The limping tale of Kimi Raikkonen

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

What are the first things you think when the name Kimi Raikkonen is mentioned? Perhaps it is humorous, successful and cool. Others would think lazy, dim-witted and rude. The Iceman does have his many legions of fans worldwide. For their sake, they might not want to carry on reading…

Whilst I have taken a backseat from Formula One reporting in 2014, I have seen the results and watched clips and highlight packages of all races, as well as the live events in Canada and recently at Silverstone last weekend. It was around this time seven days ago that Raikkonen was being discharged from the medical centre at the Northamptonshire circuit, with bruised ankles and knees after a frightening crash on the opening lap of the event that saw his chassis destroyed in a 47G impact (remains below)

The remains of Raikkonen's Ferrari after his 47G impact at Silverstone last weekend

As Kimi limped away from the remains of his Ferrari machinery, I wonder what he was thinking. Perhaps he needed a stiff drink and you couldn’t blame him if that was the case. His season has been a tale of woe and regular underperforming in a Prancing Horse car that is quite possibly, the worst they have designed back at Maranello in over two decades.

So in the crazy world of the ‘former’ Flying Finn, does he have much more of a future at the pinnacle of Grand Prix racing?

Stats check

When Raikkonen returned to Ferrari for the 2014 season, there was excitement in the paddock. Paired up alongside one of his seasoned rivals in Fernando Alonso, many experts were predicting fireworks between the pair and a close battle throughout the campaign.

Whilst Alonso was expected to have the slight edge as he has been with Ferrari for the past four years, many members of the crew will have worked with Raikkonen from his first spell with the team which saw him claim his one and only world championship back in 2007.

What started as perhaps a settling in period has turned into a crisis of confidence. Raikkonen is trailing Alonso 7-2 in qualifying, has not started higher than fifth this season, not outraced Alonso at any event in 2014 and has picked up a sobering tally of 19 points, compared to Alonso’s 87. This is in the same car too.

Look at the results; Fernando achieved a brilliant podium in China, finished fourth in Australia, Malaysia and Monaco and fought through from mid-grid to sixth last weekend at Silverstone.

On the other hand, Kimi’s best result is seventh place in the season opener in Australia and he matched that in Spain. A podium was possible in Monaco before he picked up a puncture behind the Safety Car and then pulled off a ridiculous overtaking attempt on young rookie Kevin Magnussen that ended with both clumsily failing to get round the 30mph Lowes hairpin.

Bad luck can’t really be laid at Raikkonen’s door, certainly in comparison to reigning champion Sebastian Vettel, whose regular reliability problems have seen him struggle to register results compared to his hotshot new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo.

On conclusion, the verdict on Raikkonen’s season is; ‘Not good enough, could try harder.’

Will he change?

If you’ve followed the career of Kimi Raikkonen, he is a frustrating enigma and an absolute nightmare to get any words out of him. The media will be lucky to get a shrug of the shoulders, and perhaps a murmur of ‘yeah okay,’ or ‘it’s good but it isn’t the win.’

He doesn’t work hard enough. Ferrari knows that and that’s why they binned him in the first place at the end of 2009 for Alonso. If he ever wrote an autobiography, it probably would be the shortest read in history – saying ‘I was born, I drove a car, I won a championship, I retired, the end…it’s a Kimi adventure!’

He will turn up, drive the car, give minimal feedback to the team and then disappear back to his home. His attitude is lazy but that’s the characteristics of the man. He won’t change, that’s just who he is.

For all of that, he can be hilariously funny too. This is the man who uses team radio to get the point across bluntly but in a way which his fans enjoy. The ‘Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing’ message in Abu Dhabi 2012 was one of the best responses heard on a team radio. He is a character and motorsport needs people like him to cancel out the hard work of Vettel, the drama of Hamilton and the sheer persistence of Alonso.

What happens now?

With 10 races left in 2014, Ferrari might as well write this season off and throw it into the scrapheap. 1993 was the last year they failed to win a Grand Prix and unless something freakish happens, that stat will be changed when the chequered flag flies in Abu Dhabi in November. The team have not given their well-paid and respected drivers the machinery to deliver the goods.

Whilst Alonso though shouldn’t be criticised, Raikkonen must. He needs to be at least within a few tenths of Fernando and beating him occasionally. That is not happening and it is unlikely to change for the remainder of this campaign.

When Ferrari resigned Kimi last September, it was for fear that they might lose a slightly unsettled Alonso to a rival team. At the time, it was an understandable move but now, it looks perplexing..

With the likes of Jules Bianchi and Nico Hulkenberg continuing to perform, not forgetting Romain Grosjean’s talent which has been masked this year in a poor Lotus and Maranello’s hierarchy should look to the future.

Raikkonen has already indicated he will stop racing after 2015. Maybe Ferrari should look at ending this relationship earlier than his contract because it isn’t working. It has as much life as a dying marriage where the love has gone and you stay together for convenience purposes.

The curious tale of Kimi Raikkonen will continue in 2014 but time is running out for him in Formula One. He is Ferrari’s past, not present and if his performances continue to drop, he could soon find himself to be an ex-Ferrari driver again very soon. 

It is time for him to stand up and be counted!

Categories: 2014, 2015, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Formula One, Grand Prix, Iceman, Kimi Raikkonen, Results, Silverstone

The UoN Experience - Year Three: The Final Goodbye

By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

As the second anniversary approaches which signalled the end of my education life and the finale to my journalism degree at the University of Northampton, I have decided to share my own personal experiences from my three years at UoN. This includes a look at some of the nightlife memories, a critical assessment of the video products I produced and my insight into each of the three years I had in what was my second home.

The next article places specific focus on the third and final year of the journalism degree. 2011-12 saw the countdown towards the London Olympics and the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. Plus, Manchester City won the Premier League title in the most incredible way possible. For me, third year was all about building on how second year ended. It started badly, but improved rapidly and finished with mixed emotions which involved saying goodbye to my many friends I had made.

Two years down and one to go, the University journey had certainly contained its ups and downs. First year had been almost been in cruise control; second year provided far more challenges. Looking back two years on, third year was harder but I managed to conquer challenges better than second year, possibly because of the previous experience.

The planning for the final year had begun as early as June 2011, when I had to decide on a topic for my 5,000 word dissertation. I was always intrigued by the 24-hour news channel concept and decided to focus on the rise of Sky News in TV journalism, combining it with a major 90s news story which made them a more creditable source in media. The OJ Simpson trial was fascinating as much as it was sensationalised, with many of the witnesses playing up to the live TV cameras when giving their evidence. It was Sky’s coverage of the helicopter chase of OJ the year before his trial in 1994 that saw it win widespread praise from all quarters for the first time. I was glad that the dissertation was 5,000 words only. As a group, we were all lucky it wasn’t 10,000 which was the case on other courses. I wouldn’t say the journalism students got off lightly but it was a nice luxury to have. A 10,000 word essay would have been mighty difficult for all of us.

