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.

Quick 2014 Update

Hey guys, hope you all had a good holiday season and a happy new year.

Just posting a quick message here to let you know that I am in the process of exams at university, but those will be over soon and I will be setting aside a certain amount of time every week to write here, and on the Let's Talk F1 website.

I've missed writing but education comes first and to be quite honest, university has been so brilliant and there was a million and one different things exciting than Formula 1 this year.

What To Expect

Hopefully later this week I'll do an extremely belated 2013 award post. Shouldn't be too difficult to detail...

A quick look at the newbies of F1. Well, so far there is only two but I'm sure they're both worth a look at!

So far I am in charge of reviewing McLaren's, Caterham's and Force India's car launches for Let's Talk F1. Although expect them to be on the 'lite' side of things. Teams have just gone all out on brand new power train's and engine packages, I'm sure having expensive unveiling's is the last thing on their minds. I will be covering all the teams on here so make sure you check both sites regularly.

Let's Talk F1 will have a brand new look soon enough and with it a new team and a new agenda to bringing you the best in personal opinion and latest news in Formula 1. If you haven't already, make sure you add the page to your favourites and follow us on Twitter.

I'd like to evaluate the current financial state of Lotus, and why I would pick Pastor Maldonado over Nico Hulkenberg any day of the week.

I hope to be more active in 2014, I am also hoping for a more exiting F1 season too, I've always been really heavy into my rallying and motorbikes, and even the 6 hour races of the WEC were more enjoyable than the majority of the F1 races last year. 2014 has a lot to live up too!

My Thoughts On Michael Schumacher

No matter how involved with Formula 1 or sport in general for that matter, I'm sure I don't need to tell you of the awful events that occurred on 29/12/13.

Michael Schumacher's accident and current state has shocked and moved every single motor sport fan in the world. If you're as big a Schumacher fan as I am, the disbelief has just about wore off, and the enormity of the situation is only just becoming clear.

Schumi means quite a lot to me. My earliest memories of anything really are of watching Schumacher and Eddie Irvine racing for Ferrari. I supported Irvine for the obvious reason that he is from the same country as myself, but Michael's skill and talent really made me fall in love with his driving.

It's hard hearing your idol being in such a position that he is currently in. It sounds completely mad being attached to someone who doesn't even know I exist (there's even a psychological term for it called being crazy), but I still remember my first words at Silverstone 2012 which were:

"Holy sh*t, that's THE Michael Schumacher."

It doesn't matter to me that the 2010-2012 Schumacher era was nowhere near the dominant force that he was. We were just truly blessed to see such a true driving force behind the wheel of a Formula 1 racing car.

Things are looking quite bleak at the moment. Medical terms like "coma" and "haematoma" are certainly not what anyone wants to hear. I honestly believe that any other human being would have been dead by now. But Michael Schumacher was never a normal human being. If there's one man who can pull through this, it's the 7 times world champion.

All our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Schumacher, and I especially love the Ferrari vigil that was held today. It was carried out in such a tasteful and respectful manner. If there's one more reason for Michael to pull through this, it's so that he can see all the nice things that everyone is saying about him. 

Good luck Michael, get well soon!

#Red4Schumi

Various Bits & Bobs (1)

Hi guys, back at long last, it's been a while right? Instead of just getting ripped in to the latest news and stuff, I'm gonna just do a quick brief of little bits of news, everything from short Grand Prix summaries to the new Formula 1 game. I hope you enjoy!

Rush

The highly anticipated Formula 1 movie directed by Ron Howard was a massively speculated motion picture among us F1 fans, but how excited were the general public? Well out of all my friends who aren't to keen on the sport, not one person has said anything bad about it. 

My experience of the movie was absolutely epic. I loved every single second of the movie and honestly couldn't wait to watch it again. The noise was incredible, the cinema I saw it in captured the noise of the engines wonderfully, and the near fatal Lauda crash was enough to make any man tremble. 

There were a few moments that I would have considered 'silly' for example, a certain moment with James Hunt and a reporter, let's be honest if that had happened, we would have heard about it.

It may be too late to see it if you already haven't, but I would seriously consider pre-ordering the DVD. I know I have, blu-ray steel book edition.

