Shh. No one will notice that this post is going up so late. In fact, things are very quiet around Sidepodcast at the moment, so perhaps no one really will. Here at Sidepodcast Towers we're working hard on some behind the scenes bits and pieces, and hurrying to try and catch up with all the year end stuff we want to do. Damn all those mince pies being so distracting!

Anyway, things are beginning to pick up again in the F1 world, so here are a couple of news stories I've noticed:

  • The drivers have decided that the Algarve circuit is good. Pedalo says it's not very demanding, though, which as a viewer... makes things less interesting.
  • Luca D is moaning that bringing KERS in to the sport is a serious mistake. So, I thought perhaps the Ferrari protestations that they weren't ready for KERS was just sandbagging talk. This is evidence enough that Ferrari won't be one of the KERS front runners.

That's all I can find. Hopefully things will pick up a little bit more as we move away from Christmas. Although I'm also hoping they don't pick up too much as F1 Minute is on a break. Nevertheless, if you find anything worth talking about, feel free to post it in the comments. See you there.

91 responses

  • me27/12/2008 at 13:57

    whaddayamean there's no news? today there's TED news!

    "That image of chief mechanic Francesco Uguzzoni in tears at the back of the garage in Singapore is a vivid reminder of the failed pit stop traffic-light system."

    "Now consigned to a Maranello bin, it was one of those too-clever-for-its-own-good devices F1 engineers seem keen to come up with when they’ve run out of obvious things to do on the car."

    i thought the device was on hiatus, rather than ditched altogether? more from ted here:

    http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=Ted_Kravitz&id=44835

  • Andy Taylor27/12/2008 at 14:42

    So the pit stop lights gained 0.3 of a second per pit stop? Amazing they bothered really.

  • me27/12/2008 at 14:51

    So the pit stop lights gained 0.3 of a second per pit stop? Amazing they bothered really.

    i remember being impressed once in the whole time i saw it working. i think kimi gained a place as a result. madness.

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 15:56

    i remember being impressed once in the whole time i saw it working. i think kimi gained a place as a result. madness.

    It does take out one more mechanic from the equation though. Max is keen to cut down on personnel, so maybe he'll encourage the lights?

  • lou27/12/2008 at 18:21

    I'm a little scared... it is really quiet around these parts... i can't remember the last time it was so quiet. I hope everyone is having a great day whatever they are doing. :)

  • me27/12/2008 at 18:48

    I’m a little scared… it is really quiet around these parts… i can’t remember the last time it was so quiet. I hope everyone is having a great day whatever they are doing.

    we're busy as ever. currently looking at performance improvements for f1minute.com and sidepodcast.com. mostly involves looking at a lot of graphs.

    christine's migrating the remainder of our shows onto the torrent server.

  • lou27/12/2008 at 18:55

    we’re busy as ever. currently looking at performance improvements for f1minute.com and sidepodcast.com. mostly involves looking at a look of graphs.

    christine’s migrating the remainder of our shows onto the torrent server.

    sounds like a lot of fun :) i've spent the day trying to set up various new tech gadgets my cousin was given for christmas, nothing ever goes smoothly at their house when it comes to tech :P

  • me27/12/2008 at 18:58

    sounds like a lot of fun i’ve spent the day trying to set up various new tech gadgets my cousin was given for christmas, nothing ever goes smoothly at their house when it comes to tech

    yay, gadgets. anything cool?

  • lou27/12/2008 at 19:02

    yay, gadgets. anything cool?

    a wii :) which was a nightmare to set up for some reason. A webcam and mic (not all together cool but an absolute PAIN to set up) erm one of those digital photo frame things. and other stuff. They even asked me to try and sort out why she couldn't log into a site on her pc but could at school etc, needless to say, i'm not good with websites and could not do it. I did all the other things she wanted me to do though, so that's ok.

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 19:10

    I did all the other things she wanted me to do though, so that’s ok.

    You should start charging for tech support ;)

  • me27/12/2008 at 19:15

    urgent help needed...

    gavin's gone away for a bit, but christine's just transcribing the megamix and we can't figure out the last word the man says about football. if you listen at approx 9:10, it goes something along the lines of:

    "giving goals without ???, giving penalties without ???"

    bound to be something obvious, but we're stumped. anyone?

    here's the mp3:

    http://www.sidepodcast.com/episodes/media/weekly/episode88.mp3

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 19:19

    bound to be something obvious, but we’re stumped. anyone?

