P1 Issue 3 by P1 Magazine

Issue 3 • 2010

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editor’s notes

ell here we go – another issue of P1 and I must say it’s been a heck of a ride so far and I can guarantee we won’t be slowing down. I have just returned from my first trip to Bathurst, and after watching it religiously for as many years as it has been on the gogglebox in my fair land, to finally set foot on the hallowed ground was an amazing feeling. It was like meeting a pen-pal (or net-buddy these days) for the first time – familiar - yet a complete stranger. While I was certainly taking the weekend of racing to heart, my main goal was to visit the sacred land known as ‘The Hill’. It was an adventure in itself, I found the missing link and have sent test samples to the Smithsonian Institute for confirmation. I promise to bring you the in-depth findings in upcoming issues of P1. It will also be a privilege during the month of October to attend the biggest party the Gold Coast will have had, and one really has to sit up and take notice of this one because if you remove all the fanfare, hype and frenzied media action, the actual racing would have to be considered as an all time great. Just for a moment let’s bath in the beauty side of the event. We have the Gold Coast, a place that immediately tips the scale when it comes to reputation as a sun soaked party central. Glorious weather with glorious beaches covered in just as glorious toned and tanned bodies, family parks and venues for wild rides and adventures, and nightlife that can rival any city in the world. But for one weekend only, this spot of magic and wonder gets an extra boost. The Australian V8 Supercar fraternity have created a simple recipe for success by the joining together of bulk entertainment spectacles. Concerts for three nights running with the likes of James Reyne of Australian Crawl fame, The Angels, Noiseworks, Mondo Rock, Richard Clapton (sorry no relation to Eric), the Baby Animals and of course, the kings of pop harmony The Beach Boys. It should ensure a whole heap of happy campers, but I’m more enthused by what is happening on the track, not around it. Let’s not forget what happened last year when the shameful A1GP fiasco created turmoil with the scheduling. The V8 organisers at very short notice made a format change that at the time kept everyone happy – but they knew at that point in time things needed to change. The carnival atmosphere would not reach any form of brilliance if it was to solely become another round of their standard V8 Touring Car season. The event obviously needed some kind of attractive punch – and they have achieved it. The Gold Coast 600 in my eyes regardless of results has now become one of the greatest racing spectacles on the planet. Forget the showcase ‘one night only superstars of racing’ type of events that are scattered around the United States and Europe – those are designed as giggle and are by no means a serious take on motorsport. The Gold Coast event quite simply is because look at the names involved. Helio Castroneves, Sebastien Bourdais, David Brabham, Ryan Briscoe, Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Fabrizio Giovanardi, Patrick Long, Alain Menu, Tiago Monteiro, Gianni Morbidelli, Yvan Muller, Will Power, Andy Priaulx, Scott Pruett, Mika Salo, Alex Tangliani and Jacques Villeneuve. Yeah, I know – truly amazing. Helio has won the Indy 500 three times already and will partner the young fireball Tim Slade. Dixon has won the IndyCar Series twice plus has an Indy 500 notch on his belt which should work wonders with Todd Kelly, and equally as such Dixon’s Target teammate and 2010 Indycar Champion Dario Franchitti has enough wins under his belt to keep Steven Johnson full of joy. You can spice it up even more by looking at Craig Lowndes’ driving buddy Andy Priaux who has won the FIA WTCC three years in a row, and then cast a glance as his fellow WTCC rival Yvan Muller who has had time behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar when he won the Sandown 500 in 2005 with Lowndes – but he will partner Greg Murphy this time around. While we are at it, why don’t we also take a sneak peak at a driver who has three particular trophies sitting in his pool room cabinet – Jacques Villeneuve. He claimed the IndyCar championship along with the Indy 500 ribbon in 1995 before moving to the Formula One Championship where he won in 1997 – talk about prestige. I’m like a kid in a candy shop at the moment, the highlights of the Australian series are underway, the major events around the world are dramatically concluding and my own local summer of racing is about to start – I’m so easily amused. Remember, Motor Racing is sport... everything else is just a game. Enjoy.

Craig “Sooty” Lord

editor

the team Publisher Ned Dawson Project Manager Cathy Horton Editor Craig Lord Deputy Editor John Brooks Sub Editors Matt Trulio, Leigh Neil F1 Editor David Tremayne United States John Dagys South Africa Paul Bedford Toyota Racing Series Bob McMurray NASCAR Amanda Vincent INDY CARS Jeremy Shaw CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Scott Wensley Joel Strickland Mark Horsborough Proofreading Barbara McIntosh Graphic Design Dot Design Printers GEON Group Digital Edition GEON Group Web Design Fuel Design

EDITORIAL Kia Kaha Media PO Box 37 978, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand PHONE +64 21 757 747 • FAX +64 9 528 3172 EMAIL info@p1mag.net

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Regulars 5 from the pitlane 11 european connection

contents 16 Minor Change – Major Effects

History was recently given not a minor but a rather major shake-up when the V8 supercar teams ran the first two endurance rounds for the 2010 season.

26 Maintaining an even strain

Or why Jenson Button may be the most relaxed of the five title contenders.

38 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours – ’Till The Fat Lady Sings

In the Diesel and GT2 classes, the song remained the same at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours: Winning means as much about staying in one piece for the entire race as it does about turning blistering-fast laps.

50 One for all…

How would you like to be the guy who lets his team down by fumbling a pit stop? It might look cool on television, but being a pit stop crew member is no trip to Paris

56 Developing Value – Now and Later

Though spectators often dismiss them, the value of a development series in motorsports is beyond question. Known as the Fujitsu Series, the V8 Supercar Development Series provides a perfect example.

62 The same, but different

Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi have both had tough seasons; but is one about to rise again as the other falters?

70 Model for Success

Heading into its seventh season, the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand is healthy and vibrant.

78 man of the island

At the Vodka O Australian GT Racing Series on the fast Phillip Island track, Porsche driver James Koundouris didn’t simply win – he dominated.

88 Season Preview: NZV8 Touring Cars

Veteran drivers such as Craig Baird, Angus Fogg and John McIntyre look strong, but up-and-comer Tim Edgell and wildcard Eddie Bell can’t be counted out.

92 NASCAR Waves a New Kind of Green Flag

Environmentally friendly automobile racing isn’t an oxymoron. Far from it. Through its own efforts that include “green” facility construction and emissions mitigation, NASCAR is presenting a model for exactly how environmentally responsible auto racing can be.

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From T he P itlane Nascar Truck Series: Sponsor Crunch Starting to Hurt

yle Busch has been so successful at the track in his Nascar Sprint Cup car that he decided to enter the Truck series as well this season – but he has done it as a team under his own steam, and it’s proving to be costly. It seems clear that success in one code does not immediately translate to financial support of another as Busch has had to dip deep into his own pockets to run the team rather than via a sponsor – as is the norm with major motorsport teams. His primary funder pulled out just before the start of the season and although the team has won four races and is a strong contender for the owner’s championship title, the cost of getting there may be the end of the team. If it does fall, it won’t be a shock to see others go the same way – whether or not the recession is over, it will take a long time for wallets to recover it many camps. Watch out for big changes as the dollars gets sparse.

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup: Rene Rast wins

BTCC: Donington Park gets a lift

he Porsche Supercup has been supporting the F1 circus since 1993 and in its time it has seen plenty of championship drives. After ten rounds of the 2010 season Rene Rast has become the latest to secure the prestigious title. Behind the wheel of the Al Faisal Lechner Racing team the German driver didn’t need to win the final round, but he still needed to place well, and his fourth was enough to do it. His closest rival Nicholas Tandy from Great Britain driving for Konrad Motorsport had to win and also had to hope that problems would unfold for the German – part of the plan came together as Tandy held of his compatriot Sean Edwards in Team Abu Dhabi, but the points chase was too far for Tandy and Rast managed to sneak clear by 6 points. As well as the drivers title Rast managed to secure the team championship as well.

he privately, family owned racetrack known as Donington Park finally had some good news after a turbulent two years. They lost the rights to run the Formula One British Grand Prix due to a lack of funding and then the circuit was deemed unraceable – forcing the MotoGP to leave as well. This was of course a disastrous time for the famous circuit but thankfully after a 2 million pound upgrade the circuit is fighting back. The British Touring Car Champs have always stuck with Donington, and that currently makes them the only big-ish event to circulate there. Work is continuing on the track to bring it back to a fully-fledged international arena, but with Silverstone having signed a 17 year deal with Formula One, Donington has a long time to wait – that should be enough time to get it right.

Formula One: Korea Under Pressure

peculation is still rife in regards to the inaugural Korean F1 race to be held on October 24. The tarmac for the event is still fresh and will only have test rubber embedded into it from the odd practice lap. The circuit was meant to have been completed by July 2010 but that plan along with many others was and is way overdue. There are still issues with accommodation for not only spectators but the teams, officials and support organisations, and whilst the FIA are still smiling they may have to break their own rules to allow the race to go green. The official track inspection was still not completed with six weeks remaining, and if it gets the red flag by Charlie Whiting, head of the F1 technical department, Korea will not only lose the 2010 event but the 2011 one as well. 6

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Formula One: The Return of Kimi Raikkonen?

imi Raikkonen has had enough of the gravel and wants to return to the smoothness (and money) of the tarmac. The former (and some say lucky) World Champion retired from the hustle and bustle of the F1 circus after nine seasons – helped along by mediocre results and Ferrari’s choice to employ Fernando Alonso instead. His talks with Toyota went nowhere, but neither did Toyota as they left the game, and his demands for a high salary to drive for his former McLaren team were wasted. He therefore decided to go to where many Finn’s had gone before – the world of Rallying, but it has not been a successful transition. After seeing the success that Renault have had in the 2010 F1 season, Raikkonen has approached the team to put his hand up for the potential second driver position for 2011. There will be many problems to deal with first though, like funding and the fact that there are many younger drivers out there as good as or even better than he is. Renault are expected to make a decision on a second car and driver before Christmas 2010.

From The Pitlane NASCAR: ‘The Chase’ 101

eptember 2010 sees the top 12 Nascar drivers starting The Chase – but what exactly does that mean? Here it is in a simple breakdown: • The season comprises of 36 races, after the first 26 the top 12 drivers in the standings qualify for ‘The Chase’ • The Chase consists of the season’s last 10 races. • All Chase drivers had their point totals reset to 5,000. They then received 10 bonus points for each race victory prior to the Chase, creating the seedings. • The top seed at the outset of the Chase was Denny Hamlin in the FedEx Toyota with 5,060 points, going into the first Chase event at New Hampshire. • All 12 Chase drivers battle with the full 43 Nascar entrants.

Indycar: The trends continue

he calendar for the 2011 Indycar season has been announced – with three interesting spectacles. Firstly, Baltimore will be the home of a new street circuit incorporating the local marina, and secondly, Iowa Speedway will be another night race on the calendar. Those two items of course will pale in comparison to “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” – as the Indianapolis 500 turns 100 in May 2011. But still, there will be plenty of interest in the newest street race, which is becoming quite the trend amongst motorsport organisations. They all do it, but it is more of a surprise to see it come from Indycar, where the oval is king. The new calendar format now has five street events, St. Petersburg Florida, Long Beach California, Sao Paulo Brazil, Toronto Canada and Baltimore Maryland.

DTM: Audi Still in

busy October will finally see a championship winner appear from the DTM (German Touring Car) Series. Audi were looking down and out with Mercedes shaping up to take the championship, but with a third placing at the Oschersleben round Mattias Ekstrom in his A4 has put the quad circles back into contention. The Swede was in his 101st DTM race but that milestone meant little as he was unable to match the pace of Paul Di Resta who took the round in his AMG Mercedes. October has three race meets meaning little time for repairs if disaster strikes early and the first of those races at Hockenheim could potentially be the winner for the AMG clan.

The standings for the start of The Chase were as such: Denny Hamlin 5060 Jimmie Johnson 5050 Kevin Harvick 5030 Kyle Busch 5030 Kurt Busch 5020 Greg Biffle 5010 Tony Stewart 5010 Carl Edwards 5000 Clint Bowyer 5000 Jeff Burton 5000 Jeff Gordon 5000 Matt Kenseth 5000 With a race meet each weekend to finish the season there is no room for error, and that was shown clearly in the first of the ten events when drivers were running out of gas in the last few laps – including race leader Tony Stewart who spluttered to a coasting crawl on the white flag. The chase also throws up a host of surprises, like the winner at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Clint Bowyer. Bowyer has been without a win for 88 races and then manages to slip into the top 12 at the last event. Being the last to qualify for The Chase obviously made little difference to Bowyer, and the win has put him in good position to challenge for overall honours. The same cannot be said for Jimmie Johnson who is pushing for his fifth consecutive championship – Johnson finished 25th after a loose wheel forced him to pit late in the race. The Chase is on and October is a great month to love NASCAR.

issue 3

From T he P itlane Formula one: Flavio? Surely not....

Bright future likely for young Tom Blomqvist

e’s only 16 but Tom Blomqvist is making waves after his recent stellar performance at Silverstone. Tom collected a pole position and two wins from two in rounds 13 and 14 of the Formula Renault UK Championship. Despite being the youngest competitor in the field, Tom has been a consistent frontrunner in 2010 and is fighting for the title in what his effectively his rookie season. Tom’s maiden victory of 2010 in round 13 clearly instilled fresh confidence and the young Brit wasted no time in securing win number two just a few hours later. The results mean Tom has continued to reel in the championship protagonists; there are now a mere 20 points separating Tom from the points leader. The double win capped a fantastic weekend where Tom was also awarded Rising Star status from the British Racing Drivers Club. Tom maturely managed the Silverstone round and never came under any serious pressure. His seventh podium in 10 races puts him in good steed for Rounds 15 and 16 of the Formula Renault UK Championship at the Knockill circuit in Scotland. The event will be the first time Formula Renault has visited the Fife based venue in four years.

ell, given the way the FIA punishes anyone who does anything wrong in F1, it would not be surprising to see the disgraced and banished Flavio Briatore getting a reprieve and returning to the mainstream F1 fold. He currently resides as the manager for Fernando Alonso, but the former Renault boss has been spotted repeatedly visiting the Ferrari headquarters at Maranello. He was also at Monza having a great time with the Ferrari bosses, and now the rumour mill is speculating that he may be employed as the new Ferrari Team Boss. He is still good buddies with Formula One owner Bernie Ecclestone, so expect the expected...

