Ayrton Senna: The Aftermath of His Death

It is hard to believe that 14 years have already passed since that tragic race weekend in Imola.

First, there was the horrible shunt of Rubens Barrichello during Friday's afternoon practice session. Barrichello survived but suffered injuries that made him unfit to race. Come Saturday qualifying, rookie Roland Ratzenberger was killed after a damaged front wing broke off during his entry in the fast Villeneuve corner. Ratzenberger's car crashed into the concrete wall at around 189mph and died instantly.

Senna witnessed both events, shocked, saddened and ultimately compelled to action. He initiated a meeting Sunday morning with fellow drivers to push for better safety in Formula 1. As the then most senior driver, Senna took the initiative to lead the effort.

But come the race, Senna too was killed. His Williams inexplicably veered off the track upon exiting Tamburello and impacted the concrete wall at 135mph.

Arguably the biggest superstar the Sport had ever known was now gone. Best known for his profoundly introspective insights, unwavering commitment to push his car to the absolute limit, his superiority in racing under wet conditions and of course his three titles driving the Honda powered McLaren, Senna's death was a shock that ultimately changed Formula 1 for good.

His death led to more drastic means of improving safety within the sport. Gone are the days when risk and danger were part of the glamor of Formula 1.

Until this very day, Ayrton Senna remains to be the last driver to be killed while driving a Formula 1 car. The new culture in the paddock dictates that advancements in safety is just as important as improving the engine or the chassis.

Numerous shunts have taken place after Senna's death, all of which could have been easily fatal. But because of the pursuit of ever-improving safety, many drivers have been spared from death or seriosly debilitating injuries.

However, the pursuit for better safety wasn't all smooth sailing. A fire marshal was killed after an accident during the 2000 Italian GP. The following year, a volunteer marshal was also killed during the 2001 season opener in Australia when Jacques Villeneuve's BAR Honda collided behind Ralf Schumacher's Williams.

But like Senna's death, the tragedies were used as lessons to once again improve safety even more. And since 2001, no deaths have been recorded in the sport.

It's been 14 years since Senna volunteered to lead the cause for better safety. Ironically, it was his death that ultimately led to realizing that vision. In motor racing, it could be said that Formula 1 is also the pinnacle of safety.

High Performance Hybrid

When people think of buying a hybrid, they think of fuel economy and practicality. And where fuel economy is concerned, speed is usually sacrificed.

Hybrid vehicles aren't associated with high performance.

A group of engineers however think otherwise.

Mercedes-AMG, the high performance division of Mercedes-Benz responsible for monstrous vehicles such as the S65 that boasted a V12 engine capable of delivering 604 hp, is planning to produce the first ever high performance hybrid car.

The new V8 in the company's lineup will have a Hybrid version labeled "Blue Power". Being a V8, the car is obviously performance oriented. However, the integration of the electric engine means that the car should still be able to have restricted zero-emission capability.

AMG Research and Development Director Wolf Zimmermann mentioned that he was excited with the challenge of being able to deliver a high end high-performance vehicle while still being able to meet ecological standards.

The project seems to be an attempt by Mercedes-AMG to respond to growing environmental concerns without destroying the division's essence.

It would be interesting to see how this whole project pans out.

Increasing Demand for Smaller Cars

With gas prices increasing, more and more people are becoming convinced that smaller, lighter and slightly more economical cars are ther way to go.

Hence, smaller sedans have suddenly become a hot item. In addition, less powerful SUVs and Crossovers are becoming the more popular cars of choice for those who need to consider a large family.

If everyone had the money, getting hybrids would be a better option to cope against pocket heavy fuel prices.

But with the economic recession, most people also have to consider the initial cost of a car. That is why buying sedans, SUVs with smaller engines or crossovers become the best compromise.

This new trend has caused a demand spike for such cars. It could be said that no one in the auto industry could have predicted a drastic shift in demand for smaller cars. But thanks to the ever increasing oil prices, everyone it seems are considering economy above everything else.

So now, auto makers are bumping up production in significant levels to cope with the record breaking demands for smaller vehicles.

This sudden demand for smaller lighter vehicles however also has a drawback. For one thing, increased production for a commodity entails increase in cost. And since smaller lower end sedans don't really offer much of a profit for car manufacturers compared to premium models that offer all sorts of extras and luxury, buyers could lose some bargaining power.

For smaller vehicles, it would be difficult to negotiate for a significantly lower price compared to the sticker price. For most dealers, the difference from the invoice and the sticker price isn't that much to begin with. This means that a buyer wouldn't have that much room to haggle.

