Is Kimi Gay? Probably Not – Is Motorsport.com Homophobic? Probably!

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Motosport.com is no fly-by-night blog – it is a major racing website attracting 250-300 thousand unique visitors per month. This makes their recent Facebook post about F1 Driver Kimi Raikkonen disturbing on several levels. It’s piss-poor “journalism” and blatantly homophobic.

First of all, Motorsport.com posted a picture that they assume is Kimi Raikkonen. The image quality is fuzzy and poor at best. The shot obviously was taken from a great distance with a powerful lens and could be easily photo-shopped. They even admit that they aren’t sure if it’s Kimi. The image shows several men on a boat in a sunny location – one of the men appears to be applying suntan lotion on the shoulders of another man.

The picture was posted to their fan forums – and someone at the website decided to cross post the picture to the official Motorsport.com Facebook page with this additional comment, “Is this really Kimi? I may never look at the Iceman the same again. Kimi fans should not view this picture #F1 #sayitaintso”

Let’s break this down:

1) “Is this really Kimi?” – If Motorsport.com was not sure this is an image of Kimi – why would they post it? Actions like this do not give their site much journalistic integrity.

2) “I may never look at the Iceman the same again.” – So you would automatically consider someone to be less of a man if you found out he was gay? You would throw out his racing accomplishments and think less of him because of his sexual orientation? This is clearly offensive and displays a stunning amount of ignorance – again, very surprising from a “mainstream” website.

3) “Kimi fans should not view this picture, #f1 #SayItAintSo” – Say it ain’t so? It would really bother you THAT much if a gay guy drove a race car?

Motorsport.com reader, and openly gay AMA Pro Motorcycle racer Luke Huff commented on the post. He expressed his outrage and asked them to remove the offensive post. Instead of removing it, Motorsport.com apologized “if Luke was offended”………. how could he not have been?

Motorsport.com also offered to write a profile about Luke and his AMA race efforts – Luke declined their offer and again, simply asked that the post be removed.

Their offer for space on their site seems to be standard fair. I personally sent Motorsport.com an email to express my own feelings about their post and ask for its removal. Again, they apologized, “if I was offended” and offered to promote Q4G to their larger audience.

I declined their offer and again asked that the post be removed. That was over 48 hours ago and the post is still on their Facebook page. Of course, I (and other gay people) were offended – we just want the post removed. Blatant homophobia has no place on a mainstream racing site.

UPDATE:

Thanks to a diehard F1 and Q4G fan from Latvia – turns out this picture of Kimi is legit….. and it was posted in the UK’s Daily Mail in late June. There were several pictures of Kimi applying suntan lotion on a buddy – but there were also several pictures of bikini clad women on the boat.

So while the picture is legit – the Motorsport.com folks fail to also to post pics of women on board while insinuating Kimi is gay.

Sebastian Vettel Has Big Cojones

Last Night, Formula One Champion went on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote next year’s F1 race in New Jersey.

When Dave asked Vettel about the track, the cocky driver, while pointing to his crotch said, “It looks very quick…you need some big balls, I think.”

Letterman then implored Sebastian not to ever “do that again.”

Guest Blog – F1 Driver Mike Beuttler Remembered

This week Queers4Gears welcomes guest blogger Richard Bailey from www.RichardsF1.com. Richard pays tribute to F1 Driver Mike Beuttler two plus decades after his death. Bailey is an openly gay motorsport fan and journalist based in Australia, Queers4Gears hopes that you enjoy his tribute to a unique figure in the history of motorsports…

credit Mike Beuttler Tribute Page

Twenty-four years ago, former F1 driver Mike Beuttler passed away. His name might only be of significance to true F1 aficionados, but his colorful and all-too-brief life is worth paying tribute to, for he remains the only F1 driver known to be gay.

His death in 1988 to AIDS makes him one of the many of his era to succumb to the crippling (and then, little-known) disease, but it was not just his sexuality – unique in the world of motorsport – that marked him out from his peers.

Beuttler was also a dedicated amateur in the then-semi-professional world of Formula 1, an all-but-extinct species in the now highly professional, corporate world that Formula 1 has become.

His support came from a group of London stockbroking friends (some of who were also gay), and while he may not have achieved the results that his talent perhaps warranted, his story is still fascinating.

Beuttler was born to English parents in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, where his family lived while his father served in the British Army during World War II.

His interest in motorsport was apparent throughout his childhood, and as soon as he left school at the age of sixteen, he took up an administrative role with racing enthusiast Graham Warner, whose Chequered Flag team was a regular entrant on the Formula 3 landscape.

Warner was interested in a little more than racing, it seems, and it was believed that Beuttler also captured his attentions…
Beuttler earned the odd opportunity to to pilot the team’s front-engined Gemini challenger, but it took until he was in his mid-twenties before his motor-racing career started in earnest.

