F1 in Melbourne: Ferrari does what they need to

The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is in the books, with Button winning outright in the McLaren, Kubica taking second in the Renault, and Massa and Alonso coming in third and fourth in the Ferraris.

After two weeks, most everything is right in the F1 universe, as Ferrari sits atop the constructors’ list, and Alonso and Massa top the drivers’ list.

I had been under the impression McLaren was considered somewhat behind the others in terms of adapting to the new rules and restrictions. Maybe, as Hamilton ended in 6th after the only 2-stop strategy amongst those in the points. However, Button’s win seems to indicate McLaren are well on their way to catching the others, if they were ever, in fact, behind.

Vettel held the lead until a late brake failure and resulting crash, continuing the two-race trend of lots of speed from the Red Bull, but questionable reliability.

And Schumi did the square root of nothing, coming in 10th and only deserving a mention because, well, he’s Michael frickin’ Schumacher, isn’t he?

Off we go to Malaysia in two weeks for more happy fun good times.

Ferrari starts well

The Bahrain GP is in the books, and Ferrari is off to a good start. Alonso won and Massa took second, and it doesn't get any better than that after one race.

A few things to mention:

1. Vettel in the Red Bull seemed to be the class of the field until a mechanical problem relegated him to fourth. Early in the race, no one seemed able to stay with him. Reliability has been a problem for Red Bull in the past. It seems if they can get past it, they are a team to be reckoned with.

2. Hamilton took 3rd in the McLaren, which was better than expected. You have to figure the McLaren guys are going to figure the new rules out sooner rather than later. I would have preferred they got off to a slower start, but it's silly to think they aren't going to be in the thick of the championship run.

3. Schumi did OK in his first race in 3 years (has it really been that long?), placing 7th. However, he was the slower of the Mercedes, finishing behind teammate Nico Rosberg and having his hands full holding off Button in the second (or is it first - he is the reigning champ) McLaren.

If your wardrobe contains some red, and mine has for a long time, you have to like how thing stand after one. Bring on Melbourne!

The return of F1

This weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix represents the beginning of a new age in Formula One, and the return of the world's fastest sport to these virtual pages.

The retirement of Schmacher, the rise of Hamilton, the ascendancy of Ross Brawn, and the mediocre showing by the boys from the Scuderia have all sapped my interest over the past few years. But now, Schumi is back, even if it is in a Mercedes, enormous rule changes make the outcome of any race a study in unpredictability, at least at this point, and Massa is back in red. So, what's not to like?

I don't pretend to be any sort of expert on F1, but I have been somewhat more than a casual fan for 30 years now. I look forward to this season as I have for no other in recent memory.

Don't expect up-to-the-minute news from the circus here, but do expect a few tune-ins, some commentary, and some unabashed tifosi-like banner waving.

Let's go!

Daily YouTube: F1 engines generate a bit of heat

From my friend Mark: An Arrows F1 engine, a rich mixture, a bit of throttle, and you get one heck of a light show...

The most shocking sex scandal ever

Max Mosely, president of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the governing body of Formula 1, was recently captured on video in a Nazi fetish orgy with five hookers.

I'll give you a moment to compose yourself after reading that last sentence. Pretty unbelievable, huh?

Max's dad, it turns out, was Sir Oswald Mosely, the leader of the British Union of Fascists. Lovely.

I'll give old Max this much: If you're going to destroy your career in a sex scandal, you may as well floor the accelerator (if you'll pardon the pun).

Attention: Future public figures involved in sex scandals! You now have the gold standard for such things. Attempt to surpass this one, if you dare!

Daily YouTube: Why I am a Formula One fan

Why am I a fan of Formala One, versus NASCAR, Indy, or any of the other, more American series? Two words: Gilles Villeneuve.

This duel for second place at the 1979 French Grand Prix, with Villeneuve in the immortal #27 Ferrari and the underappreciated Rene Arnoux in the first of the turbocharged Renaults, made me a fan for life.



