It's Franck day today! Racing gets going this weekend in Sebring and a live commenting post will be along later. It'll be good practice for next week. Meanwhile, in F1:
- There seem to be two vaying opinions on the FIA's change of heart. Either massive celebrations or wondering whether the FIA had this planned out. Maybe both?
- Brawn GP will be last in the pitlane, according to Autosport. They're classed as a new entry so it's last place for them. Force India must be pleased.
- Rosberg has said he wants to get on the podium as soon as possible, maybe even repeating last year's Australia success. What are the chances?
That'll do for now, it's all about Franck anyway. You haven't forgotten, have you? Live commenting here, later. I'll see you there.
Mark Webber gives us (or Seb at least) a run down on Aussie culture: http://www.redbullracing.com/PageFiles/17636/Oz_prixview.pdf :-D
that is pure genius
aww that's fantastic :D
Love his awesome aussie fact
Right, we are on our way to continue the mixer saga. Gotta be back in time for Franck!
oh yeah, what time is that?
half two, we think. a thread will be going up shortly.
Brilliant. 'This is a great city to have a broken leg fixed mate'
Has anyone bought GrandPrix+ .. should I have had a link to the site or something?
I got a mail with my logon name and password. But I've already had a subscription before. And the mail said it was temporary and I will get a new one 'nearer to the start of the new season'.
Thanks Kathi :D
Looks like Jenson did a shakedown of the second Brawn GP car the other day at Silverstone. (or so his latest video on his site says). As an aside he also looks and sounds v. v. v. happy, and extremely excited about the race and the season ahead :D gooo Brawn GP :D
Bit of news just popped up on Autosport, Ferrari are gonna kick off the season with KERS
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73818
So thats... Renault, Ferrari... and my midns gone blank with who else... bum
Woo! Next 7 days can't go quick enough... :)
After all their moaning that they were behind schedule as well!
I think BMW said theirs was ready but they're just weighing up the options.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73817
I don't believe a word of it. How could they not know?
FOTA proposed the complete opposite to them....did something not twig?!
gah
I do like the 'blame it on Bernie and let him say something stupid' idea though:
"That’s the problem with democracy. These teams couldn’t agree with themselves let alone each other. The simple fact is that because the sporting regs are out the FIA cannot do anything for now, but we will do next year. There is nothing the teams can do about it then. For now it’s just a shame that fans, the sporting public, may not see the kind of racing they would have done under the system I put forward."
That man doesn't have a clue...
Diffuser row continues - stewards expected to get involved (Oh dear!)
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73816
Just got the Guardian's F1 guide, and Im pretty impressed. One nice offbeat feature is that they give kids tv character equivilants of all the teams:
Ferrari - The Fonz
Mclaren - Sportacus
BMW Sauber - Skeletor
Renault - Basil Brush
Toyota - Dogtanian (I've never heard of him, but some sort of Dog Muskateer judging by the picture)
Toro Rosso - Scrappy Doo
Red Bull - Scooby Doo
Williams - Bagpuss
Brawn GP - Mr Benn (The information on Brawn GP doesnt seem up to date as there are no mentions of their blisteringly quick times)
Force India - Metal Mickey
Also Included - Circuit guide with Nico, Feature on Tilke, Hamilton (naturally) and the BBC Coverage.
I admit to not watching Franck doing his thing, I'm watching the 6 nations. Last weekend and nail biting stuff. Come on the Irish.
And now back to the Franck love... From Christine at least. :p
Its great innit. Intresting to see Maurice Hamilton predicting Vettel 3rd. Other than that, I agree about him about most of his predos (apart from the BMW ones, obviously) and even the Brawn GP ones (14th + 16th
Yeah same, although I think Jenson and Rubens will finish slightly higher.
Damn, meant to have "Slightly" in italics there :P
I've just looked at my sky + planner and realised there is an ep of question of sport on today, it's at 11:50 i think, and DC is in it. :) not sure if this is a repeat of last nights, or an advance showing of next weeks.
I've posted the definitive version of the 2008 practise-qualifying-race comparitor into drop.io, just in time for 2009.
nice one. looking forward to this years. dank could do with it for his betting pan too :)
Loving The Guardian's F1 preview. Especially their 'If they (team) were in kids' TV...' comparison.
