The Worst Of The Best

So Jenson Button is World Champion. Congratulations. I’m one of many (a large majority I suspect) who felt that this day would never come so well done to Jenson.

But, though he is World Champion, my question is how good is he really?

Mark Hughes reckons Button is the bee’s knees and makes a convincing argument on the BBC F1 Website as to why Button has taken so long to reach this point and why we should acclaim him as a true great. I disagree.

Jenson has had several years in the sport now, but before this year had only won one race at a rain-affected Hungarian Grand Prix. Now you can argue, rightly, that this is due in part to the fact that he was never in one of the grid’s best cars but I counter that point with a simple fact – Button would have been in one of those cars if he was good enough. Remember, this is a man that about twelve months ago looked destined to be booted out of the sport. When Honda jumped ship, he was left without a drive. His commitment to Brawn and his decision to take a pay cut to stay in the sport are commendable, but let’s not fool ourselves and say that Jenson Button is the fastest driver in the world. In the same car, on a dry track, I would fancy Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel and maybe Kubica to finish ahead of the Briton. He may be World Champion but in my book, Jenson Button is not world class.

Look at his title winning season. Button began the year in a Brawn GP car that was the class of the field. Yes, he took advantage of this, but in truth all he had to do was outrace team-mate Rubens Barrichello. After seven races, Button had 61 points. Since then, he’s won 28 points in nine races. Vettel has won 45, Barrichello 37, Webber 34, Hamilton 40 and Raikkonen has scored 38. Sure, Jenson has been consistent in that he’s scored points in all but one race, but he’s limped across the finishing line. In the second half of the year, he has been mediocre and outraced by all of this title rivals, even a man in the same car as him. He won this World Championship in the first seven races and though that is how the rules are configured, Button has had the worst finish to the season of any champion that I can remember.

Jenson Button has taken advantage of a great situation and for that he does deserve to be commended. However, once the hoopla dies down, I feel that in years to come we will look back on the 2009 Formula One World Championship as a poor one, and it’s champion will be a man who’s fluked his way to the top spot.

Renault Probe Could Have Consequences

Interesting reports from the world of Formula 1 this morning regarding Fernando Alonso's win at last year's Singapore Grand Prix.

According to Brazilian TV Channel Globo, Renault are accused of ordering Nelson Piquet to deliberately crash in the racce last year, shortly after Alonso made a surprisingly early pit-stop.  I remember watching the race at the time, and I realised instantly how much of a boost this crash was for Alonso, who was, of course, Piquets' team-mate.  The ensuing safety car allowed Alonso to catch up on the rest of the field and overtake them when they made their pit-stops, thus putting the Spaniard into a lead that he never relenquished.

There were, I read, rumours at the time surrounding Piquet's crash (they went over my head) and how much of an 'accident' it was.  They make sense to the cynic, for sure, but an FIA investigation will determine whether or not the Brazilian was ordered to dump his car into the wall, a very serious offence if true.

A few comments regarding the investigation however:

It would not be a gross assumption to presume that the source for Globo is Piquet, or someone from his camp.  The Brazilian was fired recently, and a statement on his personal website showed his disgust at the decision.  This may not be any more than sour grapes, but only time will tell on that.

If it turns out that Piquet is telling the truth, then Renault will (rightly) find themselves in hot water.  Any such action, which not only corrupts the essence of the sport but also endangers drivers and patrons, would be dealt with in the most severe of fashions by the FIA.  Coming off the back of their screw-up with an Alonso pit-stop in Hungary, an offence so serious that it initially earned them a one-race ban (later revoked on appeal), there's no telling what sort of a penalty would be imposed.  A multiple-race ban and hefty fine would both be likely. This could end Renault's participation in the sport, as it is already in doubt, but I doubt that the sport's governing body would let that stop them in the imposition of their penalty.

And finally, how will Filepe Massa feel if it turns out that Piquet's crash was deliberate?  The Ferrari driver saw his World Championship hopes fade after a botched pit-stop in the aftermath of Piquet's crash.  He had been leading but he lost the lead when her drove off with the fuel-hose still attatched, while he was then given a drive-through penalty to rub salt into the wounds.  How different things almost certainly would have been if not for the incident?  It could turn out that Piquet cost his fellow countryman the World Championship.

More Clowning Around At The F1 Circus

Quite frankly, what is happening in Formula One this week can at best be described as a shit storm.

For those of you who’ve not heard, eight of the ten teams currently taking part in the sport last night announced that they’ve commenced preparations for a breakaway series in what could become the greatest upheaval in the sixty year history of Formula One. Unless a compromise is found between the FIA and the teams’ association FOTA, then it’s possible that Formula One will continue sans Ferrari, McLaren and many of the other teams which have contributed to the history of the greatest form of motorsport.

