Drivers for new teams

Sorry it’s been a few days, but I have been busy reading on the internet and catching up with some TV. Plus I’ve been waiting for more F1 driver line ups to be announced.

So, Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen have signed for Lotus, Lucas Di Grassi has signed for Virgin, and hot-shot Japanese new boy Kamui Kobayashi has signed for the coming back Sauber team. If you can recall, he was the Toyota driver who gave Jenson Button a hard time in Brazil, and beat his then team-mate Trulli in Abu Dhabi. Also, Renault have sold 75% of their racing team to Genii Capital, but will still race under the name ‘Renault’. Questions are now being raised as to what Robert Kubica will do due to the change of management.

In other news, we got our first snow of the 2009-10 winter yesterday and today. I personally wish that we can all wake up to a bright, crisp Christmas morning with 4ft of thick snow in the streets, flick on the news, and see that all our troops are coming home from Afghanistan and all other parts of the world where we don’t need to be. What do you think the odds of that are at the local bookies?

I HAVE JUST HEARD A MASSIVE CLAP OF THUNDER!! IN THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER! WTF! I’ve also just looked outside and it is SNOWING!!!!! Can we please get some more over night so me and my sister don’t have to go into school tomorrow?

Back to F1, and I found a Christmas message from the Red Bull boys Vettel and Webber.

Bet you didn’t see that coming.

Will he? Won’t he?

It is looking increasingly likely that 7-times World Champion Michael Schumacher will make a return to Formula 1 with the newish Mercedes team in 2010. As you well know, he was only about a week away from racing for Ferrari again in 2009 after Felipe Massa’s horror accident in Hungary. Alas, a neck injury from a bike crash earlier this year prevent him from doing so.

When I was younger, I hated Michael Schumacher. He never let anybody else win. He and Ross Brawn (who part owns the Mercedes GP team) and Jean Todt (the now president of the FIA) even prevent his own team-mate from racing against him and winning. Another reason why I didn’t like him was because he drove for Ferrari, who are McLaren’s arch enemies. All his success and our lack of it in the first half of the decade filled me with anger. He also broke practically every single record in the book with out even trying at times. I cried when he won his 6th World Championship in 2003, breaking the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio’s record that had stood since 1957. The same happened when he scored his 66th pole position at the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix. This was a record previously held by Senna, and it was at the same track at which he was killed, so how would you expect me to felt? He was also one for trying to ram other drivers off the track. Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve have both suffered at his hand, but Villeneuve survived to win the title that year. Damon didn’t as we all know. In qualifying for the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix, he deliberately parked his car at a tricky corner to slow Alonso down. It worked, but he didn’t get away with it.

But now, strangely, I want him back.

He is one of the all time greats, but his statistics disguise his ability. Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet all had to race against and beat each other in the 1980s. Just to let you know, these four drivers have won 11 World Championship and 146 Grand Prix. Schumacher meanwhile, had practically no opposition. The only driver he said he feared was Mika Hakkinen, and he retired in 2001. But I want to see how good Schumacher is compared to todays F1 drivers. I want to see him race for real against: Hamilton, Button, Massa, Alonso and Vettel. Alonso has beaten him to a couple of titles, but its been a while.

And finally, as a piece of poetic justice, I want to see Rubens Barrichello’s Williams scream past his Mercedes to take a win, as revenge for what happened at the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix.

BBC Sports Personality 2009

Ryan Giggs has just been named BBC Sports Personality of 2009, with Jenson Button runner-up and Jessica Ennis third. As a F1 fan, I really wanted Button to win as Lewis Hamilton had come second the previous two years. But alas, we’ll have to wait another year and win another title to get a F1 name back on the trophy.

Usain Bolt won Overseas Personality for the second year running (Ha Ha), and rightly so. And Golfing legend Seve Ballesteros received the Lifetime Achievement award for his legacy in Golf and brave fight against Brain cancer.

In other sporting news, Liverpool lost again , this time 2-1 at home to Arsenal after we where leading at Half-time. I have just about lost all patience with the Reds now. My confidence in them is at an all time low. I just don’t know what to do anymore. But I supported McLaren through the thin, and I shall do the same with Liverpool.

In F1, my all-time hero Ayrton Senna topped yet another ‘Greatest Driver of All Time’ poll. But this one was voted for by his peers, rivals, inspirations and admirers. See the whole top 40 by following this link. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80517 

 I’ll leave you now, because I have yet another blocked up nose, and it is driving me mad. Byeeeeeee.

