Another Weekly Roundup, as News Picks Up in F1's Off-Season

Early into the new year and the Formula One news is picking up again little by little, especially from Italy where the Ferrari team held its annual Christmas company event, called Wrooom, in Madonna di Campiglio, this week.

Several of the team’s top members, including the drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, and Stefano Domenicali, the team director, made statements.

One theme heard coming from Ferrari is how the new lower-cost Formula One is costing Ferrari one of its past advantages. Where Ferrari used to be able to spend more than other teams, now with spending restrictions set by the teams, Ferrari, used to spending, is at a disadvantage.

On Thursday, Alonso nevertheless made an interesting point about another set of restrictions, by comparing Formula One drivers to other athletes.

“Formula One is one of the very few sports in which training is forbidden,” he said. “You don’t ask a footballer or a tennis player to do nothing in between one match and another or for two months prior to a big tournament. Having a go in a kart helps because it is more like driving a single-seater, but it’s like telling Leo Messi to train with a little tennis ball or Rafa Nadal to play with a Ping-Pong bat.”

He’s got a point.

Some darker news Thursday was not directly about Ferrari, but about Robert Kubica, who is said to be in consideration for a driver at Ferrari once he recuperates. Kubica’s troubles began nearly a year ago when, then a Lotus Renault driver, he crashed during a rally race and was so seriously injured – his leg, hand, arm and shoulder – that he missed the full season racing last year.

Now, just as Kubica seemed to be making progress to ready himself for a possible return to the cockpit this season, news came Wednesday that he had slipped and fallen on ice at his home in Pietrasanta, Italy, and reopened a leg fracture sustained during the crash. It could delay a return to the cockpit by at least three weeks.

Alonso, at the Ferrari event, said he was hopeful about a Kubica return, however, calling him the best driver in Formula One.

“For me the best driver is Robert Kubica — and I want to wish him the best,” he said. “I spoke to him yesterday, and I am sure when he is going to return he is going to be the best driver of the group.”

Another driver whose future appears at least momentarily compromised is Adrian Sutil, the German driver who was dropped from the Force India team a couple of months ago. Sutil was involved in an altercation in Shanghai in April with the Lotus Renault co-owner, Eric Lux. The case is going to court in Germany at the end of January. Lux received 24 stitches on his neck. The episode could cost Sutil heavily, and already appears to have done so. Sutil is still out of a drive for this season, despite having scored more points last year for his team than his teammate, Paul di Resta, who remains with the team.

On Wednesday, there was some news that the Williams team had signed a sponsorship deal with Michael Johnson Performance, the company of the Olympic track star Michael Johnson. The company, founded in 2007, is designed to train athletes at all levels and disciplines work on building speed, agility, strength and stamina to improve overall performance. Williams will call on the company to train its team members, including to improve and ensure top performance from the pit crew.

Interestingly, Formula One teams have often been called on in the past to help people in other disciplines perform as well as their pit crews.

Johnson broke world records in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 4×400-meter relay. He was called the fastest man in the world after winning the 200- and 400-meter gold medals at the Olympics in 1996.

“I have been a huge Formula One fan since I first attended the Grand Prix at Spa in 1990 where I had the great privilege of meeting Sir Frank Williams,” Johnson said. “I am confident that the experience and biomechanics expertise of the M.J.P. staff that has benefited numerous American football athletes, Premier League football teams, and Olympic federations, can also benefit the Williams F1 team pit crew in their goal to cut hundredths and even tenths of a second from their pit-stop times.”

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School's in: Motocross racers get tips from champion Ricky Carmichael

DAYTONA BEACH—

They are the youngest motorcycle riders at Bike Week 2011, little 5-year-old and 6-year-old boys revving up their Kawasakis and Suzukis.

And they arrived with Mom, Dad and siblings, not to cruise Main Street, but to learn motorcycle racing from the man considered to be the Michael Jordan of motocross.

On Monday, champion racer Ricky Carmichael eagerly rode along with them at Daytona International Speedway, demonstrating the techniques that earned him 15 championships in motocross and supercross.

"I see these younger kids, 5 to 11, and it's so neat to see their talent," said Carmichael, the former motorcycle champion who crossed over to NASCAR a few years ago. "It's amazing how fast they can go and be so little."

Bike Week, considered the world's largest motorcycle rally, is dominated by Harley-Davidsons and baby boomers enjoying a vacation dressed in black leather, cruising and bar-hopping.

But the rally originally started as a motorcycle race, first run on the beach in 1937.

At Daytona International Speedway, the big bikes rumble outside and the Harley riders crowd the massive display tents, food stands and demo rides. Inside, the young riders test their skills on a dirt track of ramps and gullies, curves and speedy straightaways.

About 100 bikes zipped and zoomed, their higher-pitched engines buzzing like diesel-fueled bees, flinging dirt in their wake.

The students come from as far as Mexico and Alaska to participate in Ricky Carmichael University, the only such event of its kind in motocross. It's a daylong training course that features Carmichael and fellow champions Jeff Stanton, Kevin Foley and Jeff Emig.

