F-1 Notes: Mercedes Focused On 2011

August 31st, 2010

FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — It happened a while ago, but it was only at Spa that Timo Glock confirmed to National Speed Sport News an amusing tale. During the winter some hooligans were pelting Glock’s house with snowballs, so he telephoned the police.

“Hello,” said the policeman who answered the phone, “This is Michael Schumacher.”

Obviously it was not the seven-time world champion but a policeman with a sense of humor, when Glock said, “Hello, this is Timo Glock and I would like to report…” and he went on to tell the policeman what was going on.

The policeman thought the caller, upon hearing the name Schumacher, was kidding by identifying himself as the F-1 driver Timo Glock.

After going back and forth, the duo finally established that the policeman’s name really was Michael Schumacher, and that Glock really was the F-1 driver for Virgin Racing.

- Reigning world champion Mercedes Brawn has shifted its focus onto the 2011 season. “I think our priorities are clearly with next season,” Ross Brawn said. “We have not had as good a year as we want. We don’t realistically have any chance of competing for the championship this year, so we are pretty strongly focused on next season to make sure we can get into a more competitive position for next year.”

- Mark Webber celebrated his 34th birthday Friday at Spa. His teammate Sebastian Vettel was asked the day before what gift he had for the old man. “I didn’t know that this was his birthday,” Vettel replied. “I have brought nothing with me. I don’t know. I need to find something. I think they have these free shampoos and this kind of stuff in the hotel, a last-minute present. But don’t tell him, of course!”

- American Alexander Rossi charged from 13th to second in Sunday’s GP3 race that was won by Adrien Tambay, son of former F-1 driver Patrick Tambay.

- Spa is a magnificent circuit, but the thuggish behavior of the police and security goons is unforgivable. Spectator accounts to NSSN tell of callous and mean treatment to the fans, and what the guards lack in sensitivity is made up with viciousness. In the past, police have swung batons to move FIA-accredited photographers out of areas where the snappers were legitimately allowed to stand.

- A delegation from China was in the paddock at Spa trying to sort out a contract for that country’s grand prix next year. China wants Bernie Ecclestone to give it a reduction in its annual rights fee, which is more than $50 million. There is a profusion of Asian races these days, or at least proposed ones, but from a marketing point of view, China is still very important to the teams and their sponsors.

- The FIA’s Charlie Whiting will go to Korea after the Italian Grand Prix to inspect the progress on building the new track. Doubts that the track will be ready in time for the Oct. 24th race continue to circulate through the F-1 paddock. Team personnel who visited the track recently told NSSN that things look to be way behind schedule for the entire facility.

- Renault raced with its new F-duct for the first time at Spa, and the rear wing stalling device notably improved the top speed of the car. Robert Kubica admitted that it took time to adapt his driving routine to remember to cover the hole that redirects the airflow to the rear wing when the car is on a straight.

- Sebastian Vettel missed a shot at the pole by messing up in the final qualifying session. “My first try in Q3 wasn’t good enough, simple as that,” he said. “The beginning of the first sector I made a couple of mistakes and lost momentum. Then in the last lap I had it in my hands. In the first corner already I lost six tenths, from then I had very good recovery, was even quicker than my first try. But I got a little bit sideways at turn 14, and that was it.”