Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Fuel for thought. My Wife Xan has been following the McLaren trucks on their way to Turkey for the GP on facebook. This morning Xan raised the question of just how much diesel that is taking, and times that by all the other trucks headed there. Puts the amount of gas used in a race in some perspective.

And here is the US Indycar series dragging itself off to Brazil only to have the race stopped for rain after a lot of accidents. Did I mention another debacle? Like Bernie just chasing the money. This is not going to solve their problems. There is talk of a second race down there next year, oh goody. Why not just move all of the series to South America if that is where the money is, we can just tune in and watch on Versus, if we get it, or care. Interesting that Sears Point is talking to the World Touring Car Championship, WTCC, about a race next year. Not such a bad idea given that the Chevy Cruze is competitive, but not sure US audiences are ready for WTCC. WTCC goes to some odd tracks around the world so Sears won't seem so bad.

Estoril has been run and won, well done Pedrosa, shoulder surgery obviously did the trick. Making for an interesting Championship. I was going to say Ben Spies disappointed again, but it was a crew member who caused the problem this time, so we'll suspend judgement. Interesting that IRTA has 16 new teams applying for next season. Where are all those machines, and more importantly money, coming from. I know the rules are changing but that hardly seems to be sufficient reason for this. Let's see how many actually make the grid. The "claiming rule" is back. I know the US grew up on this stuff, but it just seems foreign to me in this day and age. Like going back to amateur hour.

I loved the report from Bahrain that "day-to-day life is improving under the State of National Safety." Aka a State of Emergency, how all dictators have maintained power through history. Let's ask the average Joe if he thinks his day-to-day life is improving. I think we know that answer from the open letter to Bernie. Today is May 1st, has anyone heard any news from the FIA?

Colin Chapman would have been proud. Sir Stirling Moss said that the front uprights were always on the margin, so both Lotus Renaults failing in the same way in first practice in Malaysia is totally consistent with the real Lotus legend.

Webber has bounced back from his slower than expected form in Oz, leading both sessions, but with the McLarens hot on his heels. Who knows who had what fuel load though, and I hope the Ferraris were working on set up because they are a long way off the time so far. There are some big gaps to the bulk of the field who are all two-three seconds off. The other Lotus continues to disappoint, and the sight of the HRT leaving the pits trailing a plume of oil smoke sums up their day. They are seven seconds off the pace so far, right on the bubble of not qualifying again.

Tire feel and wear is apparently totally different to Australia. At one point in the first session Button went out and immediately radioed in to ask if there was something wrong at the back of the car as he had no rear grip! Pirelli believe that anyone starting on the softs will only get eight laps out of them, and between the potential rain and the tires Button is expecting "mayhem." Well they wanted to make the races more interesting, or as Michael said, "a lottery." Not sure that is what I tune in to watch.

Following on from yesterday's piece on fuel consumption going up with the exhaust driven diffuser, it seems the Red Bulls are very marginal on fuel. We saw Mark pull into pit out as soon as he crossed the finish line in Australia, and it is now apparent he did not think he had the fuel to do the warm down lap. The Red Bulls also only did one lap prior to the start, so they are cutting it fine. They are running the KERS system at the moment, but it sounded to me like it was not working for Vettel in first practice. Whatever was wrong he was not running well and finished well down the order. It is reported that they will make a decision to run it or not, but by their own admission they need it here. A chink in the armor? The others can only hope as McLaren think Red Bull are still keeping half a second up their sleeve.

We have Indycar and Grand-Am at Barber Motorsport Park this weekend. Another Chip Ganassi benefit?