MOTORSPORT: Still fine-tuning V8 series

Friday, January 25, 2008Motorsport report

Further refinements in V8 Supercar Championship
V8 Supercars Australia is still tweaking a few things ahead of this year's national championship, and we've got to say we think they're continuing to go in the right direction.

We reported some days ago that the points system has been revised again, and indeed we are informed by V8 Supercar statistical guru Aaron Noonan that this will be the 17th time in 18 years of what was the Australian Touring Car Championship and which has now morphed into the V8 Supercar Championship Series, that the scoring has changed.

We applauded the move to award points -- in NASCAR fashion - down to 30th place in races this year, from only 15th last year, while increasing the emphasis on winning.

Now we learn that the top 15 drivers will sit out the opening half-hour of the 2½-hour Friday practice sessions at each round.

And the drivers who are allowed to run the full practice can do as many laps as they like, while the top 15 drivers will only be allowed a limited number.

The top 15 drivers at the start of the season in Adelaide (the Clipsal 500 is February 21-24) will be decided by last year's final points, but the group will be re-determined by the points at three other times during the season.

While reigning champion Garth Tander unsurprisingly has complained that this change will penalise the best drivers, others see the merit in it.

"Anything that can make the racing better is good," said Jason Bright. "I think it's a good thing, and I think you should get more points for finishing 16th than 28th."

Among other changes this year, digital "chase cam" cameras are to be introduced into every car in the series. These can be used by authorities to review incidents - and also for TV broadcast if required or deemed appropriate. They will be in addition to the existing in-car cameras already used for telecasts.

And V8SA has appointed a fulltime recovery co-ordinator to speed up the process of removing cars that have left the track or been damaged because of mechanical issues or crashes.

Experienced recovery expert Alistair Walker has been given the role of overseeing all recoveries and assisting local officials in training and preparing for all scenarios.

This is the upshot of the fiasco at Pukekohe in NZ last year, when the third race was cut short at little notice and the podium presentation not shown on TV.

There was much finger-pointing and buck-passing at that time, most of it directed at telecaster Channel 7, but this is belated acknowledgement by V8SA that such recoveries -- and the general protocol for them -- is its responsibility to arrange or at least oversee.

Car numbers are also to be more prominent this year -- in fluorescent yellow in the rear side windows of all cars to allow people at tracks, officials and TV viewers to more easily identify competitors.

All the above are good, common sense moves.

New Falcon may be on-track mid-year
The new Ford Falcon, now little more than a week away from the start of its public unveiling, could be racing against Holden's VE Commodore by mid-year.

Ford's top V8 Supercar team, Triple Eight Race Engineering, has been working on parts and panels from the new Falcon, codenamed Orion, for a year and hopes to have a full shell available for testing around April.

The road-going Falcon's powertrain and running gear will be unveiled on February 6.

The public unveiling of the new model is planned for the Melbourne Motor Show in March, and it could be on sale later that month.

Triple Eight boss Roland Dane won't say when or where the racing version of the new Falcon will be tested, but it is well known that July 1 is an homologation date -- and that the Orion could be racing soon after that.

Hidden costs on new NZ street race
As much as we agree with New Zealand having a round of the V8 Supercar Series, and even reckon the country could support two, we have repeatedly aired concerns about street races -- particularly the costs.

And already it has been revealed that the new NZ round on the streets of Hamilton will cost that city's ratepayers "significantly more than the $7 million touted by its council".

And the NZ Herald newspaper reported that Hamilton mayor Michael Redman had said commercial sensitivities prevented him from quoting figures.

This is a familiar, and totally predictable, tale. Anyway, there is very strong community backing for the Hamilton event, as 234 ratepayers have filed supportive submissions to the upcoming resource consent hearing while only 34 people made submissions opposing the idea.

"But information on the true cost of the hosting rights is being kept from the public," the NZ Herald reported. "Only councillors will be privy to how much money is being paid to promoters."

