To 2012 And Beyond

Only 2 days to get ready for FP1 at Melbourne and I'm woefully under-prepared this year. Not even decided what's going into the midnight snackbox of chocolatey goodness yet. No matter, it's time for #FanFormula again, albeit a bit later than usual.

Q1) HRT and Marussia, with only days remaining until the F1 returns, have passed the final FIA crash tests. What do you make of their delayed start to the season and will this have an effect on 2012 and future seasons for the teams?

A: It's never nice to see teams struggling, no matter who you support. The new rules requiring teams to pass all 18 FIA crash tests have obviously taken a big toll on HRT and Marussia's pre-season programme, so much so that it will be extremely difficult for them to improve their performances from last year. Yes, the tyre data both teams collected with their 2011-spec cars will be of some help, but they can't even begin to think of moving up the order if they can't get their cars ready for testing. It's just too crucial an event to miss now that in-season testing is banned, and it's plain to see that the very modest budgets of HRT and Marussia just can't deliver at the moment. Unless they see a substantial amount of investment in the future, I wouldn't be surprised if both teams pulled out of Formula 1 in a couple of years time.


Q2) With several teams completing several 'filming days' before the season begins, should this be allowed or is it just a way for the teams to get a few sneaky test laps in without being at a test session?

A: I'm a firm believer of 'filming days' being another term for private test days! But I don't think they're a bad thing, I imagine it's good for the teams to get some mileage away from the prying eyes of their competitors. It would be nice if they had a set number of filming days in a season, to do shakedowns of new parts and give third drivers some running time. But with in-season testing banned and Formula 1 trying to cut down on costs, that won't be happening anytime soon.

Q3) 2012 is rumoured to be the last year that both Catalunya and Valencia feature in the race calendar; what is your view on this and will this bring the end of the European GP?

A: It's a shame but it's the right thing to do. We all know that Spain has suffered quite badly from the Eurozone economic crisis and hosting two Grands Prix each year just doesn't seem to make sense right now, when they have much more important issues to deal with. And let's be honest, Catalunya and Valencia are two of the more processional races on the calendar, so having one less boring race each year is a good thing! As for the future of the European Grand Prix, it's looking a little bleak. There are plenty of tracks to choose from that could host the Grand Prix on a rotation basis, but it's a question of whether they can afford the huge costs of hosting a race, which in the current economic climate seems unlikely.

BONUS) Now that all of the liveries have been revealed, which is your favourite and which one do you like the least?

A: It's been a real mix with liveries this year. The McLarens always look nice in chrome but it's starting to get really boring now, and it's the same story with the Red Bulls and Toro Rossos.

The worst though, by far, is Sauber's offering:

As they don't have many sponsors you'd be inclined to feel a bit of sympathy for them. But, like last year, it feels like they haven't even tried. In fact it looks like they cobbled it together on Microsoft Paint as an afterthought, and as such it looks a complete mess. The new addition of the black nose-cone also accentuates how blunt their interpretation of the stepped nose is, making it one of the ugliest of the 2012 cars. If only they went back to one of their earlier designs...

As for the best, Lotus' livery is just scrumptious. Despite being sponsored by a deodorant company this year and the red end-plates spoiling things slightly, the black-and-beige (doesn't look gold to me!) JPS homage has looked every bit as gorgeous on track as it did in the launch photos. Under the floodlights of Singapore and Abu Dhabi, it'll be heavenly!

© Getty Images

Globe Trotting

Hi guys, here's my very first extended #FanFormula entry. Hope you enjoy it!


Q1) Which Grand Prix do you look forward to most in the season and why?

A: There's a couple of races I look forward to, Canada in particular because I love the track, Montréal itself and how the people really embrace the event and make it their own. Not to mention the suicidal groundhogs and marshals.

But for the all-round experience, I'd have to say Australia. There's just such a buzz around it and it's nice to see fans old and new talking about the upcoming season, especially on social media like Twitter. The air of uncertainty over what the pecking order's going to be makes for an exciting build-up, and the racing is generally great too. But I think the main thing that makes it so special is it being a flyaway race, especially when it's the first race on the calendar.