Stanaway wins ADAC Formula Master Championship

perfect weekend with pole position and three race wins in the penultimate round of the German ADAC Formula Masters Championship at the Nurburgring circuit has seen young New Zealand driver Richie Stanaway (18) win the seven-round German ADAC Championship with one round to go. Following the latest Nurburgring round his total of 315 points cannot be beaten, no matter what happens in the final round at the Oschersleben circuit in October. Richie won each of the Nurbugring races comfortably, the first race from his team-mate and flat-mate, William Vermont of France, the second from Dominik Baumann of Austria and the third race from Germany Patrick Schranner. As of now Richie has lead the most distance, won the most races, and finished on the podium more times than anyone else in the history of the series.

Minimal Horsepower for Mark Webber

1 superstar Mark Webber dropped back a few cogs from normal but was still able to put the pedal to the metal when he completed a 50 mile ride on two wheels. Webber organised the charity cycling event ‘Ride to the Horns’ back in 2008 with family festivity in mind. Three different routes of 93 miles, 50 miles and the family friendly 7 miles flow through the districts of Buckingham and Bedfordshire, with the longer runs utilising the local hills. Unfortunately Webber was unable to complete the longer run due to his foot injury from the Valencia accident but he did manage to finish the 50 mile run with his young Padawan Jedi in tow. Webber’s 16 year old motorsport apprentice from New Zealand, Mitch Evans, used the time on the bike to gain extra fitness for his Australian Formula 3 escapades, but also to enjoy more quality time with Webber. As a birthday present Mitch flew to the UK to hang out with Mark at the Goodwill Festival of Speed and then the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Evans was taken on board to be mentored by Webber in the middle of 2010 after the Red Bull team started to take notice of the young drivers racing skills.

p1 magazine

By John Brooks

European Connection World Domination

hat aim is usually the province of cat-stroking super villains always destined to be thwarted by James Bond. Yet global alliances and world championships by any other name seem to be the order of the day for 2011 and onwards in International Motorsport. The FIA jealously guards the right to give the label “World Championship” to any form of competition in the sport. We have Formula One, World Rally, World Touring Cars and this year GT1 – all with the FIA logo spattered on their letterhead, all paying whopping great sanction fees for the privilege. Actually these organizations do not fund the First Class, Five Star lifestyle of the FIA delegates – You do, through your ticket prices and your race fees. Mind you, it would be hard to find any recognition of this in Paris, so disregarded are the lower echelons of the sport by our betters. In addition to the FIA’s well-trodden path to global exposure, other powerful organizations within the sport are looking to extend their reach too, to tap into important markets in far-flung places outside the cosy racing experiences in Europe or North America. Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (or German Touring Car Masters) has been a two-horse race since Opel left in 2005. Mercedes Benz and Audi have been very keen to lure BMW into the fold, if for nothing else but to share in the huge marketing and promotional budget required. Buying TV coverage and giving away tickets does not come cheap. There has been a conflict within the Munich manufacturer with the Marketing department in favor of the new initiative but with the Motorsports side not so. As usual these days, marketing triumphs over common sense and from 2012 BMW will join the DTM and leave motorsport, as one of my esteemed German colleagues puts it. One of the conditions of entry was that there would be a DTM race or two in North America. So it would appear that an alliance between DTM and Grand Am, with possibly NASCAR, is on the cards. This would take the form of DTM exhibition races at the road races for either of these series. It would be mutually beneficial to all parties concerned.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Aimed at factory teams in the LMP1 and GT2 categories, this competition cherry-picks the best of the existing races and bundles them together. For 2011 the rounds will be Sebring and Petit Le Mans in North America, Suzuka and Zhuhai in Asia, Spa and Silverstone in Europe, plus of course the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Sounds great in theory but there are still a few loose ends. What local rules are in force, for example in the ALMS cars run on E85 fuel, and what will be the standard for that? Who controls the television package? Even something as basic as what are the final technical and sporting regulations for 2011, only a few months away? That is a big unknown. Actually who pays for the whole shooting match is also not a small matter. During a recent press conference at Silverstone, the ACO airily swatted away such impertinent questions saying, “Just trust us, all will be OK on the day.” A bit of a leap of faith considering the budgets involved. Still there is much to be optimistic about, and the thought that the glory days of the Group C World Endurance Championship could come again is one to quicken the heart. In FIA-land it would appear to be business as usual. F1 dominates as it always does. Both Rallying and Touring Cars are in a transitional stage with a new spec engine for both Championships, but the 1.6 liter, four cylinder turbo units are starting to appear. The GT1 World Championship has been a bigger success on track than anticipated, though there are still questions on how the money will work in the longer term. For now, things are looking more optimistic than the past few years’ financial problems would have allowed. I am looking forward to the Brave New World. I hope you are too! P1

A similar arrangement is also being considered with the Japanese Super GT series and DTM. How much or how little of these schemes actually come off is anyone’s guess. However, the announcement of the 2011 DTM schedule featuring an exhibition event in the Olympic Stadium in Munich gives a clear signal as to the direction that is being taken – “racertainment” or whatever the German equivalent is. Across the French border the custodians of the World’s Greatest Race, the ACO, have long had ambitions to take their endurance brand far from the confines of the La Sarthe circuit. In 1999 they and Don Panoz launched the American Le Mans Series, and after a few false starts Patrick Peter did the same in Europe with the Le Mans Series. Both of these ventures have been regarded as a success, with full grids and some classic races and racing. This year has seen the emergence of the next step to take Endurance Racing to a global stage, the

issue 3

The V8 Supercar field thunders through the first set of turns at the Island.

that being , e r u t a n ir he torical in t n. is h n e t f o e they are ru ar y a s t w n e e h v t e in ic p E and heir format t in ic s s a l minor but a a t o n n e they are c iv ly g he was recent y r o t teams ran t is h r , a r c e r v e e p w u s o H e V8 up when th e k a h . s r o j 2010 season e h rather ma t r o f s d oun ndurance r e o w t t s ir f

story by Craig Lord Bathurst Photos by Ned Dawson Philip Island Photos by Scott Wensley

issue 3

ystems can be changed at any event without any effect on the overall final package for those outside of the organization. These “system” changes are usually done to trim costs, or streamline information and general logistics, and predominantly they are done for those who operate an event. However, when a “format” change is done then it has an effect on many. The question is though, is changing the format for such epic events worth the risk, and is it fair? The endurance rounds for the V8 Supercars utilize the driver change policy. It is a simple system that over the years had paired together many individual superstars, and in turn they had created superstar teams. These pairings had become part of the culture, and by all accounts the pairing process did not appear to be broken – so, as the cliché goes, it therefore did not need to be fixed. Well, that’s not completely true according to the top dogs of the Australian V8 Supercars, who clearly said it did. Starting in 2010 the powers-to-be gave the pairing rule a minor tweak. That minor tweak did not see any alteration to the

p1 magazine

fact that drivers would be swapping over during the race. But what it did do to the events was stop any team from pairing V8 Supercar drivers together in the same car – and that tiny wee little change in the paperwork has had a monster effect on the epic, classical and historic endurance events. For such a seemingly small change in the format there are many ramifications, the obvious one being how to find the driver who will step into the hot-seat with the least disruption to a team’s “mojo”. As an example, Adrian Burgess who is the Sporting Director for Jim Beam Racing is very clear on how that all works and doesn’t seem to have any issues with it. “We started the whole driver search process nine months before the first enduro, and we were simply looking for someone who was not out to impress us or prove he is better than the regular driver, but someone who would fit with the team,” says Adrian. One would assume the requirements for a secondary driver to enter any team are similar to what Adrian wanted. They naturally need to be quick, but they need to have a full

Kiwi John McIntyre proved a very capable co-driver 3 15 for fellow kiwi Shane Vanissue Gisbergen.

Mark Winterbottom leads the field up Mountain Straight for the first time at the 16 p1 magazine start of 161 laps around Mt Panorama.

understanding of what their job is. A team cannot afford to have the second driver step into the fold with an upsetting attitude, and Adrian clearly points out that he has it right when it comes to the partner for Championship series leader James Courtney. “Warren Luff is no Stress, there is no-one else on pit row that I would rather have.” So it seems simple – tick a few boxes for a co-driver and things should be all roses and buttercups – surely it can’t be that straightforward. Harking back to the “mojo” side of things, one would expect some difficulty for the second driver when it comes to the mindset of how to approach the whole adventure. Let’s be honest about it. No matter who they are or what their credentials show on paper, the new driver will become part of a team that is not normally part of their regular racing life. And as will happen at the Gold Coast, the secondary drivers are not even part of an event based in the same country. Take Ryan Briscoe as a perfect example. We know that Briscoe has credibility, and we also know that he can “pedal” for want of a racing description. But that doesn’t mean he would be at his natural best or fully at ease when he takes his turn at the bad laps of a V8 Supercar.

The enduran ce rounds for the V8 Su percars utilize the d river change poli cy. It is a simple system that over the years ha d paired together ma ny individua l superstars, and in turn they h ad created superstar te ams.

issue 3

Bathurst Rookie Ant Pederson teamed up with Damian Assaillit.

Nathan Pretty has finished in 10 of his 12 Bathurst starts, and partners up with Mark Noske for Gulf Western Oil Racing.

Opposites Attract, the experienced Todd Kelly shares the No 7 car with Dale Wood.

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Two very talented Kiwis combine for Bundaberg Racing, Fabian Coulthard and Craig Baird.

“I just want to do the best I can,” says Briscoe. “Sure, I’ve got a responsibility and I understand that I’m the number two driver. But I don’t have to worry about getting the maximum speed out of the car – that’s Tomo’s (Andrew Thompson’s) job. I’ve got a different role to do by getting up to my own speed, getting comfortable with the laps, and then I let Andrew do his thing during the last stint.” From the sidelines that is a logical and processed solution from Briscoe, and it probably comes from the fact that he has had zero test time in the car, and only got his first seat fitting on the day before his first run at Bathurst’s Mt Panorama. But he is a race car driver just like all of the others and race car drivers certainly want to win. Mark Winterbottom who drives for the Ford Performance Racing Team confirms that – but with a twist. “There are level A and level B secondary drivers, and the A ones are here to win races while the B drivers are probably going more for survival.” That is an interesting summation as one would assume that all drivers are out to win, but there does seem to be some basis to it.

Briscoe will be torn as he is a driver in section A, while his zero test time in the car forces him to become a B. Yes, it is tough to class any driver as a B. It is in some ways slightly insulting, but at the same time it is an obvious realism. All of this means tough times for pairings like Thompson and Briscoe and many others as well – not impossible times, just tough. However you certainly couldn’t say it was the pattern throughout all the garages. Using Phillip Island as an example, you would have to take the conclusion that it was the “winning” attitude that came through, because the pairing of Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife was undeniably a champion one. And when the FPR pairing of Mark Winterbottom and Luke Youlden came through for second place you could see the “win” mindset start to come through strongly. The Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen combination was another of what you would call a “win” partnership – but in that situation it was the car breaking down that stopped them from achieving the glory that they so strongly deserved. Winterbottom believes in the new format and both the Phillip

issue 3

Using Phillip Island as an example, you would have to take the conclusion that it was the â&#x20AC;&#x153;winningâ&#x20AC;? attitude that came through, because the pairing of Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife was undeniably a champion one.

Rick does get to race with another Kelly, albeit Owen this time, not brother Todd. 20 Kelly p1 magazine

Island and Bathurst results show that it can work, although he is one of the teams that has the advantage of secondary drivers already in the mold and they are not having to bring in people that they have never worked with on a serious or regular level before. Lowndes and Skaife are one of the very few teams that don’t have to worry about the gelling together. When the pair came through to win at Phillip Island, it was of course touted as a dream combination, and also a dream comeback for the retired Skaife. After the Bathurst win, it then became as it was once before – “The Dream Team”. But isn’t that indirectly what the V8 Supercar wise men were trying to avoid? Sure, Skaife is not a regular driver, but he’s not an outsider either. It would not be fair though to pick on this particular team. They are of course outstanding drivers with an equally outstanding team behind them, and you would expect to see high results because of that. And also, there is nothing to stop any other team (apart from the chequebook) from finding a pairing just as good. But the suspect part of that plan is that there are not many Lowndes or Skaifes to go round. So, we clearly have pairings that will slot together flawlessly and there will be others that should be able to cope after a bit of work; and finally there will of course be teams that will find the mix all together too spicy. But while most of the eyes have been paying attention to the major teams with two cars, there are those without those particular dramas but who still have their own interesting problems to deal with. The Lucas Dumbrell

team is a prime example, a team that has neither a second car nor a regular driver. The early driver through the first part of the season for the Dumbrell team was Daniel Gaunt, but after he was let go the car was then handed over to Cameron McConville who came out of retirement to drive. Unfortunately for the Dumbrell team, McConville was already on the roster to drive for the Toll Holden Racing squad for the enduros and this meant a full change of drivers for Phillip Island, Bathurst and Gold Coast. Dumbrell needed to create a pairing at short notice and whilst it appears to be satisfactory, it is certainly clear that it wasn’t the smoothest way to start the enduro season. Having Mark Noske and Nathan Pretty behind the wheel is not a bad thing though; just going on the stats from Pretty’s log book alone has him at Bathurst for the 13th time. His previous twelve starts had a ratio of ten finishes with six of those being in the top ten – good enough to give Dumbrell peace of mind. But this is a genuine example of how difficult it is for some and not others when it comes to the new pairing format, and there can also be no doubt that single car teams have very little sympathy for any problems the two-car teams may have. Taking another example, we could look at Dean Fiore who of course is a single-car self-managed arrangement and he slots into the “should be able to gel easily” camp. His partner in crime Michael Patrizi was chosen by Fiore, not only because of his abilities but because they are best mates, and that makes working together a whole lot smoother. And it is Patrizi who

Murphs long standing track record at Bathurst was finally lowered over the weekend, by none other than Craig issue Lowndes. 3 21

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James Courtney leads fastest qualifier Jason Bright up through the Cutting on Mt Panorama.

