Can't Get Enough of Racing!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

India ready to spice up Formula 1

The glamorous globetrotters of Formula 1 will stop in South Asia for the first time this week as India makes its debut on the grand prix calendar.

There is a real sense of anticipation within the sport that the race outside the capital city of Delhi will add some spice to the season now both championships have been settled - as well as introducing a new global powerbroker into F1.

"It's a historic and symbolic moment," enthused Narain Karthikeyan, India's first F1 driver, who returns to a seat at the HRT team this weekend.

"Never did I think there would be Indian race in Formula 1 and never did I think I'd be in it. It's going to be the biggest day of my career."

Despite spreading east and west, it has taken F1 more than 60 years to make its way to the world's second most populous nation.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.

The sport's first appearance in India was back in 1982, when the Force India team's co-owner Vijay Mallya, then a young businessman with a fascination for fast cars, drove Nelson Piquet's 1978 Ensign in a series of events around India.

But despite Mallya's early foray, the sport's commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, waited until the mid-nineties before pursuing plans to add India to the calendar. An agreement to stage the race in Greater Noida, a new city outside Delhi, was finally reached four years ago.

Unusually for a new entrant on the F1 calendar, government is not committing any funds to the grand prix. Instead it is a private venture funded by construction specialists the Jaypee Group, which has spent £205m on the new track alone.

Organising the grand prix is the firm's first foray into sport but, despite F1's notoriously high price tag, Jaypee views the project as a strong investment.

The Buddh International Circuit - designed by Ecclestone's favoured architect, Hermann Tilke - has been devised as the centre piece of an ambitious 'Sports City', which will include hockey and tennis stadiums - pitches have already been dug in for a state-of-the-art cricket stadium.

Building cricket stadiums for the sport's devoted Indian audience can be viewed as a pretty safe bet but India's appetite for F1 is more of an unknown quantity.

"You cannot compare F1 with cricket in India because cricket is like a religion," explained president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India Vicky Chandhok, who described himself as Ecclestone's "eyes" in India.

"But F1 is a vibrant sport, it oozes glamour, it oozes sex and we have the perfect audience - the youngest population in the world are in India."

Karthikeyan, who first saw F1 when a friend bought him a 1989 season review video, agrees the sport should not try to compete for the cricket audience.

"F1 is definitely not watched by the same demographic as cricket," he said. "The urban areas are where F1 is most popular, among people who like technology.

"They have other things on their mind in the predominantly rural areas; where there are farmers, I don't the connection with F1 is that big, whereas cricket is accessible to everyone."

Who F1 will appeal to is one thing but the other big question is how many?

The Indian potential audience is huge, with a population of 1.18 billion. However, a large population and a growing economy does not necessarily make for a receptive audience - as has been proved by the lacklustre response to the Chinese Grand Prix, which has been running for eight years but still struggles to attract a crowd.

Before the Indian GP, it is estimated that 27m Indians tune in to watch F1.

ESPN Star Sports is the sport's sole broadcaster in India - although eight national news channels have also been accredited for the race - and F1 is included in part of a satellite subscription package which Karthikeyan says costs less than a pound a month.

Television audiences for the first Indian GP are expected to rise above 30m, with an estimated 200,000 expected to watch from the grandstands over three days.

The novelty of the first race is bound to lure in a new audience but sustaining both interest and growth in F1 when the circus leaves town is a different challenge.

Thousands of fans turned out in Bangalore to meet McLaren star Lewis Hamilton

On the plus side, motorsport has some established some roots, with national karting and rallying championships already in place as well as a three-tiered single-seater series powered by engine manufacturer Suzuki, whose subsidiary Maruti Suzuki is India's biggest car manufacturer.

Chandhok, whose son Karun is the Team Lotus reserve and only the second F1 driver from India, is confident the GP will spark new interest.

"I honestly think there is going to be a huge boom in motorsport," he said. "People like Karun really struggled to make it because of the [lack of] financial backing but the next generation will find it easier."

Karthikeyan is more cautious: "It could go two ways; one like the Korean Grand Prix where it happens, there is some attention and then nothing happens in any form of motorsport for the rest of the year.

"Or it could be like Malaysia where, after F1 arrived, there is a huge interest in the lower formulae and a lot of motorsport is going on there in a big way.

"There are lot of kids who will see the race in India and want to emulate the drivers."

Force India, who regard the grand prix as an "emotional" home race, have launched their own academy to help ensure the Indian GP is not the only outlet for Indian talent.

"There are three sectors," explained deputy team principal Robert Fearnley. "The first is the one-in-a-billion search for an Indian driver, the second is the idea to help bright young Indian aerodynamicists and mechanical engineers through university and the third is a vocational plan to bring in technicians and mechanics."

