Double Trouble

As we know by now, one of the more shocking regulation changes for 2014 was to offer double points to the top 10 finishers of the very last Grand Prix of the year.

The idea is that the motivation will increase competition, and make the championship fight extend longer, unlike the snoozefest's of 2011 and 2013 (yawn). 

There are conflicting beliefs within the paddock that the points system is here to stay, Ferrari's Luca Di Montezemolo says that it's only a temporary folly whereas Lotus and Eric Boullier are certain it's a permanent arrangement. 

It's only one more desperate attempt to make Formula 1 look interesting, when in actual fact it's making the sport look like an absolute joke. Imagine making tries in rugby worth double in the last ten minutes of a match, it's complete crazy.

Eddie Irvine was spot on when he said the sport is completely lost.What gripes me the most is that Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA have basically said that Abu Dhabi, and the Yas Marina circuit is worth more than Silverstone, Monza, Monte Carlo and Spa. Why should emphasis be placed on a below par circuit that has existed for all of 5 minutes, above REAL circuits?

Oh wow, you light up, cause that's what the fans want...

One thing is always for sure; leave it to Red Bell and Sebastian Vettel to shy away from the fact that this only helps them. 

I'm not saying they had any involvement with the decision making, that would be stupid-thinking. What I am saying is that Vettel coming out and calling it "absurd," and Christian Horner criticising the FIA is rather cheap considering they are the only ones who truly benefit.

Red Bull perform far better in the second half in a season. Asia is practically Vettel's playground, you know he's just going to pull maximum points every time. And with 3 wins in 5 races at Yas Marina, it's safe to say it's a Vettel track. What if Red Bull scrape by the whole season, get lucky (because we know it happens) at Abu Dhabi and steal it away undeservedly?! It says to the teams just give it your 100% at the last race of the season, it's worth the real points.


This is all assuming the order remains the same with the new engines however, maybe the change is so big that double points might actually prove to be a great thing in the sport. Right now, it makes it look weak.

It seems to me like this is a quick fix to a really terminal problem with Formula 1. Along with the introduction of the Vettel Trophy (trophy for most pole positions), these are just really bad decisions. If the FIA wants to emulate the success of other motor racing series', introduce interesting scenarios like reversed grids, or ballasts like in the BTCC, not something that belittles 18 races of hard work.

7 Most Impressive Drivers So Far: Jean-Eric Vergne

When Mark Webber announced he was leaving Formula 1 at the end of the year, speculation immediately turned to the sister Red Bull team Toro Rosso and their young talents.

Despite scoring more points than Daniel Ricciardo this season, Jean-Eric Vergne has failed to finish four races this season while Ricciardo has only retired from two, one being Monaco where he was shafted majorly. It is because of this and Ricciardo's supreme qualifying results that has saw Jean-Eric Vergne being overlooked for the Red Bull seat.

Rumours in the world of F1 have suggested that heavyweights such as Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have pushed JEV off the short-list entirely, and looks to be staying with Toro Rosso next season.

To me it's a huge shame that the Red Bull hierarchy (Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Helmut Marko and The Godfather, Dietrich Mateschitz) have chosen to review Ricciardo's progress rather than JEV's.

Regular readers will be aware that I like Ricciardo and have nothing other than positive things to say about the young man. That being said 10 out of 10 times I would pick Jean-Eric Vergne for the simple season of him scoring more points. I think over the course of a season, JEV has the energy and the will to provide over an entire season. This was always Mark Webber's problem, he would do well in parts but under perform in others.

While he may not have been a superstar in 2013, Vergne has definitely continued to deliver time and time again and even though he looks to have lost out, he still remains committed to his own personal cause.  

Still Unacceptable

My love letter to the Sebastian Vettel fans 

"Every Vettel fan is still so far up their arse with lies they can practically taste their brain."

After I cooled down from the weekend's events and taken a step back to look at my previous blog, I've come to the conclusion: that I'm still right and every Vettel fan is still so far up their arse with lies they can practically taste their brain. The fact that you're stilll defending this event that has put the sport in an awful light shows you're an absolute joke of a supporter.

The response to the situation has been absolutely staggering. The drivers are appalled, the media are surprisingly one sided, commentators are disgusted, one even wants Vettel banned! The response I got to my blog as overwhelming and Twitter was fuming too, I'd personally like to thank all those who got in touch. The fact that you're as passionate about this as I am, and that you're willing to be as open and as honest about it as I am is absolutely amazing. It really goes to show how many real fans there still are. Don't get me wrong, there's still the odd arsehole on Twitter and Instagram who cannot admit that they are wrong, or see the issue here, and it's these arseholes I'm aiming today's blow at.

Any 'fan' who has supported Vettel are quite keen on giving what I like to call; a politicians answer. This means in their messed up head, they think they've answered the question when in reality they have completely avoided it. So from now on, any Vettel 'fan' will now be called a patient, as you must have suffered some severe trauma to still miss the big picture.