New rules for F1

Hi everybody. Big news today. Formula 1 will bring in brand new rules for the 2010 season, which should make it even more exciting.

Firstly and most importantly, the new points system. As of 2003, the top 8 drivers scored: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. But as of next year, the top 10 drivers will score: 25-20-15-10-8-6-5-3-2-1. This will make the drivers want to race even harder for the race win, with the gap between 1st and 2nd now at a record high 5 whole points, whereas the previous gap between 1st and 3rd was just 4 points. Some people say it’s too Americanized and MotoGP-like, but I think it is a great move. Much better than the other idea of ‘the driver with most wins is Champion.’ The World Champion should be the most consistent driver, and one who would win the title with a couple of lucky wins.

Here is a comparison of last year’s top 5 drivers and 2 teams with both the old and the new points systems.

• 2009 Driver’s Championship: Button = 95, Vettel = 84, Barrichello = 77, Webber = 69.5, Hamilton = 49.
• 2009 Constructor’s Championship: Brawn = 172, Red Bull = 153.5. 

 

• 2010 Driver’s Championship points: Button = 230.5, Vettel = 203, Barrichello = 183, Webber = 175, Hamilton = 120.5.
• 2010 Constructor’s Championship points: Brawn = 413.5, Red Bull = 378.

In other F1 news, Abu Dhabi and Brazil have swapped places on the calendar, meaning that Abu Dhabi will now be the last race. Renault will race in F1, but probably under a new name, but we will have 13 teams on the grid in Bahrain in March. And next year we’ll have ex-drivers on the stewards board at every race to hopefully make fairer and quicker decisions about race incidents. Hopefully McLaren will be treated equally for once. (Did I really type that?).

Away from F1, I got some bad news music wise. I would be able to see Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton next year, because the cheapest tickets for the shows are over £60! . It’s not fair! If me and my Dad had the money, we would go, but we don’t and we can’t. WHY DO CONCERT TICKETS THESE DAYS HAVE TO BE SO F-ING EXPENSIVE. I WOULD GIVE MY RIGHT ARM TO SEE ERIC CLAPTON, BUT JUST BECAUSE SOME POSH TOFFEE-NOSED OXFORD, CAMBRIDGE OR EATON GRAD, OR CITY WORKER HAS SOME CASH, THAT MEAN THAT THEY CAN GO AND I CAN’T. IT SUCKS! When I went to see Roger Waters, one woman asked me ‘So, whats this going to be all about then? I had a good mind to tell her that I tought it was disgraceful for her to be there, without a clue about the show or the music, when a genuine fan and lover of his works was at home cursing that fact that people like her were there instead of them.

Anyway, rant over. See you later everybody.

Fantasy Rock Group

Here it is. After much brain scratching and soul-searching I finally have my six-piece all time fantasy rock band.

Firstly, the name. The band is called VY Canis Majoris. That is the name of the largest Star known to man, so I thought that is was quite an apt name for this ensemble.

Now, ladies and gentlemen let me introduce the band.

On Drums & Percussion…Neil Peart of Rush.

Almighty power and rhythm, and little pieces out of the blue as well make him the ideal stick man.

On Keyboards & Piano…Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

Honestly, how many people can play that well upside down?

On Bass Guitar…Chris Squire of Yes.

Absolutely brutal. I hope he brings his triple neck Bass to the gig.

On Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals…Mark Knofler of Dire Straits.

He’s finger picking good isn’t he?

On Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals…David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.

…

And finally, on Lead Vocals & Additional Piano…Freddie Mercury of Queen.

The ultimate showman, and a voice that could demolish buildings. He is sorely missed.

So there you have my all time Rock group. Tell me what you think, and tell me your dream group if you like.

Thank you very much. Goodnight, and have a safe journey home.

Fleetwood Mac, Live at Wembley Arena, 06/11/2009

I always go to concerts with a sense of dread. Is the band going to play well, or come out at all? Well Fleetwood Mac did come out. And boy did they play well.

My little sister is as much a Fleetwood Mac fan as I am a Pink Floyd fan. In fact she is named after one of their songs. But they are still one of my top bands. They wrote the song that was the sound of my childhood. ‘The Chain’ was as I am sure you know, the BBC F1 theme for decades. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t go into an extended jam on the song though.