Jason Richards and Andrew Jones were lucky to make the field after their car undertook a major rebuild the night before the race.

probably sums up the co-driver mentality the best. “To me it’s simple, if you are thinking about crashing the race car then you’ll never perform and you’ll never get the most out of it. The team managers and mechanics will tell you as much as they can to look after the car, but at the end of the day it’s our job to drive it and their job to fix it. Yeah, we are mates but it won’t break a friendship if either of us does the unthinkable.” But surely doing the unthinkable has to be in the back of everyone’s minds. It would simply be human nature to have those thoughts, and as we know it does happen. It’s just that when it happens with the new format it will feel a whole lot worse than if it was one of the partnership scenarios from the preceding arrangements.

Ironically, it was during the Friday practice and qualifying sessions of Bathurst that the first of the dramas happened when both Jason Richards and Todd Kelly hit the concrete walls – the damage sustained by both cars dropping them out of play for any front-grid glory. Then when Fabian Coulthard’s machine left the Bathurst track in dramatic fashion on the first lap of race proper, the seemingly unlikely scenario of a mainstream driver creating issues was actually coming to fruition. So with all that to think about for the pros and cons of it all, there is yet another aspect to the whole ingested driver system – careers. Fiore likes the new driver pairing system for two reasons; firstly because it splits the field and gives the whole

issue 3

Lee Holdsworth put on a great display of driving early in the Bathurst event, only to have it unravel later in the day.

grid a chance rather than just the elite pairings; and secondly because it shows that there are more than just the thirty mainstream drivers who are capable of doing the job. He firmly believes that not only does the change have a positive effect for the sport as a whole, but it has an equally important effect on careers. Fiore’s thoughts are equalled by Winterbottom who quite simply states that it does help with a secondary driver’s income and it can improve their chances of a future in the sport. Just to keep the whole debate alive, there is yet another 24

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hidden problem with the new format – but it’s only a problem for the teams with two cars. In the past when you paired the two main drivers together into the number one car, the team would give that one particular car all the priority, the best engine, the best gear, the best effort. Now they have to split their logistics, split the top team and share any componentry to try and give both halves of the game an equal chance. It’s certainly not an ideal situation for them to be in, but at the same time you can guarantee that the single car teams once again have no sympathy at all.

Finally, there is a cross-over effect to think about as well â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a team with two cars has suddenly doubled their on-track profile. They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to flip a coin to decide who will do the qualifying laps, and yet at the same time they could end up fighting each other during any top ten shoot-out. Also, due to the fact that they are in their own cars, the bosses have no need to decide which one of their stars would start or finish the race. It has of course meant that they are also unable to improve on their former statistics when driving together, and that it has to be said, is one very sad part that has come from the change. You

could even feel for the likes of the Kelly Brothers who will never have the chance of winning Bathurst together unless one of them steps away from a regular drive position. As said at the beginning, such a small change in format for the enduro season has in turn created such a massive change for the future. And with seemingly so many pros and cons having appeared with it all, it has as a minimum produced a polarized reaction from the teams and the fans â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that will keep a heavy debate on the tongues of many, for months if not years to come. P1

issue 3

on ... or w h y Jenson Bueltat xed of may be the mos t renders. the five title cont

story by

David Tremayne Photos Courtesy

Vodafone McLaren

issue 3

t’s not often that any topline racing driver is prepared to concede where his team-mate is stronger, but Jenson Button isn’t your typical F1 driver. Sure, he looks the part and he’s the reigning World Champion, but there has always been a preternatural calmness about the 30 year-old from Frome that has set him apart. That, and a fundamental honesty with himself and others. “Even if the balance of the car is not 100 per cent, Lewis can be very quick,” he concedes of 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton, whom many believed would eat him alive at McLaren. “I need a car that is more stable than he does. When the car isn’t right it makes me work very hard as a driver to get the car I want. In that respect Lewis is very strong.” A pause, as he reflects further, before venturing a candid opinion that is a stark contrast to most drivers’ refusal to acknowledge any personal weakness. “Overall I think it’s been very close with Lewis. I outqualified him at Hockenheim and Monza, and even when I don’t, within five laps I’m usually right behind him. But I am behind him, not in front. So qualifying is something that I still need to work on with my engineers.” Even before the Italian GP put him back into title contention,

p1 magazine

and in which victorious Fernando Alonso said of him “Jenson was driving superb [sic], he was not doing a single mistake,” Button was feeling pretty chilled. The great gamble to switch to McLaren from Brawn, where he had finally won the World Championship in the surprise performance of the year, has paid off spectacularly. He has proved to his detractors that on his day he can duke it out with Hamilton. And, the title success notwithstanding, he’s proved to a new circle of team-mates in the paddock that he genuinely is the real deal. That 2009 wasn’t a fluke. There isn’t much to choose between their individual performances, except when it comes to tigering a lap time out of a less than perfect car, in which case Hamilton has the upper hand. As Button considered the suggestion, the habitual smile played on his lips and he came out with the aforementioned comments, broadly agreeing as he added: “I’m very happy with my races. I don’t feel that I’ve made any real mistakes. My weakness is in finding the balance in qualifying.” Arguably, of the five title contenders he is the one who has made the fewest mistakes. Alonso crashed embarrassingly at Monaco and Spa, and made a rookie mistake at Silverstone in passing Robert Kubica illegally and then not immediately handing the place back; Hamilton messed up at Monza; Webber

issue 3

in Australia and Valencia; Vettel in Turkey, Hungary and Spa. Button, meanwhile, blessed with a silky smooth style, has kept out of trouble, and won two races. So does he wake occasionally in a cold sweat, wondering what he would be doing now if he hadn’t changed camps? He laughs. “I’m very, very happy with the decision that I made. I have made a lot of wrong decisions” – another laugh, more rueful this time – “but I’m really happy with the one to move to McLaren. One of the many things that excited me was how much McLaren improved its car last year. And the challenge of McLaren was the main reason why I made the move. It was like going to a new school. It’s very important for me to have input into the car, and McLaren really listens.” 30

p1 magazine

Immediately after Monza he was unhappy with the team’s decision to pit him sooner than Alonso. “I had mixed emotions then and, obviously, I wanted to win the race, and, having led most of it, that was probably an achievable ambition,” he said. “But I also managed to score some very useful points over the guys ahead of me in the Championship. And that gave me a great feeling. “What was also interesting was the damage to the rear of my car. Fernando had hit me on the first lap, and it caused some damage to the floor but I didn’t realise quite how much damage it had caused until I saw the car after the race. “Would I have felt better if I’d won, but had Lewis and Mark alongside me on the podium? That’s a difficult one to answer. But, I think, in the immediate aftermath of the race, you tend

Targa Bambina

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2010/2011

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issue 3

to look at what might have happened and if I’d stayed ahead of Fernando after his pit stop, then it’s reasonable to assume I had every chance of winning. “So, did we get the strategy wrong? People have said it was a case of who blinked first but, really, the fact was that we didn’t have the fastest car in the race, and, while it would have been possible to have kept the lead, Fernando’s pace meant that, at best, that was still quite a long-shot. So I think the team played its card properly, it’s just that there were a number of factors that were always going to work hard against us to ensure that a victory was difficult.” His second place boosted his title aspirations, however, and he was very pleased, “because I took the opportunity with both hands, and I scored 18 points on a day when Lewis scored none, Mark took home eight and Sebastian 12.” Away from the title fight, he admits that he’s bemused about the way Brawn has slid off the pace in its new guise as Mercedes. And how slow his replacement Michael Schumacher has been. “I’m surprised that the team hasn’t performed better. But we all have bad years, and last year at times was very tough. Ross Brawn and Michael will strike back in 2011, I’m sure. You can never count Ross out. “It has a different car to what we had at Brawn. I like a car to have good rear-end stability. Oversteer is part of racing, but I like good stability back there. So I try to improve a car to have better rear-end stability. That’s my starting point. It’s also important that the front end has good turn-in, but rear-end stability is more important to me. I can’t talk for Michael, but he’s driven that style of pointy car for so many years, where it turns in right on the nose and the rear end is loose. So I think a different kind of car, like he’s had with the Mercedes this year, has been a shock to his system.” He smiles again, not prepared to stick a knife into his one-time Nemesis, but still wanting to be candid. “And it’s harder to learn new things at 30 than at 20, or at 40 than at 30.” Much was written of the clash between Red Bull team-mates 34

p1 magazine

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in Turkey, not so much about the wheel-rubbing between Button and Hamilton as they fought for the resultant victory. On the surface everything appeared hunky dory, but Button admits he wasn’t too impressed with the way that Hamilton shouldered back in front going into the first corner, after losing the lead to him the previous lap. Typically, he dealt with that quickly, without the ‘he’s loco’ gestures to which an angry Vettel resorted against his team-mate. He’s not the sort to bear grudges and gripes. “I’m a straightforward person, I think. I don’t take any shit. I know that if something bothers me I have to get it on the table, that’s important. I don’t hold back and I say what things I have to say face-to-face and not through other people. “As far as things with Lewis have been concerned this year there was only that one time, in Turkey. And I said something to him as soon as I got out of the car. We resolved those issues immediately, and we moved on.” Neither will say what was said. Their friendly rivalry has been a cornerstone of McLaren’s strength this season, and it’s clear from their body language that it’s genuine. This is one of history’s more harmonious pairings of number one drivers. One year on, Button looks a calm and confident title contender. Having won in 2009, he now knows how it works when it comes to a down-to-the-wire fight. Which is why he could sympathise with Vettel’s error that cost him so much in Belgium. The German succumbed to the pressure of the moment. “Skill is still an important part of the package. But it’s amazing how the mental side can affect your driving. Suddenly it doesn’t flow. You might feel apprehensive, or nervous, and if you haven’t been in that situation before, fighting for a World Championship, it can be hard to handle it. “There are two people, as well as me, who’ve been there before: Lewis and Fernando. They’ve seen what happens. Then you have Mark and Seb. Mark will handle it, he’s a pretty

issue 3

smart guy. I’m surprised that Seb is behind Mark. He is still a contender and there are circuits coming up that he really enjoys.” Button is hard on himself when he says: “Lewis is 17 points ahead so he’s done a better job and I respect that,” because he takes no account of the radiator blanks that a mechanic left in place which cost him a finish at Monaco, or Vettel’s assault on him at Spa. “It’s going to be more difficult for me to win the World Championship than for Lewis,” he admits, “but coming from behind can be more exciting though you have to take more risks for that to come off.” In the middle of the season, to the surprise of many, Button ended his relationship with the model Jessica Michibata. Even those close to him were amazed, since they seemed so good together. Two races later it was all on again. Button won’t go into details, but says cryptically, “This,” meaning racing, “is so much more stressful than it should be. But you do things when you are passionate. Now I am in a very happy time in my life. Both in my racing life and in my private life.” And his face breaks into the familiar grin that is never far away these days, as he adds: “But I’d be happier if I had another five points…” Twelve months ago he looked haunted in pursuit of his 36

p1 magazine

championship. Now he looks like a man who is relaxed, who feels fulfilled. But don’t underestimate the desire to win a second title. “I think you have to take each race as it comes,” he says. “I think that driving just to score a certain number of points isn’t in a racing driver’s psyche: I felt that a little bit last year, I knew I only had to keep scoring consistently to take the title, but that was probably more mentally taxing than just putting your head down and going for it. “For instance, at Interlagos last year, I had nothing to really lose. I was 14th on the grid and my team-mate was on pole. What did I have to gain by driving steadily and taking home a handful of points? I just went for it, and that was a really liberating race for me, and an experience that will be useful this year too. “I think consistency is important in some ways though: obviously, you need a car that will get you to the finish of every Grand Prix, and you don’t want to start making knee-jerk, or radical, decisions on set-up or strategy because you think it might give you an advantage. We’re racers, so we’ll always be racing, but the pressure’s now on all of us, because none of us can afford another non-finish or a mistake. And the guy who cracks least will be World Champion.” P1

Chicane Racewear Unit K Cain Park Cain Rd Penrose Auckland Email: chicanenz@xtra.co.nz freephone 0800 ChICAne

issue 3

In the Diesel and GT2 classes, the song remained the same at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Le Mans 24 Hours: Winning means as much about staying in one piece for the entire race as it does about turning blistering-fast laps. For Audi and Porsche, that was the key to victory in one of the most gruelling events in all of motorsports.