Mayor Redman said "sponsorship fees" were still being negotiated, and he declined to give even a ballpark figure of what these might be worth.

Get set for similar stories to emerge from Townsville, which looks certain to stage its first V8 Supercar round in 2009.

Atkinson upbeat for WRC's opening round
The World Rally Championship is about to start, with the notoriously difficult Monte Carlo Rally first-up -- an event in which Australia's Chris Atkinson has previously done very well.

Last year Atkinson won three stages of the rally in his factory Subaru and finished fourth overall, before winding up seventh in the championship for the year.

It's the 76th running of the Monte Carlo, and the four-day rally will wind from Valence, in south-eastern France, to Monaco on a mixture of dry or wet asphalt, ice and snow - notoriously tricky conditions which often produce surprise results.

The competitive distance is 365km, starting with two night stages -- the first of them being the longest of the event at more than 28km.

The Monte Carlo is the rally on which it is said, more than any other, the driver can make the difference between winning and losing.

Atkinson remains in the Subaru factory team with Belgian co-driver Stephane Prevot, who has been alongside the Aussie since the Argentinean round last year after Atkinson and countryman Glenn Macneall fell out.

"It's been raining in Monaco so I'm sure it will be snowing in the stages," said Atkinson, who lives in the rich principality. "I've never done this event with a lot of snow, so that's new for me.

"Both times I've run this rally we've had good results, but I don't underestimate how much of a challenge it is."

It is the first rally in which WRC teams will use Pirelli control tyres and there will be three options: the DS soft slick, the snow WX without metal studs, and the WX with studs that provide extra traction on icy sections.

"The tyre choices aren't wide, because we only have one slick and a winter tyre," Atkinson said. "It's going to be important when we choose to take each one, and we have to watch out for punctures."

There will be something missing in this year's WRC -- the Australian round.

For almost two decades Rally Oz was run in Western Australia, the last time in 2006, but this year it was scheduled to resume in south-Queensland in mid-September.

However, as we have documented here at length previously, the project has been botched and the event has been postponed until 2009 -- although we now have doubts a WRC round will ever be held in Australia again.

On the positive side of the WRC, Frenchman Sebastien Loeb is chasing a record fifth successive world title -- a feat that would put him ahead of the great Finns Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen and, we believe, entitle him to be at least considered in the same breath as retired seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher.

Loeb's Citroen team and reigning champion manufacturer Ford are expected to dominate the Monte Carlo, but Subaru is keen to upset them.

Norway's Petter Solberg declined the chance to join Citroen in favor of another three years with Subaru, despite a winless streak that now stands at 35 rallies - stretching back to the 2005 Rally of Great Britain.

Loeb's great Ford rival, Finn Marcus Gronholm, retired after finishing runner-up again last season and his countryman Mikko Hirvonen, third in the 2007 drivers' standings, has been promoted into the lead role by Ford.

Yet another Finn, youngster Jari-Matti Latvala, will be Hirvonen's teammate.

Suzuki, which competed in selected rallies last year, is starting its first full season, for which its driver will be Finland's Toni Gardemeister and Sweden's Per-Gunnar Andersson.

Rallying action remains great, but the championship is not what it was -- with just four factory teams instead of the seven of years ago, and each now with only the two cars instead of three.

Bright team pulls plug on ARC
Further evidence this week of the turmoil in Australian rallying, with V8 Supercar star Jason Bright's Britek team, sponsored by Pirtek, announcing its withdrawal from the official national championship.

The team's Super 2000 Ford Fiestas are up for sale and drivers Michael Guest and Darren Windus have been released from their contracts as the ARC faces a challenge this year from a new, alternative "rebel" series.

There had been great debate about whether Bright's rally operation was a Ford factory effort or a privateer outfit, but whatever it's been the long-established official national championship is now clearly left with just one manufacturer entrant -- Toyota, which has won the title the past two years.

