Гран-при Монако: Гонка

Только что закончился гран-при Монако. Отгремел гимн в честь победителя, пролился душ из шампанского, поулыбался прынц Альберт... Теперь все это уже история, и уже завтра улицы Монако приобретут свой обычный вид. Останется только трибуна над Бассейном, да видео и фото незабываемого уикэнда.



Монако всегда гораздо на сюрпризы, особенно для лидеров и для тех, кто хочет переупрямить фортуну. В 1992м - ослабшее колесо Мэнселла и победа для Сенны, в 2004м - туннель для Алонсо и Шумахера и победа для Трулли, в этот раз - так и не заявившийся дождик. Впрочем, дождик, наверное, самая неважная составляющая. Все нормально стартовали (в основном), провели пит-стопы без происшествий - почти у всех это был один пит-стоп, но сейчас, поскольку не надо дозаправляться, это вообще всего лишь шинная условность. Шестой победитель шестой же гонки со старта, Марк Уэббер, австралийский гимн на подиуме - Advance Australia Fair - один из самых красивых гимнов современного мира, второе место для Росберга и третье для вышедшего в лидеры чемпионата Алонсо, хороший финиш для Фелипе и щелчок по носу для Феттеля... Но все же, все же, все же...



Нет, ждать 6 победы в Монако для Михаэля не приходилось. Да, вчера Шумахер был быстрее всех, но его все равно сместили на 6ю позицию. Шуми удостоился великолепно-восторженной речи от Алексея Попова, что для меня было ново и приятно, но старт у немца все же не задался: попытка обойти пару штук машин по внешнему радиусу в Сен-Девот ознаменовалась столкновением с Грожаном, которого развернуло, и потерей 2х позиций. После разворота француза разумеется выехал пейскар, правда не надолго, всего на три круга.



А дальше Михаэль застрял позади Кими, который до самого пит-стопа не пускал Шумахера вперед, и Красный Барон на полминуты отстал от лидеров. Без шансов даже на подиум. Впрочем, это же Шумахер. Он ехал в гордом одиночестве, наматывал круги в темпе лидеров, а иногда даже и быстрее, сокращал расстояния, и вдруг за шестнадцать кругов до финиша у Михаэля начались проблемы. Он стал отставать на секунду, на две от темпа лидеров... Пожаловался по радио команде, команда сказала ок и велела держать темп. Но на следующем круге Шуми свернул в боксы и сошел, а еще через пару минут появилось сообщение, что на Мерседесе с номером 7 сломался бензонасос...



Нет, ребята, я все, конечно, понимаю. Ломаться может все, что угодно и когда угодно, и у кого угодно, но шестое зеро для Шумахера из шести гонок - это уже перебор. И ладно бы еще по его вине! Ну что ж. Михаэль пережил убийственный для себя 1994ый, справится и с этим. По крайней мере хочется надеяться. Но воспитательную беседу с Мерседесом я бы провела. Так, на всякий случай.



На последних кругах повеселил Баттон, угодивший в глупую аварию, и притащившийся в комментаторскую Виталий Петров. Попов, слава Богу, не кокетничал с ним, как с Наташкой, да и информация от Петрова хоть какая-то была, но я не думаю, что такая самодеятельность одобрямс у Катерхэма. Лично я бы лучше пресс-конференцию посмотрела. Впрочем, айм сорри, это личное.
А еще в Монако после гонки пошел проливной дождь, и это немного напомнило прошлогодний гран-при Канады. Канада у нас уже через две недели, и кто знает, может быть на одной из любимейших трасс Михаэля Шумахера Красному Барону наконец-то повезет...

@темы: felipe massa, формула 1, kimi raikkonen, michael schumacher, mercedes, jenson button, алексей попов, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако, ferrari, mclaren

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Monaco preview quotes

The Monaco race may be one of the most glamorous and historic events on the Formula One calendar but that’s not why the drivers love it so. The real draw for them is in the challenge of the Monte Carlo circuit’s twists and turns, which rewards the brave and punishes the tiniest of mistakes. They and their teams explain why they can’t wait to get started on Thursday…

Jenson Button, McLaren
2011 Qualifying - 2nd, 2011 Race - 3rd
“My win at Monaco in 2009 remains one of my favourite victories in Formula One. Monte-Carlo is a place where every driver wants to win, but achieving it is so satisfying because you know you’ve conquered one of the toughest circuits in motorsport. Winning the Monaco Grand Prix will always be really special.
“I remember last year having a fantastic car beneath me and feeling really confident that I could challenge for the win. As it happened, circumstances beyond our control worked to pull that opportunity away from us, but I go back to Monte-Carlo with a little bit of unfinished business. I’d love to win for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, the team has a great history around Monaco and I’d love to add my name to McLaren’s Monaco winners’ list.
“This year, we’ll be running Pirelli’s Supersoft compound for the first time - which should be interesting. And while our car isn’t especially suited to the tighter confines of a track like Monaco, I’m optimistic of getting on top of the balance issues that have affected me for the past two races. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend.”

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
2011 Qualifying - n/a, 2011 Race - n/a
“Monaco is a little bit different and it’s hard to say how it will go there. It’s useless to put races in different categories, because all of them are as important to me. However, as a special race there is nothing like Monaco. There is no better feeling than to get things going well in there. To race in the streets of Monte Carlo is really different from everywhere else; a challenge I look forward to every year. It is very, very difficult, almost impossible, to have a clean weekend there.
“I’ve only managed to get it right once before, you really do get the greatest feeling by winning it. My win in 2005 ranks up there with my most memorable. So to win it again would be just as special. It’s such a twisty and narrow track. You have to be extra sharp and focussed in every single metre you go fast there. It gives such a good feeling a fast lap in Monaco. Overtaking has been almost impossible there in the past so to really enjoy racing there you have to be at the front.
“Monaco is always special. It’s an interesting place to go to, with a lot of fans and a lot of parties going on - or so I’m told. It’s a completely different atmosphere from anywhere else.
“We have to focus on qualifying. It’s a difficult place to race as it’s so narrow and passing is nearly impossible. I was stuck behind Rubens [Barrichello] in 2009 and we had KERS then, but you just couldn’t get past. We’ll have to see how the tyres perform and if there are any good strategies to be made, but the most important thing is qualifying well. It’s difficult to know how good the car will be in Monaco as you can’t simulate its characteristics, certainly not at any of the circuits we’ve visited so far this year. We can say the E20 has been fast everywhere else so let’s hope it’s also fast at Monaco.”

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 5th, 2011 Race - DNF
"Monaco is just a circuit of its own very unique character. In a way, you could look at it with a big portion of irony with regards to the contradiction that, for so many years we have successfully campaigned for more track safety, and then we deliberately race in Monaco. But in my view this is justifiable once a year, especially as the circuit is really so much fun to drive. Every time you go there, you just look forward to finally getting out and driving the track. Of course, knowing that I will lose five positions on the grid does not add to this feeling but this just means that I will have to try even harder. I'm actually quite confident that we should look reasonably good in Monaco due to the hard work that everybody in the team is putting into the development of our car. So let's make the best out of the weekend."

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2011 Qualifying - 7th, 2011 Race - 11th
"I love the Monaco Grand Prix weekend and it's a great feeling to be driving at home, knowing that all my friends and family are watching. I have always been quick around the streets here, and I believe a good result is possible for us next weekend. The nature of the track should suit our car but as we have seen at every race so far this season, tyre management will be crucial. With five different winning teams so far this year, at least ten drivers have the chance to win in Monaco so this could be one of the most interesting races there for years."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"The uniqueness of Monaco makes it one of those tracks where anything can happen, particularly in a season that has proved to be almost impossible to predict so far. Despite the logistical challenges of the weekend, Monaco is a race that everyone on the team and the drivers really enjoy, and the experience of winning in Monaco is something very special indeed. After Nico's win in China, we have had two more difficult race weekends, but I am confident that we will start to see an improvement in Monaco as the developments that we have brought to the car recently take effect."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"With five different winners from five different teams in five races, it has been an exciting and unexpected first quarter of the 2012 season. Now Formula One visits the most atypical circuit of all, Monaco. It makes unusual, one-off demands of the cars: there are fast and narrow sections, but also eight corners taken at under 100 km/h and over 4,500 gear changes during the race. It is also incredibly challenging and rewarding for the drivers. In Monaco, more than any other circuit, the driver can really make the difference, especially on a single qualifying lap. Both Nico and Michael have shown a great feeling for the circuit and the ability to master it in recent seasons. After all the talk of unpredictability of the teams' performance levels this year, there are also clear facts: three of five races have been won from pole position, including Nico's victory in China. What's more, the five drivers who have completed every race lap are all in the top seven in the current championship standings. Strong qualifying speed has been rewarded at every race, and consistently finishing races appears to be even more important in 2012. In the last three races, Nico has scored a total of 41 points, the second highest total in the field after Sebastian Vettel with 43. Our focus in Monaco will be to extract the maximum from our further developed technical package. Giving the drivers a car they can trust and feel confident in is worth more here than at any other circuit on the calendar."

@темы: формула 1, kimi raikkonen, michael schumacher, mercedes, jenson button, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако, mclaren

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FIA post-qualifying press conference

Drivers: 1 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), 2 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing), 3 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

Q: Michael, many congratulations, a great lap. I guess the only shame is that you have to move five places back on the grid, so a bittersweet feeling is it?
Michael Schumacher: First of all, I am more than thrilled and excited about making a pole here in Monaco. Monaco to all of us is the track of the year, which has a very prestigious position, and to manage pole position here after what I have gone through in the past two-and-a-half years is just fabulous. That’s what sticks in my mind. I told you guys already in the press conference, my situation is going to be pole, start the race in sixth and I’m going to win it. That’s what I’m here for and what I’m going to aim for. That’s all I gave in min mind and the past doesn’t matter at all.

Q: Mark, you were on pole here in 2010 and you’re going to inherit it tomorrow from Michael, what do you think about that?
Mark Webber: Pretty amazing session wasn’t it. It was very, very close. Q3 was tight between the first few rows. Obviously there were some different tyre strategies going on with different people getting through different parts of qualifying with different sets of tyres and in the end it was a good little battle. Michael did a good lap, fair play to him, but it’s nice to move up a position. Of all places, it’s good to start definitely towards the front here. The guys have done a good job, they worked hard on the rest day, they pushed very, very hard. We weren’t too strong on Thursday and obviously didn’t get much running, though everyone’s the same. But the car on Sunday is generally pretty good, so looking forward to tomorrow.

Q: Nico, you’re only a tenth off pole position. You had provisional pole for quite a long time. I guess you thought you’d done enough. Nevertheless, a chance to win the race tomorrow from where you start.
Nico Rosberg: Yeah, I wasn’t too aware of the situation. I knew I had done a pretty good lap time but at the same time I knew that I would have to improve on that time to be able to get pole. But in general it was a good qualifying for me too. Everything went to plan. I didn’t optimise my car perfectly in the end, bit too much understeer, but as such, front row is a great place to start tomorrow.

Q: Back to you Michael. Obviously it’s been a tough couple of years since you decided to make your Formula One comeback. What does this pole say about you and how do you feel?
MS: Well, I’ll leave it up to the others to say what it means or doesn’t mean. For me, I’m obviously excited, very happy. It confirms what I have felt for a long time. It’s just sometimes you have put everything at the right moment together. Here it worked out. I have to say a great thanks to all the team, in particular to some of the guys who work very close to me. We had a special session earlier this week that, yeah, it sort of uniforms and unites us even further and those are the result that come together with it. I’m grateful for all the trust that Mercedes, the team had in me and [they] supported me. I’m able to give back a little and I hope I give even further and more back tomorrow.

Q: Michael, your feelings about this pole position? Admittedly, it will be sixth on the grid.
MS: Obviously I saw my time on the dashboard and thought, ‘well, it shouldn’t be too bad’. But then you don’t know - as I was one of the earlier ones on track for the lap - what is going to come behind. So I was watching all of these monitors around the track and at one point I saw with a little sign, number one. And that was the moment I started slowly to believe and got confirmation on the radio. Yeah, just beautiful.

Q: Is this a good Mercedes track? Obviously you’re first and third in qualifying.
MS: I mentioned before the weekend that here and probably Canada are tracks that are probably going to suit us. We shouldn’t look too bad. I told in the round of media after this one down at the TV stations, I said the plan is to be pole here, start the race from sixth and do whatever is possible - may even win - and here we are. It is not a complete surprise that we are able to fight for the front position. But after Thursday free practice and even this morning I wasn’t at all confident to be able to fight for pole position. Then everything seemed to work together. We just dialled the car in to perfection and it’s… yeah… it’s just a result. It’s a result of team effort and team work and getting everything sorted and being ready for it.

Q: The statistics say that the highest winning grid position is third on the grid here. What can you do from sixth?
MS: Well, what can I say? I’ve finished fifth from being last; I won from I don’t know what positions. I will do as good as I can. It’s most likely to be a one-stop strategy here, that’s what you have to live with so in terms of strategy there’s only a very small window to play with. Overtaking we know is tough but we have DRS and KERS so you might as well try - and be sure I will.

Q: Mark, as we mentioned the other day, you had your first podium here, you won from pole in 2010, you’ll be starting on pole tomorrow, you’ve been in the top five for the last four years. It all looks good, doesn’t it?
MW: First of all, I think it’s Michael’s day. It’s a good lap for him so obviously it was a tight session for us. Lots of different people arrived in the back part of the important session in quali with different situations with tyres. Quali went quite smooth for me. It’s the first time of the weekend where you put everything on the line - within reason - so it started to feel pretty good for me and I knew it was aiming for the first few rows for sure. And then it became very, very tight between us and I thought, OK, well, after the first run in Q3, it wasn’t too bad a lap, I thought, we can still go for pole for sure on the last run. And yeah, it was a pretty good lap, I’m pretty happy with it. Very, very good position to be starting tomorrow and we have a very, very good car, the guys have done a good job and I’m very happy with today’s effort.

Q: How well prepared are all the teams, would you say, after losing most of Thursday?
MW: Everyone’s in the same boat. I think that we don’t have a huge amount of experience with the supersoft around here on long runs, but everyone’s going to be in the ballpark I would imagine.

Q: Michael says he feels it’s a one-stop race. Is that pretty much the strategy?
MW: 24 hours mate, we’ll see!

Q: Nico, obviously you’re starting on the front row. What does it mean here at what is your home circuit?
NR: I can also be pleased with today. Generally it’s all gone well, the whole weekend until now. It’s especially great to see how we, as a team, have managed to turn things around from a difficult time the last two races and now be right at the front again. It’s just nice to follow all the progress we’re making, moving forward and really fighting hard to improve the car and get the best of the situation - and that’s why today to really be on top as a team in qualifying is great and I’m very pleased, obviously, to start on the front row in Monaco. That is a great place to start to have a good race.

Q: You needed two laps on the first set of tyres in Q3. We didn’t see what happened at the end of the lap.
NR: Two things: mainly the front warm-up on the tyres was an issue but also I did some setup changes from Q2 to Q3 and I had to find my way around those first, because it was quite a different strategy so that’s why it took me two laps.

Q: And, as was the question to Mark, is the team perfectly happy with the preparation, given that you lost most of Thursday afternoon?
NR: Yes. It’s not going to be easy, the race, definitely, you know a long race and tyre degradation is going to definitely be an issue but I think we’ve prepared well and done the best we can to make sure we have a strong race car.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Vincent Marre - Sports Zeitung) Michael, you set a fantastic pole position; I would like to know how you rate this one among all the others?
MS: May I just say that you have to see two different chapters of life and this is the second one, which stands by itself, because in this Silver Arrow time, in terms of qualifying is the best position I have been in and luckily I’m able to give back, in that way, all the trust that has been shown in me over the last two and a half years.

Q: (Leonid Novozhilov- F1 Life) Michael, is this pole position the best of your life and secondly, how many poles do you think you can set for the team this season?
MS: Similar answer to what I just said before, because how I rate this pole to others… it’s the first one of the second part of my career and naturally that’s the better one, because it’s the first one. It’s just sweet and a good feeling after you have come back and have hoped for better results in all circumstances at the end of the day, after why and what has happened, but to finally get it together and being able to prove it - that’s much more important and therefore I’m certainly delighted.

Q: (Dan Knutson - Honorary) Mark, on Thursday you were not very optimistic about getting on the front row. What did the team change to make the car so much better today?
MW: We certainly pulled the balance together a lot more. Obviously there are no real fast corners here but there are a few where you need to be able to keep the car in the line, especially into Casino but also through the Swimming Pool. You need to have a very good rhythm and pace through there, which we didn’t really have on Thursday, so the car, between low and high speed wasn’t great. We really really pulled that together. Also I think the track helped as well, the rubber on the circuit helped pull it together. The driver always brakes a little bit later on Saturday, so that helps a bit as well. Altogether the guys have done a great job and I think we got the maximum, actually, from what we could do today.

Q: (Andrew Frankel - Forza) Mark, with all the hoopla, all the sponsors, everybody here, do you sleep just as well, starting tomorrow from pole position? Are you a bit twitchy, nervous or whatever?
MW: That’s Formula One around here. It is unique, it is a special event. In some cases I used to like Magny Cours because we could go there and just drive the cars and leave, but here, getting around and the people… always being close and demanding things and all that sort of stuff is not always ideal, but that’s the way it is. Sponsors, they come to a lot of different races. They are great for our programme but they are not in the cockpit with me and that’s why they trust in us to get the job done.

Q: (Marco Giachi- Paddock) Michael and Nico, do you think the special device that you have in the front wing helped you get this very very good performance, to keep the car more balanced?
MS: First of all, it is obviously only available in qualifying and only if we can overtake in the race, otherwise it’s not available. Monte Carlo… you almost get no effect from it. There’s a very small advantage because of the nature of the track, so I don’t think you see any particular advantage in this one. For sure there is some advantage - that’s why we have it, otherwise we wouldn’t have built it, but certainly not enough to discuss it.

Q: (Cedric Voisard - Le Figaro) Question regarding penalties : would you say that it would be better and clearer for the public to apply penalties on site instead of at the next race ?
MW: After qualifying, I thought I had the penalty because my engineer said ‘well done, great lap, de-de-de, penalty’ and I thought ‘shit, what for? I’ve done nothing.’ Yeah, then I was slightly relieved to hear it wasn’t me who had got the penalty. When you have an incident in a Grand Prix, that’s obviously the tricky thing, because it’s people’s decisions after the previous race… When incidents happen I suppose that apart from fines, what else can you do? Sunday’s indiscretions. How do you enforce any regulation on driver behaviour or team behaviour or whatever after that? Do you have any ideas? I don’t know.

