Crash at the Track
I’m not a huge fan of motor-racing, but today’s events at the Speedway were appalling.
First, I can’t help but think this wouldn’t have happened but for the Byzantine rules of the FIA (International Automobile Federation, ‘natch), the governing body for Formula One racing, specifically concerning changing tires. As one Farker put it:
NONE of this would be an issue were it not for the most ridiculous rule in the history of F1, the ‘one set of tires’ rule. The FIA somehow convinced itself that this would INCREASE passing, despite numerous drivers, teams, tire manufacturers, and common farking sense arguing otherwise. (Duhh…I absolutely MUST make my tires last the entire race….yeah, braking later and harder into turns, and getting on the throttle harder to pass is EXACTLY what I want to do…yep).
To a lesser extent, they could have acceded to the last-minute negotiations to let the race go on, but I must admit that expecting major game-day alterations of the track would be extraordinary. Still, one would think that the interests of the tens of thousands of fans would be a high priority for the officials — but one would be wrong.
Second, Bridgestone managed to figure it out. Michelin somehow didn’t.
Third, some have suggested that Indianapolis simply isn’t a good venue for F1 racing. I sincerely hope that this charge doesn’t stick — not because I love F1 but because I’m rather fond of Indy. As the two previous points show, Indy isn’t necessarily a bad track, it just didn’t fit into the plans of the FIA and Michelin, which I think implies a disdain for the Speedway on their part. And that’s bad for the City.
I remember five years ago when F1 first came to Indy. Civic leaders undertook a massive Midwestern Charm Offensive to make sure that new visitors to the City, especially foreign tourists, enjoyed their stay. All PR antennae were tuned to the mood of the F1 fans, and almost all reports showed that they were pleased with Indianapolis and the race.* It was a major coup for a U.S. city in flyover country often overshadowed by Chicago. And in the five years hence, I like to think that Indy has still been on a J-curve, increasing in amenities and cultural capital (though with still much room to grow). I’m always delighted to see foreign visitors walking around downtown (including some slightly inebriated but very jolly Finns last night). That the antics of the FIA, Michelin, and possibly Ferrari could have ruined all that goodwill incenses me. I hope that the U.S. Grand Prix** is able to bounce back from this debacle.
* Word is that some F1 drivers and elites consider the hotels in Indianapolis to be below their standards, and so sleep in Chicago and zip down during the day. Hopefully, with the completion of the third Conrad Hotel next year, this will be less of a problem.
** Pronounced by the local media as “Grahhn Pree,” of course.
Pronounced by the local media as “Grahhn Pree,” of course.
Although the standard phonetic pronounciation would be an all-too-fitting moniker for the aforementioned racing powers-that-be.
I always hate to see crashes at Indy. I lost a cousin, Scott Brayton, in a crash at Indy 9 years ago. It’s incredible to me that it doesn’t happen more often. I know some people watch just for the crashes. I don’t watch at all, but I cringe when I see a crash on the news.
They’re doing formula 1 at Indy? Odd. Formula 1 should be done on city streets, such as in Monte Carlo. Racing around an oval doesn’t take much skill.
They don’t race in an oval, raj. There’s a curving course through the center.
raj, the course is not the normal Indy oval for the F1 setup.
Zach, I gotta ask–if our hotels aren’t good enough for them, can you explain again why we want them here? I’m not big on groveling for a bit of European money.
Thanks Josh and Nash. When I was a kid (I include that “college student”) growing up in the midwest in the 1960s and early 1970s, I sincerely wanted to go to a Memorial Day Indy 500 Race. I never got there. Even after moving to Bahston in 1979, I would watch the Indy 500 race on TV–something my partner could not understand. (I didn’t understand my fascination with it either quite frankly but that’s another issue.)
One question: Formula 1 is run on city streets in at least Monte Carlo. Is there a reason why they can’t set aside a few city streets in Indianapolis for a few hours for an F1 race?
Actually, a second question. (And I seriously do not wish to be viewed as intending to hog the discussion) Where was Michael Schumacher, the reigning European F1 champion during this debacle? Was he involved in this race at any point?
raj, his team uses Bridgestone tires, so he was in the race the whole time, and won it, for his first F1 win of the year.
Rumor has it that his team, Ferrari, was the only of the 3 Bridgestone teams to object to using a speed-slowing device on Turn 13 that would have allowed the Michelin-clothed teams to run the race. Ferrari has denied such.
Jeez, Raj, if only there were an article about the incident linked in the post itself.
I lost a cousin, Scott Brayton, in a crash at Indy 9 years ago.
Wow. Sorry to hear that. I think all racing fans were saddened by that (just like when Dale Earnhardt died), but needless to say it was much worse for you. You certainly have me beat, though, when it comes to having famous relatives.