Bright said the decision was "only taken after an exhaustive evaluation of the program and in particular the budget required to compete at the highest level in Australia".

"The competitor in me wanted to continue with the rally team, but the business could not take the risk.

"Rallying in Australia is very exciting but also extremely expensive. I feel that cost containment measures such as tyres, fuel and a number of other areas seriously need to be looked at."

Steve Ashton, chairman of Rallycorp, which has the franchise from CAMS to operate the commercial aspect of the ARC, has disputed Bright's claim that rallying in Australia is too costly.

"Competing at the highest level of motor sport in any category requires a high level of commitment and the costs associated in developing world first Super 2000 cars may have been underestimated by Britek," Ashton said.

Rallycorp appreciated, Ashton said, "the huge effort made by Britek to participate in the ARC as a new team with new cars under development".

"Its contribution to the championship will not be forgotten, and we trust that Britek will return to the ARC when its circumstances allow," said Ashton.

Seeing, or at least stating, things through rose-colored glasses, Ashton added: "The series remains strong, with leading privateers regularly capable of matching stage times with the S2000 Fiestas and TRD Corollas throughout 2007.

"We would welcome these S2000 Fiestas back into the ARC, as I have no doubt that in the right hands these cars will be able to win championships, and they are very popular with spectators."

Ashton claimed the costs of competing in the ARC were outweighed by "the many benefits that come from being involved".

"Through their representation in the ARC, Britek received considerable air time in each of the eight ARC programs aired on Network Ten and excellent coverage in print and electronic media both nationally and internationally," he said.

"From the ARC television program alone Britek received over $2 million of exposure, which is a clear indication that the series delivers significant benefits from the investment outlaid to compete.

"This coverage and the positive light in which the team was always portrayed regardless of the how it finished in the field has undoubtedly led to an increase in its exposure, which can now only help in the selling of the two cars.

"This coverage and benefits package is now available to other teams who wish to participate in this great national championship."

CAMS itself "noted" the Britek announcement "with regret". Colin Trinder, chairman of CAMS' Australian Rally Commission, said his body had been "working extremely hard with all parties over the past several months to put in place arrangements to help the Pirtek Rally Team meet its commitments to the ARC, Rallycorp and to CAMS".

This sounds like code for an assertion that the team owes the authorities money, most probably contributions to the pool that pays for ARC telecasts.

"It was believed that sufficient progress had been made during intensive negotiations in December to ensure that the team would be able to continue competing and we understand that Pirtek were willing to continue to sponsor the rally team in 2008," Trinder said.

"However the decision to withdraw was taken by Britek for commercial reasons. Rallycorp, CAMS and ARCom will now focus on helping the team resolve its commitments to the ARC and the homologation of the Ford Fiesta S2000 cars.

"Whilst it is extremely disappointing that the factory supported Fords will be missing from the ARC line-up in 2008, there remains a strong possibility that these exciting cars will be sold to private competitors and therefore still be competing in the championship.

"The withdrawal of the Pirtek team underlines how important the process of 'renewal' in rallying is going to be.

"While motorsport at the very highest levels can be expensive, it is imperative that we address the issues of cost in all areas including fuel, tyres and the 'arms race' in expensive rally technology.

"These are all interlinked issues that have defied resolution in the past."

Trinder's remarks seem to somewhat contradict Ashton's.

Trinder added: "ARCom has agreed on limiting numbers of tyres, removal of confidential tyres and a move to cheaper fuels such as those used for everyday road transport.

"These are reforms that will be implemented in 2008 with the specific details to be announced shortly as part of a major reform package for the ARC competition.

"ARCom is confident that these changes will go a long way towards attracting new privateers and manufacturers to the ARC.

"ARCom will also be giving urgent consideration to a number of other substantial reform proposals in the coming weeks with a view to re-energising the ARC in 2008."

