http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/
Squiffy.
Friday, 24 April 2009
From disappointment to anger
After the budget I said that I felt disappointed. As time goes by I'm getting more and more angry.
The vindictive tax rises on entrepreneurs and wealth creators continues to unravel. This morning we found that there will be a further raid on their pensions, even though this is out for consultation they have included the figures in their future revenue forecasts. This Government has no shame, they wrecked the great pension provisions we had made by their 1997 raid on pensions, then set-up an inquiry on how to improved pension provision, and are now raiding the again. Absolutely scandalous.
The Chancellor said in his forecast that growth in Q1 2009/10 would be similar to Q4 2008/9. Well it was -1.6% in Q4 and is now -1.9% in Q1, so his growth forecasts are already being missed, only two days after being revealed! That is surely some record, even for this "numerically-challenged" lot.
The latest figures are showing that we may be back in balance by 2032! 23 years away! I'll say that again, it will take 23 years before we can pay back our debt, they have truly mortgaged our future. That's Wangernumb.
An top of all that, the treatment of the Ghurkas is absolutely disgraceful. They should be allowed to stay here after fighting for our country.
The Government should hang their heads. They are a disgrace. We need rid. Please, for God's sake go. Leave. Resign. If you had any decency left, you'd have gone by now. Your moral decency has passed, ceased to be, and gone to moral heaven. You have no bills and no ideas. You are destroying the UK, so call a General Election Now!
Nuff said.
Squiffy.
The vindictive tax rises on entrepreneurs and wealth creators continues to unravel. This morning we found that there will be a further raid on their pensions, even though this is out for consultation they have included the figures in their future revenue forecasts. This Government has no shame, they wrecked the great pension provisions we had made by their 1997 raid on pensions, then set-up an inquiry on how to improved pension provision, and are now raiding the again. Absolutely scandalous.
The Chancellor said in his forecast that growth in Q1 2009/10 would be similar to Q4 2008/9. Well it was -1.6% in Q4 and is now -1.9% in Q1, so his growth forecasts are already being missed, only two days after being revealed! That is surely some record, even for this "numerically-challenged" lot.
The latest figures are showing that we may be back in balance by 2032! 23 years away! I'll say that again, it will take 23 years before we can pay back our debt, they have truly mortgaged our future. That's Wangernumb.
An top of all that, the treatment of the Ghurkas is absolutely disgraceful. They should be allowed to stay here after fighting for our country.
The Government should hang their heads. They are a disgrace. We need rid. Please, for God's sake go. Leave. Resign. If you had any decency left, you'd have gone by now. Your moral decency has passed, ceased to be, and gone to moral heaven. You have no bills and no ideas. You are destroying the UK, so call a General Election Now!
Nuff said.
Squiffy.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
The verdict: disappointment
The hope of an honest and decent budget has gone. I feel disappointed. There were some piecemeal initiatives, which will get some headlines but will achieve very little. The 50% rise in the top rate of tax will raise very little a year, and is just an extension of the dividing line established in the pre-budget report. The Tories should say nothing, but repeal it at the first possible opportunity.
There were no significant ways mentioned on how to bring the budget back to balance. The Chancellor is hoping that by returning to growth in 2011 (at an unbelievable rate of 3.5%) he will start to pay off the debt. Well, it's not good enough, that sort of strategy got us into this mess in the first place. He's bearing his head in the sand whilst crossing every appendage he's got. Over-optimism is this Chancellor's Achilles heel, and he's stumbling around on it again.
This was a major disappointed, debt is going to get even further out of control. All Labour chancellors run out of money, and this one has just been added to the list.
Squiffy.
There were no significant ways mentioned on how to bring the budget back to balance. The Chancellor is hoping that by returning to growth in 2011 (at an unbelievable rate of 3.5%) he will start to pay off the debt. Well, it's not good enough, that sort of strategy got us into this mess in the first place. He's bearing his head in the sand whilst crossing every appendage he's got. Over-optimism is this Chancellor's Achilles heel, and he's stumbling around on it again.
This was a major disappointed, debt is going to get even further out of control. All Labour chancellors run out of money, and this one has just been added to the list.
Squiffy.
Will this budget be better received than the last few?
The last four occasions that the Chancellor has presented a budgetary report (two budgets and two pre-budget reports) the details have quickly unravelled. Each budget has been deemed as a springboard to Labour's comeback but each one has plunged the party into the abyss. Think back to the damage that the 10p tax fiasco caused.
Will this budget be any different? If the papers are to be believed, then maybe. From what we read, the Chancellor will finally give us some truths about the state of Britain Plc's finances and will not try to be too rosy. It sounds like he is not going to be pushed around by the Prime Minister any more, creating dividing lines with the Tories, rather he will try to get a grip on the amazing levels of debt we are now reaching.