After the slow start with second year, I was hoping for a better first month to third year. How wrong was I? If I had to pick a month where I was in a bad place, October 2011 would top the list. The final year began on my birthday of 3^rd October! Although the first week went okay (largely thanks to a Thursday night nightclub celebration for my 23^rd year of existence), it went downhill from there. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. The summer break had been too long and I wasn’t prepared for what was to come. I was also majorly affected by the deaths in quick succession of two well-known motorsport figures in IndyCars and MotoGP. I got very upset by these events. While I had every right to be shocked and slightly downbeat by what had happened, these events were out of my control and by allowing them to get into my personal detailing, it clouded judgements. After a lecture where an essay topic was changed; two weeks after having already prepared something, I lost control of my emotions. There was only one thing I could do to try and drown the shambles of the month and that was to get drunk. It wasn’t like me at all. Sure, I liked a drink – we all did on the course and we all enjoyed a good party but it was a rare episode where I let alcohol do my talking. It was the best thing I could do. By drowning my sorrows, staring in mirrors and playing loud music in my room, I had to just release all the tension and stress that had been building up.

It affected my social media activity too. Both Facebook and Twitter took a break for a month while I got myself back on track in November. I did that and the episodes of the first month of the year were slowly, but surely forgotten. Concentration turned towards various assignments in the five modules I undertook. Some underlined my strengths and others highlighted weaknesses. As 2011 turned into 2012, my grades in the first half of the year were not good enough. I had collected too many average marks and feared for my final degree classification. With the job market as it was, a 2:2 would be utterly hopeless to me. I had to get a 2:1. Rather than feel sorry for myself like before, I seeked advice from my lecturers (two pictured below) and it got me back on target.

Two of the best lecturers, Hilary Scott and Richard Hollingum got me back on track in tough times

In third year, I will always lookback on my TV project with immense pride. I came up with a modern idea, and utilised it with plenty of research and filming in my spare time. It was an interesting topic and something I immersed myself in throughout the opening months of 2012. While I wouldn’t have it down as my best project, it was the most enjoyable work I underwent in third year. The task I hated the most was the group project on motorsport. With my racing background, I was expected to ace this topic in our group, which involved a media day trip to Silverstone for the final round of the 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship. I didn’t enjoy it – I don’t know why (apart from someone stealing our tapes), but while everyone else seemed to have fun – I found the day slightly unrewarding. As I had already committed to TV for my final project, I had to work on an eight-page magazine and I hated every single minute of it. I worked with someone who I really couldn’t stand. The individual was irritating, frustrating and so opinionated. They even had the cheek to ask me to compromise my antivirus security to bring my laptop into University grounds!! I couldn’t do that and was unwilling. I didn’t help myself by coming up with a feature piece called ‘Death in Motorsport.’ It was such a grim idea and one I regret suggesting. Nevertheless, the whole project was a joke. The other three members of the group were fine but I didn’t get the camaraderie I was hoping for. Perhaps not being able to choose group members would have worked better on reflection.

As the weeks went on, so did the months and once again, the spirit of the group was shown in abundance. That is what I found out about our course. We started a year all slightly distant to one another or in our own friendship band groups and we all had them but as it reached crunch time, we all pulled together and helped each other out if necessary. Whether that was explaining how to burn MP3 tracks to a CD, suggesting a sound change to a narration or even having a chinwag about everything in the SU in spare time, it was worth it. I will never forget the appreciation and the time of the final few weeks in both second and third year.

Being one of the elderly statesmen in the group at the time, I saw it to myself to set an example for the rest. It wasn’t something I needed to do but I felt it was my responsibility. If I slacked off, it was a bad example to everyone else. The extra two years at college doing a BTEC National Diploma really helped. The experience of this shone through in the period when deadlines emerged. I was never programmed to leave assignments until the last minute to beat a deadline. With this, I was often asked for help, advice or assistance and I didn’t mind doing that, as long as it didn’t compromise my own performance. There were times where I did think ‘do your own work’ or ‘stop asking me, I might be wrong’ but 99 per cent of the time, I would try to offer the best support I could to my colleagues.

I had made a load of friends throughout the three years but I made more in third year. While I stayed close to people I had known from the start of the course, I made sure I knew everyone and tried to get on with everyone too. There was the odd individual who I struggled to see eye-to-eye with and there were occasional personality clashes but I couldn’t complain too much. It was nice to know people but also work closer with them as the degree went towards its closure. When all projects were handed in on 16 May 2012, my journey was complete. A wild night and few weeks were to begin (more of this in the nightlife chapter) but it was the end of an era.

Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things to do. These were people who you saw on a weekly basis, daily basis in some instances. I’m not great at saying farewells to individuals who I know so well. When I last met Ellie around a month after everything finished, we spent a few hours reminiscing and trying to make each other laugh, which I think we did. When it was time to say goodbye, I could feel the emotion from both of us, realising that this was it. I would say I was friends with 95 per cent of the course, but I did make special friends along the way. 

However if there was one who I shared many great memories with the most, it was with Ellie. We bonded so closely from day one and were always there for one another. There were times where we let each other down but that happens in most friendships and whenever there were tough moments, we always worked hard to ensure it didn’t get in the way of what we had as a friendship. If I was forced to pick one person I miss the most and would like to see again, Ellie would be top of the list – just because we shared so much, relied on each other and had such a fantastic friendship. I would like to think that we might see each other again at some point, or our careers collide into one another in the future.

So that was that, University was over and a new chapter of finding employment after graduation was about to begin. It was to be a tough and far more testing proposition than first anticipated.

Categories: 2011, Deadlines, Grades, Journalism, May, Silverstone, SU, TV, University, University of Northampton

F1 2013 - Sebastian crushes the opposition

By Simon Wright - Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88

One man and one team completely dominated the 2013 Formula One World Championship as the invincible Sebastian Vettel (pictured) stormed to a fourth successive title, breaking more records in the process. His 13 wins in the season equalled Michael Schumacher’s mark from 2004 and he strung together nine successive victories, matching the record set by Alberto Ascari all the way back in 1952/1953. He simply crushed the opposition and proved why he is the best – his points total would have won the constructors’ championship on its own.

Sadly while Vettel and his Red Bull Racing team deserve all the plaudits for their almost unbeatable campaign, the spectacle disappointed. Races failed to live up to their potential, with tyres often dictating pace and putting safety at high risk. TV viewing figures dropped considerably as the season progressed and off-track politics took centre stage with team orders, illegal tyre tests, unpaid drivers and tyres blowing up left, right and centre often taking the headlines over quality driving and wheel-to-wheel combat racing. F1 2013 won’t be remembered as a classic season after the epics of recent years, especially 2007, 2008 and 2012.

