Like most of you tweeps out there I’m staying in (at home), or as @martaracing tweets it (and I quote) #quedateEnTuCasa #YoMeQuedoEnMiCasa due to this viral virus situation.

Formula 1 is staying at home as well, like most racing series/full-on FIA World Championships. It’s a downer, no doubt.

I’m not really the right person to comment on the subject (virus war); I’d rather leave that to TV pundits or Instagram stars.

I’ve enough coffee to get me thru the winter of discontent = suspended or cancelled motor racing activities around the world, whilst hoping F1 will make glorious summer by that sun of Canada or Baku, whichever track gets the honours first. We are still not exactly sure. Could be the glorious rain of Spa, even! Worst case scenario.

Regardless, this forced break forced me to clean up my digital archives and I’ve come across some of our defining early photos from 2010. Yep, Iberianmph dot com is almost a teenager, it’s funny how time flies.

Life in 2010 was much better. No, it wasn’t. Just pulling your leg there. The world economy was very much in recovery mode after the 2008 financial crisis had broken out (sounds familiar?); we had three new teams on the grid operating under the FIA’s new scheme (cutting costs, standard parts, etc.) and I suppose the idea wasn’t so bad by any means given all the talk now about car companies suddenly pulling out of F1 due to coronavirus stopping their production lines and with car sales dropping obviously. Nothing new.

That leaves the sport in a very delicate position purely because the organizers have been exclusively catering for big car manufacturers and totally ignoring the independents. How much criticism did Haas get for their business model? Unbelievable. We don’t even have an alternative affordable powerplant should Merc, Honda or Renault pull the plug on their F1 activities. It’ll become known as “F1 powered by Ferrari” if folks at Maranello can successfully produce and service up to 60 plus power units per testing and racing season. Hello A1 “World Cup of Motorsport”. See, I’m an optimist, I assume Ferrari will carry on no matter what.

Of course there are contracts and agreements, however this being F1 there are no agreements that can’t be broken, as we saw with Honda or BMW a decade ago.

I could end up buying Renault F1 Team for a mere two pounds or cheaper. I’m sure Renault would leave us enough cash in the bank to keep the team afloat at least for a year or so. I’m open to possibilities, tweeps at Renault HQ. You have my contact number. We can do a much better job than The Phoenix Four did at MG Rover. For sure.

Time for a good strong cuppa. Coffee.

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