Early Morning Alarm. 07.05am Sunday, Franck Montagny sees the hopes of France, Peugeot and the crew of #2 go up in flames as the con rod fails in the leading car.

story & photos by John Brooks

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Till The Fat Lady Sings...

issue 3

ick Mears, a four-time winner of the Indy 500, is credited with the phrase that all entrants to the 24 Hours of Le Mans should chant as their mantra: “To finish first, you must first finish”. While those words still apply, factory teams competing for victory in 24-hour races since the turn of the century have displayed bulletproof reliability. That’s because of the high technical standards that prevail these days in the top end of motorsports. We have been graced with a no-holds barred contest between Peugeot and Audi during the past four seasons for outright victory at Le Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans. Audi – winners in 2007 and 2008 – were comprehensively beaten in 2009 and were out for revenge. Peugeot too, under the direction of Olivier Quisnel, had learned the hard lessons of defeat and were in no mood to yield to their German rivals. So for 2010 the stage was set for one of those “once in a decade” contests. The prologue, at the Spa 1000 kilometers back in May, showed that although Audi had made progress with the R15, it still lacked the outright speed of the Peugeot, a machine designed with Le Mans in mind. There were three factory-entered Peugeots: #1 for Marc Gene, Alexander Wurz and Anthony Davidson, #2 for Franck Montagny, Stephane Sarrazin and Nic Minassian, #3 for Sebastien Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Simon Pagenaud. As if this trio were not enough there was a back-up in the form of a 2010-spec 908 entered by ORECA with the top-notch driver crew of Olivier

Panis, Nicolas Lapierre and Loic Duval. On the other side of the pitch were the three diesels from Audi Sport. They were led by the #7 R15 with “Mr. Le Mans” himself, Tom Kristensen, partnered by Allan McNish and Dindo Capello. #8 was staffed by Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer, and #9 had Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller aboard. There were another 11 entries in the LMP1 class, and all in theory capable of winning. But in reality everyone knew that just seven of those teams would – in all likelihood – vie for the top three slots. The opening round went to Peugeot as the front two rows of the grid were turned into an Audi-free zone. The management at Peugeot had allowed their drivers to compete with each other just before the conclusion of qualifying on Wednesday night. When the smoke cleared, pole position was in the possession of #3 and Sebastien Bourdais who flashed around in the dark to stop the clock at 3:19.711. To put that in context, it was 3 seconds faster than the 2009 pole, and that was after power restrictions and aerodynamic changes imposed by the ACO in an attempt to try and rein in the diesels. The best of the Audis was #9 which Mike Rockenfeller used to post a time of 3:21.981. It was a worrying time for Audi, and as the race start approached, Peugeot was the clear favorite. Reliability on both sides was a given and it was clear that Peugeot could match Audi in the pit stops, and would be equally confident about their race craft. The weight of expectation on Dr. Ulrich and his Audi Sport team was overwhelming. They were a couple of seconds a lap slower than

The Pratt & Miller Corvettes had the legs on all their rivals in the GT2 class but like the Peugeots they were not destined to finish. OPPOSITE PAGE: Rush Hour on the Mulsanne Straight.

issue 3

A trouble free race resulting in victory and a new distance record for the Audi R15 TDI plus of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller.

Million Dollar Deal. The BMW M3 GT2 given the Art Car treatment by Jeff Koons.

their rivals. Despite all the money that had been spent on development, it was going to be a long race. After a protracted set of opening ceremonies the cars lined up behind the pace car and completed their final warm-up lap prior to the rolling start. As always, Allan McNish attempted to use the flag dropping as an opportunity to get in amongst the French, but after three years of these antics Peugeot’s drivers knew what to expect, and the Wee Scot was kept at bay in fifth place. He managed to keep on the tail of the Peugeot train but was thwarted in the first hour by a misplaced safety car that cost him a minute. For more than two hours the French quartet eased away from the German trio, and then on lap 38 the first chink appeared in Peugeot’s armor. Pedro Lamy 42

p1 Magazine

Lacking the Midas touch. The Rebellion Racing Lola B10/60 had Marco Andretti, Nicolas Prost and Neel Jani on board but retired early on in the race.

brought the leading 908 into the pits to retire. The front wishbone mounting plate had become detached from the tub, probably the consequence of bouncing over the kerbs too aggressively. In any case, the 908 entry was out of the race. The next of the leading pack to have a problem was Tom Kristensen whose Audi hit the barriers at the Porsche Curves avoiding the BMW M3 GT2 of Andy Priaulx, which was limping back to pits after a puncture. Priaulx was trying to get off the racing line and admitted that he got the maneuver wrong, misjudging the relative speeds. It made Dr. Ulrich very angry, to the point where he stormed down the pit lane to shout at his BMW counterpart, Charley Lamm. That was a visible indication of the pressure that Audi were under at that stage in the race. The process of getting back on track and

then stopping to replace the damaged rear bodywork cost the #7 three laps and removed them from any realistic chance of a win. At the six-hour point, all three surviving Peugeots had at least a lap over the remaining two Audis remaining in contention, #8 and #9. Things were looking bleak for Audi as the light faded. Then some 90 minutes later Gene brought the #1 Peugeot into the pits to get the alternator replaced – three laps lost for an item that should be bulletproof in the fourth year of the project. Were the French losing their grip? While the Peugeots eased away the Audis were running like clockwork, and as the halfway point was reached the balance tipped in favor of the Germans. The ORECA 908 lost four laps and second place around midnight with a driveshaft

LMP Champions, Strakka Racing were never headed and finish an amazing fifth place overall.

With hordes of Dutch supporters in attendance, the Spyker C8 Laviolette was the last classified finisher.

The record crowd was treated to a fantastic Saturday evening battle between the Risi Ferrari and the #64 Corvette, both would later retire.

The Diesel Armada heads the grid.

GT2 Champions, the Felbermayr Porsche 997 GT3 RSR.

Not a successful return to La Sarthe for BMW Motorsport.

The last chance for GT1 saw a victory for the Labre Competition Saleen S7-R.

Also retiring with a podium place, the Aston Martin DBR9 of Young Driver AMR.

Serene and unaware of the troubles ahead, a trio of Peugeots head the field early on.

Another Le Mans swansong, the Lola Aston Martin LMP1.

Top ten finish for the Oak Racing Pescarolo 01.

failure. All of Peugeot’s aspirations rested on the #2 car that was comfortably ahead, nearly two laps up on the #9 car. Then, just after 7.00am Montagny, stroking the #2 along, glanced into his mirror to see flames shooting out of the right hand side of his 908 from the engine bay as he approached Terte Rouge. Game over, Montagny sat on his stricken car for some time, reflecting on what might have been. Audi now were running first and second with #8 leading #9, but there was still a threat in the form of the fast-recovering #1 Peugeot, now only a lap down. Anthony Davidson put in an amazing quadruple stint on one set of Michelins, regularly posting 3.20s laps and gradually working the 908 into a position where the crew were able to un-lap themselves. No sooner had Wurz achieved this, the engine let go in a slightly less dramatic way than the sister car but still left smoke and oil all over the Peugeot pit. So that was the end of the challenge for victory from the French, barring a catastrophe for Audi.

The main interest now was on whether the final Peugeot, that of ORECA could survive till the finish and whether it could catch the #7 Audi and snatch third place. Much in the style of Davidson, Loic Duval produced some magic with absolutely breathtaking pace, eventually smashing the lap record and leaving it at 3:19.074, faster than the pole time. This was an heroic effort but was doomed to failure like Napoleon’s Old Guard at Waterloo and in the 22nd hour the engine broke in a similar manner to the other 908s, and that was that for Peugeot and the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours. Audi now had a result that few thought possible before the race, including some in the team who considered that even a place on the podium might be a remote possibility or at least a real struggle. Audi took a clean sweep of the silverware with the #9 car of Bernhard, Dumas and Rockenfeller on the top step, backed up by #8 and #7 in the other top slots. There was an initial feeling that the German team had lucked into this tremendous

win, that somehow Peugeot had been “robbed.” Nonsense. Just consider the premise that led this piece, “To finish first, you must first finish.” Audi did just that. The winning car barely missed a beat and furthermore broke the distance record that had stood since 1971, covering 397 laps or 5,410 kilometers. That is a Champion’s performance. What went wrong for Peugeot? The initial wisdom pointed toward piston failure or perhaps turbo problems. After a post-mortem back at their Velizy base it was announced that the problem was with the con-rod. The cars ran more efficiently and faster than expected, and despite thorough testing and simulation the strain was too much. OK, enough about the “Magnificent Seven” diesels. There were another 48 cars that passed Le Drapeau Tricolore on the Saturday afternoon. What of their stories? The sub-class in LMP1, those cars powered by petrol engines, played no part in the fight for overall victory but still had

issue 3

Always an incredible sensation, the opening lap of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

their own hard scrap. It was a three-way fight between the Lola Aston Martin factory duo, a pair of Rebellion Racing Lolas and the ORECA 01 AIM. Rebellion were on their back foot all week with running repairs after various indiscretions left them short of proper set-up time. In the race they were quick, but suffered niggling problems that led to eventual retirement of both cars. The Lola Aston Martins, easily the best sounding cars in the race, seemed to have everything sown-up at three quarter distance but then a transmission issue cost #007 an hour, dropping them down the order. In another act of cruelty by the race gods, #009 was cruising toward fourth place in the final hour when the V12 let go. All of which gave the ORECA 01 AIM the honor of being “Best of the Rest,” small consolation for Huges de Chaunac’s crack French outfit. Predictably the headlines at Le Mans, at least in the British tabloids, were reserved for a car that only completed four laps before the driver, ex-World Champion Nigel Mansell, crashed out. 46

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The LMP2 class was in the end a straight fight between the two HPD entries of Highcroft and Strakka. Very much pre-race favorites, the big-budget, high-profile American team was expected to dominate with its top-drawer driver team, featuring former winners David Brabham and Marco Werner joined by Marino Franchitti. Only someone had forgotten to tell the boys at Strakka Racing. Danny Watts and Jonny Kane, backed up by team owner Nick Leventis and the highly motivated team put in an almost faultless performance to dominate the class right from lap one. The net result was an amazing fifth place overall. The Le Mans’ swansong for the LMGT1 class was a disappointing affair, with a thin entry compared to the titanic battles of the past decade as Corvette took on and defeated Viper, Ferrari and Aston Martin. The Ford GT entries selfdestructed and various maladies hobbled the Aston Martins and Corvettes. All of which meant that victory was taken by the Labre Competition Saleen S7, driven by Gabriel Gardel, Roland Berville and

Julien Canal. The Saleen is more than ten years old and is not included in the new FIA GT1 World Championship. That about tells you all you need to know about LMGT1 and why it has been dropped by the ACO. Yet LMGT2 is a completely different story. The traditional contest between Porsche and Ferrari has been enlarged with factory-backed efforts from Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette and Jaguar joining in the fun. With top drivers and top teams, the competition in LMGT2 was every bit as fierce as at the head of the field in diesel land. The favorites at the outset, certainly based on the form of winning the class in the previous six classic races (Le Mans, Sebring & Petit Le Mans) was Risi Competizione and their Ferrari F430. Supporting the Ferrari challenge was AF Corse with ex-F1 stars Jean Alesi and Giancarlo Fisichella and the efficient Hankook Team Farnbacher F430. The strongest opposition to Risi was expected to come from a pair of Pratt & Miller-run Corvette C6 ZR1s. Factor in four or five good Porsche entries, a brace of werks BMWs and an Aston Martin V8

1939 - 2009

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Vantage and the stage was set for a battle royale. Risi Competizione seized the initiative during the Wednesday/Thursday practice and qualifying sessions. Gianmaria Bruni whizzed round in 3:59.233 to take class pole. Then came technical inspection. The official story was that the rear wing gurney flap was 2 milimeters too low. Even though this was not the part used on the pole time run, the car was despatched to the back of the grid. In reality the demotion would not seriously hamper the Ferrari, as it proved by taking the lead within a few hours. With their rivals hobbled, the Pratt & Miller Corvettes looked as if they had the whole field covered. There was much talk of the number of waivers that the ACO had allowed on the car – 47 as I understand. Most significant was that the C6.R ZR1 cars were both running a Bosch direct injection system, giving nearly two laps fuel advantage over the other GT2

cars – 15.6 laps against 14. Of course, during the race the Corvettes refuelled at the 14-lap point. Their pit stops were shorter as they were putting in less fuel, which also gave them a performance advantage, carrying less weight. The race got under way and pretty soon it was clear that the lead contest would be between the two American teams. For several hours the massed ranks of the spectators were treated to a memorable spectacle as the Ferrari and #64 Corvette passed and re-passed each other in a fantastic scrap for the lead. Watching this unfold I kept getting the feeling that Corvette still had something in reserve and that they were waiting to see how things looked in the light of the early morning. In the end the Risi car cracked first. Eight hours into the race, the 430 started to have gear selector problems, that first slowed and then put the Ferrari out of the race. Their winning streak had been broken.

The Corvettes kept up a fierce pace throughout the night with #64 leading #63. They had a two-lap advantage over the Felbermayr 911 and seemed set to cruise to another Le Mans class win. Then everything fell apart just around 7am Sunday morning. The #63 car suffered an engine failure that stranded Antonio Garcia out on track. Worse was to follow for #64, when Emmanuel Collard got tangled up with the flying Peugeot of Anthony Davidson. Although the cars did not touch, the Corvette thumped the wall at the Porsche Curves pretty hard. Collard got the car back to the pits and the team repaired the damage and got the ’Vette back on track, only to suffer another engine failure. It was a poor return for a dominant display from Pratt & Miller. So when the checkered flag was unfurled by Daniel Poissenot at around 3pm on Sunday afternoon, #77 Team Felbermayr Proton Porsche 997 GT3

Porsches in the woods at Indianapolis.

