We are known, locally, as Team Renault. On one side of the garage is a bullet grey Scenic, on the other a deep blue Modus.
And we are not alone. Our immediate neighbours have a Scenic too, while down the road they chose a Clio.
We don’t wear Renault jackets and hats, nor do we have ING stickers on our cars. On my key ring, however, I do have a very nice solid steel model of the R28 given to me at last year’s Chinese Grand Prix. That’s about as far as it goes.
I am also a big fan of Fernando Alonso. As a racing driver, anyway.
So what am I to do when my wife starts to speak of replacing her Scenic? Am I to drop her from the team? I don’t think so. Am I to plead lack of funds in these difficult times? Yes, I think that would be reasonable. We have run this car virtually problem-free since 2006, so I simply decide to change the subject.
But what if she were to deliberately crash the thing into a wall? Would I then be persuaded to buy a new one? Surely she would not sink so low in her efforts to get her hands on a shiny new Renault, complete with the ‘luggage nets’ she has always wanted but which didn’t come as standard this time. I tell myself that to deliberately crash a car into a wall, even on the narrow lanes around our home, is not as simple as it may sound.
It seems, however, if young Mr Piquet’s allegations are to be believed, that these are the depths to which modern Formula 1 motor racing has plunged. Of course we know these are allegations and the case will come before the FIA next week, but there is, I sense, a deeper and more serious subject here.
Let’s forget Renault, F1 and the Piquets for a moment. We are increasingly seeing the desperate lengths to which modern teams and individuals will go in order to win. In football we have players throwing themselves to the ground in order to win a penalty kick. In rugby union we have players smearing their faces with false blood in an attempt to alter the results. In cycling we see superman climbing the Pyrenees at great speed, only to discover he has been taking drugs. And so it goes on.
Parallel with these examples of ‘sporting’ behaviour, we have gargantuan sums of money being poured into sport, from commercial sponsors and television companies desperate to get their hands on the best games and events. Money talks, money makes the world go around. Or it did. And TV ratings are the God that is worshipped by the advertising agencies who represent the brands who wish us to buy more and more of their products.
Only young Piquet knows if he was actually asked to drive his Renault into a concrete wall. Whether his allegations are true or false, it is merely a symptom of a desperate desire to win. At all costs. There is not enough money in the world, apparently, but there is too much cash sloshing around in top-level, televised sports.
May the best man win. Sounds very old fashioned now. Perhaps, in these times of correctness, and when everything and everybody has to be ‘appropriate’, we need a new phrase. May the best person win? But, above all, we must try to prevent sport becoming pure business.
Rob,
Do you prefer Goodwood to Monterey?
I may be mistaken, but I very much doubt that offences of the kind committed by Pat Symonds and Flavio Briatore are anywhere near as unique as the FIA claim. What is unusual about all this, is the contemptable behaviour of Nelson Piquet Jnr. Thanks to his inability to accept responsibilty for the disappointing start to his F1 career, two men who have devouted much of there lives to the sport are now gone; Formula One itself has been brought into disrepute and an important manufacturer has been embarrassed to the extent that its future in the sport is in doubt. The ‘spectators could have been injured’ point does not really stand up to much scrutiny either. Everyone knows that there are often accidents at motor races, and surely no F1 fan could have failed to notice that drivers sometimes cause, or at the very least risk, accidents. Spectators accept these risks when they enter the circuit. This is just another round in Mosely’s war against his enemies and the sooner he is gone the better.
I agree with Rich Ambroson above, the teams should have made much more of their FOTA alliance.
Who really benefits from the malpractice of the FIA? I can’t see many winners really.
funny Rich, I brought up the 1983 issue early on in this blog, but no one wanted,could, or maybe dared to comment on it….
Nigel knows……
Renault sponsored by Teflon?
Dave, sorry, I missed your initial reference. I wonder if “Our Nige” (with all due respects to Il Leone) is in a position to do an expose on this entire sordid affair and all the connections involved. As Tim Burton has noted, the fact that Piquet Jr. has done a lot of damage with allegations that frankly still seem misplaced—and even if true, he was spineless enough to implement—and has gotten off with immunity.
