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Nick_L

By Nick_L
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fragglerock

fragglerock

Posted
Posted

The chequered flag podcast (from BBC 5 live) has an hour Senna special with the director and a few other folk. worth a listen

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/cff1

5 live Sport takes a look back at the life and death of Ayrton Senna, as a film documenting his Formula 1 career is released in the UK. Mark Chapman is joined by Maurice Hamilton, former F1 driver John Watson and the film's producer, James Gay-Rees.
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Huz

Huz

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Aye, the Senna film was great. Really interesting to hear him discussing in his own words his belief in God and stuff, because I only had a limited idea of what he was like away from the track.

Some of the in-car footage in the film is pretty mindblowing. The position the cameras were mounted in back then - low down, behind and to one side of the driver - gave a much more visceral viewing experience than we have today. I'd forgotten that! And of course, you don't just see the drivers wrestling with the steering wheel and struggling to keep their heads on straight, they had to mess about with a gear stick too... for some of those in-car shots I just sat back in awe. Modern-day in-car shots are rubbish by comparison, like watching the chase cam in a game!

One thing though - after 90 minutes of watching a combination of blown-up TV footage and 8mm film on the big screen, my eyes were completely wrecked. I walked out of the cinema and was somehow amazed by how sharp things look in a real world. It took me a minute or two to get used to it!

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Dudley

Dudley

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Dear God, if Max thinks you're being too nice to the fascists....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/8556714/Max-Mosley-Bahrain-decision-must-be-reversed-or-F1-will-live-to-regret-it.html

Why is this different to running an event in any number of countries where people are oppressed, kept in poverty, held without trial and mistreated (or worse) in prison?

Surely the line has to be drawn when a sporting event is not mere entertainment in a less-than-perfect country, but is being used by an oppressive regime to camouflage its actions.

If a sport accepts this role, it becomes a tool of government. If Formula One allows itself to be used in this way in Bahrain, it will share the regime's guilt as surely as if it went out and helped brutalise unarmed protesters.

It is worth remembering that the trouble in Bahrain began with peaceful protest. The crowds were not seeking the removal of the ruling family, merely a move towards democracy and rights for the Shia majority comparable to those enjoyed by the Sunni elite.

These modest demands were soon met with brutal repression. Demonstrators were shot dead. Protesters were imprisoned and, according to credible reports, hideously mistreated, even tortured and killed.

Doctors and nurses who treated the injured were themselves arrested and imprisoned. When these measures failed to crush the protests, the Bahrain government called in troops from neighbouring Saudi Arabia to crush all opposition with naked force.

Having carried out these horrific acts, the Bahrain government wants to clean up its image. That's where the Grand Prix comes in. By running the race they hope to show the world the troubles were just a small, temporary difficulty and everything is now back to normal.

By agreeing to race there, Formula One becomes complicit in what has happened. It becomes one of the Bahrain government's instruments of repression. The decision to hold the race is a mistake which will not be forgotten and, if not reversed, will eventually cost Formula One dear.

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marsh

marsh

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Posted

Been a long time since I've seen the pictures of the chopper leaving san marino :(

I do agree with Sterling though, the danger is something you seek out, sitting on the line with your heart trying to smash it's way out of your chest is something you can't buy over the counter.....

What a great man.

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Sidewaysbob

Sidewaysbob

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It's all about the money..

Okay right then, errrrrrrrrrrrrr Canada errrrrrrrrrrr Vettel, okay or maybe Hamilton if he can keep his cool. Maybe the Mercs will go well here and I suppose Alonso has a good shout.

Canada is a couple of long fast flat out straight bits connected by silly little hairpins and other stuff to slow the cars down.

By rights it should be a McLaren walk over, but given Vettels inability to lose anything this year I guess you have to go with the cheeky German scamp yet again.

I suspect that a lot of the teams have already given up the championship. Williams have fired their manager and design chap. Ferrari has fired their design chap and now Virgin (Moruissia) have fired their owner! Well the chap that owns the design side of the company at any rate. Nick Wirth was told in no uncertain terms that he was no longer required on the pit wall or anywhere near the car after Monaco. What the Russians are planning to do for a car next year is anyone guess. Wirth has actually designed some of the more successful cars in endurance racing, working with Honda, Porsche, they’ve also built numerous Indy 500 winners so Mr Wirth and his team are not mugs. But when they designed the car last year with a fuel tank too small to last a race, the writing may well have been on the wall. Still I’m sure the Russians know what they’re doing.

