Oh, and a driver can make a difference, with having to rely on good luck. Take race winner Dale Jarrett. He - on several occasions - saw
drivers ahead or around him getting 'racy', and therefore dropped to the back so as not to get caught up in the melee that was about to happen.
Then, after the field had thinned out a bit he drives from the back with about 30 laps to go and a good car, i.e. one that's still intact, and wins. Pretty simple huh?
Strategy not only has to come from behind the pit wall, but also from the driver's seat, and at Talladega, if you have a little... well a lot of patience, you can be around at the end, and in Jarrett's case, he came up spades.
Jeff Gordon said it best, "The drivers are responsible for driving the cars." That is true, but veterans can see a big one coming, and at Talladega on Sunday, the veteran driver showed just why he has been in this sport so long.
To Split or not to Split
Now that the major issues around Formula 1 have been
solved with the crowning of a new champion, Renault's Fernando Alonso, it is time teams to 'make news' by dusting off and pulling out theold 'breakaway' card, ruffling the feathers of all inured to the FIA-sanctioned event. You see, the manufacturers want 'more equality' (read more money) and F1 Czar Bernie Ecclestone is telling them to basically 'get stuffed'. So, we have a duel. Bernie has favourite son Ferrari on his side, along with the also-rans Red Bull, Jordan, and Minardi (soon Red Bull2). The manufacturer's side has Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Renault and BMW.
The odd man out is Frank Williams, for now, as histeam no longer has a manufacturer engine deal with BMW, the Bavarian automaker having recently purchased Sauber, so it is likely he will end up siding with Bernie. That may hinder the supply of Toyota engines they are scheduled to receive in 2007, but why cloud any good Formula 1 story with facts, especially when there is a point to be made. You see, for it to be Formula 1, you need Ferrari, McLaren and Williams - the three dominant teams. They are Formula 1, and it looks like Bernie will have two out of the three.
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| Race winner Dale Jarrett saw drivers ahead or around him getting 'racy', and on several occasions dropped to the back so as not to get caught up in the melee that was about to happen. (Photo: Autostock) |
Then, after the field had thinned out a bit he drives from the back with about 30 laps to go and a good car, i.e. one that's still intact, and wins. Pretty simple huh?
Strategy not only has to come from behind the pit wall, but also from the driver's seat, and at Talladega, if you have a little... well a lot of patience, you can be around at the end, and in Jarrett's case, he came up spades.
Jeff Gordon said it best, "The drivers are responsible for driving the cars." That is true, but veterans can see a big one coming, and at Talladega on Sunday, the veteran driver showed just why he has been in this sport so long.
To Split or not to Split
Now that the major issues around Formula 1 have been
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| Frank William's namesake team, currently looking for an engine afterlosing BMW when the Bavarian automaker purchased Sauber, may have toside with Ecclestone. (Photo: WilliamsF1) |
The odd man out is Frank Williams, for now, as histeam no longer has a manufacturer engine deal with BMW, the Bavarian automaker having recently purchased Sauber, so it is likely he will end up siding with Bernie. That may hinder the supply of Toyota engines they are scheduled to receive in 2007, but why cloud any good Formula 1 story with facts, especially when there is a point to be made. You see, for it to be Formula 1, you need Ferrari, McLaren and Williams - the three dominant teams. They are Formula 1, and it looks like Bernie will have two out of the three.