Q: (Malcolm Folley - Mail on Sunday) Michael, with your rich history round here, can you tell us what it was like to put that lap together today. The world watches this qualifying session perhaps more so than anywhere else; it was the ideal time to remind everybody that you still do have it.
MS: You have probably already put my answer into your question. Monaco, being so special… we call it a bit more of a driver track than some other tracks we run on through the year, but particularly because of the prestigious atmosphere and what it all means to us, it is super-fantastic if you manage to do such a lap. I knew that I was on a lap but then you can never be sure because we have seen how close and how tight today qualifying has been and I just managed to get it together perfectly, because everything was prepared and that is the nature of Formula One. It is very tricky these days and it’s not always possible to have everything together at all times but here and now we did, and we hopefully learn more and more in order to do that more often. But reminding people that I’m still around, yup, that’s a good point.

Q: (Frank Schneider - Bild) Michael, how come that you were able to predict this pole position last week when you were in Le Mans?
MS: Yip, not only did I say it on Wednesday here but I did so at Le Mans as well, that’s true. I sort of felt that our car could be strong here, so it wasn’t out of the blue, and it wasn’t just a funny comment. There was quite a bit of optimism in there but I guess that’s my nature.

Q: (Kate Walker - Girl Racer) We’ve had some particularly variable weather over the last three days and we were expecting a wet qualifying session; are you expecting or afraid of a wet race or do you think it’s going to stay dry?
MS: I’m expecting, at my pit stop, that it will start raining.
NR: Local knowledge hasn’t really helped the last few days. It’s been very unusual, that’s not the normal weather here, that in the morning we have sunshine and then in the afternoon everything goes dark. It’s very strange.
MW: I just do whatever Jenson does!

Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paul) Michael, does a result like this - the maximum, pole position - have weight in your decision whether to continue or not in Formula One?
MS: You imagine that just because of one result I’ve done at this moment I’m suddenly restarting or opening a different subject. No, that’s not the case. I’m focused on what I’m doing right now. There will come a time when I will make summary of everything and then I will sit down with the team to see what we’re going to do.

Q: (Rodrigo Franca - VIP Magazine) Michael, in the first chapter of your life, when you were on pole, you had two or three cars trying to win, like Ferrari or McLaren, and now we have 10 or 12 cars potential winners here. How do you see the race tomorrow from pole position?
MS: Naturally there are more contenders for winning this race than maybe there used to be in the past, that’s true and that is why it’s also so tight. I don’t know what the time gap is between positions one and ten today but I guess it’s much less than it used to be in the past. But that’s how Formula One has evolved and there are particular reasons for this. Being up front, I like it but being on the other side you may disagree.

Q: (Olivier de Wilde - Le Derniere Heure) Michael, it’s a pity you have this penalty, especially here. Do you think it was justified?
MS: I’m not thinking about two weeks ago. I’m just thinking about the now and what will happen. That’s it. I’m focused forward.

@темы: формула 1, michael schumacher, mercedes, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако

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Thursday practice - selected team and driver quotes

It was a mixed opening day in Monte Carlo, not least because of the changeable weather. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso led during a sunny morning session, whilst McLaren’s Jenson Button was the quickest runner after lunch before the rain hit. Drivers and senior team personnel report back...

McLaren
Jenson Button, P1 - 1:17.190, 8th; P2 - 1:15.746, 1st
“The most important job today was to try and get a decent high-fuel long-run on the super-soft tyre - which I don’t think anyone managed. We’ve got to see how the tyre works because its performance will play a considerable role in the race.

“Still, it was nice to briefly stick that tyre on and see how much grip it has - that gives you a bit of information to look over before Saturday, even though we’ll still get to run that compound again before qualifying.

“I definitely feel like the car improved from P1 to P2. We tried something different for this afternoon’s session and I was happier with how the car felt. There’s still room for improvement, but we know what direction we want to take.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Hearing the roar of Formula One engines resonating around the harbour front vividly reminds you that no other circuit in the world can match the taut, visceral thrill of Monte-Carlo.

“Unfortunately, the changeable weather conditions - a dry morning followed by an increasingly damp and greasy afternoon - have caused us to be a little less well prepared for the remainder of the weekend than we’d ideally like. But it’s the same for everyone. It’s just another of the unique challenges posed by this most formidable of street circuits.

“I think we’re yet to see what either Jenson or Lewis can achieve when they push the car to its fullest extent around here, but I know that both our drivers relish the challenge of this circuit and that they’ll hit the ground running again on Saturday.

“At the moment, the sharp end of the grid looks extremely close - and it’ll be all to play for in what’s likely to be an absolutely thrilling qualifying session. Bring it on!”

Lotus
Kimi Raikkonen, P1 - no time, 24th; P2 - 1:19.267, 19th
“It’s good to be back in Monaco even if we missed some running today. The steering wasn’t to my liking so the team changed it for me. It’s something you change for Monaco and there’s no way of knowing what it will be like beforehand. The car felt good in the second session, though it was obviously pretty slippery when the track was wet. I would have liked to have had more time in the car, but Monaco’s a track I know pretty well and it hasn’t changed much over the years. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”

James Allison, Lotus technical director
“We’re happy with today’s performance as we came here with a certain amount of trepidation about whether our cars would be competitive. It was a disappointment to have missed the first session whilst we changed the steering setup on Kimi’s car, but he’s an old enough trooper to get himself up to speed on Saturday. The pace shown by Romain in both sessions was certainly encouraging. All the Monaco upgrades seem to be working well and the E20 is pretty happy around what is a very unique track.”

Ferrari
Felipe Massa, P1 - 1:16.843, 6th; P2 - 1:16.602, 3rd
“We weren’t able to do as much running as we would have liked because of the light rain that fell this afternoon, but all the same, I am happy with the way things went on this Monaco Thursday. The car seemed to me to be okay right from the start of the first session, with a good balance in all conditions and with slightly better traction than we had expected. Even when we ran the Intermediates in the final part of the second session, the feeling was still positive. As for the tyres, we didn’t even fit the Supersoft, therefore we can’t say anything about their behaviour, while the Softs worked well, also in terms of their degradation. Sure, there is still plenty of work to do to fine tune all the set-up details, but we have an extra day to think about what to do to improve in this area. It’s hard to make predictions about qualifying and, even more so for the race, but definitely we can say the first day of free practice can be considered a positive one.”

Fernando Alonso, P1 - 1:16.265, 1st; P2 - 1:16.661, 4th
“For we drivers, Thursday in Monaco provides the best opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with a very unique track. The more you go round, the more you gain confidence and the harder you can push to bring the lap time down. This morning, we were able to get through our planned programme without any trouble, but in the afternoon, the rain came to spoil our plans and those of the others too. We weren’t able to even fit the Supersoft and only Button was able to find the right window to make the most of the Option, which is how he set the fastest time. Now, we must see what the weather will be like on Saturday morning: if it turns out to be dry then maybe we will do more laps than usual, but even if it rains we will have to do work aimed at the race. In fact, it’s not as though we understood much more when on the Intermediates, given that the track was only damp in places and so it wasn’t very representative. We can’t control the weather, we can only adapt to it as it changes. As for the car, I would say the first impressions are quite positive: everything seems to respond as we would expect. We only made a few small modifications to the set-up, trying to improve it, but it’s obviously too early to draw any conclusions. Let’s say the weekend has got off on the right foot for us: now we must try and keep going down this path.”

Pat Fry, Ferrari chassis director
“The rain upset our programme a bit in the second session, preventing us from getting through the usual FP2 work, centred on a comparison of the two types of tyre brought here by Pirelli. This morning, we worked mainly on the set-up of the car, which has no significant new parts apart from the usual adjustments typically required for this track. In the afternoon, we actually wanted to try both tyres over a short and a long run, but we didn’t even manage a single lap on the Supersoft. In the end, we used a set of Intermediates with both drivers but, even in this case, the track conditions were not exactly ideal for this tyre. The same applied to almost everyone, therefore relatively speaking, we are not at any disadvantage. Clearly, we have less data available with which to define the best strategy for Sunday’s race: a bit more improvisation will be called for and we will need to be even more ready to react to every eventuality. We have no had any problems of any sort on both cars, which is always positive on a track like this.”

Williams
Bruno Senna, P1 - 1:18.617, 17th; P2 - 1:17.655, 14th
“It was great to be able to do both sessions today as it meant that we could learn bit by bit. It's been quite a few years since I drove something competitive here so it was good to have extra time to remember the track. We’re chipping away and the afternoon session was hampered by the rain, but every little helps.”

Mark Gillan, Williams chief operations engineer
“This morning we had a productive session with both drivers successfully working through their test programmes, but unfortunately the wet second session in the afternoon proved more problematic and limited useful running. Both drivers were happier with the car balance in the second session but we still have quite a bit more to do in preparation for Sunday.”

Mercedes
Nico Rosberg, P1 - 1:17.261, 10th; P2 - 1:17.021, 6th
"It was great to be back again and to race through the city. I'm pleased with today's practice sessions. We have the feeling that we are going in the right direction with our set-up work for this demanding track. It took a bit of a time to find the right rhythm for the circuit but it worked out well, even though we did not run very much in the afternoon because of the bad weather. I'm now really looking forward to Saturday and Sunday."

Michael Schumacher, P1 - 1:17.413, 11th; P2 - 1:17.293, 9th
“It's always great to get out on the track for the first laps in Monaco and get back into the rhythm of this special place. Already, during practice this morning I could see the areas where the safety has been improved further since last year, and it's great that the organisers always push to make things even better every year. The weather was mixed today, which made it hard to make any firm conclusions, but basically my feeling with the car on this circuit was positive."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
"We've had a reasonable first day here in Monaco. Obviously, this is a track where conditions are changing all the time and the wet weather in the second session this afternoon reminds us that these things can happen here. We have a lot of information to look at and work out what we're going to do and how we think the circuit will evolve for Saturday. Generally, it's been a good start to the weekend."

Norbert Haug, vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Today's sessions were effectively brought to an early end in the morning after an engine failure on the track, then we had rain in the second half of the afternoon session. Considering these circumstances, which handicapped the progress of all the teams, we had quite a positive first day and found a reasonable baseline for our cars from which we can progress further on Saturday. With everybody completing fewer laps than usual during the first practice day in Monaco, the challenge of this demanding race is probably even higher this year. We now are looking forward to Saturday when our target is to make a good step forward to be in a position for good results in the race on Sunday. Understandably, we have been asked frequently about the status of our Concorde Agreement negotiations in the past days. On this matter, I can confirm we are having constructive discussions that are heading in the right direction."

Red Bull
Mark Webber, P1 - 1:18.106, 13th; P2 - 1:17.148, 7th
“It was not easy for us, as for all the teams today, and we’ve got some work to do in the next 24 hours. There are clearly some very quick cars and we need to see where we can improve. Obviously it was limited running for everyone, so we didn’t do as much as we would have liked; but that’s how it went today and Monaco’s like that - it throws up some challenges. The track’s quite inconsistent in terms of grip - but we did learn some things today.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“Of all the tyres in our range, the teams have had the least running of all on the super-soft to date, so today was very important for them to get out and expand their knowledge of the compound in the truly unique conditions of Monaco. Unfortunately the changeable weather conditions meant that the majority of the field were unable to compare the soft and super-soft tyres as much as we had hoped making Saturday’s practice very important for the full fuel load runs. There will still be plenty of data for us to analyse tonight, and we would expect the soft tyre to last for around 50 laps and the super-soft to last for 35 laps, with a difference of about a second per lap between the two compounds. This is going to make strategy a very important part of the equation, with the key thing in qualifying being to find a clear lap, which is never easy. The super-softs have a rapid warm-up time: then it’s down to the driver to make it count. But even in Monaco, we’ve seen how a good tyre strategy can help drivers make up positions if they are further down the grid.”

@темы: felipe massa, формула 1, kimi raikkonen, michael schumacher, mercedes, jenson button, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако, ferrari, mclaren

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FIA Thursday press conference

Team representatives - Vijay Mallya (Force India), Jean-Francois Caubet (Renault Sport F1), Frank Williams (Williams), Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber), Ross Brawn (Mercedes).

Q: Vijay, first of all welcome, I think this is your first Grand Prix of the year and you love Monaco. But how do you keep in touch when you’re a long way away?
Vijay Mallya: Well you know, particularly at the start of the season there are too many conflicting obligations that I have. Parliament, for one, is in session in March and April and that makes it very difficult for me to leave India. I otherwise would have enjoyed going to flyaway races. But the budget, the union budget, was presented only in the middle of March this year as opposed to the end of February so I was obliged to stay back and attend parliament. Then, of course, in early April starts the IPL (India Premier League) cricket and you know we Indians are pretty passionate about the game of cricket. In fact, I remember I was telling Monisha, that three years ago my team reached the finals of the IPL and I actually had to regretfully abandon the Monaco Grand Prix and fly back on the Saturday night to make the Sunday final. But now it’s all over, done and dusted and now I can enjoy Formula One particularly in the summer in Europe and in North America.

Q: How do you think Sahara Force India is doing at the moment? How do you see the performance so far this year?
VM: We’ve got 18 points from five races - it’s the best start we’ve ever had. But if you look at our immediate competition, they’re way ahead of us. Compliments to them, they’ve done exceedingly well. I think Sauber has had a second, the podium, and Williams have won the race, so congratulations to both of them. But if I study or try to analyse the various races and the performance of various cares there’s a huge sense of unpredictability that has crept in this year. Just as an example: in Barcelona, Nico came tenth, scored one point but kept Webber behind him for more than 30 laps. Up until last year I would never have dreamt of keeping a Red Bull behind me. In Barcelona once again, Lewis actually got pole position before he was given the penalty but Jenson didn't even make Q3. So there’s something going on there and the only thing we can put a finger on is the tyres and the performance of the tyres and we’re obviously doing all we can to try and understand tyre management better. But I think we can look forward to our moment in the sun as well.

Q: If it’s that unpredictable then everyone has got a chance.
VM: Absolutely. The results speak for themselves. There is a definite sense of unpredictability. The usual front-runners aren’t front-runners anymore. The midfield teams have in fact outperformed the traditional front-runners. So there is something going on there which I think everybody is trying to understand better.

Q: Jean-Francois, can we first of all clear up the Caterham problem this morning? I believe it was quite an old engine.
Jean-Francois Caubet: Yes, we blew up an engine this morning, with Heikki. There was a problem of reliability but it was quite an old engine. It was engine of more than 2,200km. It was an engine raced in the two first grands prix on the Friday. It was at the limit but sometime before the limit it is difficult to measure, so we know that we have a good engine today but some problem of reliability.

Q: I’m intrigued to learn that you do more work here than for any other grand prix, can you just explain where that’s centred?
J-FC: Yes, I think even if Monaco is a long grand it is a tough grand prix on the engine side you we must have the maximum job between 15-17,000rpm instead of 17-18,000, so the map is completely different and you need great feedback from the driver to set up the car.

Q: Is there more preparation involved than that?
J-FC: Not. I think each grand prix is specific but Monaco is one that is no especially specific against the other.

Q: And now there is the possibility of more teams winning for you as we saw with Williams two weeks ago.
J-FC: Yes, congratulations to Frank (Williams) because it was quite emotional in Renault to have this win in Barcelona. I think we found the same spirit with Frank and we’re quite happy as we pushed a lot to have a good relationship and a good spirit with all the teams and with Frank we’ve found the same spirit as we had 20 years ago. It was quite funny because Frank visited us last week and he told us in French… I will try to translate: Une hirondelle ne fait pas printemps, I think it’s one swallow doesn’t make a summer in English or something like this. But I don’t think it’s right. I think the car is good and I think they’ll probably have some more wins with Frank.

Q: Well, let’s ask Frank. How much of a surprise was the performance in Barcelona, or does nothing surprise you any longer?
Frank Williams: That’s partly right, but I was surprised. I’ve been racing long enough to know that you should approach any race with a considerable amount of pessimism and you get better after that. All grand prix teams are immensely professional and very few of them make any mistakes worth talking about during a season so it’s hard to prise winners away from winning all the time. But whatever we did right, and I don’t really know what that was, worked very fine and I’m just delighted to walk away with all those points and another number one on the scoreboard.

Q: What has it meant to you personally having that win, after so many years?
FW: Yeah, well I thought it was eight years actually but if it was seven that that sounds a little bit better but it's an embarrassing amount of time for a man with a big ego.

Q: Pastor told us there’s been quite a bit of reorganisation within the team. How important has that been and how difficult was that reorganisation?
FW: It wasn’t a major reorganisation, a few new people arrived, there was a bit of shuffling around. One or two people can make quite a difference and given that it’s a complicated matter, as all these people here will tell you, to put the right group of people together and get them to fire on all cylinders. It comes together once in a while with the car and the driver and everything working very well. We took our chance and got it.

Q: We got the impression that methods within the factory had changed, even the means of building the car and that sort of thing. Is that the case?
FW: Nothing significant has changed. It’s the same approach, the same reliability. If we've gone a bit quicker then it’s because the car is quicker and that would have come, more than anything else, from the wind tunnel and from the drivers being particularly tuned in to a particular circuit.

Q: Monisha, first of all I wanted to ask you about Chelsea Football Club because I think there’s quite a few people back here who don’t quite understand that tie-up, how it works and how it happened?
Monisha Kaltenborn: Well, Chelsea approached us last year with this idea. It’s very simple really, there’s not much mystery to it. Here two teams have got together that belong to the two sports that are probably the most watched sports around the world. So like this we’ve created a joint platform, an enormous community to which we can reach out and we’ll be doing this by doing marketing events together, looking at merchandising areas, so there’s a lot of commercial activity that will start and it gives us a very potential to go to potential sponsors. So it’s the commercial area that’s involved here and if you give us a bit more time you’ll what comes out.

Q: Also, of course, some of the ownership of the team has been transferred to you, which is, I suspect, a fantastic opportunity for you.
MK: That’s a great opportunity for me - and a big honour. It shows to me the amount of trust Peter has put into me, that together with his son we can operate the company in the future according to the values that he as the founder of our company has actually set out. And at the same time it’s a very big responsibility as we’re talking about a company here that has been in motorsport for the last 40 years, so you have a big responsibility towards the people and towards Peter.

Q: And, in terms of the future of the team, the team has traditionally started very, very well but seems to have dropped off a bit mid-season. Have you got the budget to keep the development going for the rest of the season?
MK: We often get the question on our budget and that maybe we cannot develop the way that we want to. Now with the Barcelona package I think we showed everyone that we can develop quickly, efficiently and also bring a good and a big package to the track. So we will continue to do that. And it’s valid for many other teams on the grid who are in a similar position, the more funding we have, the more we can develop, and you’ll see that on track.

