Stu Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Terrible news about Sean Edwards yesterday - wasn't even driving the car. Also two years today since Dan Wheldon was killed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Went to the Spanish Rally last week as it happened to be on when I was there on holiday (had booked it before I realised!). Saw the cars all lined up in Barcelona before the start, got a great spot to see them in Salou on the Saturday night then went to the service park and the podium ceremony on the Sunday. Wish all motorsport was that accessible. Here's a pic of Robert Kubica's car at service and a video of things going rather wrong for a Ford driver in Salou - his wheel was already screwed before he got to the corner! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEuFtfQ-qe4 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted November 9, 2013 Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) Allan McNish won the World Endurance Championship in China today with a round still to go David Leslie, who was involved in the careers of McNish, Franchitti and Coulthard, would have been 60 today so a well timed win. I pointed this out on Dario on Twitter and got included in replies from him, Mrs McNish and the Radio Le Mans commentator (although it was them I nicked that fact from), which was nice! Edited November 9, 2013 by Stu 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackie The Staggie Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 News just come out regarding Dario Franchitti who has retired from motor racing due to injury. Statement here Pretty gutted to be honest, Dario is one of my favorites on the Indy circuit and was looking forward to himself and TK teaming up next season in the Ganassi team, but it's not to be it seems. At the end of the day though, health comes first and all the best to him. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted November 14, 2013 Share Posted November 14, 2013 (edited) Gutted. Reckoned he'd retire before the accident and I suppose it was when, not if, after the smash. Made easier by two disappointing years - 2012 Indy 500 aside - but a huge loss. Probably for the best - got out alive when his pals Greg and Dan couldn't. EDIT: Wrote a blog on the subject. Ancient blog I forgot I had so no doubt some unintentionally hilarious shite on it too: http://smtid.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/farewell-to-legend.html Edited November 14, 2013 by Stu 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy boo Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Probably the right decision but will be sad not to see him race again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackie The Staggie Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Di Resta to Ganassi?????? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave Posted November 15, 2013 Share Posted November 15, 2013 Sad to see Dario having to call it a day, but its for the best with his injury. I believe the longer you go on the more chance you will be hurt or worse, even Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti two drivers who's careers spanned 4 and 5 decades both had to call it a day after serious accidents. Eventually your luck runs out regardless of how good you are or how safe the sport had become at the time. Having seen Dario's crash again on BBC Scotland just a few moments ago, It still looks a shocking crash that could have been a lot worse. I just wonder how the new safety features at the back of the cars had contributed to Dario surviving that. I'm thinking of Jeff Krosnoff's fatal crash at Toronto's street circuit in 1996 and how bad that was compared, but then Dario's car went off to the wall and track fencing closest and had less room to get as airborne as Krosnoff's car did. Dario was lucky, like Kenny Brack or Cristiano da Matta that all the factors involved in their accidents and or the medical treatment allowed them to survive. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Brightside Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Anyone watch the WTCC? Absolute carnage! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t1t3h Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Anyone watch the WTCC? Absolute carnage! I recorded it last night on Eurosport. When I went to watch it this morning, only 1 minute had recorded... I knew I should've watched it live. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy boo Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Jimmie Johnson wins Nascar title for sixth time....it's getting as boring as watching Vettel zz zz. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Ex F1 driver spot - Seen ex Indycar, F1 and Sportscar driver Fabrizio Barbazza on Robson Green's Extreme Fishing, apparently now spends his time competition fly fishing. Good to see he hasn't changed much nearly 20 years on from being in F1, still has mad hair. Got out of motor racing after this crash in 1995 that nearly claimed his life. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) Some surprising news coming later today. EDIT: Here we go: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/111886 Sad news. We've got no one left Edited December 17, 2013 by Stu 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CityDave Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) Allan McNish announces he is retiring from racing By Gary Watkins Tuesday, December 17th 2013, 12:00 GMT Newly-crowned World Endurance champion Allan McNish is retiring from front-line racing with immediate effect. The long-time Audi driver, who claimed the WEC title at Shanghai with Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval in November, explained that the timing was right for a decision that means he will not be part of the German manufacturer's 2014 WEC campaign."You have to get out at some point and everything lined up to make this an extremely good time to do it," McNish told AUTOSPORT. "Everything has fallen into place."I have won pretty much everything I wanted to and I ticked the last box with the world championship."It is good to do it now with the change over to the new car and new rules, which would have required a big commitment."McNish also pointed out that he will be 44 at the end of the year and that he has developing interests away from driving race cars."There