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.
    

    Although it's somewhat difficult to compare eras in Formula One racing, we find it fascinating to admire various cars from times when they were once the best F1 could produce.
    At the recent Sydney SpeedFest at Sydney Motorsport Park we were fortunate enough to see up close and on circuit iconic F1 cars from bygone times. Cars from teams like Brabham, Arrows, Surtees, Ferrari, Benetton, Beatrice Lola-Haas and Williams, once piloted by names like Denny Hulme, Alan Jones, Stefan Johannsen, Gerhard Berger and Jack Brabham. 
    One thing that stuck in our mind though was how exposed the driver's head is. This is especially noticable on the 80s F1 cars, where the driver is also so far forward that their feet must surely be in front of the front wheel line. How dangerous is that? 
    These days, modern day F1 cars development is at staggering levels to the point where the cars subtly change shape on a race by race basis. Although the head is still vulnerable, thank goodness drivers are now much better protected in the cockpit than in years gone by. 

    
    
    Formula One has arrived in Europe where people often say the season really begins, as most teams traditionally arrive with major upgrades. Status quo was maintained though, as Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg once again creamed the opposition at Catalunya in Spain. Even at this early stage of the season, can anyone see Mercedes being toppled for this year's constructor's championship? Sure is refreshing to see Lewis and Nico racing each other though. 
    Congratulations to Australia's Daniel Ricciardo for managing the race to bring his Red Bull home solidly in third position to record his maiden podium in F1. Well done D. Ricc. Keep 'em coming.
    Finally, did anyone notice how nervous a lot of cars looked in Spain? Is this because they didn't test their new packages pre-season at Catalunya and were therefore lacking relevant data? Perhaps it's a case of better tyre management? Could it be because there's so much torque in the new powertrains, that the drivers are having to learn about steering inputs and throttle control all over again? Let us know what you think.
    The great leveller's next....Monaco. 

    As we travel west from Sydney over the Great Divide, the rolling hills of the western slopes offer spectacular vistas whilst tackling a challenging, undulating drive. We sweep past the idyllic Lake Lyell, the quaint town of Tarana, admire the farmlands whilst plowing over blind crests and corners, all the time dodging the road side feeding galahs. A beautiful part of Oz and great fun. We slow for the one-lane bridges after a tiny town called The Lagoon, and then we see it. A radio mast standing defiantly above the green on top of The Mountain. We turn right out of Lagoon Rd and start to fidget with anticipation in the driver's seat. We glance to the left and spot proudly emblazoned on the side of the mountain, "Mt Panorama". We're here! Even if you're not privileged enough to be racing, The Mountain has an effect.
    We're here for the Bathurst Motor Festival and thoughts immediately turn to Formula 3. Media speculation was rife leading into the event. Will F3 reclaim the Mt Panorama lap record? 
    Last year Chris Gilmour hailed F3 as Australia's fastest racing cars by claiming the Mt Panorama lap record. However, at this year's Bathurst 12 Hour GT race, Shane Van Gisbergen claimed the spoils in the impressive McLaren MP4-12C. 
    A small F3 field still provided great racing. Cooma local Chris Anthony claimed the spoils in both races for Team BRM, winning a thrilling Sunday race by 0.1sec to Ben Gersekowski with Simon Hodge in third. The result spices up the championship with Gersekowski taking a one point lead over Hodge with Anthony lurking. Anthony is competing on a round to round basis and has been undertaking various fund raising exercises to continue in F3. Let's hope he completes the season and beyond.
    After Chris Anthony shaved a couple of hundredths off Van Gisbergen's time in the Saturday race to reclaim the lap record for F3, it was Simon Hodge in the Sunday race that utterly blew the record away. On his last tour of the 12 lap race, he smashed the lap record by 1.2 sec. to record a 2.02.67. Completely flat from The Cutting all the way to The Esses, grabbing sixth gear before McPhillamy Park. Wow! 
    As we blast back along Mutton Falls Rd sending the easily startled sheep scurrying for cover, a sense of satisfaction arises. Big fields in Group N, Production Sports, NSW Production Touring accompanying Formula 3 around an iconic circuit, supporting a fantastic charity like Legacy, all translates to great motorsport entertainment and an awesome Bathurst Motor Festival. 
                                                             See you there next year.... 
    