RSR stood proud at the head of the GT2 class. Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz and Wolf Henzler, who comprised the crew of #77 did all that was asked of them and more. They kept the pressure on their faster rivals, the Corvettes and the Risi Ferrari, to be in the perfect position to take advantage of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that afflicted all three opponents. It was the kind of performance that used to be standard for Porsche factory teams, especially at Le Mans. Maybe having the Great Man, Norbert Singer, in the Felbermayr pit was a good omen. Whatever the case, the Porsche trio were good for their win, the first for a 911 since 2007 at La Sarthe. It was also the first time that Porsche had run a full pro driver line in years, proof, if any were needed, of the very high standards that currently prevail in LMGT2. Second place went to the Hankook Team Farnbacher F430 GTC. The team

and drivers, Dominik Farnbacher, Allan Simonsen and Leh Keen performed miracles on a shoestring budget. Discipline and focus helped to achieve this dream result, repeating their Nurburgring 24 Hours heroics and position from mid-May. Final position on the podium went to the Porsche of BMS Scuderia Italia. The trio of drivers, Marco Holzer, Timo Scheider and Richard Westbrook had to endure numerous niggling problems and finished the race with the engine running on only five cylinders, but their persistence was amply rewarded. What of the other leading contenders? Arguably the highest profile car in the field was the Art Car from BMW. This Jeff Koons’ design made a big impact everywhere it went except – that is – on the track (well ignoring the role it had in the incident with Tom Kristensen and the #7 Audi). The BMW M3 GT2 was simply not quick enough and not helped by a

late smaller restrictor change. The Art Car suffered from a number of issues, finally running out of fuel on the circuit on Saturday evening. The sister car struggled round to finish sixth in class, representative of neither BMW nor Schnitzer. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage had issues with the brakes all week at Le Mans so the news that one of the drivers crashed the car during the race was not a surprise. The only consolation for Aston Martin was that their race was a million times better than the return of Jaguar to its former happy hunting ground. The XKRS refused to run cleanly all week, suffering an unexplained electrical fault that would put it out of the race after four laps. The 2010 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans was an endorsement of traditional Le Mans values such as durability and stamina over the ultimate speed. It is after all a 24-hour race. P1

How would you like to be the guy who lets his team down by fumbling a pit stop? It might look cool on television, but being a pit stop crew member is no trip to Parisâ&#x20AC;Ś story by David Tremayne Photos courtesy Red Bull Racing, Team Lotus,

Renault Racing & Mercedes Motorsport

C OV E R FE AT UR E

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The Renault F1 team changing 52 tyres p1 for magazine all four Robert Kubica during his pit stop.

t Monza, Fernando Alonso won the Italian Grand Prix. But Ferrari’s pit crew made a crucial difference. But these are not select millionaires but up to 17 ordinary, yet extraordinary guys, team mechanics who have worked their way up the system and often migrate from team to team, who are paid real-world wages of between £30,000 and £50,000. They are drilled to perfection. At Monza the race turned on a 0.8s margin: Ferrari changed Alonso’s tyres in 3.4s. McLaren took 4.2s to change Jenson Button’s. Neither were bad performances. The record, thought to be held by Red Bull, is 3.2 seconds. Bound by the limits of the quicklift jacks and air guns, anything under four seconds is good; below 3.5s and you may just have won your team a race. Pit stops are carried out with military precision and efficiency – especially since this is a dangerous environment. Since refuelling was banned this year, the risk of a horrifying pitlane fire, such as the one that momentarily engulfed Benetton’s Jos Verstappen and his crew at Hockenheim in 1994, is thankfully no longer a worry. Or in 2005, Sauber refueller Sylvan Ruegg had his leg run over by Jacques Villeneuve at Silverstone. And in 2008, Felipe Massa rejoined the 2008 Singapore GP with the refuelling rig still attached to his Ferrari… But accidents can still happen. In Hungary a loose rear wheel from Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes bounced down the pit road before striking Williams mechanic/truckie Nigel Hope. He was treated in the medical centre before, being a racer, returning to active duty. In the same race Renault’s Robert Kubica crashed into incoming Adrian Sutil’s Force India when the Renault pit let their man out prematurely, in what is these days termed an ‘unsafe release’. Much depends on the key man, the ‘lollipop man’. It is he who holds the stop/go sign and oversees the operation. But they, too, make mistakes. At Monza, HRT driver Sakon Yamamoto was signalled that it was safe to leave but a technician was

Pit stops are carried out with military precision and efficiency – especially since this is a dangerous environment.

still leaning unexpectedly into the cockpit attending to a radio problem, and suffered concussion in the ensuing ugly accident when the lollipop man reacted instinctively as he saw four raised wheelchangers’ hands. In all of the 2010 cases, the teams concerned were fined up to $50,000. It’s not hard to see why the tension levels are sky high during a race. Nobody wants to be the guy who fumbles a wheel change, who lets their team down. Like many things, changing a wheel isn’t that difficult. But doing it perfectly under immense pressure and on a massive stage certainly is. An F1 wheel and tyre is so light – around 15 kg – you can toss it into the air with two hands. One guy undoes the wheel nut with an air gun, and while he’s changing the rotational direction of the gun, a team-mate whips off the old wheel and a third man bangs on the new one before the gunman tightens everything up again. Simple enough? Sure. But try doing that when you’re under real pressure. When you’re the outside front or rear wheel changers. They run arguably the biggest risk as the car behind swings out of its pit, or the car in front cuts in. They are nearest the oncoming scream of rival cars, and a front wing is wide and brutally sharp-angled… These unsung heroes are so focused on their sole task that

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It takes a well orchestrated team of crew members to effect a quick pit stop, with every one of these well trained professionals being responsible for a specific task.

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The Team Lotus pit crew look like bees around a honeypot.

Crewmembers signal that they have completed their assigned tasks and are ready for Schuey to leave.

extraneous things tend to be blanked out. “The car could have been on fire when I was a wheelman,” McLaren chief mechanic Pete Vale admits, “and the first I’d notice that would be after I’d changed my wheel.” Vale, like most, started as a general mechanic. As McLaren’s lollipop man he oversees all the preparation for the stop and has ultimate responsibility not just for his crew, but for rivals while he controls the whole thing. “This year after the Christmas break, we returned to the factory and started our pre-season indoor pit stop practice sessions, using the previous year’s car,” he reveals. “Throughout January and February, we spent the mornings running through about 20 practice stops. After lunch, we did another 10 or so, and after that an additional 15, during which the whole crew changed position so everybody tried a different role to what they had been practicing earlier that day. “By mixing it up, we were able to get a clearer idea of which guys were suited to which jobs. We saw which groups became consistently quick, who was improving and refining their technique, and we kept detailed records to help us make a quality crew selection. “Once we had the pit stop crew selected we worked further with the guys to refine the whole operation, analysing how to best solve the various problems that crop up, devising ways to speed up the process, and also looking at how we can modify

Red Bull Racing pit crew in action.

the design of our tools or the car itself to improve the whole operation.” At every Grand Prix McLaren, like most of its rivals, rehearses its stops on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and, during these sessions will perform as many as 150 of them, trying to ensure that the crew is completely prepared for the race. “We aim to start the process on Wednesday evening,” Vale says. “This session is more about getting everybody back into the routine of changing wheels – we’ll focus on standard wheel changing stops, maybe introducing nosebox changes, front wing adjusts and rehearsing what to do if there’s a problem on the opening lap. “As the weekend goes on, we’ll introduce more complex scenarios into the rehearsals, utilising the three different configurations of pit stop crew that we have available to draw upon at different stages. By Sunday, our aim is to be perfectly drilled so we can cope with any eventuality.” “We always warn the guys on the radio beforehand if a stop is going to be tight,” Vale continues, “and make sure everyone is where they should be, doing what they should be doing. You tend to be very focused. All of the wheel change crews are focused entirely on their wheel, they are absolutely blinkered to anything else. “Me, I’m looking for those four raised hands. When I see them, and it’s safe to let the car go, it goes.” P1

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Though spectators often dismiss them, the value of a development series in motorsports is beyond question. It provides a stepping-stone for drivers on their way to marquee classes and delivers consistently tight racing action and drama that knowledgeable fans can truly appreciate. Known as the Fujitsu Series, the V8 Supercar Development Series provides a perfect example. story & photos by Craig Lord Steve Owen has proved to be a dominant contender this season.

James Moffat has been doing double duty in both Fujitsu as well as the main game.

David Reynolds got some track time in preparation for the upcoming enduros.

T as in most businesses there are rewards for performance – and a development series is the best way to showcase and gain those rewards. 58

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he question is often raised on the validity and purpose of a motorsport development series. Of course, this question always is raised by seat-buying race fans, no matter what circuit or class they follow. And it is abundantly clear that if a development series was run on a different weekend than its big brother, it’s unlikely that those same seat-buying race fans would storm the ticket office for an extra piece of action. That said, it would still be difficult to argue against the purpose and reasoning behind a motorsports development series, especially when you talk to the people directly involved. That’s because they have reasons and results that instantly kill the debate. So why is it that the general motorsports follower takes so little interest in “second-tier” events? Well, it seems that the simple answer is that the

Kiwi Craig Baird was another getting some valuable track time before he paired up with Fabian Coulthard at Philip Island and Bathurst.

vehicles are of a lesser ability in most aspects. But that should not be a prerequisite for snobbery. On the contrary, there are very good reasons to pay more attention to a development series than you would think. The first reason is “figures” – not those of horsepower but those of statistics, where the general return on the investment for team and driver development has been relatively successful. For example, the Indy Lights have turned many of their developmental drivers into fully-fledged superstars, with names like Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan and Dan Wheldon, all in the “superstar” category. Formula 1 cannot be ignored in the stats – GP2 is the feeder series for the highest of open-wheeler honors after taking over from the exorbitant Formula 3000 series. This class, which was

Tim Blanchard in the Sirromet backed Falcon at Townsville.

The JAYCO Falcon was a regular front runner in this seasons Fujitsu series.

formed in 2005, has had plenty of success when it comes to the development side of motorsports. Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Timo Glock and Nico Hulkenburg are all GP2 Champions who have made the step to F1 – all with good results. Another pure example is the Nationwide Series – the proving ground before NASCAR glory. Driver names such as Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr, have all logged time in the second-tier seats before showing their wares to the mainstream audience. Some drivers from the main NASCAR Sprint series still compete in the Nationwide Series as well – controversial to be sure, but that is a story for another time. The point is that a development series can do a good job of finding new talent. So it is clear that on the previously

Nick Percat masters the Townsville street course.

noted statistics alone a development series is worthwhile. For the motorsports viewer, there’s an even more compelling reason to watch – the racing itself. The racing offers pure and simple, door-todoor, wheel-to-wheel, no-holds-barred action. Clichés, yes, but ones that hold true because the development series of most codes produces spectacular thrills and spills that will often rival the main event. Of course, any development series is not necessarily a must-do for aspiring race car drivers. There are many in the main games that have traveled different paths. Still, the chances of movement through the ranks are seemingly better for the junior drivers if they are driving the same road. In Australia, there is without doubt one of the world’s best motorsport series – the Australian V8 Touring Car Championship. As such, it also has a

dead-set-ripper under its wings, the V8 Supercar Development Series. Currently known as the Fujitsu Series, it has a reputation for action and drama. But aside from that, it has a purpose as the home to many a rising star. It also serves as a temporary home to many drivers such as those who cannot secure full-time Supercar seats, those who want to try something different, or those who simply want to play on a main V8 Supercar weekend but with a moderately controllable budget. As with all the different development series around the globe, the Fujitsu offers no guarantee of promotion, and as with all the others classes there are many who try it and fail. But as in most businesses there are rewards for performance – and a development series is the best way to showcase and gain those rewards. Driver Steve Owen provides a strong case in point. His race career has seen

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Paul Morris in the ‘Love Machine”. The Bob Jane T-Marts sponsored Falcon of Rodney Jane was one of the most impressive looking Fujitsu series cars this season.

Luke Youlden was another with a foot in both Fujitsu and the main game.

