannot afford to keep the race, even though their fee seems to be more modest than most. So even with Alonso mania you cannot make a quid. Another politician has come out in Melbourne to say the race is no longer worth it economically, and the locals don't want it anyway, if they ever did. Anyone remember the demonstrations both in Melbourne and outside Bernie's house when it was first being built? So Shanghai has negotiated a lower fee, Valencia and Barcelona have both indicated they are not happy, and there is Melbourne. Korea has fired its Chief and India's has quit. Is the wheel starting to turn at last? France cannot afford it, Indy stopped, Hockenheim can't make it pay, Spa is always in trouble, Fuji gave up, Turkey is I think run by Bernie as they get no spectators, as is Hungary, Canada had to be bailed out by the Government, so where to next?

Very quiet Saturday, but a friend sent me some interesting news items on the French track Mas Du Clos which appears to have been closed by the French Authorities because it does not meet the FIM standard. Now the track was primarily a "track day" circuit, and as such does not need an FIM license, not sure it even needs a French Motorcycle sanction. This opens a whole bunch of questions about who should be approving tracks, one that will be addressed at the upcoming Los Angeles Professional Circuit Owners Forum. In NSW, Australia, the police approve tracks under The Speedway Act, but it is the local guy who does it without knowledge or guidelines, so what is the point? I guess he then becomes liable, but somehow I doubt it.

Someone needs to inspect and approve tracks, so who should it be and to what standard? Insurance companies have the most to lose, but their role and ability varies all over the world I suspect. If the National sanctioning body is not insuring the track or events as they have no role in track days or private tests for instance, then should they still have the role, and would they want it? If the National body is not involved then the FIA or FIM have no reason to become involved. So are the State Authorities the ones? Not unless they know what they are looking at. There are specialists like myself who can inspect and certify which happens here in the US for the SCCA, but there are 1300 tracks here and I bet 1200 have never been properly inspected.

This is a huge can of worms, because if a track gets inspected and does not do the work then they are in a worse situation than not being inspected, so most owners probably do not want to know. In the meantime people are getting hurt or worse due to lack of proper safety measures being in place. Perhaps France is making the correct moves?

I'd be really interested in hearing from readers who know the situation with Mas Du Clos, or want to comment on what happens where they live.