That is the biggest acknowledgement we've seen or heard yet that those associated with the running of the official championship are worried about the emergence of a rival series.

Crocker's world dream collapses
Multiple Australian and Asia-Pacific rally champion Cody Crocker's hopes of contesting this year's Production World Rally Championship have fallen through because of that perennial problem -- shortage of money.

"We were looking at doing the PWRC with (Tasmanian-based rally entrant) Les Walkden and Subaru, but in the end it wasn't to be," Crocker said.

He will return to the Asia-Pacific championship with Singapore-based Motor Image Rally Team in a Possum Bourne Motor Sport-prepared Subaru Impreza WRX.

"We'll be testing the new 2008 Impreza soon, and will hopefully debut it in the Rally of Canberra (the Australian round of the Asia-Pacific series)," Crocker said.

Webber reckons RB4 'a big step forward'
Australia's Formula 1 driver, Mark Webber, seems happy with his new Red Bull RB4 car, although it has continued this week to have reliability issues -- the thing he cannot afford another year after having been plagued by mechanical failures at Williams and Red Bull the past three years.

"So far it (the RB4) seems to be a big step forward from last year in terms of reliability and speed, which is great," Webber said at Valencia in Spain, where teams have been testing on the tight road course there -- and where a new GP will be staged on a street circuit later in the year.

"Now we need to work with what we've got and get it as fast as possible before Melbourne (the season-opening Australian GP in mid-March).

"We've got a big four weeks coming up. I don't think the car is going to be challenging for the world championship, but I hope it's going to be a lot better than what we had last year, especially in terms of reliability.

Although the team improved to fifth in the constructors' championship last season, helped by McLaren's disqualification in the spying saga, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner estimated as many as 24 points were missed out on because of the mechanical woes when Webber and teammate David Coulthard were in top eight positions.

"I had seven retirements in 2007, six of which were mechanical - and on five of those occasions there were points to be had," Webber said.

While the world is expecting McLaren's Lewis Hamilton to be challenging the Ferraris again at the front of the field this year, Webber has cast some doubts.

He thinks Hamilton may have to wait another year or two for his next shot at the world title.

"The way Lewis performed last year was a credit to himself and the team, but it won't stay like that," Webber said. "As in any sport it's a five-minute phenomenon.

"If McLaren have produced a shed this year, no one will be interested."

We find these comments a bit odd. They will have come in response to questions, rather than him just volunteering comment.

But, while we have great respect for what Webber has done in F1 (without acknowledgement from the Australian public), we reckon that on such matters Webber ought to play a straighter bat and concentrate on his own affairs.

On that score, he said: "I very much hope I can stay at Red Bull for a while yet. I've enjoyed driving for them immensely.

"I absolutely love it. I want to make it work here and am really looking forward to trying to make that happen.

"I don't know how easy it would be to go to another team after Red Bull."

Ambrose happy with pre-season testing
Australia's NASCAR driver, Marcos Ambrose, seemed content with this week's pre-season testing at Daytona, where he was seventh fastest in one of the Nationwide Series (formerly Busch Series) sessions.

The dual Australian V8 Supercar champion's second full season in the second tier series, and with a host more Aussies in his crew, starts mid-February at the famed Daytona International Speedway, which he said was his favorite NASCAR track -- despite it being "narrow, bumpy and slippery".

This week Ambrose's focus will be another test at the fast 2.4km Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"It (NASCAR) is a tough sport and you've got to have everything right," Ambrose said. "Driving is just part of it.

"You've got to be mentally prepared, you've got to be physically fit, you've got to be able to save a race car and actually set them up a lot looser than what you normally would want to run a car.

"You've got to run these cars on the edge just to run fast and be more competitive. That's what makes this sport so great -- the drivers make a real difference."

NASCAR technology for space?
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is studying NASCAR safety technology for possible use in its space program.

