When We Walked in Fields of Gold
There’s plenty of talk going round at the moment about the possibility of a London Grand Prix in 2012 to be included in the Olympics. I’ve been watching some of the Olympic coverage, alright, a lot of it, and there are a few incidents I’ve seen that show good reason for this not to happen.
Running For No Reason
In the gymnastics hall, a Russian girl was taking part in the vault. She ran up, did her stuff and executed a perfect landing. She jogged to her trainer and waited for the result. The wait was interminable, and the judges were clearly arguing about something. In the end, it turns out that she ran when the judges weren’t ready and she was awarded a zero score. When the competition works on an average of your scores, a zero is pretty devastating.
What would happen if this occurred during a race? Perhaps there’d be complaints that a car jumped the start, and Charlie Whiting would have to say - “Sorry guys, I wasn’t looking? Let’s award him no points anyway.”
A Different Kind of Pole Position
In the pole vault competition, a Brazilian entrant had to pass one of her attempts because she couldn’t find her pole. The long bendy sticks are gathered together by officials and kept under lock and key, to be brought out only in time for the competition. Now, all the stories I have read on this fail to tell me what happened in the end, so I’m assuming the pole was found and life carried on normally. I’d imagine there would have been more of a fuss, otherwise.
This is a pretty serious error, though, on the part of organisers. Imagine if the drivers turned up on the morning of the London Grand Prix, only for Piquet to peek into the parc fermé garage and go “Where’s my car?”
Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number
Back at the gym, the women’s uneven bar contest saw a very young Chinese girl take the win, beating out the slightly older USA competitor. They finished with the same score, but China got the gold based on a tie-break scoring situation. Now it turns out there is controversy about this girl’s age. At several events, and in newspapers previously, she has been credited as being 13, which would make her 14 at the time of the games. However, her passport reads 16 - the age required to take part. Although this has been investigated, and no further action is being taken, it still remains suspicious.
Imagine, a controversy about who the actual winner is, and who the moral winner is, in F1 this would just… Actually, that sounds about right.
All in all, in my view, it’s clear that the Olympics and Formula 1 are very different, and any Grand Prix that occurs specifically for the 2012 event would have to be treated as such. What do you think? Is racing for a gold medal a good idea?
August 19th, 2008 at 11:43 amFlibster said:
I can’t see there being a Grand Prix in london in 2012. We’re going to have enough problems getting the rest of the buldings ready, let alone a race track.
Also, F1 teams don’t race under their nations. If Raikkonen won in a Ferrari, which nation would get the gold? Finland or Italy? Or would get they get one each?
I’d rather see A1GP race for the Olympics. Teams are already arranged by nation and they have a driver of that nationality driving - plus all the cars are equal. Level playing field - definately more in the ‘Olympic spirit’
August 19th, 2008 at 11:50 amAlianora La Canta said:
If China can hold the equestrian events in Hong Kong, I suspect nobody in the IOC would mind if the motor racing “in London” was held at Silverstone or Brands Hatch.
The nationality thing could be resolved in the same way as sailing. Just as sailing has the “Yngling”, “Finn” and “Laser” classes, motorsport could hold different classes for different types of car, so there would be separate winners of the “Ferrari” class and the “McLaren” class.
Still, the expense of using F1 cars would preclude more than a handful of nations from participating, which would cause the IOC to reject the idea. Even Formula Fords and BMWs would cost several thousand pounds to run per competitor for the duration of the games.
Realistically, the nearest we can hope for is that the IOC might institute a pedal-car competition with different classes for different makes of pedal car. Even then, the maximum limit on Olympic events of 301 events in 28 disciplines would probably militate against it.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:53 amJourneyer said:
I had NO idea about that. Where did you pick that up?
August 19th, 2008 at 12:04 pmDom said:
I really see don’t see how motor sport at the Olympics could ever work. Although the idea is great, and I’d love to see countries battle it out for racing medals, the organization would be impossible and trying to tie the event in with Formula One is wishful thinking at best.
Does beg one question though. If you were in charge and introduced motor racing, what events would you run?
August 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pmAlianora La Canta said:
I had NO idea about that. Where did you pick that up? {Journeyer - 2 comments ago}
Wikipedia’s entry on the Olympic Games mentions the 28-discipline, 301-event rule. There’s also an upper limit of 10,500 athletes, though I don’t think that would cause a problem if the other restrictions were resolved (most athletes only do one discipline per Olympics anyway because of scheduling).
August 19th, 2008 at 12:41 pmme said:
the roc is based on nations right? and they’re already housed in london.
bring them forward buy a couple of months, run the similar heats and you’re home and dry.
ron wouldn’t let hamilton play though, and we still wouldn’t win anything
August 19th, 2008 at 12:42 pmAlianora La Canta said:
Still can’t believe the Russian girl got zero for her vault, though…
August 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pmChristine said:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/gymnastics/7566624.stm
“Pavlova failed to notice the light was still on red when she sprinted up for her disqualified vault - her second - in the final. She was shocked when a score of 0.000 flashed up…”
Crazy mistake to make at this level of competition!
August 19th, 2008 at 12:59 pmSteven Roy said:
If there was going to be motor racing in the Olympics it would need to be a low tech spec formula so that all nations had an equal chance. If you have 100 entrants though you need 100 cars and there is no formula I can think of has 100 identical cars. There are thousands of FFords around but they are from a range of manufacturers and with new models every season.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pmme said:
what, running a red light?
yeah, no f1 driver would ever be that…
August 19th, 2008 at 1:02 pmme said:
not if you ran heats, surely?
mid you i guess you’d still need a lot of parts.
how about karting?
