F1 Belgian Grand Prix preview

Well the football is back, but now I'm missing the Formula One. I don't recall the mid-season break feeling quite so long before. Some sport fans are never happy! The F1 will be back next weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, which is my favourite circuit as well as many of the drivers favourite so I shouldn't be so impatient. The new pristine circuits of Abu Dhabi, India, China and Singapore may have the perfectly smooth tarmac and immaculate pit facilities, but without doubt the circuits lack the character of Spa, Silverstone, Monaco, Monza and Interlagos; You can sense the illustrious history around these places which is something that the newer tracks will never have. Fangio, Moss, Ascari and Stewart haven't pitted their wits against these less dangerous (and possibly less challenging) circuits. It may have been a horrific part of the past in motor-sport, but the clinical nature of the more recently built circuits removes the constant reminder that people have died taking part in this sport. There must be something that keeps your senses dialled in that bit more if you know that one mistake could throw you in to the wall at 200mph. Relive a bit of the circuit and the history below as Michael Schumacher in his Benetton chases down Ayrton Senna in his McLaren. It is interesting to look at the differences between the two cars in 1993; most look relatively the same in 2012 because of the regulations, but these cars are quite different. 

RIP Ayrton. I know I'm not alone in saying that you may have been taken from us far too soon, but you will never be forgotten and you will always be missed. 

I think the close to this F1 season could be the most exciting ever as at the half way point any one of the top five drivers could still win the championship. Fernando Alonso will take some beating as Ferrari seem to have found their stride, but Vettel, Hamilton and Raikkonen will no doubt have a big part to play. The man who I hope plays the biggest part, and manages to overhaul the speedy Spaniard's forty point lead is Mark Webber. With twenty-five points for a win the gap is not impossible to bridge, but the odd issue with the prancing horse may be required. I think the Australian is due his share of luck. I know that Mark is highly regarded as a good bloke off the track, as well as a hard racer on it. Four or five years ago I was lucky to spend an afternoon watching the Belgian Grand Prix with former BBC motor-sport commentator Norman Greenway. (Also sadly missed by many. Norman lost his battle with cancer at the age of 87 in 2010) Norman was the radio equivalent of Murray Walker, and was also the circuit commentator at Snetterton. Norman had spent a lot of time around all the drivers of the day, as you might imagine, and he was absolutely clear that not only was Mark Webber one of the nicest drivers he'd ever met, he was one of the nicest people he had ever met who was always generous with his time. I think there are ten races in eleven weeks to the close of the season so it will be frenetic to say the least, so I hope things swing the way of the Australian.If anybody deserves it he does. Red Bull Racing, and particularly Adrian Newey are always trying to push the boundaries to the limit which has proved a winning strategy over the last couple of years. Winning it may have been, but the favour fell mainly on the other side of the garage with team mate Sebastian Vettel as he won back-to-back world championships. This season Webber has been out-performing Vettel in the main so long may this continue and hopefully Alonso may falter. As a double world champion himself, this is unlikely but you can always hope! Come on @AussieGrit!

In a round up of other matters, Lance Armstrong has given up fighting the USADA accusations the he has taken and distributed illegal substances and hormones this week. This is a massive sports story, but as a relative newcomer to cycling I felt unable to compile a creditable story. As a result Armstrong has been stripped of all professional wins in the sport; perhaps the saddest part is that he has been a massive inspiration to budding cyclists as well as cancer victims around the world who've used his achievements in sport and life to overcome their own obstacles. Now this inspiration has been cast under the biggest shadow that perhaps sport has ever seen. 

Good luck to Andy Murray who starts his campaign to win the US Open at Flushing Meadow this week. After winning Olympic Gold at Wimbledon beating Roger Federer, hopefully his confidence is high and he can use that to win in New York. It has always been a good tournament for him, so hopefully he can go one better than in previous years and take the title.

email: floydssporttalk@live.co.uk

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Formula One: Most exciting season for years?

Chinese Grand Prix grid

I don't claim to be any sort of authority on Formula One, but I am a massive enthusiast and I would have to say that I am enjoying this season more than any for quite a long time. All the hard work that the FIA have been doing over recent years to try and improve the sport looks like it is starting to come to fruition.  There have been quite a few changes made in recent years to try and make the sport a more enticing spectacle, such as the introduction of the Drag Reduction System (DRS), Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), the change from Bridgestone to Pirelli as well as the change in tyre compounds, and also the removal of refuelling from pit stops. No doubt purists are against these changes, and as a long standing F1 fan part of me agrees, but nobody can argue that the sport needed a shake up and these changes have certainly done that. The sport is now less predictable than it has ever been. At the start of this mornings race we had an all Mercedes front row which hasn't happened for about sixty years, and the back to back world champion started in eleventh on merit. And who would have thought a Sauber would finish in second in Malaysia on merit; but for a tiny misjudgement by Sergio Perez as he was catching Fernando Alonso in the closing laps, he might well have won the race. I am watching the closing laps of the Chinese Grand Prix as I write and the racing is amazing. There has been more overtakes this race than you would get in a whole season a few years ago! It must be exciting; who would have thought Carol Vorderman and Kelly Sotherton would be tweeting about F1 on a Sunday morning! 

I very much take the point that the sport had always been an example of the best engineering and aerodynamics, and a small part of me misses that part of F1 but the laps I am watching at the moment have been up there with the most enthralling I have ever watched. They have been as good as watching Senna and Prost, or Schumacher and Hill go wheel to wheel in years gone by. And these laps are right at the beginning of the season so there is no championship at stake yet! The race has just finished, and well done Nico Rosberg on your first win! With the two McLarens taking second and third that's an all Mercedes podium. Well done Silver Arrows! It was never going to be too long before a Ross Brawn car returned to the top step of the podium.


So, off to Bahrain then. Should F1 be going there? I have to agree wholeheartedly with Bernie Ecclestone in the fact that religion or politics should not come in to sport at all. As long as it is safe, Formula One should definitely go to Bahrain. If Bahrain is good enough for an international invitation pro-celebrity golf tournament, then why should F1 be any different. 

SPORT SHORTS

• Well done to my beloved Liverpool FC for getting to the FA Cup final yesterday. Even though there is massive rivalry between Liverpool and Everton, it is largely not bitter and the banter is good natured.  This tribute laid at Anfield proves this more than anything. Justice for the 96. Gone but not forgotten.

Thanks to Everton for this tribute. #JFT96

• Good luck to Spurs and Chelsea today in the second semi-final. Not sure who I'd rather we played.
• Very sad to hear this morning of of the untimely death of Piermario Morosini during the game between Livorno and Pescara in Serie B in Italy. My thoughts are with his friends and family. 
• Not long until the Snooker World Championships now, which is one of the highlights of my sporting year. The Crucible is a special place. Pleased to hear that Ken Doherty has managed to qualify so hopefully he can do it for the old boys! Unlucky to Steve Davis and Jimmy White who didn't manage to qualify.

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