Italian Grand Prix & Sebastian Vettel's Dominance

My pre Monza build up was essentially me gloating about how much I love the track and the aura surrounding the event.

So imagine my disappointment when Newey managed to dull the best event on the calendar. Setting the dominance aside for one second, it's getting annoying whenever Vettel has the race won on the Friday or Saturday. How people can justify him having any level of talent is still beyond me but it's come to the point where I just don't care anymore.

I've put Vettel fans in the same category as cyclists, annoying unwanted abusers. If you have any complaints to make about that statement, please keep it to yourself because nobody cares.

The most annoying aspect of that weekend was Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's qualifying. I'm gonna touch on this a little more in the next few days, but it's just not good enough. I can only assume they're focusing on 2014 but their Saturday performance is killing them, and it slowly got worse.

Singapore Grand Prix

From the absolute greatest Grand Prix on the calendar to the worst abomination since they let Louis Walsh judge talent. Yes for some reason Bernie Ecclestone thought it would b a great idea to run around a track where no overtaking is permitted and its greatest attraction is a few lights above a track.

What's worse is I never realised how many of you like it!! What's up with that? Where are all the real F1 fans who love real tracks like Silverstone and Spa?!?! It just weirds me out how so many people actually enjoy this track.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion (except for the aforementioned Vettel fans and Cyclists), my opinion was that the race was boring and Vettel had this won before he left Italy.

Kimi In, Massa Out

In the sheer space of an hour one long term driver has left Ferrari while a former champion comes home.

Felipe Massa announced tonight on Twitter that he would be leaving at the end of the year, and thanked his team and family for supporting him through 8 turbulent years.

Just Massa packs away his office supplies, the last man to win a world championship at Ferrari has came home, beating people like Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta for the seat.

The BBC has announced that Kimi Raikkonen has signed a one year deal with the option for 2015. As I mentioned previously the ideal scenario for Kimi would have been Massa as a team mate, but the prospect for a Kimi Raikkonen-Fernando Alonso line up is indeed mouth watering from the outside.

Inside our wonderful world of Formula 1 though, it creates a certain fear in the mind. Who gets the number 1 spot? I can't remember a time when Ferrari even thought of an equal driver policy. It's either on or the other and if Luca di Montezemolo & Stefano Domenicali had any sense they would give Raikkonen the role of number 1 driver.

He'll be a fresh albeit returning face, but he'll create a whirlwind of excitement for the Tifosi and the Ferrari team in Italy. At the end of the day, Alonso has nil championships at Ferrari, Kimi has 1. Fernando may have two overall but any bets should be with Kimi.

It would be hard not to be sad for Massa. I've never been a huge fan of him but I've always respected him. But I guess when your time comes you'll know about it. Here is is farewell message on Instagram: 

"From 2014 i will no longer be driving for Ferrari. I would like to thank the team for all the victories and incredible moments experienced together. Thank you also to my wife and all of my family, to my fans and all my Sponsors. From each one of you I have always received a great support! Right now I want to push as hard as possible with Ferrari for the remaining 7 races. For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the Championship which remains my greatest objective! Thank you all. Felipe"

The person who will probably miss him more than Fernando Alonso is poor Rob Smedly. They were like brothers and can you honestly imagine Rob talking any nonsense from Kimi over the radio?

The bottom line is, Kimi still has championship potential in him. The key factor in all of this is James Allison. He is the most important factor for 2014. The fact him and Kimi are back together again can only mean positive things. 

I am honestly so excited for next season that I do not give a damn about this season. Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel should be very, very worried. That's only if the Alonso-Raikkonen situation is managed very carefully.

Kimi Raikkonen: Where To Put His Signature?

Following a public telling off on his birthday, harsh comments made over the radio after a dreadful qualifying session and intense media speculation about an impending 'gap year' it looks as if Fernando Alonso is heading for the exit on his Ferrari career.

Usually, it's Felipe Massa driving to keep his seat but this year the tables have been switched. Of course Massa isn't safe either, and there is the possibility of both long term men leaving the team, opening an unprecedented two driver vacancy search. And of course there is one man on everyone's mind for at least one roll.