2010 marks the start of year eleven for the V8 Development Series, and since its inception it has lent a strong hand towards the success of its V8 Supercar big brother. 60

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him stepping from karts and open-wheel Formulas to the V8 Supercar, with the Fujitsu Series being his push for honors. With 11 individual races completed during the first four rounds of the 2010 season, Owen has only been out of the top three once – and that was eventually to fourth place. It would be hard to imagine any driver being upset with a fourth position considering the overall season numbers placed on the board. This, of course, is not the only reason Owen was given the task of joining Jamie Whincup in the 2010 Endurance Rounds, but it certainly cemented the decision. Owen drives the No. 45 Earthex Racing Commodore for the Greg Murphy Racing team, but that doesn’t necessarily

mean there is a partnership in the V8 Supercar – nothing is as cut and dried as that in the world of motorsports The task of driving with Greg Murphy in the Phillip Island Enduro was given to V8 rookie Tim Blanchard, who at only 23 years old is without doubt one of the flyers in motorsports. While Blanchard may be 204 points behind Owen after eleven races, he has made sure that his name was in lights by keeping to what seems to be a basic recipe for success – consistency. By no means is Blanchard failing to rise, after the debutant’s round win at the Townsville 400 had the team boss from Paul Morris Motorsport making contact in regard to teaming up with his

Kyle Busch running in the Nationwide Series, the feeder series for NASCAR’s main game.

mainstream Supercar driver Murphy. The simple fact is that it would never have happened without time behind the wheel of the Development V8. The list of Fujitsu Series drivers getting their chance for glory doesn’t finish with Owen and Blanchard. Thirdplace Nick Percat was teamed up with Andrew Thompson in the Walkinshaw Commodore. Fourth-place David Russell joined Jonathon Webb in the Dick Johnson Racing camp, and fifthplace James Moffat secured his enduro run with Steve Richards and Ford Performance Racing – the top five drivers in the V8 Development Series admirably rewarded for their efforts. Since its inception 11 years ago, the V8 Development Series, has lent a strong hand toward the success of its V8 Supercar big brother. In fact, every one of the ten V8 Development Champions has run, or currently is running in the Supercar Series. The names of those drivers speak volumes: Dean Canto, Simon Wills, Paul Dumbrell, Mark Winterbottom, Andrew Jones, Dean Canto, Adam Macrow, Tony D’Alberto, Steve Owen and Jonathon Webb. Owen looks to be the odds-on favorite to be the first driver to win the Fujitsu Championship twice. The advantages of the V8 Development Series are not just caged toward putting the champions into the main game. The fourth round of the season held in Townsville gave the Fujitsu Series a fair bit of glitz and glam. Craig Baird, Paul Morris, David Reynolds, Luke Youlden and Marcus Marshall all made visits to get behind the wheel of the closest match possible to a V8 Supercar – much-needed practice time before the Phillip Island Enduro. There is, however, a minor setback with the V8 Development series as a whole. That’s because the driver and car consistency plays a wee bit of havoc

J.R. Hildebrand running hard in the 2009 Indy Lights Championship, one rung down the ladder from the Indy Car series.

with the results – not in the aspect of performance or even lack of it, but because out of the 37 different drivers who are registered to race or have actually raced at some stage this season, only eight of those have gained points in every round. That takes some the shine off the current top-five placings. However, it would be discourteous to those top five drivers to question their results, given the seemingly unpredictable competition. They are without doubt talented and worthy of their positions. But how much better could the season be if a regular field was to line up on the grid? That small problem doesn’t detract from the overall spectacle, because while it is still known by the colloquial term of “Development Series” the Australians have ensured that competitive and exciting racing cars are hitting the track. Take nothing away from other codes and their expansion systems, they also produce the right stuff. But there is a major difference that is clearly shown by the individual vehicle specifications. The V8 Supercar and V8 Development cars share the following most important fact, an engine that produces 635plus hp limited to 7,500 rpm. With that numerical share, they are equal in most other aspects as well, which includes a 3.8 second acceleration of 0-100 kph (182 mph). The only real difference is the Fujitsu Development cars use the older “hand-me-down” chassis from the Supercar series and a different engine management system, and in a way it almost makes it difficult to truly call it a Development Series. Maybe “Driver Development Series” would be better, if somewhat ego-killing towards the few drivers who don’t really sit under the socalled development label. By race results, if one was to put the Fujitsu Series V8 Development car and the Australian V8 Supercar on the same

grid at the same time, the Supercar would cross the finish line first – but only by a couple of car lengths. And one could only drool at that kind of idea transposed with the next hot laps being done by the same drivers in the opposite machine. (Now there’s a marketing ploy for the powers to ponder.) The same comparisons, however, cannot be made with other development series in other tarmac classes, and as agricultural as it is, you can look at the simple figures as a starter. The main Indy Car produces approximately 650 hp, with the Indy Light running at 420 hp. The Formula One car produces a rating known only to the builders but it is something between 750 and 900 hp, while the GP2 sits at 580 hp. All piein-the-sky figures as there are many contingencies including budget caps that separate them, but it makes for simple bullet-points. In the overall scheme of things a development series has merit, but it’s not always roses and champagne. The Indy Car Series, for example, is struggling to live up to the purpose of a feeder series. Since Scott Dixon’s Indy Lights Championship win in 2000 none of the subsequent winners have made any major progress in the main Indy Car league, including the 2009 Champion J.R. Hildebrand who had moved on to the American Le Mans Series only to finally return and land an Indy Car drive nearly 12 months after his Lights Championship – it must hurt to have the feeder class Champions not playing a major role in the main game. But it does seem as though the Aussies have the right systems in place to ensure that their V8 Development Series is living up to its title, and with three rounds remaining (containing seven races overall) in the 2010 Australian Series, there is a genuine reason to sit up and take notice. P1

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The same,

p1 magazine

but different Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi have both had tough seasons; but is one about to rise again as the other falters? story by David Tremayne Photos courtesy of

Mercedes Motorsport & Team Yamaha

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wo of motorsport’s greatest legends – Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi – have come under the microscope afresh during the long summer. Both are multiple champions widely regarded as the modern-day epitome of their sports. The Italian may have a way to go to catch the winning tally of the great Giacomo Agostini, whereas the German surpassed Juan Manuel Fangio’s long ago, but in many ways they are very similar despite a 10-year age gap (41 to 31). In their heyday they were their respective sport’s yardsticks. Each has survived with only a broken leg apiece to show for their derring do, though where Rossi came back within six weeks, Schumacher angered Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo by playing football long before he reluctantly declared himself fit to support team-mate Eddie Irvine’s 1999 World Championship campaign.

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Therein lies one of their crucial differences. Rossi might not have been all that enamoured to have Jorge Lorenzo as his team-mate, but there has never been a stage where he has insisted, as Schumacher always has, that his team-mate should be a stooge, there purely to help his own quest for greatness. And, as we were so forcibly reminded in the Hungarian GP, Schumacher is prepared to do things on the track that gentlemanly Rossi would never remotely countenance. Schumacher was panned after pushing former Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello within an inch of a major accident at 300 kmh. Sir Jackie Stewart, the cleanest of the clean, said: “It was one of the most blatant abuses of another driver that I have seen, a terrible example from a man who has seven world titles.”

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Fellow triple champion Niki Lauda said: “To endanger another competitor in such a way is totally unnecessary. I cannot understand why he does those things.” Schumacher shrugged it off. But then he was pressured into making an apology that was as hollow as the one he offered to Damon Hill back in Adelaide in 1994, after he had made an unforced error and crashed his Benetton and then turfed the Briton off the road just as the Williams driver was poised to snatch away the World Championship title. Rossi and Schumacher differ not just on the win at all costs philosophy, but also their knowledge of and passion for their sport. Who will ever forget that moment of monumental ignorance and arrogance at Magny-Cours in 1998 when Schumacher and Eddie Irvine finished first and second for Ferrari in the French Grand Prix, and Schumacher declared crassly: “I do not know if this has happened before.” Scuderia Ferrari had been in the World Championship since its inauguration in 1950, with drivers of the calibre of Alberto 66

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Ascari, Froilan Gonzales, Juan Manuel Fangio, Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Chris Amon, Jacky Ickx, Clay Regazzoni, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Gilles Villeneuve, Jody Scheckter, Rene Arnoux, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost. And, yes, they had indeed managed many 1-2s. Even this year, when his much vaunted comeback at Mercedes has been a disaster, Schumacher exudes a haughty coldness, whereas Rossi is warm and emotional about his racing. When it was finally announced that he was leaving Yamaha – for Ducati in 2011! – he waxed lyrical about the Yamaha M1 which had taken him to four of his World Championships. “It is very difficult to explain in just a few words what my relationship with Yamaha has been in these past seven years,” he began. “Many things have changed since that far-off time in 2004, but especially ‘she’, my M1, has changed. At that time she was a poor middle-grid position MotoGP bike, derided by most of the riders and the MotoGP workers. Now, after having helped her to grow and improve, you can see her smiling

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in her garage, courted and admired, treated as the ‘top of the class’. “Now the moment has come to look for new challenges; my work here at Yamaha is finished. Unfortunately even the most beautiful love stories finish, but they leave a lot of wonderful memories, like when my M1 and I kissed for the first time on the grass at Welkom, when she looked straight in my eyes and told me ‘I love you!’” How can you not love a guy who expresses himself in such a poetic way? Looking to the future, Schumacher said recently: “The fact is that I feel comfortable in the situation and I believe that we are moving in the right direction to ensure that next year we will be real contenders.” 68

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Rossi, who has never had a problem praising other competitors, said that in Ducati general manager Filippo Preziosi he sees much of what he did in Yamaha’s outgoing boss, Masao Furusawa back in 2004, and that he is optimistic about lies ahead. “Yamaha have great riders, especially Lorenzo, but also [Ben] Spies is fast. So it looks like for me here, the time is finished. So I need a new adventure, but especially a new motivation. Filippo wants me and trusts in me. So, I’m curious…” Perhaps the most significant difference between the two icons these days is that when Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi speak of great times still ahead, Rossi is the one you believe. P1

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Heading into its seventh season, the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand is healthy and vibrant. Thanks to its solid foundation of equipment parity, the TRS provides close competition that gives drivers a chance to display their talents. Because it matches up well with other classes abroad, the TRS circuit has attracted talent from around the world and has served as a springboard for many of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top junior drivers.

p1 magazine

story by Craig Lord

Photos by Ned Dawson

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Brasilian Lucas Foresti came to NZ to compete in TRS under the guidance and reccomendation of his coach Roberto Moreno.

he Toyota Racing Series is about to celebrate its seventh birthday, which makes it very young indeed when it comes to the world of motorsport. It is also the only class in New Zealand of an international level, albeit a development one. But the TRS has two other items that make it special. First, it has one of only two FIAsanctioned Grand Prix events outside of Formula One. Second, and possibly more important, it races in the Northern Hemisphereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off-season. That second fact makes the Toyota Racing Series intriguing for many international junior drivers looking to build their resumes. But that also means many of New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential world champs have a chance to race directly against their peers. On top of that, local drivers can make their sponsors feel more comfortable by supporting them at home, while still allowing the talent to compete against those internationals.

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The Toyota Racing Series has been the stepping-stone toward many international goals, and has served its own local talent well. Shane Van Gisbergen has become a young star in the Australian V8 Supercars. Mitch Evans has been taken under the wing of Mark Webber. Wade Cunningham was an Indy Lights champion. Brendon Hartley moved on to be a reserve driver for Red Bull Torro Rosso F1. Matt Halliday has shone in the Porsche Supercup. But the internationals that travel down-under for a slot on the New Zealand grids have also moved to greater things. Will Stevens, who is contracted to an F1 team and is managed by former Formula One drivers Mark Blundell and Martin Brundle has had time behind the TRS wheel. Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hamad Al Fardan went to the British Formula 3 and the Asian GP2, Ben Lucas from the UK now has an Australian Formula 3 Championship trophy. Edoardo Piscopo

The Toyota Racing Series has been the stepping stone towards many international goals, and has served its own local talent well.

issue 3

Current TRS Champion – the talented Mitch Evans.

Jamie McNee in the Hot Chilly sponsored car at Teretonga.

The Toyota Racing Series has a professional setup that attracts the overseas drivers and teams – and in a way it has found its own niche in the motorsport market.

p1 Magazine

from Italy is now in the European Formula 3, and Lucas Foresti from Brazil is now in the British Formula 3. These and many others have made the Toyota Racing Series part of their establishing careers. Traveling down-under to face off against fellow speed demons, the international contingent has the opportunity to compete in five rounds housing 15 different races. For the 2010/2011 season the five rounds will also incorporate a series within the series. This is known as the Tasman Series, and is done by using the first four rounds only. Those four rounds are held during a five-week period in the months of January and February, good timing for those internationals who are waiting for the chilly months in their home countries to end. That said, they do race at the Teretonga track at the bottom of the South Island, and only the gods of motorsports have any control over the weather there. The fourth and final round of the

Tasman Series is at the Manfeild circuit in Feilding, home of the New Zealand Grand Prix. This 100-kilometer race is an FIASanctioned GP giving it some exclusive heritage – and with cars that lap faster than the NZV8 Touring cars it gives the local fans a taste of open-wheeler pace. Yet a question often arises when people talk about the Toyota Racing Series. With so many different “wing and slick” classes around the world, why does New Zealand use a class that no one else does? That question has many answers. Some of which are deep and meaningful, while others are quite simple. To start with, the TRS cars operate with the carbon fiber Italian-made Tatuus chassis used in the 2-liter Formula Renault class based in Europe. This instantly creates a link back to a major overseas Championship. For New Zealand, the 1.8-liter Toyota engine has been modified to allow it to run on the E85 ethanol biofuel, and that allows the engine to provide a competitive 215 hp. So, with the chassis link and a simple engine, TRS actually is a Championship

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issue 3

Two Kiwi stars of the Toyota Racing Series â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Earl Bamber leads Mitch Evans through the turn at Teretonga.

class that does match up cleanly with the better- known overseas Formulas. This, in turn, means that drivers from overseas donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be concerned about driving a car that is a full hybrid with no relevance for their return back home, which a very important fact for the reason of driver evaluation. Formula Ford and Formula 3000 as examples are certainly well-known classes, but they have a serious setback.

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Both classes have an open policy to certain components. In particular, the Ford class allows for a different chassis while the 3000 class allows for different engines. This makes the task of evaluation extremely difficult, and as one can imagine the best results on the track may not necessarily have come from the best drivers. This is one strong point where the TRS Championship thrives because the package underneath

the driver provides a level playing field in terms of equipment, allowing the scouts and bosses to scrutinize the drivers properly. But there is another point to it all â&#x20AC;&#x201C; synergy with the team. There is a crew waiting impatiently in the pits and hoping they have done their jobs of car preparation and setup correctly. They work diligently, and during the full TRS season they have the time to analyze and make changes, because they

Bambers latest victory came in the recent Superleague series where he took the round win in China.

Estonian Sten Pentus was a regular TRS competitor last season, here leading the field.

Alastair Wootton has been a stalwart of the TRS series.

can put a car out for testing, practice, qualifying and of course, the races. This is something that overseas teams do not have the time for during their own off-season. Also, the costs of the testing and practice overseas without any actual racing make little sense when compared to entering a compact and competitive Championship season in New Zealand. Without question, the Toyota Racing Series delivers huge benefits

to motorsports development. It has a professional setup that attracts the overseas drivers and teams, and in a way it has found its own niche in the motorsports market. Looking through the files of its short history you can spot drivers who have, or will go on to greater glory around the globe, and that alone gives it a reason for interest. To top it off, the racing in TRS series is competitive and exciting. P1

Looking through its short history you can spot drivers who have, or will go on to greater glory around the globe.

issue 3

Dean Grant (VIC) Mosler MT900 GT3.