Multi-21 madness in Malaysia

2013 would be the driest F1 season since 1987 but it started with a downpour in Australia that delayed the majority of qualifying until race morning. Vettel started the season with pole position but he was beaten into third place in the race itself as the Australian Grand Prix became an intriguing battle of tactics and playing the waiting game. It was the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen who eventually prevailed, with his two-stop strategy outsmarting the three-stop efforts from Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso who chased Raikkonen home in second. Lewis Hamilton finished fifth on his Mercedes bow and Adrian Sutil had a strong return after a year out of the sport, leading a portion of the race on his way to seventh. It was round one to Raikkonen and Lotus but that was as good as it was going to get for this relationship.

A week later in Malaysia, the word Multi-21 became the talking point in the F1 paddock. After a wet start, Mark Webber had gained the upper hand on team-mate Vettel as he had pitted earlier for slick tyres. Vettel wasn’t happy with this and despite being issued instructions to hold station behind the Aussie; he ignored team orders and proceeded to race Webber in a ferocious battle with 10 laps to go. Vettel eventually got past around the outside of turn four and went on to controversially win the race. His actions though were disapproved by his team and angered many fans and F1 journalists. A more ruthless character had emerged and his relationship with Webber all but broke down after this incident. The Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Nico Rosberg finished third and fourth, although Lewis made an embarrassing pitstop in the box of his old team McLaren during the race! Alonso crashed out on lap two after his front wing failed following damage on the opening circuit.

The Red Bull team orders row rumbled on into China, with Vettel defending his actions in a highly charged press conference pre-event, accusing Webber of not helping his title bid at the end of the previous season in Brazil and indicating: “Bottom line was, I was faster, I was racing, I passed him, I won.” For once, Red Bull didn’t have the ultimate pace with Sebastian having a quiet weekend to finish fourth from a lowly ninth on the grid. Webber had a miserable time as he was disqualified from qualifying as he couldn’t provide a fuel sample, then he collided with Jean-Eric Vergne in the race and later lost a right-rear wheel, finishing his afternoon prematurely. Alonso won comfortably from Raikkonen and pole-sitter Hamilton. Jenson Button was an encouraging fifth for McLaren but already, their season looked doomed with an uncompetitive car that left them scrapping for a distant fifth in the constructors’ championship.

The final event of the early season flyaways occurred in Bahrain and it was a case of déjà vu to the 2012 race. The podium was exactly the same as Vettel became the first repeat winner of the campaign. The Lotus pair of Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean completed the rostrum. There were more team squabbles in the desert and this time it was at McLaren. After being accused of lacking aggression by team principal Martin Whitmarsh in his first three races for his new team, Sergio Perez responded with some robust driving which led to contact with team-mate Button and Jenson to shout on the radio: “He’s hit me up the back, calm him down.” Perez finished a strong sixth, while Button faded to tenth. Paul di Resta had a fabulous weekend, qualifying fifth and matching his best ever career result with fourth for Force India.

After a DRS failure wrecked his race chances in Sakhir, Alonso was slightly on the backfoot as the Grand Prix circus returned to Europe. His response was magnificent on his home turf in Barcelona. Despite lining up fifth, the Spaniard produced a breathtaking double pass on Raikkonen and Hamilton around the outside of turn three on the first lap and managed the high degradation Pirelli tyres perfectly to win in Spain for the third time in his career. Raikkonen split the Ferrari’s, as Felipe Massa finished a fine third from ninth on the grid. Pirelli were left under the microscope with tyre delaminations for di Resta in practice and Vergne in the race, following three previous incidents in Bahrain. Mercedes had a nightmare on Sunday afternoon with a lack of tyre grip. Despite locking out the front row, Rosberg and Hamilton slipped horribly back to sixth and twelfth. The next storm was about to brew.

It emerged on race morning in Monte Carlo that Mercedes had done a three-day tyre test after the race at the Circuit de Catalunya with Pirelli, using their race drivers and in its 2013 car. Both Red Bull and Ferrari made an official protest against the team which would lead to a hearing before the British Grand Prix at the FIA Court of Appeal. In Monaco, Mercedes managed their tyre wear life and Rosberg drove exceptionally to win around the streets from his third straight pole position. He achieved the victory on the 30^th anniversary of his father’s victory for Williams at the same event. It would have been a 1-2 but for a misjudgement behind the Safety Car from Hamilton which dropped him behind the Red Bull cars and ruing his error as he finished fourth. There was a red flag during the race after Pastor Maldonado crashed heavily at Tabac following contact with Max Chilton which moved the trackside barriers onto the racing line. Maldonado was unhurt and so was Massa, who had two almost identical accidents in two days at Ste Devote, the second in the race.

Tragedy in Canada

The Canadian Grand Prix often delivers excitement but that wasn’t the case in 2013 with the race turning into a dour affair. Vettel took pole and won at a canter, with Alonso making up for his lacklustre seventh place finish in Monaco to finish second holding off Hamilton in a late tussle. Rookie Valtteri Bottas made the F1 fraternity sit up and take notice in qualifying as he made the most of mixed conditions to start a fabulous third in an uncompetitive Williams. The event was overshadowed though by a tragic accident after the race that claimed the life of track marshal Mark Robinson. He was run over by a moving crane as Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber was being recovered from turn two. His death was the first at an event since the 2001 Australian Grand Prix.

Regular tyre blowouts ruined the British Grand Prix at Silverstone

After the tragic events of Montreal, Formula One was lucky to have no more injuries at Silverstone. Tyres had controlled the season and the whole issue about their reliability blew up dramatically as the British Grand Prix turned into an farce. Six drivers including early race leader Hamilton, Vergne (pictured) and Massa had tyre blowouts, whilst the most terrifying incident was a failure for Perez that had Alonso cheating serious injury as he ducked out of the McLaren’s slipstream at 180mph. It marred another great drive from Rosberg who held off a charging Webber to claim his second victory in three events. Webber had taken the opportunity earlier in the weekend to announce his retirement from the sport at the end of the season. Vettel chalked up a rare DNF when his gearbox broke with 11 laps to go; to the delight of many of the British fans while Hamilton recovered brilliantly from his early tyre failure to finish fourth.

In the aftermath of the Silverstone debacle, the blame game began with Pirelli accusing the Northamptonshire circuit of ‘high kerbs’ and the teams for ignoring their tyre pressure recommendations. Ultimately the Young Drivers Test became a three-day tyre test at the home of British motorsport with race drivers included and the 2012 structure returned in a mix with the 2013 compounds. It would have a major impact on the destiny of where the championship would go from this point onwards. Mercedes weren’t at this test as they had been banned by the WMSC following the Barcelona tyre test against regulations in May.