    Year after year, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix attracts a wide cross section of fans with differing tastes from all over the world. Of course you have the hardcore F1 fans who want nothing more than a sensory overload courtesy of the pinnacle of motorsport. Others simply want to experience the event as a whole, taking in as much off-track action as they can cram into 4 days, as on-track action. Then there's the fans that especially Aussies can relate to. They're the ones that descend upon Albert Park primarily to witness on an international stage, Australia's premier tin-top category, V8 Supercars.
    Having attended every AGP since 2000, the question amongst fans is always the same. Why is the AGP not part of the V8 Supercar Champonship?
    After all, the AGP for a number of years now forms part of the fabulous Porsche Carrera Cup. In the past the event has also been part of various support categories' respective championships. F5000, Formula Ford, Aussie Racing Cars to name a few. Why not V8 Supercars? The circuit infrastructure catering for V8 Supercars has vastly improved, with the addition in recent years of their own pit building and pit lane. The pre-production, workload and costs are still there for the teams. The drivers assume the same risks, and you can be certain, they're racing just as hard as they ever do. Not to mention the brand and sponsor exposure. There's also the worst case scenario of a car sustaining damage from the GP so extensive that it puts them out at the next championship round. So why not add that extra element and make the AGP a championship round? At the moment we have a system where the points awarded at the GP just don't matter. Shouldn't Australia's premier international motorsport event showcase Australia's best motorsport categories fighting for championship glory? We hear there's talk of it joining the championship series for 2015 and beyond. Leave a comment and let us know your opinion.
    Winton 400 this weekend. Enjoy. Cheers....

    The 2014 Australian Formula One Grand Prix has been run and won, with Mercedes' Nico Rosberg cruising to an emphatic victory followed home by Red Bull's local hero Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen. Not two hours since the chequered flag dropped however, than the bubble burst for Ricciardo, Red Bull and every Aussie who painstakingly rode every lap with them, as the stewards announced that the fuel flow rate had been exceeded, and thus Ricciardo disqualified. Ouch! No doubt all Aussie fans hope that Red Bull's appeal will be upheld, or at the very least, since Ricciardo himself has already been absolved from any wrong doing, be allowed to keep his points. Fingers crossed.
    The much publicised technical changes which require 2014-spec F1 cars to adopt 1.6litre V6 turbo powertrains with extensive Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) have resulted in a vastly different engine note, and have left some fans pining for the sound of the high-revving, screaming 2.4litre V8's of previous years. For some punters, the very essence of F1 is the timbre combined with the intensity of the sound these intricate machines produce. But is there a bigger picture that needs discussion? In the larger scheme of things, is the sound really that important?
    F1 has often been criticised for not being relevant to road car manufacturing, whilst not placing enough importance on their environmental impact. In recent years road car manufacturing has been delving into the world of hybrid technology, whilst F1 has persisted with normally-aspirated engines. Now, with F1 embracing hybrids and therefore the best automotive brains developing the technology, expect the level of efficiency and performance to increase exponentially, which will filter down to road car manufacturing. Remember traction control, launch control, active suspension, carbon fibre? All pioneered by F1 and prevalent in road car manufacturing today. F1 has also in recent years incorporated bio-fuels into the mix. Now in 2014 with ERS providing a third of their power, F1 cars are carrying a third less fuel to cover the same race distance. You don't have to be mathematician to understand this, just like you don't need to be an environmentalist to know that this is a step in the right direction with emissions greatly reduced. Who's to bet against F1 pioneering full electric cars in the future? There'd be next to no engine sound then.
    So what's in a sound? Are some fans awarding too much emphasis on the "old" F1 sound? Do F1's new leaner, more efficient powertrains with reduced emissions condone rendering the traditional F1 sound the scapegoat for progress? Send formulafrontrow.com your opinions and views via email at: greenflag@formulafrontrow.com or simply leave a comment.
    Besides, wasn't it nice to hear racing nuances we don't normally get to experience? Tyre squeal, throttle blips, brake lock-ups, the high frequency whooshing of the turbo, clear radio comms and trackside commentary, or the amazing cheering Melbourne crowd going ballistic when D. Ricc. brought the Albert Park house down?
    Malaysia's next. Let's go.... 