Q: Ross, we’ve seen the ups and downs of the Mercedes team this year, we’ve heard how unpredictable Formula One is. Is that what it’s all about? You won obviously in China but since then the performance doesn’t seem to have been there.
Ross Brawn: I think teams… if we take a normal season, there’s always some variability between the teams and if you overlay on that the difficulty in getting a good understanding of how to make these tyres work most effectively, then the two together can sometimes bring quite big discrepancies. Take some of our competitors in Barcelona, they were a second quicker than us, and we were a second quicker than them in the previous race. There’s big differences sometimes when these tyres are working or not working properly. I think it’s a combination of the two, which makes it quite difficult to always understand where you are in the car and what you have to focus on to improve it. But we’ve done some useful progress with the car I believe, and when we get to those circuits where it would naturally suit the car and we’re in the working range of the tyres, then you’ll see the performance come back again. But it’s true the last couple of races have not been so great after we had such a wonderful weekend in China.

Q: Is there more strategy decided on the pit wall now than before? Is it becoming harder and harder to think on your feet as the goalposts move?
RB: It’s true to say you don’t always know what you’re going to get in the race, even if you’ve done the work on a Friday and Saturday, you don’t always know what you’re going to get in the race and you have to be prepared to react from what you see in the race. Sometimes the tyres don’t last as long as you anticipated; sometimes they’re more consistent than you anticipated. So you need to have the capacity to evolve your strategy while you’re on the pit wall. I think the signs you get are relatively clear in terms of lap times and degradation and so on and so forth. So, it has made strategy, I think, more interesting in many ways, more relevant so, yeah, it does make it more challenging on the pit wall but that’s something we enjoy.

Q: Yesterday we had a question from a journalist which quoted you in a German paper - which meant there were about three translations involved - saying that you had said that the team had let down Michael Schumacher this year, so far. Did you say that? Or could you perhaps clarify what was said?
RB: When I talk about the team, I talk about the drivers as well, the drivers aren’t outside the team, so when I say “the team hasn’t done a good enough job with Michael”, I mean collectively. We - and that includes Michael - have not done a good enough job collectively in the first five races because Michael’s got two points and that’s not good enough. So, my view is that we always look at these things collectively; it’s not ‘the driver’s made a mistake’, or ‘the team’s made a mistake’ it’s ‘together we haven’t done a good enough job.’ And that’s the situation with Michael. It’s been a bit better with Nico. Certainly the race win was great and I think in the last three races actually Nico’s scored the second or third highest points of any driver. So for Nico we’re not doing too badly. But I think also the issue of Michael scoring only two points is not just down to Michael. It’s down to some of the technical problems we’ve had with the car.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Sam Collins - Racecar Engineer) Question for Jean-Francois, can you update us on the progress of your new engine, and also with the ACO changing the Le Mans prototype regulations to allow complete Formula One powertrains from 2014, is that a new area you can use for testing, with the testing ban in Formula One?
J-FC: I think today for the new engine, for ’14 we are now on schedule. We need to respect also the budget from Renault. We will be on time. Is it very high technology so it is quite tough development. We have big help from Renault, I think more than 45 people coming from Renault to help us on the electrics side, the electronics and turbo side. I think we will be ready, in the same philosophy that we have for the future, around November or December next year, so we are not asking for testing before.

Q: (Sam Collins - Racecar Engineer) And for Le Mans? The ACO has announced they are going to accept a full Formula One powertrain, including gearbox, engine, everything from 2014 onwards for Le Mans prototypes - so is that another market you could move into and is it something you are looking to do?
J-FC: I don’t think so.

Q: (Ignacio Naya - DPA) A question for Monisha Kaltenborn, one year ago Sergio Perez had here a very serious accident. I would like to know which memories do you have from this moment and how the team faced this situation and how Sergio Perez is handling this situation, coming back to Monaco?
MK: Well the memories are, of course, very much there because it is just a year ago and it was a very bad accident. It’s thanks to the safety rules in Formula One and, I guess, also luck, that the driver remained in the situation, so he wasn’t really injured. You don’t forget these kind of things but at the same time you have to get on and concentrate on the future and I think Sergio has done a great job there. He took it very well, we can see how mature he handled the situation, even at the next race when he himself said he was not really there 100 per cent to take part in the race. But it’s not an issue anymore, we’ve ticked that off, and he’s actually taken it quite well.

Q: (Ian Parkes - PA) Vijay, you talked about your passion for cricket earlier. Do you still retain the same passion as you once did for your Formula One team? And, in particular, given the financial difficulties we read about regarding Kingfisher, do you still have the same financial commitment to Force India? Will Force India continue for this season and beyond?
VM: I don’t quite understand the correlation between sporting interests, which are personal in nature, and my business interests. I have several large public companies, most of which, with the exception of the airline, are doing very well. The airline is a victim of extraordinarily high oil prices and excessive taxation. Now, what you read and what you gather from what you read, is something that I don’t care to comment on. I have sporting interests and I am passionately involved in all these sporting interests, I think I said it earlier. Sahara Force India is independent, fully funded. It’s a joint venture between the Sahara Group and myself, there has been a significant capital infusion at the end of 2011, another significant capital infusion from the Sahara Group is due in 2012 and going beyond to 2013. So, Sahara Force India is extremely well taken care of and set. My other sporting interests, well, I was at every IPL cricket game, as any passionate Indian would be, and the team performed well. A little disappointing at the end because we’ve been semi-finalists for four years running, we were fifth this time and got knocked off the last game before the playoffs, but such things happen in sport. That’s going fine. So, life carries on and passions carry on too.

Q: (Alan Baldwin - Reuters) Vijay, on the same subject, if you had to make a choice between your airline and your Formula One team, which one would you chose?
VM: How can you even start to make such a comparison? One is a large, public utility per se. How would you call Formula One? A public utility or a public spectacle? An airline is not intended to be a spectacle and a Formula One team is not intended to be a public utility either. So where’s the comparison?

Q: (Alan Baldwin - Reuters) I was asking purely because of the amount of money that needs to be invested in both, and if you had the money to invest in one only.
VM: Well, you know, Sahara Force India is private team. Kingfisher Airlines is a listed entity. The banks own 23 percent of the equity of the airline. It’s a public company, limited by liability as all limited companies are, so it’s a plc. So the two are incomparable.

Q: (Ralf Bach - R & B) Dr Mallya, in spite of this, you explain to us, everywhere in the world, especially in your home country about your problems with your airline and there are rumours as well that maybe you have problems with your team financially, that people are waiting for their salary for weeks, just rumours. But do you think it’s a good idea in respect of all this, just to have a luxury party on this luxury boat this evening? How can you justify it?
VM: Justify what and to whom? As I said, I have twenty different businesses. I have six large publically listed companies, each one is completely independent with different shareholders. One does not cross-subsidise the other because that would violate all principles of corporate governance. If one business, for whatever reason, is not doing well, it doesn’t mean that every other business has to shut down. Every business has to be continued within its own values, within its own corporate objectives and the party that I host in Monaco each year is a promotion for United Spirits Ltd which has nothing to do with the airline. So because the airline is a victim of - as I said - high fuel costs and excessive taxation doesn’t meant that other public companies and their stakeholders should necessarily be compromised. So who should I justify what to?

Q: (Dieter Rencken - The Citizen) If I may, I would like to ask a Formula One question: as far as the engines are concerned there are suggestions that just possibly the introduction of the new green engine - if I can call it that - will be postponed, and also have any efforts been made to try and cap the pricing similar to the V8 engines of the present? What will the costing situation be?
RB: I think it would be a mistake to delay the engines again. If you recall, we’ve already delayed them one year and we’ve had to re… in fact we’ve changed them from a four cylinder to a six cylinder and then we delayed them a year. Every change actually costs a lot of money for the people investing in new engines. We’re committed to a new engine programme, it’s progressing, we’ve been able to justify the budgets to our board and we don’t want to see a deferment or a delay in that new engine. I think it sends a very bad message back in terms of Formula One to keep changing its direction on things that are so fundamental, which need so much investment to make work. I think the new engine is very exciting. I think today engines are not really a topic in Formula One; they used to be, and I think it used to add to the sport, that the engine was quite a large factor in the performance envelope or the performance cycle of the car. I think the engines are much more relevant. Our company is getting some real benefits from the technology of this engine. We are using expertise and resource within the company to develop and design this new engine. It’s a much more relevant engine. We’re going to be running around on two thirds of the fuel that we’re running on now with, we think, comparable power outputs. We’ve got to change the engine at some stage. We will become irrelevant with the engine if we don’t look to change. The world’s changing and I think the new engine is a far more relevant engine for Formula One for the future. If we’re going to get new manufacturers into Formula One, which I think is a good thing, then why will they come in to build an antique V8 engine? They won’t. They will only come in with this new engine, so we want to attract manufacturers back into Formula One and this new engine is very important (in doing that).
J-FC: I think we are very clear. We have already delayed the engine once, from four cylinder to go to six cylinders. I think it cost us around ten or 15 million, probably the same for Mercedes and probably the same for Ferrari. So we have blown nearly 50 million for nothing. If you delay one year, we think it will be never (happen) because the delay will be ‘15 and then ‘16. For Renault, it is a strategic choice. I think the V8 was developed 25 years ago and I share the same advice with Ross. If we need to have some new car makers, only the new engine will open the door to new car makers. The last point is a key point: to have a Formula One in ’14 with the old engine will close to the door to a lot of sponsors and new technologies. I think we have a clear strategy, I think it would be impossible to change our minds.
And for the cost: I think today you must add the cost of the engine and KERS. I think we will probably know in September the cost of the new engine. I don’t think the cost of the new engine will be a drama.
VM: We are not engine manufacturers, we never will be, so we have to depend on those who will supply us engines. I guess you’ve heard from both Mercedes and Renault here. I’m focused, at least, vis-a-vis the FIA on the resource restriction bit, because I think the cost of Formula One should be reasonable for all and give a level playing field for all participating teams. A power train, of course, is a very, very important component of that.
MK: As has just been said, we are also one of the non-engine manufacturer teams. We are first of all committed to cost cutting so from that perspective, we have to ensure that we don’t go back to a point where engines were so much more expensive - if you look back ten years ago. I think that should always be kept in mind. We fully appreciate and understand that an engine manufacturer wants to showcase his technology in Formula One but they also have to consider that engines have to be affordable and become more affordable in due course.
FW: I’ve always been a competitor, like everybody else here, and my own position is that as long as we get the very best engine - whether it’s a fair price or not - as long as we can find the money to pay for it, we’ll go and buy that engine, and our present geography - I mean that bloke behind (J-FC), who we are with presently, we know that they will supply us - if we can afford it - with a very fine winning engine next year and that’s what we intend to do, and if we have to find more money, we’ll find the money.

Q: (Alberto Antonini - Autosprint) There has been some discomfort and some complaints, I gather, from the general public about the lack of show in the latter stages of qualifying, in Q3, due to the fact that some of the drivers and some teams play with strategy and try to save tyres. So among the suggestions to cure that has been the proposal of allocating an extra set of tyres - call it qualifiers or whatever - for the exclusive use in Q3, which they would have to give back anyway. I understand Pirelli has no objection regarding this, but I would like to know what your view is about this?
FW: I’ll put my foot in it. I think it’s probably a good idea from the point of view that it maybe gives all teams a better chance. If you’re a really skilful team with a brilliant engineer to run and control things, and you’ve only got three sets of tyres, you’ll always get the best. If you haven’t got such a person, you’re always going to be at a handicap. If there’s a fourth set, it may help out one of the weaker members. If there’s an extra bob or two involved in running those tyres, maybe you shouldn’t be in F1.
MK: We’ve had many discussions, I think, amongst the teams last year about the tyre situation in qualifying. We think the rule we have now is OK. We also wouldn’t be supporting extra tyres, and I think even if you look at the statistics that the amount - when teams do their strategies and don’t go out in Q3 - as most of these teams have anyway been doing a lot more laps earlier, so I don’t think it would really change much for the viewer. That’s what the figures say, at least.
RB: I don’t have a strong opinion, to be honest. I actually think there’s some interest in teams which don’t go out. Of course people are here to see cars run and even when there’s some teams that don’t go out, you’ve got six or seven cars still competing hard for pole position. The teams that don’t go out generally have resigned themselves to the fact that they can’t compete for those positions right at the front, and I think those teams, being able to save their tyres, is in some way a compensation for their performance in the first part of the race. So it does give an extra decision and extra opportunity for the teams perhaps in eighth to tenth to save a set of tyres and be stronger in the early part of the race. There are two sides to every coin and is the show spoilt by the fact that some of the cars at the back of Q1 don’t run? I’m not sure it is. I think everyone’s focused on what the guys fighting for pole are doing. But if there was genuine proof that the fans want ten cars running all the time in Q3 then we’d accept some extra tyres.
J-FC: I think for a car maker it’s quite important not to change the regulations all the time. I think that if you make a comparison, it’s like you change the size of the goals during the season.

Q: (Vanessa Ruiz - ESPN Radio) Just a quick question to Frank: in Barcelona, right before the fire started, a few seconds before the fire started, you had just gathered the team around you. They were all kneeling in the garage. What was it exactly that you intended to tell the team at that moment? And if you’ve had the chance to talk to them and finish that speech and if that speech changed after the fire?
FW: I believe like everybody else here, when you have a business or a large company - and mine’s a small one - communication is fundamental. There was just a spot of communication going on, just happened to be in a rather public place but that was unavoidable. It wasn’t about sex. Sorry. Sadly.

Q: (Gary Meenaghan - The National) Michael Schumacher spoke earlier this week about the irony that the sport is currently pushing to improve safety measures yet we come and race in Monaco every year. I was just wondering what your thoughts are on the safety of this circuit and whether the risk of racing here is justified?
RB: Well, it was our driver who made the comment so…I think Monaco is a unique race, but there have also been big efforts made here to make it as safe as possible. We all know that motor racing can’t be 100 percent safe, there is always some risk, but I think the developments in the cars, the technology in the cars, the technology at the circuits is always progressing well. Each year, I believe, it gets safer. There is risk and that risk probably varies at different circuits, but I don’t think it’s a situation that means we shouldn’t race there. I think it’s a manageable risk as it is at most circuits or all circuits in Formula One.

Q: (Dieter Rencken - The Citizen) Vijay, you said Force India has got two shareholders: the Sahara Group and yourself. Does that mean the Dutch are now right out of the picture?
VM: They have a tiny minority left.

Q: (Dieter Rencken - The Citizen) OK, so they are still there though, yeah? Fifteen percent, is that it?
VM: Yes.

Q: (Dieter Rencken - The Citizen) Monisha, given the recent history of Sauber, was it particular sweet for your associate football team to win in Munich?
MK: An interesting angle to look at it! We didn’t think of that at the time. We really wanted Chelsea to win, and I will not get into any discussion as to whether they deserved to win or not because we would probably then be talking for a very long time. It was just a nice kick-off of the whole partnership. It was the first time that we really were together in public, being at such an event where you can just make more out of it in the future, so it was a very nice kick-off of the partnership.

Q: (Kate Walker - Girl Racer) One of the things that you guys have discussed today is cost-cutting. We’re also given to understand that there were discussions on the same this morning. Could you please let us know what progress has been made in talks on cost-cutting and cost reduction in the sport?
RB: I think there’s been some good progress in the last few months. I think the situation with FOTA where some of the teams left FOTA was unfortunate because I think that was one of the main initiatives of FOTA. But that’s continued. The FIA are now becoming more and more involved in cost-cutting initiatives for the future. I think ultimately that’s who we have to rely on to police the measures we need to take to control costs, because as the costs have become let’s say more swingeing, as they’ve become harder to meet, then it’s important that we all have the confidence that every team is complying to the cost restraint regulations, the resource restraint regulations and everyone’s applying the criteria in the same way and they are all following the same rules. It’s very frustrating if you believe - even incorrectly - that somebody is not following the rules. Within the system we had, it was very difficult to have the right level of confidence. I think the FIA have now, at the request of the teams, have become involved and there’s a meeting next week which I think will be a very important meeting to set the objectives and agree the methodologies and philosophies that we want to control costs in the future. But it is an absolutely essential part for Formula One for the future. I think we’ve seen the situation with the new Concorde Agreement that’s been discussed amongst all the teams and we need to make sure that a good majority of the teams have got enough money to meet the limits of the resource restriction, that a team that has a lot more money can’t gain any technical advantage. I think the resource restriction, for me, is an essential part to safeguard the future of Formula One

@темы: формула 1, mercedes, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако

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FIA Wednesday press conference

Drivers - Romain Grosjean (Lotus), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Charles Pic (Marussia), Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren).

Q: Romain, first of all, tell us about your experience of the Monaco circuit.
Romain Grosjean: Well, first of all, different feelings in Monaco: special track; special grand prix. For sure for us is a little bit home because we are close to France, so very happy to race in front of the fans, hopefully a lot of blue, white and red flags in the tribune. But Monaco is a special track, good experience that I won here in GP2 in 2009 and last year I did a really good race starting 26th and finishing P4 but then I’ve had some crashes as well. Let’s see what it gives in a Formula One car - I’m sure even better and we’re really looking forward to driving here.

Q: There have been some circuits where you have performed, perhaps, better than others. Is this one where you feel it is going to be good for you?
RG: I like the track, let’s see what we can achieve. But you know, Monaco is a little bit different to the other ones: normally if you are good in a fast corner you know that more or less every fast corner you are going to be good - but here it’s bumpy, it’s in the street, the track is improving a lot during the weekend. There is a lot to learn and it goes really quickly in between the race, so it will be interesting to see how it goes. We are trying to set up the car as good as we can, achieve another strong result for the team and for myself as well and score some good points, and why not more.

Q: I’m sure there’s huge support for you in France, and this is probably the best chance France has had of winning this race for many years.
RG: Ha-ha. The last French winner here was ’96 with Olivier Panis. It would be nice to have La Marseillaise on Sunday but let’s work before that and see what we can achieve. But for sure having a lot of fans is always good support and something quite special when you go around the track and do the drivers’ parade.

Q: Pastor, first of all, after Barcelona, what have you been doing, what’s happened, the reaction in Venezuela, have you been back to Venezuela? Have you been to Williams? Tell us.
Pastor Maldonado: Yeah, I’ve been in the factory at Williams, working with the engineers, with the team, and I passed some very good days with them in the factory. It was a special one because after eight years without winning any races, you can imagine how they take this victory. For sure it’s a great feeling to start winning some races. The team is pushing so hard, me too, we have a very good feeling and are looking forward for the next races.