August 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pmSteven Roy said:
Each team would nee its own car otherwise you have some moron over-revving an engine in one heat and then one of the favourites is hampered by having to race a half cooked engine.
Karting is probably the only sensible option. I am sure if that was suggested Bernie would have a heart attack. Imagine the world being exposed to that level of close racing and overtaking without all the bull about technology and pit stops and strategy etc. It could make a lot of people think twice about F1 and Bernie doesn’t like his audience being informed to the point of thinking for themselves.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:20 pmlou said:
I can see a problem with having motorsport in the Olympics (although i love the idea) only a small majority of countries would be able to afford the training and cars etc… I mean you would obviously have some present drivers… but (as far as I’m aware) there aren’t many drivers from many of the smaller countries that enter the Olympics… would it be fair to run an event that could only be entered by a small majority of countries?
There are other British drivers you know
We aren’t doing too badly in the Olympics this year though.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:25 pmSteven Roy said:
If it was a karting event I think you could get entries from close to 100 countries. Karting is a huge sport in many parts of the world and if you look at motorsport as a whole and no just F1 I think you would be surprised how many countries are represented.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:27 pmme said:
agreed, but unless i’m mistaken, the only british entry to win ever win anything at the ROC was colin mcrae.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pmme said:
so, this could work as an olympic sport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Sg8it4ZbY
admittedly, countries with current f1 drivers might have a small advantage.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:44 pmlou said:
ah ok, that I didn’t know.
On the plus side apparently there is an extremely gifted formula ford English driver… (See this week’s dragons den - about 32mins in) who says he is as good as Jenson Button. If he is a good as he says he is he’d take the gold for us 
August 19th, 2008 at 1:49 pmme said:
ahh, interesting. any idea what his name is (sorry, don’t have speakers at the moment)?
August 19th, 2008 at 1:59 pmlou said:
Robert Hall. He was trying to get the dragons to fund one year’s worth of racing in formula ford for a percentage of advertising space on the car. Only the dragons wouldn’t get their money back until he reached Formula 1. Which he was confident he would do in the next 10 years. He compared himself to Senna and other f1 drivers that started from in lower formula like formula ford. He said something about being at the same standard of driving as Jenson… I take it he meant in formula ford and not currently.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:03 pmme said:
what colour was his helmet? it’s no good these days simply being as good as senna. unless he looks just like him, james allen isn’t going to recognise his talents
i’m gonna have to watch this later, sounds hilarious
August 19th, 2008 at 2:13 pmScott Woodwiss said:
I’ve said this before - USE A1GP!
The current car is essentially a Ferrari F1 car, plus you’ve got 25+ nations capable of racing. And anyway, instead of trophies, the A1GP podium finishers get medals anyway! It’s also the fact of having equal machinery. Having exactly the same car has always meant races have been down to the driving talent and not the car. If you use A1GP, you get the countries, the single car platform and the chance for drivers to represent their country but with greater prestige
Motorsport was acknowledged in the Olympics once, as pointed out by this month’s F1 Racing, back in 1900 or so, where medals were given to top 3 finishers of some long-distances races in 2 and 4 door cars. And there’s the fact that the governing body says an event has to have the human element as the dominant one. What about the horse riding? Kayaking/canoeing? The human element controls the actions of the horse/boat, and they do so for the car, so I don’t see the problem.
They should also allow only 1 professional driver from each country like they have for olympic football allowing 1 pro player. That way we can see new talent coming through if some countries decide to enter more than one driver.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pmlou said:
I have dropped a screen shot of him and his father (also his manager) in drop.io. His helmet is yellow, green and blue
August 19th, 2008 at 2:19 pmSteven Roy said:
The guy on dragons den was a chancer. He came fourth or fifth in the local championship at Castle Combe and was trying to compare his results in a local championship to Jenson’s in the national championship. He has achieved nothing remotely noteworthy apart from being the youngest person to win rookie of the year in a local championship. In most local championships if you get three new drivers in a season it is a big event and most of those are amateurs racing as a hobby. If he manages to raise the budget he needs we will find out next season if he has any real ability. His story didn’t really hang together for me.
I think for karting to be an Olympic sport it would have to be on a proper outdoor track that can run 20 karts in a race.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:21 pmSteven Roy said:
A1GP won’t work because there are not enough cars to give everyone a chance to race equally and no-one is going to build an extra 50 or 60 cars just for the Olympics unless there is a sell on market. Far better to make lots of karts and sell them off to circuit owners or something after they have been used in the Olympics.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:22 pmme said:
you.are.kidding.me.
actually the helmet looks more like fissi’s old lid, but that’s funny
August 19th, 2008 at 2:23 pmme said:
ooh, you could be on to something there. maybe not on the running track though eh?
August 19th, 2008 at 2:25 pmlou said:
I think he is going for the lewis-esque look, with the yellowish helmet and the father manager
August 19th, 2008 at 2:28 pmScott Woodwiss said:
if you do it with karts, then it’s no longer a grand prix, it’s just a race.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:30 pmme said:
doesn’t grand prix translate to “great prize”? that sounds like a gold medal to me.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pmSteven Roy said:
A GP is a non-starter because you have a limited entry. Karting makes a lot of sense because it fits within the existing Olympic cost model. If expensive cars are introduced you are going to get all kinds of complaints about introducing sports that only the rich can compete in. Whereas if you use karts that are cheaper than yachts, rowing boats, horses etc no-one can claim it is only for the rich.
Ypu would need to run it like normal kart meetings with multiple heats for each driver, semis and a final. THe final would be the grand prix. Imagine all the top drivers in the world and I don’t just mean those who made it to F1 racing in equal equipment. It would be like the BMW Procars without all the championship regulars.