    Trust us not to know about football.

  • lou27/12/2008 at 19:29

    You should start charging for tech support

    she is in a band, (bless her little 12 yr old socks) and has promised me tickets to one of her gigs once she is famous lol.

  • lou27/12/2008 at 19:31

    bound to be something obvious, but we’re stumped. anyone?

    all i can think or is that it's 'without an ear' but i'm not sure that makes sense...

  • me27/12/2008 at 19:34

    all i can think or is that it’s ‘without an ear’ but i’m not sure that makes sense…

    it doesn't, but now i hear it too :)

  • lou27/12/2008 at 19:36

    it doesn’t, but now i hear it too

    haha sorry. it's the last one that makes me think of it... if it didn't have the 'without an' i'd think it was meant to be 'here' and 'there' but that doesn't help ;)

  • littlepurplegoth27/12/2008 at 19:54

    I’m a little scared… it is really quiet around these parts… i can’t remember the last time it was so quiet. I hope everyone is having a great day whatever they are doing.

    If its any consulation Lou the whole 'net seems to be quiet today... maybe too many people collapsed with lurgy now that christmas is over? Or lots of them have gone shopping? (mad eijits - braved town to take library books back today, and couldn't get out again fast enough for my liking)

    Actually, I think I probably fall into the first category... currently I'm not even sure that I can get off the sofa and am awaiting the return of himself from work so that he can provide food.... although I note that he managed to post *from work* earlier today....

  • lou27/12/2008 at 19:58

    If its any consulation Lou the whole ‘net seems to be quiet today… maybe too many people collapsed with lurgy now that christmas is over? Or lots of them have gone shopping? (mad eijits - braved town to take library books back today, and couldn’t get out again fast enough for my liking)

    yeah i know, it's scary, i think it's the first time in months i have opened up my inbox and found that i don't have a single new email. mum is pretty ill now. she got through Christmas day, and managed to get me to my Aunt's today, but she is so exhausted now.

    Hope you get better soon LPG :)

  • me27/12/2008 at 20:06

    Actually, I think I probably fall into the first category… currently I’m not even sure that I can get off the sofa and am awaiting the return of himself from work so that he can provide food…. although I note that he managed to post *from work* earlier today….

    you big snitch ;)

  • R.G (Blessed by thee Saint Nicholas Heidfeld)27/12/2008 at 20:31

    I'm alive. Alive, everything is fine.

    Soooo, erm, hi.

  • Andy Taylor27/12/2008 at 20:32

    you big snitch ;)

    I was on my lunch break.

  • R.G (Blessed by thee Saint Nicholas Heidfeld)27/12/2008 at 20:41

    “giving goals without ???, giving penalties without ???”

    As a resident football fan. My guess is

    "Giving goals with not there. Giving penalties with not there."

    Would make more sense, "which not"????

  • R.G (Blessed by thee Saint Nicholas Heidfeld)27/12/2008 at 20:42

    Listening to that again, am I the only one who thought the Brazillian GP was 'rubbish'?

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 20:43

    Listening to that again, am I the only one who thought the Brazillian GP was ‘rubbish’?

    Um... yes.

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 20:43

    all i can think or is that it’s ‘without an ear’ but i’m not sure that makes sense…

    Have posted the transcript with some rather funky yellow question marks for now. :)

  • R.G (Speaks like Smedley, Drives like Sato, Helmet like Webber)27/12/2008 at 20:46

    Um… yes.

    Ah.

    I love listening to myself talk, especially when I go through numbers quickly, '2,3,4,5 laps at the end'

  • Christine27/12/2008 at 20:49

    I love listening to myself talk, especially when I go through numbers quickly, ‘2,3,4,5 laps at the end’

    Perhaps you should start a podcast?

  • me27/12/2008 at 20:50

    Perhaps you should start a podcast?

    or host a podpanel.

  • me27/12/2008 at 20:51

    (Speaks like Smedley, Drives like Sato, Helmet like Webber)

    erm?

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 21:14

    bound to be something obvious, but we’re stumped. anyone?

    I am a serious football fan. I go to at least one game a week and have been known to go to as many as five in one week in the summer. With all the years of football knowledge I have not the slightest idea what he is saying or for that matter I have not the slightest suggestion as to what it could be.

