Bob Barnard Track Engineering

If you do not read the "Wired" magazine you should. It has fascinating articles over wide ranging subjects every month, and it will keep you abreast of developments in the "wireless" world. This month is a long feature on "auto" mobiles, cars that drive themselves. It seems a lot of progress has been made in this and it believes that by 2020 these will be common. It describes the host of features that cars like Mercedes already have to make driving safer, but it also raises some interesting legal issues. If the car is stopped for speeding who gets the ticket? And if it crashes is the manufacturer liable not the "driver" or rather passenger? Will you actually need a drivers license to sit in one if you are not actually "driving." The list is endless. As one who's computer has crashed within the last twelve months, and Mrs Barnard's had a hissy fit last week and did not want to start, can we be sure that the ECU will work when you need it?

Back where drivers still drive the Daytona 24 hour was run and won by Mike Shank Racing with Ford power, as was the Starworks runner up and the other Mike Shank car was third, so Ford swept the podium. As did Porsche in the GT class, no Mazdas to embarrass anyone today. I must admit that the Corvette DPs that debuted this year actually looked half decent, pity they did not race as good as they looked. 

In other news the Adrian Sutil trial is in session, verdict expected tomorrow, and Bahrain is still having trouble quietening the natives as it approaches the first anniversary of the demonstrations.

After another week of traveling I am finally home for a while, I hope. Or maybe I don't, as that will mean one of the potential projects is firming up. be careful what you wish for.

2012 looks like being a better year than this one, with another expert witness case and four potential tracks to work on, and Race Resorts getting set to take off after a year or more of hard work. We have changed the name to Race Resorts International as that is where our focus will be, on the best resorts here and overseas.

With Christmas nearly here the sport is fairly quiet, but that will change soon with the testing season starting up in February. Audi are already testing next years Le Mans/WEC car at Sebring, the car as yet un-named. Sahara Force India have dropped Sutil in favor of Hulkenburg, a little surprising as Adrian had a pretty good year, but does not bring much sponsorship, and the way Mallya's airline is going he needs the cash. So where will Sutil go? Williams could use him, but again need the cash. Story today that Ferrrari could be interested to have him in 2013, so Massa is on the way out. Toro Rosso cleaned house with both drivers going and Ricciardo and Vergne getting the nod. The quick and the dead at Toro Rosso as the stepping stone to the Red Bull Team. Both the new guys will be fun to watch.

Not many seats left now, HRT are not announcing the second driver yet, and Williams are still to decide whether to keep Rubens or not.

Bernie has come out and said that he "doubts if the US will embrace F1." Well he has been trying for fifty years since Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Dallas, Phoenix, and Indy, did I miss any? So he has reason to doubt. F1 has a following, it is just not that big in terms of the population, and they have to do a lot more to grow it. Buy prime time air time for a start, and get some decent commentators, and oh yes, a successful American driver.   Having said that Bernie is saying that the size of the US and its economy could support the same number of races as Europe. He is also touting South Africa to be back in 2013, and Argentina wants a race, so maybe we will have as many races as Europe, two.

No not that great piece of British engineering, the City in Texas, where three individuals are suing the State Comptroller to stop the $25m payout to the F1 promoters. The basis of the suit is that the comptroller approved the payout before receiving official approval. As my contacts in Texas tell me, this is far from a done deal despite all the earthmoving going on.

In an amazing piece of self delusion or wishful thinking, not sure which, the Chief Executive of the Bahrain Circuit said that the cancellation of this year's race "was nothing to do with Bahrain, but there was an internal battle between Bernie and the FIA." He stated that he expected the demand for tickets for next years race will be much higher due to the disappointment of not having a race this year and intends to add more grandstands. Good luck, if you keep trying Shiites and putting them in jail then next year may also be a disappointment.

Over in Holland one of the consequences of going to four strokes made itself evident with the second three practice sessions for the MotoGP cancelled due to one Moto2 engine blowing up. IRTA were always very nervous about me running Superbike races for local competitors as part of our race program and made very sure I understood it was on my head if this happened. I wonder how they feel now, especially as it seems Assen cannot clean up an oil spill in an afternoon!

News is in that Eric Lux has filed suit against Sutil over the incident in China, and Sutil says he will fight it in court and should have nothing to do with his driving. It is interesting to me that the action is a criminal complaint for GBH in a German court when the "crime" was committed in China. Lawyers out there explain this? Both German citizens?

Tony Fernandes is having a good day in court with Justice Smith refusing Group Lotus the right to appeal, and granting Tony costs.