Anyone have Seb Coe’s phone number? The host country is allowed to introduce one or maybe more new events and they are allowed to run something like four or five demonstration events that don’t get medals so there has to be a chance.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:39 pmScott Woodwiss said:
maybe, but the olympics is supposed to be about prestige and such things like that.
Tell me this - what sounds better: “I won a gold medal at the Olympics, in a kart” or “I won a gold medal at the olympics, in an A1GP car”
I know what I’d rather win it in….
And anyway, what does the costs have anything to do with it? Isn’t it about the show it provides. If you start including drivers from small or poorer countries, then all you’d get is a load of also-runs clogging up the track. A1GP cars are bigger, louder, better looking and more of a crowd puller, plus they’re more of a challenge of a driver’s skills than a kart.
You see this small African or Asian nations entering athletics events who have hardly been to the olympics at all, and every time they come in last, or so to speak. So how that’s going to change when you stick them in a kart or a racing car I don’t know.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:46 pmScott Woodwiss said:
oh, and the horse-riding events aren’t. How many countries were there taking part in the team event? about 8. Still takes place regardless.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:58 pmSteven Roy said:
The Olympics is like any other sport Scott. There is one rule for tradition and another for anything new. What chance do you think Monaco would have if someone came up with that circuit today especially if Monaco was as it was at the time. None. Same for trying to get a new sport into the Olympics that is not open to all nations.
I agree with you about horses, yachting etc but they are already there. They would not get in today though just like Monaco.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:05 pmme said:
he might be a bit busy this week, but it’s got to be worth a try.
if for no other reason than bernie would hate it
August 19th, 2008 at 3:31 pmJordan Allen said:
And when Hamilton fails to see the red light in Montreal, it is a brillant Senna-que way of knocking out your rival…..
.
On the Smiley front, we need more emotions, especially sarcism…..
August 19th, 2008 at 3:34 pmScott Woodwiss said:
in reality, motorsport is still part of the olympics, they just discontinued it.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:37 pmJordan Allen said:
Wow! If he is as good as Button that means he has what? ONE WIN! Awesome stuff, that.
(We need the sarcism emotion here!)
August 19th, 2008 at 3:51 pmlou said:
don’t be mean.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:58 pmJordan Allen said:
Scott, I wonder, have you ever tried horse backing, or, kayaking or Canoneing? Becuase you can see the “human element” as they compete in that sport. The human elemnet is “pain.” For the conoers and kayakers, you can see it in their faces as they stretch their arm muscle to teh breaking point to win their race.
And Scott, The (male) jockeys are in pain to whenver the horse lands a jump becsue of well, inertia, Namely the “middle” leg crasjhing into the saddle….
And the pain they all suffer during the event is nothing compared to the pain they have the next day. If they did not suffer any pain, they where not trying hard enough, and for all but one, ther is also the pain of defeat, unless you wipe out on a ski jump, then its agony of defeat.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:03 pmScott Woodwiss said:
i wouldn’t say Kimi looks 100% after a race most of the time, would you?
August 19th, 2008 at 4:05 pmSteven Roy said:
The guy was looking for £50k in return for 40% of his earnings for the next ten years. A deal like that with Button would have been really good given that Honda seem prepared to pay him stupid money to coast round near the back of the field.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:08 pmJordan Allen said:
Well, I would not be so mean on Button if he would just leave Honda for either Ferrari / McLaren so that Honda would win the Constructor’s Championship and Ferrari/McLaren would fall below Farce India….
(See, Ali, I can be nice to Farce India…..)
But you notice Button’s career, he does have a habit of making his current team suffer in the standings until he leaves. Then he makes s train wreck of his new team whereas his old team improves.
Renault, BAR, Williams. I just want Button to move to see if the pattern continues….
August 19th, 2008 at 4:16 pmJordan Allen said:
Hmmmmm, I bet if I say nothing, Lady Snowcat will go after Scott in KImi’s defence, nice move.
August 19th, 2008 at 4:32 pmme said:
i never realised commenting required such cunning.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:03 pmlou said:
You’ve put me in an impossible situation. I want Honda to win the constructers but I don’t like the fact you’re being mean about Button for something that is ultimately not his fault.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:15 pmme said:
be strong lou, be strong.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:16 pmlou said:
ahaha
lol
i’ve just noticed i’ve dropped off the top commenters board
August 19th, 2008 at 5:21 pmSteven Roy said:
I found an interesting petition on Keith’s site. The purpose of it is to stop people moving into an area next to a race circuit for example and then forcing the circuit to limit running hours. In effect if an activity exists before a resident moves into the area then the activity should not be adversely affected.
If the prime minister can allow us to post petitions on his site why can’t Bert and Ernie let us post petitions on their sites. When we were discussing Olympic motorsport I thought a number 10 petition may be a way to start.
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livewithit/
August 19th, 2008 at 5:26 pmJordan Allen said:
Why limit this to just race tracks. Airports in particular really do suffer from this problem, and in the case of airports, becomes a major safety and enivironmental issue as the aircraft can not land in the most efficient manor possible. Having his petition not to build house close to oil refinaries and nuclear power plants should also be a no-brainer….
August 19th, 2008 at 5:31 pmJordan Allen said:
Lou:
Try using 1/infinity as we (Ali & I) seem to have proven that it gets people out of impossible situtations such as dividing by zero
August 19th, 2008 at 5:34 pmlou said:
August 19th, 2008 at 5:47 pmSteven Roy said:
Jordan,
The petition is wide open and covers any activity. It specifically mentions motor racing and church bells.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:05 pmSteven Roy said:
Jordan,
I re-read the text of the petition and airfields are mentioned.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:06 pmJordan Allen said:
Church Bells? Oh for crying out loud! Grab whoever signs that petition against church bells and burn those pagen heretics at the stake!