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 21:17

    or host a podpanel.

    I thought RG was going to host a Xmas podpanel

  • me27/12/2008 at 21:22

    I thought RG was going to host a Xmas podpanel

    we completely ran out of time :(

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 21:26

    we completely ran out of time

    We could still do it

  • me27/12/2008 at 21:27

    We could still do it

    nice try. we really can't though, we're busy getting all the end-of-year things done before... well, y'know.

  • R.G (Speaks like Smedley, Drives like Sato, Helmet like Webber)27/12/2008 at 21:32

    Perhaps you should start a podcast?

    Hmm, does the RG BMW Sauber Podcast sound alright?

    erm?

    Assuming your on about the helmet bit, the helmet I posted on the wiki was inspired by Mark Webber's helmet.

    I thought RG was going to host a Xmas podpanel

    Ah yes, that.

    Still free to do one during mid-February, April, end May, end July, whole of August, mid-October and end of December.

    My free dates :D

  • me27/12/2008 at 21:35

    Hmm, does the RG BMW Sauber Podcast sound alright?

    like a winner :)

  • lou27/12/2008 at 21:36

    Hmm, does the RG BMW Sauber Podcast sound alright?

    i say go for it! :D

  • me27/12/2008 at 21:37

    Assuming your on about the helmet bit, the helmet I posted on the wiki was inspired by Mark Webber’s helmet.

    ahhhhhhh.

    Still free to do one during mid-February, April, end May, end July, whole of August, mid-October and end of December.

    mid-feb sounds good.

  • R.G (Speaks like Smedley, Drives like Sato, Helmet like Webber)27/12/2008 at 21:37

    mid-feb sounds good.

    Great.

    i say go for it!

    :D

  • Alianora La Canta27/12/2008 at 21:47

    I’m a little scared… it is really quiet around these parts… {lou - 5 comments ago}

    I have to admit I've been slightly preoccupied with festivities, and also with doing the preliminaries for starting a little online business. I'm doing cartoony T-shirts, hoodies and similar apparel based on quotes and cartoons in my blog. I'm hoping to have it running early enough to be wearing a sample at Autosport.

    Which reminds me - if anyone's got any ideas for something they'd like drawn on some clothing, please tell me so that I can draw something up ready for launch. The cartoons I've done on my blog already are going to be available at launch, as will several other designs, but there's always room for more choice.

  • Scott in Italy (waiting for the relatives)27/12/2008 at 22:08

    not sure if this is already posted somewhere...

    Honda look to have a buyer!

    The news is not official as all the details have yet to be formalised. But two things are certain - the team has been saved and the drivers will be Jenson Button and rookie Bruno Senna in place of Rubens Barrichello."

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 22:10

    It must be really early news as even Pitpass don't have it yet. I think Lou will be happy to know that someone so rich is going to buy the team

  • R.G (Host of the RG BMW Sauber Podcast)27/12/2008 at 22:12

    The news is not official as all the details have yet to be formalised. But two things are certain - the team has been saved and the drivers will be Jenson Button and rookie Bruno Senna in place of Rubens Barrichello.”

    Carlos Slim, sounds Jam-ai-can.

    Good for Honda. Well obviously good for Honda, sounds like a VJ Mallaya type of chap.

  • Scott in Italy (waiting for the relatives)27/12/2008 at 22:17

    It must be really early news as even Pitpass don’t have it yet

    I think the smaller news sites would have very small crews over the holiday period. The AFP story appears to be from 2 hours ago. The source is an italian newspaper. When Lou reads this.... nothing official yet, but it looks very promising. It even got read out on australian news this morning which shows how big the story is, and how little other sport news there is at the moment.

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 22:21

    I did a quick news search and several newspapers are carrying the story quoting La Stampa as the source.

  • littlepurplegoth27/12/2008 at 22:23

    Ah - the man with the huge great heliocopter... :-)

    Well, if 't'is true, he'll be a lot less rich after a couple of seasons...

  • Steven Roy27/12/2008 at 22:25

    Well, if ‘t’is true, he’ll be a lot less rich after a couple of seasons…

    He is the second richest man in the world and worth over $60 billion. He could buy F1 and barely make a dent in his bank balance.

  • R.G (Host of the RG BMW Sauber Podcast)27/12/2008 at 22:27

    Done a quick search of La Stampa, seem a reliable paper.