Yet another sad way F1 seems to reflect society at large. Where are my rose tinted spectacles? I find the current landscape to be a bit bleak…
Are Renault the victims here? Barrichello was broadcast on BBC radio and TV saying ‘Somebody wants Briatore’s head’. Renault escape censure as the objective of the exercise has been achieved?
NO! Cheating is not good for F1, or any other sport, and in this case the old chestnut is complete balderdash.
Yes, 1983, a point well made by Dave. Nothing much changes when all around us everything appears to change. Of course we all know, don’t we, that there has always been cheating in motor racing and F1 has been no exception. It is partly a matter of Mr Mosley having certain agendas, but that does not alter the magnitude of the offence, it simply puts another slant on the final outcome.
It may be alleged that Mr Mosley has certain targets. But we are not in a position to confirm, deny or even speculate on what those might be.
As I said some months back, things will change. But it will take time. We are at the nadir of a particular era and the only way from here is up. Over the next few years there will be many changes in the way that this business is run, some forced upon it by external events and some from within. I firmly believe that Grand Prix racing will eventually emerge in better shape.
I have just dispatched a new blog which will be on line today or tomorrow. Hopefully we will all have some comments to make. Meanwhile, this has been a most interesting and rewarding debate, I think. Hope you agree, whatever your own opinions may be.
To rid yourselves of skullduggery and vendettas, I suggest you watch some old videos of some great races and try to catch the TV coverage of the Goodwood Revival. Now that IS FUN.
RW
So Alonso is innocent! Does it not seem slightly odd that he never queried his extremely light fuel load and extremely early pit stop strategy?(Well not in public) or am Ibeing unkind to the man who coulden’t wait to go public in the Spygate saga.
My dream one day is to make the trip to Goodwood and soak up the atmosphere, maybe bottle it! Been reading the Motor Sport archives on DVD, so the rich aroma of the history of the sport is always near in these messed up times….
BTW, just read Jenks’ extraordinary account of the 1955 Mille Miglia in the MS archive and all I can say is, Stirling, Happy Birthday and you will always be my hero! I was born two months after that epic drive, but reading DSJ’s article made me feel like I was there!
Rob, as ever, thank you for your insight. And inspiration—I’ll be watching some of the great History of Motor Racing films by Shell, with the great Bill Mason narrating.
Dave, I’d also love to get to Goodwood someday. I’ve been lucky to attend the Monterey Historics several times, my favorite time being 1991, when Fangio was featured. Having the good fortune to briefly “meet” him, I can testify that he had all the charisma one reads about. And kindness. He signed the autobiography of his I brought along, and a few other items, and smiled and joked briefly with me and his old mechanic from the Alfa days.
Now, that’s a good motor racing memory.
And Dave, yes, and DSJ is wonderful reading!! May I echo your (now for me, belated) Best Wishes to Stirling Moss for HIS recent completion of 80 laps around our sun.
What Renault did, and it certainly appears they did everything to “throw” a race using very dangerous tactics, is disgusting. That being said, it seems a weird punishment for what was obviously a gross violation of any sport, compared to how the book was thrown at McLaren. Essentially somebody gave McLaren some trade secrets – and they looked at them. For that (which they shouldn’t have done) they were threatened with expulsion, a $100 mil fine was levied, etc. The comparison simply doesn’t make sense. Of course, this is the same FIA/WMSC that has been randomly asserting penalties during races (remember Bourdais?), did nothing when Todt “threw” a race publicly (talk about bringing the sport into disrepute), never adequately punished Schumacher for gross transgressions, has given Ferrari “veto power”, let Ferrari off the hook when they clearly were running illegal software, tried to punish J Villeneuve for speaking his mind … and that’s only what I can remember off the top of my head
Can we please bring the Bernie/Max era to a close? I remember how bad we thought Balestre was – by present comparison, I’m not sure.
John, regarding Todt “throwing” a race publicly, one could add Oz 1998, and perhaps even Jerez 1997 into the mix.