That star power is the major draw, said Rod Yentzer of Carlisle, Pa., the father of 8-year-old racer Chase Yentzer. "It's like having football camp with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady," said Yentzer, also a former racer, as was his brother, Jeff. "For an 8-year-old to learn from Ricky Carmichael, that's just huge."

For a little boy, it's just a lot of fun, zipping around on a 50cc motorcycle and going airborne on the ramps.

"I like the whoops, and winning and being in front," said Chase Yentzer. "But you have to be strong and brave to do this."

There's no goofing around. At one of the drills, the kids had to negotiate a hairpin turn without wiping out.

Gage Pepin, 5, of Melbourne maneuvered it well. On a motorbike since he was 21/2, Gage did well during his first season on the Florida Motocross tour. But his dad, Travis Pepin, stayed nearby because the boy still has trouble pumping up the accelerator during the constant stops and starts. "He can ride it, but he can't start it," his dad said.

At another drill, the kids worked on their starts, aiming to gain every second possible from the starting gate. Julie Dellarco of Lake Mary kept a watchful eye as her 6-year-old, Colin, worked on the drills.

The Dellarcos were lucky to win free tuition for Colin, having won a Facebook contest for the $444 course (Carmichael's racing number is 4). Trying to support Colin's racing dreams is a huge commitment.

Races take place for several months of the year, with families planning their life around weekend trips in the camper, going from one venue to another. Funding the $30,000-to-$40,000-a year sport and keeping up with schoolwork is a tough juggling act for most families.

For the Dellarcos, the racing season is a summer with lots of family trips, all the siblings camping together, for Colin's love of speed.

"He's a diehard. This is just his passion," Julie Dellarco said.

llelis@tribune.com or 386-253-0964

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Weather is crazy wild card of Daytona race weekend

Joie Chitwood is a weather guy this time of year.

Constantly checking for updates on-line. Will it rain? Will there be lightning? Will bad weather steal the thunder from his nighttime spectacle Saturday night?

"Those are the elements that you have to deal with," Chitwood, president of Daytona International Speedway, said Tuesday. "You can come up with every plan you want to but the weather is the wild card. It's very frustrating. As I start looking at weather updates 10 days out, all it does is create more concern, but hopefully we'll get lucky."

Not so much last year, when rain washed out qualifying for the Coke Zero 400 and the race was delayed 85 minutes because of more bad weather. After another rain delay, the race finally ended at 12:48 a.m.

"This is pretty cool," Kevin Harvick said after winning the race.

That's probably not what Chitwood was thinking. As the new point man for the operation in Daytona, he came in to try and help salvage the public relations quagmire that was the 2010 Daytona 500, featuring the infamous pothole that delayed the race for more than two hours.

Punch lines immediately ensued: "The pothole looked like it belonged in Brooklyn," comedian/actor Tracy Morgan said.

Then came the rains in July for the Coke Zero event. Finally, this February, under splendid skies, rookie Trevor Bayne won a memorable Daytona 500 race.

Now it's back to fingers crossed.

The weather gods do not appear to be cooperating. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Thursday, Friday and Saturday _ potentially impacting practice, qualifying runs and the race itself, set to start shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

"You have to work in the moment with NASCAR," Chitwood said. "…it can be very frustrating. When you see a forecast that says '30 percent chance of rain,' you really don't know what that means."

"I would love to get a forecast that says zero percent chance of rain, absolutely, but that's not going to happen in Florida. That's life as an outdoor promoter in Florida."

At this point, some traditionalists are wagging their finger and screaming 'it serves you right,' for moving the old-school "Firecracker 400" from its 10 a.m. starting slot on July 4. That's a much better time in terms of weather, and it allowed fans to bounce back home at an earlier time.

Of course, 8-tracks and black and white TVs were also popular at one point. Everybody has to roll with the changes.

"The reason we put the lights [on the speedway] was to make the experience better for fans," Chitwood said. "Actually, with a 10 a.m. start on a holiday, it's still hot by noon. At 7, the temperatures are a lot more comfortable. We want to make sure that fans enjoy the event."

It seems that NASCAR can have an unapologetic feud without the contentious crossfire (see Richard Childress/Kyle Busch).

Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers did a little bumping and grinding at Sonoma last weekend, and while it probably wasn't a very good idea from a practical standpoint — Stewart is precariously on the bubble trying to qualify for the Chase; Vickers needs a ride for next season — you have to admire their unabashed style of retribution, NASCAR style.

Stewart dumped Vickers for blocking him earlier in the race, and then Vickers rallied for some payback by bumping into Stewart. The later incident knocked both drivers out of Top 10 contention: Stewart finished 39th; Vickers 36th.

"I don't blame him for dumping us back, but, I don't race guys that way, I never have," Stewart said. "If guys want to block then they are going to wrecked every time. Until NASCAR makes a rule against it, I am going to dump them every time for it. He did what he had to do, I don't blame him, there is nothing wrong with it.

