Ann Bradshaw: Point of View

I don't often feel sorry for anyone in Formula One, but I did on Sunday and that person was Ron Dennis. A drain cover saw the end of his dream of McLaren and Mercedes claiming their first Constructors' World Championship since 1998 and in the age of technical excellence in this sport it was just not acceptable.

I was impressed the designer of the Shanghai circuit - one of the best in the world - stood up and was counted. Herman Tilke admitted someone had forgotten to lock down the drain cover with the key that was provided for this purpose. Not much comfort here for Ron, who had seen Juan Pablo Montoya run over this and destroy his car, his race and his boss' hopes and dreams. Recently F1 had gained its sparkle back, but on Sunday there were some red faces from people who should know better.

I am not sure who will take the wrap for the drain cover. It may be some poor Chinese person who up to a short while ago never expected to be given such a responsibility. Then again it may be the person given the task of the final check of the circuit before the 20 drivers were let loose. However, this is not the only person with a red face after this race.

Mr Drain Cover Locker stand up and be counted alongside Christijan Albers, Narain Karthikeyan, Michael Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella - you are in good company. Before the race even got under way there was the most bizarre crash between Albers and Schumacher on the way to the grid. It was a racing accident between one of the greatest drivers of all time and one of the least experienced.

These days I don't often see firsts in this sport, but this crash was a first. Who do we blame? The man wandering around the circuit slowly warming up his tyres or the one putting his foot down and feeling how his car is working at speed? Not sure what the answer is, but they both suffered and had to start from the pitlane in their spare cars that were untried and tested.

Sadly for the outgoing World Champion, this was not the last of his red face moments. He then managed to spin into retirement during a safety car period, and the fact he walked dejectedly away with his helmet still on suggested he didn't want anyone to see his rosy cheeks.

Add to this the Indian Jordan driver getting his car out of kilter on astro-turf before crashing into a tyre wall and bringing out the safety car again, and the Italian Renault driver being given a drive-through penalty for holding up several drivers going into the pitlane, and you have some pretty odd situations in a sport where drivers should know better.

I like Fisichella, but felt for the drivers being held up going for a pitstop during the Safety Car period. It reminded me of how I feel when idiots in front of me get in my way when going into a petrol station. There is either the driver who can't remember which side the filler cap is on or the one who gets back into the car and has to spend the next few minutes putting on the seat belt, checking the rear view mirror and putting the petrol receipt away in the wallet or purse.

Ignoring what was happening on the track, I bet the Shanghai paddock was a sad place as there were some goodbyes that will change the face of F1 forever. The Jordan, Sauber and Minardi names are history, with these plucky teams now being taken over. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but the people who ran them have brought some character to the sport.

Eddie Jordan was my neighbour in Oxford and always someone who was fun to meet in the bar of our local, the Rose and Crown; Peter Sauber is a serious man, but one who has done a lot to bring professionalism to sports car racing as well as F1; and then there is Paul Stoddart.

Paul is a real maverick who has never been afraid to say what he thinks. I will always remember the journeys to races on his European Aviation flights. This was a smoking flight with the hostesses often swapping their outfits with race team personnel and one 'lucky' person being given the chance to be sitting in the aisle on the laminated safety instructions for take off.

Also if you are a British motorsport fan you were saying goodbye to two great characters who brought the whole thing into your home. One is the vastly experienced TV presenter Jim Rosenthal, who has been the face of ITV F1 for nine years, and the other is Ray Matts, the F1 correspondent for the Daily Mail for about twice that number of years. Two absolute professionals in their own fields, and two who I shall personally miss very much.

ITV has other things for Jim to do as he is one of their best sports presenters. Ray has decided he is at the age when he should take it easier so he can spend time with his lovely wife Val, although football fans will still be able to read his words of wisdom. I do not intend documenting the evenings I have had with Ray as I would end up embarrassing both of us, but I will never forget his guitar solos at my birthday parties in Magny-Cours. He is now following another icon of F1 journalism, The Sun's Stan Piecha, who hung his F1 pen up in Hockenheim this year, and for me the paddock can only how be a much duller place.

Nothing is forever, so F1 has to move on. It will be sad not to hear Jock Clear talking to Takuma Sato over the radio at the start and guiding him through the cars to his left and right. BMW and WilliamsF1 have had a very public divorce but were both successful in their own rights before the marriage. Rubens Barrichello may have been a Ferrari driver for six years but I think we will soon get used to seeing one of the nicest F1 drivers in Honda gear.

We have seen Jacques Villeneuve move from Williams to BAR to Sauber, and this may now be his swan song. But I for one can't wait for the new season to start with the Midland, Squadra Toro Rosso and BMW teams. I think Rubens' head to head with Jenson will be great at BAR, Felipe Massa has been the next Ayrton Senna for so long, so now he has his chance to prove if the hype is correct when he gets into a Ferrari, and will the Cosworth be the best V8 engine to give Williams an unlikely advantage at the start of 2006?

I have not walked into an F1 paddock for two years. I miss my mates, but still see them away from the track. I now have a winter ahead of me following A1 Grand Prix and the sun. We have two races under our belts and ten more to come. I am still very upset when I see people comparing us with F1. Bernie has a great show and so does Sheikh Maktoum. I gave my thoughts about our new series after Brands: there are very few similarities and any publications still insisting on saying Bernie should be worried about us are doing all of us a disservice.

I shall report on what is happening to this new series and hope all concerned will accept it for what it is and what it is not.

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- The Autosport.com Team

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