If he does this, then it maybe seen as a successful budget - if not a cheerful one. Here's waiting with baited breath.
Squiffy.
Will this budget be any different? If the papers are to be believed, then maybe. From what we read, the Chancellor will finally give us some truths about the state of Britain Plc's finances and will not try to be too rosy. It sounds like he is not going to be pushed around by the Prime Minister any more, creating dividing lines with the Tories, rather he will try to get a grip on the amazing levels of debt we are now reaching.
If he does this, then it maybe seen as a successful budget - if not a cheerful one. Here's waiting with baited breath.
Squiffy.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
What ever happened to purdah?
No not the noisy cat, the practice of keeping details of the Budget under wraps until Budget day. In days gone by, there were even prosecutions for Budget leaks, but I can't see Mr Plod doing a Damien Green-esq House of Commons type raid as the leakers are all on the Government benches.
The last two days have seen headlines stating that the Budget will help the construction industry, the stamp duty cut will be extended and that £15 billion will be cut from efficiency savings. On top of that the last month we've heard of car "scrappage", and eco-bonuses for electric cars which don't exist. These should not be announced until budget day, but the Government is desperate to change the subject of conversation away from smeargate to something more wholesome, like the terrible state of the country's finances!
Tomorrow is going to be bleak, and it needs to be. From what we hear Alistair Darling is going to fess up, he's going to tell us that we are deep in the poo, he's been unbelievable optimistic in the past few years and now he's going to give it to us straight. He probably won't go so far as to say that we wouldn't be so far up to our necks in it, if his boss had been more prudent with the finances because that would be too honest!
It's interesting to hear the figures of £15 billion efficiency savings, when the Tories have proposed such savings in the past the Government have screamed "cuts to nurses and teachers". I guess that's another tactic that has been blown away.
So, go out tonight and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow we will all be dealing with a massive hangover.
Squiffy.
The last two days have seen headlines stating that the Budget will help the construction industry, the stamp duty cut will be extended and that £15 billion will be cut from efficiency savings. On top of that the last month we've heard of car "scrappage", and eco-bonuses for electric cars which don't exist. These should not be announced until budget day, but the Government is desperate to change the subject of conversation away from smeargate to something more wholesome, like the terrible state of the country's finances!
Tomorrow is going to be bleak, and it needs to be. From what we hear Alistair Darling is going to fess up, he's going to tell us that we are deep in the poo, he's been unbelievable optimistic in the past few years and now he's going to give it to us straight. He probably won't go so far as to say that we wouldn't be so far up to our necks in it, if his boss had been more prudent with the finances because that would be too honest!
It's interesting to hear the figures of £15 billion efficiency savings, when the Tories have proposed such savings in the past the Government have screamed "cuts to nurses and teachers". I guess that's another tactic that has been blown away.
So, go out tonight and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow we will all be dealing with a massive hangover.
Squiffy.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Frank Field should cross the floor
Every time Frank Field speaks or writes an article, I'm impressed and bemused. Impressed that he seems to have grasped ideas which his fellow backbenchers haven't and bemused because everything he says points to Tory policies.
For instance read this article, and it strikes you that it could have been written by George Osborne or Kenneth Clarke.
So why on earth does he continue to sit on the Government benches? One of the big mysteries of our times!
Squiffy.
For instance read this article, and it strikes you that it could have been written by George Osborne or Kenneth Clarke.
So why on earth does he continue to sit on the Government benches? One of the big mysteries of our times!
Squiffy.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
And on the sixth day...
Anyone who has watched the absolutely marvellous West Wing will know about how controlling the news cycle is a major part of Government's agenda. Watching CJ Cregg try to get to the serious news of the day whilst being dragged down by the media storm of the President's MS gave some idea of how difficult it can be.
Our Government finds itself in a similar situation. Guido Fawkes timed his smeargate attacks to perfection, in a quiet period known as Easter he did his worst. For the last five days the news has invariably led with the response to the smear e-mails. Today is different, but no better for the Government. Instead of a Government looking squalid by getting dirty in the ether, we have a Government looking incompetent over the arrest of Damian Green MP. From the frying pan into the fire!
It's not looking good, a Government amid sleeze and incompetence reminds me of a not too distant past. And if the Tom Watson libel suit were to go the way of the 'sword of truth and trusty shield of fair play' (not that it should) the parallels would be ever greater.
I doubt whether it will get better either, rumours exist that there are further e-mails to be released as part of smeargate affair, which will bring it to prominence again. Oh, if only GB had a CJ!
Squiffy
Our Government finds itself in a similar situation. Guido Fawkes timed his smeargate attacks to perfection, in a quiet period known as Easter he did his worst. For the last five days the news has invariably led with the response to the smear e-mails. Today is different, but no better for the Government. Instead of a Government looking squalid by getting dirty in the ether, we have a Government looking incompetent over the arrest of Damian Green MP. From the frying pan into the fire!
