Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Great morning! Cadel Evans continued to show his guts and strength today by blitzing the Schleck brothers in the time trial to take the yellow jersey by over a minute and win Australia its' first Tour de France! Right up there with the Americas Cup and Gardner's 500cc Championship! Well deserved after his showing in the Alps where his team seemed to go missing on him. Where was George Hincapie? He always seemed to be there for Lance, but I guess in his 16th Tour he might be losing it a bit.

That other Aussie Mark Webber took pole in Germany, but Hamilton was the real surprise, only missing pole by 6/100ths of a second. This is the guy who said yesterday that pole was out of the question, and the McLarens certainly looked that way in practice. Lewis and the team somehow dialed in a lap to knock Vettel off the front row for the first time this season. Let's see how Seb deals with it. Forecast is for rain tomorrow, what else in that region, so all bets might be off. Ferraris filled the next two spots with Button struggling down in 7th behind Rosberg. The usual suspects were in the last six places with Ricciardo avoiding the cut just 2/100ths behind Luizzi, and surprisingly Kobayashi in the 7th elimination spot. Chandook qualified less than a second behind his Lotus team mate, and it was interesting that the commentators could not work out what was going on there any more than I could. They did ask the pointed question about how he liked the power steering that Trulli keeps complaining about and Chandook said it was OK for him.

The rumors persist around Bernie and Gribkowsky with comments that "Bernie does not get blackmailed." It does seem out of character for Bernie to succumb to threats, but he says his lawyers told him to. That seems out of character too. There are suggestions that he could take a sabbatical while it gets sorted with his mate Max saying it might happen, but then he again he said it was not Bernie's style. Bernie is talking nice about cutting Nurburgring a break with their fees for the new agreement. Maybe he is getting soft hearted, or is it the six German drivers on the grid? 

Domenicalli says that the "electric" cars in pit lane is still to be agreed by the teams, lots of technical issues, not the least of which is getting run over because you can't hear them coming! Still no explanation of what is driving this, except that it is to be seen "green." How? They cannot be saving that much fuel, and if they do they will just dial it up on the track, and noise can be the only other issue. But how does that work with cars going by on the track? Perhaps it is so the Paddock Club people can talk business?

The closed cockpit for F1 cars continues to be discussed despite the fact I thought I read it had gone away on safety grounds, too hard to get a driver out after a crash. Maybe they are not only going to fit aircraft style canopies they are also fitting ejector seats? They'll need windshield wipers too, in fact why don't we just borrow some LMP1 cars from Le Mans? Maybe this is why Audi are interested? Seriously, are they really trying to alienate the F1 fans? Has anyone got an answer for the single set of gears for a season? Can't be a cost deal surely, how much do a few extra gears cost? Do they think that with eight ratios they can cover all the tracks? Are they really trying to remove the technology? We have spec tires and ECU's, severe limits on the engines, now gear ratios, and Max did suggest once we go to a spec chassis. Formula Ford anyone? Oops, they allow more than one chassis.

In other news the Indycar race was washed out in Edmonton yesterday, so much for flat airfield tracks, and Lorenzo took fastest time at Laguna in the second practice. He could sneak the Championship from under Hondas nose if they do not put all their effort into Stoner. Not team orders, but focus. Poor Ben Bostrum, why did they bother with a wild card when he has had no testing or practice? Just makes him look bad and I can't believe it made any difference to the crowd. Spies, Hayden and Edwards are much more likely to get American fans to go. Rossi continues to struggle on the Duke, but that's hardly news. Following my comments on when SPEED is showing qualifying it seems our friends in England will get to see it earlier than those of you on the East Coast. I will be watching on fromsportcom.com live, just as I am now watching the practice. 

 

You have to wonder at the lack of news when there is an item about how the FIA have made three teams change the labeling on the collar of their driving suits from screenprint to embroidered! I know that is what the rules say but seriously, is this news?

