Monthly Archives: June 2014

Ricciardo wins Canada in Wild Race

Montréal – Today’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix was by far the most thrilling race yet of the 2014 season. It began with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton taking the front row on the starting grid. Upon the lights going out, Hamilton initially appeared to take the advantage over his fellow Mercedes driver, but it was not to be. Hamilton took the outside a few corners further down the circuit, being passed by both Rosberg and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel (GER). It seemed like the front end of the race was set, with Rosberg being chased by Vettel and Hamilton, however a sudden crash between the two Marussias, caused by their British driver Max Chilton, caused a safety car to run on the track for the first ten laps or so.

The race continued to be a surprise filled with retirements and crashes, as both Caterhams retired by the halfway point in the race. Likewise, by the end of the race both Lotuses were out. Perhaps the biggest retirement of the weekend was Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, whose brakes failed on Lap 43, leaving the chance of continuing a Mercedes sweep of the season on edge, as his German teammate Rosberg was having the same problems as Hamilton.

For a brief while, due to pit stops and various driver errors, Williams’ Felipe Massa held the lead, only to be passed by Rosberg soon there after. After Hamilton’s retirement, the battle at the front was between Mercedes’ Rosberg, the two Red Bulls of Ricciardo and Vettel, the Force Indias of Hülkenberg and Pérez, and the Williams of Massa. Pérez was able to hold the rest of the pack back, save Rosberg who was already ahead of him, for a good portion of the final laps of the race. However, he was soon passed by Ricciardo. The Australian then made his way further forward, passing the last standing Mercedes of Rosberg, and taking the race lead.

Ricciardo’s lead was not totally secured until the safety car made a second appearance in Lap 70, after Massa’s brakes failed at around 160 mph, causing him to collide at an equally fast-paced Sergio Pérez, sending both the Brazilian and Mexican barreling into the barriers, sending shock throughout the Formula 1 world. What Sebastian Vettel, the driver between the two retirées, had to have done to stay in the race (one Twitter commentator made note of some “Jedi mind tricks”) worked, as he barely made it out of the danger zone at Turn 1 with Massa and Pérez flying on either side past him. Thankfully, both Massa and Pérez were able to get out of their cars and have been taken to a local hospital.

The race finished with a flurry of excitement for Red Bull and especially for the people of Perth, Western Australia, as their hometown driver Daniel Ricciardo finished in first, winning his first grand prix. With the sport heading to the Red Bull Ring (formerly the A1 Ring) in Austria, their two drivers are looking to repeat today’s podium, if not perhaps to have Vettel regain his place from the last four years at the top of the podium.

As for Mercedes AMG Petronas, we will have to wait and see how they work out their problems from today in Montréal.

Remembering D-Day 70 Years On

Kansas City – I am a pacifist. I find myself in disagreement with violence, especially that special breed of violence that is of a homicidal nature. In a more general sense of the traditional argument, I do not agree with the just war theory as proposed by Augustine of Hippo. That being said, the one war, in fact the most savage and violent event in all of human history, that is the Second World War, is one area in which I find my disagreements most challenging to uphold.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy. It was the beginning of the Liberation of Europe from the Nazis, and the end of their staining upon the face of humanity. D-Day was truly one of the last great events in which the majority of humanity were united as one in the stamping out of evil. Soldiers from Britain, the Commonwealth, France, and the United States crossed the Channel on that fateful day, the first of whom landed quite possibly 70 years ago exactly from the moment that I am writing this sentence (Midnight in Chicago, 06.00 in London.) Alongside them were many other fine people who had escaped from their home countries then occupied by the Nazis, to keep the fire of freedom burning in exile.

Now, 70 years on, we have a good opportunity to recall their brave sacrifice and determination to see an end to Nazism. Today is an excellent time to consider our own positions in the span of history. How do we in 2014 best live to preserve freedom? How do we today strive to keep our society safe for dialogue in the present and amongst future generations? I began by declaring my own views regarding violence. At this moment in this editorial, I feel it necessary to beg the question, not just to my American audience, but to my readership in the rest of the world: Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers defeated Nazism, which evils are there in our own world that need defeating?

From my own perspective, which I admit is a bit left of centre on the American political spectrum, the greatest evil which we as humans still need to face is the weaponisation of fear. Despite the War’s ending 69 years ago, we are still bombed each and every day. Only now, those bombs do not directly, physically slaughter. Rather, these verbal bombs, these armoured words are dropped upon us all every day. Look no further than the fear mongering that comes from the more extreme mouthpieces of our media and political class. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of some of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, a war which still impacts this country just as much as it did when it was being fought. Even now, the United States is divided culturally, socially, and politically along the same exact lines as it was in the 1850s and 1860s.

This country has come so very far from the unity that it experienced during the Second World War. Sometimes I do wonder if we give the men and women who worked against Nazism and Fascism proper honour and respect. Our actions in the present are modelled in at least a minimal manner upon the deeds of the past. But also they are shaped by the years in between, by the joys and sorrows, the optimism and cynicism alike. Today the United States is a very cynical nation. Then again, it would appear that in general the West has become quite cynical over the past few decades.

Let us honour the memory of D-Day by working together to keep the flame of freedom burning as bright as it ever has. It will require us to keep the dialogue going. Most importantly though, to truly honour those veterans and their fallen comrades in their struggle for liberty, let us embrace everyone. Let all people be free to be whomever they are.

F1 Midweek – Bienvenue au Québec

Kansas City – This week, the Formula 1 circus returns to this side of the Atlantic for the first time in the new V6 era. It makes things far easier for those of us who follow the sport in the Americas, because at long last the races are not in the middle of the night or in the early daylight hours on Sunday morning. This coming weekend is not just an opportunity for Canada to welcome one of the greatest competitions back into its borders, but for Québec to embrace the F1 world as it has every year since the Canadian Grand Prix relocated to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montréal.

Montréal is one of my favourite events on the sport’s calendar. The beauty of the circuit, built on Île Notre-Dame in the Saint Lawrence River, is unrivalled and quite unique. If for nothing else, this weekend’s grand prix will be one to watch just for the eye-candy that is Québec in June.

On top of that, as a bit of a francophile, I always enjoy seeing Québec make a name for itself. South of the border here in the States, when one thinks of Canada typically Ontario, Alberta, or British Columbia will come to mind first, with Québec coming in second. Though, for Québec’s benefit, I will say that les Habs did far better this year in the NHL than any of the other Canadian teams. On top of that, I have a decent sized readership in Canada, so cheers to you!

What we should expect from the drivers I should think will be more of the same. I would be surprised if the podium from Monaco was not repeated in Canada. Thankfully for Mercedes AMG Petronas, it seems as though Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have settled any discord that had developed between them over the past few months. I suppose they have to be friends to be able to unicycle together shirtless, as tweeted by Hamilton last week following the seeming coldness between the two works Mercedes drivers.

ImageIn the Red Bull paddock, things have been surprising since pre-season testing began in January. Perhaps the biggest surprise is four-time, and defending, world champion Sebastian Vettel’s continued troubles with the new RB10. However, where his Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo is concerned, it seems that he is much quicker than the team thought. Team principal Christian Horner offered his thoughts on the matter to Sky Sports F1‘s William Esler, saying, “Daniel has been a real surprise this year. We knew he was quick – we just didn’t realise how quick.”

I do hope we will be able to see better results for the McLarens and Ferraris in Montréal. However, this appears to be the Year of the Silver Arrows on the ever rotating Formula 1 Zodiac.