Mid April 2005

Okay, we’re nearly a week removed from the Long Beach race and there is still another week before the next F1 round so it makes it kind of tough to write about anything going on in auto racing. But I will attempt it!First up is F1. A meeting between the ‘teams’ and the FIA took place today. As expected, not all of the teams attended the meeting. What is a surprise is that Jordan and Red Bull did attend as did Ferrari. This shows me the first real crack in the alliance the teams seemed to have just a week ago when they all said they would not show.Well attendance aside, some startling announcements came out of the meeting today. The biggest is that Max has put a date of May 27, 2005 as the day he will be finalizing the regulations for F1 for the 2008 season and beyond. What?The 9 teams (10 sans Ferrari) have been under the impression Mosley can’t do shit until they all agree, regardless of time. Mad Max has called the teams’ bluff and is moving forward with or without a Concorde Agreement. The question now is whether this announcement will galvanize the teams and push them towards the GPWC or will Red Bull and Jordan lead the charge down the path Max has proposed.I have stated here in the past that I felt the issue would be resolved and Bernie would get a new Concorde done and throw the teams more scraps and keep them happy. At times though it is clear that Bernie and Max are on different pages. Time is on Bernie’s side. The longer he waits the more time he has to convince the teams of the virtue of his plan and the value he has put on F1. One thing is certain, love him or hate him, Bernie Ecclestone is THE reason F1 enjoys the success it has around the world these days. It was his vision and planning that raised them above all others on the world stage.That is the main reason I believe the teams will capitulate and stay with the status quo instead of jumping to an unknown and uncertain future with the GPWC. I will also say this, the specter of the GPWC will serve to at least guarantee the teams a better deal when all is said and done.On to the IRL. It was a good week for the league as Newman Haas has entered not one but two cars for the 500. It was originally thought that only Bruno would get a shot, but this week and entry for 2004 CCWS champ Sebastian Bourdais was made. This gives Indy 33 car driver combinations and we are a month and a half away from race day. While there will probably still be a dearth of bumping, there will be some it appears.I think what makes me the most happy is that the doddering old fool Paul Newman is back at Indy after saying he didn’t want to be there. He is an idiot and we can all be thankful Carl Haas is running the team. Look for Haas to be in the IRL full time as Newman retires. Good riddance Fast Eddie!Finally there is no news per se out of the BPCCWSPF. They ran their race. Estimates on the crown are widely varied, but does it really matter. I have nothing against CC, but their fans are complete assholes. Apparently, one of their drivers, and one I have rooted for the past couple of years, is one as well. Here are a couple of stories that have been making the rounds the past couple days. (Thanks to the provider)….Beleaguered grand prix driver Cristiano da Matta has lashed out at F1 and Michael Schumacher. The diminutive Brazilian, who returned to American Champ Car racing at the weekend having last year felt the Toyota boot, called the pinnacle of motor sport 'too political.'And he told the Detroit Free Press: 'I never liked the way (world champion Michael) Schumacher conducted himself." 31-year-old da Matta, who left the US as 2002 CART champion, said Schumacher spent more time 'making his job easier' than genuinely trying to beat the opposition. "If Schumacher was a real champion," Cristiano slammed, "he wouldn't cry about things. It's good to be back in Champ Car. It's about racing and you know you have a chance to win."Then this……Departed, Cristiano da Matta is showing he's not afraid to aim fire at Formula One and Toyota. Last time, the little Brazilian - back in Champ Car - slammed Michael Schumacher and the Paddock's fabled politicking.Now, the 31-year-old's lining up Cologne-based Toyota, who gave him the boot mid last year. ''They needed a scapegoat,'' he told Associated Press, ''and I was it.'' Toyota, only now starting to reap the benefit of a more than billion-dollar investment in F1, boast pitlane's biggest ever budget. Da Matta said: ''There was tremendous pressure on them. ''It would have bothered me more ... if I knew the problem was me. But nobody else did better with that car.''Add to all of this the fact he finished 10th of 19 last Sunday at the LBGP behind such notables as Timo Glock, Justin Wilson, Ronnie Bremmer (who the fuck is Ronnie Bremmer) and Jimmy Vasser who has been washed up for about 9 years now. On the bright side he did beat such heavyweights as Ricardo Sperafico, Nelson Phillippe, Andrew Ranger, Fabrizio Del Monte, Marcus Marshall and the ever popular Oriol Servia.Sounds like CDM needs to shut the fuck up!!!