But then again, buying smaller vehicles is more of a long term strategy since smaller vehicles, being more fuel efficient, entails less cost when in use. Settling for the sticker price (or at least a price a little less than the sticker price) could be a small price to pay for a car not that fuel thirsty.

Lotus 79: A True Pioneer in Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics in most high end performance oriented production cars are a given. A car's chassis is basically just as important, if not more important than the engine.

Of course there is really no way to definitively measure aerodynamics until you drive a particular car and feel just how much grip it gets at high speeds. Hence, engine specs and all other technological tidbits (ASM, TCS etc) are still used more often than not to entice a person to buy a car.

But even the best engine is meaningless if the car can't handle the power. And good handling is largely due to efficient aerodynamics that help keep a car stable on the road at high speeds.

The importance of aerodynamics is clearly seen in racing where many cars are more reliant on aerodynamic grip than mechanical grip. For the 2008 Formula 1 season for instance, the Scuderia Toro Rosso driven by four-times Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bordais and respected up and comer Sebastian Vettel utilizes a Ferrari engine. But those two aren't competing anywhere near the top. Instead, it is the Scuderia Ferrari F2008 that's dominating the current season. This is because the F2008 has a much better chassis with much better aerodynamics.

The definitive car that advanced aerodynamic technology would be the Lotus 79 designed by Martin Ogilvie, Tony Rudd, Peter Wright and, of course, Colin Chapman. And it spelled 'domination' for the 1978 Formula 1 season.

The Lotus 79 was coined as the "Wing Car". It's design basically generated a low pressure area underneath the car as it travelled. This meant that as air flowed, the car would be 'sucked' to the ground: hence ground effect.

In a sense, the Lotus 79 chassis was like an inverted wing. An aircraft wing would produce low-pressure above the wing to produce lift while the Lotus 79 did the exact opposite.

Although many open wheel racing cars as early as the 60s were already experimenting with wings fitted at the front and the rear to produce downforce, none of those cars used aerodynamic grip as efficiently as the Lotus 79. It was truly an aerodynamic car against old fashioned cars.

All of a sudden, the revolutionary Flat 12 engine of the Ferrari 312/T3 (designed to enhance handling due to a lower center of gravity) was helpless against the tremendous aerodynamic benefits of the "Wing Car"

Lotus stormed through the season winning the constructors' title with lead driver Mario Andretti winning the drivers' title. Teammate Ronnie Peterson, despite his tragic death after the Italian GP, remained in second place in the overall standings.

Although the ground effect design is now banned in Formula 1 and that current generation Formula 1 cars find different methods to produce downforce, there is no denying that the Lotus 79 was truly the first car in F1 to show the importance of aerodynamic grip.

And beyond Formula 1, aerodynamics is still one of the main staples in motor racing that is required for victory.

Cheaper Alternative: Hyundai Tiburon (Coupe)

With the advent of games like Gran Turismo, Project Gotham, and Forza Motorsport wherein a gamer was allowed to drive realistically rendered versions of real life cars, many, it seems, have been spoiled.

A lot of the younger generation have now been exposed to countless of exotic sports cars only the super rich could buy. But because of such games, more people have been treated by the aesthetic qualities of an F430 or a DB9 and the raw power of cars like the F40 on a regular basis.

Brands like Ferrari, Pagani, Aston Martin and Lotus are now so reachable.

Unfortunately, real life dictates that exotic cars are still for those with seemingly unlimited supplies of cash.

After years of growing up accustomed to the likes of cars worthy of appearing in Bond films, shopping for cars for real becomes quite dissappointing. Now, I have to settle for the normal everyday cars. A lot of them are practical, which is great, but they lack the passion exuded by high end sports cars.

There is a decent compromise however. There are still some cars that look like a high end sports car with a very reachable price tag.

One good example would be the Hyundai Tiburon (Coupe). The price for the 2008 model ranges from $17,025 up to $22,525 depending on the trim.

Mind you, the car looks too good for such a price range. Its price tag rivals that of a regular family compact car and yet, the Tiburon looks special, the way a true sports car should feel. The profile of the car looks especially good.

The basic trim would provide a 2.0L 121HP engine. For a sports car, it is under powered. The lowest trim basically gives you the look and nothing else which kinda defeats the purpose of having a sports car in the first place. Fortunately there is a V6 2.7L version that offers a more decent 161HP. It may not seem like much, but for the car's size, it can hold its own pretty much. And if you're willing to get the highest trim that comes with a 6-speed manual transmission, the cars power would definitely be good enough.

It's no F430 thats for sure. Don't expect 0-60mh in 4.0s. The Tiburon however does deliver a better than average performance going from 0-60mph in 8.6s.