I used to get annoyed at this one church, but that was for the hymm it was playing becasue it was the hymn that Deutschalnd uber Alles was based on. As a Non-Schumacher person, hearing that tune twice in the same hour was enough…. They now play “Ode to Joy” and all is quiet in Jordanland.
August 19th, 2008 at 6:17 pmScott Woodwiss said:
Going back to the Olympics, I got to thinking, if there was ever a “motorsport equivalent” of the Olympics, which forms of racing would represent which events. So far, I have the following:
Cycling (Velodrome): NASCAR Sprint Cup (short track racing like Bristol)
Cycling (Road Racing Time Trial): Tarmac Rallying
100m: Drag Racing
Water Events (Swimming/Boats): Powerboat Racing
Marathon: Endurance Race
Gymnastics (Apparatus): Monster Trucks
Gymnastics (Floor Routine): Drifting
Track Events: Touring Cars/Single Seaters
Horse Riding: Off-Roading
Weightlifting: Tractor Pulling
Any others?
August 19th, 2008 at 6:19 pmJordan Allen said:
Okay, I could possibly see how a petition could get started against a sports complex, airfield, race park and even playgrounds and schools, as it might have been possible for the same family to have lived on the land before those things where built. But a young church in the UK would be something like 200 years old, so there is no way you could not know there was a church in the area….
I hope that petition becomes law and they give it a good name, like the “Stupidity bill”, or “act” or “law”. God, the depths of stupidity humans can reach, you would have thought that the molten lava would have burnt them to a crisp…..
August 19th, 2008 at 6:29 pmJordan Allen said:
I just can not see anything that looks like it has the “Human Element” in this list Scott. Sorry, actually, I think I accused current F1 drivers of being more of a PR robot than a human since the days of Eddie Irivne. I guess DC is the pick of the lot for being the cloest to Human….
August 19th, 2008 at 6:32 pmScott Woodwiss said:
Erm…that’s why it’s a motorsport equivalent, not a replacement. This was just something I came up with when I was bored. :S
August 19th, 2008 at 6:40 pmme said:
a fine plan that. nice one.
might be a good thing to post on facebook / bebo, scott.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:28 pmme said:
fyi: ferrari go virtual:
http://www.moog.com/Home/Press/-/release_5141/
“Ferrari has placed an order for the engineering, design, development and deployment of a next-generation driving simulator to be located at Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello, Italy.”
“This dynamic driving simulator will support the new breed of tests we are planning to launch to support our future success.”
my guess is it’ll be ready just in time for alonso’s arrival. do you think he’ll slate this one too?
August 19th, 2008 at 7:30 pmScott said:
I don’t wish to be a killjoy, but motorsport won’t be part of the 2012 Olympics. As this website points out, it is effectively banned by the IOC:
“There’s a little-noted rule that sports, disciplines, and events that depend essentially on mechanical propulsion are not acceptable in the Olympics. That excludes aerobatics, air racing, auto racing, powerboat racing, motorcycle racing, and snowmobiling. (Although powerboating was briefly an Olympic sport, before that rule was in place.)”
The IOC went as far as issuing the following clarification:
“…sports and events in which athletes directly use and control automated propulsion as a component of competition should not be eligible for inclusion in the Olympic Programme.”
In case anyone wants further information on this, I’ll upload the review carried out by the Olympic Programme Commission prior to Beijing (see drop.io). Search for ‘2.4 Sports relying on mechanical propulsion’.
Although some have argued that the rule is a little ambiguous, the bottom line is that the IOC are completely against the idea of adding motorised sports to the modern games. Although the Commission’s review highlights water skiing, it should be noted that this hasn’t been included in the games since 1972, and even then it was only a demonstration sport.
As a point of interest, although motorsport was itself a demonstration sport in 1900 - unlike water skiing- it is no longer recognised by the IOC.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:33 pmme said:
ahhh, ummm, right.
oh, rats.
i guess on the bright side i don’t have to bother with olympics on 2012 either then
August 19th, 2008 at 7:45 pmScott Woodwiss said:
done and done
August 19th, 2008 at 7:48 pmScott said:
That isn’t entirely true - the women’s beach volleyball competition will still be on the programme in 2012.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:22 pmJordan Allen said:
Getting back to Sidepodcast, what are you guys going to do for the Thursday show since you have already done Thursday “Inside Track” last week?
August 19th, 2008 at 8:37 pmme said:
christine’s still doing f1 digest but we have no other video planned.
toyota sent out some valencia footage on monday morning, but “ill conceived” would be a polite way of describing it, and there’s little mileage to be gained from us doing anything with it.
if you’re interested you can view it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIfODlOdSPg
i’ve no idea what in the world the video editor was trying to achieve when they put that track guide together, but taking a year old 3D tour and inter splicing it with a sped-up roadcar footage and then trying to make it interesting by panning it at various angles serves only to confuse and irritate me.
would love to hear your thoughts, but i’m guessing it was a honda fan that put it together
August 19th, 2008 at 8:58 pmme said:
you’ll get me into trouble, scott.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:10 pmJordan Allen said:
Hmmm, they needed two more split screens, one to show the driver’s hands as he changes gears and the other showing the sriver’s feet as he applies the gas and brake and then they almost would have a cheap re-hash of the racing scences in the movie “Grand Prix”.
It was pretty hard to follow, especially as things seem to move position on you (The track map would be on the left side, then the right aide of the screen, then superimposed on somthing else. And thre was no way you could keep track of three things moving at once. But honest, this could have been so much easiler for everyone involved if tehy just used footage of the on-board camera for the first test of the circuit. There done. That and a track map so that the view can see where on the track he is.