Vettel started his march to the title again with a hard-fought win at his home event at the Nurburgring, his first win on home soil. The Lotus drivers of Raikkonen and Grosjean pushed him hard as they completed the podium picture after three difficult events for Lotus that had seen them pick up just 13 points. There was another scary incident when a wheel detached itself from Webber’s car in the pits and struck an FOM cameraman in the back; knocking him to the ground and sending him to hospital with severe bruising. Webber fought back to seventh after a mid-race Safety Car for Jules Bianchi’s Marussia that caught fire, then rolled back across the track, almost taking out race leader Vettel in another bizarre incident.

Hamilton’s emotional dedication

Lewis Hamilton's only 2013 win came at Budapest in a tough year

The final race before the summer break was the Hungarian Grand Prix at Budapest and it is becoming Hamilton’s happy hunting ground. The Brit (pictured) recorded his fourth victory at the Hungaroring from pole position, his first for Mercedes. It was an emotional success for the 2008 world champion who had to deal with yet another painful breakup in his relationship with X-Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger in the summer. Hamilton dedicated the win to his former girlfriend but it seems like this separation is for good. Raikkonen came second, while Vettel had to settle for third, delayed in traffic behind Jenson Button after the first round of pitstops. After finishing an uncompetitive fifth, Alonso received a rebuke from Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo when he suggested he would like “someone else’s car” for his birthday. It suggested things weren’t rosy in the Ferrari camp anymore; with noises being made of a possible move to Red Bull for 2014.

The Austrian team based in Milton Keynes though would eventually choose Daniel Ricciardo to be Webber’s successor for next season after negotiations with Raikkonen’s management broke down. Four weeks after Budapest, F1 returned with a belting qualifying session at the daunting Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. A gamble on slick tyres in Q1 saw both Marussia cars and Giedo van der Garde’s Caterham escape the session, whilst di Resta almost got pole after a well-timed lap in the dry part of Q3. Unfortunately for the Scot he was bumped down to fifth as the weather changed again in the dying stages and Hamilton achieved his fourth successive pole. However that was as good as it got for the Brit’s season. Vettel overwhelmed him into Les Combes on the first circuit of the race and drove into the distance, with Alonso second and the Mercedes man third. Raikkonen’s run of 27 consecutive points finishes ended with a brake problem on his Lotus just after half-distance.

By now, Alonso was the only driver who looked remotely close to challenging Vettel should his form suddenly capitulate. That hope ended at the final European event of the season at Monza. On a track that has normally exposed Red Bull’s weaknesses, Vettel was fastest in every single session and won the race at a stroll. Alonso did manage to spilt the Red Bulls, helped by a demon overtake on Webber in the early laps. Nico Hulkenberg reminded everyone of his quality after he qualified third for Sauber then finished a strong fifth in the race. Raikkonen missed out on points again following contact with his Perez on the first lap, while Hamilton rescued ninth place from a dire weekend that included elimination in Q2.

Flaming Webber

Formula One’s worst kept secret was revealed to the public between Italy and Singapore, as Ferrari confirmed Raikkonen was returning to the team for 2014 alongside Alonso. Kimi stated it was to do with money, suggesting there were severe financial issues at Lotus. The news meant Felipe Massa’s eight-year stay at Maranello was drawing to a conclusion but he would be announced as a Williams driver for 2014 before the season’s end. Under the lights at the Marina Bay, Vettel made it three wins in a row at the event, with Raikkonen defying the aggravation of an old back injury in qualifying to finish a fine third from 13^th on the grid. Webber retired on the last lap with a gearbox problem and then copped a 10-place grid penalty for getting a lift back to the pits on the back of Alonso’s car on the slowing down lap.

Mark Webber can only watch as his Red Bull burns in Korea

It was now a question of when, rather than if Vettel would become champion once again. He reigned supreme as ever in Korea which arguably was a contender for race of the season. While he dominated, team-mate Webber went up in flames – quite literally (pictured). He was clobbered by Adrian Sutil after a mid-race Safety Car period. The connection with the Force India cracked an oil line and it wasn’t long before the back of the car went up in flames pretty spectacularly. The appearance of a fire truck before the Safety Car returned to the circuit saw the organisers get a hefty slap on the wrist afterwards. The Lotus pair of Raikkonen and Grosjean finished second and third, while Hulkenberg produced the drive of the season to come home fourth, keeping both Hamilton and Alonso at bay for the majority of the race due to his car’s strong straight-line speed.

The only time Vettel looked like he might be beaten in the run-in was at the Japanese Grand Prix. Romain Grosjean and Lotus asked a serious question which was responded in confident style by Red Bull. Webber had edged into pole position after a KERS problem for Vettel in qualifying but both were beaten off the line by a lightning Grosjean. Slight contact with Vettel’s car punctured a tyre on Hamilton’s Mercedes and ended his day early. The Lotus man kept Vettel behind for nearly 40 laps but eventually had to give best to both RBR machines. His third place though was richly deserved. Alonso came fourth followed by Raikkonen and Hulkenberg. The paddock was stunned though at Suzuka by the tragic death of ex-Marussia test driver Maria de Vilota who had been found dead in a Seville hotel as her injuries from the dreadful testing accident suffered last summer ultimately proved fatal.

Vettel does it in style

Fourth place in Japan for Alonso had kept the championship mathematically alive but all Vettel needed on the sport’s last visit to India for a year was a top five finish. This he achieved in style with a sixth straight victory and sealing both a fourth successive drivers title for himself and constructors championship for the team. Webber was nailed on for a certain second place until an alternator issue grounded his car on lap 40. That allowed Nico Rosberg to finish a strong second but some half a minute behind and Grosjean charged through from 17^th to take third again. That was only after a near altercation with team-mate Raikkonen in the closing laps that forced Lotus chief race engineer Alan Permane to leave some brutal words in Kimi’s radio – shouting: “Kimi, get out of the f####ng’ way.” Afterwards, Vettel treated the Indian fans to some doughnuts in his car, before bowing down to his monster of a chassis and leaving it on the start-finish straight. Rather than accept the reasoning for this, the FIA fined the team and driver to the chagrin of many paddock insiders.