At the Vodka O Australian GT Racing Series on the fast Phillip Island track, Porsche driver James Koundouris didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t simply win â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he dominated. Not only did he notch a personal best with wins in both races, he posted the fastest lap in both events. Driver Max Twigg made a strong run in the second race, but in the end Koundouris prevailed. Story & Photos by Joel Strickland

issue 2

Ash Samadi (NSW) Mosler MT900 GT3.

he GT Racing Series in Australia hasn’t ever received a lot of coverage in the Australian media. That’s a fact. But I have been to a couple of rounds over the years and I’ve always enjoyed the racing. So when the cars were running at my favorite racetrack on Phillip Island a few weeks before this issue went to press, I thought it would be worth having a look at – with Moslers, Vipers, Porsches and Lamborghinis racing around such a quick course. The fast track certainly proved favorable for James Koundouris, who had his best-ever Vodka O Australian GT result with two race wins at the Phillip Island circuit in Round No. 4 of the Championship. “It was a great day and a great feeling to have my first GT win and then follow it up with a victory in the second race after a huge battle with Max Twigg,” said Koundouris, as he stepped from the top of the podium. “The Superbarn Supermarkets Porsche was fantastic, and the two victories are a great result for the entire team.” With both races being 60-minute “enduro” events, David Wall (Porsche Cup S) led the way off the perfectly formed rolling start in Race No.1, by virtue of him topping the times in qualifying with a lap of 1:32.2143. However, Wall fell victim to an early visit to pit lane before

p1 magazine

the compulsory pit stop (CPS) that can’t be taken in the first 20 minutes of the race. Wall’s problem was reported as a loose rear hub, and the driver lost time in that stop and them further valuable time for his scheduled CPS. Eventually Wall finished in 16th position. In the end, it was a battle between Vodka O team members Dean Grant (Mosler MT900) and Peter Hackett (Lamborghini Gallardo GT3) for the minor podium places, with Grant taking second in the race that ran over 37 laps for the leaders without the intervention of a safety car. The fastest lap of the race went to Koundouris with a time of 1:34.3742. Max Twigg (Porsche Cup S) was fourth in the outright GT division followed by Greg Crick (Dodge Viper GT3), Peter Hill (Lamborghini Gallardo), Ross Lilley (Dodge Viper GT3), and Mark Cini (Porsche Cup S) in eighth spot. Having his first start in the GT Championship, Ivan Klasen drove his Porsche Cup Car to victory in the Challenge division ahead of the Damien and Adrian Flack (Porsche Cup Car) entry, and Michael Loccisano (Porsche Cup Car) in the third spot. Tony Alford (Nissan GTR R35) took the GT Production win from Mark O’Connor (Lotus Exige S), who completed only 13 laps before pulling off the circuit just past MG corner with broken front suspension.

James Koundouris (ACT) Porsche GT3 997 Cup S.

issue 3

Cars lined up in pit lane before race.

p1 magazine

Tony Quinn’s (QLD) Mosler MT900 GT3 is pushed back to pit by team after engine detonation.

Ross Lilley (VIC) Dodge Viper GT3.

David Wall’s (NSW) Porsche GT3 997 Cup S is pulled out of pits prior to race.

Mark Seamons (VIC) Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

issue 3

Simon Middleton (VIC) Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

Tony Alford (NSW)Nissan GTR R35.

Ash Samadi (NSW) Mosler MT900 GT3. Marc Cini, Damien Flack, Michael Loccisano in action on the main straight.

p1 magazine

View down the pit lane.

Kevin Weeks (SA) Lamborghini Gallardo GT3.

Aussie actor Eric Bana in action in his Porsche GT3 996 Cup Car.

Mosler bodywork sitting in pit lane, between races

Simon Middleton (Lamborghini Gallardo), Ash Samardi (Mosler MT900), Mark Seamons (Lamborghini Gallardo), and Kevin Weeks (Lamborghini Gallardo) were also classified as non-finishers. Crossing the line in seventh spot, the Ross Lilley Viper showed signs of an engine problem that prevented the car from starting the second race. In Race No. 2, Koundouris set the pace for the second rolling start of the day and the Superbarn Supermarkets Porsche Cup S pulled a slight gap at the start from Dean Grant (Mosler MT900) and Peter Hackett (Lamborghini Gallardo). But the first of two safety car periods soon nullified that advantage. Wall had stormed up from 16th spot on the grid and was running in the top ten before the compulsory pit stop. At the front, Koundouris stamped his authority on the event by setting the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:33.9616. But the advantage he enjoyed was again reduced by another safety car intervention when the Keith Wong/Kevin Wong

Transporters lined up in paddock.

Porsche stopped on the circuit with gearbox issues just past Honda corner after 24 laps. Koundouris and the leading pack, which included Max Twigg (Porsche Cup S), Dean Grant (Mosler MT900), and Peter Hackett (Lamborghini Gallardo) encountered traffic as the laps wound down. With only one lap to go, Twigg looked menacingly close to passing Koundouris through the ultra-fast Turn No.1. And it then appeared that Twigg decided to settle for a fine second place behind the dominant Koundouris. Dean Grantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third place was yet another impressive performance from the Melbourne driver. Crossing the line in the event that covered 34 laps with two safety periods, in fourth place was Peter Hackett (Lamborghini Gallardo), followed by David Wall (Porsche Cup S), Ian Palmer (Dodge Viper) and Simon Middleton (Lamborghini Gallardo). In GT Challenge it was Shane Smollen (Porsche Cup Car) that came out with the win followed by the Cup Cars of Michael

With two rounds remaining in the championship, the last few races will be tough beginning at the next round at Bathurst early next month as a support category to the V8 Supercars.

issue 3

Damien Flack & Adrian Flack (QLD) Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car.

Cars lined up in pit lane before warm up lap.

Aussie actor Eric Bana in action in his Porsche GT3 996 Cup Car.

Michelin race tyres lined up in pit paddock.

Car # Driver Car Loccisano and the consistent Eric Bana. Tony Alford (Nissan GTR R35) took the points in GT Production while Peter Hill (Lamborghini Gallardo), Ivan Klasen (Porsche Cup Car), and Marc Cini (Porsche Cup) joined the Wong entry as non-finishers. With two rounds remaining in the championship, the last few races – starting at the next round at Bathurst early next month as a support category to the V8 Supercars – will be tough. To finish up, the championship returns to Victoria to again play support category to the V8 Supercars at Sandown racecourse. The season-opener next year will be very interesting with the GT category being invited to attend the Bathurst 12-hour endurance race in early February 2011. Until recently, this event has been purely the domain of the performance-class cars, so the GT category will certainly make the 12-hour more interesting to watch. P1 P1 magazine would like to thank http://www.australiangt.com.au for the information base of this article. 86

p1 magazine

State RACE 1 RACE 2 TOTAL

James Koundouris Porsche GT3 997 Cup S

ACT

114

Dean Grant

Mosler MT900 GT3

VIC

52.5

49.5

102

Max Twigg

Porsche GT3 997 Cup S

VIC

52.5

100.5

Peter Hackett

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

VIC

49.5

97.5

Greg Crick

Dodge Viper GT3

TAS

46.5

91.5

David Wall

Porsche GT3 997 Cup S

NSW

46.5

85.5

Ian Palmer

Dodge Viper GT3

QLD

40.5

43.5

Peter Hill

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

VIC

DNF

Ross Lilley

Dodge Viper GT3

VIC

43.5

DNS

43.5

Marc Cini

Porsche GT3 997 Cup S

VIC

DNF

Simon Middleton

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

VIC

DNF

Kevin Weeks

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

DNS

Tony Quinn

Mosler MT900 GT3

QLD

DNS

Mark Seamons

Lamborghini Gallardo GT3

VIC

DNF

DNS

Ash Samadi

Mosler MT900 GT3

NSW

DNF

DNS

Shane Smollen

Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car

NSW

105

Michael Loccisano Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car

VIC

49.5

52.5

102

Damien Flack

Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car

QLD

52.5

100.5

Adrian Flack

Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car

QLD

52.5

100.5

Eric Bana

Porsche GT3 996 Cup Car

VIC

46.5

49.5

Ivan Klasan

Porsche GT3 997 Cup Car

VIC

DNF

Keith Wong

Porsche GT3 996 RSR

DNF

Kiang Kuan Wong

Porsche GT3 996 RSR

CHINA

DNF

Tony Alford

Nissan GTR R35

QLD

114

Mark O’Connor

Lotus Exige S

VIC

DNF

DNS

wrc des 8860

sT4 FOrMULA

sT4 rALLY

TechnicA

X-LighT

hi-Tech spOrT

34 Olive Rd, Penrose, Auckland | 09 579 0113 sales@namsport.co.nz | www.namsport.co.nz

issue 3

Standing starts won’t happen – later braking will. Veteran drivers such as Craig Baird, Angus Fogg and John McIntyre look strong, but up-and-comer Tim Edgell and wildcard Eddie Bell can’t be counted out. All that and more is in the mix for the upcoming NZV8 Touring Car season. story by

craig lord

photos by

Ned dawson

f you happen to be in the sign-writing business and can set yourself up with a mobile vinyl repair shop in a small truck or van, then you could do very well during the upcoming season of New Zealand motorsports. You see, when it comes to sponsor collection, the NZV8 Touring cars have a rather novel way of doing it, because often a car will come back from the terror laps with more names on the car than when it started. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the drivers of the NZV8s are reckless or unskilled – that’s far from the truth. But what I can say with certainty is that the men and women behind the wheel of a V8 Touring Car protect their personal track spot fiercely. Because of that fact, the racing is more often than not described as spectacular. In recent years, the V8 Touring cars have taken the top billing in New Zealand’s motorsports frenzy. While the GT3 Porsches

and GT1 Trans-Am cars may have the stopwatches flicking a little faster, the V8 Touring Cars offer a different kind of racing, and are without doubt a breed unlike any other. At one point between the end of last season and the start of the upcoming one, there was the potential for an exciting format change that would have seen the big taxis coming back to what many would call “purist” racing. It would have been most noticed when the green flag dropped as the removal of the controversial rolling start and the return of the traditional standing grid were on the cards. This, however, is now not to be, as there has been no significant and comprehensive testing done to prove that the grid start would work without failures. There were a handful of stories floating around the campfire as to the reasoning behind the NZV8 rolling starts, the most popular of those being that the clutch, rear differential

Craig Baird is rumoured to be running in both GT3 and NZV8, will he be able to complete the same double as last season.

and overall drive-train were unable to handle the power applied off the grid. And while those reasons do seem somewhat antiquated, there is an unknown quantity of disasters that could happen. The push for the start change has been ongoing, and amongst those fighting hard for change has been driver Angus Fogg who gives a very clear summation. “We’ve been dropping clutches and doing burnouts for years – never had a problem yet,” says Fogg, who also is quite clear on the pros and cons of the change. “There is only one con to the standing start and that is the remote possibility of a gear breakage. But it’s unlikely to happen.” On the positive side of a rolling start season, driver John McIntyre sums it up clearly. “A standing start in these cars is an unknown factor; we

can’t place that sort of pressure on the veteran teams or the new teams,” McIntyre explains. This does make sense as gear breakage puts finances into play that are not accounted for at the beginning of a season. Unfortunately though, there will be no chance to see it in action this season, but it is highly likely that it will happen when the newer-model cars pop out of garages in about 12 months. For now, the mind games, setups behind the pace car, and – as always – high speeds into the first corner continue. Fogg believes that had the class gone for standing starts there would have been a safer drive into Turn No. 1 due to theoretically lower speed. So no standing starts then. But there is one huge change that spectators should notice on the tracks this season – later braking. The NZV8s now have a totally new friction package on

issue 3

Andy Booth will be back this season but under a different guise.