Kimi Raikkonen may or may not have lost the Red Bull drive, he may have turned it down or Red Bull may be looking for a long term deal with Daniel Ricciardo. I'm not so glad Kimi missed out on this opportunity. Raikkonen's problems stem from bad Saturday performances in the Lotus, so if the chance comes when you can drive the best Saturday car on the grid, would you not take it? 

As I said, it may have been out of Raikkonen's hands. The one thing I don't buy is this term; 'longevity.' It doesn't matter if you want to look to book a long term option, offer a longer contract then. It's easy to secure new drivers, we're always complaining about the vast number of young talent coming through. Plus (for example), if you could have Raikkonen for two years and then someone like Jules Bianchi for the future, surely that would be better than hiring Bianchi outright.

It's not that I'm annoyed at Ricciardo getting the Red Bull seat, at the end of the day that's what Toro Rosso is there for. It would just have been better for Kimi to have a better qualifying car which would knock Vettel off that smug perch of his.

I think for the sole reason of the Saturday, Kimi should definitely make the move to Ferrari. I know it's not exactly a pole sitter but it's better than fighting to get in to Q3.

Fernando Alonso hasn't exactly had the most successful time at Ferrari. Yes he's won races but that's not enough when you're driving for the most successful team in F1 history. You need to win World Championship's. Kimi Raikkonen was the last man to win a World Championship at Ferrari. Vise versa, Alonso was the last man to win a World Championship at Enstone, makes sense to return them both back to whence they came.

I know everyone keeps going on about the relaxed atmosphere at Enstone and how beneficial it is for Kimi but look what it has done for him, they let James Allison go, resulting in a Grand Prix winning car slipping down the grid. That's even more reason for Kimi to return home, he'll be reunited with James Allison for the all important 2014 regulation changing season.

Whether he's partnered with Massa, Alonso or even Nico Hulkenberg, The Iceman needs to think about how long he has left in the sport. As much as it pains me to say, he is getting on a bit. Maybe Lotus's plans go beyond Kimi's limit in the sport. 

The only scenario I wouldn't like to see is an Alonso-Raikkonen pairing. That cannot and won't work.  It would be too volatile and would only aid Adrian Newey's dominance.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Kimi sign on for a couple more years at Lotus, but it would disappoint me to see him make the same mistake twice. But Kimi Raikkonen is no ordinary driver, he knows what is best for him, and the teams are tripping over each other to sign him. He holds the key to winning the title again. Let's hope he unlocks the red door.

My Love With Monza

Driving a Ferrari at Monza must be the closest a man can come to being divine.

Despite being a British fan, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is not the first race weekend I look at on the calendar. My eyes go straight to September to find out what weekend Monza is happening over. I've been like this ever since I can remember. 

The 1998 Grand Prix is the earliest one I can remember, mostly because for some reason it was taped on an old VHS, and I had re-watched it so many times over the years. It was such an epic race, and of course a Ferrari 1-2 led by the God himself Michael Schumacher, followed by Eddie Irvine.

Monza currently caps off the European stretch of races, a fitting send off often because the memory of Monza tides me over for the following poor Asian races. One of the appeals of the circuit is the fast nature of the layout. It is the fastest circuit with the cars reaching their top possible speed at Monza. Teams often fit one of their brand new engines after Spa for Monza purely because of the demand put on them.

The history behind Monza is simply stunning. The old circuit ran through the forest, with the greatest attraction being the Pista di Alta Velocità banking which was one of the fastest corners in all of motor racing. Eventually the track had to be slowed down which led to a configuration and introduction of more chicanes. I would love to have seen a race on the old layout!

Excluding 1980 for construction work, Monza has hosted every Italian Grand Prix. A feat only beaten by Monaco.

My love for the circuit is also a little bit juvenile. The first F1 game I bought for the PS3 was F1 2010 and you started off as one of the bottom three teams and as one might imagine, I wasn't exactly competitive in the green Team Lotus. Somehow, miraculously I put the car on P2 on the grid. I don't know how but it happened. I got to the first chicane behind Lewis Hamilton and just as he was leaving it, he spun... I finished up P1... To this day I do not have a clue... But ever since then I just called myself the Master of Monza.

