Bob Barnard Track Engineering

Bernie has just worked out what Renault engineers said two weeks ago and anyone with a mechanical bent knew anyway. When you have turbocharged engines it is hard to nigh impossible to increase the noise level. Noise is generated by the exhaust gas pushing the air which eventually beats against your ear drum. Turbos use that energy. That is why most earthmoving equipment do not require a muffler. The whole point of this formula is to use the waste energy, so what are we going to do? Waste some of what we just saved to give the whiners more noise? I guess we would not be able to hear them whine.

Bernie is also muddying the waters as usual, suggesting he could set up a "new" FI with GP2 cars, but call them GP1. Gets more noise, more teams and it would be cheaper. But hang on, didn't he just block a cost cap for the real F1? 

Teams stayed on in Bahrain to test some more, but information seems lost in transmission.

Watched the delayed NASCAR race from Texas yesterday. The end was good as usual, even if contrived by a yellow 3 laps from the flag. Kurt Bush had a close shave with the wall but did not touch it, and had a tire come apart on the apron. Enough for the guys at NASCAR, or did they lean on the button again? Bush spin earlier without hitting anything and continued and they threw the yellow then too. Lugano was not to be denied though and deservedly won from Gordon. We saw a lot of yellow, with the race starting under yellow for 12 laps as the track was still "damp." Rain tires anyone? I can understand them not running in the rain, the spray would be terrible, but a bit damp is no big deal.

Wet grass is another thing though as we saw with Junior's excursion. Tore his car up and Johnson's who was close behind. Jr. caught fire and thankfully got out OK as we saw an IMSA style chinese fire drill. While the boys on the fire truck were working out how to turn the hose on a marshal leant over the wall with a normal extinguisher and put it out. Not good enough.  We then had to have the "competition caution" of course as the track was "green" and the teams would not have known how to set the car up. It has rained every day from what I saw so what was different?

Missed the anniversary of Jim Clark's death yesterday. One of those "where were you when" moments. I was at Brands Hatch, where Clark was supposed to be, not racing an F2 race at Hockenheim. An incredible talent, and a humble gentlemen, not like our current World Champion. No one finger salute after races for Jim.   

How sweet it must have been for Mark Webber to win the British F1 GP  yesterday. "Methinks they protesteth too much" is how I would treat Red Bull's continual assurances that Vettel is not getting preferential treatment. Team Principal Christian Horner insisted that the differences between the two wing versions were minor, and only affected driving characteristics. If that was true why risk having a problem with Mark by changing it over to Vettel's car after Vettel's wing had broken in practice? Sources have revealed that there was both a lap time and a weight difference between the two versions. Mark commented that the car felt better with it on. Horner saying that they gave the wing to Vettel because he was ahead in points makes more sense than "there were minor differences." It's like the Turkey deal all over again, they cannot stick to a story. So, if Mark wins the World Championship are we going to see a Champion walk from his team again? You have to love him for his honesty and lack of PC!

Not that winning the Championship is going to be easy. They said that Jim Clark could just drive around a car's problems, as did Senna. Now I am not yet saying that Hamilton is in that illustrious company, but you have to admire his ability to take a car that is not well set up and putting it fourth on the grid when  his World Champion team mate can only manage 14th and says it is undriveable. Then he runs a strong second in the race, setting fastest times. Cudos to Button to take that ill handling car and get it up to fourth, he has a different style to Lewis but is still very effective. You do not really see how he does it. McLaren have a great team with these two and of course the engineers and mechanics, and yes I am biased.

Ferrari are again exercising their selective memory and "the rules do not apply to us" mentality. Do they not recall Spa three years ago and that great duel between Raikkonen and Hamilton? When Kimi pushed Lewis wide at the "bus stop" and Lewis did pass Kimi, let Kimi back past him again, and then overtook him, only to be penalized for not letting Kimi by far enough! Lost the race and the Championship. So why was Alonso's pass on Kubica any different?

Nice to see Williams up there again, and the Cosworth is obviously not too shabby. Yamamoto ran around last, must have been weighed down by his wallet! Well done Nico Rosberg, beat your elderly team mate again. Michael is not driving well and cannot be enjoying his time back in the car. Even the TV commentators are now comparing his age with every other driver he gets passed by.

Did not get to see the ALMS at Miller, but well done Highcroft, and it seems that the Drayson car ran well. Keep Emmanuele in the car so we have some competition for Brabham and co.

Did not see WSBK either, but it is turning into a Biaggi benefit. Pity about Corser and the BMW's. Did anyone see the accident in practice? Brno is a safe track so I am surprised at his injuries, was it just a high speed get off?

Congratulations Spain for the World Cup. I lived in Spain for a year and love the people and the Country, so if England could not win I am glad Spain did. Hard to believe it was their first final and win.

Sad to see Lance Armstrong having such a tough time on the Tour, but I guess when your luck runs out. He is still amazing, but in a way he is finding out what Michael is finding out, the current crop of riders are pretty damn good! I know I am an Aussie, but I think Andy Schleck is who I would like to win.