My bet is it was a Super Aguri fan who put the video together.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:18 pmme said:
i’d agree with that. it’s a difficult thing because on the one hand we have no right to expect teams to put out video, but on the other, our budget is such that we get what we’re given and the source footage determines the quality of anything we put out.
i watched it and just felt someone wanted to do a similar thing to the allianz track guide, but without putting in the money or the effort. they took some free stuff, sent a car round half the track (some parts you can see are still fenced off) and then tried to fill the rest in by focusing on street signs.
i literally knew less about the track at the end of it than i did at the beginning.
we once asked super aguri if they had any video footage, they replied:
“sorry, we only do photographs for print magazines”
i think the writing was on the wall from that day onwards.
August 19th, 2008 at 9:47 pmFelipe Leite said:
Hi Christine,
About that brazilian that “lost” her pole before the pole vault competition. Here in Brazil there were a lot of fuss about it. Here is some more detailed story: http://uk.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_2_MOLT/idUKB18358820080818
The day after the competition, the organizers found the pole. It’d been sent to the olympic village together with the poles from the declassified athletes. The woman was devastated during the competition and had to jump with the wrong vault (they have like 10 different poles, one for each height). It was really bad, because she had a personal best height that could give her a silver medal, but the whole situation and the missing pole made her jump almost 40cm less than that.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:47 pmJordan Allen said:
This is proability a good reason why the US Grand Prix should never be held in NYC. I could see all the cars suck up on boxes with all there tuires missing…. Typical NYC stuff.
.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:00 amJoe said:
my guess is it’ll be ready just in time for alonso’s arrival. do you think he’ll slate this one too?
Fernando, Heidfeld, Lewis and others do play F1 videogames. Alonso has said previously that a favoured method of his fir new tracks is the latest F1 game on playstation, I remember him saying that he did it for the Chinese GP in 2004. Him and Lewis played Ps3 a bit together too, according to Lewis anyway. I think it’s awesome that some drivers actually play the games : D Jenson doesn’t do that though, I don’t think he’s a fan.
Jordan, I gotta agree with your views on Jenson man. I don’t think he’s gonna be a world champion, he’s not a top divison driver IMO, though I don’t have an opinion on whether he’ll even get a shot at it though. I’m a big Jenson fan (like Lou), but I’m not deluded like a lot of fans can be when it comes to their driver.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:31 amJordan Allen said:
The great thing about being a DC fan nowadays is there is not a lot to be deluded about……expect maybe being a DC fan in the first place….
August 20th, 2008 at 10:54 amlou said:
I’m not deluded.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:01 amSteven Roy said:
If you were deluded would you know?
August 20th, 2008 at 11:23 amStuart C said:
Interesting philosophical question. Judging by some of the people you see on the X Factor…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRS-Kpu7lh8
August 20th, 2008 at 11:32 amStuart C said:
There was an item on the news a few weeks ago about a woman in a coastal town in Suffolk who was campaigning against her local bellringers. She claimed that their several-hundred-year-old practice of dinging the church bells for a couple of hours every Sunday was disturbing her peace. I remarked to Mrs C: “We really do live in a post-Christian society, don’t we?”
But it only takes one or two complainers in an area to cause problems. When I visited Sears Point (now ‘Infineon Raceway’) during my ALMS days I was surprised at the sheer number of notices alerting everyone to the strict curfew on noise – you weren’t allowed to fire your engine up before 8.30am. It surprised me chiefly because Sears Point is miles from anywhere.
So I asked around and learned that there was one bloke living in a shack up the road who “knows his rights” (don’t they all!) and objected vigorously to noise at every opportunity.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:33 amStuart C said:
And finally, while we’re on a delusional tip:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c6HsiixFS8
August 20th, 2008 at 11:55 amSteven Roy said:
That sprinkler item has to be a wind up. Surely nobody can be that ignorant.
It is a proven scientific fact that rainbows are getting lower because of air pollution.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pmStuart C said:
Well you can say that, but it’s very easy to be ignorant these days – you just have to close your ears to anything you don’t want to believe. An awful lot of it is happening in F1 internet forums!
Apropos of which, the other day I had to get someone to explain to me what ROFLMAO means…
August 20th, 2008 at 12:55 pmme said:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
an essential resource these days - probably not safe for work though.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pmSteven Roy said:
I have never heard of urbandictionary.com but if its first few definitions of Scottish is anything to judge it by it is a worthy reference tool. I particularly like the third definition.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:28 pmJoe said:
Apropos of which, the other day I had to get someone to explain to me what ROFLMAO means…
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
an essential resource these days - probably not safe for work though
Heh, definately. Some good ones on there, like the definition of a Jenson, lol.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:40 pmme said:
classy, lou may appreciate that one.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:21 pmJordan Allen said:
Hmmmm, I do not think the subject would know whether or not s/he was deluded, on the other hand, the form-fitting straightjacket and padded-wall room should give anyone a hint, right lou?
August 20th, 2008 at 3:29 pmJordan Allen said:
Oh, yes ME:
After swatting a few flies the other day I was just wondering have you fully recovered from you “sport-related” rib or back injury?
You should really learn to glace at the warning track when you are chasing down flies, as, Steven Roy might have to back me up on this, but one of the baseball fields in Chicago does have a brick wall that you could go crashing into….