For what you have shell out, the Tiburon could be a bargain. After all, it looks good enough to make you look good.

Mclaren Improved but they still have much to Worry About.

Mercedes-Benz powered McLaren Formula 1 team looked to be more competitive in Spain. Their car was good enough to propel Lewis Hamilton back on the Podium. Unfortunately, he was still behind the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.

Yes, the team improved, but not by much. McLaren was behind the defending champions throughout the race weekend from practice, to qualifying and the race. For a team gunning for no less than the world title, much work is clearly needed.

All they have proven is that they are still quicker than BMW Sauber. Beating "The Prancing Horse" is still the main objective however.

But that goal will be difficult.

For one thing, Ferrari has been known to hold the edge in tracks with fast sweeping corners. Sepang, Bahrain and Catalunya are tracks that suits ferrari's strengths. The next race in Turkey, which happens to be Massa's favorite track, will suit the Italian squad.

It would be difficult for McLaren to match that advantage in only two weeks time.

In addition, unlike last year, the post-Brawn-Todt-Schumacher Ferrari team is no longer suffering from reliability issues. With the exception of Australia, both Ferraris were able to race flat out at the front of the field showcasing unbelievable engine life (since every engine is required to last two full race weekends).

At about the same time last season, Ferrari was beating McLaren. However, only one Ferrari would make it to the finish line whereas McLaren had both drivers finish the race. That allowed McLaren to be able stack up points in the standings.

Now however, both Ferraris are quicker and both are finishing ahead of McLaren. That is no doubt a huge problem. McLaren has to solve its cars' lack of pace now rather than risk the possibility of Ferrari turning the season into a landslide.

Another area of concern would be Heikki Kovalainen's shunt. A front left tire blow out caused a huge accident that thankfully did not yield any injuries.

Two possibilities loom. The first is that the front left tire was defective and McLaren and Kovalainen were just unlucky. The second, which is more pressing for the team, is that their set-up caused the car to wear the front left tire more quickly. if so, McLaren has yet another factor to monitor during test runs rather than simply focusing on how to make the car faster.

Judging by the Spanish GP, it is highly unlikely for McLaren to turn things around in Turkey. The only time that the team may turn the tide would be in Monaco: where the tight street corners made McLaren unbeatable last year. If the team can maintain its advantage from last year, than the title fight may again get real competitive rather quickly.

But then again, Ferrari did mention that the F2008 has a shorter wheelbase to increase its pace and competitiveness in tighter circuits. Only time will tell if McLaren could indeed catch up to "The Prancing Horse".

Ice Cool, Firmly in Control

Kimi Raikkonen took a lot of heat after the Australian GP where the defending champion failed to score points.

But despite the harsh criticisms, the "Ice Man" kept his cool seemingly deterred by nothing. The results he compiled were three successive podium finishes that included 2 victories and a second place finish.

That is the trademark of the current generation "Flying Finn". When it comes to his driving, he rarely talks and rarely shows emotion.

To him, the past is history. Regardless of the previous result, whether good or bad, he isn't affected. All there is is the present where he would still naturally give his all.

So after the media drubbing at the conclusion of the Australian GP, Raikkonen answered his critics with a dominating win in Malaysia. Although things weren't working too well for him in Bahrain, the reigning champion still managed to squeeze out a second place finish using a set-up that didn't really suit his liking.

By the Spanish GP, Raikkonen was untouchable as he wound up with his 17th victory so far.

So much has been said with very few words.

The media however hasn't really warmed up to the monosyllabic and ever-evasive champion. The people of the press claim that a lack of personality isn't good for the ratings. What people want is drama: something that Raikkonen never really projects.

The media feasts on bitter rivalry, like that of Alonso and Hamilton last year. The media loves scandals like last year's Spy Espionage and Max Mosley's recent philandering.

Where there is controversy, there is always a colorful cliffhanger of a story that stirs up curiosity and intrigue. Drama is the media's best friend. Where press people are concerned, publicity is king. Something Raikkonen never truly cares about.

And it doesn't matter. Beyond the cold image and introverted persona, Raikkonen exudes the personality of the consumate racing driver. A personality that seemingly isn't bothered by anything. He is too cool to ever be worried. Among drivers, Raikkonen seems to be the only one who feels no pressure.

Hence, his character makes him tough to break: an attribute that is detrimental to all those competing against him.

As it stands, Raikkonen is the world championship leader with a nine point advantage over his nearest rival. It is still early in the season, but it is hard to deny that the ice cool Finn is firmly in control.