However, they more than made up for it with crashing renditions of their songs ‘Tusk’ and ‘Oh Well’. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham also stole the show with ‘Big Love’ and extended Guitar solo in which he let the standing audience down the front ‘play along’ with him.

But the biggest moment of the evening was when singer Stevie Nicks told the audience that Christine McVie, former Keyboardist and ex-wife of Bassist John McVie  was in the audience. We all wanted her on stage, but she is retired now and it wouldn’t have happened. Drummer Mick Fleetwood raised the roof with a rather flamboyant drum solo as part of the encores.

The only draw back of the night was sitting right at the back and in the ‘Gods’, but thats what you get when you pay only £23 per ticket. What ever happened to the days when you could see people for under £10 I ask you?

But anyway, just like when I went to see Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters at the O2 Arena last year (oh yes!), this will be a night that stays with me for the rest of my days.

I’ll leave ou with ‘The Chain’ from when my Mum and Dad saw them in 1987, and it being used by the BBC. 

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Hi there. This is a film review of ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’.

Doctor Parnassus is an immortal 1,000 year-old travelling theatre owner, who is accompanied by his daughter Valentina, hired hand Anton, and long time friend Percy. They travel the country performing, and try to show people their own imaginations, but live on or below the bread line. But Dr Parnassus has entered a pack with the Devil, lost, and now Satan has come to collect his prize of Valentina on her 16th Birthday. To give him a sporting chance, the Devil creates a ‘race to 5 souls’ contest with Parnassus, winner get Valentina. The others discover a mystery man called Tony hanging and with no memory. They quickly hire him to bring in money (and souls), but his shadowy past affects everyone he meets.

And now here his what I made of it.

Watching the film in some places had the illusion of being high on LSD. But when it’s a film written and directed by the cartoonist from Monty Python, the outcome was bound to be crazy. However, I felt that Heath Ledger was remarkably average in his last role before his untimely death. His performance though funny and entertaining, lacked the power to fully draw me in. During some of the film, I was more interested in looking out for his stand-ins: Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law. I also felt that Lily Cole should make either more of an effort as an actress, or just go back to the day job. Many people who I have talked to have wondered, me included, that Terry Gilliam forgot that Cole was a 21 year-old playing a just turned 16 year-old.

So, it’s visually stunning. But the acting needs work.

Not again!

I’ve just seen Liverpool through away yet another game in the last-minute. It’s getting embarrassing now and I really am starting to get angry with the team.

They should have used me and my team from Football today. We destroyed the opposition, and I actually played well for a change and made a difference to the game in my teams favour or once.

I am still getting everything ready for the unveiling of my all time fantasy Rock Band. It’s just that I’ve been writing character profiles for a TV series I’ve just thought of. You never know, Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon might say that they like it and make it. Watch this space!

See ya later.

Wait for it…

I haven’t been up to much or seen anything that I want to blog about today. But you’ll soon find out who will be in my all time fantasy Rock Group, along with videos of what they do best!

See ya.

BRITISH GRAND PRIX SAVED!!!

The British Grand Prix has been saved! Silverstone has signed a deal that will keep the British Grand Prix there for 17 years! I bet you that no driver from the 2010 season will be racing when that deal runs out. 

Silverstone should have a race, because it was where the FIA Formula 1 World Drivers Championship was born on the 13th May 1950. The British Grand Prix is also the joint oldest on the F1 calendar, with the Italian Grand Prix being the only other race to stage a race in all 60 previous season.

Silverstone will undergo a much-needed trip to the spa (pun intended) after Christmas when: new stands, pit lane and paddock will be built and finished by 2011.

The 2010 British Grand Prix will be held on the 11th July. The same day as the World Cup Final.

Silverstone also holds the rights for the MotoGP British Grand Prix for a few years as well, so Donington really have lost everything unfortunately. Everything apart from its great history as well, Like the Silver Arrows pounding around it in the 1930s, and Ayrton Senna’s spellbinding opening lap of the 1993 European Grand Prix.

We may even be using the new bike friendly lay out for the Grand Prix, but the FIA need to inspect it first. If it doesn’t get the all clear, we’ll just use the track we have now. 

 Here we have Lewis Hamilton talking us around his 2007 Pole lap.

And here we have the afore-mentioned opening lap of the 1993 European Grand Prix at unlucky Donington Park.

Yes, that really did happen. And he went on to win by over 80 seconds.