    Nervousness, anticipation, excitement. All feelings felt by everyone from drivers, team personnel, media, promoters through to the fans themselves as Formula One is about to commence another bumper season at Melbourne's stunning, lakeside street circuit at Albert Park. 
    Never more so than this year as this will be the first time the new era F1 cars have run in anger. The regulation changes this year are extensive and has effectively meant that this year's chariots are designed from scratch, rather than evolutions of previous year's cars. We covered the changes before (see Archives Aug. 2013), but in short - 1.6 litre V6 Turbos with extensive Energy Recovery Systems, single exhaust with no bodywork behind, fuel capacity and fuel flow limits, 8 forward gears, lower rear beam wing outlawed, and lower noses brandishing narrower front wings. All designed to reduce downforce and promote fuel efficiency. With some teams, including world champions Red Bull, struggling at pre-season Winter testing from problems ranging from hydraulic leaks, electrical failures, and most notably, cooling issues, the focus at Albert Park will be on reliability. Any brave souls want to tip a winner?
    In the past in our Australian F1 GP previews we've suggested some great spots to visit in Melbourne, plus outlined some excellent vantage points to watch F1 cars around Albert Park. This year we thought we'd try something different. 
    A lot of people ask us how we deal with photographing motorsport through the safety catch fencing at street circuits? Quite often, "the fence is in focus and distracts you from the action", they say. "Do you use manual focus", they ask?
    Whilst we take great pride in our photos and no exposure you see on formulafrontrow.com is edited whatsoever, we certainly don't profess to be professionals. We simply love motorsport and sharing our photos, as an incentive to you to attend events of your choice. 
    Bear in mind the tips we share are tailored to punters utilising d-SLR cameras. If you're using a point-and-shoot or a (ahem) camera phone, well, err, good luck. 
    Although the auto modes and scene preset modes work quite well on a d-SLR, it doesn't give you much control over how you want the shot to look. We shoot in Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or full Manual Mode. For motorsport, we predominantly shoot in Shutter Priority. Remember a fast shutter speed (typically 1/640s or faster) will freeze the motion and blur the background, and a slow shutter speed (typically 1/500s or slower) will blur the motion and give the illusion of speed.
    Now, let's deal with fence. Here's one technique we hope you find helpful. Have your camera's focus set to Auto. More importantly, have the focus mode set to 3-D Tracking. When the shutter release button is pressed halfway, have it set so that it only locks the exposure, not the focus as well. Therefore, you can exploit the number of focus points your camera possesses when you pan the camera. When ready to shoot, meter the light. You do this by simply pointing your camera in the direction you want to shoot to get a reading on your display. Next, adjust your shutter to your desired speed. Now, the tricky bit. Through the viewfinder, line up your shot through one of the holes on the fence on a piece of circuit that you know the racing will pass over and press the shutter release button halfway. At the appropriate time, simply fire the shutter and the 3-D Tracking will keep the racing in focus, especially useful if you choose to pan. Voila! Happy hunting.
    Any motorsport photography tips to share? Let us know at: greenflag@formulafrontrow.com or simply leave a comment. Maybe you'd like to let us know how Aussie Daniel Ricciardo will fare in his home GP on debut for champions Red Bull Racing?
    Melbourne, here we come....

    Regular friends and visitors that frequent this site will no doubt know that we quite often harp on about the importance of brand exposure and TV coverage to promote various forms of motorsport. You would also be aware as to how much we love our open wheelers, especially Formula 3. This year F3 has the potential to reach a greater number of punters.
    In 2014, not only will Formula 3 be supporting V8 Supercars at their massive season opener at Adelaide's Clipsal 500 and the Sky City Triple Crown at Darwin's Hidden Valley, but they've managed to join the support bill at Sydney Olympic Park for the season finale Sydney 500. Will V8 Supercar fans be impressed with Australia's premier wings and slicks race cars? We think so. Will Channel 7 include F3 as part of its V8 coverage? Or at the very least offer it on 7Mate? We hope so. TV coverage is still the most effective means of enticing more fans through the gates than any other multimedia medium. 2013 series champion Tim Macrow's impressive showing on the recent series of Channel 7's V8 Supercar Showdown certainly raised traditional tin-top fans' awareness of F3. 
    Formula 3 will also be headlining the increasingly popular Bathurst Motor Festival held at Mt Panorama over the Easter long weekend. All other rounds form part of the Shannons Nationals, run at circuits great for wings and slicks racing like Sandown, QLD Raceway, Phillip Island and Sydney Motorsport Park. The Shannons Nationals rounds are guaranteed TV coverage through SBS's excellent weekly Speedweek programme.
    Whilst F3 will undoubtedly reach greater numbers through the V8 Supercar events, we still can't help but wonder why it's been so many years since F3 has supported Formula One at the Australian Grand Prix? Don't forget F3 is a world wide category. Australia's fastest open wheelers supporting the pinnacle of motorsport. 120,000 trackside on raceday, world wide TV coverage coupled with extensive online coverage. What better brand exposure can you get? Still trying to figure out though why we see amateurs in a so-called Celebrity Challenge on the support programme when paying good dollars to attend the F1 GP should guarantee punters enjoy professional drivers racing in that country's premier categories on the support bill? Anyway....


    Having just attended the Bathurst 12 Hour for the first time, we strongly suggest you pencil it in for next year. Congratulations to the Maranello Motorsport Team for winning a thrilling race. A fantastic event at an iconic circuit. 
    