It's not looking good, a Government amid sleeze and incompetence reminds me of a not too distant past. And if the Tom Watson libel suit were to go the way of the 'sword of truth and trusty shield of fair play' (not that it should) the parallels would be ever greater.
I doubt whether it will get better either, rumours exist that there are further e-mails to be released as part of smeargate affair, which will bring it to prominence again. Oh, if only GB had a CJ!
Squiffy
The world is poorer today without Sir Clement
It is a morning of great sadness, hearing of the death of Sir Clement Freud. A man of many talents, including MP for Ely and North Cambridgeshire, chef, horse racing fanatic, writer, television and radio performer.
As part of the Liberal contingent in parliament, I will always be grateful that he chose to vote against the discredited Callaghan government.
In my mind, though, his appearances on Radio 4's Just a minute will forever be in my memory. His dry tones were just the foil for a witty anecdote, sometimes we wouldn't know where he was heading but at the end it was always a delight. Some of his put downs to Nicholas Parsons were priceless, even if you could detect that occasionally he really did meant it!
That brings an end to the original line-up of Sir Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo and Kenneth Williams and the passing of an era. Thankfully with talents like Ross Noble, Graham Norton and the wonderfully surreal Paul Merton "Just a Minute" will continue, but just like the loss of Humph in "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" it won't quite feel the same.
We'll miss you.
Squiffy.
As part of the Liberal contingent in parliament, I will always be grateful that he chose to vote against the discredited Callaghan government.
In my mind, though, his appearances on Radio 4's Just a minute will forever be in my memory. His dry tones were just the foil for a witty anecdote, sometimes we wouldn't know where he was heading but at the end it was always a delight. Some of his put downs to Nicholas Parsons were priceless, even if you could detect that occasionally he really did meant it!
That brings an end to the original line-up of Sir Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo and Kenneth Williams and the passing of an era. Thankfully with talents like Ross Noble, Graham Norton and the wonderfully surreal Paul Merton "Just a Minute" will continue, but just like the loss of Humph in "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" it won't quite feel the same.
We'll miss you.
Squiffy.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Never shall he say it's about ishoos
One of Gordon Brown's frequent ripostes in PMQs is that the Tories don't want to talk about policies, but personalities. Now that the operation within Number 10 to reveal unfounded stories on political opponents on a new 'Red Rag' website has been exposed, he will not be able to repeat the jibe with effect.
That doesn't mean that he won't try, the PM has shown that he's not fleet footed within the Chamber and I will be extremely surprised if he stops himself saying something similar. If he does, David Cameron will bring up the McBride emails and the house will be in uproar.
One of Gordon Brown's stock answers has been taken away from him, as well as one of his key aides. The possibility of a Labour recovery has now further narrowed. And quite rightly.
Squiffy.
That doesn't mean that he won't try, the PM has shown that he's not fleet footed within the Chamber and I will be extremely surprised if he stops himself saying something similar. If he does, David Cameron will bring up the McBride emails and the house will be in uproar.
One of Gordon Brown's stock answers has been taken away from him, as well as one of his key aides. The possibility of a Labour recovery has now further narrowed. And quite rightly.
Squiffy.
Monday, 13 April 2009
They have to go
I've said this before, but this Government has to go. The Damian McBride emails have shown that there is something rotten in the heart of Number 10. He may have gone, but the person who appointed him and set the parameters for his behaviour is still around - and that is dear leader.
Gordon Brown cannot wash his hands completely of what has been done in his name. He may not have typed the emails himself, but the tone is set by him - and the spinning and back stabbing throughout the years in power by his coterie of advisers has now gone too far.
Will no-one rid us of this troublesome Government?
Squiffy.
Gordon Brown cannot wash his hands completely of what has been done in his name. He may not have typed the emails himself, but the tone is set by him - and the spinning and back stabbing throughout the years in power by his coterie of advisers has now gone too far.
Will no-one rid us of this troublesome Government?
Squiffy.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
The dead cat that did not bounce
Last week's G20 meeting seemed to be relatively successful for the Prime Minister, whether it is successful in bringing the worldwide recession to an end we'll have to wait and see. But for Gordon Brown, the threatened walk outs and violent demonstrations did not happen and he could pose in his favourite position as Chancellor to the world spouting large figures such as the $5 trillion fiscal stimulus. Never mind that the figures need to be taken with a pinch of salt (the $5 trillion being the total amount spent through the recession by all countries, including the natural automatic stabilizers such as unemployment benefit rather than specific fiscal stimuli packages).