Following the stiff row that broke out at Lotus after India, Raikkonen almost didn’t turn up in Abu Dhabi and only arrived at the last minute to drive. He expressed his dissatisfaction to the media and claimed that he hadn’t been paid a single euro for the season. He threatened to go on strike but an agreement was eventually reached for his rightful salary to be paid. In the UAE, Kimi was thrown out of qualifying for a technical infringement then hit van der Garde on the first corner, retired, left for the airport and wasn’t to be seen for the rest of the year as he underwent a back operation shortly afterwards. For the record in a forgettable race, Vettel won by nearly half a minute from Webber, Rosberg, Grosjean and Alonso.

If Abu Dhabi had been a tedious race, the spectacle in Austin, Texas was one of the most boring events of the past 20 years in the sport. Overtaking was limited, Pirelli brought tyres that were way too conservative and action on-track was non-existent. Vettel became the first man to win eight races in a row in a season, while a fast start from Grosjean saw him beat Webber to second and continue his rise in reputation. Valtteri Bottas scored the first championship points of his career with a fine eighth place in a desperate year for Williams.

So it came to an end in Brazil and it was a predictable end to the championship. Vettel won the race again to ensure he remained unbeaten at any event since late July. However the day wasn’t about him equalling records. It was about Webber, who bowed out of the sport by taking off his crash helmet on the slowing down lap and a pirouette on the rostrum as he finished his career with second place in the race and third in the championship. Massa might have made the podium in his final Ferrari race until he collected a drive-through penalty that left him screaming on the radio: “Unbelievable, unbelievable decision FIA!” With Hamilton also receiving a similar sanction for needless contact with Bottas on lap 47, Alonso took the final podium of the season. Jenson Button offered McLaren a crumb of comfort with fourth place and Perez came through from 19^th to sixth but had already been fired for next season.

The racing quality in 2013 was uninspiring and the results fairly predictable but no-one can take away Sebastian Vettel’s amazing achievements. He now has to be ranked alongside the likes of Fangio, Schumacher and Senna with his record-breaking campaign.

2014 brings a whole new raft of changes. We say goodbye to Mark Webber, Ross Brawn, probably Paul di Resta, the Indian Grand Prix and V8 engines and say hello to the V6 turbo engine, bigger KERS units, Dane rookie Kevin Magnussen at McLaren, Daniel Kvyat at Toro Rosso and a new race in Russia as well as a welcome return to the calendar for the Austrian Grand Prix. Let’s hope this mixture will shake up the competition and make 2014 a more memorable championship than the one served up in 2013. This year will be known as the year where Vettel crushed the opposition. Enjoy next season and for the last time writing for Formula One on Viewing Perspectives, thank you for reading and goodbye.

FINAL STANDINGS

Drivers’ Championship: 1. Sebastian Vettel 397, 2. Fernando Alonso 242, 3. Mark Webber 199, 4. Lewis Hamilton 189, 5. Kimi Raikkonen 183, 6. Nico Rosberg 171, 7. Romain Grosjean 132, 8. Felipe Massa 112, 9. Jenson Button 73, 10. Nico Hulkenberg 51, 11. Sergio Perez 49, 12. Paul di Resta 48, 13. Adrian Sutil 29, 14. Daniel Ricciardo 20, 15. Jean-Eric Vergne 13, 16. Esteban Gutierrez 6, 17. Valtteri Bottas 4, 18. Pastor Maldonado 1

Constructors’ Championship: 1. Red Bull Racing 596, 2. Mercedes GP 360, 3. Ferrari 354, 4. Lotus 315, 5. McLaren 122, 6. Force India 77, 7. Sauber 57, 8. Scuderia Toro Rosso 33, 9. Williams 5

Categories: 2013, Canada, Fernando Alonso, Fire, Formula One, India, Lewis Hamilton, Lotus, Malaysia, Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, Pirelli, Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel, Silverstone

Testgate - Mercedes lucky to escape severe sanctions

By Simon Wright

The French capital of Paris has recently played host to an international tribunal which could have had major implications on the Formula One season for 2013.

The FIA tribunal virtually cleared Mercedes in 'Testgate'

Petronas AMG Mercedes F1, whose factory is based in Brackley, Northamptonshire were in the dock over an alleged illegal tyre test they had conducted with Pirelli just days after the Spanish Grand Prix in May.  The Italian tyre supplier was also told to face the summons at the FIA International Tribunal (logo pictured).

Discussions, defence and remonstrations were held in a highly charged environment on Thursday, so much so that journalists were not allowed to use Twitter to update fans during the evidence that was given.

On Friday, the verdict was handed down.  Mercedes were found in breach of sporting regulations, and were reprimanded along with being banned from competing in the Silverstone Young Drivers’ Test.

However, they escaped a hefty fine, points deductions or even race bans for what seemingly seems to be gaining a blatant advantage.

So, why did the penalty feel like no punishment at all, and where does it leave the FIA, Mercedes and Pirelli as the sport regroups at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix next weekend.

Background

For those not in the knowledge of why it went this far, it all started after a difficult weekend for both Pirelli and Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix.  Mercedes suffered from chronic tyre wear, as their cars dropped from the front row lockout they took in qualifying to a very uncompetitive sixth place for Nico Rosberg and 12^th for Lewis Hamilton. 

Pirelli themselves were heavily criticised (including by yours truly) for tyres that could barely last three laps around Barcelona before they started graining and delaminating on a couple of occasions, including once in the race for Jean-Eric Vergne.  Afterwards, they wanted to do a tyre test and Mercedes agreed to help them out.

While others teams packed up, Mercedes stayed behind at the Circuit de Catalunya, and did a three-day test with their 2013 drivers in a 2013 car.

News of this broke when Rosberg mentioned the test to world champion Sebastian Vettel at the GPDA meeting in Monaco.

Vettel told his team and as more information came out, Red Bull Racing and Ferrari made a joint protest on the morning of the race around the streets of Monte Carlo, claiming that Mercedes were in breach of the FIA Sporting Regulations, which prohibits in-season testing after the first week in March until the end of the season.

Mercedes claimed they had received permission from the FIA.  Although they claimed to have written documents, the FIA stated this wasn’t the case.  After a stewards meeting after the Monaco Grand Prix, which Rosberg won convincingly for Mercedes, the case was sent to a tribunal on 20 June.

Counter Punch

The teams moved onto Canada, which Red Bull team boss Christian Horner used strong words such as ‘foul’ and even stating Mercedes were guilty of a ‘crime.’  It later turned out Ferrari had done their own tyre test after April’s Bahrain Grand Prix, though this was with a 2011 car and thus were cleared of any wrongdoing.

In public, Horner kept suggesting all they wanted was clarity on the whole situation.  Deep down, his body language suggested he wanted a big penalty applied against one of his team’s major rivals.

Other teams kept quiet.  Lotus were lobbied by Red Bull to join the protest, but refused as they had been unhappy with earlier instances regarding technical decisions in the past year.  