There is also confidence that F1 and India will go on to forge mutually beneficial commercial partnerships.

Sauber's Indian-born chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn says: "It was always a bit of a mystery why we couldn't attract Indian companies.

"Because the Indian market is so big, most products and brands didn't necessarily see beyond their boundaries, but now they can use F1 as a platform and we offer our partners something additional if India is a big market for them. It's a win-win situation."

There are, then, a lot of expectations weighing on the first Indian GP, whether it is winning the hearts and minds of a nation, acting as a catalyst for grassroots motorsport or building new global business partnerships.

But there is also a warm confidence that F1 and India are only at the beginning of a fulfilling, new relationship - and there should be some fun to be had too.

"I think you'll enjoy it," smiled Karthikeyan. "You'll be in good hands."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt/2011/10/the_glamorous_globetrotters_of.html

Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax Richie Ginther

2011 Formula One Calendar

2011 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Race Calendar (Provisional)

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
*	Bahrain	BIC	March 11-13
1	Australian	Albert Park	March 25-27
2	Malaysian	Sepang	April 8-10
3	Chinese	Shanghai	April 15-17
4	Turkish	Istanbul	May 6-8
5	Spanish	Catalunya	May 20-22
6	Monaco	Monaco	May 26-29
7	Canadian	Gilles Villeneuve	June 10-12
8	European	Spain	June 24-26
19	British	Silverstone	July 8-10
10	German	N�rburgring	July 22-24
11	Hungarian	Hungaroring	July 29-31
12	Belgian	Spa	August 26-28
13	Italian	Monza	September 9-11
14	Singapore	Singapore	September 23-25
15	Japanese	Suzuka	October 7-9
16	Korean	KIC	October 14-16
17	Indian	Noida	October 28-30
18	Abu Dhabi	Yas Marina	November 11-13
19	Brazilian	Interlagos	November 25-27

* Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix postponed ? future date to be confirmed

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/y2nC_JY9eoY/2011-formula-one-calendar.html

Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

Has Hamilton finally turned the corner?

Somehow you suspected that, after all his problems this year, there was going to be a happy ending for Lewis Hamilton somewhere along the line - and it came with a top-class, controlled drive to victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

As he celebrated on Sunday, the healing nature of the weekend's events was clear in the McLaren driver's face.

Suddenly all the bad things that have turned this into what Hamilton himself has called his worst season in Formula 1 took on a new perspective in the wake of his first win since the German Grand Prix back in July.

This was a Hamilton that has not been seen in 2011, calmly ticking off the laps at the front, resolute in the face of a challenge from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the sport's most relentless competitor, doing just enough to keep the Spaniard at arm's length without extending his car and tyres more than he needed to.

In that sense, it was very like many of the wins taken this season by Sebastian Vettel, whose domination has left Hamilton over-striving, increasingly frustrated in the face of the Red Bull's generally uncontainable speed.

Brilliant as they were, Hamilton's two previous wins this season in China and Germany came about on weekends when Red Bull were slightly off-form in one way or another.

But Hamilton did not have to worry about Vettel in Abu Dhabi after a mysterious puncture pitched the German into a spin at the second corner of the race.

The flailing tyre did so much damage to the car as the world champion wrestled it back to the pits that Vettel was forced to retire at the end of the first lap.

Whatever the cause of the failure, it means it will remain a tantalising mystery as to whether Hamilton could have beaten Vettel had the Red Bull remained in the race.

The Englishman was certainly confident that he had a good chance. He had looked the form man all weekend, to the extent that it was something of a surprise that Vettel pipped him to pole position on Saturday. As much as it can be a surprise that a man who has taken all but four pole positions all season should get another one, anyway.

Hamilton drove superbly throughout the three days in the desert, showing none of the mental instability or driving misjudgements that have stymied him in recent races and led to so many of his well publicised contretemps with Ferrari's Felipe Massa.

Hamilton said after the race that he had felt much more positive this weekend than at recent races, and it certainly looked that way.

It was, as McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh pointed out, "a great recovery from where he's been in the last few months".

Certainly, it was a marked contrast from previous races, where his state of mind -
about which Hamilton was unusually open in Abu Dhabi - was clearly anything but peaceful.

He talked of his "problems", saying he had lost the "happy bubble" around him that he sees benefiting team-mate Jenson Button - and he wanted to get it back.

The end of his four-year relationship with pop singer Nicole Scherzinger last month has clearly affected him - he mentioned that he did not intend to stay single for long.

And after his victory on Sunday, Hamilton added that he wanted to get his father Anthony and brother Nicholas - both of whom were at his side at all the races until this season - back to provide him more support.

