It's Thursday! That means it's time for your weekly helping of (fun) F1 news. This week features Nigel 'sell-out' Mansell, Rome 2012, and a special preview of the Korean grand prix...
PODIUM. Nigel Mansell -
After last week's supremely successful campaign to bring back the Mansell Moustache ... good news folks! Thanks to a certain online price comparison (click here to see MoneySupermarket) website, the former British champion's facial hair is back in all its glory. Happy times.
PITS. Jaime Alguersuari -
The Italian Force India driver was promoted to a points position in the Belgian grand prix after Toro Rosso's Jaime Alguersuari was handed a 20 second post-race penalty in lieu of a drive through. Alguersuari cut the Bus Stop chicane with only 3 laps to go, and somewhat aptly was demoted to 'unlucky' 13th in the final results.
So really, it's a Podium for Liuzzi, and a Pits for Alguersuari!
PODIUM. South Korea -
It's under 50 days until the inaugural Korean grand prix, and POP has uncovered what is possibly the best grand prix track preview ever! The heavy metal backing music makes it sound more like F1 crossed with Guitar Hero, but somehow it works. The circuit is another Tilke-track, which some may argue is a bad thing.
But if it's anything like Turkey's circuit then we're in for a treat, not a Turkey.
PODIUM. F1 Sponsors -
POP is going to put on its business hat for a moment, because a huge shift in F1 sponsorship is gradually beginning to happen. After seeing the success of FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) and its triumph over the FIA in the breakaway series debacle, the multitude of F1 sponsors have joined forces to form a similar association: the Formula 100.
Collectively they will be able to lobby the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone, and CVC Partners who own the rights to Formula 1.
In a sign of Ecclestone's sheer terror at the prospect of the sponsors all working together, he has openly called the Formula 100 "silly". People getting along and working together like adults ? In Formula 1? Madness!
PODIUM. Roma Roma Roma!
Watch out Monza, you've got competition! The ancient city of Rome in Italy is pushing to host a street circuit grand prix as early as 2012. The only stumbling blocks are apparently the city council, and the Romans (that is, the inhabitants of Rome). POP is currently lobbying London Mayor Boris Johnson for a London street track, but currently to no avail.
What Londoner wouldn't want an F1 car whistling down the Mall, through Piccadilly Circus and over Tower Bridge? But POP will settle for Rome. Ciao!
PODIUM. Austin Track Design
We're giving Tilke the benefit of the doubt, because from this first 3D layout of the new USA GP track, it looks to be a great one, complete with plenty of elevation changes, seemingly Spa-inspired and a set of corners that looks remarkably similar to Istanbul Park's (Turkey - another Tilke-drome) awesome 'turn 8'
oh and i’d love to see a mark webber movie he is the most...
Comments and Discussion
"The heavy metal backing music makes it sound more like F1 crossed with Guitar Hero, but somehow it works."
Said backing music is "Motorcycle Driver" off of Joe Satriani's "The Extremist" album
^
Well Duh, the youtube video's description does state that...
I like the skyscrapers that are due to sprout up around and inside the Korean track. A few years before that though I imagine.
It really is a shocking video for the new Korean track... oh dear.
Indeed, when I said "best", I was being midly ironic. Classic stuff though!
This reminds me of the old F1 games on the Nintendo 64.
Hopefully they have something to really show us....
I like how you arrive and the entire grand stand just builds around you when you sit down. What a nifty feature..!
That video shows a fantastic sprawling metropolis, but this is what the circuit really looks like:
http://adamcooperf1.com/2010/09/03/korea-to-get-30-day-inspection/
Basically the FIA are breaking their own rules because they want it to happen so bad. Which is a good thing I suppose, even if it does look a bit rough around the edges right now...
I can't wait to see the Austin track. The track looks like a cross between, silverstone, istanbul, and china/malaysia with some serious gradient thrown in to make it all work. The esses look remarkably like the maggots/becketts complex and the section before the turkey turn 8 corner look like the 'old' last section at silverstone.
Braking into the first corner will be immense, looks like on the 3D pic there will be negative camber, if so they should definitely keep that to spice things up. and then the hump after the maggotts/becketts complex just before the hairpin looks spectacular. The gradient change in the last two corners is reminiscent of the last 2 real corners at interlagos.
To be honest, that track looks like the best F1 track to be built in the modern era. Hopefully they pull it off and then the US will have another legendary track to add to Laguna Seca, Indianapolis etc.
I'm praying its not going to be another Yanky financial flop.