McLaren stayed out of the mess, as they have their own problems sorting out a car that is so bad, Jenson Button and Sergio Perez would probably do better performing in a barbershop quartet!

So the evidence started to unravel at the tribunal hearing.  Mercedes claimed that they had gained no benefit from doing the 1,000km test, and team principal Ross Brawn stated they had verbal permission from regular FIA race director Charlie Whiting to use their 2013 car.

They did admit that by using plain helmets to discard the use of race drivers was the wrong thing to do, and apologised for that and clearly stated that the test was at Pirelli’s request, and it was to solve concerns over tyre safety which have dogged this championship.

The FIA’s response was they had received no written consent from Mercedes to do the test, and were unaware of the situation Pirelli had got themselves into.  Thursday also concluded with Mercedes offering a compromise of being banned for the Young Drivers’ Test to try and negate any potential advantage they had.

Verdict surprise

The general reaction I received from text messages from friends who follow the sport on Friday were one of surprise and disappointment.  Journalists seemed surprised by the leninent action too. 

Most were suspecting of at least a points deduction from the constructors’ championship or even expulsion from that championship for 2013.  This result is perfect for Mercedes – and not only keep Ross Brawn’s integrity intact, it keeps him in a job.

If Mercedes were found guilty, the man who worked so brilliantly with Michael Schumacher throughout his first career, and spearheaded the fairytale Brawn story in 2009 from the ashes of Honda would surely have paid the price at Mercedes.

As reported by BBC Sport, Brawn said: "We have a blemish-free record here and it was very important to Mercedes that the facts of this case were understood.

"It does sometimes strengthen your resolve rather than weaken it but now it's cleared away we can concentrate on the rest of the year,"

In their own statement, the FIA commented: "The FIA wishes that lessons are learnt from this case and from the decision handed down.  To this end, the FIA will make sure, in association with all F1 teams, that its control of the testings' is strengthened." 

No consistency

In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, I thought the whole episode had been a complete waste of everyone’s time and money, and it is not fair for Grand Prix racing.

No matter the reasons of the test, Mercedes used a 2013 car which is strictly against the regulations.  This was even admitted by the tribunal, but the punishment is pretty unfair on the other teams.  Mercedes have done an illegal test – there’s no getting away from it in my view and the book could and well should have been thrown at them.

A race ban was potentially there, although if that was applied – could you have imagined the reaction of the British fans if Hamilton hadn’t been allowed to start his home race next week?  That would have been brave to do in the circumstances, as an appeal would almost certainly have been made.

A fairer penalty would have been a deduction of constructors’ points – at least from the two most recent races after the test, or prohibited to score points in the next three events.  It is a team issue, so the drivers should be cleared and made free to race.

The FIA’s rule-making system is not fair – there is no consistency.  Other penalties such as BAR using fuel as ballast in 2005 and the ‘Spygate’ controversy of 2007 have ended with far more serious penalties.

Mercedes have come out of the whole episode smiling.  Red Bull and Ferrari wanted clarity, and that is something that they haven’t really got I think.  Both seem to have grudgingly accepted the verdict, probably the right thing to do so the fans can concentrate on the racing.

Pirelli's named has been tarnished in F1 2013 and rightly so

As for Pirelli (tyres pictured), they've lost total control of the tyre situation in the sport.  Why they don't have their own test car is bewildering.  They had one last year, with former F1 pilots Lucas di Grassi and Jaime Alguersuari doing tyre testing.  Why have they not got one this year?  No matter if it is a financial problem, this is their mess and Formula One is in a difficult place.

With Bridgestone not willing to supply tyres again until the recession ends, and Goodyear and Continental recently stating no interest in a return, the FIA’s determination to hound Michelin out of the sport at the end of 2006 has come back to haunt them.  

We are now stuck with a tyre supplier who might have spiced up the racing, and ensured pitstop strategy is a factor again rather than a complete non-event, but has taken things totally to the other extreme.  The scenario is not good.  Pirelli will probably extend their contract, largely because the FIA has no other options and that is their own fault for what they did to Michelin after the tyre fiasco at Indianapolis in 2005, even after Michelin admitted their guilt and did all they could to reimburse disgruntled supporters at the time. 

The International Tribunal was a total waste of everyone’s time.  Mercedes have escaped virtually scot-free from doing something completely prohibited by the current rules, and whilst we can now try to get back to ‘racing,’ although that is a strong word to use in 2013 considering the crazy tyre management we’ve often seen, I get the feeling more questions have been raised by the verdict rather than the answers we were all looking for.

Categories: 2013, Britain, FIA, Mercedes, Paris, Pirelli, Ross Brawn, Silverstone, Tribunal, Twitter

One year on from University - A frustrating 12 months

By Simon Wright

It is staggering to think that I did a dissertation 12 months ago

Today marked the first anniversary of the end of my journalism degree at the University of Northampton.  Time has flown by over the past year, and I won’t lie – the first 12 months since finishing my education have been a frustrating experience.  

Rewind a year, and everything felt so different.  At exactly this time last year, I was around a friend’s house in Northampton having some pre-drinks before heading into town for a final night out to celebrate the end of three years hard work.  Now, as I sit here writing this piece – I do wonder whether putting myself through the University experience was actually worth it.

Rewind to last year

Rewind to 2012 and things were changing fast for me.  I had just handed in my notice to the retail company I had worked for due to not being able to get the local transfer I had been banking on, and the UoN experience was coming very fast towards its final conclusion.

The final few weeks of the course felt strange.  The relaxed approach I was able to adopt in the closing stages of second year wasn’t quite there.  Although my control in assignment deadlines was most definitely still around, the individual in me was working hard to the finish, but looking into an uncertain future.  What would happen once the final assignment was due?  Would I stay in touch with people?  Could I make the full-time media breakthrough I was hoping to achieve? 

When I handed the final piece in, which was all the paperwork and the DVD disc for my TV project (see embedded video), the feeling was one of delight that I had overcome my biggest challenge in conquering University but also a sense of sadness.  It was all over, and all I could do now was wait and hope my hard efforts would be enough to get the results I felt I deserved.

Before that, there was one final journalism night out in town.  We had gone out as a group twice in the final two weeks of second year, but in third year – this hadn’t happened, due to various workloads and friendship groups that either continued to develop or even disintegrate.

The night itself was memorable.  I had a very good time dancing and drinking into the early hours of the next day.  At the end of the day, if you can’t enjoy yourself at this point, you simply won’t enjoy yourself at all in life. 

The aftermath

That evening saw me largely say a final goodbye to the people who I had seen and been with day in, day out for the past three years.  There was the Silverstone Grad Ball, the graduation day itself in July and a couple of personal goodbyes in the weeks to come, but as a group, it was a fitting farewell. 