For GB, it looked good and I would have been predicting a 5% increase in the Labour party poll figures which would quickly disappear as reality stepped in. The first poll (for YouGov) had the party increasing by 4%, but the second poll (for Populus) taken after the meeting showed no increase in the Labour party position and the Tories advancing by 1 point. It's too early to say whether the G20 lustre has so quickly faded, but it may be that the dead cat did not bounce this time. In fact it looks like the dead cat has been to a taxidermist and has that very strange stare that only stuffed animals and expense challenged MPs get.
Squiffy.
For GB, it looked good and I would have been predicting a 5% increase in the Labour party poll figures which would quickly disappear as reality stepped in. The first poll (for YouGov) had the party increasing by 4%, but the second poll (for Populus) taken after the meeting showed no increase in the Labour party position and the Tories advancing by 1 point. It's too early to say whether the G20 lustre has so quickly faded, but it may be that the dead cat did not bounce this time. In fact it looks like the dead cat has been to a taxidermist and has that very strange stare that only stuffed animals and expense challenged MPs get.
Squiffy.
Friday, 3 April 2009
He's not the messiah, just a very naughty boy
Which must be how Lewis Hamilton feels today. Whatever the details of whether he chose to lie or was told to by the team manager, it should have been clear that the car to pits radio would expose any discrepancies. In such circumstances it seems like a very foolish thing to have done and his reputation has suffered, in a similar way to Schumacher parking his car after Rascasse in Monaco 2006.
This year he needed to repair his relationship with the stewards after the controversies of the last two years. Unfortunately, it's all gone wrong from the first race of the season. The world championship is already looking like a tough ask this year, and it just got tougher.
Squiffy
This year he needed to repair his relationship with the stewards after the controversies of the last two years. Unfortunately, it's all gone wrong from the first race of the season. The world championship is already looking like a tough ask this year, and it just got tougher.
Squiffy
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Capitalism = Freedom
I was listening to an anti-capitalism protester today, when he said "Capitalism equals oppression, we need to rid the world of it."
How utterly, absolutely, undoubtedly wrong.
The guy doesn't seem to realise that capitalism gives people freedom. Not the democracy kind of freedom, but pretty close to it. He has the choice of what to spend his money on, that's capitalism. He has more of his money in his own hand before the tax man takes it, so that he can spend it on paint to splash over RBS windows if he so chose.
You need to ask yourself, what has capitalism done to China? Although the people of China do not have the freedom to choose their politicians, they have a choice of what they spend their money on. For those not living in the countryside, their standard of living has increased immesurably since the East embraced capitalism. They can choose when to borrow money to invest, how many people to employ, the rates that they employ people on and what to charge their customers. Everyone benefits and world spins on its axis.
There is not an enonomic/political system to rival communism for lack of freedom, but these demonstrators see some pseudo-communist state/system as the panacea for the world's ails. It's so wrong-headed, capitalism goes with the grain of the human condition, not against it.
Squiffy.
How utterly, absolutely, undoubtedly wrong.
The guy doesn't seem to realise that capitalism gives people freedom. Not the democracy kind of freedom, but pretty close to it. He has the choice of what to spend his money on, that's capitalism. He has more of his money in his own hand before the tax man takes it, so that he can spend it on paint to splash over RBS windows if he so chose.
You need to ask yourself, what has capitalism done to China? Although the people of China do not have the freedom to choose their politicians, they have a choice of what they spend their money on. For those not living in the countryside, their standard of living has increased immesurably since the East embraced capitalism. They can choose when to borrow money to invest, how many people to employ, the rates that they employ people on and what to charge their customers. Everyone benefits and world spins on its axis.
There is not an enonomic/political system to rival communism for lack of freedom, but these demonstrators see some pseudo-communist state/system as the panacea for the world's ails. It's so wrong-headed, capitalism goes with the grain of the human condition, not against it.
Squiffy.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Ooo, er missus
Poor Jackie Smith. As I've said before, I quite like her (don't know why), but the expenses/porn (cash for porn, porngate?) row has shown that she cannot really run her own household properly (what was she doing signing off expenses for Raw Meat 3? unless it was really that good!) - so what can we expect from the Home Office?
It all goes to show that the MPs should have taken my advice last year and changed their expenses rules. Up their pay with a non-London weighting (something like £80K) and provide resources for constituency office staff from a House of Commons pool. Finally, banish allowances, expenses, second homes, the lot.
Simple, quite like some of our MPs.
Squiffy.
It all goes to show that the MPs should have taken my advice last year and changed their expenses rules. Up their pay with a non-London weighting (something like £80K) and provide resources for constituency office staff from a House of Commons pool. Finally, banish allowances, expenses, second homes, the lot.
Simple, quite like some of our MPs.
Squiffy.
Wasn't it wonderful
Now that there's been time for it to sink in, wasn't it wonderful to see Jenson Button on the top step of the podium on Sunday? It's been a hard slog for him and he deserves it, this time the win was with a car that deserved it rather than luckily when everyone else fell off the track.