all four corners, closely modeled from the NASCAR stable. It also puts the brake system right up close to the Australian V8 Supercar specifications. Of course, that means more action just before the corners as teams try even harder to out-brake and out-maneuver one another. Looking beyond the cars and format for the upcoming season, John McIntyre could well be the next champion. McIntyre, who finished last season in second position has been sneaking in a few practice laps with one of the Australian V8 Supercar Teams. Well, he’s is actually racing as he partners with Shane Van Gisbergen for their enduro rounds. Phillip Island, Bathurst and the Gold Coast – you can’t deny that’s the ultimate way to sharpen the skills before his venture back into the New Zealand season. It’s not all glitz and glam for “the Mac” though. Just like all the other V8 Supercar drivers Johnny is deep into the business side of motorsports, not just the game of it, and that requires more than just a weekend warrior attitude – including flights across the Tasman for just a couple of hours track testing, gym sessions with full physical analysis, team meetings and sponsor commitments. This is the big deal and he will certainly return to the New Zealand circuits with extra knowledge and abilities, plenty of ammunition to help push his Ford Falcon into the top rungs yet again. The Mac is not alone in that aspect, as one of the world’s best touring car champions Craig Baird has also been putting in serious track time with an Australian team – partnering fellow Kiwi Fabian Coulthard. The last season on New Zealand tracks was one of Baird’s best as he finished with both the GT3 Porsche and NZV8 Touring Car Championship Trophies. The driver, who recently turned 40, shows no sign of slowing down. He’s had time behind the wheel of the #38 Jax Quick Fit Commodore in the Fujitsu Development Series and that combined with his Bundy Racing enduro pairing in the Supercars will ensure that Baird is booming by the time he returns to New Zealand. The Fords had the edge over their direct competition in 2009 and 2010 with seven of them finishing in the top 10, and you

there is one huge change that spectators should notice on the tracks this season – later braking. 90

p1 magazine

would be hard pressed to think that it wouldn’t happen again. However, there are those who wish to push for a change in fortune, one of those being Andy Booth. Booth had a past season of frustration in his Holden that has changed his planning and approach for the upcoming one. He and his team will be focusing on one car only that will enable a full effort to be placed into their mission, and they have been putting in the regulatory long hours with full off-season rebuilds and developments. Motorsports, however, are never without their challenges and along with the actual track and driving preparation Booth has had to deal with his last season main sponsor pulling out of motorsports at the final hour – never an ideal situation for any team but one that many have had to deal with before, and Boothy won’t be the last. Still, expect plenty of fireworks from Holden’s top runner as he attempts to stem the flow of Ford’s taking checkered flags. The problem for Booth, and everyone else for that matter, is that he has to deal with others on the track at the same time. When it comes to a V8 Touring car the mix is very eclectic in terms of age and experience. In front of Booth last season were two great examples – the reasonably youthful Tim Edgell who put in some fantastic results to shock the series into life, and Kayne Scott who has been doing bad laps since Noah put the Ark into dry-dock. Edgell’s rise in the rankings of the NZV8 series has been methodical. In 2006/2007 he was 20th. By 2007/2008 he’d finished 15th. In 2008/2009 finished tenth, and finally in the last season of 2009/2010 he was fourth. By all odds he should therefore be taking the big trophy home by April 2011. But don’t go throwing it all on Edgell so quickly, because Kayne Scott – who finished third overall last season – already has plenty of shiny tin in his display cabinet, so he knows exactly what it takes to win. Scott’s third-place season was nice, but nice is not something that champions want – they want excellence. Scott was champion in the 2008/2009 season and he’s already feeling the drought etching into his throat. Scott hates losing and it would be a safe bet to have him in the top five at least. But what about Angus Fogg? He finished eighth last season, which to be fair is not really where you would expect someone of his ability to conclude. His driving skill is not in question, nor his machine. It was just “one of those years” for Foggy, with

mishaps costing him valuable points. But he, too, should be on your tick list for potential champion. Then of course you have the “wildcards,” the ones who make you raise your eyebrows. Eddie Bell would have to be high on that list. Bell entered the V8 Touring car ranks in total obscurity. In fact, most dedicated observers of the sport wouldn’t have given Bell a second glance when looking at the entry list. His efforts during his debut season in 2008/2009 never raised much interest. He had a pedigree, though. He wasn’t exactly a rookie, having won the RX7 Pro7 and Mini Challenge championships, but the V8 cars were a big step. That step was taken when he came away with a round win on the 2009/2010 season opener at Pukekohe Raceway. He qualified on the front row scoring a win, took second in the next race and then proceeded to finish sixth in the reverse grid race. Bell does have skill behind the wheel and this third season in the premier class will not necessarily be a question of that, but more on the skill of the whole Bell team to continue with the form and consistency that enabled him to take sixth overall for the season. The championship, however, will not just be decided by these few picks, as there are others in the pack with the ability and team support that can also make claims. Andrew Anderson, for example, had a mixed bag of results last time around, and while

it was tough going for him to hold tenth place overall (one point over Clark Proctor), he also should not be forgotten. Nor too should Paul Manuell. Manuell was a bizarre horse last season. He did something that many would consider sacrilege – some would say it was simply crazy. But Manuell had a genuine reason for doing what he did. For those who aren’t fully up-to-speed on it, he switched from a Holden to Ford for the last round of the season where he finished 12th overall. There is more to the story, because last season he was also teamed up with Andy Booth and Wayne Anderson of AV8 Motorsports where they shared resources. This season it will be different as Paul will be facing the battle on his own – not that it will be a problem, just a return to what he knows from days gone by. A link will still exist between Booth and Manuell, but they will manage and run their own kits allowing both sides to put a core focus into their own game, and that may have an effect on Manuell’s season. As to the many others on the track – Well! There could always be another Eddie Bell who can crack a line through the gaps, but they will have to prove their worth in the early rounds. The ITM400 V8 Supercar Round has finally been added to the NZ Championship, but that simply makes it seven rounds instead of six and that doesn’t give any driver much more space to play in when it comes to the always congested leader-board. P1

issue 3

The 2010 Sprint Showdown race takes the green flag at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Environmentally friendly automobile racing isn’t an oxymoron. Far from it. Through its own efforts that Story by

Amanda Vincent

Photos courtesy of

NASCAR Media

include “green” facility construction and emissions mitigation, as well as recycling efforts on the part of its sponsors and teams, NASCAR is presenting a model for exactly how environmentally responsible auto racing can be. And there’s a lot more to come.

hen conversations turn to the environment and what can be done to conserve it, auto racing is probably the sport that is seen as the one most detrimental to the earth’s wellbeing – from the use of fossil fuels to harmful emissions. On the surface, NASCAR racing looks to be Public Enemy No.1. But that’s not the case. The sanctioning body itself, racetracks, race teams and corporate sponsors have banded together during the last couple of years to make NASCAR more “green” or environmentally friendly. In 2008, NASCAR instituted its NASCAR Green Innovation initiative and hired Dr. Mike Lynch as the movement’s Managing Director. “Mike will be developing and coordinating an industry strategy to ensure we are embracing green as an opportunity for all of us,” said Bryan France, NASCAR chairman and CEO, upon Lynch’s hiring. “He’ll be working with teams, tracks, and our partners to develop an environmental plan that’s right for the sport and all its partners - one that can include and mobilize our fan base in this important issue.” In the time since Lynch’s hiring and the creation of NASCAR Green Innovation, strides have been made to make stock car racing more environmentally friendly. One of the first “green” moves NASCAR made came with the construction of the 20-storey NASCAR Plaza in Charlotte, N.C., and the Daytona Speedplex facility in Daytona Beach, Fla. Both structures were built with LEED certification in mind to make them both “green” buildings. According to Lynch, NASCAR has also partnered with some of its corporate sponsors, including Goodyear, Safety Kleen and UPS, to put recycling programs in place. Goodyear recycles almost all tires used on NASCAR stock cars, and has for years –

by shredding them and selling the material to power-generating plants and cement kilns. Some of the shredded rubber is even used in the construction of playgrounds. Meanwhile, Safety Kleen recycles the oil that comes out of the racecars. The company collects and refines approximately 170,000 gallons of NASCAR oil annually, according to a press release. In 2010, UPS began a cardboard recycling program that encompassed all the tracks the NASCAR Camping World Truck, Nationwide and Sprint Cup series compete at – recycling trash generated from the tracks’ merchandise row, hospitality village, garage, and concession areas. NASCAR expects the various projects with its corporate partners to result in approximately 100 tons of material being kept out of landfills next year. The recycling at the racetrack isn’t isolated to race teams and other various entities working at the track, either. Coors Kyle Busch (18) and Clint Bowyer (33) take the green flag at Pocono.

issue 3

Carl Edwards in full flight.

Ryan Newman speaks at the solar farm near Pocono Raceway.

p1 magazine

Greg Biffle crosses the start/finish line at Pocono.

Dr. Joseph Mattioli flips the switch on the Pocono solar farm.

David Ragan steps out of a UPS truck in Richmond.

Light and Coca-Cola Recycling recently started up a recycling program at racetrack campgrounds to help fans in attendance at NASCAR races to do their part in the recycling effort. “NASCAR and its partners share a strong commitment to preserving the environment and operating in an environmentally responsible way,” Lynch said. “Together with our partners, we’ll continue to make a real difference.” While NASCAR has implemented several environmentsaving activities already, it’s not finished. There are also longrange goals the NASCAR Green Innovation initiative hopes to get accomplished, one of them being the development of an alternative fuel. “It is one of the long-term initiatives that is very important to us,” Lynch said of the vision of an alternative fuel in NASCAR. “That solution may be well down the road, but it’s very important.” According to Lynch, the search for an alternative fuel isn’t something that NASCAR is rushing, because a viable alternative has not yet been identified. Besides, the amount of fuel used during a Sprint Cup Series race weekend isn’t all that large in the grand scheme of things. According to Dr. Diandra LesliePelecky, a physicist at the University of Texas at Dallas, the amount of fuel NASCAR goes through during any given race weekend is equivalent to the amount of fuel the United States uses up in a mere two seconds. “Fuel is certainly an important symbol, but we can have a much greater impact on protecting the environment by initiating a comprehensive, industry-wide strategy in how we operate overall,” Lynch said.

While the move to an alternative fuel looks to be several years down the road, another environmentally-friendly step NASCAR has taken is a tree-planting movement that it’s calling “NASCAR Green Clean Air.” With “NASCAR Green Clean Air,” NASCAR is looking to help capture the carbon emissions exhausted from its racecars. The movement began in 2009, with 11 racetracks participating, and had continued in 2010 with all tracks hosting a Sprint Cup Series event taking part. “Tree planting is one of the simplest, most tangible and lasting things we can do in our lives,” said Kevin Sayers, state coordinator of the Urban and Community Forestry Program for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “The benefits are immediate and last for generations, improving the environment, the communities we live in and our quality of life. This partnership in tree planting between NASCAR and Michigan International Speedway is a commendable example of corporate awareness and stewardship of our natural resources.” NASCAR drivers are among those getting involved in the tree-planting party. “I think everyone knows that I am a big advocate for conservation and preservation of our environment,” Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman said. “I’m proud to be part of NASCAR’s new green initiative to help the environment.” Newman participated in the first tree-planting event at Michigan International Speedway in 2009. The “NASCAR Green Clean Air” program aims to plant 10 trees for every race-starting green flag waved during the Sprint Cup Series season.

KAI GODDARD

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issue 3

Kevin Harvick shows off recycling efforts at Richmond International Raceway

The No. 99 team provides service for driver Carl Edwards on pit road.

“This is a first important step in an ambitious five-year plan to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of NASCAR, while raising awareness of conservation among fans,” France said. The goal is to mitigate 100 percent of the carbon emissions produced by Sprint Cup cars. NASCAR hopes to expand the program to also include its Camping World Truck and Nationwide series. While NASCAR is working on recycling and tree planting to help the environment, at least one of the tracks on the NASCAR circuit – Pocono Raceway – is making strides to reduce its dependence upon electricity. The Pocono Raceway Solar Project, which was developed by enXco and owned by Pocono Raceway, utilizes a former parking lot on the racetrack’s property. The project is a 25-acre solar installation with 40,000 photovoltaic modules to get energy from the sun. Not only will the new solar installation become the primary electric energy source for powering racetrack operations, it’ll also add electricity to the local power grid for Long Pond, Pa. “This is an important milestone for Pocono Raceway and our sport,” Pocono Raceway President Brandon Igdalsky said. “Pocono Raceway strongly believes in the NASCAR industry’s commitment to operate in a more environmentally responsible way and is proud to be the first race track to power our sport with clean, renewable sunlight as the world’s largest solarpowered sports facility.” Meanwhile, Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., is helping its local community in recycling efforts. The track hosts several recycling events every year, including an annual mower recycling day, during which people in the area can return their used-up gas-powered mowers. Auto Club Speedway also serves as home base for a local toilet trade where older toilets can be traded in for newer low-flow models. The track also serves 96

p1 magazine

Mike Lynch talks about the solar farm

as a drop-off site for the proper disposal of old televisions and computer models. Another track in California, Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, is making strides in conserving water with a switch to waterless toilets. Roush Fenway Racing, one of the most prominent teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series racing, is also following the sanctioning body’s lead in environmentally-friendly practices. According to a release from the race team, Roush Fenway Racing recycles approximately 96 percent of every racecar it builds. The organization also reports recycling 65 tons of plastic, metal and paper last year. “I am most proud of the smaller impacts we have achieved,” said Ian Prince Roush Fenway director of Real Estate and Sustainability. The team takes pride in that it expanded its recycling efforts last year. In 2009, Roush Fenway Racing recycled 26,660 pounds of plastic. That’s nearly triple the figure from 2008 – 12, 427 pounds. The team did recycle less paper in 2009 than in 2008 – 11,335 in 2009, down from 19,628 pounds in 2008 – but that’s a result of another conservation move by the company. The organization prints and/or copies far fewer documents now than it did just a few years ago. Roush Fenway Racing has also made some changes in some of the products it uses. The team cites making the move to biodegradable soy-based products wherever it can, no longer using Styrofoam cups, and switching from 400-watt to 360-watt light bulbs as moves it has made in the right direction. The team isn’t only becoming more environmentally conscious within its race shop, but it’s also becoming active in the community within the environmental realm. Roush Fenway Racing participates in the Cabarrus Sustainability Council – an effort between the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce and Cabarrus Economic Development that has an aim of promoting sustainability through public and private collaborations. “This project really is an example of what can happen when the public and private sectors roll up their sleeves and work together for a common community good,” Prince said. As people the world over are becoming more environmentally conscious, the NASCAR community is entrenched in the efforts to save the world for future generations – from planting trees and recycling waste, to tracks operating on solar power, to race teams and fans doing their parts. “There’s a lot of meaningful activity in the green space, and we’re just getting started,” Lynch said. P1

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Five-round New Zealand Championship incorporating a ‘series-within-a-series’ International Championship. The four FIA International rounds during January and February 2011 revive the Spirit of the Tasman Series.

Round 1 Invercargill

14-16 January 2011

Round 2 Timaru

21-23 January 2011

Round 3 Hampton Downs

4-6 February 2011

Round 4 Manfeild (NZGP)

11-13 February 2011

Round 5 Taupo

11-13 March

2011