Q: This circuit, again, has been a good one for you. Do you feel you’re a bit of a Monaco specialist.
PM: I’ve been always so quick here, especially in GP2 and World Series as well. Last year I was doing a good job, I was P6 but it’s always difficult. This kind of track, you never know for the traffic, for everything. The track is going to change a lot during the weekend and we need to follow the track and we need a very good balance in the car as well and be ready in the right time in the track. So, we’ll see. I will do my best, again one more time and we’ll see. I believe it is still possible to be competitive here, then we’ll see.

Q: Do you feel there is a certain relief having won that first grand prix?
PM: It’s really special to win, especially the first one. But for sure it is going to be difficult now. The gaps and the team levels are so close, so anything can make the difference, we need to put everything together to make a step forward, and I need to say that Williams are doing a very good job at the moment, I feel all the people are very motivated, they are pushing so hard - me too - it’s a very good feeling in the team and you know, still we need to improve. We are not at 100 per cent at the moment, we are not the best team - but we are not that far, we are there and we need to try to improve every time.

Q: Charles, you’ve won in GP2 and in World Series here, can you imagine what it is going to be like in a Formula One car? Is it going to be a big difference?
Charles Pic: I think there will be some for sure - but the track stays the same. So it will be my first experience here in F1, this is a very nice track and a little bit special because it’s not allowing any mistakes from the drivers, so I think it can be a really interesting weekend, especially for us. It’s interesting to see our pace on a type of circuit like that, it is quite different to other circuits - so yeah, we’ll have to see.

Q: You had a difficult start to the season: no pre-season testing - or virtually none - how do you think things have gone in the first quarter of the championship?
CP: Good. I think our main aim is trying to improve the car race by race. It’s what we make, we still have to work very hard and continue to push like that to try to make it better. On my side I have many things to learn. It was not easy for the first few races without any testing but I made my best and I feel better prepared race after race. We have to continue like this.

Q: Mark, your first podium here, you always remember your first podium I’m sure. Is this a very special circuit for you?
Mark Webber: Yes, it has been. I think winning here in F3000, a couple of podiums, obviously the nice victory in 2010, so it’s an amazing venue, it’s an amazing weekend. It’s quite stressful for the mechanics, all the teams, obviously you guys, everybody getting around, it’s amazing how we still manage to hold an event here in such tight confines of the Principality. But it’s a great sporting event and one that’s very popular for all of us. And, yeah, I’m looking forward to driving the car. It’s always great to drive here, so tomorrow we can get on with it.

Q: We’ve never known a season like this before and I think it’s the same for all three of you, it just doesn’t seem to be consistent. It’s just up and down. Is that a bad thing or a good thing as far as you’re concerned?
MW: It depends on who you are. I think for the purist, I think people are taking a little bit of time to get used to it. Obviously, no one’s really got any momentum yet in terms of results in teams. But obviously there are a few people that follow the sport that love it like this. It depends who you ask. If you want to have lots and lots of different teams being competitive that’s the way it is at the moment, which I don’t think is too bad. But let’s see. I think ultimately the main teams will still do well at the end of the season.

Q: Michael, sadly you have a five-place grid penalty here. But on the other hand you have been back there before, even further back, three or four years ago [2006]. And you saw what Lewis could do from there two weeks ago. What are your feelings about the race itself coming up?
Michael Schumacher: Well, basically, I think we’re going to be in a position to be competitive. As a general track profile I think it’s going to suit ourselves. Indeed, I have been coming from the complete back and gone forward to fifth position I think. Let’s see from where I finally manage to qualify and start the race and what can be done. It is certainly not ideal, but it is what it is and I look forward to it and I’m going to have some excitement pretty certainly.

Q: You’ve got a phenomenal record around this track, as you have around most current race tracks, and you have won here more often than anyone else in recent history. How do you get the ultimate performance around here?
MS: Well, I mean Monaco is certainly special and there’s something about you and the car that you just have to get every detail together as you have at every track but here it just pays out more. To have the rhythm, the flow, the momentum here… if you’ve got that it just pays out a much bigger lap time than other tracks because everything is so critical and difficult here.

Q: I was going to ask - is it still the circuit where the driver makes more difference than any other circuit currently?
MS: At the end of the day, that’s the case, absolutely.

Q: So you’re looking forward to doing that on Sunday?
MS: Definitely.

Q: Lewis, certainly you had a tremendous drive two weeks ago. Did you enjoy it? You said you were going to.
Lewis Hamilton: Firstly, good afternoon everyone. Yeah, absolutely I was very, very happy with the performance of the team but also my performance in the last race. I was always looking to improve and I felt it was a definite improvement from the grand prix weekend before that.

Q: You’ve banked at every single race and you’re just eight points off the championship lead - if anyone is consistent, you're at least consistently in the points. But is it an inconsistent season?
LH: For us?

Q: Drivers as a whole.
LH: I don’t know if it’s an inconsistent season… well, potentially yeah, a little bit, because of the tyres. I think the tyres, you sometimes get them in the working range and sometimes you don’t. I think a lot of teams are struggling to understand why sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But that’s the challenge we all are faced with. But I think people are enjoying it. I notice people are asking a lot of questions about how there’s been five different winners and the fans I’ve met had said this is a fantastic season regardless, so I hope that continues.

Q: Is there a little frustration that you’ve been on pole, or fastest so many times and still haven’t yet won?
LH: I’m not frustrated, no. This is the way racing goes sometimes. Of course, looking at the qualifying results we’ve had for the five races, we would have loved to have finished further up and we definitely need to improve to ensure that we stay where we are or we move forwards. Yeah, we’ve started high up finished a little bit further behind from where we started so we’ve gone backwards a little bit in most of the races but we’re working very hard to make sure that doesn’t continue.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Frederic Ferret- L'Equipe). Question for Pastor. How difficult has it been to deal with the fire and how difficult has it been to prepare for this grand prix for you and the team?
PM: After the fire we’ve been working so hard to rebuild everything. The guys did a pretty good job because we are ready to race, with everything we need to get the maximum. And I need to say that the guys have been working full days to have everything ready for this race, so great job for them.

Q: (Alex Popov - RTR TV) Question for all the drivers. Do you realistically think that on Sunday it will really be six different drivers, and to all except Pastor, do you think you will be the sixth?
MW: Yeah, I think there can be six different winners. Of course, why not? And it would be nice if it’s me, yeah. I’m sure all of us are going to say that.
I want everyone except Pastor to rate his personal chance to be this sixth driver - if it’s realistic or not.
MS: I’m pretty sure that are quite a few around us that would have the capacity to win this race and yet have not won a race and yes, naturally I think each of us here would be happy to be the one.
LH: I agree with Michael. As he was saying there are some other drivers who have the potential to win races but it’s massively tight between quite a lot of teams, so I think it’s wide open, so we’ll see. Particularly at this race the driver can make more of a difference. A car that doesn’t work so well at places like Barcelona could work a bit better here so…

Q: Romain, how do you rate your own personal chances of becoming the sixth driver?
RG: Difficult to say at the moment as we didn’t drive on the track yet, but I wish I could be the sixth one.

Q: Charles?
CP: I agree it’s more tight this year but we are not yet in a position to fight for this. For us now we have to focus on improving step by step and that’s it for the moment.

Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Pastor, you mentioned that the team has been working flat out to compensate for the fire. Obviously a lot of teams came to Williams’s aid with regards to equipment, infrastructure etc, but just how much of an impact will the fire have on the team this weekend, given the loss of all the equipment?
PM: Yeah, for sure it was a frustrating moment for all of us, because we were in the garage at that moment, at that time, and we saw everything. Personally, I was so scared, especially because we were all together, talking with Frank at that time and then yes, I need to thank all the teams who helped us, especially to extinguish the fire. For sure, as I mentioned before, the team has been working flat out to have everything ready for this race. The time wasn’t all that big, you know, only one week, one and a half weeks to have everything ready was quite short and yes, I need to thank all the teams who have helped us, even offering extra stuff for this race.

Q: (Pierre van Vliet - F1i.com) Lewis, I understand that you moved to Monaco recently. How different is it to have a race at home, really close to your home? Maybe Michael can answer this as well, because he used to live here, and Pastor as well.
LH: I love it here. To be able to wake up in your own bed and drive just down the road and be at work is a fantastic feeling. Today is the first experience of that but I’m sure it will make quite a big difference. I loved where I lived before but this is a different place and I seem to be enjoying it a little bit more.
MS: Basically, not only do you feel at home, and as Lewis said, absolutely, but even seeing the build-up of the track, because when you live here you go through the roads and you see it building up, the whole story builds up in your own head and when it finally comes to the excitement to run it, then it’s obviously even more special.
PM: I agree with Michael and Lewis. For sure it’s really good to be here and to race at the same time. I can sleep a little bit more as well, so it’s good.

Q: (Marco degli Innocenti - La Gazzetta dello Sport) Michael, in a German newspaper today, Ross Brawn said that the team, Mercedes, is guilty of having put you in trouble - I don’t know if I’ve translated it right from German into English - but I think the meaning is that they did not help you too much with the car, to give you a sufficiently good car. Do you agree with him, do you agree there is something or not?
MS: No. I don’t agree with maybe your translation of it, because I think we have quite a good car, quite honestly, because if you think where we’re coming from last year, we have made a huge step forward. We have proven that we are able to win races. Yes indeed, I have been a bit on the unlucky side but you see we’re a team, we are one big family and we win together and we lose together, it’s part of it. It’s probably that that he wants to talk about. But no, I don’t feel at all disappointed - if anything, the reverse: more motivated because of how much progress we have made and I can see the future progress that we can make and that’s what is much more in my focus.

Q: (Alexandar Tabakovski - Vecer) Michael, first of all, I saw you in Le Mans last week for the MotoGP race and you witnessed that Casey Stoner announced that he was retiring from the sport, stating that he was not content with the rules in MotoGP and in the motorcycling world, how the sport has developed. Can you tell me your feelings about that move and draw a parallel with your feelings about how Formula One is evolving in the situation whereby you are not liking it too much?
MS: The first part I can certainly answer, as to what is my feeling, and my feeling is that most of those who have a little bit of involvement were surprised. So was I but then you have to respect that and I don’t know his reasons or his detailed reason but he’s young enough to have a sabbatical rather than a total stop and we’ll see. There’s definitely no parallel to me; it’s just that each one is very individual, why and for what reason he decides on his retirement. Mine, at the time, had nothing to do with any other reason than I wanted it to because I felt like I was tired, three years ago. That’s it.

Q: (Cedric Voisard - Le Figaro) Lewis and Mark - because Michael expressed himself about it - Mark, you said that the public did enjoy the first five races. Lewis, you said, regarding the rules and the tyre situation, we are facing the same challenge, but, apart from that, do you enjoy driving within those rules? Can you extract 100 percent of the car and can you express your talents 100 percent?
MW: The way the races have run in the last few years is different to previous years. In the era where we had pit stops with refuelling, the races were extremely aggressive. Obviously qualifying for the whole race, basically, pushing to make optimum strategies work and make sure that you’re hitting the lap times with the weight of the car, with the fuel that you have at the time, so whether you are on a two- or three-stop strategy or whatever. And then we went to no refuelling, so already the phase of the racing changed a little bit, in terms of a little bit of endurance aspect started to come into it, in terms of driving style and pacing yourself a little bit more, probably. And then we had the change with the Pirellis and that’s probably been the biggest change in driver technique and style that I can remember, certainly in my career and I’ve done a few Grands Prix. There are certain races - a huge majority of races - that of course even when you’ve won - I’ve won one race on Pirellis - but even when the winners are winning of course they are not driving at 100 percent and that’s just the way it is, because you can’t. You need to get the car to the end and produce the best lap times that you can for the duration of the race. That’s the way it is now. I still enjoy driving a Formula One car, I still love working with the engineers, driving the most amazing tracks against some great opposition. I enjoy that part of it but we always have to change, we always have to evolve as the technical side of the sport changes, and there’s always going to be nicer ways to… Personally, I enjoyed the sprint races and the refuelling, probably all of the drivers did, but the racing was not super-exciting. It was more precise, you had to be more precise, you had to be more on the limit and really really feeling the car for the whole two hours, but that’s not how it is now. We have a different set of challenges and that’s what we’ve got to do.
LH: I don’t really know what else I can say, really. Mark’s said it all. I really enjoy the racing that we have now, as I’ve enjoyed it every year, and every year is a new challenge and I think that’s what the rules are there to give us is challenges. It is a little bit different, where we’re not pushing 100 percent in the race. There are some points in the race where you can really push but not for very long and perhaps it is more about endurance, as Mark said, to try and make these tyres last, but it is still a challenge to extract the most out of the tyres for a longer period. It still requires skill and technique and finesse to do that stuff so we’re still all trying to - speaking for myself - I’m still trying to get that fine touch sorted. But nonetheless, it’s still Formula One, it’s still fun and there’s more overtaking which is what people like to see.

Q: (Ignacio Naya - DPA) Two questions for Pastor: how does it feel, your new life as a Grand Prix winner? Have you experienced changes in the last two weeks? Do you attract more attention? And secondly, you won here in GP2; do you feel that this track adapts to you, do you dream of doing it again tomorrow in Formula One?
PM: OK, regarding the victory, it doesn’t change a thing. I think we need to keep working like that, keep pushing. As I mentioned before, we are not in the best position now against the other teams. We still need to keep improving. We have a lot of work to do. The car is getting more and more competitive every time, me as well. The feeling is really good. The atmosphere in the team is getting higher and higher, especially after the victory and now we need to continue like that, to push and push. And yes, Monaco is a special track for me, it’s my favourite one. I’ve always been very quick here. For sure I will do my best this weekend to get the maximum again. We will be competitive, I’m sure of that, but we will see. This is a typical track. You must put everything together to make the difference and I will try, together with the team, to do our best and then we will see.

Q: (Bob McKenzie - Daily Express) Michael it’s not been the greatest start to the season, but I wonder if you’ve already cast your mind forward, if you’ve decided whether you might race next year, if you’re thinking about it, if you’ve got the motivation or the energy and despite the seven titles, do you still need to sell yourself to Mercedes or is it only your decision as to whether or not you will drive again next year?
MS: No, the decision hasn’t really changed. So far we’re not focusing on what happens next year or in the future. It’s more about what happens right now and the team and myself will get together, so there’s no news for you yet, unfortunately.
I don’t really want to get involved in deep discussion other than what I just said, so let’s leave it at that.

Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Lewis, you mentioned about being happier here in Monaco than you were in Switzerland. Can you give us the reasons why that is, what the differences between the two places are, and secondly, waking up in your own bed this weekend and being happier here, does that make a difference going into the race weekend itself? Could that boost your performance in any way?
LH: When I lived in Switzerland, it was one of the most beautiful countries I’d ever been to. The weather was a little bit like England but more often it was better weather, but just where I was living, I was living away from the city and it was very quiet. It took ages to go out to a restaurant. I couldn’t jog down to a restaurant or walk to a restaurant. Here, it’s sunny every day which makes a big difference, there are great restaurants a couple of minutes from where I live, there’s a gym where I live, there’s a pool where I live. Before I used to have to drive half an hour to get to the gym, so things were just less fun there. I’m still in my twenties so I feel like I need to make sure I continue to enjoy them more and since I’ve been here, I’ve been much happier. Every day I go running on the track, I run round the track almost every day and it’s incredible to run around your favourite circuit every day. I go through the tunnel and I just cannot believe that I’m here. You have to pinch yourself every day, thinking wow, I’m running through the tunnel that the greats like Michael and Ayrton used to race around and now I’m one of those drivers but also living here. There’s a lot to it, but it’s spectacular. And for the race weekend? I don’t know if it’s going to make any difference, but it definitely won’t harm the weekend, being able to be comfortable in your own environment and surely that can account for something.

@темы: формула 1, michael schumacher, алексей попов, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако

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@schidakov: мне бы НЕ хотелость,чтобы Шумми выиграл.. потому что именно Айртон Сенна с 6 победами—король Монако!Правильно?
Леха: Понимаю.. Но нет

Леш, ну все, ты нарвался... И я уже не шучу!!!

@темы: формула 1, алексей попов

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Видали???

@темы: формула 1, michael schumacher

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Про меня!!!

24.05.2012 в 19:33

Пишет  ебипетский бох ебипетских ебиптян:

Руководство к пониманию интровертов

@темы: всякая всячина

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У микрофона - Мюрей Уокер!

"He's obviously gone in for a wheel change. I say obviously because I can't see it"
"With half the race gone, there is half the race still to go"

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is Senna's Lotus sounding rough ?"

"Anything happens in Grand Prix racing and it usually does"

"Alboreto has dropped back up to fifth place"

"As you look at the first four, the significant thing is that Alboreto is 5th"

"I can't imagine what kind of problem Senna has. I imagine it must be some sort of grip problem"

"He is shedding buckets of adrenalin in that car"

"It's raining and the track is wet"

"And there's just a few more corners for Nigel Mansell to go to win the Canadian Grand Prix...and...he's going rather slow....HE'S STOPPING HE'S STOPPING!"

"and this is the third placed car about to lap the second placed car"

"they say clothes maketh the man... the clothes are Niki Lauda's, but the contents are me..." as Murray prepares to take a drive in a F1 car." [He gets a total distance of... oh, 1 foot before he stalls it.] (Apparently, this was the second attempt to film Murray in an F1 McLaren - the first, earlier that day, had gone very well, but for technical reasons couldn't be used!)

[During a F1 race, describing how the leader can see the driver following him] "... Mansell can see him in his earphone..."

"So Bernie [Ecclestone], in the seventeen years since you bought McLaren, which of your many achievements do you think was the most memorable ?" Bernie Answers, "Well I don't remember buying McLaren." [Bernie Ecclestone used to own the Brabham team].

Murrary: "What's that? There's a BODY on the track!!!" James: "Um, I think that that is a piece of BODY-WORK, from someone's car."

Murray: There's a fiery glow coming from the back of the Ferrari James: No Murray, that's his rear safety light

As an introductory piece for a rallysprint race, Murray was put in the Navigator's seat alongside Tony Pond in a Chevette HSR (270 BHP, rwd, and TWITCHY), added an in-car camera, and wired Murray for sound. The result can be deduced by extrapolating his usual excitement and enthusiasm, and adding a large pinch of raw terror! "And there's a 600 foot drop on my left..AND we're doing 120 mph... AND we're approaching a hairpin...OH MY GOD we're going to die..."