I’m glad this sordid ordeal is over, or at least, the whole trial/speculation part of it. I continue to feel very sorry for Mr. Symonds, he deserves better, but that whole “endangering the safety” part of the argument is just BS, if you go to a motor-race there is a chance you might get hurt, end of story.
Since Dave brought up DSJ, I’ve also been reading a bit of him lately, specifically his “Racing Driver” book, which was recently republished in paperback form. He is a great story teller, and I’m very much enjoying the book, I’ll probably have to find some more stuff made by him to read.
And I have to say that I am VERY envious of Rich for having met Fangio! I would have loved to had such a chance! What’s the quote about never meeting your heroes because they’ll dissapoint you? I mention it because from all I’ve heard, it most certainly didn’t apply to Fangio!
I think the press are being ‘managed’ over this story. I’ve just listened to a BBC radio discussion which had a contributor from another automotive sporting publication. It contained comparisons with McLaren having Ferrari information and that fine while of course not a mention of Renault being in possession of McLaren data.
Perhaps the Renault brand was due some mud?
It’s a bit weird that those that place so much store in apologies and contriteness seem completely devoid of it themselves?
Speaking of Goodwood….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIoAHTsf-Z0&feature=player_embedded
I don’t understand why there’s not more fuss made about NP’s saying he told Charlie White about this last year. NP and CW know each other, it’s not like some anonymous tip. Assuming it’s true, given the stakes, I just wonder how the lack of acting on this by the FIA would be viewed in any other professional sport of this caliber. Where was all their righteous sound and fury then?
maybe they knew, but were trying hard to keep it under wraps to preserve the finishing order of the race because to change it would mean to change history where the world championship is concerned….very NASCAR-ish of them if true.
over here in NASCAR land, you can lie, cheat and steal and if you win the race and get caught all you get is a big fine and maybe a suspension. the fans almost always leave the track knowing the result.
Speaking of real racing – Goodwood is one thing, but this weekend at Eldora Speedway in west-central Ohio, USAC is running their Four-Crown event for sprints, midgets and silver crown cars. There will be action aplenty on the 1/2 mile dirt and they have the best cheddarwurst in the land! America at its’ best. I can’t wait!
Santiago, Fangio most certainly did not disappoint. He will always be for me the very epitome of what a Grand Prix driver is. Nuvolari, Moss, Ascari and Villeneuve are my other favorites, but I’ve only briefly chatted with Stirling in the paddock. Moss was so besieged with other fans, I felt fortunate to gain an autograph and a genuine smile. He was also the very best.
But Fangio—such a very special person. All the things you see in interviews of other drivers that knew him—the light that comes in their eyes when they speak of him—it is all true, he had that special something.
He drove the W154 so fast in his 80th year, the folks following in a modern sports car filming him spun out at Laguna Seca in 1991. :-)
Rich, you and I speak the same language! As I am sure many others here do as well…..
Thank you, Dave. I am thankful to Motorsport and Rob Widdows (and all the backroom folks) for this arena where we can speak that language with each other.
Cheers!
What a marvelous scene! El Maestro driving a race car the way it should be,even at an advanced age! I wonder what he tought when he saw his chase car spin out.
That scene made me remember this video of him in a W196 racing Jack Brabham ,at another exhibition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbc5U6wTfUw
…and him at Monaco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRc18SfbnIM&feature=related
And I also would like to thank Rob, the Motorsport team, and you guys for making this such a great place to learn and to share our passion! There are many forums and blogs on the Internet, but few of such a consistently high quality! (and troll free!)
Morning/Afternoon/Evening All
WOW! This is truly a great blog. I’m struggling to keep abreast of it as I rush around the place talking to racing drivers and looking at racing cars.
Anyway, thanks everybody and it was great to read that you appreciate the writings of Denis Jenkinson who has always been a hero of mine. Of course his report on the Mille Miglia was a prime example of how write that kind of story – but every month his Continental Notes were just a joy to read as well. He was very observant and had a real understanding of racing and racing cars. I try to emulate him but it’s not easy……………………….!
And Moss. Well, if you don’t appreciate the talents and achievements of Stirling Moss then you don’t understand what it’s all about. If you live in the UK, listen to what he says on the ITV programme about the Revival (next Tuesday night on ITV4). Very interesting and I have rarely seen him so animated in recent years. He is genuinely a legend.