Vickers: "He wrecked me and I wrecked him. He made his move and I addressed it. That's the end of the discussion. The way I see it, we're all square."

Stewart: "I've been complaining about the way guys have been racing all year. I like Brian, I'm not holding it against him at all. I don't care if it was Ryan Newman I would have dumped him too. If they want to block that's what is going to happen to them every time for the rest of my career."

Tallahassee bound: Top NASCAR and Daytona Speedway folks are making a pit stop in Tallahassee on Wednesday for a reception at the Governor's mansion. Florida Governor Rick Scott is hosting the event, celebrating NASCAR's historical significance in Florida and its economic benefit to the state.

The list of attendees includes NASCAR Chairman & CEO Brian France, International Speedway Corporation CEO Lesa France Kennedy, NASCAR President Mike Helton. Drivers in the mix include Juan Pablo Montoya, Brian Vickers, Joe Nemechek, Ricky Carmichael and Joey Logano.

Trevor Bayne, the 2011 Daytona 500 winner, and NASCAR veterans Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace will attend. A collection of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series show cars and a Daytona International Speedway pace car will be on display outside the mansion.

Burton dragging along: Of all the 2010 Chase guys who are in danger of not making the cut this year, Jeff Burton is the one with the most baggage to carry around from week to week. After finishing 21st in California, Burton has gone 16th consecutive races without a top-10 finish.

gdiaz@tribune.com Read George Diaz's blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/enfuego

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Merry Christmas Roundup (Featuring Jenson's Horrible Ad)

There is not much new in the world of Formula One racing, as the teams finally take a real break and prepare for the new year and the testing of new cars, which begins in February. This is when the media receives a slew of Christmas greetings from the teams and other F1 related people, like circuits and promoters. Now, then, is also the time for me to wish this blog’s readers a merry Christmas, and a thanks for another year of faithful readership.

Still, here is a small news roundup from the past week:

Some news came from the Ferrari camp after a luncheon held by Luca di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari, in Maranello, Italy: The team plans to present a radical new car in February. Ferrari won only one race this year, with Fernando Alonso winning the British Grand Prix on the 60th anniversary of the team’s first ever F1 victory. “This year we showed we know how to lose, but now that’s enough. It’s time to start winning again,” said di Montezemolo.

A couple of races before the end of the season, the Mercedes team released some interesting statistics about the drivers who made the most overtaking moves in the season. Michael Schumacher was at the top of the list, despite appearing to have had another bad year since his comeback last year. Yesterday Autosport published the updated figures to the end of the season that it obtained from Mercedes, and Schumacher was still at the top. But most of his overtaking was done in the early laps of the races, as his car was better than the qualifying position he had achieved.

Here is the list of the top overtakers:

Pos	Driver	Passes
1.	Michael Schumacher	116
2.	Sebastien Buemi	114
3.	Kamui Kobayashi	99
4.	Jaime Alguersuari	94
5.	Pastor Maldonado	91
6.	Paul di Resta	90
7.	Sergio Perez	87
8.	Rubens Barrichello	86
9.	Jenson Button	85
10.	Felipe Massa	82

An interesting report came out three days ago on the Indo-Asian News Service, saying Formula One had overshadowed cricket in India briefly in October with the inaugural Indian Grand Prix.

“The Grand Prix in October generated huge interest in the cricket-crazy country. On the race day (Oct. 30), the BIC was teeming with close to 100,000 people, creating a festive atmosphere. The screams of fans matched the vrooming and zooming of the drivers, including India’s very own Narain Karthikeyan,” the report said. “Interestingly, earlier that week there were few takers for India’s ODI cricket series against England.”

Who would have thought it possible?

And who would have thought that Jenson Button would finish only second in the series this year but finish first in Campaign’s – an advertising industry publication – year’s worst celebrity advertisement of the year for his Head & Shoulders ad:

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Patrick Head Leaves Williams Team

December 31, 2011, 12:12 pm

By BRAD SPURGEON

The Williams team announced Saturday that Patrick Head, the director of engineering and a founder of the team with Frank Williams in 1977, was leaving its board.

For most of the time, Mr. Williams had served as the business and sporting brains behind the team while Mr. Head was the technical mastermind. During Mr. Head’s tenure, the team won 113 races, nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles. But the team has not won a race since 2004, and Mr. Head had already taken a step back from the technical director’s role as he groomed Sam Michael for the past several years to take over his role.

This season was the team’s worst — it finished eighth in the series — and Mr. Michael left the team early in the season.

Mr. Head, 65, will no longer work at the team, but he will remain involved in Mr. Williams’s Hybrid Power company as a director.

“Patrick and I have been in partnership for 34 years,” Mr. Williams said. “During that time, he has been the leader of the technical team that has won the majority of our race wins and championships. This is a remarkable legacy, and one which will be treasured and definitely not forgotten.”

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