Nice To See Charlene Unwind.

A fabulous Monaco Grand Prix.

I don't know what is more exciting, the actual race or the build up before it. We are fortunate enough to have Nico Rosberg be one of the commentators for RTL. Funny insights and tips are extremely entertaining although, whilst he was standing in front of Lewis's car, no nod of recognition was seen. Perhaps after the race.

The race itself was great even though yours truly did drop in and out sleep during the middle of the race. Needn't necessarily have been the race...reclining on the couch is dangerous at the best of times. Bob's voice would drag me out of my dreamy state by asking me questions which I even managed to answer. A talented napper it seems.

Red Bull drove a fantastic race and Daniel deserves his win. It is easy to win when the car is in top shape but it transpired that Daniel had to deal with several problems at the same time for most of the race. A true champion. Isn't it nice to see him always so happy? As for the Shoey affair, now that was super exciting. Will he or won't he let his Royal Highness have a taste of his shoe was the question on everyone's lips.

Despite calls from the crowd he diplomatically solved the etiquette dilemma. How brilliant to see Charlene take a sip from the big champagne bottle...although, it suspiciously looked like she didn't so perhaps a little prince or princess is on the way!

This was the first time I saw her happily and publicly hold her husband's hand, exchange a few loving glances with him and laugh naturally. How utterly divine to see her this happy.

Sport does bring out the best in people...

Biggi

The Last Two Formula Ones Have Been A Sleepy Affair.

Late night television viewing.

One good thing about yesterday's time change was the fact that the Mexican Grand Prix started an hour earlier for us. But still, watching a race at eight in the evening is a tremendous battle for me or rather my laden eyelids.

At least I saw the first three laps and for some inexplicable reason, each last lap. The Bobster being a tad bit younger and haler of composition, only missed a few laps in the middle. Does anyone else fall asleep at these events or are we the only ones?

It wasn't all dull and sleepy though. At the start of the pre lap, Bob was doing a version of Crocodile Dundee and compared F1 with Motor GP and actually insisted that the roar of the GP motorbikes far out-sounds the roar of the new F1 cars. :

" Babe, we should get Sky Sports, so that you can hear the powerful roar of those bike engines. "

" Schatzi, no, we don't need to watch a motorbike race for that. Each morning, Mausi, the neighbour and I are privy to the roar of your moped racing down the driveway."

Goodness, I thought he might feel embarrassed about his noisy moped, but no, just the opposite. His chest puffed out to such an extent, I was reminded of a scene in the old Tarzan movie. For the next few minutes, the Bobster strutted around and more than likely visualized his moped's roar and that we had noticed.

Getting back to the Grand Prix, I need to clarify that it is indeed exciting to watch and it's really not their fault that I am inclined to fall asleep at the drop of a hat or the tamed roar of the new F1 cars. When Bob woke me to move to the proper bed, I found out that I had again missed some exciting bit of driving and about the new and very young four wheel virtuoso's underhanded driving style.

Luckily for me, the next few races will be at a more decent hour...

Biggi

Has Formula 1 Been Made Too Safe To Watch?

Suddenly, Formula 3 looks more appealing.

This last Sunday I was on a long walk and wasn't sure if there was any F1 on TV but then it dawned on me, that even if I missed it it wouldn't be such a big deal. Goodness that surprised me no end, as Bob and I have been ardent F1 fans.

Frankly, the engine sound or not-so-much sound doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that the only excitement in the current form of racing is off the track.

• Radio clips between drivers and pit crew are highly informative and even funny. Often it sounds as if a petulant child is having a moan about a sibling to their parents. eg:

  " Tell him to let me pass. He's not going to win in any case! "
  " Why can't I change my tires first? "
  

• The pit stops are highly entertaining when at times the driver goes to the wrong spot or a lackey drops a nut and it takes a few seconds more to change a tire.
• After the race, when the winners go into that waiting room, there is at times an air of petulance in it. A dropped lip there and no hand shake there. There have been times where it looked like a driver would have had a pugilistic response with one of the others.
• Oh, and of course the eternal hair arranging. Gosh, men, if you have to sweat in those helmets, give yourself a crew cut like Keanu Reeves in Speed ...tres sexy!
• Last but not least, have you also noticed that there is an abundance of celebrities slinking around the periphery. A possible ploy to up viewership? Do they get compensated for it?

