An intriguing insight into the shiny new venue for Sunday’s European Grand Prix, brought to you by Jarno Trulli and his Toyota pals.
Most important of all: the track is near a harbour. Because what F1 really needed was another venue where you could get pissed up on a yacht and still enjoy the action. Move over Monaco.
Grid Crasher didn’t realise the track was quite so close to the beach: we wouldn’t want to be catching a few rays, only for a stray Bridgestone to bounce across the sand in our general direction.
After Hungary last weekend, the F1 circus has taken a well-deserved break for three weeks, before it all resumes with the European GP at Valencia’s new street circuit on 24 August.
So what will the star drivers get up to on their hols? Grid Crasher will tell you, after the jump…
Reaction from the men in the crash helmets to Sunday’s thrilling GP
1st: Heikki Kovalainen (Mclaren)
“There have been races this year where I’ve been in a position to challenge for victory but had something go wrong for me. Halfway through this race, things started working for me and I started pushing Felipe (Massa) hard - and it worked. I feel sorry for Felipe because he drove a great race, but my car felt good and I knew I could push for the victory. This is a great moment for me, something I’ve been targeting for many years. Hopefully, this victory will be the first of many.”
German’s podium in Hungary enough to earn him another year
Most of us thought Timo Glock was a bit rubbish, but it turns out he can drive. Now the German’s superb second place at the Hungaroring, achieved just a forntnight after a major crash at Hockenheim, looks like being the turning point in his F1 career.
Before Hungary, it seemed highly likely that Toyota would ditch Glock at the end of the season. Now we know that the team will keep him for 2009 - what a turnaround.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (finished 3rd)
Somehow managed to luck into a spot on the podium, despite being off the pace all weekend - his team must take some of the blame for that. Who knows why they loaded his car with so much fuel in qualifying, and on a track where overtaking is almost impossible. 6/10
Felipe Massa, Ferrari (DNF)
Shocking luck for the Brazilian, who had earned his lead after a stunning start. Still very much in the title race. 7/10
This is Isabell, Timo Glock’s new girlfriend. She’s German, blonde, fake-tanned and, er, that’s about all we know, apart from the fact that she attended the German Grand Prix last weekend - which meant she was stood in the garage, watching, when Glock crashed out and ended up in hospital (he has since been released and should be fit for Hungary next month). Lucky mascot, she is not.
German driver declared fit for Hungary after this…
This was one of the most violent crashes we’ve seen all season, but Glock should be fit to race at Hungary next month. He was taken to hospital for X-rays and checks, which revealed that he suffered no concussion.
“We are extremely confident Timo will be fit for the Hungarian Grand Prix,” said Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina in a statement. “Naturally he’s a bit shaken by the accident but all the checks have shown he is fine so we are not worried about that.”
Struggling German driver not short on self-confidence
Timo Glock is a very talented driver, for sure, but he’s struggled to match Toyota team-mate Jarno Trulli this season. Okay, Trulli is having the season of his life, but we’d expect Glock to be a little closer to the veteran Italian.
Glock has just five points to his name so far this year, compared with Trulli’s 20-point haul. That hasn’t stopped the 26-year-old German from stating that his ambition is to be world champion - in a Toyota - in 2010. Yep, you read that right.