As a big lover of racing video games, Autodromo Nazionale Monza features in near enough all of them. Gran Turismo 5 is a particular talking point, it just looks like so much fun, I honestly cannot imagine what the real thing is like.

Even though it would seem like I've never had a bad thought about the track, I am realistic about how predictability race day is. Front row is always key here. Once you have secured P1 and P2 into the first chicane, that's it. And as we all know once Sebastian Vettel is first into the first corner, it''s all over because of the car. It's a formula that ruins many race weekends for me, but with Monza I always watch it through regardless.

In 2013, the pressure is on for many. One of the most intimidating factors of Monza is the Tifosi. Ferrari's army of hardcore and ruthless supporters can either make or break a driver's weekend. If a driver has had any previous connection to Ferrari, the fans will rally some support behind them. If not, you are considered the anti-Christ. Lewis Hamilton get boo'd last year when he won, simply for being a McLaren driver.

Obviously, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa are under both tremendous support but deathly pressure. But driving a Ferrari at Monza must be the closest a man can come to being divine. You will hear the fans if neither are on the front row. Kimi Raikkonen must get his season back on track after his first DNF at Spa since his comeback. A new wheelbase might not save him, when has a wheelbase ever been the key to winning races. That being said I have no clue but I'm not hopeful.

Hamilton is probably favourite for pole, hopefully the Mercedes tyre issue is sorted because tyre wear is high. Italian pride may not exist in Pirelli this season, hopefully confidence will be restored after.

Regardless of events or the outcome, Monza will definitely throw up a huge level of excitement. This year's Formula 1 season has been extremely lacklustre. Most excitement has happened from a few blown tyres and a deserved retirement for Vettel at Silverstone. Australia was the best so far, and that was way back in March. Time for Monza to show us what it's made of. 

7 Most Impressive Drivers So Far: Jules Bianchi

I suspect this guy will be on a lot of people's lists at the half way point for a number of reasons, mostly because of his performance in terms of the back runners. The young Frenchman currently holds the highest place finish for the bottom two teams, which at the end of the season could help Marussia financially  although as we've seen with Caterham for the past three seasons, they've done very little with it. 

His pace and qualifying performances have all been superb for his position at the back. For a guy who missed out on the Force India seat, you can tell he feels truly blessed to be in the position he's in. To say Force India are kicking themselves would be wrong and untrue, but they certainly have to ask "what if?"

His P13 finish in Malaysia certainly took most my surprise, most of all Marussia's nearest competition over at Caterham. Marussia's MR02 is the first Marussia car to feature KERS, and it certainly does seem to have levelled out the playing field. If progress is to be measured against his team mates, Bianchi is beating Chilton comfortable, however Chiilton has accomplished a feat that only Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton have achieved so far this season, finishing every single race and lap. With only two DNF's to his name, Bianchi doesn't have that much to improve on.

Force India will definitely be keeping an eye on their former test driver especially if Paul di Resta is to leave for pastures new, but they may find they have bigger names chasing the young star. As a member of the Ferrari Driver's Academy, Stefano Domenicali has been monitoring his progress ever since his testing days. It's maybe about time Ferrari had some young blood around the paddock, five years without title success is not the Ferrari way.

Good things can only come from Jules Bianchi's involvement in Formula 1. The sport can genuinely benefit from such a talented individual. It just goes to show, when given two cars of the same build and capabilities, a real racing driver is capable of more than a pay driver.

7 Most Impressive Drivers So Far: Paul di Resta

Despite numerous and unforgivable mistakes from his team, Paul di Resta has shown grit and determination to bring positives out of entirely negative situations. 

Overall the Scot is a real hardened racing driver, something lacking in today's modern times. He pushes the car hard when he's given the opportunity and when the current formula is all about tyre management, he is considered one of the best when it comes to looking after the rubber.

His stand out performance has to have been Bahrain where he came incredibly close to securing a maiden podium, only to be ousted by Lotus's Romain Grosjean in a thrilling scrap. It just goes to show, the pace is there and the ability is constantly on show. But the one element letting him down and possibly the biggest component is the support of his team.