I always maintain that the group of journalists at the University of Northampton that started with me in 2009 were hungry to succeed in their future careers.  Some had better strengths than others, there were occasional flaws, mental breakdowns, moments of individual doubt but I can generally say I got on with the majority and built up some very close friendships along the way.

Since then, the dreaded ‘distance’ element has got in the way.  Some have drifted out to no contact, but I guess with time, your presence on their lives is simply not needed.  However, I still attempt to keep contact as much as I can (when I have a reliable smartphone that is), and the memories are mainly good.  Even the bad memories, such as the dark periods I had are still remembered.  I guess my memory bank is pretty full for the inevitable autobiography in around two decades times then!

I can honestly say that I’m proud of everyone that graduated, whether that was last July or in February 2013, and a good portion of course buddies have done very well for themselves.  From interning with major radio corporations, succeeding in the PR market with fashion and political departments, to freelancing for now until something more permanent crops up, I think everyone is in a stronger position than they were when arriving at UoN in 2009.

Well done to everyone, and also on this note, congratulations to those who have finished their journalism degrees this year at Northampton.  I hope you all get the results you deserve.

Too many false dawns

For myself, the University experience flew by and so has the past 12 months.  I will admit that I have achieved a lot since last May, but it has sadly brought too many false dawns, a growing sense of frustration and no luck in the full-time market, despite making over 200 job applications ranging from media and journalism, to admin, marketing and even library work.

Less than two weeks after my course finished, I was offered an internship with a football website, which was unpaid but gave me tremendous experience in the online world.  It allowed me to write about one of my main passions, and helped develop my skills as a deputy editor, sub-editor and features writer.  I was disappointed not to receive recognition in terms of payment, and the way things ended before Christmas last year was on a slightly sour note, considering all the hard work I put in.  Although I would change some aspects of how things turned out, I do admit that without this experience, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today.

I also tried online radio and talking to the world with a successful Formula One talk show, which began in the closing months of the 2012 season.  This venture ended amicably in January due to an advertising structure which had a high risk element, and was something that I felt was going to be too vulnerable to myself.  I have also written for a student media website, and now have strong freelance positions earning basic pay for another football site, and a strong fee writing holiday guides for a travel website that specialises in updating the weather of destinations across the world.

Kleeneze's business model came very close to getting ugly

The most frustrating experience was attempting to make a go of a business with Kleeneze, which began in February 2013.  I went into this with high hopes of getting an excellent income, and driving strong online sales together with the door-to-door sales in the nearby neighbourhood I live in Milton Keynes.  Eight weeks later, and I had to admit defeat and the business was shutdown, another victim of our recession that never seems to end.  

The online shop was non-existent in terms of profit, and weekly sales figures always came in at a similar total.  Even boosts of crafty leaflets created on InDesign, and new catalogues simply didn’t drive the money in.  All I can say is it was worth a go and it is more experience gained.

However, things ended very messy with the company themselves.  My ‘sponsor’ didn’t help me whatsoever and promised me things that simply never came off.  He was absolutely useless.  

Also, when I went to close everything down, Kleeneze insisted I should pay them another £90 for the next two months despite not doing anything for them!  I was absolutely furious, and although this matter has now been resolved after drawing up a letter of complaint, the situation could have got very ugly.  However, if anyone is thinking of starting a business with commission bonuses, don’t do it and I certainly do not recommend Kleeneze as a viable business structure. 

What will happen next?

Despite the hundreds of applications I have made, I have only been shortlisted for two interviews.  One was last month in Northampton, and one was in Lancaster in February.  I have updated, tweaked and restructured my approach to applying for various positions, and now have had three career meetings with the National Careers Service to see if I can make the breakthrough I am looking for.

Full-time work in media was always going to be hard, because of the competition levels in the sector, but I have to be honest, I really expected to have landed something by now.  I considered a postgraduate degree in January, but this route has been shut off due to not being able to get the required funding.  In recent weeks, I decided I will start writing a book during the summer and have also considered going abroad and maybe do some travelling for a year.  This is a backup plan, but should I be in the same position as autumn arrives in the UK, this will become a viable and probable option.

Do I regret going to University?  No, when I think of the friends I made and the valuable life experiences gained, but there is a small tinge of regret that things haven’t gone the way I hope they would have.  It shows that even a 2:1 degree is not easy to break those doors down to the job of your dreams.

The last 12 months have been tough, but I'm still smiling!

In summary, it is staggering how quickly a year has gone since I finished University.  As I come from the critical mould, I would say: “Trying hard, feel frustrated, but must not give up.”

Not yet anyway.  After all, I have a habit of being knocked back and getting up again to conquer the world of media.  The last 12 months have been frustrating, but I still have friends, family and my health to be thankful for, so it could be much worse.

Categories: 2012, Degree, DVD, Graduation, Journalism, Kleeneze, PR, Silverstone, TV, University of Northampton

2012 - A year in review - Me

We are approaching the end of another year.  What are the first words you all think about 2012? 

Mine are quite simple.  I would describe my 2012 as life-changing, emotional and character-building. 

I have had to adapt to a year full of change.  I don’t think I’ve said as many goodbyes as I have had this year.  Some were for the best, others as it was natural progression and some it was really sad.

There have been testing times but I ended the year with a degree and more life experience.  So here is how 2012 turned out for me in my opinion. 

A difficult start

2012 began difficult for me.  I had been ill over Christmas and started January on antibiotics for the second time in three years.

I don't think Valentino Rossi needs to be worried about my motorcycling skills!

I visited the Autosport International Show in January for the annual motorsport exhibition, and I must say it was one of the best years for the show.  I will be back in 2013 to experience the atmosphere and the buzz at the LG Arena in Birmingham for the 10^th consecutive year.

As winter turned towards spring, the end was getting ever closer in regards to my time at the University of Northampton.

I had some mixed results at the start of third year, and getting the degree classification on my journalism course I wanted was touch and go.

Then I worked harder than ever before.  I spent day after day in the edit suites filming, editing and interviewing people for my TV project.

This project challenged me as did my final dissertation and at times, I let the pressure get to me.

In February, I even considered whether I was chasing the right path in my future career.  A lecture talk from former NME editor Neil Spencer left me with plenty to think about.

He gave a real negative persona to the media industry and I wasn’t sure if I was prepared for long slog in the world of journalism. 

Eventually, I decided to stick with journalism and it proved to be the right decision.

Some satisfying results and goodbye to Clarks

As I was approaching the end of my life in education, another chapter was closing and that was in my part-time retail work at Clarks Shoes.

I was working at the Northampton branch, since making a permanent move to the area in September 2010.

