Full Throttle

Remember when a Czech ally of Max “The Littlest Perv” Mosley came out in full support of him and claimed it was all a grand conspiracy perpetrated by Mclaren’s Ron Dennis?

Well, I guess the black helicopters, Area 51 visitors and Ron Dennis theories are all in the same category, the machinations of a deluded mind.

Radovan Novak, general secretary of the Czech Automobile Association, who made the original charge against Dennis has contacted Mclaren stating in essence, “opps, sorry, my bad can I have a do over?”

Mclaren has posted the following on their website:

“Mr Novak has asked us to make it clear that he does not believe that either McLaren or (team boss Ron) Dennis were involved in the events referred to and that the remarks are not representative of his views, “Mr Novak has apologised for the misunderstanding and McLaren and Mr Dennis have thanked him for this gracious and swift reaction.”

Lude, conspira, recognosie?

O conspiracy!
Sham’st thou to show thy dangerous brow by night,
When evils are most free? - Julius Caesar (2.4.6)

Technorati Tags: Ron Dennis, McLaren, Formula One, McLaren Mercedes, Radovan Novak, Ferrari, FIA, Czech Automobile Association

A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has revealed the first image of its brand new ‘Powered by Ferrari’ car for use in season four (2008/09).

The CAD drawing was released ahead of the car’s inaugural shakedown test in Southern England.

A1GP’s own TV commentator and Formula One legend, John Watson, will have the honour of driving the car for the first time, powered by a V8 Ferrari engine producing in the region of 600 bhp.

The chassis is based on the design of the highly successful F2004 chassis, incorporating A1GP’s core values to deliver close, exciting racing among a competitive field where overtaking is an essential part of the entertainment.

A1GP technical director, John Travis, is overseeing the design, development and production of the car from premises in Bognor Regis in the UK, with Rory Byrne acting as consultant. Meanwhile the work on the manufacture and supply of the A1GP engine is being overseen by Ferrari’s Jean-Jacques His.

The Powered by Ferrari project was first announced on 11 October 2007 when the most famous name in motorsport signed a six-year agreement to manufacture and supply all A1GP engines for this unique series and provide consultancy on the design of all A1GP chassis from season four onwards.

‘Everyone is very excited about this project and it will be fantastic to see the new A1GP powered by Ferrari car turn a wheel for the first time on Friday,‘ said A1GP chairman Tony Teixeira.

‘We obviously still have a lot of work to do as this is just the first step in what will be an intense development and testing programme, but I am very happy with the progress made so far.

‘We have a small, dedicated group of people in Bognor Regis and are very lucky to be able to use some well known motor racing companies for certain areas of expertise. I am pleased to say we are on schedule and we will be announcing the date of the official unveiling of the car soon.’

Cross Posted @ Asian Motor Sports

Technorati Tags: Rory Byrne, John Watson, Ferrari, United Kingdom, A1 Grand Prix, Formula One, Auto racing

With all the rumors floated in the past two weeks over Fernando’s potential plans for the 2009 F1 championship I guess Ferrari’s president Luca di Montezemolo took all he could stand and had to have a few words.

Unlike most Italians who have a propensity to ramble on once started talking, he was short, not-so-sweet and straight to the point:

“To line up a Raikkonen-Alonso double act would mean wanting to damage yourself. I want two equal drivers that work together,” the president told Gazzetta dello Sport.

OUCH! That’s gotta hurt!

Montezemolo also said he would be devoting more time to Ferrari after stepping down as head of Italy’s industry body.

Technorati Tags: Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, Full Throttle

Flash back with me to the 1995 F1 season, a year that followed a very controversial 1994 that saw many “scandals” and the lost of the great Aryton Senna.

The season opened at Brazil’s Interlagos and resulted in a first win of the season for Michael Schumacher/Benetton-Renault. Second place went to David Coulthard in the Williams-Renault team.

After the podium celebration, the entire paddock were shocked by a FIA decision: Schumacher and Coulthard were disqualified due to use of illegal fuel supplied by Elf.

Elf had, by rule, supplied a sample of that years fuel prior to the season start. It was the FIA’s ruling the fuel used that day failed to match the “chemical fingerprint” and both drivers were excluded.

Ferrari claimed innocence, and remained fairly quiet on the matter waiting for a final solution during a Paris meeting of the FIA Commission.

ELF, which had provided fuel to F1 for nearly 3 decades at that point, maintained they had strictly ahered to the rules and mounted an extensive publicity campaign in the French Press.

Mad Max growing tired of the brow-beating went to the press himself to counter ELF and the French print media:

“The time has come when Formula One needs a more adult approach from it’s participants,” he said. “”It reflects poorly on the sport and, again shows a lack of an adult attitude.”

“One expects a reasonable standard of behavior from a major international company. When there’s something, they should admit it and not keep a campaign going for nearly three weeks, notably in the French Press, pretending something that everybody knew was not true.”

“Everyone involved - the teams, the sponsors, the technical experts - must bear in mind that fundamentally this is a sport. It may involve a great deal of money, it may have a huge commercial interests at stake. But the moment that anyone involved at the top of F1 is more interested in the money than he is in the result, the whole thing will collapse.”

Obviously given the standard set by Mosley 13 years ago is far from what “The Littlest Perv” is living by now.

He has set himself far above the sport in not heeding calls by many of F1’s top names to step down and frankly, has acted as if he were a child whose only offense were hands caught in the bottom of a cookie jar.

Max it’s time to heed not only the present call to step down, but live up to the previous high standard you’ve set for others and ignore now.

Mosley international laughing stock?

Why yes, he is, think you for asking.

UPDATE: In related news; London, To fight prostitution, some say target clients.

UPDATE II: Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has kind words for the job Mosley has done, however a rather tepid endorsement for him continuing in the job.

When asked if he felt Mosley could still head the FIA after what happened, di Montezemolo said: “I think it’s objectively unlikely, but I believe it depends on him and his sensibility.”

Technorati Tags: Max Mosley, Mosley Scandal, FIA, Ferrari, Benetton-Renault, Williams, ELF, David Coulthard

Question: When does calling in a marker on favors owned also come with the kiss of death?

When the holder of the marker called is Max “The Littlest Perv” Mosley.

The favor is demanded of Jean “The Toad Prince” Todt to issue forth a slobbering ass kissing proclamation of support until such time as said Perv desires to step off his thrown.

Or the end of all earthly time.

Whichever happens to come first.

I’m betting the later, and given the Toad Prince’s near proposal of marriage to Mosley the odds have gone up I’m correct.

“He is very intelligent and of rare elegance. A gentleman,” Todt says of Mosley

“If you ask me” (we didn’t, but continue Prince) “whether I am happy with the actions of the FIA president in his job, I consider that he does very good work. Therefore I hope that he will have the opportunity to continue his work for numerous years.”

That faint smell of rotting flesh is the Kiss of Death sneaking up on Todt’s meager chances of succeeding Mosley as president of the FIA[sco].

Would it be fair to re-ignite all those Todt/FIA/Ferrari/Mosley conspiracy theories about now?

Technorati Tags: FIA, Max Mosley, Mosley Scandal, F1 Jean Rodt, Ferrari, Full Throttle, F1 Rage