And that was exactly what Honda Cars Philippines arranged for some very fortunate members of the media; Pinky Colmenares of the Bulletin, Ron delos Reyes of the TV show Auto Review, Armin Amio of the Businessworld, Lester Dizon of the Star, the Standard’s Mon Tomeldan, ABS-CBN’s Ira Panganiban, C Magazine’s James Deakins and myself. A double treat of watching the Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Melbourne Motor Show International was actually a repeat of what they similarly did in the year 2000, the first year of Honda’s comeback to Formula One, when I was also fortunately invited.
Now, with HCPI’s corporate communications manager, Min Magbal and PR officer Tin Tin Reyes taking care of all arrangements and playing mother hen to all of us, what more can one ask for in a trip? With such a set-up I am sure my good friend Arnel Doria, Honda’s highest-ranking Filipino exec, who came along to make sure everything was in order (his excuse for the junket), equally immensely enjoyed the trip just staying in the sidelines, with his very capable angels taking charge every step of the way. Is that the downside of an efficient executive who trains his people so well – after a while, he gets to be redundant?
What also made the arrangements so ideal, especially for broadcast journalists and TV hosts like Ron and myself, was that our very gracious hosts made sure that we were provided with an Australian camera crew to tape our stand-uppers and on-cam sequences and to record a slew of videos of the interesting sidelights of the events. Many, many thanks to Honda Cars Philippines, for such convenience and for the opportunity to share with our show’s viewers much of the excitement that we have experienced. Believe me, in the past it was a breeze for me to actually tape a whole show alone, with no cameraman nor a PA or production assistant in tow. But after many moons, a couple of added inches in the tummy and two more chins, I always made it clear to anyone who invited whether I was invited as a columnist, in which case I can go alone or as a broadcast journalist, which would need me to bring an assistant, otherwise it would be best that I be provided with a camera crew at the site or at least videos of the event, which I can air on my TV shows.
As many of you may know by now the first leg of the 2003 World Formula One Series did not fail those who were hoping that the new rules conceived by the FIA would make the sport regain much of its fans’ dwindling interest after the boring dominance of the Ferrari Team in the last season. As Arnel proudly declared while we were walking in the midst of a sea of F1 fans on our way to our undoubtedly expensive choice seats in the grand stands, "We are part of history as we watch the 2003 Australian Formula One Grand Prix, when the world’s most popular motor sport reach a crossroad where radical changes in its conduct are applied." And to mark the milestone, Honda Cars Philippines made sure of a Philippine media representation, the only one from Honda from anywhere in the region. A fact that made us more proud than fortunate to be there.
The new rules indeed made the two days prior to the race more exciting. Instead of merely watching the participating cars do practice runs on Friday, which was admittedly already exciting to any true blue racing enthusiast, it is now already part and parcel of the race’s qualifying runs. The system of qualifying has been made more thrilling by making each car run alone and try to beat the clock and whoever runs the fastest on Friday’s qualifying, runs last on Saturday, the final day to determine the grid position. With this system luck can play an important role in determining who’s on pole, especially in countries where weather changes dramatically through the day. Rains in the afternoon of Saturday can unmistakably shuffle grid positions that may have been established in a sunny Friday qualifying run.
But with the 1-2 grid position of the "Prancing Horse" team after watching Saturday’s qualifying from the edge of our seats, we thought that all those changes in the rules have gone to naught as a possible similar finish during race day looked imminent.
However, considering that new rules also dictate that cars are impounded after qualifying sans any changes nor refueling, the decision on whether to run on low fuel, less weight and therefore faster time during Saturday’s qualifying would mean more fuel stops during the actual race. A situation that requires a well planned and thought of tactical race over having to extract all the possible speed and power from the machines.
Well, as you know, "the podium saw no red in Australia, an indication that the World Formula One Series is back in the black." With no offence meant to his legions of fans, I dare say that Michael Schumacher’s loss in the first leg of the 2003 series is Formula One’s gain.
The BAR-Honda Team’s finishing the race, 9th for Jacques Villenueve and 10th for Jensen Button is a far cry from fearless prediction of a podium finish made by managing director David Richards in our exclusive interview at their pits just before the race but decent enough for established F1 standards. After all, the old F1 adage says, "In Formula One, to finish 1st, one has to first finish". The setback was more to an unwarranted miscue where both drivers had to line-up for a pit stop, robbing them of precious seconds and "hard to hold on" standings in the race.
With West-McLaren’s win "down under", indeed renewed interest in F1 has risen as we look forward to this Sunday’s race at the benchmark Sepang Circuit in Malaysia. Since the time this newest F1 circuit opened in 1999, this will be a break for me from the hot and humid climate of Kuala Lumpur. But I shall join the multitudes of F1 fans all over the world in finding out how Scot David Coultard would defend his first leg victory while sweating more than a pitcher of perspiration defending his racing lines against the onslaught of world champion wannabes Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, et al, not to mention 5-time crown holder Schumy who’s out for a hard to beat 6-championship record.
A double treat of a motor show right after an F1 race is more than any kind of bonus a motoring journalist worth his salt can bargain for. The 2003 Melbourne Motor Show International indeed has improved, not only in size but in participation as well, from the last time I was last there three years ago. The Australia camera crew had half a day to tape most of the cars on display, which we hope to share with you very soon. As it was a long weekend in Melbourne when we were there, with March 10, its Labor Day holiday, we still await the converted footage (Australia has Pal-Secam while we have the NTSC system), which we are scheduled to show (barring unforeseen technical problems) the highlights and sidelights of the Formula One Race on our TV show Motoring Today (Sunday, 11:30 am Channel 4 Manila and nationwide on the National Broadcasting Network) and the Melbourne Motor Show on Auto Focus (on NBN as well).
It was indeed a dream of a trip and we again say thank you to Honda Cars Philippines for making it happen.
Happy motoring!!!
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