Holy problems USGP!

[pk500]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

Hi PK, I was wondering when you'd be back on the boards. I'm sure you can't go into many details with what IMS's plans are from here, but I was wondering what it was like for you guys when the cars pulled into the garages. Did you have any idea that would happen? What did you guys do once the race started? I can only imagine how you guys felt as this all transpired.

Sorry, man. The less I say, the better.

Take care,
PK

[forensicd]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

do you work the grand prix pk? I thought you were only involved in the 500.

[Perceptor]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

Wow - I couldn't believe they actually ran the race with six cars - what a disgrace IMO. I don't know who to blame, but I think everyone from Michelin to Eccelstone to Mosley should be blamed for this fiasco. How these two manage to keep a job is beyond me

[gurantsu]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

Sorry, man. The less I say, the better.

Take care,
PK

Understood!

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

Well, my problem has always been that I have really bad timing when it comes to the race. The one chance I had to go, my dad got two VIP passes, but my friend offered to take me to an Indians game the same day, w/ seats 6 rows behind home plate. I went to the Indians game and saw one of the greatest/loudest Jacob's Field moments ever (John Rocker's successful home debut; it was like a scene out of Major League). Every other year beside that, my family has always been on vacation on race weekend.

I was at that Tribe game, it was against the Royals right? I remember when Rocker came out, place blew up!

Anyway, race is always a blast, you'll have fun!

[SPTO]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

A spokesperson for Michelin was on the FAN 590 this afternoon she used the resurfacing excuse for why Michelin decided to pull out.

[Chaos81]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

Absolutely not true. There were absolutely no problems with the track in May, after it was diamond-ground in April.

I know I saw announcers say during practice and qualifying that they had still had problems in May. You would probably know better then the would though.

Guess I was wrong, sorry PK.

I always knew I shouldn't listen to those stupid annoucners.

[gurantsu]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

I just read that Nigel Mansell blames F1, Bernie, and Max for it. While I certainly am no fan of them, I still don't understand why they should break the rules just because one of the tire companies brought the wrong equipment to the race. Thats part of the sport, if you get your setup wrong you need to race around it. How many times have we seen in a NASCAR race drivers being told to save their tires? Heck, if you watch LeMans at all, the drivers there are always having to "drive around" problems. Rally, Indy, NASCAR, in all forms of racing, part of the sport is having to drive with less than optimal conditions or equipment. Should Minadri demand all the other cars slow down because they can't afford better engines?

If the tires were unsafe, then they would be unsafe no matter how the track was configured, chicane or not. Then I could understand a pull out of the cars. But the problem that Michelin had (which was not displayed by most of the cars evidently, especially the ones who ran higher air pressures) could be fixed by driving around it, AKA going slower through turn 13 (as Jordan told it's drivers to do late in the race). This was political bull crap pure and simple. Especially when you look at what happened to Kimi at the Nurburgring, and how the McClaren team let him stay out with what was obviously a tire that was going to cause a major problem (had no issues with driving around that little problem.) In fact, after that race, Max Mosley wrote to Michelin warning them to not to take risks in building it's tires in an effort to make them faster.

I think Max and Bernie are doing a terrible job. I think the tire rules this year are absolutely rediculas. But I put the blame for this mess squarely on the shoulders of Michelin and their teams. Now everyone in F1 looks like an idiot.

[marque1d]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

[flame suit on: tongue-in-cheek but over all Im serious]
The biggest problem is that this one set of tires for a race weekend exists in the first place. I don’t know what kind of a corner the teams were pinned into but they should have never agreed. But I’m sick of Bernie and Max and yet again a split in open wheel racing is on the horizon. Which is not a bad thing, F1 buys CART and Ferrari is the official engine supplier running of course Bridgestone tires. I really don't know what's going to happen to the other car manufacturers but I know one thing, BMW is going motorcycle racing. The new “world motorsport” of choice will soon be Moto GP. The sign are there, Valentino Rossi on the Forbes list and Nicky Hayden was named one of People magazine's "50 Hottest Bachelors".

I know the sports are different and its a cop out to keep bringing it up but you cant really think that Firestone (read Bridgestone) didn’t use at least some of the information it learned at Indy 500 for the USGP.

Also one tire manufacture does not solve the problems. I think competition is good, just look at problems that Goodyear has in the NHRA. I don't know how much interest Michelin or a Bridgestone/Firestone would ever have in making a tire for a fuel car but I think teams should have options.

This whole thing will be good for the sport in the long run. From here on out everyone (read stick and ball sports fans) will know F1. Who will pay much attention to it's return to the US when they race somewhere important versus the middle of no where. There's nothing wrong with Indianapolis but this race needs to be on the left coast. So count on F1 being @ Laguna Seca next year and maybe back to Long Beach in due time. Getting the USGP away from Indy without adding a second race needed to happen in 07 versus 06 so that Red Bull could move in Scott Speed.