[after a post race interview with Mansell after the Austrian GP 1987] Murray : "How did you get that nasty bumb on your head Nigel?" [Nigel leans forward to show the camera as Murray pokes it with his finger !] Nigel: "OWCH!!"

Murray: And look at the flames coming from the back of Berger's McLaren
James: Actually, Murray, they're not flames, it's the safety light.
Murray, commentating on rallycross from Lydden, describes how a BMW driver has cut holes in his windscreen so that his visibility is improved in all the muck... as he is doing so, the car crashes heavily into an earth bank...

From the Spanish GP 1995: "and Eddie Jordan is in fifth place"... (actually Eddie Irvine in one of his compatriot Eddie Jordan's cars).

"...and he's lost both right front tyres" (which may have been accurate back in the days of the Tyrrell P34, but it was from 1995!)

"...Cruel luck for Alesi, second on the grid. That's the first time he had started from the front row in a Grand Prix, having done so in Canada earlier this year..."

James: "And now what's wrong with Prost's car?"

Murray: "It's not Prost's car it's that joker in the striped shirt!"

"Ah! Now here's Senna in the pits (for the black flag). No point in saying I wish I could lip read: I can't even see his lips! There's Ron Dennis bending over at the right. This is A-! Out gets Senna! For whatever reason and I just hope we can get a message about this. I hope we can get a message. Ayrton Senna with, with rage and impotent fury etched in every line of his body, reluctantly drags himself out of the McLaren." (In reality Senna calmly stepped out of the car and walked away.)

"Well let's, uh, lugsh, luxurrriate in a little hypothesis and try to work out what, if anything, is wrong with Alain Prost." (Prost was being caught by Berger late in the race.) "Has he got tire problems? Very unlikely. Is Prost having fuel trouble? Well, who knows? I think it's a bit unlikely. Is Prost having gearbox trouble? I can't tell you. And since P, uh, Prost is unlikely to come on the radio and let me know you'll have to guess along with me."

"ANNDD! We have a, uh, I - (laughing) - I, uh, I'm S- (still laughing). I have to eat humble pie again, for all the people out there. Uh, we have a lap scorrring problem and, uh, I have to rather lamely tell you that, uh, it's still Gerhard Berger in 2nd place. It's Berger in 3rd position. In four- in- in-. Um, Boutsen in 3rd position..."

"That's 55 laps completed by both Prost and Berger and and and and and the expeeerrrienced Alain Prost is really responding."

"And there's the man in the green flag!"

"The Jordan factory is at the factory gates"


Mike Griffiths
"...and there's no damage to the car.....except to the car itself."

"The beak of Ayrton Senna's chicken is pulling ahead"

Helen Gerald
'and I interrupt myself to bring you this....'

and the catchphrase 'Unless I'm very much mistaken....I AM very much mistaken!'

Colin Reed
"This is an interesting circuit because it has inclines, and not just up, but down as well."

"Only a few more laps to go and then the action will begin, unless this is the action, which it is."

"This has been a great season for Nelson Piquet, as he is now known, and always has been"

"And the first five places are filled by five different cars."

Kevin Lee's
"...the lead is now 6.9 seconds. In fact it's just under 7 seconds"

"Tambay's hopes , which were nil before, are absolutely zero now."

"You can't see a digital clock because there isn't one."

Stu Soltysiak
"...and Blundell is doing very well in sixth position...in fact he's lapping 2.5 seconds faster than Blundell who is in fifth position" [PF: Given the trouble Murray had with Brundle and Blundell perhaps it's fortunate that Mark's racing in the USA now. How on earth will he cope with Schumacher and Schumacher?]

"We're watching the Finnish Driver who is third, but he won't for very much llllong...oh yeah, he might be actually"

"And an enormous gap building before Mika Hakkinen goes through in third position...when I say enormous it's 1.5 seconds"

"Schumacher is still the fastest man on the track, not only by virtue of the fact that he leads the Australian Grand Prix, but he also holds the fastest lap"

"Eddie Irvine with smoke pouring up from the eng...I suspect something's locked up and he's out of the race"

JP: "And Alesi spins there...spins out of the race, surely... "Yes!...NO! Alesi manages to keep the engine, does not stall, but of course he will have lost the place I think. No! he's kept the place"

"Yes, the beauty of this race is that it is totally unpredictable"

"Michael Schumacher leading Damon Hill by four tenths of a second or so, because it's moving...[cut to Hill under Schu's rear wing] AND THAT'S NOT FOUR TENTHS OF A SECOND! That's Michael Schumacher!"

Anthony Long
"The Italian GP at Monaco..."

"I'm applying intelligence and observation to the situation..."

"Schumacher's appeal for ignoring the chequered flag is next Tuesday."

...the enthusiastic enthusiasts... (Italy 1994)

"Martin's got a bald spot - he won't be pleased..." (Germany, 1994, as Brundle retires, and climbs out of the car. Murray stops talking about the broken McLaren as soon as he sees Martin's head)

"...and Andretti is going very slowly - he must have an electrical problem of some sort... "(Andretti is touring on three wheels, having hit something solid) [PF: this reminds me of several Ferrari retirements which were described as "electrical problems". Mechanics would give the lie to this saying things like "yes, it was an electrical problem. A conrod went through the block and knocked the distributor off!"]

Dave Oldcorn
...but Here is Now and There is Damon Hill [PF adds: nice bit of Iambic Pentameter there]

Steven Wheeler
"So now you're looking at the battle between Frentzen and Herbert for 7th place. Heinz Harald Frentzen in the Sauber Mercedes behind Johnny Herbert, behind him Johnny Herbert in his first race in the Ligier Renault..."

Evan Metcalf
`Ukyo Katayama is undoubtedly the best formula 1 driver that grand prix racing has ever produced' [then again, there's probably people on the net who believe this�.]

...and the Peugeot cup of misery is filled past overflowing...

Chris Simpson
Murray: "And there are flames coming from the back of Prost's car as he enters the swimming pool."
James: "Well, that should put them out then."

John McIlroy
Rallycross at Lydden Hill. "And Keith Ripp comes round Chesson's Drift, avoids the Hatter's bank..." [upon which little yellow Mini commences its ascent] "... BUT HE DOES NOT!!!!!" [Mini now 30 feet in air, lands heavily and performs six rolls before stopping] "...and BANG, BANG, OVER, OVER goes the Mini..." A quality moment.

Ted Henderson
"Alesi is in second place and Hill is in second place..."

"As you can see, visually, with your eyes..."

Andrew Wood
"Andrea de Cesaris...the man who has won more Grands Prix than anyone else without actually winning one of them."

Steven Jeffery
"And here comes Berger, out of Tabac and into the swimming pool." -- Gerhard wasn't emulating Alberto Ascari [and Paul Hawkins], however, and carried on past the swimming pool!

Anthony Holloway
'Oh that's the Forti, and, it looks like, err, its Roberto Moreno's car , the err Brazilian .. I was going to say the elderly Brazilian , he's only 36 but he's actually the oldest driver in the race at the present moment, though he's just retired from it!'

'Hill, Hill ... Hill is in, he's beneath me now.. .and he's got slicks! its slicks! he got a new set of slicks! this is strange' (as it was raining!)

Erik Michael
"....Schumacher crosses the line to start another lap, and there's nothing there!"

Helen Gerald
'Right underneath me, Michael Schumacher!'

'Jonathan, you're the ace forecaster...' (really?)

'I hate to be a Jeremiah, but I have to tell you that the clouds are lowering...'

'The plot thickens, because the Williams team are out now.'

Tony Jardine; 'The Benetton man doesn't know what day it is!' (Who does?)

(as the coverage flips back and forth, missing the interesting bits) 'It's not my job to produce the programme, so I'll say nothing!' (Good point, Murray, definite 'could do better' for the French producer)

Mike Bees
and (during one of the practice sessions "... this is the part of the circuit where the Williams tends to be, not tends to be is slower than the Benetton historically, today."

Jon Jennings
"And an enormous gap now building before Mika Hakkinen goes through in third place. When I say enormous, it's one and a half seconds."

"The Benetton handling superbly as ever. Williams have worked very very hard on this car at the beginning of the season."

"That's not four tenths of a second. Look at it. It's Michael Schumacher."

(talking about bumps and puddles in the circuit, which Jonathan Palmer used to test on when McLaren had Honda engines.....) ".....and there's few [drivers] that know them more and even less better than you Jonathan....."

And we have had 5 races so far this year, Brazil, Argentina, Imola, Schumacher and Monaco!

And Damon Hill is coming into the pit lane, yes it's Damon Hill coming into the Williams pit, and Damon Hill in the pit, no it's Michael Schumacher!

Monaco:-
"And there's a dry line appearing in the tunnel" (pause while he realises what he's just said) "Obvious really as it has a roof"

[PF: that's one of only two Walker GP commentaries I've missed, one when I was in the USA (I see what they mean about Daly and Varsha!) and Monaco '96, and by God I wished there was some dry there, I got thoroughly soaked!]

Belgium:-
"And the Williams pit are getting ready for Hill, the tyre coolers are coming off"

Belgium '96:
"...and now, just in case there is any CONFUSION (operative term here) this is the race order on lap 19: David Coulthard leads and has yet to stop; Hakkinen leads and has yet to stop..."

"The McLaren is being pushed by the Mercedes"

[PF: Given '95 and early '96 McLaren performances, who knows!]

"A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play" [he once worked in advertising]

"Bolster's gone off!" [his first words on the BBC in 1949] [PF: John Bolster was later technical editor of Autosport and himself known as a BBC commentator in later years, usually working with Raymond Baxter]

"Nigel Mansell - the man of the race - the man of the day - the man from the Isle of Man"

"An Achilles heel for the McLaren team this year, and it's literally the heel because it's the gearbox"

"And now the boot is on the other Schumacher" [PF: One I suppose we'll see lots of next year ]

"The atmosphere is so tense you could cut it with a cricket stump"

"Alain Prost is in a commanding second place" [PF: Worthy of Nigel Roebuck at his most Prostophilic!]

"Now the Frenchman Jacques Lafitte is as close to Surer as Surer is to Lafitte"

"I don't make mistakes. I make prophecies which immediately turn out to be wrong" [Murray on his style of commentary]

"I am inclined to go over the top and I know it. I am communicating an electric situation"

"I like to think I come over as a slightly over-the-top enthusiast. It is a very exciting sport after all"

[after Derek Warwick spun at Monaco ending up facing the wrong way...] "Now he must not go the wrong way round the circuit, and unless he can spin himself stationary through 360 degrees I fail to see how he can avoid doing so."

[possibly Murray's most ecstatic moment when Mansell passed Senna to win in Hungary after starting well down the grid] "He's going for it! OH MY GOODNESS...HE'S THROOOOOOUGH!!!"

"We're now on the 73rd lap and the next one will be the 74th." [Monaco 1992]

"James has just nipped out to have a look at the far side of the circuit" [Actually James Hunt would leave the commentary box to smoke a joint!]

"If they have any shillelaghs in Suzuka, they'll be playing them

tonight." [after Eddie Irvine's 6th place in his first grand prix] [PF: I think Eddie and Ayrton Senna were using shillelaghs correctly somewhere else at about that time ]

"He's watching us from hospital with his injured knee"

"In his quiter moments he sounds like his trousers are on fire" [Clive James on Murray Walker]

"Mansell is slowing it down, taking it easy. Oh no he isn't! It's a lap record."

"It's not quite a curve, it's a straight actually." [PF: I assume this is actually referring to the Tamburello at Imola]

"And Senna wins the 1999 Monaco Grand Prix" [from the 1990 Monaco GP] [PF: Alas�]

[hysterical as ever] "And that's Alboreto OFF!" [long pause - somber voice] "Now Michele Alboreto did not in fact qualify for the race, so how we managed to see him go off I don't know. We'll let you know." [Even longer pause, now laughing] "Now I'm

not a technician, but it appears a shot of Michele Alboreto going off in qualifying has crept into this live transmission, thank you Mr. Producer, anyway that was qualifying, this is the race..."

[Alesi, then in a Tyrrell, was passed by Senna at Detroit, or was he...] "And Senna's going through on the inside, or is he, YES!, but now Alesi has the inside, side by side, Alesi! Wow! Great Stuff!" [PF: It was, too - one of the finest battles for years!]

Hungarian GP
"This race will actually develop into a Grand prix"
'..and Damon Hill is following Damon Hill'

'Jean Alesi is 4th and 5th'

'Schumacher has made his final stop three times!'

'And he has been lapped 9th, 10th, 11th' This was in reference to Jacques Villeneuve, who was leading at the time, and there were only 11 cars running anyway!

'Nigel Mansell had a problem with the wheel-nut on his Williams, then he went on to win brilliantly for Ferrari!'

And finally, one from the Nurburgring. Jacques Villeneuve is just making the last turn on the last lap. 'I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that Jacques Villeneuve is going to keep the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher behind him and win his first GP....'

"And the car upside down is a Toyota" [PF: At the time, Toyota were using the slogan "The car in front is a Toyota"; in this race, both works Toyotas took each other out�]

Hungarian GP
"It has all come alive in Hungary. There is the proof! Williams! Benetton! Ferrari! The Benetton is Berger and the Ferrari is Damon Hill!"

"And Damon Hill is going under the drier part of the Monaco circuit, that's of course because it's got a roof"

"And that just shows you how important the car is in Formula One racing"

"I know it's an old cliche, but you can cut the atmosphere with a cricket stump"

"And Olivier Panis justifiably wins such a well deserved Grand Prix" (in which Hill, Schumacker, Alessi, Berger and Villeneuve all came off and only 4 out of 20 drivers finished) [PF: I beg to differ. I was there, Panis drove mightily all weekend, and was extremely quick in the wet. Admittedly, the guy who most deserved to win was Frentzen, but�]

"People ask me who's going to be the next Hill, the next Schumacher, and I keep saying to watch out for Mika Salo" (Salo crashes a few laps later)

(Schumacher is coming out the pit lane ahead of Villeneuve) "And Schumacher overtakes Villeneuve. Oh, no he doesn't! Oh, yes he does!"

"Stop! Stop! Look! Look! It's a Williams, and I'm guessing that's Jacques Villeneuve, I can't tell you for sure because I can't see from here. And so Villeneuve retires .... it's Hill! Damon Hill is out of the Monza Grand Prix!"

and of course the all time classic

"They're now on lap 68, which means there's one, two, three, four, five laps to go before the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix" (hey, kids, learn to count with Murray.....)

My personal favourite is from a British GP, describing a pit stop. "And he's done that in a whisker under 10 seconds, call it 9.7 in round figures".

"And the brilliant Williams duo of Graham Hill and Gilles Villeneuve are turning this into a magnificent race"

"Into lap 53, the penultimate last lap but one"

"Nigel Mansell is the last person in the race apart from the five in front of him."

(Suzuka, 1996, talking about when he was hit by a wheel) "It hit me, and I felt it."

Nelson Piquet pulled into the pits for a a tyre change in his Brabham, and Murray says: "I'll stop my startwatch"

"And Damon Hill is six.....1!2!3!4!5!6! seconds ahead!", "Schumacher started 22nd- he's gone past 21!20!19!18!17!",

"And Hill congratulates Schumacher. They're not bosom buddies, but they're not far off!" (Hill was actually critising Schumacher for heavy-handed driving tactics after the 1995 Belgian GP).

"There goes Panis in the Prost. For years we knew them as Ligiers, because that is what they were called."

And I usually say that if anything is going to go wrong with the car, it has done by now, but I'm not going to say that about Jacques Villeneuve.... Oh, I already have. (Brazil 1997)

'And Michael Schumacher is in the pits!' (he was out by then,although he was probably in the garage or somthing.)

"Rally points scoring is 20 for the fastest, 18 for the second fastest, right down to 6 points for the slowest fastest."

Murray: There's a car coming into the pits now, they're so unreliable with all those electronics on board.
James: Actually, Murray, one of his wheels has just fallen off!

1986 Australian Grand Prix: And OFF SPINS PIQUET - Wowee!

And LOOK AT THAT ... out ... that ... and colossal ... it.. that's Mansell ... that is NIGEL MANSELL (Nigel Mansell's infamous tyre blowout)

Spin, spin, spin - round, round, round he goes (Senna completing a 900 (!) degree spin at the approach to the Hairpin onto Pit Straight)

The backwards-facing camera from Martin Brundle's car saw the McLaren bearing down on it like Jaws... (Senna running into the back of Brundle's Brabham)

This referring to Rubens Barichello's pit stop time: "I didn't see the time, largely because there wasn't one."

"The two Britons running in second and third, Irvine and Fisichel...Herb...er...oh..."

"And remember that Jacques Villeneuve is a SICK man." Referring to Jacques' illness during the race.

'and thats one of the mechanics using a feeler guage to measure the depth of tread in the slick'.

"and this is ralf schumacher the youngest driver in f1 at only 21 yearS old, and of course he is the son of twice world champion Michael!" (PF: Any rumours that Gina Maria Schumacher already has an F3000 drive are entirely false, of course!)

Monza 96. Remember those stupid tyre stacks on the kerbs which got scattered around the track on the first lap? Camera cuts to single tyre in the middle of the track. Murray:" And look at that tyre! Someone had better go and get that quickly. (As if on cue, marshall runs out and grabs it) WELL DONE LAD!!!!!"

Qualifying Imola 97 "Heinz-Harald Frentzen. The man with all the luck, and it's all bad." (admittedly this only happened last weekend so chances are it wouldn't appear in the web site, but still a good one, don't you think?)

Murray: Eddie Irvine is in the pit lane.
Camera flashes to an empty Ferrari pit with mechanics milling about. Martin: "I think he ... ahh ... didn't come in."
A little later when it was obvious (to Murray) that Eddie didn't come in. "We all make mistakes, and I certainly made a whopper there."

Near the end. "He (Jackie Stewart) will not produce a winner, but if he can produce second, it will be the next best thing."

"...and if you look back 4 seconds...no, 31 seconds...!" (Murray Walker invents Time Travel, Imola, 27th. April 1997)

"And Panis is almost literally laughing his head of in that car."

(This occurred when Eddie Irvine was give a 10 second penalty for blocking in the Spanish GP)
Murray : FERRARI OUT !!! (of the race) Thats Eddie Irvine ! !
Martin : That's Eddie Irvine taking his 10 second penalty there.

(this occured just AFTER Coulthard had attempted to pass M. Schumacher and failed)

Murray : And Coulthard is now on the inside, AND HE'S GOING THROUGH!!! (add appropriate excitement)
Martin : That's a replay, Murray.
Murray : .... while I tell you the retirements are Barrichello, Mika Salo, NAKANO, Damon Hill and SHINJI NAKANO. (He somehow excluded R. Schumacher and Katayama who had also retired at this stage.) #

"If I was Michael Schumacher.... which of course I am not..."