Meanwhile if anyone in the world missed the Bahrain GP, AND IF YOU DID YOU ARE AN IDIOT. They will be ever so happy that the damn thing will now take place at the end of the year. Which means the season is now going to end on the 11th of December in India of all places !!!. Like the season wasn't long enough already.

This is after all the teams said, “No Bernie we are not going to finish the championship in December and no we are not comfortable going to Bahrain”.

To which Bernie replied “ Don’t worry lads ... it’s not about the money. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to see some men about a camel full of cash”

Back to the Canadian GP... Vettel will win it ... no Hamilton .... Vettel .. probably.

Who cares about all that though? The FIA and the Automobile Club de L’Ouest (ACO) have agreed to a joint WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP. Hurrah and back slaps all round. The big wigs have got round the table and thrashed out a deal ... about bloody time.

Vettel ... or ..... Hamilton ... button ... no not button ... Vettel, or, definably Hamilton.

The reason the FIA-ACO deal is important, is because of the real power in motorsport and the real power in motor sport is not F1.

Formula 1 is for the sharp suits and the hospitality boxed select few who schmooze and cruise big business for money. They like to think it’s them that make F1 what it is, without their money there would be no F1 they think. But they’re wrong so very very wrong.

The Real power in motorsport are the huddled muddy masses sitting on the banking, the ones that have stumped up £150 to be herded like sheep and treated like scum, the ones still on the banking watching the Renault sport race and the Fiesta Challenge long after the hospitality boxes have emptied of the slightly tipsy middle management on a jolly with the free tickets from the jolly nice cable rep chap.

The muddy masses watch with their eyes because it’s bright and easy and will do whatever it has to do to keep their attention, for the right price of course.

But their hearts are far away in a field in France, which will forever be hallowed ground. The names of Bentley, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ford and Porsche and now names like Audi, Peugeot, Corvette and Mazda are given heritage and substance there. This is where heroes are made and legends are forged in the dark hours before dawn.

The muddy masses return to give thanks and praise the name of Karl Benz for giving us the Internal Combustion Engine and Motor Sport.

The masses return for the greatest race on earth.

24 hours of the Circuit de la Sarthe

Le Mans.

The FIA knows this and it’s why they tried to shut the ACO out 20 years ago, but still the muddy masses came to prey to party to drink and to watch. The teams still came to prove they could beat everyone else, still the manufactures came to prove their car was better than the next guys. The FIA tried to create their own endurance series, but it failed without Le Mans.

Now the FIA is back at Le Mans accepting that the Automobile Club de L’Ouest knows what it is doing and that the power in motor sport comes from the muddy spectators paying for all of this to happen. Because if they left, there would be no one to pay for the rich boys to have fun. Turkey is finding out that it needs to have paying punters to have a race. China is spending more and more money to keep a race that no one goes to watch.

And now Bahrain is shooting its citizens, arresting its doctors and paying Bernie to come back with the circus so they can bring the punters back and their bright shiny coins.

Watch the race in Canada, if you’re happy for the circus to go back to Bahrain.

This weekend 250,000 souls will travel to France to prey at the altar of motorsport. The race will be seen around the world. On Saturday at 3pm CET all those petrol heads will turn to the Mecca to four stoke power and catch their breath for just a second as it starts again, as it has been starting for 79 races since 1923.

The Flag will drop and the petrol cars will try to catch the diesels cars. The exotic Audi and Peugeot prototypes will have four or five laps before they’re weaving past the Porsche, Ferrari and Lotus GT cars. For 24 hours the drivers will battle to be crowned the winner of the greatest race on earth.

Watch the race at Le Mans if you know that motor sport should be about passion, not money

I shall be sitting at Tetre Rough with a beer in the company of my father and best friend. Watching the sun go down and the brake discs glow celebrating my 11th race in 22 years. :wub:

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exwhyzed

exwhyzed

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It's all about roof of the chinese restaurant along the Mulsanne straight, you cant beat seeing the cars flat out hurtling into what looks like infinity. If you have never been to Le Mans, get you and your mates down there one year, it pisses all over any Grand Prix.

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Pete

Pete

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Murray Walker doc was good

Seeing Senna tonight

The most consistently entertaining grand prix on at the weekend

:D

Only downer is the news about Bahrain, I think that's the wrong thing to do for sure.

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Nick_L

Nick_L

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I've been to Le Mans a few times and would very much like to go again one day.

However this weekend I will be at the hairpin in Montreal :omg:

Nice!

have you been before? I've been to the Canadian GP four times, let me know if you have any questions or need any advice.

