Sort It Out: Part 2 in an Ongoing Series I Suspect

Having been retrospectively promoted from fourth to third place as a result of a breach of rule by Jarno Trulli in last weeks Australian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team have today been disqualified from that race for giving "deliberately misleading" evidence to the race stewards. As a result, Trulli has been promoted back to third place. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes have confirmed they will not appeal the decision prefering to focus on the forthcoming weekends racing.

Now, I don't pretend to follow the sport so closely that I understand every subtle nuance of racing etiquete so let's put aside whether Lewis Hamilton did deliberate mislead the enquiry for now.

In general terms, if a disdemeanor has occured then the perpetrator should be punished - I have no problem with this, who would? My concern is the time it seems to take to consider the evidence and reach a decision.

There are 101 cameras following the action around the track along with cameras in the cars, in the stewards room and the pit lane. The team radio transmission are monitored and recorded - indeed these broadcasts form an integral part of the television coverage. There must be 100 or more marshalls (if that's the right term) placed strategically around the track to observe and advise and the performance of every car is electronically monitored and recorded.

With all of these resources surely a decision can be reached sooner. I will accept that with so much 'evidence' to consider that the podium celebrations won't always accurately reflect the final result but perhaps there could be a more satisfactory - realistic - cut-off point for objections/appeals and the subsequent investigation.

How about 2 hours after the race for an objection to be raised with a further 4 hours for a decision - that way everyone, newspapers included (in Europe at least - surely the largest and most important territory for F1) would know where things stand before the end of the day of the race.

If only for my own enjoyment of the sport I really do hope things change.

The Frome Flyer ...

What a cracking weekend - the return of Robin Hood on BBC1, the clocks going forward and an exciting Australian Grand Prix with a backdrop of a couple of lovely sunny days and some good company in the 'Rabbit' household on Saturday afternoon/evening.

The Grand Prix was enthrawling - I don't think anyone would begrudge the BrawnGP team their 1-2 finish - with Englishmen Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton finishing first and third.

I thought the BBC coverage was pretty good to be fair - Jake Humphrey seems a little bit too keen (and like policeman too young) for my liking but he'll grow on me I'm sure. I thought the race commentator Jonathan Legard was good - although perhaps a bit too 'academic' in some of his comments - and Martin Brundle was excellent (as always).

Both David Coulthard and Eddie Jordan gave good insight in their roles as paddock pundits and were ably supported by reporters Ted Kravitz and Lee McKenzie.

Next race, this coming weekend in Malaysia.

Sort It Out: Formula 1 is Back!

Over the past couple of years I've rediscovered my fondness (love seems too strong a word but fondness doesn't sound right either) of Formula 1. Indeed, I'm old enough (and then some) to remember when it was actually called Formula 1 - rather than F1 as now seems the norm, probably thought up by the same people who called the recent BBC drama 'Marple' rather than the conventional 'Miss Marple' (don't get me started on that one).

In 2007 I followed the young rookie driver Lewis Hamilton as he finished runner up in the drivers championship, and last year enjoyed him going one better as he overtook Timo Glock with 5 corners to go on the last lap in the last race to claim the fifth place he needed to win the title.

So, it should be with a huge amount of excitement that I look forward to the start of the 2009 season this Sunday in Melbourne. But it's not.

Two weeks ago - just two weeks before the start of the season - the sport governing body announced that the scoring system would change. Following protests from the teams and public alike the new system haas now been deferred to 2010. Without going into the rights and wrongs of the old and new systems surely this shouldn't be up for debate 14 days before the start of the season.

Now I read that as a result of different interpretations of new technical specifications for the cars themselves, three teams - Williams, Toyota and Brawn - have their car designs under investigation. Should the investigation go against them they would most likely race with the current build until an appeal could be heard - this would likely be in around 10 days meaning any points won this weekend would be subject to review.

What a mess. Surely all of these issues should be sorted months before the start of the season so that everyone - race teams, administrators and public - can enjoy the sport without worrying that everything is going to be undermined by a committee decision (again).

Coverage is back with the BBC - to be fair ITV did a great job despite the advert breaks so they something to live up to - with Qualifying starting on BBC1 at 6am on Saturday with the race itself starting at 7am on Sunday.