Bob Barnard Track Engineering

As Joe Saward pointed out in his blog the entry of the Lotus Cars Group into the Renault F1 team actually signalled the departure of Renault the manufacturer from the sport. They have come and gone ever since motor racing started, so no doubt will be back again one day. Until then they will continue as Renault Sport to supply engines, perhaps the correct role of manufacturers in F1. More than a few commentators are questioning if Group Lotus are over reaching themselves, but maybe the Malaysian Government has given enough backing to do it all, or is it enough rope? Petrov looks more and more likely to stay at Lotus-Renault, which leaves very few seats left.

Tony Fernandes has decided to stick with Lotus green and yellow after lots of calls from fans to do so, so Bob Varsha will have an easier time of it. I think there is a lot of goodwill for Tony and Mike Gascoyne to do well next year.

The Junior Trophy added to the World Superbike for 2011 looks like a good initiative. Around $30,000 for the six race European season which includes a pre-season training camp in Spain. This does not cover travel and accommodation so for a non-european it is still a lot to find, but still a worthwhile series supporting WSBK. Nice to see someone trying to find the next generation riders, but the problem remains of where to then without serious personal sponsorship?

On the home front the land for the track here in Arizona has had it's comprehensive plan amendment approved, so now to look at how to lay it out. If you have looked at the web site previously this is a new location and larger site so the layout will be new.

So the genie is out of the bottle, Genie Capital that is, and the worst kept secret is out. We now have two Team Lotus in F1, both with Renault engines and gold and black livery. Let's see Bob Varsha handle that lot. Neither side is going to back off obviously, so either the Malaysian Government, FIA, or the British High Court are going to have to decide this. Sad that it has come to this for such a great name.

Renault is also in the news with the settlement of the Piquet libel suit following the Singapore "crashgate" affair. What a miserable, cynical, exercise that was, and the architects of it are looking to stay in the sport. It is still unfathomable that a professional driver, however desperate to keep his drive, would do such a thing. Sad end to a promising career and a blot on a Champion's heritage. And the guy who won the race because of it still keeps the win! Same problem as Hockenheim this year. When is the FIA going to have the guts to take the result away when something like this happens?

So Dorna is now blaming the manufacturers for the loss of entries following the move to 800 cc MotoGP. ""The manufacturers wanted the 800cc class, so it was them causing the escalation of costs that, because of the (financial) crisis, forced them to take a step back. Now not all of them can maintain their commitments because of financial problems." As I have said for a very long time, the manufacturers should not be making the decisions about racing, they will make decisions based on what they want to sell, not what we want to watch, and they will leave whenever it suits them. Dorna also wants to look at new tracks outside Europe, like Abu Dhabi. Right, let us know how that works for you, and the riders. They want less races in Spain, so now we are going to have four in the Gulf States instead?  And let us not forget Austin. We have Laguna and Indy now, so which one of those are we going to lose?

I see that World Superbike is instigating a "Junior Trophy" based on 250cc machines. This is definitely back to the future, not necessarilly a bad thing, but what will it cost a rider?

So Patrick McNally is retiring. Most of you have probably never heard of Patrick or Allsport Management, but you have seen their work. For nearly thirty years Patrick has controlled the signage at F1 races, and he is a master at placement. David Campbell is going to take over and the rumor is David is being groomed to take over from Bernie. They are some mighty large shoes to fill David, good luck. That succession is likely to look like the "War of the Roses," the English dispute over the crown, not the movie.

Great story on Kenny Roberts on Superbike Planet http://superbikeplanet.com/2010/Dec/101207alancarter.htm. Kenny proves it is not a problem with the bike, and you have to think he could still do this today over a lap or two.

You have to love the man, he gets mugged, looks awful, but uses it to promote the watch he was relieved of. Well done Bernie, you have some guts to do that, and you always have an angle.

Christian Horner is not impressed about Webber's shoulder injury, or the book. It appears he knew nothing about either. He might be more miffed about what is said in the book, unusual for a sports celebrity to write about current events, they normally wait until after they retire.

I have started a "conversation" on FaceBook about the future direction of motorcycle racing. There is a lot of agreement that there is plenty wrong and that the future is bleak, but little about what to do about it. Back to the future seems to be the consensus, and you only have to look at the success of events like Goodwood and the Nurburgring 24 hr to see that the spectators will come out for historic or modern events on classic circuits. Historic racing is strong, and why? It cannot be just nostalgia, there are not enough of us old farts to race and attend, there is something about those old cars and bikes, and the drivers that we miss. So what is it? The characters that are now muzzled by PC? Engineering we understand, and drivers can afford? Or just good racing? We want to see good drivers and riders, not just some young kid with a bag full of money. DTM and V8Supercars seem to have an answer, what is it in their formula that works with only two makes of vehicle? Moto2 would seem to have answered some of the problems with huge grids this year, but it already seems it is too expensive for young riders. Anyone with some good ideas?

The latest post by Murphy The Bear gives a run down on all the latest rumors in sportscar racing here in the States, give it a read. http://murphythebear.com/blog/index.php/2010/12/04/179-speculating-and-adding-detail/#more-940

So Michael Schumacher says it is all the car's fault he was so slow this year, and his car had things go wrong that Nico's didn't, and he is not happy. So what is he implying? He has told Mercedes to lift their game, look in the mirror Michael.

Mike Gascoyne has told his team that this year was the dress rehearsal and next year they need to step up a gear and run with the big boys. Reminds me of the pep talks I used to give my team running events. The day before we started I reminded them that this was what we had been training and organizing for all year, so now we have to perform. And then when we got to race day it was "great job, but now is the two hours that really matters when the world is watching."

Mark Webber is a glutton for punishment, breaking his shoulder again prior to the last four races after another mountain bike accident. Shades of Montoya. C'mon Mark, look after yourself and go out and win the Championship, then you can ride all you want.

I watched part of the GT race from San Luis and it struck me that there were few if any passing opportunities around that track. One of those tracks that is probably really fun to drive on your own, but racing is a procession.

I watched the live streaming of the qualifying at the San Luis track and it looked much better seen from the driver's perspective than the aerial shots. Like an Argentinian Bathurst. Still some dodgy corners, but I am pleasantly surprised that the FIA licensed this. One of the discussions at the recent Forum was about how to bring spectators back, especially in the US, and focused on making the racing more exciting by making the tracks more challenging. The FIA guidelines proscribe things like maximum grades and cross slopes, which can make the tracks bland and uninteresting. This discussion is going to continue formally at the LA Forum, so perhaps San Luis can be part of that discussion.

Not much else going on so I'll update you with my activities. Writing the book of course and up to Chapter Nine and my time back in Australia in the mid nineties and then returning to the US and Road Atlanta. Had one publisher knock it back, which surprised me given the books they are putting out, but that's his loss. We found how Borders will let us publish electronically, which is about 25% of the market these days, so it is going to get out there one way or another.

The Grand Bayou track in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, has contacted me again about a new layout for the old "No Problems" track, so I look forward to designing again in the New Year. The All Surface Racing guys are progressing with their project and we have been chatting via Skype about a typical ASR facility and how the races could run. This will be fun and will borrow ideas from other sports to make it a test of intellect and not just speed.

A very dear friend from France, Jean-Marc Bonnay, "Snoopy," is going to be in town later this month and we are really looking forward to seeing him again.

On the Arizona front the Sol Real project is undergoing a major rethink so it is back to the drawing board. Waiting on a comprehensive plan approval for the new site which should come this Wednesday. Then we shall see what works and what does not.

In the meantime, kicking back and enjoying the sunshine while most of our friends freeze, or drown, sorry, could not resist that.