    Attended the Official V8 Supercar Test Day at Sydney Motorsport Park yesterday. The GRM Volvo S60 looks like a tidy piece of kit and what a sound. Can you imagine the season opening Clipsal 500 in Adelaide is just two weeks away? 
    
    Cheers....    
    
    

    

    2014 has arrived and a new season of motorsport has dawned. The batteries are charged and the Nikons clean, so we thought we'd give a plug to some of our favourite upcoming events. 
    The season kicks off February 7-9th at the mighty Mt Panorama circuit in Bathurst for the Bathurst 12 Hour GT Race. Exotic marques like McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, Lamborghini, Porsche, all compete in a field of 44 cars over 6 classes with teams from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, China, Japan, UK and a big German contingent making this a true international event. Not to mention Radical Australia Cup is making it's Bathurst debut on the support card.
    February 15th sees V8 Supercars descend on Sydney Motorsport Park for the Official Launch and Test Day. Free to all punters and a great family picnic day out in a more relaxed atmosphere.
    March 13-16th is the big one; the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne. New generation F1's first raced in Oz....yeah!
    April 13th sees the best Moto X riders in the land compete at the MX Nationals at Macarthur District Motorcycle Complex at Appin. 
    The Easter weekend of April 18-20th means a return to Mt Panorama for the Bathurst Motor Festival featuring Australia's fastest race cars, Formula 3.
    Sydney Dragway hosts the Nitro Champs on May 2-4th featuring all the ANDRA classes including Top Fuel and Top Doorslammer.
    Trundling down the NSW south coast to Nowra on June 22nd and later to Wollongong on August 17th to catch the East Coast MX Series is well worth the time as this Moto X series is on the rise.
    Shannons Nationals attack Sydney Motorsport Park over two different events. July 11-13th features Radical Aust. Cup, the new Aust. Sports Racer Series and the Aust. Manufacturers 4 Hour. The season ending meet on 1st-2nd November features V8 Touring Cars, Kerrick Sports Sedans, Radicals and Formula 3.
    Sydney Motorsport Park also hosts a V8 Supercar championship round on August 22-24th for the SMP 400, with Porsche Carrera Cup as part of the supports.
    As per usual, SMP will also host the very popular Muscle Car Masters over the Father's Day weekend of 6-7th September. Big banger metal heaven.
    V8 Supercars will once again wind the season up with the Sydney 500 at the narrow, concrete lined Sydney Olympic Park on December 5-7th.
    So, as formulafrontrow.com is about to celebrate its 2nd birthday, these are the events we are planning on attending for starters in 2014. We urge you to grab your camera and head out to one. But hey, if you can't make it, we hope you enjoy the images we post. Drop us a line at: greenflag@formulafrontrow.com or leave us a comment. Let us know what events you plan on attending, or what other events we'd be interested in attending.
    See you at the Bathurst 12 Hour. Cheers....
    

    From 2015 V8 Supercars will return to Network 10, who, along with Foxtel and Fox Sports, have secured the TV broadcasting and digital rights until 2020. Network 10 will logically claim to be the "Home Of Motorsport" once again, as their V8 Supercar coverage coupled with Moto GP and Formula One renders the other networks almost devoid of major national and international motorsport events. 
    Since 2007 The Seven Network have been the provider of our free-to-air V8 Supercar fix and they have certainly raised the bar during their tenure to enhance the home viewer experience. Will Network 10 be able to improve  on the existing V8 Supercar coverage? Should they lure expert commentators Neil Crompton and  Mark Larkham to call the action? After all, their combined knowledge and experience of Australia's premier motorsport category is exceedingly vast. What aspects of the sport would you like to see more in-depth coverage or analysis of? TV audiences' expectations will undoubtedly be high.
    One question we'd like answered though. A big selling point for the Fox people was the fact that V8 Supercars will be broadcast in High Definition on their pay TV channels. Will free-to-air Network 10 also offer HD? By the time 2015 comes around, analogue TV in Australia will be history (it already is in the majority of the country) meaning everyone who watches TV either has a compatible set-top box or digital TV. Therefore, will Network 10 utilise Channel One, consequently providing HD for the free-to-air punter? Let us know what you think. Send formulafrontrow.com an email at: greenflag@formulafrontrow.com or simply leave a comment. It does however leave the door open for other networks to cover other national categories. Will the other networks follow SBS's excellent lead and provide more comprehensive coverage of national categories such as Aust. GT, F3, ANDRA, or Shannons Nationals? 

    Happy New Year to all our friends and followers. Roll on 2014....