At times I wonder why the drivers are paid such a fortune? With all those rules and regulations ( in effect taking their driving prowess down a peg or two ) Formula 1 has become predictable and boring.

Drivers should be disonnected from the radio and also from the remote control computers. Really, who is actually driving the car? Driver, engineer or computer...that is the question.

F1 should change and be a bit more realistic. Let the drivers do what they do best. They are all excellent drivers but alas, they are held back by the remote control leash. The other day, I heard one of the drivers tell his team, not to radio him while he was navigating a corner...gosh, what next?

They showed a two minute preview of a Formula 3 race and oh, how arresting it was. The cars looked similar to the Formula 1 cars of yesteryear and there was action on the track. A bump here and a nick there with smoking brakes and lots of overtaking...F3 seems to be the new show to watch...

Biggi

The Hungarian Formula One 2014: Thrilling Edge Of Your Seat Stuff.

A feast for us spectators indeed.

Listening to and interpreting the pre-race interviews one might have mostly expected a tepid and uneventful race. A race with no major heart racing moments or a change in position. Even the safety-car driver ( a rather dishy man indeed ) was interviewed. Gosh, even he didn't see himself looping the track often, if at all.

Well...what a cracker of a race it turned out. It had all the elements to keep us glued to our seats in front of the TV. Loo breaks were non-existent, lest a moment was missed. In the first third of the race, the dishy safety car driver had to go to work 3 times! ( The various crashes were severe but luckily no one was injured ). You might well wonder why I would focus on the safety driver when the likes of Ricciardo, Vettel & Rosberg are around. Look they are young but the dishy safety driver is closer to my age...

We have had fantastic hot sunny weather for the week and suddenly just before the race the heavens opened up and dropped rain en masse. The game changer indeed. Somehow this Hungarian F1 had all the action and excitement rolled into one. From near misses a la Vettel
( gosh what a magic driver ) to internal spats between Hamiliton and Rosberg. He does complain a lot about all and sundry. At one stage the German commentator had enough and mumbled something to the effect of;

' I can't listen to any more of his complaints and moans. '

Bob and I are fortunate because the Hungaran F1 and the Austrian F1 are within a 2-3 hour driving distance from us. But honestly, even once we have the funds to get a ticket, I would still prefer to watch it on TV. Those tickets offer a spot of grass to stand on and we would only see that one angle of the race...every 3 minutes.

This year Vettel is not winning races. A lot of folk complain about it but I think it makes it much more exciting to watch Formula One again. Vettel, I'm sure, is ready to pounce to pole again. Like a panther he could spring at any moment. Having to fight your way to the front again, means driving with a dash more elan. Elan is what makes a race for us viewers. As much as I agree with the commentator regarding Hamiliton, I still have to say that he is a fabulous driver. He started second last and finished third. Plenty of elan there!

Lately they have made the race extremely safe, almost too safe to watch. Rules and regulations galore. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see anyone injured, but be honest, a race without clashes is a tad bit boring, isn't it?

Biggi

Spielberg & Formula 1 Put " Normal " Austria On The World Map.

There is more to Austria than the Alps, Heidi and snow covered mountains.

Outside of Europe, a lot of people don't know the real beauty of Austria. Yes, the Alps and skiing are great but the gentle rolling hills complete with undulating fields are even better. Austria is not just a collection of mountains complete with holiday chalets.

No, not everyone wears Lederhosen...all the time, ( only Schatzi of course and should anyone be able to tell me how to get rid of a mouldy leather smell, please do tell me... p/s: the real McCoy Lederhosen should not be washed, ever! ) and a hat plumed with a goat's whiskers.

