Motorsports Reporter

This was the last F1 race in Indianapolis for the forseeable future (Ecclestone’s lifetime at least). Though they’re still in negotiations, the fact that IMS signed a deal to bring a MotoGP race in 2008 takes pressure off need to keep the F1 race in their revenue stream (they’ll actually attract more fans to the bike race than the F1 race). That allows Indy to tell Bernie to ‘pound sand’. And Bernie will take the race to somewhere that will shower him in cash.

More the shame because this is a fan’s race. Ticket prices at Indy undercut the traditional F1 venue and subsequently fans from all over the world were at the track for the weekend. I ran into Brazilians, Poles, Russians, Germans, Italians, Indians - you name it. On top of that, the city of Indianapolis rolls out the red carpet, the people are friendly and enthusiatic. Engage any of them in conversation and they exhibit their famous midwest charm. It’s a wonderful experience.

Now, to be honest the best deal at the F1 race is something Eoin Young referred to in his article on F1 in the July 2007 Road & Track. Show up at the track on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and watch the race from the hotel (on the tube) on Sunday.

The cost of showing up at practice and qualifying is minimal and you don’t have to fuss with the crowds leaving the facility on Sunday (plus you see more of the race). Spend time at the track, especially in the Corner 10 Stands Saturday morning, and you can see which drivers are getting with the program. Corners 9 & 10 are derisively known as ‘Mickey & Mouse’. Very slow speed 180 degree bends with a tiny straight between them. Most cars bang hard into turn 9 and get on the throttle early coming out. The traction control growls as they try accelerating out of the corner and into turn 10 and then it growls again as they come out of 10. The GOOD drivers seem to make it through with little drama and w/o setting off the traction control.

Watching Lewis Hamilton through those two corners Saturday morning was a revelation. He seemed slow to me at first and my pal said he seemed to “glide” through that section. He was soooo smooth through that really nasty set of bends, a real delight to watch.

Who’s going to touch this guy? Alonso has made more ‘unforced’ errors these last two races and yet he was the measure of Michael Schumacher on more than one occasion in years gone by. Wow, and Hamilton is not done growing yet. Can you imagine a race between Micheal in his prime and Lewis? Hmmmmm . . .

The race itself was a bit anticlimatic, once qualifying was done it was left to see who’d get passed in the pits on Sunday and who’d commit the most obscene act of brain fade. (Ralf Schumacher is scheduled to run figure 8 races at East Islip, NY at the beginning of next season ; -).

We had a good time in Indy, hung around great people, saw some great racing and wish we could do it again next year. But it’ll take a miracle. If no deal is struck and announced by July 12th, forget F1 for Indy in the future.

PS: Late word says that the MotoGP announcement was a bit premature. Personally I believe it’ll happen. It would be nice to see four divergent races at Indy each year. (Motorcycles have raced at Indy before, BTW, in the 1909-1910 timeframe.)