It's great that Brawn GP have produced a great car too, and Ross Brawn was close to tears afterwards. Honda management must be having kamikaze thoughts right now. I really enjoyed seeing Williams right up there again, they should be near the front.
Overall, the race was good and I think the cars seemed to be able to genuinely stay closer to each other. There were definately more slipstreaming overtaking moves in this race, so it's thumbs up so far on the new rules.
Looks like a great 2009 in F1 lies ahead of us. If the Barcelona GP is anything other than a bore-fest, we'll know for sure.
Squiffy.
It's great that Brawn GP have produced a great car too, and Ross Brawn was close to tears afterwards. Honda management must be having kamikaze thoughts right now. I really enjoyed seeing Williams right up there again, they should be near the front.
Overall, the race was good and I think the cars seemed to be able to genuinely stay closer to each other. There were definately more slipstreaming overtaking moves in this race, so it's thumbs up so far on the new rules.
Looks like a great 2009 in F1 lies ahead of us. If the Barcelona GP is anything other than a bore-fest, we'll know for sure.
Squiffy.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
The gall of the man
I've just heard Gordon Brown say what a mistake it was for RBS to take over ABN Amro, saying that it cost £80 billion, and now RBS is worth £10 billion. He says that obviously due diligence wasn't done properly.
For RBS read LLoyds, for ABN Amro read HBOS and the situation is the same. Who was it who pushed through this merger? Gordon Brown, and the complaints have been about a lack of due diligence. The man has no shame.
Squiffy.
For RBS read LLoyds, for ABN Amro read HBOS and the situation is the same. Who was it who pushed through this merger? Gordon Brown, and the complaints have been about a lack of due diligence. The man has no shame.
Squiffy.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Formula 1 Shakedown 2
As promised, a preview of the remaining 5 teams follows.
Toro Rosso
This team was the surprise of the 2008 season, managing to pull out the surprise win at Monza. It showed that small teams can still make it in F1, although this is disguising the fact that the car was largely the same as the Red Bull. The RB5 (on which the STR4 is based) is looking better than its predecessor (more on that later). The team will be using the Ferrari engine again this year, which gave it the edge of the senior team last year, let's see if the Renault engine falls behind again this year.
Again it's a time of Seb's. Out goes the wunderkind Sebastien Vettel, in comes the rookie Sebastien Buemi. It will be tough for Buemi as he has big shoes to fill, and as the only rookie the pressure will really be on. For his French counterpart, Sebastian Bourdais it will also be a difficult year. This year he has to put the difficulties behind him,take over as the number 1 and show what he's made of. Soon, the IndyCar championships will be a memory if he can't deliver this year.
Red Bull
Overshadowed by its junior team last year, this year the team has to deliver. So far the Adrian Newey effect has not paid off, but this year could be different. He has been usually very good at interpretating new rules and creating a fantastic car, such as the McLaren MP/4-13 in 1998. It's only when the rules are stable that he can push the envelope too far and go down a wrong route. The car this year does look quite different to the others and may be about to make a splash. Can Newey reclaim his mantle as designer extraordinaire? Not sure, the testing times look like it could get to the top of the midfield.
This year, Sebastien Vettel can build upon his reputation from last year. If he can regularly get the car on the podium I think he will cement his status as future world champion. It all depends on the man on the other side of the garage. If Mark Webber blows Vettel away as he has to all other team mates, then Webber will show that he should have been in a top team and Vettel's status will be diminished. If the opposite happens it could be the end of Webber's dreams of a top team and foreshorten his career. 2009 is make or break for Mark Webber.
Williams
It's been a tough few years for my favourite team. Times are still tough as their primary backers have suffered through the credit crunch. If there is a year for this team to find it's feet again it's 2009, they focused on the FW31 halfway through the 2008 season. They also may have made the right choice to use a flywheel version of KERS, it's too early to say yet. The testing pace has been great at times, showing that maybe it is time for a Williams resurgence.
For Nico Rosberg this may be his last year in Williams. If the Williams team can provide him with a good motor then we may be able to get a measure of the man, otherwise it will be another wasted year. There is no way that Rosberg can afford to stay if the car is bad, and he will probably jump to McLaren.
Kazuki Nakajima has shown a turn of speed and is regularly able to get the car home. He is regularly a couple of tenths behind his team-mate and he must get closer this year if he is to progress.
Force India
This team has shown some promise in testing, it now has the use of McLaren engines and gearbox, which will aid costs and reliability. If this team can occasionally find itself ahead of other teams then it will have done a great job.
It's amazing that Giancarlo Fisichella is still on the grid. He shows well when at the back of the grid, but falls asleep in races when he's in a top team. He's had his chance and been found wanting. This should surely be his last year.