In a similar vein I personally do not care who sponsors Niki Lauda's cap, but journalists obviously do.

Meanwhile, back with the real world, Bernie has admitted he paid Gribkowsky the money. He insists it was not a bribe over the sale of the shares, but paid to keep Gribkowsky quiet about his financial dealings, mainly the Bambino Trust, and the British Inland Revenue, or tax man. Bernie says that there was nothing irregular, he had been dealing with the IRS and their enquiry over Bambino and did not want Gribkowsky making the IRS open that up again. His lawyers told him it would cost a lot of money. Well they were correct weren't they, it did, $44m worth! I can only imagine what Bernie's lawyers fees are, but is it possible they could be more than $44 m?  And why would Gribkowsky know anything of Bernie's financial dealings anyway? Bernie was a middle man in a sale of shares from the bank to CVC, not the buyer or seller. There is a lot more to this story yet to come.

In Germany Mark Webber topped the time sheets for Red Bull with the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa sharing the top four places with them. Next comes Mercedes, with McLaren not looking good at the moment. Ricciardo needs to find some time tomorrow to avoid missing the cut at 9 seconds, or 10% off the pace. Lotus are not showing their improved form with Kovalainen 4 seconds off the pace, but in front of the usual suspects at the rear.

I confess I did not watch much of this, the final day of the Tour de France in the Alps was on, and some great TV it was too. What these top riders do is nothing short of amazing. Their mental toughness let alone physical endurance is a yardstick for any athlete. I have to comment on Aussie Cadel Evans who has shown just how strong he is the last two days, and after Andy Schleck complaining about Contador not waiting last year when he had a machine problem I thought it a bit rich that he and Contador rode off and left Cadel today.

Anyway, back to the powered sports and Stoner is in his usual spot at the head of the first practice at Laguna. SPEED obviously prize having the coverage of the MotoGP with qualifying being shown at 11 pm EST tomorrow, and the race delayed to 5 pm Sunday, but we can show Grand Am live?

In a headline that just struck me as funny Pirelli announced it was changing the shape of its tires in 2012. Oval or square? Neither of course, just the profile on the rears to get more contact, but it gave me a laugh.

The big news is that Gribkowsky has finally been charged over the sale of the F1 rights and his role in it and the bribe. Now depending on which web site you read Bernie has been charged, accused or named for his role in this. It seems Bernie and his Bambino Trust collectively earned $66.5 m for commissions, and then paid Gribkowsky $44 m for his role. Now the legality or otherwise of any of this is for a court to decide, but Bernie says he is not bothered about going to the German GP this weekend, so must feel confident. Whichever way this goes, $66.5 m is a lot of money to pay to anyone for assisting in a sale. I should be so lucky.

Montezemolo has announced that Massa will be there in 2012, so the options for drivers at the sharp end seem to be drying up. Red Bull appear to be keeping Mark, and where else would he go? Similarly Lewis appears to have no option but to stick it out with McLaren. Mercedes have Rosberg and probably Michael, although I would move him over for Di Resta for all his promotional value. Renault aka Lotus Cars should have Kubica back and Petrov has earned his seat. What of Toro Rosso? Ricciardo has not been put in HRT for the fun of it, and who knows what the new owners of HRT will do next year, they are already clearing house.

Murphy the Bear has a new column today and suggests Kolles moving to Williams aimed at an eventual Audi takeover of the team. All very complicated, but makes for a good read, and Kolles did get the R10's to run after Audi replaced them. The rest of the column is a pessimistic take on where ALMS is going, if anywhere. I had a good discussion with Tom Kjos who writes the Last Turn Club web site the other week about what we thought should be the path forward for sports car racing here in the US, but who would listen to us anyway?

Pit Pass has a resident cartoonist who has a good take on the Murdoch scandal:

http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_gallery_image_display.php

For those of you that do not recognize them the three in the background are Briatore and Symonds of "crashgate" fame, and Mike Coughlan of "spygate."