  • Jeremy27/12/2008 at 22:28

    Q: How do you make a small fortune out of motor sport?

    A: Start with a big one!

  • R.G (Host of the RG BMW Sauber Podcast)27/12/2008 at 22:29

    According to La Stampa.

    Briatore : "Alonso better than Schumi"

    and

    Briatore to leave in 2 years

    http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.lastampa.it/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dla%2Bstampa%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26hs%3DFsh

  • lou27/12/2008 at 22:31

    not sure if this is already posted somewhere…

    Honda look to have a buyer!

    OH.MY.GOD!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

    There are no words..... i'll be back in a sec, i just need to go and have a lay down, it's too much.

  • me27/12/2008 at 22:32

    Briatore : “Alonso better than Schumi”

    true.

    Briatore to leave in 2 years

    we'll see.

    sounds like they're reputable people then :)

  • Jeremy27/12/2008 at 22:36

    Scott in Italy (in Australia) and I tried to have a meeting of the 'Australian Chapter of Sidepodcast' yesterday (27-12-08 for us) but it failed due to holiday traffic. Our relatives live close to each other but what normally would be a 2.5 hour drive, took me over 4 hours. I had allowed an extra half hour for traffic thinking that the majority of people would have travelled boxing day, but sadly, it was not the case.

    My apologies Scott, we will hopefully succeed next weekend.

  • Jeremy27/12/2008 at 22:37

    OH.MY.GOD!!!! There are no words….. i’ll be back in a sec, i just need to go and have a lay down, it’s too much.

    Yes, I am quite excited by the return of the Senna name to F1 as well :-) :D

  • Scott in Italy (breaking Honda stories as they come)27/12/2008 at 22:38

    Done a quick search of La Stampa, seem a reliable paper.

    Yeah it is.

    OH.MY.GOD!!!!

    :)

  • me27/12/2008 at 22:38

    My apologies Scott, we will hopefully succeed next weekend.

    good to hear guys. thank you so much for trying :)

  • me27/12/2008 at 22:39

    Yes, I am quite excited by the return of the Senna name to F1 as well

    ha!

  • Alianora La Canta27/12/2008 at 22:42

    Carlos Slim is Mexican.

  • Scott in Italy (breaking Honda stories as they come)27/12/2008 at 22:43

    i'm off to the other post .

  • R.G (Host of the RG BMW Sauber Podcast)27/12/2008 at 22:43

    Carlos Slim is Mexican.

    I know, but I thought his name sounded Jamaican.

  • me27/12/2008 at 22:45

    Scott in Italy (breaking Honda stories as they come)

    hehe.

  • lou27/12/2008 at 22:49

    Scott in Italy (breaking Honda stories as they come)

    Thank you :D

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 00:02

    http://www.crash.net/motorsport/f1/news/172897-0/mclaren_survives_vodafone_sponsorship_pull.html

    Vodafone has announced that it will no longer sponsor McLaren. It has been rumoured but this is the first time I have seen the announcement.

  • me28/12/2008 at 00:05

    Vodafone has announced that it will no longer sponsor McLaren. It has been rumoured but this is the first time I have seen the announcement.

    eh? i read that earlier and understood it to mean they will continue to sponsor mclaren. what am i missing?

  • Bassano Clapper28/12/2008 at 00:06

    Vodafone has announced that it will no longer sponsor McLaren. It has been rumoured but this is the first time I have seen the announcement.

    That link says Football & Cricket sponsorship to go, McLaren secure

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 00:09

    eh? i read that earlier and understood it to mean they will continue to sponsor mclaren. what am i missing?

    OOOPS I don't think you are missing something I think I missed something.

  • Christine28/12/2008 at 00:10

    OOOPS I don’t think you are missing something I think I missed something.

    That's a really dodgy headline though.

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 00:14

    That’s a really dodgy headline though.

    Thank you for trying to stop me looking stupid.

