Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Going on that is. The Indycar race was concluded this morning, still raining and crashing, and did anyone watch? The "who's buying F1 and will anyone stop them" saga continues. The latest is Ferrari being involved, possibly as part of the News Group takeover. Now that would give Montezemolo a way to kill the small engine. Is this a team takeover by the back door? Not sure how the other teams would feel about Ferrari being part owner, but it would probably be no different than when they had a secret veto.

Simoncelli blames cold tires for his crash. Why would his be any different to all the others? Didn't he expect his tires to be cold on the first lap?

Still nothing definite on the Bahrain GP despite the deadline passing. Bernie is desperate to run this race. It cannot just be the money.

The news is all about regimes today. Bernie says we should extend the deadline for Bahrain to subdue the demonstrators. Is money really that important? Then there is the story that McLaren talked to Libya back in January. Shock and horror, how could they? As I recall in January Gaddafi was still everyone's flavor of the month, so why are Mclaren being so defensive. "Yes we considered it but no actual meetings took place." So what? Is Gadafi still on the UN Human Rights Commission or whatever it's called? Now when Kenny and I were nearly suckered into taking Libyan oil money in '93 for the US Motorcycle GP this was the reaction I expected.

Then there is the story that Sonangol, the Angolan oil company, is to sponsor something in F1 other than Ricardo Teixeira in F2. Why would be my question? I cannot see that it will generate business, it already sells its' oil to China and it is hard to imagine too many companies rushing in there. Attracting tourists? Don't think so. My daughter used to work in the oil business and went there. Lived in a guarded compound and was escorted to work every day, and not to mention the vaccinations for some nice tropical diseases. Personally I think charity, and sponsorship, begins at home. Clean up the environment from the mess of the oil business, build some schools and hospitals. Something worthwhile other than putting it in rich mens' pockets.

Peter Geran, a regular contributor, commented on my question about Ducati testing, saying he thought it was allowed as long as it was not the GP riders doing it. Are all the teams testing in that case? I know they have test riders, we see these mobile chicanes when the regulars are injured, but so do F1 teams and they do not test. Answers anyone?

Aston Martin is going testing with its Le Mans contender rather than racing at Spa. Given the problems they have had so far that seems like a very good idea.

How is it that cigarette advertising is banned, but Suzuki can have Rizla on the bike? Is there another use  for Rizla cigarette papers I am not aware of? Or is it only tobacco that is banned? Just a question.

Ducati meanwhile have been testing a new chassis at Mugello. I thought testing was not allowed, unless it is an ineligible machine?

Despite all this fun there is little else going on. MotoGP getting ready for Estoril and having a couple of riders fit again. The numbers look a bit thin otherwise. No F1 this week and not much else, so see you tomorrow.

So now we know what the proposed changes are to Abu Dhabi to make it more overtaking "friendly." They start with the 5-6 chicane before the Turn 7 hairpin. Now Turn 7 looks like the Adelaide hairpin which is a key overtaking spot, in Adelaide. But what do we do in A-D? We put great big grandstands around it so there is no run-off. Solution? Put in a chicane before you arrive there. That kills the whole deal, so what are we going to do? Widen it. OK, making it wider gives some options for up-and-under, but not sure of this obsession with making corners wider. Adelaide is 40 feet and works just fine. Have cars got wider? Not that I know of. It is like a friend suggested Phillip Island needed to be wider. Have motorcycles become wider since Gardner, Rainey et al put on those great races in '89 and '90? Perhaps these guys need to give lessons if the current crop cannot pass on a 40 feet wide pavement.

Then there is the off-camber corner after the Turn 9 hairpin that they are going to turn into a "banked" corner. Now I always thought adverse camber, or off-camber corners were a no-no anyway and could not work out why they were built at A-D anyway. Lastly there is 13-14 they are going to turn into a sweeper for "better flow" at the end of the lap. Oh goody.

Bernie received an open letter from the opposition in Bahrain telling him to stay away until basic human rights are in place. That could take a while. Meanwhile Bernie says he would rather retire than work for people he does not like, presumably Rupert Murdoch and Carlos Slim. But I thought F1 was not for sale? Part of the CVC empire is not doing so well. Pit Pass web site tells us that the hospitality arm lost money again last year despite charging $4500 per head for the privilege of using it for the weekend! Must be serving some great champagne.

Back to the racing. Christian Horner is said to be re-evaluating the benefit of qualifying given Mark Webber's great drive in China. He is probably not alone, and I heard the Radio Le Mans boys talking about just this last week. It is another NASCAR type situation where your qualifying position does not really matter as long as you stay out of trouble. So, the fight might be to see who can go slowest in Q1 so you miss out but conserve your tires. Reminds me of a slow bicycle race. Or do the three sessions on one set of hards? Doesn't sound like F1 to me.

If possible it is even quieter today than yesterday, so I will keep this short. Besides, I am producing the business plan for my latest ventures. Watch this space.

Turkey is the latest Government to say "enough" or actually more than enough. After letting Bernie take over the track, which he just sold to himself for a dollar, that sets the price for an F1 track, they continued to pay him to bring the race there! What a turkey that event turned out to be. Sorry about that. Now the fee is to be doubled for next year, so the message is no GP in 2012. Not that many will miss it, although it probably is the best Tilke track, well some of it. It is probably a negotiating ploy, but it shows the worms are turning. Between the Government revolt and the new Concorde Agreement it is probably a good time for CVC to sell.

Say it isn't so! Virgin are going wind tunnel testing to try and find out what's gone wrong with this year's car.

And as I always say, if it's Good Friday, it's good any day! Don't forget to listen to Radio Le Mans on the web for the test day on Sunday.