The fact that more racers aren’t killed or even seriously injured in crashes is a testament to the engineers who design the cars. The cross-over of safety technology into passenger vehicles is one thing that justifies the danger in racing as more than a mere testosterone fest.
raj, the reason the race isn’t ran on city streets is because IMS already provides the needed facilities, in the configuration requested, the necessary infrastructure (parking and food service for instance), and seating for 120,000. All of this without having to create a track where one doesn’t already exist.
raj, read the article before commenting again, as Schumaker won the six car exercise.
Zach, I gotta ask–if our hotels aren’t good enough for them, can you explain again why we want them here? I’m not big on groveling for a bit of European money.
Are you big on losing the estimated $170 Million (Indy Star reported) the F1 race brings into the city?
Are you big on losing the estimated $170 Million (Indy Star reported) the F1 race brings into the city?
If that is what we must lose to avoid kissing their asses, then yes, I’m big on losing it. What’s the point in telling people to get lost if you aren’t willing to lose the money they might spend?
Let me know your minimum dollar figure for allowing them free reign to ridicule Indianapolis (and Indiana). Paraphrasing Churchill, we already know what that makes us, we just need to establish a price.
On second reading, my line to raj seems a lot more curt than I had intended.
Everyone should keep in mind Nash’s opinion re: municipal whoring whenever the possibility of Indy hosting a Superbowl is used as justification for the new retractable roof football stadium. Football journalists and superbowl partiers are notorious for clowning on host cities if they don’t have enough luxury, booze, and strippers to keep them all happy. See Jacksonville, 2005, for further reading.
If that is what we must lose to avoid kissing their asses, then yes, I’m big on losing it. What’s the point in telling people to get lost if you aren’t willing to lose the money they might spend?
It is good to know you are, but it would seem that IMS was more than willing to put up with some spoiled brats (which the F1 drivers are, as they are treated like royalty in other countries) for a return on their investment.
Foltz, I sincerely apologize. But I don’t usually read newspaper articles that are linked to on blogs, unless the blog provides me with some reason to link to them. I click onto a number of blogs a day, and there is only so much time that I can spare to read.
I still cannot figure this out. F1 should be run through city streets, like they do in Monte Carlo. F1 on a race track? Um, whatever.
BTW, we’ve been to Monte Carlo. Some time ago, but I doubt that they’ve changed the street layout since then.
So, raj, you’re willing to ask uninformed questions and make lots of uninformed comments instead of just reading the articles? Way to contribute to the discussion.
And by the way, for all your talk about Monaco, Wikipedia says that Monte Carlo is the only purely street-based circuit in F1 racing. Incidentally, the Brickyard is not an oval during the F1 race.
raj, Daytona used to be ran on the beach, the local environment dictates the track. F1 runs all over the world and in most places they are the only big race that country might receive, thus changing some streets over makes sense. In the case of IMS, they have the facilities already built, there is nothing special in a loop racing event that requires street based tracks.
Granted this assumes you prefer speed, and the specially designed surface at Indy allows for better speeds than a regular road.
Thanks, Paul. There are only so many hours in the day. I read many blogs on many topics, and I don’t have enough time in the day to click onto every link that is posted on every blog posting that I question. I asked a question, and someone answered it. He answered it succinctly. Fine by me.
Foltz, I’ve been to Monte Carlo, and I can’t imagine how the F1 drivers can navigate through those streets at the speeds at which they are going. I seriously can’t.
I’ve been to Daytona, and I’ve seen racing on the beach. That was a long time ago. They don’t do there that any more?
I don’t know if they race on Daytona Beach anymore, but I think they still allow people to drive on it. (At least they did back in 1996, when I was there on spring break during my Freshman year of college.) All the car traffic packs down the sand to nearly the consistency of concrete. Worst beach I’ve ever seen.
I’m not intending to nit, but I’m wondering. What is the intended orientation of the various vehicles? I assume that the vehicle in the middle is intended to be the pace car. And I can tell that the pink, yellow and gray teams are together. (This from the colors of the cars) This picture is very–um–funny
Unless someone wants to correct me for it, that was the staring order for those cars (minus the 14 that left the track), it just so happened that they were near one another. The safety car runs behind the field and the race begins when red lights above the start/finish go out.
Ah, OK. It’s been a while since I’ve seen an Indy 100, but, if memory serves, the pace car (which I believed the non-F1 car to be)leads the pack. Apparently that’s not the case here.
Still, it’s a hoot. But Indy should devote a couple of streets for the race for a couple of hours. Like they do in Monte Carlo.
looks to me that the f1 cars are stopped, waiting for the restart after the 14 Michelin cars dropped out, and the pace car is driving thru the field to get to the front.
Funny that F1 uses a Mercedes station wagon for a pace car and the US-based circuits use cars like Corvettes, Chevy SSRs, and Dodge Charger R/Ts. Further evidence that F1 is a totally different beast than IndyCar or Nextel Cup.
Sorry, should have been Indy 500