So how did we get here? Well, the starting point can be debated but this row hit its current zenith when Honda sensationally quit the sport towards the end of last year. Though they were saved and became what we now know as Brawn GP, this signalled a warning sign for the sport’s governing body. Costs needed to be slashed to ensure that grid levels didn’t fall below the current twenty, a move made more necessary and urgent by the recession. Discussions on how exactly to save money left to the proposal of a budget cap, something that many of the teams (especially Ferrari) are against. They accuse the FIA of poor governance, the FIA don’t back down and we’re now as close as ever to the ruination of Formula One.





There are other factors at work aside from the obvious monetary ones. For one, it’s clear that many team principals are unhappy with the stewardship of Max Mosley as President of the FIA. They claimed about him to the World Motorsport Council and a statement released by the FIA in the last few days showed contempt for Ferrari head Luca di Montezemolo. Another statement is due from the FIA this afternoon – I’d expect more of the same.




Today’s development is not unexpected and while my pal James claims that a breakaway series is viable, I have to disagree. Split championships mean split revenues. Is it really feasible for FOTA to organise a Championship on time for next year? Aside from the logistical problems that come with organising events, the teams will have to negotiate deals with tyre suppliers, fuel suppliers etc. Who would televise the deals and, more crucially, who will pay to televise them? Formula One’s main income is from broadcasters and this will not be matched for the FOTA crowd.

I suspect a deal will be reached. Common sense will apply, concessions will be made and Formula 1 will last. Max Mosley will almost certainly have to leave his post as FIA President for this to happen, but I feel he will. The sport’s reputation will be tarnished though. Fans want close racing and great action. Casual fans will be turned off if, when they tune in to Sunday’s race, discussion is dominated by politics. The sport did not need this, and unless a deal is struck soon (this evening's impending deadline for next year’s entry list means that is possible) then the sport could take a long time to recover from this.

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Update

The FIA statement has been released in the last few minutes and will do little to ease tensions. In the statement, which can be seen here, the governing body threaten legal action against FOTA over the breakaway series and again single out Ferrari for criticism. The statement also indicates that the aforementioned entry list will be delayed because of the legal proceedings, which hopefully is a tactic to buy more time to ensure that a deal is struck. The row rumbles on...

Say It Ain't So Lewis

Many sports require a world-wide star to thrive. Look at golf. As I’ve blogged about before, it is a sport that needs Tiger Woods and suffers dramatically without him. That was backed up by the US TV Ratings for the Bay Hill Invitational last week, won by Tiger Woods, which were the highest since last June’s U.S. Open, won by Tiger Woods. I also feel that it’s no co-incidence that the heydays of heavyweight boxing were the 1930s/1940s and the 1960s/1970s which were the eras of Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali.

Another sport which requires a star is Formula 1. More so than golf, boxing, tennis or perhaps any other sport, Formula 1 is personality driven due to the fact that there are so few competitors. From Senna to Schumacher to Hamilton, it is a sport that has been led by one man or another throughout my lifetime and for many years before that. There is no doubt, that in Western Europe at least, Lewis Hamilton is the sport’s most important figure. It is because of this that this week’s scandal has been of such major importance.

For those of you who’ve not been paying attention, Lewis Hamilton has been retrospectively disqualified from last week’s Australian Grand Prix for lying to stewards who were investigating a late-race overtaking manoeuvre which occurred under safety car conditions. Hamilton and McLaren sporting director Dave Ryan claimed that he had not been instructed to allow Toyota’s Jarno Trulli past, when the team’s radio clearly indicated that he had been. McLaren have suspended Ryan for his part in this debacle – whoop-de-doo. But where is the action against Hamilton?

The stewards have disqualified him but the team are, unsurprisingly, shying away from sanctioning the man who led them to a World Championship last year. Should they? Well, anyone who has listened to the team radio would clearly recognise that he was fully aware that he was told to allow Trulli past. Yet he claimed, in front of the sport’s governing bodies, that he was innocent. Disgraceful is not the word. Hamilton is a duplicitous little shit who has told a bare-faced lie. Now he wouldn’t be the first Formula 1 driver to cheat. He wouldn’t be the first World Champion. And this story, due to it’s technical nature, may have bypassed the vast majority of sports fans but within the sport his image has been tarnished. This writer has lost a lot of respect for a driver he once admired.

