Bob Barnard Track Engineering

No other way to describe the MotoGP from Phillip Island last weekend. Shades of Indianapolis F1 and Michelin. Bridgestone were there, so did they learn nothing. Of course not. PI has always been hard on tires, all those long high speed corners that load one side of the tire. So having been repaved for 9 months or so why did it take practice to discover their tire would not last, and not just by a few laps! Presumably someone tested there this spring? If I were a spectator and saw a half distance Moto2 and MotoGP with compulsory pit stops I would be asking for my money back, as they did at Indy and Michelin paid up. What about it Bridgestone?

So saturday saw the end of ALMS at Road Atlanta. Having been there at the start it was a sorry sight. Not that I saw too much, I don't get Fox 2 and to show an hour and a half about 3/4 distance on Fox 1 really does not give one an idea of what's going on, let alone how it ends. Watched a bit Sunday afternoon, but that was so disjointed it was worthless. Anyway, ALMS actually lasted longer than I expected, I thought Don would get tired of it sooner, but then again if it was not costing him money why not keep it going.

On to USRC and LMP2's racing DP's, whoopee. GT's put on the best show so America should consider a pure GT series like Blancpain. Gets the prototypes out of the way and there are no shortage of cars for those events.

Just spent two weeks touring Spain and looking at tracks, including private tours of Barcelona F1 complete with a Ferrari testing. Mid season testing being banned what were they up to? Also inspected Ascari Race Resort, the world's best private track. Brilliant if not perfect, but debt free and shows what can be done with a little commitment and high standards.

Sad to see we keep killing and maiming people here in the US. Two riders at Daytona last Friday, and Justin Wilson badly injured Saturday at California Speedway. Nice seams in that track.

Showed my partners the Ascari club in Spain, which is one of the few outside the US. Certainly sets the standard we are looking for, even though the track is a bit odd in places. Facilities are great so check it out, this is what we are looking to build here in Arizona, without the nice scenery of course.

Off to look at a building to use as a base and display area till we get on site, somewhere to bring prospective members with a few "toys" around.

ART have announced they are not pursuing the last F1 team slot for 2011. This is Jean Todt's son's team, and was thought a front runner for the place. Can't raise the cash it seems, and as a very successful team in the lower categories that must tell a tale. Time is getting late for the FIA to make a decision if we are not going to see a repeat of this years scramble to be ready by a new team.

The mysterious US group, Cypher, that is supposedly putting an F1 team together and has a bid in, has kept very quiet of late. Not that this is a bad thing, we saw way too much horn blowing from Mr Windsor last year, but it would be nice to know something. They are apparently talking to  a young American driver, which would be good, just not sure he is the right one.

Kubica has resigned for Renault for the next couple of years, no surprise there, and as I predicted, the drivers market will be very quiet this year.