And, the saddest of many sad days in the F1 circus - the day Gilles Villenueve died in practice at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix.



He was going to win his first championship that year - the Ferrari was the class of the field. His teammate, Didier Pironi, a MUCH less talented driver, nearly won the championship until he fell vicitm to a very similar accident later in the season.

McLaren accused of F1 spying

Formula One team McLaren have been charged with spying, after a 700+ page Ferrari design document was found in the home of McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan.

F1 is ultra-competitive, with teams raising and spending hundreds of millions each year and generating billions in TV, merchandise, sponsorship, and ticket-sales revenue. For the past several years, Ferrari and McLaren have been the class of the show, trading wins and championships almost exclusively. The gap between the two teams is as small as its ever been this year, and a little insider info could easily be the difference.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis maintains, "..this will not end in anything that causes McLaren any embarrassment...", a non-denial-denial which appears to leave Coughlan twisting in the wind.

If found guilty, McLaren could be stripped of Constructors' or drivers' points. Right now, McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are 1-2 in the drivers' standings, and McLaren lead Ferrari by 25 points in the constructors' standings.

Daily YouTube: F1 vs. road cars

Here's a couple of rather cool videos. Both are basically the same thing, a relatively current econo-box (a Fiat and a Peugot) vs. a super-hot road car (a Ferrari and a Porsche) vs. a modern F1 car driven by a top driver (the immortal #27 Ferrari with Schumi at the wheel and a McLaren piloted by Hakkinen) on a lap around an F1 course. The roller-skates get a huge headstart, the street rockets start next, followed by the F1 cars WAAAYYYY behind (Schumi's reading the paper, for God's sake).

Needless to say, the F1 cars rocket past the others in both cases.

Schumacher to retire?

The unbelievably great Michael Schumacher, who has won a record 7 Formula 1 titles, is apparently set to announce his retirement after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

If he's going to do it, Monza, the temple of Italian and Ferrari racing, is the place for it. And, due to his recent surge, Schumi has the chance to go out with Championship #8.

If you're not up on Formula 1, this is pretty simillar to Jordan retiring from the NBA or Pele retiring from soccer/football. No exaggeration.

Hybrids go racing

According to Jalopnik, some Formula 1 constructors are looking at hybrid technology for future F1 cars.

I sorta doubt this means you'll see an advertiser-adorned Toyota Prius competing in the streets of Monaco. Instead, I would expect some manner of braking-energy capture which power a "burst of speed" electric motor, giving the car a very short blast of power for passing or somesuch.

Regardless, this is a significant sign that hybrid technology is, in fact, ready for prime time.

Formula 1 looks to NASCAR for inspiration

I've been an F1 fan since high school. I somehow got my hands on an F1 magazine when I was about 16, read an interview with the great Gilles Villeneuve, and was hooked from then on.

F1 barely registers on the US motorsports consciousness, but it's ENORMOUS just about everywhere else in the world. Part of the problem in the US is that there's about zero name recognition, driver-wise, and about the same brand recognition for the sponsors. All the drivers are tiny little Frenchies or Finns, and what's an ELF or Magneti Marelli?

Another part of the problem in the US market, and an increasing one everywhere else, is that there isn't all that much competition in F1. One or two teams tend to dominate the sport for an entire season or string of seasons. For the past 5 years, no one has been able to compete with Ferrari. This past year, McLaren and Renault won 18 of 19 races.

This lack of competition is partly team dominance, but it's also part car construction. The aerodynamics of F1 cars are such that the lead car has the advantage, and the following car has to be much superior to be able to pass. Compare this to NASCAR, where the following cars actually get a boost from "drafting" and are thus able to pass much more easily, and you see a big difference in the excitement level of the sports.

F1 is looking to change all that by introducing the split rear wing. This article from Wired explains the potential problems that will have to be overcome, not the least of which is less real estate to sell to sponsors. Regardless, I hope FIA mandates this, and returns some competition to the greatest motor racing series on earth.