Names of Glory

*Listening to Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul*

Williams’ have been at the top of sport for decades now. You have the two sisters who, when they turn up anyway, take women’s tennis to another level. Snooker also has it’s own Williams star in the shape of fellow Welshman and former Crucible champion Mark Williams. Of course, the Welsh rugby squad boasts one or two as well, but for that I have no care.

But one, now all to often overshadowed Williams name in sport is showing signs of resurgence; that of Frank Williams’ nine time Formula One Constructors Championship winning outfit.

Resurgence, you may think to be a strong word considering Williams’ comparatively poor 2010 Formula One campaign, that is when you think of their already acclaimed sixteen titles. But be aware, this now relatively small outfit on the grid has a rosy future ahead….

Well if things go their way.

There are no billion dollar sheikhs or international businesses behind this team. They are simply a well run British outfit, remaining competitive on a frugal budget and relying purely on the talents of their backroom staff.

And when you think of it like that, it is quite astonishing that Williams have been mixing it in qualy three of late, ahead of the Vijay Mallya funded Force India’s and more than matching the Russian oil driven Renault’s and now German conquered Brawn GP.

Indeed everything pointed to a disappointing campaign before the season began. The loss of Toyota power, and the return of the unpredictable Cosworth engine that had proved so unreliable with the team in 2006, all after BMW left Willams in the lurch to take over Sauber.

Only a positive driver line-up brought some hope.

Overtaking Woz ‘Ere ’00

*Listening To Two Weeks – Grizzly Bear*

“Don’t you know, They’re talkin’ about a revolution, It sounds like whisper, Don’t you know, They’re talkin’ about a revolution, It sounds like whisper.”

Ok they’re not, but I am and we should be. Formula One is rapidly dying, losing credibility by the second. And there are two principle reasons, one big little man and one (two) prancing horse(s).

Just last week, Bernie Ecclestone, the biggest of cheeses in the world of Formula One went on the record saying Monaco doesn’t pay enough and that he would consider dropping it from the calendar.

Enter deafening silence. It’s not like it’s the most iconic, popular GP’s on the calendar and brings in numerous fans every year.

Should it disappear it would leave six races left in Europe, out of 19. And where do the majority of F1 fans live and can attend? Europe. Bernie has, and is, taking out one of the fundamental aspects of F1. The fans. The fans pay the tickets, but you’ll find rows and rows and rows of empty seats at most new venues.

And today he’s come out and said none of the new teams would be missed apart from Lotus and will, ney should, drop out by the end of the season. The only reason he wants Lotus to stay is because they’re called Lotus. Granted HRT are already struggling, but Lotus and Virgin will be on the heels of the back to midfield next season.

This is the equivalent of the F.A. saying Blackpool shouldn’t be in the Prem this season.

Schu Rule Breaker. Again?

*Listening to Cheese* (Constantly)

Some people said he was mad to re-enter the unforgiving and pressurised world of Formula One, but then again when you’ve won the championship seven times it’s perhaps just a natural reaction.

Those who don’t like Michael Schumacher are either massive nationalists or just jealous of his unprecedented success that saw him win 91 Grand Prix. To put that into perspective it’s just one short of what Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna managed….combined.

Perhaps they were just irritated when he continuously won races when no one could touch him. Motorsport failed to produce drivers which were capable of defeating him. Was that his fault? No, he was simply too good.

His return is in one word ‘spectacular.’ We can now see him go wheel to wheel with the new generation of young talent such as Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg. As sporting comebacks go it has to be up there among the very best.

Schumacher is my sporting hero-not because he was a winner. Far from it. It was the way in which he achieved what he did that gained my utmost respect.

Thankfully his presence hasn’t hogged the limelight, and I say that because Formula One is more than capable of making stories without his involvement.