As well as the issues in his personal life, he also talked about a "negative vibe from everyone" that had surrounded him recently as he was faced with "negative questions" from the media about his troubles on the track. All this, he said, "affects your judgement".

Hamilton's willingness to discuss these problems in public is to be applauded - it gives an all-too-rare insight into the inner workings of one of world sport's biggest stars, and in Abu Dhabi at least he found the means to rise above it.

Hamilton is a truly great racing driver. But if Sir Jackie Stewart, for example, were to hear those remarks, he would be tearing his hair out.

Stewart - a three-time world champion and one of the greatest racing drivers in history - has long talked about the importance of removing emotion before climbing into a Formula 1 car. It is too easy, he says, for that emotion to cloud your judgement - and with that comes mistakes. In his era, that meant serious injury or worse.

Safety has improved and the risks are lower now, but nevertheless Hamilton seems this year to have been living proof of the truth of Stewart's remarks.

Hamilton is an emotionally driven man, and some would argue that this is what allows him to access the stunning highs that none of his rivals are able to match. To take away the emotion, they would argue, would be to take away some of his gift, too. The one is not possible without the other.

But others would say that, whatever support mechanisms you create around you, life is unpredictable, and that whatever happens away from the sporting arena, it is a top-class athlete's job not to let those problems affect their performance.

In the euphoria of victory, Whitmarsh said of Hamilton: "There is no reason in my mind why he can't raise himself to another level now."

On the evidence of Sunday, that was exactly what Hamilton did this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Which suggests that if Hamilton can continue to keep his personal life out of the cockpit of his car, there is every reason to believe Whitmarsh's remarks are more substance than spin.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2011/11/somehow_you_suspected_that_aft.html

Carl Edwards Copart Ford Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Send me your questions about F1 2011

Hello all,

I am filming the final 2011 entries for this video blog after next weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix and that means I need your help.

I will be answering a selection of your questions as well as reviewing the season.

So if you have any questions about F1 2011 - whether it be about Red Bull's domination, Sebastian Vettel's superb season, McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Mercedes and their ambition, or anything else to do with F1 - please do post them below.

We will pick a selection of the best and I will answer them here after the end of the season.

Thanks,

Murray

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/murraywalker/2011/11/send_me_your_questions_about_f_3.html

Shelby Howard Kelly Bires Raybestos Ford Elliott Sadler

The NASCAR Coca Cola 600 Race: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Time of Your Life

NASCAR is one of the most well enjoyed of the American pastimes, and for good reason. While many people have heard of the NASCAR Daytona 500 race, there are other races to attend as well—many of them just as popular as the Daytona 500 itself. One of these races is the Coca Cola 600, a 600 mile race held at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC the weekend of Memorial Day. This is a stock car race, one of the things that attracts die hard fans of NASCAR stock car racing from all around the world. As a matter of fact, this race falls into the top five of all of the NASCAR races put together, something that is rather high honors in the racing world. The hotels in the area fill up in one to two nights; the camp grounds are reserved well in advance and packed to the brim with enthusiastic campers and racing fans.

A Bit of History on the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 Race

Like every other true NASCAR race, the Coca Cola 600 does have some history behind it. It has gone through several name changes, from the World 600 to the Coca Cola or Coke 600. From there it was changed to the Coca Cola Racing Family 600, and then was put back to the near original Coca Cola 600.

This race was designed to offset some of the popularity that the Indian 500 race was experiencing, and it succeeded in doing so. To date, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 race has better television ratings and a higher viewership on television than the Indianapolis 500. These races occur on the same weekend of Memorial Day, making it prime time for true racing fans across the world. The races have even been scheduled in a way that allows fans to make it from the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 to the Indianapolis 500 and be able to participate in both races, something that wasn't made clear if it would be possible in the beginning. Nowadays, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca Cola 600 are held on the same day. Of course, this makes a problem for some drivers who are not able to do over 1000 miles in one day, but those who have the grit and are determined to be successful have been known to do both races with ease, leaving the first race to make it to the second just in time.

Camping at the NASCAR Coca Cola 600

One of the best things about the time when the Coca Cola 600 rolls around is that it gives die hard NASCAR fans a chance to get in one place together and cut up. This can include anything, from drinking to games and other activities. Music, friends, fun—this is the type of thing that a successful NASCAR campout consists of. If you have never partaken in NASCAR camping before, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 is a great place to start. Although the weather tends to be a little warm and sticky, those who have RVs should not have much of a problem dealing with the heat.

There are many different ways to camp out at this race. RVs with a hookup is obviously the most effective and pleasurable way to go about camping at a race like that. There are other ways to go about it as well, like RV camping without the hook up and even tent camping. Depending on what your camping style is there are many ways to enjoy the race, some of them even from the infield.