"And the track temperature has in fact risen in degrees!"

"Well he's world champion, and we only get one of those a year."

"And the first three cars are all Escorts, which isn't surprising as this is an all Escort race"

"I should imagine that the conditions in the cockpit are unimaginable!"

"And will Jacques Villeneuve be racing with Williams next year? Well, we will only know that in the future."

The camera was with Hakkinen for awhile and Murray was talking about him. Then it switched to Coulthard who of course was leading. Then Murray starts talking about "the flying Finn in front from Scotland"...

"We're watching Ralf Schumacher... son, of course of double world champion Michael Schumacher..... er, the brother of Michael Schumacher...."

"And I can now tell you that Eddie Irvine is in the pit lane! " (Actually, Irvine drove straight past the entrance to the pit lane and into his next lap...)

1996 British Grand Prix: "And there go the Red Arrows, they'll be back home in Lincolnshire in just four minutes " Five minutes later the Arrows fly over my house and into RAF Brize Norton - 40 miles south of Silverstone!

"And that piece of water on the right is not the St. Lawrence Seaway,\ it is the olympic rowing strip which I have walked down."

"Barrichello, when asked yesterday how he thought he would go tomorrow, which is now today..."

"A battle is developing between them...I say developing because it's not yet on."

"Hello...hello...three wheels, three wheels on my wagon... but.... OH!!!!..... it's Nakano..." (Murray speaking as if it's a perfectly natural sight to see Shinji Nakano driving along with only 3 wheels)

On Martin's apparent offer to drive for some team:
Martin: "Eeally Murray, I couldn't bear to lose you. I'd miss you too much!"
Murray: "Flattery will get you everywhere!"
After Vil's horror pit stop: "If looks could kill then everyone in the Williams pit would drop dead!\ Because Patrick Head has a face like thunder!"
"Well, that's not bad team work, that's not bad drill, that's not bad organisation, it's just BAD LUCK!! And that is something you don't expect to happen!"
On the order: "Ferrari leads, McLaren second, McLaren second, Jordan third and Benneton\ Fifth and sixth." (Hey, I thought he could count laps!)
On Ferrari pit stops: "And the Ferrari team are getting ready to bring in Schumacher or is it Irvine? Well, it could be either. I suspect that its going to be Irvine because he clearly cannot do anything about Ralf Schumacher in front of him. He might as well come in and change his tyres and wheels and hope that in effect he will have a quicker pit stop than Schumacher has when he comes in and pass him in the pits to gain a place and move up in the points. But we will see." Martin: "Look! Its Schumacher coming in!"

M. Iliff
"Schumacher wouldn't have let him past voluntarily. Of course he did it voluntarily, but he had to do it"

"And here is Gabriele Tarquini in 3rd place who has already driven for 31 Formula One Grand Prix teams.... Ahum.... i don't know if we've have that many but i'm sure that if we did so Gabriele didn't drive for all of them!!!"

"....and Berger finishes his flying lap to begin a quick one..."

"I can't believe what's happening visually, in front of my eyes".

Murray: How do they do that, Martin? How does a man talk calmly and\ especially to his team boss, when Damon in the situation he's in?
Martin: Well, you press a little button on the steering wheel and start\ talking, Murray. There's a little speaker in the front of your crash\ helmet..."

Murray - "First man out is Marques in the Arrows. Of course he's going out early to generate some media interest"
Martin - "I'm sure he would generate some interest if he went out in the Arrows because Marques drives for Minardi"

"Well, now, Villeneuve is now twelve seconds ahead of Villeneuve"

"The European drivers have adapted to this circuit extremely\ quickly, especially Paul Radisich who's a New Zealander"

(MW was discussing Nigel Mansell's way of keeping calm in the car -- reciting nursery rhymes over the radio...):

"The thought of, um... er Nigel, twinkle twinkle little star, makes the mind boggle."

During a BTCC race at Silverstone a few years ago, Louise Aitken-Walker and James Weaver were dicing for a midfield place, when Wheaver, in the BMW, unfortunatly miss timed his overtaking manouver on the exit of Woodcote corner taking the both of them out of the race. An extremely upset Aitken-Walker stomped over to Weaver's BMW and told him in no uncertain terms exactly what she though of his passing skills. To which Murray commented, "Hell hath no fury like a Woman being rammed!".

"I've no idea what Eddie Irvine's orders are, but he's following them superlatively well."

After Irvine had shot off the front of the pack: "And here comes Irvine, way ahead of the rest, now crossing the road... start line, even..."

A rather frequent (but nonetheless funny every time I hear it) Walkerism came when Murray was doing one of his classic "Team Tactic Analysis" things... "If I was Michael Schumacher - and I'm not..."

When Hill held up Schumacher..." 'Out of my way, Damon!' says Schumie 'Come on... Out of my way...' Finally, the current World Champion lets the World Champion through."

And, back when Irvine did his 'scalded cat' thing at the start: "Andandandandandand! And look at Irvine!!!!!"

"I don't know my Madrids from my Jerez" (to which Brundle was heard to chuckle 'shall I cancel my hotel in Madrid then?')
"David Coulthard's engine sounds more like a Zeppelin than a Mercedes"

"Stewart have two cars in the top five - Magnusson 5th and Barichello 6th" -- Nurburgring '97

"Frentzen is taking, er..., reducing that gap between himself and Frentzen."

"And Derek Warwick is driving an absolutely pluperfect race"

and Nakano is being lapped, will he pull over ... he does .. Shinji, you are a Japanese Gentleman! (nice one Murray .. HE CAN REALLY HEAR YOU!)

Murray: Ferrari won't be developing their car anymore this season,
Brundle: How do you know that?
Murray: I was there when I said it

"The two McLaren drivers are so hot they look like 2 fried lobsters in silver suits"

"That's history. I say history because it happened in the past"

"David Coulthard in his nun's outfit"

"Rene Arnoux is coming into the pits ... lets stop the startwatch"

"IF... is a very long word in Formula 1..."

"..in fact IF is F1 spelt backwards!"

"It's lap 26 of 58, which unless I'm very much mistaken is half way"

"BMW who are entriely new to F1... since they left it so long ago."

"Two McLarens on the first row of the grid, two Ferarri's on the first row of the grid..."

Melbourne 2000 - Murray on M Schumacher's fight for championship glory with Ferrari: "...and it's something he's been trying to achieve since he left Benetton in 1958!"

St�phane L�ger
"Blown it for Ferrari!!!......Blown it for Irvine!!!.......I don't know what happened, but there was a major malmisorganization problem there!!!"

Monaco GP 1982
"Patrese's going again. He's just gone past us but with no hope of catching Pironi, who goes into the tunnel for the last time ... IS THAT PIRONI STOPPING? IT IIIIIS! MY GOODNESS - THE THIRD LEADER IN TWO LAPS!"

Commentating on Malcolm Wilson driving a Mk II Escort through a rally stage

"And for real, spectacular driving - watch this!" [Wilson rolls the car approximately 5 seconds later]

"..and Micheal Schumacher is leading Micheal Schumacher"

Marcus Hastings
Imola 1994: (circulating behind pace car) "And this is the scene from Ayrton Senna's mirror... sorry, from his camera!"

Barcelona 1993: "And Prost is going for it! With Senna- with both of them! James Hunt: "That's a replay of the start."

Adelaide 1992: (Shouting with excitement) "...And Berger challenges for the lead! AND TAKES IT! WOWEE! No he doesn't! Patrese takes it back. Now that its a classic example of overcooking things!"

Silverstone 1988: "Nigel Mansell has come up from 7th to 6th to 4th to 5th and now to 3rd, and this is lap 23!"

Monaco 1981: (Water is pouring onto the track in the tunnel) "...and that could be, to put it very mildly indeed, suicidally dangerous"

"And here comes Mika Hakkinen, double world champion twice over..."

During an on-board shot in a BTCC car, the driver points at the car in front and gives him a two fingered salute to which Murray says "You're first and I'm second to you!"

Again, during and on-board shot of a BTCC race, the driver gives the car in front a one fingered salute, and Murray covers for the younger viewers with "I'm going for first!"

When Mansell was disqualfied from Portuguese GP "Its Senna, its Senna," Pause, "its either Mansell or Senna."

When Mansell was driving for Williams and used to lead by over 30 seconds " Mansell has made himself a comfortably cushion, well, its actually more like a lounge suite."

When Pedro Diniz Sauber caught fire " Fire! Fire!, Diniz in the oven"

When Schumacher left garage to start qualifying run - "Heeeaaarrrs Michael"

BTCC at Silverstone where John Cleland is stuck behind a smoking car, John sticks his fingers up at the car behind and Murray replies

"Yes, John you're still second"

"Keke three happy years with Williams including a world championship"
Keke Rosberg puts 4 fingers up
"Keke four very happy years with Williams including a world championship"

Detroit 1982, Murray is describing John Watson's surge up the field, A race he went on to win - "He's going through the field like a hot knife through butter"

BTCC at Donington, Derek Warwick's Alfa hits a BBC camera - "He's broken our camera lens that'll be six grand please Derek"

Rallycross and boxer Barry McGiugan rolls his Vauxhall Nova at the first turn - "I bet he wished he'd stayed in the ring"

Snetterton 1993, a big pile-up at the start of the BTCC race show an on-board view of Jeff Allam's involvment in the crash - "Allam's in trouble, Matt Neal has hit him, they'll be some panel bashing tonight I can tell you"

A quote on Formula 1 99 for the PlayStation - "If you haven't got you're heart in your mouth, then you jolly well should have"

Monaco 1988, where Murray is saying that been a crash in this race - "There hasn't been a real crash in this race....BUT THERE IS ONE, BANG!, oh my goodness that's Phillipe Alliot" (Not to my suprise that it was that clumsy Frenchman)

And James Hunt was a bit surly on him too, Jerez 1990 when Mansell just lapped him in his Ligier and he tries to fight back but (unsuprisingly) crashes - "And Mansell was a bit worried about that ridiculous piece of driving by Alliot"

Rallycross "I think that's it, I don't think Gollop has a chance of.....YES HE IS!!!, YES HE IS!!!, I was just about to say that Will Gollop hadn't got a hope of passing Martin Schanche when he did it in front of my eyes"

Monaco 1993 "Now is Damon Hill going to go through, because this looks like a slow pit stop, HILL IS LEADING, Damon Hill goes through and Ayrton Senna is still in the pit lane"

A few minutes later - "And Ayrton Senna IS still in the lead, I'm sorry it was Alain Prost that went through"

The same race and Jean Alesi and Riccardo Patrese are battling for a position - "Are they gonna through, or are they going to touch wheels, they've done that, Patrese has held his place, and that means that...Oh Sorry!! Alesi has held his place"

Brazil 1989, and as Nigel Mansell crosses the finish line, Murray seems to be pre-occupied about the idiot crossing the track (So it wasn't only Hockenheim 2000) - "What a fool running across the track, a raving lunatic"

"And that's the big disadvantage of getting you're line wrong"

"And the other four non-qualifiers are the two Ligier's of Stefan Johansson and Rene Arnoux, Julian Bailey's Tyrrell, and I couldn't remember the fourth one"

Mexico 1990, Mansell's famous overtaking manouvere on Gerhard Berger unsuprisingly led Murray into his usual excitement "AND MANSELL GOING ROUND THE OUTSIDE, INCREDIBLE!!!!"

Canada 1997 And Jacques Villeneuve spins out of his home race, causing Derek Warwick to correct Murray - M.W "And Heinz-Harald Frentzen Spins out at Montreal"
D.W "It's Villeneuve, Murray"
M.W "IT'S VILLENEUVE, JACQUES VILLENEUVE IS OUT OF THE RACE"
Brands Hatch BTCC in 1995, John Cleland's crash "Cleland loses it in a big way, into the tyres and off, OH JARB!!"

Croft 1997 "And this is James Thompson in the Honda and this is a spin in this is the armco and this is not what's supposed to happen"

"You might not think that's cricket, and it's not, it's motor racing"

Monaco 1981 after Gilles Villeneuve crosses the line "One of the most exciting Grand Prix's in a sucsession of exciting Grand Prix's"

"Freedom of Budapest for Bernie Ecclestone. Theres a laugh. He could buy the place and still have enough left for Berlin."

John Gibson
Look up there!! That's the sky!!!'

David Crick
A good example of the famous Murray Walker kiss of death (from Brazil 2000):
Murray : "McLaren - if they can keep going of course - are going to close up on Ferarri in the Constructors Championship, a bit, becuase....."
Martin : "Problem!"
Murray : "Into the pitlane comes the race leader Mika Hakkinen." (to retire).

From the British Grand Prix 2000:
Jim R.: "[It's over to] the big Easter Bunny of Formula 1, Murray Walker."
Murray: "I don't know about the big Easter Bunny, Jim. I used to go to the Bunny Club in Park Lane quite a lot, but my wife's watching the programme so enough of that!"

"Jenson Button is in the top ten, in eleventh position."

Spain 2000:
"Aaaand look at this..."

"The man who is going against the grain, literally, in terms of tyre choice is Michael Schumacher."

"...and Barrichello goes through - wow! Fantastic, fantastic! Barrichello takes both of them, Michael goes down to 5th place and Ralf Schumacher goes to 4th!" (some real racing gets Murray going on full throttle)

"I remember in Imola, I went up to three Union Jack-wrapped chaps after Nigel Mansell had won a race, and said 'That wasn't bad, was it?', and they said 'Que?' - they were all Italians!"

"So while we wait for them to come on to the podium, and I'll interrupt myself when they do..."

Nurburgring 2000:
Murray: "It would be wonderful for David Coulthard, for McLaren and for Britain if he could get Pole Position, because he has yet to get one this year, and I have seldom been anything like as much impressed as I was by his dignity and fortitude in the face of enormous adversity at the British Grand Prix meeting two weeks ago."
Martin: "I was in Spain a few weeks ago, Murray. I think we were both there."
Murray: "Just making sure you were awake there, Martin. Glad you were."

"So let's assume that Michael Schumacher wins this race, whoa!" (Schuey slides on a white line just as Murray talks about him)

Monaco 2000:
"And in front of David Coulthard, the scarlet McLaren of four-times Monaco Grand Prix winner, Michael Schumacher."

James: "Situations like this, Murray, sometimes give rise to the funniest little things. There's one portable toilet at the end of the pit-lane. Michael Schumacher decided immediately upon rejoining the grid he wanted to go to it. And shortly afterwards Mika Hakkinen and Ralf Schumacher arrived and had to stand in an orderly queue while Michael spent a penny, and they all came back out again."
Murray: "So the Germans got to the loo first of all."

Canada 2000:
Ron Dennis may have got the CBE - and he richly deserves it - but having successfully overcome the combined efforts of two very determined security men to prevent me getting into the commentary box, I think I deserve one too!" [You'll just have to make do with your OBE then Murray!]

"Coulthard is the only man who is holding a candle to Michael Schumacher, and that candle is under the Ferrari's rear wing, because Coulthard is now within half a second of Schumacher's Ferrari."

Germany 2000:
"There's three Germans here at Hockenheim in the race tomorrow, if they all qualify. Four Germans - the Schumacher brothers, and Frenzten and Heidfeld." (Murray does Python)

"When you walk round the Hockenheimring, it's quite a spooky feeling, because you've just got these enormous, dark, satanic pine trees all around you, and it's as quiet as a mouse."

"This is, very literally, the calm before the storm."

"I have to say it again - in Formula 1 anything can happen, and it usually does. And everything has happened in this quite amazing motor race."

"Frentzen attack! attack! attack!"

"If you believe in Ferrari get down and pray, because Rubens Barrichello is on his last lap on what is looking like his first victory."

Hungary 2000:
"Totally unpredictable, what is going to happen in this race. All that you can say at the present moment is that the two fastest men this year in Hungary are up at the front on the grid."

"Two lights on, three lights on, four lights on, five laps on..."

"McLaren and Ferrari have won six races each this year. Mika Hakkinen has won three, David Coulthard has won three, Michael Schumacher has won five and Rubens Barrichello has won five."

Belgium 2000: Murray is interviewing Jenson Button in the Williams hospitality area. From where he is sitting and with the angle of the camera, part of the signage is obscured so now reads "MW.WilliamsF1Team". (Murray finally lives his dream!)

"Replay through the Bus Stop of Jarno Trulli. And those kerbs with their saw teeth - s-a-w - really do give the car and the driver a shaking."

Murray: "...5th is Jenson Button, terrific stuff.." Martin: "Third, now!" Murray: "AAAND LOOK AT THAT! THIS YOUNG MAN IS INCREDIBLE!"

Murray: "Button into the right hander and out of it, and the gap between him and Mika Hakkinen IS A MERE THREE TENTHS OF A SECOND. IF HE KEEPS THIS UP HE'S GOING TO GO UP TO THE SECOND PLACE ON THE GRID, BECAUSE JARNO TRULLI'S TIME WAS 7-TENTHS OF A SECOND SLOWER THAN THAT OF MIKA HAKKINEN. LOOKING SMOOTH, LOOKING CLEAN, LOOKING TOTALLY IN CONTROL OF THINGS. INTO THE BUS STOP, OUT OF THE BUS STOP, OVER THE LINE WILL GO JENSON BUTTON AND HE IS IN
. . . . . . . . . . . ."
Martin: "Stays third."
(Murray sounds totally crest-fallen, or maybe just out of breath!)

"Yes! Jean Alesi has just gone round in 2 minutes and 2 seconds, so that's three seconds faster in the Prost than Alesi in the McLaren."

Italy 2000:
"Mazzacane competed in Touring Cars and the obligatory kart racing and in Formula 3 for a couple of years before he went to the inevitable Formula 3000. Although it's not so inevitable these days - Jenson Button has avoided it and so has Luciano Burti."

"But Jarno Trulli is not having a nightmare as he comes down to the Barrichello for what will be the last time..." (unfortunately for Murray, the Italians have not yet named a chicane after the Brazilian!)

"Ferrari are having a bit of a renaissance here in Italy."

USA 2000:
"The amazing thing to me is that this 2.6 mile Grand Prix circuit is all inside the Super Speedway at Indianapolis, which is actually a slightly shorter lap length than the Grand Prix circuit. Seems strange, but it's the twisty bits that do it."

"Three very interesting personalities from our point of view - David Coulthard from Twynholm, up in Scotland; Jenson Button from Bicester; Jarno Trulli, the Italian - and James Allen, the Englishman, has some news for us."