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:02

    Sidepodspace

    I heard about this earlier today. Virgin Galactic and others want to convert the former RAF Lossiemouth into a commercial spaceport.

    http://www.spaceportscotland.org/

  • me28/12/2008 at 01:08

    random as you like, but alenyaa just updated his wiki page with the following line:

    "Suggested the following slogans for the Sidepodcast homepage:

    - 'F1 has evolved. So has podcasting.' Although it enjoyed some appeal, it was not selected."

    just wanted to say we haven't forgotten about the slogans, and they'll be included in the redesign. keep 'em coming and will do a post soon.

    more: http://sidepodcast.wetpaint.com/account/Alenyaa

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:30

    For all those over-competitive people here is a nice simple little game to test your skill. I can only get 6 in a row.

    http://www.matchpractice.com/game/

  • lou28/12/2008 at 01:36

    For all those over-competitive people here is a nice simple little game to test your skill. I can only get 6 in a row.</blockquote

    damn that's difficult.

  • Christine28/12/2008 at 01:39

    For all those over-competitive people here is a nice simple little game to test your skill. I can only get 6 in a row.

    I turn to Mr C and start a conversation, then trail off saying: "What are you doing? Are you playing golf?"

    He said: "Steven Roy told me to."

    This might be the new "I blame Steven Roy."

  • Christine28/12/2008 at 01:39

    I turn to Mr C and start a conversation, then trail off saying: “What are you doing? Are you playing golf?”

    Ah, using Mr C's computer again.

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:40

    I turn to Mr C and start a conversation, then trail off saying: “What are you doing? Are you playing golf?”

    Why are you two always impersonating each other? If it wasn't for the capitals it would be confusing

  • Christine28/12/2008 at 01:41

    Why are you two always impersonating each other? If it wasn’t for the capitals it would be confusing

    Sorry. The doohickey doesn't seem to approve of switching names all the time.

  • me28/12/2008 at 01:43

    Sorry. The doohickey doesn’t seem to approve of switching names all the time.

    we're switching machines a lot at the moment.

  • me28/12/2008 at 01:43

    best score in golf = 3.

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:46

    I can't do the putts whn the slope is less than 1 degree. I had one that was 0.08 degrees and I was miles out.

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:46

    best score in golf = 3.

    I managed 6 once but generally I can't beat 3

  • Steven Roy28/12/2008 at 01:50

    I just managed another 6 then failed miserably with the 7th

  • lou28/12/2008 at 01:54

    best score in gold so far = 2....

  • lou28/12/2008 at 01:56

    best score in gold so far = 2….

    i meant golf obviously.

    and i just got 3 in a row, that makes me feel a bit better :)

  • me28/12/2008 at 02:01

    grrrr!

  • R.G (Remember them Daily Posts that go up at midnight?)28/12/2008 at 11:11

    BTW. Listening to the Megamix again. I think gavin says

    "Giving goals that are not there. Giving penalties that are not there"

  • Christine28/12/2008 at 12:38

    “Giving goals that are not there. Giving penalties that are not there”

    Ah-ha!

  • Jordan Allen (Oh, no! Not a transfer to Uplands!)29/12/2008 at 15:25

    Luca D is moaning that bringing KERS in to the sport is a serious mistake. So, I thought perhaps the Ferrari protestations that they weren’t ready for KERS was just sandbagging talk. This is evidence enough that Ferrari won’t be one of the KERS front runners.

    That depends on whether or not the KERBS systems counts towards the weight of the car.if they do, at least KERBS gives the cars an extra little bit of power, if not.Ferrari will lap the field at every stinking race.....

  • Jordan Allen (Oh, no! Not a transfer to Uplands!)29/12/2008 at 15:31

    me said:

    I’m a little scared… it is really quiet around these parts… i can’t remember the last time it was so quiet. I hope everyone is having a great day whatever they are doing.

    we’re busy as ever. currently looking at performance improvements for f1minute.com and sidepodcast.com. mostly involves looking at a lot of graphs.

    christine’s migrating the remainder of our shows onto the torrent server.

    See if you can borrow Ferrari's Pit Light Systems to gain an extra 3 tenths of a second there, Mr. C.

  • Jordan Allen (Oh, no! Not a transfer to Uplands!)29/12/2008 at 15:47

    Steven Roy said:

    That’s a really dodgy headline though.

    Thank you for trying to stop me looking stupid.

    I told you not to take 180R flat out! Now you are suffering from the after-effects of the concussion!

  • Kathi07/01/2009 at 15:33

    christine’s migrating the remainder of our shows onto the torrent server.

    Btw do you still want the 2008 mega torrent?

  • me07/01/2009 at 16:18

    Btw do you still want the 2008 mega torrent?

    yes please!