[pk500]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

There's nothing wrong with Indianapolis but this race needs to be on the left coast. So count on F1 being @ Laguna Seca next year and maybe back to Long Beach in due time. Getting the USGP away from Indy without adding a second race needed to happen in 07 versus 06 so that Red Bull could move in Scott Speed.

Laguna Seca has nowhere near the infrastructure to play host to an F1 race. It would take a multimillion-dollar improvement plan to bring Laguna up to F1 standards, and SCRAMP, the non-profit group that runs the track, doesn't have that kind of money.

Long Beach lacks the infrastructure, too. And with Kalkhoven now owning LB while pouring millions into OWRS, do you really think he wants to spend millions on improving the infrastructure of LB to bring it to F1 standards when that money could be used to keep OWRS afloat?

Your final sentence is WAY off base. Moving the USGP plays absolutely zero bearing on Scott Speed getting a ride with Red Bull. David Coulthard moving to the No. 1 seat at BAR after Button contractually must move to Williams next season is the most likely scenario for Speed to get the Red Bull ride in 2006. DC and Barrichello lead BAR's list to replace Button, who is as good as gone because his contract says Williams can have him if BAR hasn't scored 75 percent of the points of the leading team in the Constructors championship by the end of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Renault has 60-plus points. BAR has zero. Bye-bye Button. If DC replaces Button, Speed will be in a Red Bull car next season, regardless of whether there is a USGP and where it's run.

Take care,
PK

[gurantsu]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

In a way this mess at Indy may have helped get Speed a seat (in addition of course to him being a great driver). After pissing off the US crowd, having an American driver may be their last chance to keep interest in the sport.

I still haven't renewed my tickets yet, but if I do I'll have to do it soon if I want to keep the same seats. I'm sort of waiting for more news of what happened and what IMS's plans are, but I would imagine that that may take longer than one week!

[forensicd]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

there is now where else but ims to hold the f1 race. It is the perfect venue, as it is easily accessible to all the nation, not too far from surrounding racing hotspots, as well as short flight no matter what side of country you are on. The cost to make laguna seca or long beach or antyhing like that would never be attainable by their respective owners. The indy 500 and brickyard more than make up for the f1 race cost, no other track has this income readily available. We will see the aftermath of this political battle come to a head soon. and yes, this was a pre staged battle by michellin against f1. where better to stage it than america? The rest of the world already disagrees with us after Iraq, the french have never liked us for some reason, even though we save them everytime, so michellin figured what could be better. Mario was discussing this on a radio show here in indy, and couldnt have made this point better, which is what got me to thinking how this was pre determined before the cars ever got to indy. They picked this stage to protest, and we will see what happens. But, as far a new venue goes, there is now where but IMS to host the f1 race.

[gurantsu]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

It was the perfect stage to do it on. Since F1 is not as popular here as in Europe, it would be a "safe" place to do it. Try this stunt in Europe and the teams would still be under seige at the track.

[marque1d]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

My friends yamaha just put up $2million last year for track improvments for the Moto GP race this July. Red Bull will take care of the second stage of cosmetic stuff next year. While Barbers Motor Sports doesnt has FIA approval Im sure that the new track they are building out in Utah will be atleast built to spec.

Track Improvement Project for Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix Nearing Completion (6/7/05)
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Receives FIM Homologation For MotoGP (6/16/06)
Rainey's Grand Plan Results in Grand Prix

[pk500]

Re: Holy problems USGP!

My friends yamaha just put up $2million last year for track improvments for the Moto GP race this July. Red Bull will take care of the second stage of cosmetic stuff next year. While Barbers Motor Sports doesnt has FIA approval Im sure that the new track they are building out in Utah will be atleast built to spec.

Track Improvement Project for Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix Nearing Completion (6/7/05)
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Receives FIM Homologation For MotoGP (6/16/06)
Rainey's Grand Plan Results in Grand Prix

There is a BIG difference between building a facility to FIM spec for Moto GP and to FIA spec for F1. A 1,350-pound F1 car has much different physics than a motorcycle. Adding motorcycle-friendly curbs and extending the run-off areas for bikes doesn't mean dick for a Grand Prix. It's great for the bikes, though!

No way a circuit is going to upgrade its circuit to FIA F1 spec, even Barber, if it doesn't have a Grand Prix lined up.

Just because a circuit is built to FIA spec doesn't mean it's capable of playing host to a Formula One Grand Prix. The garages, paddock, tower and other support facilities must be huge, modern and in top-notch condition.

I would be stunned if Laguna had the garage, paddock and tower facilities required for a Grand Prix.

Take care,
PK