The hills were alive in the Styrian Mountains. Formula One returned to Austria and the majestic Red Bull Ring at Spielberg for the first time since 2003. A visually stunning location, steeped in history, combined with a natural amphitheatre and great racing, certainly makes for a great TV spectacle. Selling out the event quite early, we cannot fathom the electric atmosphere that must of been prevalent as huge crowds filled the hills surrounding the circuit. Makes you wish you were there, right?
    Formula One often states that it needs to focus on promoting the brand and enhancing the viewing spectacle with the motive of boosting TV audiences, trackside crowd numbers, and therefore revenue. After watching the Austrian GP, we got to thinking about what factors would best achieve this. Is it simply a case of resurrecting traditional F1 circuits that are bloated with history? Are there other factors to consider?
    In recent years, newer F1 frontiers have emerged, but some have dropped off the calendar. Turkey and Korea spring to mind. Why is that? It all starts with the circuit itself, or more importantly, its location. While traditional circuits possess an inherent advantage and usually attract large crowds, the circuits that also seem to draw big crowds are located near the CBD of a large city, rendering them easily accessible to trackside fans, thus creating their own traditions. Think Canada - Montreal, Spain - Barcelona, Hungary - Budapest, Brazil - Sao Paulo, Australia - Melbourne and the spectacular night race in Singapore.
    Television is all about providing the home viewer with an experience as close as you can get to actually being trackside. If you're contemplating attending another country's GP, which one would you rather attend? One that's not readily accessible, with accommodation a distance away and half empty grandstands, or one that's bristling with an enthusiastic energy from the cheering punters passionately waving their flags at a jam-packed circuit? But if you can't attend, which one will you definitely watch next year on TV? One factor fuels the other.
    Intermittently, F1 teasingly suggests that the spectacle could be improved by making the drivers and F1 paddock area more accessible to the fans. One thing we'd like to see is a bit more jazzing up of the podium celebrations. Has the podium become a little stagnant with a bit of champagne spraying and a token interview? After all, it's a major achievement. We'd love to see a combination of the old and the new. In the old department, we'd love to see the return of laurel wreaths and floral presentations, but logically you can't cover up the sponsor's logos. In the new department, whilst we're not suggesting a live rock'n'roll style driver introduction a la Nascar All-Star Race; that wouldn"t work for F1; but a bit of pyrotechnics and the odd confetti cannon would provide the podium with a more celebratory vibe. Let us know what you think.
    F1 moves on to its spiritual home at Silverstone for the British GP. Big crowds will ensure an amazing atmosphere and for the first time since 2003 can access the infield of the circuit. Will anyone topple Mercedes? Makes you wish you were there, right?
                 Cheers....    

    With the 2014 Formula One championship approaching the halfway point and the European season in full swing, early season punter grievances regarding engine note or lack thereof seem rather insignificant after some scintillating racing has kept us thoroughly enthralled. Bahrain was simply edge of the chair viewing. Wheel to wheel right through the grid. Team mate battling team mate. The best race in eons. F1 racing at its finest.
    Which leads us to last weekend's fascinating Canadian GP, especially exciting for all F1 fans Down Under. With what seemed like yet another Mercedes whitewash, brake issues saw Lewis Hamilton retire and team mate Nico Rosberg slow, blowing the race wide open with 20 odd laps to go. The one-stopping Force India of Sergio Perez was being harried for third by the faster Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel, closely followed by Williams' Felipe Massa. An opportunistic move by Ricciardo around the outside going into Turn 1, saw the Aussie despatch Perez with 5 laps to go, leaving him to chase down the wounded Rosberg. With DRS at his disposal, Ricciardo overtook Rosberg into the last chicane to take the lead with only 2 laps to go. Despite finishing under Safety Car conditions due to a major crash between the squabbling Perez and Massa (both drivers are OK), Ricciardo emphatically claimed his first F1 race victory. Well done D. Ricc. We were certainly glad we got up at 3.30am to watch the race.
    Question is. Can Daniel Ricciardo capitalise on his Canadian victory and sustain his impressive performance throughout the remainder of the season? Will he become a frequent visitor to the top step of the podium? At the moment he's out-qualifying and out-racing Red Bull team mate and 4-time champ Vettel, but will he handle the increased pressure as the season ramps up? He's scarcely made a mistake so far.
    Red Bull's home race is next at the newly revamped Red Bull Ring at Spielberg, Austria. Sure to be a massive Sebastian Vettel contingent there. Good test. Go D. Ricc.
            Cheers....
  

    The world has lost a true gentleman and the finest race car driver Australia has ever produced with the passing of Sir Jack Brabham. Admired by contemporaries, revered by fans worldwide, a true legend of motorsport.
    In terms of motorsport, Sir Jack Brabham achieved all there is to achieve. Growing up in the Sydney suburb of Penshurst, the son of a greengrocer was an accomplished mechanic and engineer at a young age. Despite his desire to become a pilot, his mechanical prowess meant he was commissioned as an aircraft mechanic during WWII. After the war, Sir Jack successfully raced midgets that he constructed on dirt ovals from 1948. As his need to quench his motor racing thirst grew, a meeting with John Cooper saw Sir Jack embark to the UK which resulted in a Formula One debut in 1955. His maiden GP victory came at the season opening race at none other than Monaco in 1959. At that season's finale at Sebring, he famously pushed his out of fuel Cooper over the line to clinch 4th place and the first of his three F1 World Championships. 1960 saw Sir Jack garner his second championship driving for Cooper and is widely credited with being the catalyst for the revolutionary placement and subsequent development of the rear-engined race car. By the early 60's every F1 car was rear-engined.
    Perhaps Sir Jack is remembered most as the only F1 driver to win a championship in a car of his own design. Imagine that happening today? By preparing earlier and adapting better than the opposition to the new 3.0 litre formula, Sir Jack achieved his third championship in 1966 in the stunning Brabham BT-19.
    Who could ever forget after growing weary of media jibes regarding his age after turning 40, "Black Jack" hobbling to the grid at the Dutch GP in a false beard brandishing a cane resembling Old Father Time, then after laughing opponents jokingly help him into his pole position Brabham, proceeds to win the race?
    Sir Jack Brabham retired from F1 racing at the end of the 1970 season. That's a career that raced against such eponymous F1 names like Fangio, Moss, Clark, Hill, Stewart and Rindt. In 126 starts Sir Jack acquired 14 wins, 13 pole positions and won 3 F1 World Championships. Not only that, he was F2 champ in 1966, 4 time European F2 champ, British Saloon Car champ in 1965, competed at the Indy 500 and excelled in sportscars, in between coming back home to win the Australian Grand Prix a number of times. Sir Jack was awarded Australian Of The Year in 1966, an OBE in 1967, the first to be knighted for his services to motorsport in 1979, and in recent years, declared a National Treasure. Amazing!
    There is no doubt Sir Jack Brabham will be missed, but a life as remarkable as this and the influence he's had will be celebrated. His legacy lives on. Sons Gary, Geoff and David all have lengthy careers in motorsport. Now Sir Jack's grandsons Matthew and Sam are forging their own careers through Indy Lights and British Formula Ford. You only have to attend any historic open wheel event to see in all their resplendent glory any one of the 500+ Brabham race cars churned out in the 60's by the Brabham team. Sir Jack would of had a hand in all of them.
    
    Vale Sir Jack Brabham. 2/4/1926 - 19/5/2014. Forever remembered.