are other opportunities that have come up," he continued."I definitely want to do some other things in life, like management and TV stuff, and there are other little personal reasons as well."McNish works with Formula 3 driver Harry Tincknell, who is likely to move into sportscars next year, and also commentates for Radio 5 Live on selected Formula 1 races.He has called time on an illustrious career that includes three victories in the Le Mans 24 Hours, three American Le Mans Series titles and multiple wins in both the US sportscar classics at Sebring and Road Atlanta, as well as a short spell in F1 with Toyota in 2002 and as a Friday test driver with Renault in 2003. McNish explained that he had made the decision to stop at the end of the season after the Spa WEC round in May and that he did not want to step back from a full-time campaign to a programme centred on Le Mans."Audi has to prepare for the next few years and I didn't want to be ducking in and out of it," he said."As a racing driver you never say never, but I am hanging up my helmet as far as anything serious goes."Perhaps I could do the Daytona 24 Hours in the future, like Martin [brundle] did a few years ago [in 2011], but I will not be committing to a full championship again."McNish will retain his relationship with both Audi Sport and Audi AG.ALLAN MCNISH ROLL OF HONOUR1988 Formula Vauxhall Lotus champion1990 Silverstone International Trophy winner (F3000)1998 Le Mans 24 Hours winner2000 Petit Le Mans winner, American Le Mans Series champion2004 Sebring 12 Hours winner2006 Sebring 12 Hours winner, Petit Le Mans winner, American Le Mans Series champion2007 Petit Le Mans winner, American Le Mans series champion2008 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, Petit Le Mans winner2009 Sebring 12 Hours winner2012 Sebring 12 Hours winner2013 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, World Endurance Champion from Autosport.com Edited December 17, 2013 by CityDave 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Going to interview him later tonight for a feature for the paper in the next few weeks. Question suggestions welcome. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sermani Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Suprised to see he has retired from full time racing. He,s had a good career the boy. Could you ask him if he would consider doing a one of drive or two in Britain. Maybe a British touring car round at Knockhill or something similar. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Suprised to see he has retired from full time racing. He,s had a good career the boy. Could you ask him if he would consider doing a one of drive or two in Britain. Maybe a British touring car round at Knockhill or something similar. Yeah, I'm interested to know to what extent he has retired. Will he do the odd thing in Britain like BTCC or GT or has he completely done with it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackie The Staggie Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) Make sure you greet him with the radio Le Mans customary "Hello Allan McNish". Does he believe that due to the changing face of the motor industry, will the world of endurance racing offer more for companies looking to new technologies than other premier racing series such as F1, and could he see they day where the WEC is bigger than F1? Kind of gutted that he's retired but everything seemed to fit perfectly for him, not doubt expect him at next years Le Mans with the Radio Le Mans crew. Edited December 17, 2013 by Mackie The Staggie 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Suprised to see he has retired from full time racing. He,s had a good career the boy. Could you ask him if he would consider doing a one of drive or two in Britain. Maybe a British touring car round at Knockhill or something similar. He says he's stopped completely - for now. May do some stuff "for fun" in the future but didn't really know what that would be. I mentioned touring cars generally when I asked that. A one-off round at Knockhill would probably fit in quite nicely - and Rob Austin's team use Audis. Make sure you greet him with the radio Le Mans customary "Hello Allan McNish". Does he believe that due to the changing face of the motor industry, will the world of endurance racing offer more for companies looking to new technologies than other premier racing series such as F1, and could he see they day where the WEC is bigger than F1? Kind of gutted that he's retired but everything seemed to fit perfectly for him, not doubt expect him at next years Le Mans with the Radio Le Mans crew. Sadly I couldn't do the former as I'd had trouble getting him and when I eventually did he said his name straight away so I couldn't really say "Hello Allan McNish" that time. I meant to do it last time - no doubt the time I will do it I'll have the wrong number or someone else willa nswer and I'll look a right tit Didn't have a chance to ask your question either I'm afraid. I'm pretty useless - think it was one of yours I dodged some time ago. Seems he'd started having thoughts about it after Le Mans as that put them in a good position, then winning at Austin was a great one. Said it was fairly easy keeping it quiet as folk kept asking him about next yea,r when he'll still be involved with Audi, without ever asking him directly if he'd be driving. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mackie The Staggie Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I didn't ask any questions the last time around Stu, so no problem on that. With regards to the greeting it's a shame as it something I think he gets a kick out of, I bumped into him at Gatwick earlier this year while going through security, I said "Hello Allan McNish" and without missing a beat he replied "Hello Collective" with that cheeky knowing smile of his. He had his family with him so I didn't bother him too much, just wished him the best of luck for Spa and we went our own ways after that.....he wasn't searched, I the beard wearing, potential terrorist that I looked like at the time triggered the detector because I forgot to take my wallet out and was dully patted down. Not surprised he was looking at retiring after Le Mans, he's had a very successful career and I look forward to seeing him on TV and on the Radio. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.