Auto Racing’s “Upper Crust” Weekend
NASCAR gets about as far away from its southern “good ole boy” roots as possible this week in Sonoma County California. On the opposite side of North America Formula One makes its annual stop at Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Call it a wine & cheese weekend, wine from the area around Infineon Raceway Sear’s Point (including Jeffy’s own brand), and F1, a charter member of the wine & cheese set.
Here are a few of the storylines I noted this week. First F1.
World Champion Fernando Alonzo penciled in the Canadian Grand Prix on his “to do” list before the start of the season. At risk is his current streak of 14 straight podiums. In order to complete that task he will have to avoid the uncharacteristic error made in 2005 when he hit the concrete wall at the exit of the final chicane while in the lead.
Alonzo’s cheif rival may be teammate Giancarlo Fisichella who just resigned with Renault and has 2 seconds and two third place finishes in Canada.
If Michael Schumacher can pull off a win he will become the first driver to win the same grand prix eight times. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities. Ferrari pretty much stunk up the series most of last year yet Schumacher finished on the second step in 2005.
Schumie may get a little help from Shell of all places. Shell is supplying the Ferrari 248 with a new formulation gearbox oil for this event they claim was developed for the “stop-and-go” driving style the CGP provides. Maybe the new oil will prevent the gear change “problem” Schumie claimed to have in the last event as he was stopped on the tarmac during the qualy. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
The F1 quote of the week comes via Bernie, who else. “It does not matter to Formula 1 if there is no grand prix in the US,” Ecclestone told The Times newspaper. “What do we get from America? Aggravation, that
Marc regarding Bernie’s comments about America & F1. I can’t help but feel (with the contract up for renegotiation) that Bernie was not going to sit down & have TG hit him with along list of valid complaints.Better to start off by suggesting that Vegas is on his mind & that he is having doubts about F1 in the States &
He may get a lesson from Bernie but in the end when this years F1 crowd is down and TG signs AMLS and the GrandAm Series’ to replace F1 he may get the last laugh.
Peter Indy President Joie Chitwood seems to agree with you. (great minds and all that!)
The president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Joie Chitwood, commented that he thought hard-bargainer Bernie’s comments indicate a ‘positioning’ over negotiations for a new contract.
“That’s all it was,” he said, “and (comments about Las) Vegas was the same thing.”
It would also seem Bernie was full of beans about US sponsorship as well. The logos of Fiat’s American tractor associate, ‘Case IH’, will debut on the nose of the Ferrari racer this weekend in Canada, it has emerged.
Oh Bernie, when you learn to STFU.
Hey Marc,
Boris has a car built especially for him too. It is his car from last year with a Ford body on it this time and a Rousch/Yates engine. I think he has a better chance than Fellows does in the PPI entry.
I rest my case.