Burgenland, the province of Austria we live in is as hip as the next place. Only at functions do some pull out the Lederhosen and Dirndl from the back of their cupboards and wear them proudly. Traditions are traditions after all. Texan's wear stetsons, Japanese wear Kimonos, Germans wear Birkenstocks with socks and Bavarians eat Weisswurscht at the Oktoberfest.

Austrians live life and more importantly, enjoy it. Our province, Burgenland has in the past been thought of as the " poor relation " to the rest of Austria. But now that is changing and the rest of Austria is awakening to the possibility of visiting or even living in this slice of paradise. One bonus point is of course that life is very affordable here.

If you put your ear to the ground or rather put your finger on the social media circuit, you will realize that the secret is out: Burgenland makes unbelievably stunning wines that has the worlds wine critics agog and wanting more. What we sip without giving it much thought during a function or two ( and pay only about 1-2 Euros per glass ), would make Sommeliers weak at the knees while tasting it, never mind the ecstatic descriptions of it. For us it is normal and part of the backdrop.

Burgenland is beautiful and happens to be right next door to Steiermark, the province where the Spielberg Formula 1 is held today. In fact, from our house it would be about 2 hours drive to the race track. I have a feeling that once the World sits up and notices how stunning, scenic and nice this part of Austria is, more people will come and visit. Waking up in a vineyard, sipping wine while watching the sunset, cycling the rural lanes and just unwinding from a hectic lifestyle would make any holiday perfect...

While I was out walking yesterday, a very fast looking & fancy Mercedes drove past me on the road. Thinking about it in regard to the Formula 1 race, it may just have been someone connected to the race. It was spluttering along at 50km/h so surely it couldn't have been a racing driver or the safety car, or could it have been?

Biggi

Sebastian Vettel, Tina Maze & Man United Are Sans Pedestal.

Favourites falling out of favour makes it fun for them and us viewers again.

Last year's season of F1, Vettel won almost every race he started. Great in one way but not very exciting for us to watch. What is the fun of it when you sort of know the outcome already. Now this season ( 2014 ) has had changes in engine etc and Sebastian is not winning races. So far.

That is one of the incentives to watch the next races because we know that now he will fight his way back to winning. It makes him a human sports hero. You see, just like us, he has ups & downs.

Take soccer for example. Manchester United has had a change of trainer. The idol has left or rather retired and is it really fair to assume the man stepping in his shoes will do exactly as he did? Yes, Man United is not winning matches. Yes, at times it seems like they are jinxed. But if you are a proper fan, you need to be even more supportive of them now than at any other time.

For all of you true Man United fans: When your club starts winning again, your chests will swell as if you had scored the goals yourself. Wait, it won't be long..

In the sport of alpine skiing Tina Maze seemed to win every race she skied in the last season. Fantastic for her, but at times rather a let down to watch. When one person is so good and winning every time, it takes away the fun of seeing the underdog / newcomer or old & written off, win. This season, Tina didn't ski so well (apart from the Olympics, of course) and you should have heard the hoopla around it...yet, I loved watching her ski because she tried like blazes to gain an extra milli second or two. Gosh, she smiled a lot of the time and was pleased as punch to get a good result. Yes, she had fun at the office again!

Of course it is oh-so-easy being a fan ( or a spouse for that matter ) when times are good. The trick to being loyal, supportive and growing in character is to accompany our sports heroes through bad times too. Believe me, they feel bad themselves and booing a performance that is not to your expectation, is just plain rude.

As a society we tend to be hung up on winning and being the best. But how fatiguing and silly. Being normal and going through ups & downs of our lives...is life. Being normal is good. Being normal lets us rather enjoy what we have without always feeling the need to strive for more.
If the " fans " in your life are complaining that you don't win every race, maybe it is time to find new ones...

Biggi