Adrian Sutil was unlucky last year to lose out on points at Monaco, and at times as shown that he is the real deal. But at other times he's been ordinary, this year he really needs to pull out the stops.
Brawn GP
This could be the surprise of the season. After coming close to a complete no show, the team managed to get several testing sessions under their belt before arriving in Melbourne. And wow! From nowhere, the cars seemed to be the fastest. Whether this will show up in a Grand Prix, we'll have to find out in a few days time. Jenson Button thinks it's the fastest car he's driven in quite a few years, and it appears that Ross Brawn's technical and organisation genius has been brought to bear just at the right time. This could cause the biggest upset in quite a few years!
The cars look a bit bare, as they don't have the necessary sponsorship, but if the car proves to be fast expect all the real estate to be painted shortly.
For Jenson Button, it may be that he has made a very shrewd move by placing his career on the line with this team. If the car is fast, this may be his best chance to clink a world championship or at least to show that he's still a force to be reckoned with. The new cars rip the rear tyres up a bit, but Jenson's smooth driving style should be an advantage on the long runs.
It's understandable that Ross Brawn went with Rubens Barichello rather than a young gun for this year, he needs to lay some solid foundations for the future and he knows Rubens well. Hopefully both drivers will enjoy 2009 after two lousy years. Good luck to them.
Squiffy.
Toro Rosso
This team was the surprise of the 2008 season, managing to pull out the surprise win at Monza. It showed that small teams can still make it in F1, although this is disguising the fact that the car was largely the same as the Red Bull. The RB5 (on which the STR4 is based) is looking better than its predecessor (more on that later). The team will be using the Ferrari engine again this year, which gave it the edge of the senior team last year, let's see if the Renault engine falls behind again this year.
Again it's a time of Seb's. Out goes the wunderkind Sebastien Vettel, in comes the rookie Sebastien Buemi. It will be tough for Buemi as he has big shoes to fill, and as the only rookie the pressure will really be on. For his French counterpart, Sebastian Bourdais it will also be a difficult year. This year he has to put the difficulties behind him,take over as the number 1 and show what he's made of. Soon, the IndyCar championships will be a memory if he can't deliver this year.
Red Bull
Overshadowed by its junior team last year, this year the team has to deliver. So far the Adrian Newey effect has not paid off, but this year could be different. He has been usually very good at interpretating new rules and creating a fantastic car, such as the McLaren MP/4-13 in 1998. It's only when the rules are stable that he can push the envelope too far and go down a wrong route. The car this year does look quite different to the others and may be about to make a splash. Can Newey reclaim his mantle as designer extraordinaire? Not sure, the testing times look like it could get to the top of the midfield.
This year, Sebastien Vettel can build upon his reputation from last year. If he can regularly get the car on the podium I think he will cement his status as future world champion. It all depends on the man on the other side of the garage. If Mark Webber blows Vettel away as he has to all other team mates, then Webber will show that he should have been in a top team and Vettel's status will be diminished. If the opposite happens it could be the end of Webber's dreams of a top team and foreshorten his career. 2009 is make or break for Mark Webber.
Williams
It's been a tough few years for my favourite team. Times are still tough as their primary backers have suffered through the credit crunch. If there is a year for this team to find it's feet again it's 2009, they focused on the FW31 halfway through the 2008 season. They also may have made the right choice to use a flywheel version of KERS, it's too early to say yet. The testing pace has been great at times, showing that maybe it is time for a Williams resurgence.
For Nico Rosberg this may be his last year in Williams. If the Williams team can provide him with a good motor then we may be able to get a measure of the man, otherwise it will be another wasted year. There is no way that Rosberg can afford to stay if the car is bad, and he will probably jump to McLaren.
Kazuki Nakajima has shown a turn of speed and is regularly able to get the car home. He is regularly a couple of tenths behind his team-mate and he must get closer this year if he is to progress.
Force India
This team has shown some promise in testing, it now has the use of McLaren engines and gearbox, which will aid costs and reliability. If this team can occasionally find itself ahead of other teams then it will have done a great job.
It's amazing that Giancarlo Fisichella is still on the grid. He shows well when at the back of the grid, but falls asleep in races when he's in a top team. He's had his chance and been found wanting. This should surely be his last year.
Adrian Sutil was unlucky last year to lose out on points at Monaco, and at times as shown that he is the real deal. But at other times he's been ordinary, this year he really needs to pull out the stops.
Brawn GP
This could be the surprise of the season. After coming close to a complete no show, the team managed to get several testing sessions under their belt before arriving in Melbourne. And wow! From nowhere, the cars seemed to be the fastest. Whether this will show up in a Grand Prix, we'll have to find out in a few days time. Jenson Button thinks it's the fastest car he's driven in quite a few years, and it appears that Ross Brawn's technical and organisation genius has been brought to bear just at the right time. This could cause the biggest upset in quite a few years!