In other news Alguersuari is looking for a poor qualifying so he can save his tires! Great way to go racing, maybe he will like the new shape? McLaren are denying Martin Whitmarsh is in trouble, usually a sure sign someone is on the way out, and are looking forward to having their blown exhaust back after loosing what they believe to have been nearly a second a lap at Silverstone. We shall see if they are competitive in Germany.

 

 

Mark Webber has come out and said what I did yesterday, he could race Seb without crashing so they should be allowed to race. Maybe it is not Mark that Horner is worried about after Turkey? Whatever he thought I cannot help but be reminded of why team orders were introduced in the first place when Ferrari with a huge lead in the Championship cynically manipulated the Austrian GP finish. Seb and Mark both lead the Championship by a huge margin, as Red Bull does in the Team Trophy, so I'm sorry, but being scared about both cars crashing out is a bit rich. Both drivers had managed to avoid everyone else during the race till then.

I also said yesterday that Martin Whitmarsh needed to circle the wagons, but there is word today that it is "friendly fire" from inside that he should be worried about. I must say I always assumed he was a fixture, he fits the McLaren mould so perfectly, but perhaps the current level of mistakes is too much for perfectionist Ron.

So Ferrari and Sauber agreed to sign off on the blown exhausts "for the good of the sport." There has to be a good story in all this when someone can sort it out. Paddy Lowe from McLaren says it is not possible to police, but I thought that was what the common ECU was for?

I commented on the stories that Bernie had to be charged in the Gribkowsky case by last Wednesday, but it now seems that an extension of that time has been allowed under a loophole because additional charges were laid against Gribkowsky in May. Rumors are that Gribkowsky is now ready to tell all, should make for interesting reading.

Watched a lot of racing over the weekend on two and four wheels. The British GP was by far the most interesting, with the Tour de France a close second. Grand Am from Laguna didn't do much for me, and judging by the size of the crowd, it didn't do much for others either. I am still at a loss how a Mazda can outperform Porsches, Corvettes and Camaros, and BMWs. Some serious performance levelling here. Not my idea of a GT. Lime Rock ALMS wasn't much better, with effectively two LMP1 cars, and for once the GT's failed to put on a show. At least Grand Am has a field of Prototypes whatever I think of them.

Three series enjoying Friday practice with interesting results. In Turkey the weather spoiled the morning, especially for Vettel who stuck it into the wall in a big way and could not take part in the afternoon session. Neither McLarens bothered in the morning, they must expect a dry race, or perhaps they are expecting a wet one and wanted to save their wet tires as Pirelli are concerned that not enough sets of wets have been provided for a complete wet weekend. Button finally topped the times with the McLarens and Mercedes swapping fast times, yes even Michael. Webber apparently did not try for a fast time so the Red Bulls were for once missing in action. Alonso is down in 11th, with both Massa and Petrov faster than their team leaders. Lotus were split either side of the Sauber of Kobayashi, while the corner Virgin turned must have been a wrong turn as they had trouble beating the HRT's.

Meanwhile at Spa it was dry, fancy that, and the Audis continued to set the pace, and the closest petrol car still nearly 5 secs off their fast time. Some big accidents seen here so far, with Peugeot doing an overnight rebuild and the RML car being withdrawn. In the GT class Porsche managed to get one car amongst the Ferraris, but your money must be on the new 458 in this class. Still in 1000km around here anything can happen, even rain!

The Superbikes are at Monza and Checa is in an uncustomary mid field position. Leon Haslam leads the way on the BMW from Mad Max Biaggi. Let's see what Saturday brings for all these series.

Elsewhere the Authorities have frozen Mr. Gribkowsky's money so it looks like he is going to trial. Should make interesting theater. Bernie is going to have fights on two fronts it seems. There are now reports that News Corp is also going to be at the Stuttgart meeting. It appears that this meeting surprised the other teams and is making them "nervous." And we thought politics was dead in F1.