Motorsport: Alarm bells over Webber's car

Friday motorsport reportFebruary 2, 2007

The reality is that F1 cars are generally either right or not right out of the box. There is a lot of propaganda from teams and from testing at this time of the year, but if you're not somewhere near the pace from the outset history shows you're not likely to get there.

It will be a huge disappointment if a car designed by Adrian Newey and powered by a Renault engine that is the same spec as that in the factory Renault cars is not competitive, especially with Webber's first race in it being the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 18.

Webber was 14th of 15 drivers on the Valencia track overnight, heading only the Japanese test driver Kazuki Nakajima from his former team, Williams. Webber's RB3 was 2.5 seconds slower than the day's fastest car, Ralf Schumacher's Toyota.

Webber's teammate, David Coulthard, was 12th on the timesheet, more than 0.3 seconds ahead of the Australian but still a long way off the pace.

The weather at Valencia this week has been uncharacteristically bad for this time of year, with persistent showers on the first two days. Red Bull has not done as many laps as a lot of the other teams, but at the end of the day -- or three days -- the timesheets tell the story.

Webber didn't run on the second day, but Coulthard did -- and was 15th of 16, ahead of only Dutch test driver Giedo van der Garde, whose Super Aguri had a major mechanical problem that restricted him to only four laps. On the first day Webber had been 13th of 14.

Dual world champion Fernando Alonso has been the pacesetter most of the week in McLaren's MP4-22, although he was behind the Renault R27s of Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen as well as Ralf Schumacher's Toyota TF107 on day three.

Schumacher's best lap time -- 1 minute 11.297 seconds -- was the best of the week, but it was also done in the best conditions.

The Ferrari F2007 has not been setting the world on fire in Kimi Raikkonen's hands, while the form of the Honda -- expected by some to be the year's big improver and give Jenson Button a shot at the world title -- has been lacklustre.

7's heaven far-fetched?
The history books of televised sport, especially motorsport, are littered with outlandish statements by network executives. Expect one uttered this week to end up in that category.

As part of its announcement of the recruitment of Neil Crompton to its commentary team for the V8 Supercar Championship, the 7 network says it has "plans for the most hours of coverage of V8 Supercars in their history -- up by more than 60 per cent on 2006".

Says 7's head of sport Saul Shtein: "We are delivering the most significant coverage of V8 Supercars in its history: more hours, more live coverage, and the launch of V8 Supercars' own television program, and we'll be promoting the drivers and the sports across our television programs, online and in our magazines. Wherever you go on 7, V8 Supercars will be there."

Any Australian with an interest in motorsport, and particularly V8 Supercars, will welcome an excellent coverage by 7, but 60 per cent more than the 10 network did? Pull the other leg.

Targa Tasmania a lot cheaper
Targa Tasmania should be about $1500 cheaper for competitors this year. Octagon, organiser of the 16th Targa Tas on April 17-22, and CAMS have announced that competitors will only need a national rally licence rather than the previously required international licence.

This will make it easier for circuit racers to compete, while gravel or other tarmac rally competitors will already have the right licence.

Youlden will race a Ford Falcon for the HPM team in the V8 development series this year, with owner Aaron McGill in the team's other entry -- and veteran John Bowe on board as a consultant.

After his departure from Brad Jones Racing, Bowe is expected to race a final season in the main championship with Paul Cruickshank Racing, and Youlden says it's exciting to have him involed with HPM. "It's a master stroke by Aaron to have him on board -- having access to JB is fantastic," Youlden says.

Optima in two minds
Optima Sport, the Gold Coast-based entity that entered one of the cars involved in the terrible accident in the V8 development series race at Bathurst last year, is at a crossroads.

Owner Dave Macdougall and driver David Clark, who unlike Mark Porter survived the shocking Mt Panorama crash, have been trying to find a backer but without success.

The team has a new BA Falcon under construction but all its assets are for sale in case a major backer does not emerge. "Our 2007 package is all set to improve on what was an easy top 10 runner last season," Macdougall says. "Top five has been our aim for this year -- and the homework into refining our kit should realise this expectation."

Adelaide-based Clark is still recovering from the worst of the injuries he sustained in the Bathurst crash almost four months ago.

Montoya factor huge in US
Juan Pablo Montoya's entry into NASCAR is creating massive interest in the US. Much more so than Toyota's entry to the top level of stock car racing, or the introduction of the Car of Tomorrow.

Colombian Montoya's presence is not only a boon for NASCAR's Nextel Cup, especially in attracting the interest of Spanish speakers, but it will be another force working against the already monumental task of trying to entice Americans to get interested in F1.

Americans won't be so much interested in Montoya having come from F1, but what he has to say about it. Like: "If you want to run like you're behind the safety car, go ahead and do it, but I wanted to entertain myself. I wanted to find more interesting racing." Or: " NASCAR is not about the cars and it's not about the race tracks. It's about the racing, and that's something F1 doesn't have. We (NASCAR) are all about racing and pleasing fans."

Next sheik-up in F1 calendar
Expect Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to be confirmed tonight as a future F1 grand prix venue. Cars from nine of this year's 11 F1 teams will take part in a half-day demonstration there this weekend. Only Williams and Spyker will be missing, as they have their own launches to attend to.

A1: cross your fingers
The A1 Grand Prix series is at Sydney's Eastern Creek too this weekend. It's round seven of 11. We'd like to see it do well but wonder what future the concept has. In any case, we'll report Monday on the weekend's outcome.