Red Bull: Scooby-Doo
Hyperactive bungler who drives around in a slow vehicle with garish livery and hangs about with women in short skits. Muddles through life and solves mysteries almost despite himself. Has a voracious appetite which is kept at bay by constant refuelling from offloading his annoying relative.
Toro Rosso: Scrappy-Doo
Over-exuberant and infantile relative of the supposed established star of the show whose baffling success threatens to undermine the whole franchise. Obsessed with feisty underdog status and can be heard muttering: "Lemme at 'em. I'll splat 'em." This puppy has power but proves to be very irritating for his outshone family member.
Toyota: Dogtanian
Annoyingly optimistic despite all evidence to the contrary. They've got whole regiments mustered behind them but still they manage to make a dog's breakfast of everything and, though victory should be relatively straightforward with their resources, they still stretch out their struggles over hundreds of tortuous episodes.
that is some kind of genius :)
Am reading it now. :)
The only downer is that it is glaringly obvious it was penned before testing last week as they don't rate Brawn GP's chances very highly!
sidepodcast has a new battery:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/sidepodcast-battery-png
much better than the old battery:
http://drop.io/sidepodcast/asset/the-end-of-my-macbook-battery-png
Is the f1 preview (guardian) on-line?
I don't think so. I'll have a look for you though
Sorry Fiox, it doesn't look like it.
I know it's GMM but...
Webber broke his shoulder as well?
http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/11807/1/
So which Apple store did you visit? :)
I also notice you're using iStat pro.
If I can drag you away from drooling over^W^W watching Franck, a sidepodspace upadate:
We went out to see the ISS/Shuttle again about 20 minutes ago. Well worth the effort as the sight is spectacular. With the new solar array open, the ISS is even brighter than before. Easily the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon.
Btw, did anyone listen to the Fighting Talk episode? Am getting the download via podcast.
ahh, shucks must do that.
not an official store.
yes.
Btw, a hint I've learned under Fighting Talk, someone last night answered questions on Mastermind about Jackie Stewart
yes, i heard that. the last time we mentioned mastermind on spc, sidepodquiz was the result, so i'm saying nothing this time :)
If anyone wants to play along
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00jd7m9/Mastermind_2008_Episode_22/
Scott Woodwiss, I've got a problem. For the last 36 hours or so, neither BATRacer nor the RLB forum have loaded - they go straight to a 404 error if I'm lucky and once, loading BATRacer locked the browser up. I've tried my computer and my dad's and the problem remains.
This could cause a serious problem in RLB since they have 36 hours per session...
I don't know when Scott will come back on, he's had laptop troubles and can only access t'internet via the library computers, which I assume will be shut now. So sorry.
a library closed at 22.09 on a saturday?! PAH! in my day...
:P
I know it’s GMM but…
Webber broke his shoulder as well? {Comment #35
You're not telling me that the erroneous stories about multiple limbs being broken that went around in the first panicked hour or so might have had a point? That must have really hurt - good think Mark is back to doing what he does best i.e. F1 driving.
I don’t know when Scott will come back on, he’s had laptop troubles and can only access t’internet via the library computers, which I assume will be shut now. So sorry. {Comment #45}
The trouble is that Scott is the only person I know who has a presence in RLB and has a contact method that is not reliant on either the RLB forum or BATRacer loading. So really he's my only hope...
a library closed at 22.09 on a saturday?! PAH! in my day… {Comment #46}
In my final semester at university, we had a library that only shut in the holidays.
Now my nearest library shuts at 4pm on Saturday and the library where I used to work was considered strange because it was still open on Saturdays after lunch...
Err. My assumption is if it doesn't work on several computers, then it is something to do with the site.
try http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/
I miss libraries that open on sundays....
(OK, so the only one I ever knew that did was the Central Library in Bristol, but it was brilliant as a student to have it there. Two hours in the library 10-12pm, then coffee/tea and a sticky bun in the cafe over the green, a small beer around the corner at the watershed with the borrowed books in tow; and maybe back up park street for the rest of the afternoon in the museum before wandering home - usually via somewhere with live music - or to the evening bar job....)
try http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/ {Comment #51}
According to that site, it's "just me". But since it affects the only computers to which I have access for the foreseeable future, it might as well be everyone. I was hoping that Scott would at least have a method of contact with someone in RLB so that people knew why I couldn't play.