Silverstone - (not) so near yet so far

Just a quick note on Silverstone. I am sitting in the dry press room overlooking the pit straight(listening to Nightmares on Wax)  and I can see one of the things Bernie does not like about this place - thousands of people getting soaked sitting in the main grandstand which is open to the skies. (The GP2 boys are having a go just now, with spins and smashes a-plenty on a very slippery surface).

However on the good side, I have to report that my journey into the track today was almost without hold-ups. Coming from the south on the A43, which links the M40 with Northampton, the traffic flow arrangements which turn the two lanes on both sides into one giant access road, worked superbly well. I made it to the car park(grass) at about 8.30am which must be around peak time - all the more impressive.

If only the BRDC had managed to replicate the improvements in the roads(which were paid for by the government) with similar work around the track to stands and facilities, then they would not be staring down the barrel of Donington as they are now. The BRDC has fiddled and fiddled and has lost the goose that lays its golden eggs.

Having said all of the above, there is a strong element of scepticism in the paddock this morning that the switch to Donington will actually happen. Getting it ready in time looks a very long shot. Can they really do it all by 2010 or will Silverstone have to step back into the breach as a(permanent/semi-permanent) fall-back measure?

Comments

[Aaron James]

I think it can. Unlike the BRDC which second guesses every decision, Donington is run by business men, and some would cynically suggest Ecclestone himself ala Turkey and Hungary.

[Oliver]

Silverstone is F1. This sport belongs to that place. The Lightning Seeds , Baddiel and Skinner must write a song called "F1 is coming home". If they stage the British Grand Prix at Donington, then F1 will be an orphan.

Here it is what Damon Hill and Richard Phillips have said about it:

http://www.silverstone.co.uk/php/ne_overview_040708.html

Regards.

[andrew myers]

lets hope so Ed, Donington park is in the middle of nowhere, i only dont want the race there because surely the track will have to be modified, ruining a great cicuit,

btw saw u on ITV qualifying yesterday, good interview!

[Gary M]

** ED, Late here in Australia and going to bed but this comment is meant for your race round up entry if possible? Will read in the morning! Cheers.

Welcome everybody to a special edition of Formula 1 Mythbusters.

At a very wet and windy Silverstone we had quite a few myths to be busted today and think we managed well.

MYTH 1:

This myth was sent to us by Jordi of all people.

"Ed, If you read this blog, every now and then, you should have notice that a few of us have been writing about how Heikki always seems to be in a heavier car for Q3 than lewis."

Well Jordi, I think that myth has been well and trully busted today. So hopefully you can put that tired excuse to bed and think of something else to prove that Ron Dennis is the anti-christ of F1.

Outcome: Mythbusted!

MYTH 2:

The Rain Master. I cannot remember who it was, Anon or Jordi? who was trying desperately to not admit that Lewis Hamtilton is best wet weather driver in F1 at the momnent. Regardless of how well Heidfeld and Alonso drove today there cannot be any doubt whatsoever that Lewis Hamilton is quite simply in a different class when it comes to rain.

Outcome: Mythbusted!

MYTH 3:

Fernando Alonso is a tactical genius.

I think we can well and truly put that myth to bed now. Alonso has made a few errors of judegment recently and the decision to leave the pits on the same set of tires was quite simply a barmy decision that could have easily cost him a podium today. Real shame as he did drive so well for most of the race.

Outcome: Mythbusted!

MYTH 4:

Heikki is really the better driver at McLaren but is not given the opportunity to prove it.

Well this is one of those myths that seems to get repeated as if it were a fact. But the plain simple truth is that whenever Heikki has had the chance this season he has failed to do anything with it.

Today Heikki should have won the race, he had every opportunity and stuffed it up entirely on his own. He is without doubt a very promising driver but still has much to learn and experience to gain.

Outcome: Mythbusted!

MYTH 5:

Lewis Hamilton cannot win the World Champtionship this year because he has got far too many distractions and cannot focus on his driving.

Well, not much to say about that is there? Just like Monaco he was simply outstanding today, in a totally different class. But even better than Monaco because he never put a single foot wrong all race.

What an incredible, determined and skillful piece of driving it was. He simply tore the field apart in the most atrocious conditions.

Well done Lewis.

Outcome: Mythbusted!

Well, that is half the season over and we have 3 different drivers tied for 1st place. Lots more myths to be busted yet this season and no doubt some will be busted in Germany in two weeks.

So come on you F1 fans, especially you Alonso lovers, send in your crazy myths to the blog before Germany and we will have another go at busting them all again.

[ALLMAN]

Oh, dear all the English fanatics are back, more arrogant than ever. Luckily they don't have any English player in the final at Wimblendon.

[Anon]

Gary M-

not bad. About wet racers, sure, Lewis was really impressive. But he did make on mistake more than ALonso, who didn't do any.