I'm not talking about lack of support like the kind Mark Webber and Felipe Massa have, I'm talking more along the lines for fortune and decent management. Di Resta has been let down massively by the team.

In Monaco, the team opted to stay out on inters after Paul had put in some front running lap times, a decision which cost di Resta to bow out in Q1 as low down as P17, somewhere were no driver wants to be. di Resta blamed it on poor decision making and called for the procedures to be cleaned up in order to prevent such mistakes from happening again. How did the Scot respond? By pulling major overtaking manoeuvres in places where no man thought possible.It was every other lap where he was taking someone on the outside of turn 1 which eventually lead him to secure P9 and 2 points for himself. Imagine what he could have done if his team had been on the ball.

You would then expect a team to go out and improve qualifying performance, but oh no. Someone clearly let monkey loose in the Force India garage after the team decided to alter a gearbox setting in Paul's car in the Canadian GP. This meant he missed optimum track performance and once again he missed the Q2 cut. The angry driver described the latest blunder as "unacceptable" and publicly blasted his team.

Rightly so, it's not on to make these mistakes back to back when you're racing in the pinnacle of motorsport, idiots who make these decisions need to be sat down and educated on what their blunders are doing to the team. Nevertheless, di Resta soldiered on to finish in 7th place, a master drive from a master-class driver.

Bizarrely, Paul was disqualified from qualifying at the British GP despite qualifying 9th. It was found that the Force India car was 1.5kg lighter than it should have been. It still remains a mystery whether Paul had some disastrous dinner the night before, resulting in him dropping a load of weight in the toilet, or if the team had made a blunder. Once again, he came back and finished in the points.

Qualifying still haunts di Resta and it is a real shame considering the potential of the car at the start of the season. Hopefully when he comes back he finds some magic and starts scoring big numbers.

On the bigger picture, he seems needs to be getting noticed. Already on the Ferrari and Red Bull shortlists, opportunities could also present themselves at Lotus and McLaren too. Paul has been very very good to Force India and this year they haven't really treated him the way he deserves. It's time he got into a race winning car soon and I believe his time is coming soon.

Hunt vs Lauda: The Genius

For your consideration, James Hunt.

As little as I know about James Hunt, I know an equal amount about Niki Lauda. Based on my own observations on both drivers, two words come to mind when comparing Niki Lauda to Hunt: polar opposite. When attempting to describe Niki Lauda on his own: genius.

Clash of the titans somehow doesn't even begin to sum up just how big these men really were for Formula 1. The Ron Howard movie 'Rush' is well anticipated among both the Formula 1 community and non motorsport fans. Top class director as well as two top class actors (Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl) well guarantee that the sport well benefit hugely from letting the public gaze into one of the most intensely fought battles. 

Fast, Consistent and Well Prepared.

Unlike Hunt, Niki Lauda was already a proven world champion. Considered to be the best in the era, his Ferrari was considered untouchable. Such character was reinforced from being such a popular world champion in 1975. Ferrari team principle Daniele Audetto summed him up as an intelligent being in that he was "fast and consistent" which came from being well prepared for every race and every presentable scenario. 

In every meaning of the word, Niki Lauda was described as a complete driver. Audetto noted that for every Grand Prix, Lauda would stay late, well after every driver and managers went home in order to make sure the mechanics were doing their jobs properly. He is described as "a perfectionist."

Being the complete opposite of Hunt didn't stop on track. While Hunt was a playa and a good looking fellow, Lauda was quiet and wasn't gifted in the looks department. James Hunt often called him 'Rat' to his face because that's what he looked like, but this was well humoured and part of the relationship between the two. 

Lauda's wife Marlene meant a lot to him. This showed a side to Formula 1 and Niki Lauda that I had never seen or known before. Despite the fact they have been divorced for some time, she had always been a major part of his life. 

Ferrari in the 70s was not a democracy. One man ruled with an iron fist. It was the man who had his name on the side of the car.

You don't even need to know about Formula 1 to know how ruthless Enzo Ferrari really was. He just was not a nice man. Brilliant man, absolute marvel but not nice. He only wanted his team to win, and therefore only ever favoured winners. Lauda was one of the few who Enzo called 'his favourite.' Lauda was able to block out the weight of the ego from the boss and transferred that energy into a winning Formula. That in itself sounds like a miracle from the outside looking in.