Guys, it's nothing to do with getting points, or having the hunger. I'm not pro team orders or against them. It barely has anything to do with racing, it has to do with ETHICS. In the working world, if your boss tells you to do something, you bloody well do it. It's a case of them saying "jump" and you saying "how high?" But Vettel thought himself above his team principle Christian Horner, and thought he knew best.

So you can put away your silly points about wanting it more, or that Mark Webber was too slow, Sebastian was told to stay behind by his authority, and he didn't.

The point that really irritates me about the patients, is one of their favourite people to quote. Bare this in mind, I love Ayrton Senna. He is the greatest driver in the history of Formula 1, and I don't appreciate his name being used, but these patients are low enough like their idol Vettel to drag his name through the dirt. If you're not familiar with the famous Senna quote, here it is:

"And you [Jackie Stewart] know a lot about racing. And you should know that by being a racing driver, you are under risks all the time. By being a racing driver means you are racing with other people. And if you no longer go for a gap that exists, you're no longer a racing driver, because we are competing. We are competing to win, and the main motivation to all of us is to compete for victory; it's not to come 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th"

Senna lived his life by this, and his career, which has inspired a lot of drivers including Vettel obviously. It brought the Brazilian lots of success, 41 race wins and 3 world championships, so I can see why it's a great quote to use in an argument, and let's be honest, it instilled him as a legend forever.

Here comes the controversial point and the one the Vettel patients are missing. Alain Prost, Senna's rival for years lived by a completely different philosophy. He believed that if you only need so many points or a certain finish, then that's all that you need to do. He's a smart, well educated man, nicknamed 'The Professor' for a reason. You could say this makes him the polar opposite to Senna.

Now, do you want to know why his philosophy is better than Senna's, and why in the argument's case it renders Senna's quote moot? Because Prost was more successful than Senna. It's not a matter of talent (Senna was far more talented and the better driver), it's a matter of statistics and unless you are severely brain damaged and in the case of the hardcore Vettel fans, a total brain dead rabbit, you'll know statistics are a huge part of F1. Prost won 51 races and 4 world championships, all of which came before Senna's death. Not that I hope anyone would use that as an excuse.

I can see why pushing the limit is attractive, it gets results. But Prost's way, adopted by drivers like Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, gets the results more fairly. The only reason Vettel has won more championships is because of his car. 

The other point I absoutely adored was the whole "it has nothing to do with the car" or "Newey has nothing to do with it." It made me realise just how desperately pathetic some Vettel patients are and instead of arguing with you, I'm going to pity you. Because like your driver, you are a lost cause and a waste of my time.

Vettel and Webber have never had the same car. They've never had the same backing or resources. There's very simply the Red Bull corner, and the Webber corner. There is a car designed for Mark Webber, then there is the car designed to win the championship, all because of Adrian Newey. Vettel has nothing to do with it, if the roles were reversed, Webber would be a triple world champion, and maybe I'd be supporting the German. This should hopefully answer why Webber hasn't been champion yet. Not because of his (perceived) lack of ability, but because he has been oppressed by his team. Anybody denying this should really get themselves checked out for criminal levels of insanity.

The other arguments that have surfaced from the rats are the fact that Vettel is in it for himself, and the team are lucky to have him. When I challenged one, he tried to tell me that if Vettel was still in a Toro Rosso, he would still be a triple world champion. Well, I'll let you guess among yourselves what my response was.

The big issue with these people, is that you cannot cure stupidity. Vettel patients will always defend their boy because they cannot see beyond the bigger picture. The pity I have for you guys is astronomical, but I have no time for idiots.

Unacceptable

"The sports fan in me feels quite numb."

Right I don't know where to begin so off the bat I'm just going to say this; I've never liked Sebastian Vettel. He's not a real driver, he was gifted three world championships on a silver platter, he's had the easy route his whole career and has been protected by some people who are deemed untouchable. He is the puppet boy controlled by the puppet masters. Furthermore, on a Sunday or, race day, for most of them I am working which generally means I can only catch highlights, which is fine because I'm out earning a living to keep me afloat at university.

So I work hard for roughly ten hours on a Sunday 7-5 kind of job, long days work which I do enjoy, but come 5 o'clock I'm tired. I generally want to come home, have a nice dinner and relax watching some Grand Prix action and then I come on here and do my thing. So how does it feel knowing that I find out prematurely that one of only nineteen races this year has been tarnished in controversy by a driver who I despise more than any human being on the planet? Revolting.

I've not watched the race. I'm not going to. Read autosport, BBC, eurosport, Sky if you have too, it's all the same but it has to be sugar coated in order to remain "partial." Well, bias is a luxury I can afford, except it's not called bias and it means something completely different. It's called honesty, and here is what those websites all want to say:

Sebastian Vettel disgraces everything F1 by deifying team orders.