However, I couldn’t stay there after the end of June because I was leaving Northampton after my course, so I was hoping to get a transfer back to Milton Keynes.

Unfortunately they didn’t have the hours I required and in May, I had to hand in my notice and get prepared to leave.

The job was never the most exciting but it kept the money ticking over, especially at Uni and I met some amazing people in six and a half years, in two completely different environments.

My last shift was on 9 June 2012.  It was a sad goodbye but I was excited to finally leave the retail market. 

As my time with Clarks reached its conclusion – my results at University improved and I started finding my best form in March, which was the UK summer this year!

I completed my major individual project, a 10 minute TV documentary into modern technology and how it has changed our everyday lives.

You can see the video below:

I also took part in the Current Affairs Show, a 30 minute radio programme which was recorded by me and two of my fellow coursemates, Lauren Bowen and Miles Aitkenhead.

Surprisingly, I found this module to be quite exciting to do.  I did my own telephone interview without any hassle and when we put the show together in April, we were excited and the results came back very well too.

I can honestly say that it was the best group I ever worked with.  The three of us had one goal and that was to get it done and get it done with some quality and style.  The Current Affairs show can be listened to here.

It also opened a new door into a radio career…more on that later.

The end of University and a brilliant final couple of nights

My dissertation was an interesting challenge to complete

Wednesday, 16 May 2012 and it was all over.  The final project was handed in just before lunchtime – I had officially finished as a journalism student at the University of Northampton.

I didn’t want to leave to be honest; I knew it was great to finish but sad to finish at the same time.

I had done all I could to get the results I desired and now, I just had to wait and hope.

In the meantime, it was time to party and that night, the majority of the journalism group went out into town to the NB’s Sports Bar and the Fever nightclub.

While Fever was a real letdown, I had so much fun in NB's.  Apart from one night out in early February at the preferred nightclub destination of Balestra in Northampton – I had focused on my degree and now, it was time to enjoy myself.

Farida and me in NB's on the final journalism party night. As a course, we did it!

I had such a laugh that night.  There were plenty of drinks, some crazy dancing (apparently I’m quite the dancer….) and I did a few things that were slightly out of character but the night was memorable.

We hadn’t gone out as a massive group since my own birthday the previous October and it was great to socialise with my coursemates. 

A lot of us had many differences with our personalities, and I’m not the easiest person to get on with at times, or the most interesting individual to meet but we knew how to party.

We did it and we finished in the best fashion possible!

Lights out! The Silverstone Grad Ball lived upto expectations

10 days after the NB’s madness, it was destination Silverstone for the 2012 Grad Ball.  What a lovely night that was too.  I even dressed up smarted and booted for the event and I’m not the smartest person ever when it comes to these occasions.

Professor Green rocked the stage after Rizzle Kicks pulled out, one of them was ‘ill.’  It was great to be at the home of the British Grand Prix and to be in the lovely Wing pits complex for the night.

It was another special night and well worth the price for going.

Friendships and graduation

What I have learnt this year more than anything, is about the value of friendship and where the line needs to be drawn.

I had to deal with people talking about me online (not directly mentioned but aimed around me) in both April and June.

That was not nice and led to me taking disappearing acts from Twitter and Facebook.  I changed my Twitter username from @HappyDude88 to @Siwri88 in February for professional reasons and I’m still trying to find the right balance with social media.

I think I’ve found it with both Twitter and LinkedIn (joined in January).  My use of Facebook has still caused me more trouble than what it is worth - it is now the poor cousin relation to both Twitter and LinkedIn.

BBM also caused me problems in the summer.  It might be free but sometimes, you can come across as an entirely different individual.  I will look forward to ditching the BlackBerry in September 2013.

Then there were the goodbyes to some of my closest pals from University, pretty much for the last time.  I have some regrets and at times, my honesty cost me more than what was expected.

With Tamika on graduation day: One of the sweetest and kindest individuals I've ever met

Luckily I didn’t need the tissues at any stage, but it still feel strange to not see some that were around me almost day in, day out for the last three years.

After Uni, I’ve distanced from some for the right reasons, while some just drifted away.  However, I would say I stay in touch closely with at least four coursemates from Uni and occasionally speak to around 10 others.

So this leads me into the big graduation day in July.  The event was held at the Derngate Theatre in Northampton. 

The certificate confirming my degree.  No-one can take this away!

I was so nervous in the build-up, hoping I didn’t look like a clown in the gown, or make sure my name was pronounced correctly. 

Luckily on the day, it all went to plan.  Although some of my behaviour could have been better on the day, it was a nice feeling to have my final degree classification of a 2:1 down on a certificate.  I worked massively hard for that!

So it was goodbye to my coursemates, the lecturers and to Northampton, both the University and my accommodation.  It was time for the next chapter.

A new chapter and moving on

I do miss my sole independence although I have settled back into everyday life with my beloved family in Milton Keynes.

I made a final visit back to Northampton in October, just before my 24^th birthday to collect all of my work. 

It felt like I finally found closure, as I did miss not being a student anymore.  I still do but that’s life – you have to move on.

Amidst all the celebrations of summer events like the Diamond Jubilee and Euro 2012, there was also the small matter of the London Olympics.

It inspired a generation and it inspired me too.  What a spectacular 17 days of competition and there were so many highlights.

The golden postboxes in Milton Keynes.  Nice one Greg!

I was delighted when local lad from Bletchley Greg Rutherford won the Men’s Long Jump, as that meant we had two golden post-boxes painted by Royal Mail in his honour of winning gold.

The women’s football excited me, as did Andy Murray’s gold medal in the tennis at Wimbledon, the feats of Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah and of course, Usain Bolt’s three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay.

Although I didn’t have the privilege of being at the Olympic Stadium, either as a spectator or working in media, I did go to BT London Live twice, once at Hyde Park and once at Victoria Park in August. 

Great day experiencing Olympic atmosphere

Both were lovely sunny days and were great occasions to sample and experience the atmosphere. 

And so a new chapter has begun.  Unfortunately, a paid freelancing contract collapsed recently with Total Football Magazine, meaning I had to leave after six months of hard graft, but I have begun a career in radio, hosting the F1 Zone on Bee Vocal which will be back in February and I am dedicated to new and future challenges.

2012 has thrown up plenty of challenges.  I had to say plenty of goodbyes and make some difficult decisions.  The year could have gone a bit smoother and it has been tough but would I have swapped any of it – not a lot of it anyway.

I do hope 2013 is a little bit less dramatic and a bit quieter though!

Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year!

By Simon Wright

Categories: 2012, Autosport International Show, Birmingham, Christmas, Clarks, Emotion, Journalism, Nightclub, Professor Green, Silverstone, Student, The Current Affairs Show, TV, Twitter, University of Northampton