Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Now I was pretty good at mathematics at school and college, so I have to wonder what subjects the new COO of Nurburgring took? He used to be the COO at Hockenheim and negotiated the "good deal" for that track with Bernie. He is looking to do the same at Nurburgring to save the race now the Government is not footing the bill. What is this deal you ask? Well Bernie reduces his fee but the track gives him a % of the ticket sales, which is basically their only revenue. Now isn't this just paying Bernie his fee another way? OK, Bernie may be taking some of the risk if no one turns up, but in my world Bernie is pulling a pea and thimble trick here.

In similar news the Oz GP is reporting a loss north of $50m again, which is strengthening the calls to let it go. I wonder if Bernie can do them a nice deal like Nurburgring? I know we do not have six drivers, but we have two good ones. Bernie is actually very busy with tracks, saying he is talking to Barcelona and Valencia to alternate the GP in Spain. Is there a GP that is not in financial trouble? And I do not see the point of alternating, yes you only lose money every other year, but then you only reap the benefit every other year, and if there is no benefit why are you running it in the first place? There is a report today that there is a "serious" buyer for the Spa circuit, and they do not even have a driver. Has he done his maths on this?

The driver silly season is hotting up. Red Bull are saying they are keeping their two drivers, well Horner is anyway. Should be announced this weekend in Hungary. Renault nee Lotus appear to be running out of love for Heidfeld and Grosjean seems to be heading back to F1. Williams are being coy about whether Barrichello will be back in 2012, so who else would they bring in? Frank seems to like Maldanado but is he ready to be a number one? HRT appear to be favoring a Spaniard for Luizzi's seat, maybe before the end of the year, but where will Ricciardo go for 2012? Toro Rosso? Paul di Resta did not seem sure of where he will be next year when interviewed in Germany, but unless Michael retires why would he go anywhere else? Michael is doing OK as a back up to Nico, who must be wondering when he is ever going to get a competitive car. Ferrari seem to be keeping Massa for one more year, waiting for Bianchi to get experience in GP2? Italian drivers in Ferrari are under enormous pressure though, but if he could do the business can you imagine! Virgin have Glock but D'ambrossio is not a certainty to stay. Team Lotus are playing musical chairs but Kovalainen should be safe, Trulli must be a question mark, and I'm not sure Chandook really has what it takes. Sauber should keep their two and Sutil will stay at Force India as there is nowhere else to go, and why would he? McLaren will surely have Lewis and Jensen. All Lewis needs is a fix of winning now and again to keep him there, and as with Sutil, where else can he go? The are a lot worse situations to be in in life.

 

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?