The 2/3 Pole

As unbelievable as it may seem we are just about to the last third of the racing season. Sure NASCAR still has 17 to go so they are really just past halfway. But when F1 heads to Budapest for its next race it will be at the one third to go mark. They have already run 12 races. At the completion of the race Sunday at Michigan there will be but 6 of their 16 races remaining.
On one hand it seems so long ago since Daytona, Melbourne and Homestead, but again, it seems like it was just yesterday that the 500 was run and the real meat of the season was just getting ready. It has been 8 weeks since then. Two months. Since then we have had the USGP, several Tony Stewart meltdowns, Junior trying to kill himself in a Corvette and the FIA president threatening to step down only to change his mind.
Silly season has been underway in F1 for nearly a month now. Frankly, for Ralfie and Toyota it has been longer than that. The IRL has seen two drivers sacked with one of them buying his way back in during the past month and NASCAR just keeps rolling along to their new “shootout”. I guess OWRS has been running but I have only caught some of the first race at Long Beach. Funny, their races are on at the same time every week they race and I still manage to miss them. To be fair they have dropped their plans for Korea and they appear to be ready to bid adieu to Portland. So it’s not like they aren’t trying to make the news.
To be perfectly honest the entire racing season tends to drone on a little long. I would really like to see it end by the end of September. That way I can focus on football. On the other hand the beginning of the football season and the end of the racing season tend to bring an end to the summer and the descent into winter.
With that I bring you the latest news and rumblings from the motorsports world.
F1
Jarno Trulli’s days at Renault are numbered. After winning the race at Monaco, ol’ Top Knot has been seriously lackluster. While his team mate Fernando Alonso continues to push ahead with the still not quite at the top Renault, Trulli has crashed badly and in the ultimate display of disdain, allowed the Sandwich to pass him at the last corner in France. Allegedly this enraged Suave Flav and it seemed to be the beginning of the end. Right now it looks like Trulli will move to the Toyota team giving the Cologne effort two new drivers. Again.
That pretty much leaves Olivier Panis and Christiano out in the cold. I feel bad for Christiano because I don’t think he got a fair shake at Toyota. Instead it looks as though he will probably return to the Newman Haas team in Champ Car next season or, hopefully by me, the IRL. As for Panis he may be out period. I can’t see him stepping down to F3 or F3000, I doubt if he wants to come to America to race and I don’t think he will take a test driver position.
As for Renault it appears now that Giancarlo Fischella will take over the seat opposite Alonso. This would put Fish in a better situation than if he stayed at Sauber or went to Toyota. I like Fish but I didn’t see what he is going to be able to do with the still underdeveloped Toyota. Like I have said here before, teams that change drivers all the time never get it right. Every part of building a winning race car is a compromise. Building something good always is. You always have tradeoffs. Speed versus handling. Engine temperature versus horsepower. There are so many variables to the process it is mind boggling. One of the biggest variables is the driver. These are human beings and as such are subject to the failings of humans. To continually insert different variables into the equation is ludicrous if you want real answers. Toyota has not shown me in 3 years they are ready to be serious. This is not Minardi folks. This is a team with as big of a budget as any team in racing bar none. I know winning takes time, but Toyota is way behind where they should be.
So far this is what I see for next year…
Ferrari: Michael and the Sandwich
BAR: Buttons and Taku
McLaren: JPM and Kimi
Renault: Alonso and Fish
Toyota: Ralfie and Trulli
Williams: Webber
That is 11 out of 20 race day seats filled. I am going to stand by my thoughts that Jeff Gordon will be in the Williams next year. That is 12 and frankly what else is there” Minardi will likely have two new drivers. They always do and from the sound of things Gianmaria Brunni hasnot impressed the sponsors. Baumgartner has been pitiful all year. And don’t look for Christiano to head down the food chain.
Jaguar will lose Webber but they may be keen to keep Klien simply because of the Red Bull money he brings so let’s say he stays and that leaves 7 seats open. Two at Sauber, 2 at Minardi, 1 at Jag and 2 at Jordan. As for Jordan anything can happen. I think Eddie Jordan is a putz and is only in it for the show biz. Peter Sauber I think would like to sell his team to an American and go in as partners, but he has to love the Ferrari technology coming down to him.
Technically I would expect Fellipe Massa to stay at Sauber. That is 14 filled, four that will be up in the air and Jordan. I would expect Nick Heidfeld to stay with the team, but Giorgio Pantano is another story. He missed the Canadian race due to contractual problems and in his absence Timo Glock got a point. Of course when it comes down to it, do Minardi or Jordan even matter.
Finally there are a couple of test drivers who seem to be ready to make the next step. Anthony Davidson is fast every week in the BAR. Pizzonia is as well but I don’t see it after his miserable 2003 season at Jaguar. Davidson will surely get some looks, but with what is remaining he may opt to test another year.
So to recap
Ferrari: Michael and the Sandwich
BAR: Buttons and Taku
McLaren: JPM and Kimi
Renault: Alonso and Fish
Toyota: Ralfie and Trulli
Williams: Webber and Gordon
Jordan: Heidfeld and ??
Minardi: ?? and ??
Jaguar: Klien and ??
Sauber: Massa and ??
And finally, what about Coulthard. He has said he isn’t ready to retire, but it is hard to imagine him taking a backmarker seat. I look for him and Davidson to vie for that last Jaguar seat.
IRL
Rumors abound in the league at this point. It was thought that there would be two road course races next season. One at Watkins Glen and one at Infineon. Now there is talk that the league has entered into negotiations to race at Portland. One Texas race is already gone thanks to the 800 pound gorilla.
Driver rumors have been slow. Like I said earlier some changes were already made. There has been talk of Danica Patrick coming into the league and what is happening with Kenny? And the leagues most popular driver still remains without a ride. Hopefully more will come out as the next couple of weeks unfold. With races at Michigan this week and Kentucky in two weeks the cream should rise to the top.