Bob Barnard Track Engineering

There are at least two versions of this video from the start of the Baltimore Indycar race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-WtU2ONNjw&feature=share

Now I know there are a few people out there who have worked with me who think I am a bit over the top about following the rules. One that I insist on is that no one should drive in the wrong direction on a race track. Drivers get penalised for it, the recent Nurburgring 24 hour being a good example, so why should race control and the safety crew do it? This could have been fatal. Now I am not saying I have not had near misses when in race control, but at least all the vehicles were going the same way.

We hear over the last couple of days that Imola wants and F1 race back now the track is licensed for it, and Thailand wants one. How many does that make? As Joe Saward points out, Thailand is the home of Red Bull, so it has more than a sporting chance. We could hold all the races in Asia and the Middle East, cut down on the shipping cost. Or perhaps we will have a whole calendar of alternating races.

Bradley Smith, the up and coming English rider in Moto2 has decided to do the smart thing and stay there for another season. So that leaves a seat open at Tech 3 now Colin Edwards has confirmed he is going to a new team, Forward, next season. So who is going to step up? Bradl is down for a Honda in MotoGP already. Marquez, or someone from WSBK?

The Tour de France kicks off, or should that be rides off, today. One of my most favorite events and this year should be as interesting as ever. It is not only a long race for the riders but also for us viewers with three weeks straight of TV coverage for several hours a day. Good job I'm not working full time!

Some predictable pole positions today with Stoner capturing the MotoGP at Mugello, Marquez the Moto2, and yes it is still raining on and off. Rossi continues to struggle down in 12th. Puts Stoner's performance on the Ducati in some perspective doesn't it?

It did rain in Imola yesterday, the results from FP2 were slow in being posted. Peugeot are on pole by a slim margin from the Audi, with Peugeot and the McNish Audi locking out the top four places. The Oak racing Pescarolo-Judd are 3 seconds off pole, but only 1.5 behind McNish, so at least they may catch a glimpse of them. The BMW's were quickest in the GTE class with three Ferraris hard on their heels.

Vergne took pole in Hungary for the FR3.5 and went on to win the first race, while Kevin Magnussen took his first British F3 pole, two in fact, following nicely in Dad's footsteps.

So, off to watch the Tour.