Of course, you can't talk about Niki Lauda and not mention the tradgey of what occurred at the Nurburgring. Despite being the fastest man during that point of the season, Lauda attempted to get the German GP cancelled through safety concerns. It was not be and the race was given the go ahead.

Against the track conditions, Lauda swapped wets for slicks and just before Bergwerk, Lauda lost control and hit the barriers and burst into flames. In the ensuing 400 degree Celsius madness another car collided with him. Moments later many drivers stopped to get him out but damage had been done. Severe burns to his face and head plus toxic gas inhalation meant Niki Lauda was left hanging on for his life.

Fortunately God had spared Niki, his willpower exceeded the norm and he made a remarkable recovery, albeit with permanent scarring, a missing ear and lung injuries. If the man didn't have respect at the time, he sure as hell got it after. A sensational human being had been to hell and back, and he still just wanted to race.

Two races later, Lauda demanded to race at Monza. Ferrari didn't want to rush him back, but there was nothing stopping him. Lauda found his rehabilitation in the form of driving his Ferrari at the home of Ferrari, where he was granted a hero's welcome. 

Despite the Hollywood story, Lauda failed to beat Hunt to the title after retiring from the final race of the season due to his own personal safety concerns.

Niki Lauda is the living embodiment of a fighter. He refused to stay down and because of it, he went on to becoming the best there was for his generation.

His 1976 campaign was unsuccessful, but the following season saw him crowned champion again. After a brief retirement spell, he joined McLaren to go on to become champion again in 1984. Two years later would see his final goodbyes.

His presence in modern day Formula 1 is bigger than ever. in 2012 it was announced he would become the non-executive Chairman of Mercedes AMG F1 team, and was involved in focal negotiations to bring Lewis Hamilton to the team.

Hunt vs Lauda: The Showman

In anticipation for the new Formula 1 movie about one of the most fiercest rivalries in the history of sport, BBC showed a phenomenal documentary about the 1976 Formula 1 season. It detailed James Hunt's challenge to the force of Ferrari and also the devastating crash that left Niki Lauda hanging on to life.

Ever since the preview that was shown on Top Gear a week ago, 'Rush' directed by Ron Howard and starring Thor himself Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds) has now come to the mainstream attention of nations everywhere. I can personally say more people who know nothing about Formula 1 have asked me have I seen the Rush trailer than F1 fanatics.

My biggest concern for the film is that it focuses on the personal sides of both men rather than the actual sport, but I am still really excited for the movie. The documentary last night was absolutely sensational. 

It's very easy for someone of my age to read a few pieces on the internet and then say I know everything there is to know about Hunt and Lauda and what they went through. But the truth is I don't think anybody can really say they understand without having ever actually been around at the time. So don't think for one second that I understand everything being said last night because I simply cannot even fathom what happened back in 1976.

Shows like last night help give people like me a lens to look through. From what I gather, both were very special men, who both thought they were better than the other.

Fast, Flamboyant, Showman

James Hunt signed for McLaren in 1976, and the decision was met with great appraisal. Simon Taylor, a journalist at the time and radio commentator described Hunt as "popular and well loved" but thought his chances of winning the title were low, given the immense strength of Ferrari.

Those who knew him closest, saw a complete driver inside. James's sister Sally Jones described him as a "competitive but solitary kind of driver."  

McLaren's team principle Alastair Caldwell stated it was actually Hunt who rang him up about driving for McLaren that year. Imagine that now if Jenson Button or Paul di Resta rang up Ferrari or Red Bull for a drive! 

The general consensus of Hunt was that he loved a party. 'Sex for breakfast' was his start to the day and every after race party went well on until the next day. Despite the party animal, James Hunt was always 100% focused inside the car. Immediately after the chequered flag followed a kiss, cigarette and a dark humoured joke.

His unpredictable personality and wonderful jokes made him an absolute nightmare for sponsors. John Hogan who was an advertisement specialist for motorsport mentioned that "Hunt left a trail of destruction for straight laced sponsors." Despite this, some felt this played to Hunt's advantage. Taylor observed that instead of giving Malboro (McLaren's sponsor at the time) a bad name, he improved their image.