One of the suggestions now the engines for 2014 have been set is that McLaren will build its' own, now that it is building engines for its' road car. Martin Whitmarsh played this down as being too costly for a company producing 4500 cars a year, but what of Ferrari?

Does anyone else find Sergio Perez's illness in Canada odd? Now he is saying he will see how he feels in practice in Valencia. He is either fit or not, and the Doctors say he is, but how about mentally? Pedrosa seems to be having the same issues over in MotoGP with his shoulder, which despite being seen bowling, and riding supermotard, won't let him race in GP. This when Colin Edwards finishes third with a plate in his shoulder in the rain!

The story of today has to be the on and off restrictions by the FIA on feeding exhaust gasses to the diffuser. This "trick" has been the big idea to maintain downforce that the FIA keeps trying to reduce. As I mentioned a few weeks ago this involves keeping the engine on full song during braking to keep the gas flow constant and therefore keep the downforce. This increases fuel consumption at a time when the sport is trying to reduce it by 35%. The FIA came out yesterday and said that this basically constituted a movable aerodynamic device and the set a limit of 10% throttle opening during braking, effective Friday! Now I don't know if this is driven by green feelings, or reducing downforce, or just responding to complaints from teams that are not doing it, but like most good ideas in F1 it is eventually banned.

The FIA then had a change of heart and delayed the introduction of the measure, agreeing that changing the engine mapping might not be possible in the time. I can't see why? These engines have been around for a few years now, so just dig out the old map from before you started doing it. The problem probably is in how the FIA are going to police this. As always, it is easy to say don't have flexible front wings, it is something else entirely to write a rule and tests to police it, as we have seen. Still, with a common ECU, you would think they could control or monitor this.

No one answered my question on where the Sutil/Lux case would be heard. The story now is that Sutil had a drink spilled on him and went to throw a drink over Lux, the glass broke and he hit him in the neck. I presume he thought Lux spilled the drink on him. Still all seems  a bit odd, but more believable than Sutil doing it on purpose. Of course Sutil has the teams complete support, at least for this weekend's race.

Bernie damned the new Silverstone with faint praise as they say in the classics, "very nice, pity they did not do it ten years ago." Still, he did say he could now bring would be tracks there to see how you spend 28m Pounds on a pit building!

Barcelona Circuit is speaking out of both sides of its mouth. In one breath it is saying if the current F1 cars still cannot overtake there then they will spend money to change the track. Then they add they are still in negotiations with F1 and MotoGP about future contracts, i.e. should we spend the money to keep them, as suggested a couple of months ago the State may not view this as a good investment . The changes that were made a few years ago to the last corner complex certainly improved things, not.

That brings me to Sao Paulo and the changes proposed to the last corner there. It has been decided to wait until after the GP at the end of the year as they cannot get the work done in time! They plan to take down part of a grandstand and move the wall back. How hard is this! Just keep your fingers crossed there is not another accident there.

Bahrain says it is "ready" to have the Grand Prix back. Define ready? The troops and tanks are in place? All the ringleaders are now in jail? The question is, is the world ready to have you back. The jury is definitely still out on that question for most of us.

Apparently Silvio is not doing so well with the Italian people, not for the first time. This leads me to ask, if it is OK for Silvio with all his media interests to run a country, why is it a conflict of interest for Rupert to run F1. Just a question.

Montezemolo says he is "married" to Ferrari and is not looking to move into politics. Being married to Ferrari one would think would be enough politics to last a lifetime.

I'm still intrigued as to where Eric Lux is going to sue Sutil as the event happened in China. I am no lawyer, but do you not have to have some standing before a court, so is he suing in China? Not easy one would think. Any lawyer out there care to comment?

As you can see the news is thin today, but the biggest story for me is Highcroft pulling out of Le Mans. Given that they were the only petrol car to stay with the diesels at Sebring, this is a sad loss. Due to Honda Japan's problems after the quake they say. Duncan is now looking for a new partner. With his track record and driving team I would think manufacturers would be falling over themselves to talk to him.

There is a video posted of work continuing in Austin. One would only hope so, are they so paranoid they have to do this stuff? The main feature is the nice sign and a lot of equipment seemingly going back and forth in the same spot.

In a replay of F1 the V8Supercar Series in Oz has been sold off to a venture capital group, but Tony Cochrane has learned from Bernie and has stayed as Chairman.

Last but not least, I am proud to announce the formation of Motorsport Services International, a full service organization for would-be and existing owners of motorsport facilities from conception through to operation, legal to tee shirts, and everything in between. Each of the over thirty individuals and companies are known to me personally as world class in their respective field, and are available individually or as a team. Check us out at http://www.motorsportservicesinternational.com