Bob Barnard Track Engineering

I hope you all enjoy my posts, but you should also be reading Joe Saward, I always do. It is not just that we agree on most issues with F1, but he has been there longer than most and still has his soul intact. Today's is a gem:

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/f1-kowtowing-to-vultures-and-the-padding-used-in-ballet/#comment-184235

On the subject of track owners working together I tried without success to do just that at a meeting of the MotoGP promoters in Geneva back in 1991. This was at a time of turmoil with the FIM and I could see that someone like Dorna or Bernie would step in and we would go the way of F1. Maurizio Flammini was at the time the head of the promoters organization, but also ran World Superbike, so had an interest in not upsetting the FIM, so killed the idea. Not before I had the Japanese and several other promoters convinced that all we needed was the teams to make the show. The FIM and now Dorna just take money out. I doubt that promoters will ever agree, just like the F1 teams. At least in MotoGP the teams have IRTA to act as a single voice.

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?