Yes, "disgraces". He is a disgrace to his team, to his country, to his fellow drivers but worst of all, he has had a total lack of respect for his team mate and us the fans. I don't want to hear any of this "racing" bollocks. he was told to stand down by his boss, and he refused. He has thought himself a better mind than his team principle, his arrogance sickens me.

There is no further doubt in my head, and I am not ashamed to say: Sebastian Vettel is utter scum. Any die hard Vettel fans who are reading this and thinking of commenting, don't bother your opinion is now and forever invalid (I will still publish just to let the world see how fickle you are). 

"Mark is too slow get him out of the way." Piss off you immature excuse of a human being. How can anybody criticise their team mate like that? Mark Webber has nothing to show for it because of Vettel being easily played, but he is the better racing driver and character of the two. It's him today I feel so sorry for because I can't see him wanting to be at Red Bull any more. If you gave him a drive in a Marussia he'd be happy to get away from that sly piece of work. Christian Horner and Adrian Newey need to handle this correctly. Who am I kidding, no they won't. 

Sad thing is, nothing will get done. As Webber says, "he is protected." The FIA can't do anything, it wasn't illegal. Red Bull can do something, but they won't. What they can actually do, is flag up something to do with the FIA, even something made up about Seb's car that deems it illegal, thus disqualifying Vettel and giving Mark his rightful place. The team are going to win the championship any way, they can afford to give up the points. But they won't for fear of upsetting their cry baby "world champion."  

This is how soccer-ball fans must feel every week, complete and utter jokes and mugs for actually watching nonsense events such as this. I'm not proud to be a fan of F1 today. I will be tomorrow again when I clear my head and realise there is still a long way to go, but right now the sports fan in me feels quite numb.

RB9

It's hard to think of any other launch that could have had more eyes upon it than Red Bull's unveiling of the 2013 car from the genius that is Adrian Newey.

Easily the most secretive and most 'touchiest' team about the details of the RB9, team principal Christian Horner made sure he gave nothing away, keeping the environment of which the launch took place in near utter darkness, sparing just the purple lighting of new sponsor Infiniti which now makes the team Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Camera's were also banned from the room preventing any details getting leaked. 

It would be wishful thinking to ask for anything else, the mind that is Adrian Newey has delivered them the double for three years on the trot, it's no surprise that Horner used the most expensive cover in history in the shape of drivers Mark Webber and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel at the RB9's rear.

In contrast to every launch so far, Red Bull did not do a live launch online for fans in order to keep the utmost secrecy possible. Instead, Red Bull delivered something a little more personal in the form of an exclusive video on YouTube. RB9 Rhythm Of The Factory shows how some components of an F1 car are created and then pieced together. In the end it shows a promo shot of the RB9.

First thing I noticed was the continuity of the stepped nose, but since that's one of the only technical aspects I can see, I'll come back to it. There's no hiding that in the past I've been highly critical of Red Bull and in particular Sebastian Vettel. But this isn't a bad looking car, the colours are brilliantly bright and the purple tint is a fantastic addition. Infiniti has replaced Red Bull on the sidepods of the car, and is also a feature on the rear wing.

Chief designer Adrian Newey called the car an "evolution" stating that 2013 will be difficult, giving that there are no real regulation changes. Youngest ever triple world champion Sebastian Vettel echoed Newey's words, stating that "it will be a tough challenge." No doubt Sebastian, you'll find a late surge at the almost purpose built Red Bull circuits in Asia. If there was ever a case to exclude India, Singapore and Korea, it's most certainly the fact they seem to gift Red Bull 1-2's or close to.

The stepped nose rears its ugly appearance on the second car this season, suspiciously on another Renault powered car. McLaren/Force India (Mercedes powered cars) and Ferrari/Sauber (Ferrari powered cars) all opted for the optional vanity panel which allows teams to cover up the monstrous indiscretions. However the Renault machines of Lotus and Red Bull have kept the look of the 2012 models. In my Lotus E21 review I was highly critical of them choosing the boxers nose but If Adrian Newey has kept it, then it has actually given me hope about the E21 being competitive.

Red Bull will be putting every last belief they can into the RB9 in order to bring about a fourth consecutive double. One can't help but wonder if the RB9 will be the last laugh for the Milton Keynes based team or in my opinion, the last fluke. As I've mentioned countless times before, 2014 will provide a huge shake up of the pecking order. Red Bull have had their day in the sun, making the 2011 season boring and blinding everybody by saying Vettel had a stormer in Abu Dhabi last season (two safety cars and several retirements do not count as a sensational drive). They could find themselves in a rather different midfield positions in 2014, something even Adrian Newey may not be able to prevent. I can only hope.