Of course, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 is one of the most popular races on the NASCAR schedule, so reservations for camping spots anywhere even close to the infield are going to be in high demand. Make your reservations as early as possible to avoid disappointment as these things tend to fill up very fast. If you are excited about the event, think about the thousands and thousands of others who are excited about it as well.

The Coca Cola 600 is a huge event for racing fans all over. It is one of the hottest commodities on the NASCAR 600 schedule. It draws fans from all over the globe to the hot Carolinas and even more to their television sets, glued to the screen for lap after lap of NASCAR fun.

Join the Roadwarriors to view the trip right from your computer. http://www.Roadwarriorslive.com

Steve Godlewski travels all over the country with his wife Jen, 2 Kids, 2 Dogs, and the cat. Feel free to join us and ride shotgun.

Article Source: The NASCAR Coca Cola 600 Race: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Time of Your Life

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/187248/the-nascar-coca-cola-600-race-everything-you-need-to-know-to-have-the-time-of-your-life

Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg

NASCAR Tickets - Smoke Lights Fire Despite Pouring Rain in Charlotte

The Coca-Cola 600 was supposed to be the longest race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, but instead it was one of the shortest and least-eventful races of the year minus a hothead moment by Tony Stewart, of course. Smoke had a classic eruption in last week's Charlotte race, creating a media frenzy when he publicly denounced David Reutimann and his crew's decision to race hard throughout the whole Sprint Cup race even with a rainout in the cards at Charlotte. Stewart went so far as to call Reutimann's crew chief "Billy Bad Butt," sparking a humorous if not heated argument between the two racing teams.

It all started when Tony Stewart spoke his mind to David Reutimann about Reutimann's hard driving during the rainout, and during this confrontation a bald crew member of Reutimann's got into the quarrel and heated things up a bit more. Not long after, Stewart was prompted by a member of the media about his talk with Reutimann, to which Smoke retorted that Reutimann wasn't working together with the other drivers and was not driving smart during the Charlotte race, saying, "There are 43 of us out here and we all have to work together. He's having a hard time understanding that, I think. He says he gets that, but I'm not sure he does. Then he's got a bald crew guy down there who wants to jump up there and be Billy Bad Butt. Maybe he needs to ride in the car with him since they both seem to think they've got it all figured out."

This humorous interview was quickly plastered all over websites and YouTube following its broadcast, and the name Billy Bad Butt immediately stuck. Reutimann's crew member (whose real name is Dwayne) was instantly tagged as "Billy Bad Butt" the next time the television screen panned his image, and while this hilarious but obscure nickname came out of the argument, it now seems all in good fun, as Reutimann even said, "I think [Dwayne] likes that. I think there are definitely T-shirt possibilities for that at some point."

The Stewart-Reutimann altercation was over almost as quickly as it started, with Reutimann excusing Stewart's in-your-face manner as Stewart's fiery nature and saying that "In the end, it was no big deal. It made for great television, I guess, but it's not a problem, I don't think." Reutimann was ultimately declared the winner of the rained-out Coca-Cola 600 while Stewart placed 19th overall, and Smoke even smoothed out the ruffles of the day's big heated "Danica Patrick" moment of confrontation, calling Reutimann to congratulate him on the day's win.

After the race was called due to rain, Stewart said, "A good guy won the race. They won it because they made the right call at the end. They put themselves in that position and you can' take anything away from that. It won't win you races consistently, but you're going to get some that way. It's good for David to get his first win and congratulations to him and his guys." Including Billy Bad Butt.

While last weekend's "Billy Bad Butt" comment was more amusing than insulting, it most certainly wasn't the first explosion the racing realm has seen out of NASCAR's biggest hothead (hey, he didn't just earn the nickname 'Smoke' for nothing, after all). Stewart has a long record of altercations and choice words on the racetrack, from fighting race officials and arguing with other drivers to his most famous blowups, many of which have recently concerned Goodyear tires. For now, however, the damage is done and has created little more than a media heyday, though spectators with NASCAR tickets are sure to see more fire from Smoke as the Sprint Cup series trots onward. Racing tickets are available online, so don't miss a moment of the NASCAR excitement!

This article is sponsored by StubHub.com. StubHub is a leader in the business of selling NASCAR tickets, sports tickets, concert tickets, theater tickets and special events tickets.

Article Source: NASCAR Tickets - Smoke Lights Fire Despite Pouring Rain in Charlotte

Source: http://www.articlespan.com/article/276934/nascar-tickets-smoke-lights-fire-despite-pouring-rain-in-charlotte

Mike Wallace Hermie Sadler III Brian Scott Carl Long

Friday, December 2, 2011