August 20th, 2008 at 3:34 pmme said:
yup, thanks for asking. the other day i managed to kill one by kneeling on it, and suffered no ill effects as a result. i’m winning the war.
don’t worry, i saw your video. it’s been noted.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pmSteven Roy said:
I saw a bit of a game last week I think when there was a door in the wall and when the outfielder hit it the door opened. I have seen a few nasty injuries when someone misjudged how far away the wall was.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:54 pmJordan Allen said:
Am I the only on thinking that if Christine had taped “me”’s attempts to whack that fly that gave him the back injury, added Richard Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” as background music, that video would have been a shoe-in for the $50 000 USD Grand Prize on “America’s Funniest Home Videos?”
August 20th, 2008 at 6:26 pmlou said:
I agree, but then “me’s” identity wouldn’t be a secret anymore.
August 20th, 2008 at 6:34 pmme said:
asking the dumbest of dumb questions… but surely the fact that it’s called “america’s funniest home videos” precludes me from entering anyhow?
August 20th, 2008 at 7:44 pmJordan Allen said:
That’s simple. There are 13 “Londons” in the U.S. Just say you’re from London, try to speak normal, act like a hillbilly couple and the people running the show will think you are from London, West Virigina, or London, Tennessee USA and you still have it made.
I am actually more concerned with both of you driving on the wrong side (left-hand) side of the road when you try to claim the prize, to be honest.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:47 pmlou said:
lol
August 20th, 2008 at 9:00 pmMark Smith said:
We might not get to see cars racing at the Olympics, but motorcycling is recognised by the IOC, so there’s still hope for us. Then again, life-saving is also a recognised “sport” and I don’t expect to see that in the games any time soon.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:06 pmme said:
wha??
August 20th, 2008 at 10:14 pmJordan Allen said:
Actually, I have seen it on TV that the Aussies have a lifesaving competition between themselves, nice little pride thing to make them better lifesavers I guess.
Too bad the only time anyone drowns down under is when the lifeguards are at the lifesaving competition…..
Here in tundra-land, it is more of a female lifeguard potential dating service….If the guy’s cute enough, he gets saved, if not well, she does not want to get her hair wet….
And in England, I hear the lifeguards are even worse then ours. Apparently they just sit on black horses all day looking down at tourists….
August 20th, 2008 at 10:55 pmme said:
fyi, seb vettel, in a bucket:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/vettel-in-a-bucket
nope, i don’t why either.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:08 pmDan Brunell said:
Technically that is a front loader, not a bucket. Vettel seems like the type of cat that would be cool to hang around with. He seems goofy but very likable.
Back to the subject of F1 and the Olympics. I don’t want F1 to be within a 1,000 miles of the Olympics. For the veneer of international goodwill and all that jazz; the Olympics have some serious problems. Say what you want about Bernie and Max, but unlike the International Olympic Committee they haven’t been found guilty of massive corruption, bribery, and manufacturing outcomes of events.
Thanks Christine; now I’m going to have that 80’s song stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:16 pmlou said:
Vettel really fits in with red bull doesn’t he.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:19 pmme said:
a bucket is on the back then?
hehe. though is was 90’s wasn’t it?
August 20th, 2008 at 11:21 pmme said:
well, i’m in two minds. if that was hamilton being carted around in a front loader / bucket type thing, we’d be laughing from the rooftops. because it’s seb, somehow it seems cool. but i’ve no idea why.
i think you’re right though, as every day passes dc looks less and less likely to see the season out.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:43 pmlou said:
I think it’s cause it fits his character. If it were Hamilton we would be laughing cause it wouldn’t fit his personality.
it’s sad, but i kinda agree. Is there any sense in replacing him in this last bit of the season though?
August 21st, 2008 at 12:02 amme said:
true, especially if the ferrari engine in the str is better
i suppose getting to know the mechanics sooner would be a bonus.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:07 amDan Brunell said:
You are correct sir. I spent way too much time in my youth working wildfires. I actually had to operate one of those during a fire once. I remember my crew boss would be screaming at me as I operated the thing “we don’t need a #$@#%#@#%&*&&*$& bucket! We need a god@#%#@!##$%% frontloader on the line NOW!!!!!”
Your right, it was 1993. I always assume with Sting, that it is the 80’s.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:11 amlou said:
yeah I suppose. But i suppose DC hasn’t done that badly… i mean he is on equal pionts to Vettel… Maybe it’s worth keeping Vettel at Toro Rosso for a bit longer just so he can gain more experience. DC can’t do too much damage.. there are only 7 more races left…
August 21st, 2008 at 12:25 amme said:
yikes! i’m thinking vettel was in slightly less danger there.
have ya seen him racing this year?
August 21st, 2008 at 12:28 amlou said:
haha good piont
August 21st, 2008 at 12:30 amme said:
during live commenting, when dc get’s within 30ft of button i’ll remind you of those
56 words:“DC can’t do too much damage…”
August 21st, 2008 at 12:32 amDan Brunell said:
If DC takes out someone at Valencia, that is the title for the next podcast.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:34 amme said:
deal
August 21st, 2008 at 12:38 amlou said:
haha thanks.
But Jenson is gonna do well in the race
(I need to believe that something good is going to come out of the remainder of the week). - and no I’m not delusional… teams think there is a possibility of a safely car etc so anything could happen 
I’ve just jinxed Button’s race haven’t I?
August 21st, 2008 at 12:41 amme said:
today’s the day isn’t it? nervous?
i think you did that with the dc quote.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:46 amlou said:
extremely. I am currently watching the 2006 Brazilian GP on youtube to try to take my mind off it.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:49 amDom said:
The IOC is under so much public attention. Every decision the organization makes will be a source of wide discussion and often lead to criticism. The FIA has been involved in plenty of controversy, themselves. Trying to get these two to work together in some way would be a task I’m certainly not brave enough to take part in.
F1 has enough of its own problems as it is. Lets please not go anywhere near the olympics.