Dr John Melvin, who helped NASCAR improve the safety features of its stock cars, told the Daytona Beach News-Journal that NASA is interested in data gathered by NASCAR's black box crash recorders during the past five years.

Dr Melvin said NASA and may apply stock car safety standards to its upcoming moon and Mars programs.

"NASA has become interested in this data for protecting the crew of the lunar and Mars modules," he said.

"I'm working with them, along with some other people, trying to get this data built into their understanding on how to protect people."

Penske's management magic has been married to machinery prepared by the two-time Daytona 24-hour-winning Wayne Taylor team.

Briscoe is teamed with Brazilian star and dual Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Penske NASCAR driver Kurt Busch.

They were second fastest, and the fastest Pontiac-engined outfit, in three days of testing earlier this month on the 5.6km course.

Ganassi's entries team two of his winners from last year, Juan Pablo Montoya and Scott Pruett with reigning Indy Racing League and Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti and Mexican Memo Rojas, while in the other car New Zealander Scott Dixon is with Brit Dan Wheldon, A1 GP and Formula 3 driver Mexican Salvador Duran and Indy Pro Series champ Alex Lloyd.

Power reckons Bourdais can succeed in F1
Many doubt that Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais, winner of four Champ Car titles in a row, will cut it in F1 this year with Scuderia Toro Rosso -- the second Red Bull team, and the old Minardi team.

But not Aussie Will Power, who raced against Bourdais the past two full seasona.

"Bourdais is the best driver I've ever competed against," said Power, whose rivals have included BMW's Polish F1 star Robert Kubica when they both raced in the World Series by Renault in Europe in 2005.

"He (Bourdais) is so good at every single aspect of being a racing driver. He deserves his shot at F1 and I think he's do well.

"He's very fit, very good at car set-up and the technical side of things, he can qualify, he can do long stints, he rarely makes mistakes, he's good at getting a team around him - he's good at it all.

"A complete driver."

Then asked whether F1 remained a reachable goal for him too, Power said: "I think Sebastien has shown that it is.

"You really have to do an outstanding job to be noticed, but F1 is very tough and they are always looking around to see how people are going.

"I want to win a Champ Car title first - and that's all I'm thinking about at the moment."

Spending curbs coming to a crunch
A meeting has been called in Paris next Thursday (January 31) to put precise numbers on plans to cap the spending of F1 teams from next year.

The meeting will be chaired by Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) consultant Tony Purnell, who ran the Jaguar F1 team when Mark Webber drove for it.

Talk is that the spending cap will be set at US$150 million a year for each team.

FIA president Max Mosley has indicated that if agreement is not reached by the end of June on ways to contain costs to sensible numbers he will take drastic measures, such as a ban on the use of wind tunnels and other research tools.

The freeze on engine changes to take effect from March this year is not to stay in place for five years, after which new engines rules will be introduced with heavy emphasis on recycling energy.

Meanwhile, Mosley has said that any F1 team found guilty in future of spying -- as McLaren was last year, although we still can't see any evidence it used any of the secret Ferrari dossier -- will face expulsion from the world championship.

Stepney accepts no responsibility for spy scandal
Nigel Stepney, the Englishman who has been banned from working in F1 after leaking Ferrari secrets to McLaren, has given his first TV interview on the saga, saying he feels no responsibility for McLaren losing all its constructors' championship points last year and being fined US$100 million.

Stepney blamed the political situation at McLaren and what he saw as an over-dramatic interpretation of events for the escalation of the dispute that came to public attention last July.

Stepney denies any wrongdoing but remains is under investigation by Italian courts for his role in the passing the 780-page Ferrari dossier of technical information to McLaren.

"There is a lot underneath that hasn't been said that should have been," Stepney said. "There's a lot of politics at McLaren.

"I don't feel responsible in anyway at all for what happened at McLaren. Obviously it got a bit sensitive and somebody used information more than I actually thought it was, or more than it should have been.

"It should never have been used to that extreme."

To comment on this article click here