"I feel a bit like a starving man in Harrods food hall, and it's great."

"Two World Championship leaders on the front row. Mika Hakkinen, 80 points. Alongside him, Michael Schumacher, 78 points. Mika Hakkinen on the second row of the grid..."

"This is Ayrton Senna in reverse."

Martin: "And look - Mika Hakkinen waving his arm. And maybe he doesn't realise - I mean it's the first time ever he's racing that Minardi for position."
Murray: "And Mazzacane is in third place, he's in a podium position! He's not going to give up - he should do of course! Now where are the blue flags?"
Martin: "No, there are no blue flags, Murray. He's in third. He should not have a blue flag. He is racing for position." (Murray seems as confused about it as Hakkinen!)

"Mika Hakkinen WAS two points ahead of Michael Schumacher. If - capital I, capital F - IF Michael Schumacher wins this race, he will be eight points ahead of Mika Hakkinen."

"Have you ever seen so many people at a Formula 1 Grand Prix before? The answer's no, because there haven't been as many!"

Murray: "[This could] be [BAR's] first ever finish in a race with both their cars in the points."
Martin: "I hate to tell you, [but] Villeneuve and Zonta finished fourth and sixth in the very first race of the year, to give them a BAR-two-cars-in-the-top-six."

"Well, we've seen Ferrari sell a magnificent, enormous dummy - big enough to put in an elephant's mouth, never mind a baby's - to Jordan and Frentzen."

Japan 2000:
Jim R.: "We're a bit worried about these earthquakes. Did the earth move for you over there?"
Murray: "Not only the earth Jim, but the commentary box as well! It was the most incredible experience."

"So, up to the hairpin, which is the slowest corner on the course, of course - with the possible exception of the chicane."

"He's picked up the gauntlet. He saw it lying on the ground in front of the Ferrari, and Michael Schumacher is going for his 8th Pole Position of the year."

"Looking good for his 8th win of the year, which would make him World Champion for the third time. But let us not count any Ferrari chickens before they are hatched."

Malaysia 2000:
"Mika Hakkinen told an absolutely side-splittingly funny story [at Johnny Herbert's farewell party], about an experience he'd had with Johnny Herbert, but since this is a family show I'm not going to repeat it."

[Apparently, the Finn came back one day to their room, to find Herbert naked in the bath, playing with a rubber duck. 'It took me months to recover from the shock', joked Mika. -- David]

Murray: "David looking very chipper." (as he fiddles with his ear plugs)
Martin: "Yeah, it's always worrying if they drop inside your ear when you put those ear plugs in, you know. You have to fish them back out again, Murray."
(Murray pauses then starts laughing)
Martin: "I am joking! There's a void in there, most racing drivers have a void just the other side of the ears, and the ear plugs can actually fall all the way in sometimes."
Murray: "Sid Watkins, one of the world's top neurosurgeons, who looks after all the medical things for the FIA, said he recently had to do a brain-scan on a driver's head, and found nothing inside it, which didn't surprise him."

Martin: "Hakkinen frightened his way past Villeneuve, and you don't do that too easily to Jacques Villeneuve. A great move there from Hakkinen."
Murray: "Wake up on the left, there! This is a terrific race going on."
(A McLaren mechanic is lying down on the garage floor)

"and the rain came down and washed the circuit dry"

........and Schumacher has just completed lap 77 out of 73.

"...and HERE COMES DAMON HILL IN THE WILLIAMS!!!!.....this car is absolutely unique!....except for the one behind it....which is exactly the same..."

"Coulthard leads the Europe GP, and now all he needs to do is avoid trouble, OH THATS COULTHARD OUT!!!"

Murray: "Thats a Benetton upside down" Martin: "It's a Sauber"

" The Jordans lead on lap 40 and errr.. If you haven't got your heart in your mouth then you jolly well should have!"

"Damon Hill leads as Ayrton Senna sits in the pit lane!"
Moments later.. "ayrton Senna leads, it was the lapped car of Alain Prost that went through."

from Malaysia:
Murrayon hakkinen jumping the start.)"The advantage of jumping the start is that you can get away a lot quicker."

Martin; "I don't get what you're saying."

"And Michael is lapping about two seconds a lap slower than his brother Michael." (when M Schumacher was about to lap R Schumacher).

Murray:"And another one off, these gravell traps arnt slowing anybody down"
Martin:"That because there aren't any there Murray !"

Its the blackest day for grand prix racing since I started covering the sport

Germany 2000: Well, where's Mr. Half-wit now...
(referring to the former Mercedes employee on the track)

Suzuka 2000
"B.A.R are 4th in the constructors championship, this is an excellent performance considering their debut year in 1991!"

Belgium 1995 an after-race interview with Damon Hill
M.W "I have to tell you after the race when you were talking to Michael [Schumacher] I said that it proves that you are good friends with him, was it not that sort of conversation?"
D.H " Well not suprisingly Murray, you were wrong!"

"Martin Schanche's car is absouloutely unique except for the one behind which is identical"

"Renault team-mate's Alain Menu and Will Hoy are 1st and 2nd with James Thompson's Renault in 3rd"

M.W "Here comes the Minardi of Marc Gene!"
M.B "That's Badoer Murray!"

"You can't see Alesi's Ferrari because it isn't there!"

BTCC at Thruxton 1993 "Julian Bailey's Toyota is 1st, Cleland 2nd, Winkelhock 3rd, Cleland 4th and Bailey 5th, Hang on! it's Cleland leading with Bailey in 2nd, Radisich 3rd, and Bailey 4th, these lap times are seriously confusing me!, right I can now confirm that Winkelhock leads with Cleland 2nd, Bailey 3rd, Radisich in 4th and Soper 5th, Sorry Radisich is in 3rd and Bailey's 4th!" "Hard luck for Mansell, there he is, Mansell leaves the pits as I talk to you (the scene cuts to Mansell's Lotus), and that is Mansell.....well I can't understand..but he must have been going into the pits!" BTCC Brands Hatch 1994 Jeff Allam spins off as photographers loom! "And that's Allam of, OK to take a picture mate!"

BTCC at Donington 1996
"Biela leads with the two Volvo's of Rydell, Burt and Menu are 2nd, 3rd and 5th!"

Hockenheim 1988
Senna 1st, Prost 2nd and Berger 3rd that makes up the top four!"

Everett d'Entremont and Louise Weavers

Melbourne 2001
"if that's not not an engine failure,then i'm a chinaman"

BTCC at Snetterton 1997 : "Menu leads Plato second and Rydell is third with his Volvo team-mate James Thompson's Honda in fourth!"

"Senna is 3rd with Mansell 2nd and Piquet 3rd!"

Rallycross : "Martin Schanche is leading here but Schanche attacks a back-marker for the lead!"

"Here at Brands Hatch Will Gollop has a clear lead over Will Gollop"

BTCC 1992 : "With Tim Harvey in the lead by a clear margin it looks all but over but look at Will Hoy in second he is flying and Harvey's lead might be challanged here, all of you out there watch Hoy!" (Hoy crashes out as soon as Murray finishes!"

Rick Woolley Found the following to be a particularly good Walkerism during 2001 San Marino Grand Prix. Murray was trying to decide the strategy of the field, and made the following observation, almost as a one sentence statement.

"Are they on a one stopper? Are they on a two stopper? When I say 'they', who do I mean? Well, I don't know! It could be, any way!!"

What would we do without him??!!

Responding to Martin's quick notice of a Schumacher puncture -- Clearly visible due to a flapping left front:
"Well, Spotted Murray! Now, could you actually see that, or do you just instinctively know it to be true?" (Perhaps Murray suspects crystal balls will replace the monitors in the booth?)

"This will be Williams' first win since the last time a Williams won."

Murray: "And Barichello has a good chance to pass Trulli here..." Martin:"Actually, those waved yellow flags will prevent that in this section"

After Montoya expresses his frustration over yet another retirement: "Montoya, chipper and upbeat as usual..."

And finally,
"It looks very good for Williams, unless things change, and everything always changes in Formula One."

Imola 2001
"I�m in my usual state up here in the commentary box: high tension, heart beating like a trip hammer, whatever that is."

"So Ralf is the man in the lead and Ralf is Schumacher."

"Are they on a one-stopper? Are they on a two? And when I say they, who do I mean? Well, I don�t know. It could be anybody."

(after Frentzen spins in Monaco qualifying) "And look at his hands there. It's amazing what can happen if you press the wrong button; you can wind up getting a drink instead of maximum throttle."

Australia 2001
"If I was Paul Stoddart, I'd be nipping out with the Box Browning right now to take a photo of the timing screens, because Alonso is in third position, ahead of his team-mate Tarso Marques."

"Jean Alesi is reborn. Last year he was driving a car that he couldn't have done well in even if it had had two engines in it, nevermind one."

Murray: "Now we go on to another 16 races, the next one is at Brazil, Sao Paulo, in two weeks time."
Martin: "I'm going to Malaysia, first, Murray."

"And David Coulthard does stay ahead of Coulthard."

"It will have been another victory for the Ferrari quartet - Michael Shumacher, Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne, and, to make it five, Paulo Martinelli."

Malaysia 2001
"Lots of action still to come - carry on James!"

Murray: "That's Ralf Schumacher, you can see the cooling elements from his balaclava helmet sticking out over his forehead." (he keeps talking then realises...) "They're not the cooling elements - " (laughing) "that's his hair!"
Martin: "I can't think of a one-liner to come back in there, Murray!"
Murray: "Neither can I, except 'What am I saying?!'"

"This is a powerboat race, it's not a Formula 1 car race."

"Here's a sobering thought - despite his 46 wins, Michael Schumacher is still 100 points behind the biggest points winning driver of all time, Alain Prost." (yes, but there are still a maximum of 150 points left up for grabs this year alone...)

Imola 2001
Murray: "And you can see that [Irvine]'s really having to fight the McLaren as he comes round."
Martin: "I think Irvine definitely wishes it was a McLaren!"

"As ever, I say the man you have to beat first of all in a team is your team-mate."

"The difference between the Benetton and Minardi budgets; well there must be a word bigger than 'enormous', and that is it."

Monaco 2001
"It seemed a bit odd to be getting an award for enjoying yourself for the whole of your life!"

"Seven one-hundredths of a second off the pace - it is nothing. But nothing can be a great deal in Formula 1."

"LOOK AT THAT! THREEEE TENTHS OF A SECOND FASTER THAN MIKA HAKKINEN'S LAP, AND - ooooh dear Mika, David."

James: "Mika Hakkinen sitting in the car with his head rocking gently forwards and backwards."
Murray: "He'll need to get his right foot rocking backwards and forwards extremely vigorously from now on!"

"Sunshine by the truckload, glamorous women by the regiment, Grand Prix racing's most charismatic location - that is Formula 1 Monte Carlo style."

"A black, black race for the grey and black McLaren team."

"There are 7 winners of the monaco grand prix on the starting line today and four of them are Michael Schumacher"

From the Monaco Grand Prix qualifying session in 2001
"And the session will start in 3....8........9........0!"

From Hockenheim 2000
"There's a Ferrari in the wall! That must be Rubens Barrichello......tha..that must be Rubens Barri......or is it Schumacher! It's Schumacher!"

From the Spanish Grand Prix of 2001, Murray is giving us the top six, after Hakkinen retired on the last lap.
Murray Walker: "So Michael Schumacher has won, Montoya is second, and Hakkinen is third."
Martin Brundle: "Yes, remember Mika Hakkinen retired on the last lap though Murray....."

From Hockeinheim 2000
Brundle: 2 McLarens running line-astern, who will come in first?
Walker: Well,...
Brundle: If Coulthard goes around surely he'll catch the safety car
Walker: And,....
Brundle: And Mika is in Murray!
Walker: Yes, and...
Brundle: And look, Coulthard has to go around!
Walker: Well yes, they gave preference to Mika as I expected.

From the Monaco Grand Prix of 2001
"So this being Michael Schumacher's 10th race in his 151st year in F1"

"Now a tenth of a second is a blink of an eye. But when you're in the territory those two (Schumacher and Hakkinen) are in, you have to blink EVEN QUICKER!"

Geoff Hewitt

"A sad ending, albeit a happy one"

Murray: "It's Michael Schumacher fastest - he's already had eight pole positions this year - Hakkinen, Coulthard, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Schumacher, James Allen..."
James: "I haven't had any pole positions this year, but I'm down in the Ferrari garage."

"...Louise Allen..."

"Ralf Schumacher is in eighth position, behind Nick Heidfeld seventh, Rubens Barrichello, Louise Goodman..."

(out of nowhere and completely unrelated) "That young Damon Hill looks more like George Harrison every day, doesn't he?"

"I was just fantasising about being in the back of a camper with Beverley Turner."

Murray Walker: And now we have news from Louise Allen
Louise Goodman: Louise GOODMAN - Cheers Murray
Louise Goodman does her report and hands back with Murray Brundle!
"he is DOWN, DOWN, DOWN in the DUMPS, DUMPS, DUMPS."

And yet again, Damon Hill is modest in defeat.
This circuit is interesting because it has inclines and declines. Not just up, but down as well.
Jacques Villeneuve looks as if he is driving a Williams Renault motorboat. (Spain 96)
When it rains in Malaysia, it doesn't come down by the bucketful, but by the OCEANful. (Sepang 2001)

It looks as though this year there will be seventeen Grands Prix for the World Championship, compared with the traditional seventeen.
Now he must not go the wrong way round the circuit, and unless he can spin himself stationary through 360 degrees I fail to see how he can avoid doing so.
Fantastic!! There are four different cars filling the first four places!!
He can't decide whether to have his visor half open or half closed.
Either the car is stationary or it's on the move.
Even in five years' time, he (Coulthard) will still be four years younger than Damon Hill.
In 12th and 13th the two Jaguars of Eddie Irvine.
And Edson Arantes di Nascimento, commonly known to us as Pele hands the award to Damon Hill, commonly known to us as... Damon Hill!!!!
And Michael Schumacher is actually in a very good position. He is in last place.
There is nothing wrong with the car except that it is on fire.

"And Michael Schumacher is 37 seconds ahead, so he can refuel the car, change all four wheels, take off his helmet, have a smoke and a cup of tea, and rejoin in first."

Ian Dalby ' eight minutes past the hour here in belgium....and presumably eight minutes past the hour every where in the world'

"Reception"

Ralf Schumacher Michael has moved up to the position that..that...that...the other one isn't

Murray used to comentate on the British powerboat grand prix in the 1970's in Bristol Docks and two memorable quotes from there were:

"It's stopped raining now and the course is about to start drying out"

"The water here at Bristol is very rough so Renato Molinari and Tom Percival (the two top drivers) are running their long wheelbase boats this weekend".

"And this section is twenty-three seconds long absolutely full whack - but not for Bernoldi this lap, because he comes into the pit-lane!"

"And it's Bingo! Geronimo! for Ralf Schumacher!"

Martin: "Hakkinen is about to put it on Pole Position - the Old Man, the guy who's taking a sabbatical!"
Murray: "'So you can stick that in your exhaust pipe,' he says to Michael Schumacher."

Martin: "This is Montoya in Turn 3, and really had to turn into that slide as you would on the road in your road car."
Murray: "I don't get too many slides like that in my road car, Martin!"
Martin: "Well you're a very sensible chap, Murray!"

Murray: "Hullo! What's the significance of that [bag], Martin? What's he got?"
Martin: "Must be the cash, is it?"
Murray: (laughs) "I don't think so - I don't think Bernie would let that get out of his sight!"

Murray (To Damon Hill)): When did you realise that you had a puncture, Damon?

Damon Hill: When my tyre went down, Murray!

---

Гран-при Монако: Квалификация

Жемчужина чемпионата. Гран-при Монако. Очаровательная страна, знаменитейший гран-при, и - мастер-класс легенды. По-другому это и не назовешь.
Гран-при Монако - это гран-при Монако. Никаких сравнений, статистики или иных показателей, на основе которых можно было бы даже математически смоделировать прогноз тут не существует. Не поможет даже корреляционно-регрессионный анализ победителей в разные годы, ибо здесь и именно здесь никакой логики не существует. Гран-при Монако - это рулетка казино. Чистая случайность.
Уикэнд начался по традиции в четверг, и первые свободные заезды выиграл Фернандо Алонсо, придумавший по случаю гран-при Монако новый дизайн шлема. Дизайн не сказать, чтобы впечатлил, но испанец был не единственный, кто решил выпендриться таким образом: Кими выступил в шлеме Джеймса Ханта, а Вернь - в шлеме Алези. Феррари были неплохи и сегодня, особенно Фелипе Масса, который все-таки справляется с давлением и всеми этими разговорами, что пора его убрать из команды... А вот фигвам! Если человек едет хорошо в Монако, значит это быстрый и талантливый человек. Ибо рискованное это занятие - гоняться по улицам. Довольный же Фернандо сиял как пятак и раздавал автографы всем желающим. Солнце, воздух и вода - типичное Монако. Что еще для счастья надо?
Вторая сессия осталась за Баттоном, который больше ничем и не отметился, а в субботу с утра быстрее всех был Нико Росберг. Ну картина, в общем-то классическая, Мерседес периодически радует нас верхними строчками протоколов, причем в главной роли обычно Нико. Никаких особых происшествий в четверг не случилось, разве что во второй сессии активно ждали дождя, впрочем как сегодня и в квале, а он так и не пошел. Ну какой дождь в Монако? Разве что по великому заказу. А сегодня его никто не заказывал. С утра все прошло тихо-спокойно, разве что Мальдонадо умудрился разбить машину, из-за чего сессию пришлось прервать. Два часа перерыва - и квалификация. Очередной сюрприз очередной гонки этого невероятного чемпионата.
Алексей Попов, слава Богу, в кои-то веки комментировал один без этой Наташки и не испортил впечатления от квалификации. А впечатлиться сегодня было чем! Такой красивой квалификации не было уже давно. И - давно не было такого мастерски невероятного круга. И уж тем более в исполнении Михаэля Шумахера.
То, что в этом году Михаэлю не везет - к этому уже все привыкли. Пресса, ссылаясь на Росса Брауна, уже начала критиковать Шумахера со всех сторон. Два года висит в воздухе вопрос - а зачем он вообще вернулся? Картина была печальная: Нико Росберг быстрее Михаэля, в этом году машина едет и даже выиграла гран-при, а Шумахер собирает все неудачи команды на себя. И вот гран-при Монако, где он выигрывал пять раз, но все это было аж 11 лет назад, и теперь уже кажется каким-то фантастическим параллельным миром... Но - квалификация, без обещанного дождя, довольно легкий и быстрый проход в третий сегмент (хотя и не был быстрым), и вдруг - уверенный круг под занавес третьей части квалы и первая позиция!!! Поул!!! Пусть хотя бы номинально, пусть завтра его сместят на 5 позиций, но все равно Михаэль почти победно вскидывает руку и с волнением в голосе благодарит на поздравления по радио. А потом, в закрытом парке, сняв шлем, с хитринкой на лице демонстрирует всем язык. Видели, салажата? А слабо повторить такое же в 43 года??? И пофиг, что этот поул не засчитают в коллекцию, не важно, что завтра придется пробиваться из середины пелетона, но сегодня Михаэль Шумахер счастлив и улыбается на весь мир своей неповторимой обаятельнейшей, солнечной улыбкой. Красный Барон в очередной раз всем доказал, что возраст важен только в паспорте. Завтра нас ждет 78 кругов гонки по узким улочкам, которую господин Пике-старший называл полетами на вертолете по кухне, много поцелуев с отбойниками (а без этого в Монако никак) и - дай-то Бог - красивая гонка Шумахера. Пусть не победа, но хотя бы подиум. Акела это заслужил.