My new disptach should be ‘on line’ today so hopefully we can all have something new to mull over.
Meanwhile I am deep into my interview with Ron Dennis which appears in the December edition of the magazine. But I’ll be dropping in and out of here when I get the chance.
It’s a beautiful autumn day here in little old England.
I’m almost glad I’m not in Singapore.
RW
Cheddarwurst? What the hell is cheddarwurst?
I trust this is not some outrageous American replica of our beloved English cheddar? Please put my mind at rest, or I will have to go to Ohio.
I have eaten rumbledethumps, but not at the races. This is a rather good mixture of potato, swede, and savoy cabbage topped with mature cheddar cheese, all bashed together and inspired by an ancient Scottish recipe. It’s good.
In spite of the cheddarwurst I would love to be at Eldora for the races. I just love those half-mile dirt ovals, I mean that’s REAL racing. When I went to Indy I took some off to go to one of these tracks and boy, did I have a great night.
I sat in the front row, wanting to be as close as possible to the action, but I soon moved back a few rows. A midget car in a four-wheel drift sure as hell creates a wonderful shower of dirt. Exciting, but you need a helmet on in the crowd.
If any of you want to get a fix of some seriously dramatic sport, get yourself to an American midget car oval. Wheel to wheel under the lights, a capacity crowd wooping and hollering, and some mighty fine racing. Can’t beat it. They do overtaking and opposite lock. In fact they are hardly ever straight. Magic night out.
Where were we? Oh, yes, Charlie Whiting, a former Brabham mechanic, should have believed what Nelson was telling him. They go back a long way. But I’m quite certain that Mr Whiting has very good reasons, in his role with the FIA, to act as he did.
RW
Well, the origin of the Eldora Cheddarwurst is probably way too simple – take a bratwurst and inject it with some kind of soft cheddar and there you are! Add onions, relish, mustard and ketchup and a cold American beer and presto, instant Americana. And I’m afraid it is as far removed from a good English chaddar as one can get, but as far as track food goes, it is right up there at the top.
Ask Patrick Head about USAC midget car racing. Back in 2002 they held an event the night before the USGP called the Twin 25′s at the paved 1/2 mile oval at what is now called O’Reilly Raceway Park. Two 25 lap midget features where the winner of the first race started dead last in the second with a $50,000 bonus if he could win the second. I walked in with Mr. Head that night and told him he was going to be entertained. In the first race, Dave Steele (a pavement expert) won going away. In the second race, Steele started last, but worked his way up and by lap 20 or so was in the lead! Of course, there were a couple yellow flag situations that bunched up the field, but to come from last to first in ANY race is quite a feat.
So, American cheddar it has to be, but I’ll take along a Boddington’s (or two) to wash it down. Fair?
As a Renault owner Rob we need your opinion on the ING decal bereft Renault. Renault looks good sideways on at turn 17?
Absolutely fair Dave. Boddingtons is a fine beer. I do not drink beer any more, except Guinness which is technically a stout, when I did drink beer I often enjoyed a Bod!
Hope you have/had a great weekend at the races.
Night racing in Singapore? Forget it. If you want to go night racing, go to America, to Nascar or to the midgets on the half-mile ovals.
The track in Singapore looks like the perimeter road of a huge prison camp. All you can see is wire fences, concrete walls and arc lamps.
RW
What an intersting blog this has been. I think we’re way off topic by now, but just to cap it off, Eldora was almost perfect on Saturday night, weather excellent. Track was a bit dry, would’ve been better suited to the winged cars, but in one of those strange yin/yang things, they ran on the tacky track Friday night. In any case, a great end to our spectating season.
And that Cheddarwurst was the bomb!
As for Singapore……great helicopter shots on the TV coverage here and some good results for teams who needed them (except Red Bull!), but as far as racing goes it left me wanting more.
Do QPR get as many penalties? The result was the consequence of penalties and infractions. Is the track suitable for racing on? F1 is like Kickstart that BBC televised moto cross competition where the riders got penalties for touching cones or putting their feet down?