The cars look a bit bare, as they don't have the necessary sponsorship, but if the car proves to be fast expect all the real estate to be painted shortly.
For Jenson Button, it may be that he has made a very shrewd move by placing his career on the line with this team. If the car is fast, this may be his best chance to clink a world championship or at least to show that he's still a force to be reckoned with. The new cars rip the rear tyres up a bit, but Jenson's smooth driving style should be an advantage on the long runs.
It's understandable that Ross Brawn went with Rubens Barichello rather than a young gun for this year, he needs to lay some solid foundations for the future and he knows Rubens well. Hopefully both drivers will enjoy 2009 after two lousy years. Good luck to them.
Squiffy.
Formula 1 Shakedown Part 1
Similarly to last year, I thought I'd give my thoughts on the forthcoming season with a summary of what the teams look like going into this weekend's Melbourne Grand Prix.
Ferrari
The Ferrari team is looking good going into the season. The car is, again, looking like one of the fastest on the grid, although there are some worries about the reliability of the F60, especially with Ferrari's KERS device.
It looks like Felipe Massa will have a fight on his hands this year as the new car seems to be more to Kimi Raikkonen's handling. This will be partly due to the re-introduction of slick tyres, which will enable Kimi to use his oversteer style more readily. It will be great to see if Kimi can get back to his best, and take the fight to Felipe Massa. Massa should still be on top form although he also didn't cope well with the initial changes last year, but came back after two races to launch his challenge.
McLaren
When the new McLaren MP/4-24 was launched, it looked like the best looking car of the lot. It takes time to get used to the high rear wings and snow plough front wings, but McLaren looked to have produced an elegant solution. In testing however, McLaren stayed with the 2008 rear wing for too long and were struck by an absence of downforce when the 2009 rear wing was attached.
Either McLaren are sandbagging, or they really have a problem. If they do have a problem, don't expect to see them on the podium in the first few races, but if any team can pull it around it's name is McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton looks relaxed going into the season, and with the monkey off his back maybe he will eliminate some of the errors that blighted his season last year. It's going to be a testing time for him and will show whether he is a great driver outside of the car - by that I mean whether he has the technological feedback to help fix a recalcitrant car.
Heikki Kovalainen has one more year at McLaren to show that he has what it takes. If he can take the fight to Hamilton then he should be safe, but otherwise this could be a make or break year for him.
BMW Sauber
The BMW Sauber team look very good going into the season. They've been working on the KERS device for probably longer than anyone else and it is shown in their reliable testing. The times have been fast showing that they are well prepared for 2009.
Robert Kubica is also looking in good form, he was the most consistent driver of 2008 and possibly could have been champion has BMW continued to pile their efforts into the 2008 car rather than the F1.09. One thing that counts against Kubica is his size and if they run the KERS device the car will have limited scope for ballast, making corrections to help balance the car more difficult. If BMW can get around these problems then it is conceivable to see the Pole win his first world championship.
Nick Heidfeld had a terrible 2008 and was unable to match his team-mate. This year he has to show more speed, otherwise it could be his last in F1. Fortunately, his size, will aid him in his battle with Kubica, as BMW may fit the KERS device to Heidfeld's car but not to Kubica's.
Renault
When the Renault was launched it looked awful. The nose is too square and flat, and they say that ugly cars don't win (although that's not really true). From first tests, the car looked to be about two seconds off the pace but in true Renault style, they appear to have made some great leaps during the off season. The team is great at discovering lost pace, just like they did last year. So maybe Renault will surprise us.
Fernando Alonso is probably the best overall driver in the world and shows that he still has the spark to win. The car this year must win if it is to keep him on board, otherwise he could be heading to Ferrari or BMW at the end of the year if circumstances allow.
Nelson Piquet Jr had a torrid time in 2008, making more rookie mistakes than anyone else. I half expected him to be dropped for 2009, but luckily for him he's managed to keep his drive. This year he must deliver and be closer to his illustrious team mate to keep him in F1 for 2010.
Toyota
The Toyota team have been a bit of a puzzle. They have some of the best resources available to them and huge expenditure but have rarely delivered. In many cases the cars they have produced have looked a couple of years behind the game. Not so this year, the car is looking much better and has followed many of the current concepts. It will not be racing with KERS for a while, but we don't know yet whether that is a benefit or hindrance. If the team does not deliver their first win this year, I expect Toyota will go the way of Honda and pull the plug.
Jarno Trulli is also a bit of a puzzle. He is supremely quick in qualifying and naturally talented but sometimes falls asleep during a race. This may be his last chance to win a second race in F1 and he has to grab it with both hands, otherwise it could be curtains for him.