6:22 a.m. Thoughts From An Early Bird

Random Thoughts

Formula One is back. Coverage is fantastic, as I've already pointed out in my last post, but the racing is looking equally hot. There is a New World (Championship) Order and the biggest loser seems to be Lewis Hamilton. The much-beleaguered Team Formerly Known As Honda (Brawn GP) have started on a flyer, as have Williams and Toyota. The common link - a controversial and potentially illegal diffuser at the rear of the car. The cars have cleared scrutineering but an objection from the Red Bull team will be heard next month. I hope that the authorities see sense and ban the diffusers. For my reading, they controvene the spirit of the rules if not their letter. However, the last thing the sport needs is for a winner to lose a race win in a court one month after the event. I'm not sure if what I propose is possible, but Formula One is technical enough as it is and does not need help to exclude a casual fan. Let's hope the FIA agree.

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We've had one week since Ireland won their first Grand Slam in 61 years. Sweet isn't the word. The ending gave a new definition to squeaky bum time but a win's a win and we would have taken it, and then some, two months ago. By and large, little has changed in the team under new coach Declan Kidney, yet everything has changed - nine of the fifteen men who started in Cardiff last Saturday were also in the starting lineup for Ireland's abject performance against Argentina in the 2007 World Cup. So what has changed? What X-Factor does Declan Kidney have that has led him to success wih Ireland now and previously with Munster? His self-effacing manner makes that difficult to figure out, but Kidney's strong backroom staff of Gaffney, Smal et al must have a lot to do with it. Kidney has surrounded himself with the best, and it has paid off. However, those who are hailing Kidney must remember the role Lady Luck played in this Grand Slam win - if Stephen Jones slots over his penalty at the end last Saturday, if England have a few more minutes left after they score their try at Croker or if Scotland's defence holds out like it oh-so-nearly did, we're discussing another 'what-might-have-been' season for Irish rugby. Thankfully, the oval ball bounced our way.

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The rugby wasn't our only sporting success last Saturday. Bernard Dunne's fantastic win over Ricardo Cordoba got a lot of attention, but on any other weekend it would have been the biggest story in town. You may have noticed that I've been nudged to write about this topic - that would be my not so subtle better half who joined me in the magnificent O2 Arena last Saturday night. It was a truly amazing fight, but I do have some comments to make. I've rewatched a lot of the fight between a TV repeat and on RTE.ie - I was right about Jimmy. And the legitimacy of the WBA as a sanctioning body must be called into question when Dunne is not their only Super Bantamweight Champion of the World. But don't let that take away from last Saturday. Dunne done good.

Oh yeah, Marty Morrisey is a great warm-up guy. I kid you not.

Thanks Hellie.

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March Madness has reached the Elite Eight stage. My bracket is ruined but Blake Griffin of Oklahoma has continued his regular season form. Last night's 30 points and 14 boards against Syracuse left the Orange feeling Blue. I just took 9-1 on them to go all the way and I was glad to do so. A kiss of death? Probably.

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Part Three of Qualifying is on. Back to live timing. I won't leave it as long before I return next time.

F1 = BBC

5:00 a.m., March 28, 2009.

F1 fans in this part of the world have been waiting for this for a long time.



Hope the racing will be worth the wait.

Formula One is home.

Fantastic F1 Finale In Store

Lewis v. Felipe.


McLaren v. Ferrari.


Tomorrow's Brazilian Grand Prix promises to be special. World Title deciders often fail to deliver but tomorrow's could be special. Today's Qualifying has thrown up a grid that should give us an interesting struggle for Hamilton, and the weather (80% chance of rain according to weather.com) will also give us another wild card to deal with.

I've been lucky this year to have attended two Grand Prix. Thanks to the fine people at Bridgestone for that one! I won't pretend that gives me an insight into the Championship battle, but I did on both occasions get to see Lewis up close. He is an affable guy, one who represents the sport well. In Barcelona he was good enough to show up and lend his support to the GP2 Series, while in Monza I personally witnessed him laugh at Italian fans who heckled him as he entered the paddock.

I'll still be pulling for Massa though. I've a bet on him.

Either way, most importantly and in all seriousness, my one true wish is for a good race, a tight battle and for a lack of controversy, something which has been all too prevident this season.

* * *

Also, as a quick aside, tomorrow's race will be the last covered by ITV in the UK for the foreseeable future. From 2009, the contract returns to what many call the sport's spiritual home at the BBC. I, for one, was delighted when I heard the news but tomorrow will nonetheless be an era for fans of the sport. ITV are unlikely to have a grand farewell like the BBC did in 1996 (though I did like the montage before today's Qualifying session) but when tomorrow's race ends, I know I will not be the only Formula 1 fan from this part of the world thanking Mark, Ted, Martin, Steve and even James for their work over the past 12 seasons.