In these conditions, the team decides what strategy to do with Alonso. Alonso does not have access to a meteorologist. Do you really think that before the race, Fernando thought, hey, I'm going to do the whole race on one set of tires? Also, Renault have been talking about doing risky strategies. They convinced Alonso to believe them in Cananda and obviously they threw out podium there.

And anyway, the ususal Hamilton supporter arrogance when Lewis wins. Nobody came after Canada going:

Myth Number 1:

Lewis is a good driver.

BUSTED!!! Lewis can't even drive at pit-lane speed without crashing! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

See, nobody did that. And I don't believe what I wrote right there.

So please, find some decency and positivity instead of coming out and spitting over everybody who disagress with you.

[Anon]

Gary M: I'll agree that lewis is the Rain Master as of now. Except your extremely arrogant way of talking makes me want to deny that. But I'll be fair play, something you should do more often.

[A Prost]

Gary M: you should be careful when you write. Things may come to hunt you at the end (and you'll look like a little prat)

[Rob]

Gary M, come on mate. I'm the biggest LH fan and am just as happy as you are that he proved, to himself if anything, that he has still got that raw talent and dedication to win. But please, you can do better than Alonso is not a tactical genius.. firstly drivers don't have to be.. that's what the team principles and technical directors etc get paid HUGE sums for.. He is known to be very involved in strategy and make calls from his car himself YES. But he knows he is faster than his car allows him to be and so has to take risks, could have worked. Ferrari tried the same thing with Kimi! Constant Alonso v Hamilton bashing gets boring!

[Felipe]

He always sounds like a prat

[colin grayson]

well , I may not be willing lewis on like so many english supporters , but nevertheless I am heartily sick of the criticism of him in the british newspapers and from people in blogs like this who exhibit nothing but bias

when I started following motor racing the driver got in the car and DROVE , nothing more the team could do for him , he was on his own ; yes , they could stick out a board and tell him where he was , but that was about it
nowadays it is totally different , he has to drive and , despite the racing pulse and adrenalin flow , reset the engine , the brake balance etc ,in other words follow sundry instructions from his pit and feed back information to his crew

so the mistakes that hamilton is accused of seem to be more complex than advertised

so

pit lane accident ...I think it may be timo glock who recently pointed out that at the time of a pit stop drivers are in a state of sensory overload and need assistance ; now I notice that both kimi and robert seemed well aware of the red light , stopped easily , and would surmise that they were warned before they put the pedal to the metal ; lewis on the other hand [ from the sound track replay I heard ..deceptive maybe ] appeared to be in full flow before he was told ...too late to stop as you can see ; if this is reality it is a TEAM fault , not the driver

start line fault ; especially in view of the new electronics for this year , did someone remind him of the time limit for resetting the electronics ; if not , why not ? if this didn't happen then in my view ..TEAM fault , not driver

overtaking penalty ; in these instances the driver follows team instructions , if they say give way , do so ; no driver should do so of his own volition except under the most exceptional of circumstances , which this clearly wasn't ; he avoided hitting the car in front and his team judged it ok as he was clearly in front before the corner ; you can bet he couldn't be looking in the mirrors at that moment....I have been driven by a professional racing driver on a track and can assure you that under these circumstances even a passenger won't look behind [ too terrified in my case ]

error of judgement by the team perhaps , but not a driver error

so lets phone the teams and ask for the truth shall we ? get an answer ? that WOULD be a first

in reality of course I don't know if teams take such actions as I suggest ; but it seems to me essential ! AND on confirmation from the driver ; you can give an instruction to someone who is stressed , then find later it was never received !

mistakes on the track while racing? that's a different matter , too many things the driver can't control , the element of luck if you like ...but the best drivers also seem to be the luckiest somehow ; but best driver is subjective ....what do you prefer , the mansell type driver who will go for it in all circumstances , or the alain prost type ...played the percentages ...they didn't call him the professor for nothing

[Anon]

"now I notice that both kimi and robert seemed well aware of the red light , stopped easily , and would surmise that they were warned before they put the pedal to the metal

Or maybe they saw the light? Proof: Kimi stepped out of the car and showed the light to Lewis.

BTW, you're post is in reply to who?

"this is reality it is a TEAM fault , not the driver "

I can stop at a red light without having a whole team tell me to stop.

[rally car fan]

I cannot see Donington being ready in time. It is too much to ask in such a short period, realistically they have 18 months to sort the funding, the access, the pits (again), the facilities, the track etc. etc. It would be a modern miracle if they can get it done in time.

[McCheets]

ED

You have hit the nail right on the head about the state of Silverstone inside of the perimeter fence.

A decade ago the BRDC felt the need to build a multi-storey pavillion for themselves, but ignored upgrading facilities for the hoi polloi. This epitomises the 'old boys' mentality of the organisation, and demonstrates why they are not fit to run an F1 race.