Every time I see him, he looks more and more like perfect Ferrari material.
No! Don’t say that!
Dear lord, stop!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:50 amAlianora La Canta said:
Well, I would not be so mean on Button if he would just leave Honda for either Ferrari / McLaren so that Honda would win the Constructor’s Championship and Ferrari/McLaren would fall below Farce India….
(See, Ali, I can be nice to Farce India…..) {Jordan Allen - 61 comments ago}
Um… …a statement in which a implied compliment is combined with a deliberate mis-spelling is probably sarcasm rather than niceness. Not that I would wish to rain on anyone’s parade.
Also, Button isn’t bad enough to send any team into last place unless it was already there. Williams’ woes were engine-related, Renault’s were dodgy design-related (and the recovery from said dodgy design) and BAR/Honda’s stem from the most bizarre management and technical personnel strategies this side of Toyota, only rescued because sometimes they make a really smart hiring decision.
I want Honda to win the constructers but I don’t like the fact you’re being mean about Button for something that is ultimately not his fault. {lou - 58 comments ago}
Simple - hope that Honda become better at hiring the right people and let the good staff (like Brawn) do all the organising. There’s little else fundamentally wrong with that team, as far as I can tell.
i’ve just noticed i’ve dropped off the top commenters board {lou - 56 comments ago}
You’re back on it now, lou - you can cheer up again
Then again, life-saving is also a recognised “sport” and I don’t expect to see that in the games any time soon. {Mark Smith - 9 comments ago}
Wow - you learn something new every day! Perhaps I should apply for Lottery funding to compete in it. Having proven my prowess by sorting out a drunk individual a few days ago, I think I have considerable potential in that sport…
fyi, seb vettel, in a bucket: {me - 6 comments ago}
I know Sebastian is trying to build a reputation for himself, but that is ridiculous!
August 21st, 2008 at 12:51 amme said:
aww bless. right now i’m trying out an alternative to twitter called identi.ca:
http://identi.ca/sidepodcast
may or may not be of interest, just thought i’d let ya know.
August 21st, 2008 at 12:53 amAlianora La Canta said:
extremely. I am currently watching the 2006 Brazilian GP on youtube to try to take my mind off it. {lou - 2 comments ago}
Good luck to you - I have my fingers crossed for you and z-baumgartner
August 21st, 2008 at 12:57 amSteven Roy said:
I just noticed that I am the top commenter for the first time in a couple of months. Three different top commenters in three days. How odd. Alex on Monday, Ali yesterday now me. I wonder who it will be tomorrow.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:04 amme said:
yeah. i tried to get to the bottom of it and in short…
- x-fighters were in germany last week
- they were based in a quarry
- the front loader made the ramps for the x-fighters
why vettel was in the thing, and who it is in there with him, is still a mystery to me
August 21st, 2008 at 1:04 amlou said:
hehe well Brazil 2006 was a ood day for honda
ah cool. Is it any good? Is it worth me registering?
thank you Alianora
August 21st, 2008 at 1:06 amme said:
it’s fast and it’s open. thus far it hasn’t lost any updates so far as i can see.
too early to recommend though.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:08 amJordan Allen said:
Well, the only thing I can think of is that for that position, there is no way he can kick it so, he’s cheated death. Smart move Das/Der Seb.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:20 amlou said:
ahh thats good. Do tell me if you would recommend it after you have given it a trail or whatever
August 21st, 2008 at 1:22 amlou said:
Sorry Dom and any other Honda/Jenson fans out there.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:33 amAlianora La Canta said:
why vettel was in the thing, and who it is in there with him, is still a mystery to me {me - 6 comments ago}
Perhaps they wanted a better view?
August 21st, 2008 at 2:00 amJoe said:
Guys, this is gonna seem like a random question but, I was watching the 2006 Brazillian GP and Massa’s Brazil overalls……..how come it’s not against the rules for him to wear something other than his team colours? And also, Ferrari let him…..even more surprising.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:19 amJordan Allen said:
Hey! I spelt “Farce” right!
Well, the only time that Button’s current team was better than the team he left was in 2004, when BAR got 14 more WCC points than Renault so getting rid of Button seems to imply a 4th place finish in the Constructor’s to Honda.
Actually, you have proven my point. When I read you above paragraph it reads like the history of some hard-luck driver like Chris Amon. Progression is needed to succeed in F1. I wonder if we are going to have a Button F1 team in the not so distant future?
August 21st, 2008 at 4:25 amJordan Allen said:
Okay guys, enough tapping on the two-way mirror into Lou’s padded cell. The reason why she is under oberservation is she thinks Button is going to well and now you are tapping on the mirror. We will be lucky now if Lou does not not think she is hearing voice in her mind….
Come to think about it, how did she get out of that straightjacket to E-mail us replies anyway?
August 21st, 2008 at 9:06 amChristine said:
I like the idea of you having your own social network, and not sneaking in to my logins all the time
August 21st, 2008 at 9:27 amme said:
hey, i’m checking it out on your behalf!
actually i was watching twitlive.tv and feeling mighty unproductive, so i thought i best take an interest in what they were talking about. turns out it’s not a bad micro-blogging platform.
btw: did you know the 140 character limit imposed by twitter is actually a by-product of SMS messaging, which also has the same limit? apparently everybody knew this but me
August 21st, 2008 at 11:08 amAlianora La Canta said:
I was watching the 2006 Brazillian GP and Massa’s Brazil overalls……..how come it’s not against the rules for him to wear something other than his team colours? {Joe - 5 comments ago}
The livery rules in F1 only cover the cars themselves - anything else can be changed at will. Though sponsor restrictions mean such changes are still rare. I can only assume that Phillip Morris didn’t mind having its colours changed on Massa’s overalls for the day.