Picture the scene. You wake up in the middle of the night, most probably in a bad mood due to lack of sleep. Groggy and cursing the light hurting your eyes, you stumble to turn on your TV, wondering whether it was worth getting up at such an ungodly hour. And then you hear the engines firing up in anger for the first time - your ears prick up, you get comfty in you chair/bed and wonder why you were complaining to yourself, because the sound is glorious! It's not quite up there with waiting for the five red lights to go out on raceday, but it's very close.


Q2) If you could go to any Grand Prix, where would you choose and why? (Please feel free to mention if you are going to a Grand Prix this season)

A: Again, it would have to be Australia and Canada, for all the reasons above. I also have family in Australia so it would be nice to visit them at their home for a change. Apart from those, I'd love to go to Monaco just to experience the glitz and glamour.

I'm going to at least one race this season. I'll be back at Silverstone after my first ever Grand Prix there last year, so if you're staying at or near Windmills campsite, come and say hello! Money permitting I might be going to Catalunya too, though it's looking much less likely.


Q3) What is your favourite corner in all of the F1 circuits?

A: It's a cliché, but Eau Rouge. I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching the cars go through there, most of them flat out, because seeing the elevation change is just brilliant to watch. I love Turn 8 at Istanbul too, especially watching the front-runners taking the apexes like they're on rails. Precision driving and engineering combined into a bundle of exhilaration. I'm sure I won't be the only one that'll be missing it from the calendar.


BONUS) Of all the countries that don't have a race currently or planned (e.g. Russia), where would you like to see a Grand Prix being held?

A: I've been thinking about this question since Sunday evening and even now I can't settle on one particular place! So this answer is split into three sections:

South Africa - even though Formula 1 likes to claim it's a global sport, I don't think it can be truly considered global until there's a race in Africa again. And of all the states in Africa, South Africa seems to be the most suitable. I'm no expert in African affairs, but from a complete outsider's point of view it seems to be the most politically and economically stable state, and also has prior experience of holding Grands Prix. The main questions are whether it could afford to host a race in the first place, and where it would be held. The most recent addition to the calendar, the Korean Grand Prix, was instated via a contract worth $264 million - could South Africa match or better that? On a possible venue, Bernie Ecclestone has suggested he'd like to see a street circuit in Cape Town, with the cost of upgrading the Kyalami circuit to Formula 1 specs seemingly too high to be commercially viable. Either way, as long as the locals and fans were up for it I'd love to see Formula 1 return to South Africa, but only if they could afford it.

Scandinavia - we all know that Scandinavia has a rich history of high achievement in motorsport. And with the return of Kimi Raikkonen, as well as Heikki Kovalainen's Caterham team on the verge of entering the midfield, why not hold a Grand Prix there? Again it comes down to cost and where it would be held, but perhaps more importantly for European races, where it would fit in the calendar. Mr Ecclestone has long stated that 20 races is the maximum he's prepared to have, so somewhere would have to give... *cough*Valencia*cough*

Portugal - when I've been watching Classic F1, I've found myself drawn to the Portuguese Grand Prix. The racing at Estoril seemed brilliant and given another chance I'm sure it still would be, though the cost of improving facilities for F1 could be problematic. The new F1-spec circuit in Portimão has also seen some great racing, particularly from the lower single-seater formulae. Once again it comes down to money and space on the calendar, with the former point particularly concerning given the current financial crisis in the Eurozone. However, I was reading a thread about a return to Portugal on F1Fanatic the other day, and a comment from one member suggested the idea of an Iberian Grand Prix. Although they advocated removing both the European and Spanish GPs to make it happen, it got me thinking - why not alternate Catalunya with Portimão? Yes, it doesn't fit in with Formula 1's expansive ambitions, but it's no secret that Catalunya is trying to negotiate a reduction in race fees and the Spanish GP isn't all that exciting nowadays. By sharing the rights, Catalunya could cut their losses, Portimão could potentially keep costs down too and fans would see some exciting racing at a new track. It's a win-win situation.


Hope you enjoyed the read and that you all have a lovely week. Until next Sunday, much love xxx