I'm not going this year, even tho I'm living a lot closer :(

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McSpeed

McSpeed

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I shall be sitting at Tetre Rough with a beer in the company of my father and best friend. Watching the sun go down and the brake discs glow celebrating my 11th race in 22 years. :wub:

I shall be there as well :) At the campsite at least, reporting about all the frivolities there. Give me a shout when you shout when you see a chap in Gulf-coloured jacket walk by!

Oh wait.

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Velse

Velse

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Nice!

have you been before? I've been to the Canadian GP four times, let me know if you have any questions or need any advice.

I'm not going this year, even tho I'm living a lot closer :(

Never been to any F1 before! As I use a wheelchair my choice of seat is limited, but it looks like I might have a reasonable view (stand 21a). I'm planning to see first practice, third practice to qualifying & most of Sunday's festivities. Ordinarily I'd try to see everything given the cost of the ticket but I want to see the city too. Any recommendations for touristy things to see?

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mexos

mexos

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Posted

Montreal is awesome. I'm jealous. Deffo go down by the river - plenty of bars, places to eat etc. Not really that many touristy attractions, just a very cool place to potter about in.

Oh & of course have lots of poutine!

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Nick_L

Nick_L

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Never been to any F1 before! As I use a wheelchair my choice of seat is limited, but it looks like I might have a reasonable view (stand 21a). I'm planning to see first practice, third practice to qualifying & most of Sunday's festivities. Ordinarily I'd try to see everything given the cost of the ticket but I want to see the city too. Any recommendations for touristy things to see?

You'll have a great view down at the Hairpin, I wouldn't worry about that :) access to the circuit is easy on the metro too.

When do you arrive? there is usually a pitlane open house on the Thursday that's free to attend, you get to walk the circuit and see all the teams setting up, its pretty cool.

Other things to do - the race is a big deal for the city and there will be loads of things going on downtown, they close off one of the streets - Crescent Street and there is a huge street party, big stage with bands, displays etc its a cool place to hang out at night, Jacques Villeneuve has a bar there too so you might even see him (I doubt it tho!)

Tourist things to do, definitely head down to Old Montreal like mexos mentioned, its really nice. The Olympic village is worth checking out too, you can go up the tower which has a great view of the city and surrounding areas.

Seriously tho, its just a really really cool city, I love it, wish I was going this year! I'll see if if have any photos I can post up for you.

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Velse

Velse

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Yeah it'd be easy to use the metro if the metro was accessible, which sadly it isn't! I'll get there somehow though. Getting there Thursday afternoon. Just been emailed to say I missed out on a FOTA Fan Forum ticket, which is a shame but it would have been a miracle to get in on that. I have some mates in the plateau area to see and a potential job discussion on Monday. I've been told poutine isn't optional, so that will be forced upon me at some point no doubt! Haven't travelled on my own before but I will hopefully have a good time :D

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McSpeed

McSpeed

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I though you were only allowed in to the circuit if you had a Gulf t-shirt/hat/jacket on ;)

are you there on buisness before pleasure then ?

Both :) Payed for my ticket and camping spot (I'm standing at Pincenardiere - right in the middle of the track) myself, and am staying in a slightly converted Ford Grand C-Max, but will be writing a piece on the atmosphere around the track.

Care for a beer at the Le Mans Village at some point? Would love to hear your stories of the past 10 visits to Les 24 Heures!

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JPR

JPR

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Not F1 but FIA, ACO reveal details of World Endurance Championship, 7 rounds including Le Mans at a minimum of 6hrs, hopefully it will also include Sebring and Spa, Constructors and drivers world title using the F1 points system. I'm really excited about this, I think it's been a real shame that sports car, GT racing has been pretty fractured for a while now, which means some great racing has slipped into the background. I'd hoped the FIA GT1 would go somewhere but it seems to have gone a bit flat, hopefully now with the ACO and FIA bringing it all together this will be something that people can get behind and really turn into a big success.

Fingers crossed they'll continue to notice the internet exists as they've been much better at it than F1. All the FIA GT1 races streamed on the official site, had Sebring streamed earlier this year, show all the races online with Radiio Le Mans commentary would be perfect.

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kiroquai

kiroquai

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Either Road America or Laguna Seca for the other American round I'd have thought. Maybe Mid Ohio.

Having said that, would be nice if the series could run Daytona rather than the Grand Am series - then we'd have the Daytona 24 Hours, the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Spa 24 Hours on the same calendar. That'd be pretty awesome :).

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