I spelt “Farce” right! {Jordan Allen - 4 comments ago}
Right spelling, wrong context. While Force India has been involved in a few improbable situations so far this ear, there doesn’t appear to have been much nonsense, intentional or otherwise. Also, the pace of events hasn’t detectably increased. Therefore I would argue that Force India is not a farce.
Nice try, though
Actually, you have proven my point. When I read you above paragraph it reads like the history of some hard-luck driver like Chris Amon. Progression is needed to succeed in F1. {Jordan Allen - 4 comments ago}
Ah, now I get your point about Jenson being unlikely to succeed - unfortunately
August 21st, 2008 at 1:38 pmlou said:
haha
I’m not crazy. I just think Jenson has plenty of time to prove himself. I don’t care what you guys think, i’m gonna support him regardless 
August 21st, 2008 at 1:46 pmSteven Roy said:
Have you had your results yet Lou?
August 21st, 2008 at 1:49 pmlou said:
Yep, I just got back from school
August 21st, 2008 at 1:54 pmSteven Roy said:
and??
August 21st, 2008 at 1:55 pmme said:
great answer!!
August 21st, 2008 at 1:58 pmlou said:
I got x1 C which was latin. - but tbh i don’t really care. Latin is hard! and I hated it. I got x2 Bs (for Maths and German), x7 As (for English, English Lit, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics)and x1 A* (Textiles).
I’m very happy
August 21st, 2008 at 1:59 pmlou said:
haha
August 21st, 2008 at 2:03 pmSteven Roy said:
Well done you. I guess that is as much as you could possibly have expected. Congratulations.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:04 pmlou said:
Thank you
It’s so much more than I could ever have expected.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:08 pmSteven Roy said:
Now would be a real good time to drop hints to your parents about any photography equipment you would like because in two weeks time those results will be history in their minds and it will be too late to cash in.
August 21st, 2008 at 2:09 pmme said:
very, very impressive. go you
August 21st, 2008 at 2:12 pmlou said:
hahaha
good idea, although dad did give me £50… it wont get me any photography equipment but it is going in my savings box (i am saving up for all the events i want to go to next year) So far I have £120… I have made a good start. 
I will go to Silverstone next year 
and goodwood… 
August 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pmlou said:
Thank you
August 21st, 2008 at 3:02 pmz-baumgartner said:
Well done lou!!
I’m getting my results soon too!
August 21st, 2008 at 3:04 pmlou said:
Thank you!
Good luck!!!
August 21st, 2008 at 3:11 pmSteven Roy said:
BMW have published the report into their KERS accident. Reading between the lines it sounds like they think others could run into the same problem.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?id=43660
August 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pmJordan Allen said:
Everyone:
Time to update Fantasy Racers for the European Grand Prix in Valenica….Remember, Christine wants your “I am the Stig” keychains and mousepads!
Jordan F1 at this moment decides to stand pat. With the two Beamer’s, the two Toyotas and Webber.
Jordan (Allen) F1.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:22 pmme said:
i like that they couldn’t find anyone willing to be the “human” during the tests. isn’t that what intern’s are for?
it must be pretty serious if they’re willing to share this data with everyone though. that’ll mean revealing which system they’re going with.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:24 pmme said:
do explain.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:29 pmJordan Allen said:
Lasy North American speak. There’s a silent “W”, after the “M” in “Beam”.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:31 pmSteven Roy said:
Beamer is used on this side of the Atlantic too.
August 21st, 2008 at 4:31 pmme said:
ha! sorry, i meant… explain your decision to keep both beamers, when heidfeld didn’t even make it to q2 last time out?
August 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pmJordan Allen said:
Obviously, the interns had the smarts to make themselves disappear when they were looking for volunteers to redo the test of the KERBS system….
August 21st, 2008 at 4:47 pmJordan Allen said:
Well, I can not get the 10 million I want to free up to purchase Sato and ANT, so I might was well keep Heidfeld….
August 21st, 2008 at 5:35 pmJordan Allen said:
Well, me, if you really want to know why I am going use Heidfeld you should talk to a recently obtained black “I am the Stig” T-shirt that your wife currently owns…..
August 21st, 2008 at 5:35 pmme said:
uh-huh. i know someone else who plans their weekend strategies along similar lines.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:45 pmJordan Allen said:
I think you can recall, me, that I was accurately accused of being mean when I suggested that it might be possible to beat this “someone else” using both ANT and Sato and spending the rest of the 25 million on very good drivers….
However, Jordan F1 does claim the right to switch any driver at any moment up until everything is locked down for the race. I am entertaining the idea of switching the Red Bull drivers…..
Again, me, talk to Christine’s T-shirt.
August 21st, 2008 at 6:05 pmz-baumgartner said:
4A*’s, 6A’s and a B
August 21st, 2008 at 6:08 pmChristine said:
We have some amazingly brainy people on this site, well done Lou and Z.
August 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pmSteven Roy said:
Well done Z.
August 21st, 2008 at 7:12 pmDom said:
Cheers Jordan. Anyone else notice that Ant was in more teams than Nakajima for the Hungary race?
Congrats to Lou and Z too
August 21st, 2008 at 7:19 pmme said:
i said last week, the wrong people are hosting the podcast.
zb, you’re an A*.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:11 pmlou said:
Thank you
Well done Z!!! 
August 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmAlianora La Canta said:
Congratulations lou and z-baumgartner. Both of you have done really well - in fact you’ve done better than I did at GCSEs
August 25th, 2008 at 12:58 pmz-baumgartner said:
Thank you very much everybody!