Another Formula One Weekend

As semi-frequent readers of this blog know - I am a big Formula One racing fan. I've always been a fan of racing and over the past 5 or so years have ramped up my following of F1. The push for F1 started when I met Chris Watson about 6 years ago and he whad a trip planned to Indianapolis for USGP. The following year 2003, I joined him in Indy for the race and we went again in 2005. Alas, the future of F1 in US is unknown, so for now watching a lot is required. Tried to organize a group to go to Montreal but have yet to make it happen. This week SPA - Belgian Grand Prix. A racer favorite. Ferraris are fast in practice, but Kimi did spin and back into the wall yesterday. Qualifying is just starting as I type this, so we'll have to see how the weekend shapes up.

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F1 weekends on Speed are fun. Weekend is Friday practice, Saturday knock-out qualifying and Sunday race day. With limited in timezone races, I usuaully wake up early and watch the European stuff live, and the Asian stuff on DVR. This gives me my racing fix early, then I can spend the rest of the day doing whatever. This morning I was up very early so clicked on the DVR to catch Friday practice. The fun thing about Friday practice - compared to some other race shows is that we get to see cars on track virtually all the time while getting commentary about the track, the personalities, the rivalries and all other stuff that is mildly interesting, but the presenters are humorous. They have an ex-mechanic, an ex-driver, and are well respected by F1 overall - with one of their commentators being the official post-race interviewer. They seem to genuinely enjoy each others company and poking fun at each other whenever appropriate. Such as when Peter Windsor used the phrase appices to describe the monster 4-apex turn in Turkey. They were all over him about that word. Another fun one was when they found some old footage of David Hobbs doing commercials for pants and quoting it was a "jolly good price" they were classic 70s plaid polyester - they claimed he still had them in his closet. Saturday morning qualifying is fun - I also get excited when I hear Bob Varsha say: "Qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix starts now", then we get the music, and we hear Steve Matchett hollar as the music starts: "Right now boys, Right now" One of the things I've enjoyed is learning the British slang that will occassionally creep into the commentary - moreso on race day, but also on practice and qualifying day.

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Some of my favorite quotes - some similar to US quotes, some not.

• He looks like a one armed paper hanger in a gale
• Look how close to the wall they are - not even enough room for a fag-paper - that one caused a follow-up comment to describe that in UK fags are cigarettes
• Look at the damage to the Red Bull - he hit that curb and now his car is completely knackered
• Kerrrr-blammo
- That's one of my all time favorites - for when an engine blows and dumps a huge white smoke plume all over the track.
Here's a few pics of Kimi's engine going Kerrrr-blammo in Valencia.