@темы: формула 1, michael schumacher, mercedes, jenson button, алексей попов, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако, ferrari

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25.05.2012 в 16:01

Пишет  Juillette:

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25.05.2012 в 16:29

Пишет  :JaDa::

Этот сложный русский язык.

Перед нами стол. На столе стакан и вилка. Что они делают? Стакан стоит, а вилка лежит. Если мы воткнем вилку в столешницу, вилка будет стоять. Т.е. стоят вертикальные предметы, а лежат горизонтальные?


Добавляем на стол тарелку и сковороду. Они вроде как горизонтальные, но на столе стоят. Теперь положим тарелку в сковородку. Там она лежит, а ведь на столе стояла. Может быть, стоят предметы готовые к использованию? Нет, вилка-то готова была, когда лежала.


Теперь на стол залезает кошка. Она может стоять, сидеть и лежать. Если в плане стояния и лежания она как-то лезет в логику «вертикальный-горизонтальный», то сидение это новое свойство. Сидит она на попе.


Теперь на стол села птичка. Она на столе сидит, но сидит на ногах, а не на попе. Хотя вроде бы должна стоять. Но стоять она не может вовсе. Но если мы убьём бедную птичку и сделаем чучело, оно будет на столе стоять.


Может показаться, что сидение атрибут живого, но сапог на ноге тоже сидит, хотя он не живой и не имеет попы.


Так что, поди ж пойми, что стоит, что лежит, а что сидит. А мы ещё удивляемся, что иностранцы считают наш язык сложным и сравнивают с китайским.


не мое, нашла на просторах сети, не могла не сохранить на память)

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Я не могу не цитировать Леху!!!

@Ella_Gachickova: Вы не могли бы подсказать официальный адрес твиттера Алонсо? А то искать очень лень :-)
Леха: Лень - зло! :-)

@OliverGrace1: А почему вы Дженсона Железным Человеком назвали?)
Леха: Айронмэн - самые тяжёлые из триатлонов, где он участвует!
@moschenin: есть еще norzeMan! Еще более жуткая вещь.Проводится в скандинавии, плавают ночью, в холодной воде.По дистаниям, вроде больше айрона
Леха: Я передам Дженсу!

Леха: Многие спрашивали про кабину. Даю панораму тремя снимками.



По центру боксы Феррари и Мерседеса



Слева - заезд на пит-лейн



А ещё - три монитора, пульт, айпад и бумажки с записями... Тут бы голову не забыть - уже хорошо!
@Grishin199: Больше похоже на рабочий стол сегодняшнего студента, готовящийся защищать диплом )
Леха: 20 лет защищаю каждый день!

@pryalukhin: семья еще не возненавидела Ф1 за такую любовь к ней и постоянные командировки?
Леха: Моя семья - это Ф1!

@vilifanova: По Монако ходите пешком или на Феррари?
Леха: Пешком, все мои Феррари в гараже стоят. И Ламбо с Роллсами.

@FaUSSSt: Алексей, как вы там везде успеваете?
Леха: Ногами! Проходы знать надо! ))

@EugeneProdigy: Алексей посетили ли какое то светское мероприятие сегодня?
Леха: Презентацию Тяг Хойера вечером. Рад был видеть Проста!

@Pavleek74: Алексей, а игру нашей сборной с Уругваем сейчас смотрите?)
Леха: Я Вас умоляю...

@темы: формула 1, алексей попов, сезон 2012, гран-при Монако

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"Mozart"!!!

Тут внезапно кончились деньги на интернете, а идти до терминала было влом, и Лена наконец-то посмотрела рок-оперу "Моцарт"...
Надо сказать, что такого не было со времен "Нотр-Дама", только на этот раз я почему-то очень долго "разпробовала" если можно так сказать сие произведение - почти половину первого акта. Сразу почему-то понравился Леополь, и первая песня, которая меня зацепила - "J'accuse mon pere", причем не только музыкой, но и мизансценой.



Потом - сам Моцарт, к которому я приглядывалась тоже почти весь первый акт. Он конечно... странный и очень смешной, но весьма подходит своей музыке. Ну или музыка ему.



Ну и конечно же Сальери. "Le bien qui fait mal" и "L`assasymphonie" можно слушать до бесконечности, а сам Флоран Мот настолько харизматичен, что невольно привлекает внимание и всего за 3 песни умудряется стать чуть ли не главным героем. Да и мотив влюбленности в музыку соперника по перу заплетает очень сложную и интересную композицию.





В общем, я пока не могу понять, что это было, ибо надо пересматривать again and again, но одно могу сказать точно - мне это нравится, и даже очень.

@темы: всякая всячина, музыка

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*ROLF*

@темы: всякая всячина

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Украина, мать ее...

Май.Украина. Верховная Рада. При обсуждении закона о русском языке депутаты настолько "разбушлатились", что рвали рубашки, летали вверх ногами и умывались кровью.

@темы: всякая всячина, мысли вслух

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Фигня случается???

Авиакатастрофа над Чёрным морем 4 октября 2001 года


4 октября 2001 г. Ту-154, бортовой номер 85693, авиакомпании «Сибирь», выполнявший рейс 1812 по маршруту Тель-Авив -Новосибирск, потерпел катастрофу над Чёрным морем. Согласно заключению Межгосударственного авиационного комитета, самолет был непреднамеренно сбит украинской ракетой, выпущенной в воздух в рамках проводившихся на Крымском полуострове военных учений. Все 66 пассажиров и 12 членов экипажа погибли.

В 13:44 по местному времени лайнер пропал с экранов радара сочинской диспетчерской службы. Самолёт в это время находился на высоте 11 километров, в 200 километрах южнее города Сочи. В это же время экипажем находящегося в том же районе самолёта Ан-24 Армянских авиалиний было доложено о зафиксированной вспышке над ним.

Координаты примерного места падения самолёта были определены 42°11′ с. ш. 37°37′ в. д. (G) (O), что примерно в 280 километрах от Новороссийска.

Была создана специальная комиссия по установлению причин аварии. К месту аварии срочно вылетел из Геленджика Ан-26 Федеральной погранслужбы России. Туда же отправился сторожевой пограничный корабль «Гриф». Также к месту падения вылетели самолет АН-12 Минобороны и вертолет Ми-8 Сочинской поисково-спасательной службы с плотами и спасателями на борту, направились два спасательных буксира – «Меркурий» из Туапсе и «Капитан Беклемищев» из Новороссийска, а также судно МЧС России «Спасатель Прокопчик». Самолёт Ан-12 обнаружил масляные пятна в предполагаемом месте падения. Вертолёты обнаружили несколько обломков самолёта и тела погибших пассажиров, плавающие на поверхности моря.

В связи с событиями 11 сентября 2001 года в Нью-Йорке первой была выдвинута версия о теракте. Почти сразу же после сообщения о катастрофе был закрыт в Тель-Авиве аэропорт имени Бен Гуриона, служба безопасности которого начала проверку списков пассажиров рейса 1812. С другой стороны, прорабатывалась версия о взрыве на борту самолёта по техническим причинам. Авиакомпания «Сибирь» заявила, что самолёт «был одним из лучших в авиапарке компании, он прошёл строгий технический контроль» и им «управлял опытный экипаж».

Через несколько часов на основании заявления представителей администрации США появилась третья версия, предполагавшая, что самолёт был поражён извне, например, сбит ракетой ПВО. Полученная от экспертов ЦРУ информация свидетельствовала о проводимых над акваторией Чёрного моря запусках ракет, в том числе совпадавших со временем катастрофы самолета. Эта информация была озвучена телекомпанией CBS и сразу же использована в публикациях многих мировых СМИ. После столь широкого обнародования информации об учениях представители Минобороны Украины, сначала утверждавшие, что учения не состоялись, подтвердили факт проведения украинскими и российскими военными учебных стрельб на полигоне 31-го исследовательского центра Черноморского флота Российской Федерации на мысе Опук - в присутствии делегаций 7 государств наземные зенитно-ракетные комплексы С-200, С-300, С-125, комплексы Бук, Куб, украинские корабли фрегат «Сагайдачный» и корвет «Луцк», а также корабль ЧФ РФ «Пытливый», оснащенные зенитно-ракетными комплексами «Оса», принимали участие в стрельбах по беспилотному самолету-разведчику Ту-143, известному как мишень «Рейс». В общей сложности по целям было выпущено 23 ракеты.

Президент России Владимир Путин назначил Владимира Рушайло главой комиссии по расследованию причин катастрофы и поручил ему сформировать её состав. Комиссия также была создана в Межгосударственном авиационном комитете (МАК) и Министерстве транспорта РФ.

5 октября появилась информация о найденных в фюзеляже Ту-154 отверстиях, напоминающих пулевые, однако эта информация была названа преждевременной. Начальник Западно-Сибирского регионального Управления воздушного транспорта Владимир Тасун заявил, что, «по непроверенной информации, диспетчер на локаторе видел светящуюся точку, быстро приближающуюся к самолёту. Вот единственное, что получено из неофициальных источников по каналам телефонной связи работниками компании „Сибирь“ из Ростова». Этим же днём к российским спасателям присоединились спасатели из Израиля, а также был начат анализ переговоров экипажа Ту-154 и анализ видеоплёнки, фиксирующей показания радиолокаторов. В этот день премьер-министр Украины Анатолий Кинах сделал заявление о том, что версия о попадании ракеты в самолёт Ту-154 авиакомпании «Сибирь» «имеет право на существование».

6 октября Секретарь Совета безопасности России Владимир Рушайло заявил, что на месте аварии были найдены предметы, не относящиеся к конструкции самолёта, и что «произошло разрушение самолёта в результате поражения взрывного характера». В то же время начальник Главного управления Северо-Кавказского регионального центра МЧС России Иван Тетерин высказал мнение, что вероятность нахождения каких-либо останков самолета Ту-154 на дне Чёрного моря минимальна из-за большой глубины и нулевой видимости.

7 октября по заявлению комиссии, в 13:45:12 наземным магнитофоном был зафиксирован крик пилота Ту-154.

9 октября по заявлению комиссии, анализ пробоин в фюзеляже показывает то, что самолёт мог быть поражён ракетой комплекса ПВО С-200, так как размер и форма пробоин вполне соответствуют шрапнели осколочно-фугасной боевой части ракеты именно этого комплекса. Установление деталей катастрофы осложняется невозможностью определить точное место падения самолета — обломки оказались разбросаны на территории с радиусом более чем 12 морских миль.

10 октября Генпрокуратура России сообщила предварительные данные судебно-медицинской экспертизы погибших - причиной смерти всех 14 пассажиров, тела которых были обнаружены в ходе поисково-спасательных работ, стала баротравма. Также по информации от заместителя генпрокурора России Сергея Фридинского в крови погибших обнаружен угарный газ, что свидетельствует о пожаре на борту судна.

11 октября Владимир Рушайло обнародовал вывод технической комиссии, расследовавшей причины катастрофы самолёта Ту-154: «множественные повреждения в виде схожих пробоин говорят о поражении российского самолёта извне». При этом Рушайло подчеркнул, что «останки самолета, упавшего в море, не найдены из-за сложного строения дна, агрессивной серо-водородной среды и большого слоя ила — до 6 метров».

12 октября Пресс-секретарь министра обороны Украины Константин Хивренко, комментируя предварительные результаты расследования инцидента, признал, что украинская ракета могла быть причиной гибели Ту-154.

13 октября Владимир Рушайло заявил, что по анализу обломков самолёта и пробоин, зенитная ракета взорвалась в 15 метрах над самолётом. Министр обороны Украины на конференции в Киеве принёс извинения родным и близким погибших в результате катастрофы российского самолёта Ту-154. «Мы знаем, что причастны к трагедии, хотя её причины до конца пока не установлены».

В 2008 г. Министерство обороны Украины инициировало экспертизу. В состав экспертной комиссии вошли специалисты Киевского научно-исследовательского института судебных экспертиз (КНИИСЭ) и Харьковского института воздушных сил имени Кожедуба.

Изначально Генеральная прокуратура России возбудила уголовное дело по статье «Терроризм» по факту катастрофы пассажирского самолета Ту-154 над Чёрным морем.. После опубликования выводов комиссии 16 октября 2001 года дело было передано для производства Генеральной прокуратуре Украины, российская сторона официально дело закрыла.

28 июня 2002 года была создана межведомственная комиссия по урегулированию претензий в связи с авиакатастрофой Ту-154 над Чёрным морем, которую возглавил зам. министра иностранных дел РФ В. В. Лощинин, его заместителем был назначен начальник правового департамента МИД РФ Р. А. Колодкин. В этот же день был зарегистрирован «Фонд помощи семьям погибших пассажиров рейса 1812 Тель-Авив Новосибирск». Руководителем фонда был избран Б. В. Калиновский, координировавший работу между межведомственной комиссией и родственниками погибших.

26 декабря 2003 года был подписан договор между Россией и Украиной «Об урегулировании претензий», по которому Украина выплачивает родственникам погибших материальную помощь без признания юридической ответственности.

20 сентября 2004 года Генеральная прокуратура Украины закрыла уголовное дело по факту катастрофы, поскольку расследование не установило объективных данных, которые бы достоверно указывали на то, что Ту-154 был сбит ракетой С-200, запущенной во время учений украинских войск противовоздушной обороны. Военный суд Киевского гарнизона 19 октября 2004 года отменил постановление Генеральной прокуратуры о закрытии дела, Верховный Суд не удовлетворил жалобу Генпрокуратуры с просьбой отменить это решение и расследование было возобновлено, но в июле 2007 дело было окончательно закрыто с предыдущей формулировкой.

Сразу после решения суда руководитель «Фонд помощи семьям погибших» Борис Калиновский и семья Белоноговых, которая отказалась от получения материальной помощи, подали иск в суд о компенсации морального ущерба - ответчиками выступали Кабинет Министров, Министерство обороны и Государственное казначейство Украины. Дело рассматривалось в Печерском районном суде города Киева и 30 января 2008 года в компенсации было полностью отказано. В мотивационной части отказа было указано, что вина ответчиков в катастрофе не была установлена расследованием прокуратуры, приведенные истцами доказательства противоречивы и не могут быть признаны основанием для удовлетворения иска. Апелляция на решение суда проигравшей стороной не подавалась.

Одновременно с иском от родственников погибших ОАО «Авиакомпания «Сибирь» подала иск к Министерству обороны Украины и Государственному казначейству Украины о возмещении ущерба — сумма исковых требований включала в себя рыночную стоимость уничтоженного самолета с дополнительным оборудованием, расходы, связанные с расследованием катастрофы, расходы по страхованию, упущенную выгоду в связи с потерей самолета, и моральный вред. Рассмотрение дела длилось больше семи лет и закончилось победой стороны защиты МО Украины - основываясь на проведенной Киевским научно-исследовательским институтом судебных экспертиз дополнительном анализе материалов Государственной комиссии по расследованию в удовлетворении исковых требований было отказано полностью. 10 октября 2011 года проигравшей стороной была подана апелляция в Хозяйственный апелляционный суд Киева.

Причины трагедии
Зенитно-ракетный комплекс С-200 использует полуактивную систему наведения, когда источником излучения служит мощный наземный радар («подсветка цели»), а сама ракета ориентируется на отраженный от цели сигнал. В С-200 существуют два основных режима работы радиолокатора подсвета цели - МХИ (монохроматического излучения) и ФКМ (фазокодовой манипуляции). Режим МХИ обычно используется для сканирования воздушного пространства при поиске целей, при этом определяются угол возвышения, азимут и радиальная скорость цели, но определения дальности до цели нет. Дальность определяется в режиме ФКМ, но переключение радара в этот режим занимает до 30-ти секунд и при недостатке времени может не производиться.

Наиболее вероятно, что во время учебных стрельб с участием ПВО Украины, которые проводились 4 октября 2001 года на мысе Опук в Крыму, самолет Ty-154 случайно оказался в центре предполагаемого сектора обстрела учебной цели и имел близкую к ней радиальную скорость, в результате чего был обнаружен радаром системы С-200 и принят за учебную цель. В условиях недостатка времени и нервозности, вызванной присутствием высшего командования и иностранных гостей, оператор С-200 не произвел определения дальности до цели и «подсвечивал» Ту-154 (находившийся на дальности 250-300 км) вместо малозаметной учебной цели (запущенной с дальности 60 км). Таким образом, поражение Ту-154 зенитной ракетой явилось, скорее всего, следствием не промаха ракеты мимо учебной цели (как иногда утверждается), а явного наведения ракеты оператором С-200 на ошибочно идентифицированную цель. Расчёт комплекса не предполагал возможности такого исхода стрельбы и не принял мер по его предотвращению. Размеры полигона не обеспечивали безопасности стрельб ЗРК такой дальности. Необходимые меры по освобождению воздушного пространства организаторами стрельб предприняты не были.

Президент Украины Л. Д. Кучма 10 октября 2001 г. так ответил журналистам на вопросы о причинах авиакатастрофы:

«Посмотрите, что творится вокруг в мире, в Европе? Мы не первые и не последние, не надо из этого делать трагедию. Ошибки бывают всюду, и не только такого масштаба, а гораздо большего, планетарного масштаба. Если мы сами себя не опустим ниже цивилизованного уровня, все будет хорошо. А если мы сами на себя ведро грязи выльем, так милости прошу».

@темы: всякая всячина, аэро

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Milky Way

Это прекрасно...











Как ни крути, а у Бога все системно... Идеально.

@темы: любимое, космос