Timo Glock was a bit of a revelation in 2008. His previous spell in F1 with Jordan was not a major success and Toyota managed to gamble on him this time last year. After a shaky start, though, he seemed to settle in to Toyota and started delivering some great results. Unfortunately he will be dogged by the last corner of Interlagos 2008, and the stupid suggestion that he gave the world championship to Lewis Hamilton. He was on dry tyres on a wet race track, still kept the car on the island, and managed to gain a place by staying out on dries. He drove well. This could be the year he excels in Toyota.
A review of the next five teams will follow shortly.
Squiffy.
Ferrari
The Ferrari team is looking good going into the season. The car is, again, looking like one of the fastest on the grid, although there are some worries about the reliability of the F60, especially with Ferrari's KERS device.
It looks like Felipe Massa will have a fight on his hands this year as the new car seems to be more to Kimi Raikkonen's handling. This will be partly due to the re-introduction of slick tyres, which will enable Kimi to use his oversteer style more readily. It will be great to see if Kimi can get back to his best, and take the fight to Felipe Massa. Massa should still be on top form although he also didn't cope well with the initial changes last year, but came back after two races to launch his challenge.
McLaren
When the new McLaren MP/4-24 was launched, it looked like the best looking car of the lot. It takes time to get used to the high rear wings and snow plough front wings, but McLaren looked to have produced an elegant solution. In testing however, McLaren stayed with the 2008 rear wing for too long and were struck by an absence of downforce when the 2009 rear wing was attached.
Either McLaren are sandbagging, or they really have a problem. If they do have a problem, don't expect to see them on the podium in the first few races, but if any team can pull it around it's name is McLaren.
Lewis Hamilton looks relaxed going into the season, and with the monkey off his back maybe he will eliminate some of the errors that blighted his season last year. It's going to be a testing time for him and will show whether he is a great driver outside of the car - by that I mean whether he has the technological feedback to help fix a recalcitrant car.
Heikki Kovalainen has one more year at McLaren to show that he has what it takes. If he can take the fight to Hamilton then he should be safe, but otherwise this could be a make or break year for him.
BMW Sauber
The BMW Sauber team look very good going into the season. They've been working on the KERS device for probably longer than anyone else and it is shown in their reliable testing. The times have been fast showing that they are well prepared for 2009.
Robert Kubica is also looking in good form, he was the most consistent driver of 2008 and possibly could have been champion has BMW continued to pile their efforts into the 2008 car rather than the F1.09. One thing that counts against Kubica is his size and if they run the KERS device the car will have limited scope for ballast, making corrections to help balance the car more difficult. If BMW can get around these problems then it is conceivable to see the Pole win his first world championship.
Nick Heidfeld had a terrible 2008 and was unable to match his team-mate. This year he has to show more speed, otherwise it could be his last in F1. Fortunately, his size, will aid him in his battle with Kubica, as BMW may fit the KERS device to Heidfeld's car but not to Kubica's.
Renault
When the Renault was launched it looked awful. The nose is too square and flat, and they say that ugly cars don't win (although that's not really true). From first tests, the car looked to be about two seconds off the pace but in true Renault style, they appear to have made some great leaps during the off season. The team is great at discovering lost pace, just like they did last year. So maybe Renault will surprise us.
Fernando Alonso is probably the best overall driver in the world and shows that he still has the spark to win. The car this year must win if it is to keep him on board, otherwise he could be heading to Ferrari or BMW at the end of the year if circumstances allow.
Nelson Piquet Jr had a torrid time in 2008, making more rookie mistakes than anyone else. I half expected him to be dropped for 2009, but luckily for him he's managed to keep his drive. This year he must deliver and be closer to his illustrious team mate to keep him in F1 for 2010.
Toyota
The Toyota team have been a bit of a puzzle. They have some of the best resources available to them and huge expenditure but have rarely delivered. In many cases the cars they have produced have looked a couple of years behind the game. Not so this year, the car is looking much better and has followed many of the current concepts. It will not be racing with KERS for a while, but we don't know yet whether that is a benefit or hindrance. If the team does not deliver their first win this year, I expect Toyota will go the way of Honda and pull the plug.
Jarno Trulli is also a bit of a puzzle. He is supremely quick in qualifying and naturally talented but sometimes falls asleep during a race. This may be his last chance to win a second race in F1 and he has to grab it with both hands, otherwise it could be curtains for him.
Timo Glock was a bit of a revelation in 2008. His previous spell in F1 with Jordan was not a major success and Toyota managed to gamble on him this time last year. After a shaky start, though, he seemed to settle in to Toyota and started delivering some great results. Unfortunately he will be dogged by the last corner of Interlagos 2008, and the stupid suggestion that he gave the world championship to Lewis Hamilton. He was on dry tyres on a wet race track, still kept the car on the island, and managed to gain a place by staying out on dries. He drove well. This could be the year he excels in Toyota.
A review of the next five teams will follow shortly.
Squiffy.
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