That particular example would be unthinkable in these times but that just shows the amount of pull Hunt had over the public. He was an icon and during times of hardship, he lifted (in particular) the British people's spirit. It's hard not to love a guy who, when asked what winning the British Grand Prix meant to him replied with: "9 points and $20, 000 means a lot dear boy!" It didn't stop when he got on to the podium, asking could the ceremony be paused until he grabbed a cigarette off a willing spectator.

Like many free spirits, the key to unleashing the full potential of the champion that was James Hunt, was to give him no boundaries. Caldwell put it in the simplest of terms: "Let Hunt be Hunt, and the results will follow." The results were hard to argue with. 

I'm glad that after all the miles of words that were spoken between Hunt and Lauda and about Hunt and Lauda, that they still had 100% respect towards each other.

James Hunt was something different and further proof that I was born in the wrong era, my tribute is learning and educating myself about a driver who paved the way for many aspirational racing drivers.

Hunt went on to retire in 79 and then became a commentator for Formula 1. Unfortunately like many of the brightest stars, James Hunt passed away in 1993. He was 45.

Silverstone

God Rest.

First off, I'd like to start this blog off by offering my condolences to the loved ones of Allan Simonsen who tragically passed away during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A death in motorsport is always tragic, any racing driver will be sadly missed.




The British Grand Prix at Silverstone

As mentioned many times, Silverstone 2012 was the first ever live Formula 1 race I attended. Me and three very close friends decided to have a lads holiday watching the pinnacle of motor racing. It was a weekend in which I will never forget.

This year I am giving it a miss. Instead I'll be watching the race from a bar in Salou and as grateful as I am to be going away, I am still very envious of British Grand Prix goers. Still, a break from the pissy weather conditions in Northern Ireland with someone special is still pretty cool.

I absolutely love Silverstone, in my eyes it's a terrific circuit and is considered among the heights of Monaco, Spa, Interlagos and Monaco. I still have my old map from last year. It is soaked to its very fibres. I really hope the weather is perfect this year. Having said that, my favourite condition is a wet qualifying session and a dry race.

After wandering about the track during qualifying, we decided to stand at Luffield, the combination of a timing screen and huge TV screen was epic and truly informative for someone who had lack of access to Twitter. Plus it's great seeing the cars at such low speeds.

Obviously I'll not be covering any results, but it's not hard to predict winners. It's a Red Bull circuit, and considering Sebastian Vettel's form, he could very well complete a very dominate victory. That being said, his team-mate Mark Webber is something of a specialist here. I think he secretly practises at night time since he only lives a few miles from the track.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is also a very strong racer at Silverstone, and Lotus's Kimi Raikkonen will be looking to get his title charge back on track now that those stupid street circuits are over for now.

British Hopes Are Feeble

Another thing I took from last year was the insane amount of support the British have for McLaren. It was crazy seeing a sea of orange hats. My friend Patrice caught and still has Jenson Button's hat from the F1 Forum last year.

This year there will be no surprise when Button and McLaren hopes flop. Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton will be the best opportunity for at least a podium. Hopefully McLaren can do something, The fans deserve something, driver appearances, free souvenirs, something to give back for their dedication.

I'll be cheering for Paul di Resta as always. He's such a talented driver and will be looking to prove to the British audience that he is capable of scrapping with the big boys.

With all being said, Max Chilton has as much chance as being a British winner as the other three do this year.

Soaring Ticket Prices To Blame For Record Low Ticket Sales

Whilst reading an article this week, I was shocked to discover that for a standard weekend ticket for the British Grand Prix is the third most expensive behind Interlagos and Abu Dhabi. 

That is sheer insanity on the face of it. 2012 broke the record for the most spectators at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This years preliminary numbers show it will hit a record low. Teams have took to Twitter and BBC to plug for sales.

Improved facilities and transport is great, but it's all for nothing unless you get the people there.

Enjoy

Folks have a great British Grand Prix. It's the greatest sporting event that happens in the UK, and it delivers a fantastic experience. I hope everyone enjoys themselves safely and cheers on whoever they may support!