It was in 1968 that he was finally able to drive a full season in Formula 3, courtesy of the backing of high-profile (and openly gay) stockbroker Ralph Clarke.

credit Mike Beuttler Tribute Page

Over the next few years, Beuttler won several major races in his bright yellow Brabham – including the British Grand Prix support race – against the likes of fellow F1 up-and-comers James Hunt, Dave Walker, Dave Morgan and Tony Trimmer.

Beuttler’s desire to move up through the ranks had one unfortunate consequence: his tendency to regularly close the door on his pursuing rivals earned him the nickname ‘Blocker’, which stuck until his retirement from racing.

Beuttler now gained additional backing from the likes of other stockbrokers David Mordaunt, Alistair Guthrie and Jack Durlacher, and plans were laid to move into Formula 1 with a customer March chassis.

In the meantime, he competed in Formula 2, although the car was beset by a host of problems, and one of his few highlights was a win at the season-ending race at Vallelunga in Italy.

While he never confirmed the rumors, many of his contemporaries suspected that Beuttler and his backers enjoyed particularly close relationships on and off the track, although Beuttler would occasionally try and throw some off the scent by bringing along some rather busty young ladies to selected events! He wasn’t fooling anyone…

Beuttler’s F1 debut came at the 1971 British Grand Prix in a works March. He qualified twentieth of the twenty-four qualifiers, and retired with oil pressure problems. The remainder of his season was little better: he retired twice more, and in the other two races he failed to complete the minimum 90% of the race distance to be classified as a finisher.

He stayed for a full season in 1972, acquiring more backers but not achieving the race results that perhaps justified his friends’ continued investment. With March ruling that only its two works cars could field the latest chassis, Beuttler and his team took a modified March 722 Formula 2 chassis, which proved quicker than the works car!

His best finish that year was an eighth at the German Grand Prix, while he never managed to qualify inside the top-twenty.

Beuttler and his partners decided to give it another shot in 1973 – again with a March chassis – but his results were again discouraging. In fourteen races, his best qualifying result was an eleventh at Austria, while his best finish was seventh at the Spanish Grand Prix.

When the London financial scene suffered a dramatic collapse towards the end of the year, it effectively brought an end to Beuttler’s F1 foray, which totaled 28 championship starts.

Beuttler contested one more race – in sports cars, at the Brands Hatch 1000Km event – before quitting motorsport entirely and heading into business, and later trying his hand at journalism.

A shy, brooding and handsome man, Beuttler was well-regarded by many in the motorsport fraternity.
He later moved to San Francisco, and his passing (at age 48) just days before the end of 1988 brought a sad end to an all-too-short, yet very colorful, life.

You can learn more about this incredible man on the Mike Beuttler Tribute Page on Facebook.

This article was written by Richard Bailey – you can visit Richard’s site here:

Review: SENNA Documentary

SENNA is a documentary directed by Asif Kapadia that explores the life and death of F1 Driver Ayrton Senna. Spanning his years as a Formula One racing driver from 1984 to his untimely death a decade later, SENNA explores the life and work of the triple world champion, his physical and spiritual achievements on the track, his quest for perfection and the mythical status he has since attained. The film won the 2011 World Cinema Documentary Award at the Sundance Film Festival and the Best Documentary in World Cinema Audience Award at the 2011 LA Film Festival. The film premieres in the US on August 12, 2011. You can learn more about the film here.

Every NASCAR fan needs to watch this film. There are countless parallels to this taken-to-soon F1 star and many of our own heroes.

Many NASCAR fans may start with the question – Who was Ayrton Senna? It is no secret that the typical stock car fan does not pay much attention to F1 so let me start my review of SENNA with a brief introduction about the man.

Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian born race car driver that many to this day say was the greatest driver to ever compete in Formula 1. A three-time world Champion (1989, 1990 and 1991) he amazed fans and other drivers alike with his ability to constantly drive on the edge of his car’s ability.

If you do not immediately recognize the man you will remember his car. Senna’s “Marlboro” paint scheme might be one of the most epic liveries in all of racing – along side the #43 STP paint scheme of NASCAR’s king Richard Petty.

Senna made his F1 debut in 1984 for Toleman-Hart Racing. Many current-day NASCAR fans would consider this a “start and park” team at best and Ayrton took his natural talent and jumped to Team Lotus his second year in the sport. While not a top-tier team, Senna won six races over three seasons at Lotus before jumping to F1 powerhouse McLaren.

It was at McLaren where Senna and his teammate Alain Prost started a feud that carried on for years and made the Kyle Busch / Kevin Harvick feud seem like tiddlywinks in comparison. The two drivers battled each other from circuit to circuit leaving others in the wake of their 7 combined championships.

The film does a wonderful job by making you feel like you were there. The combination of vintage footage and current interviews give a play-by-play of each season that Senna and Prost battled for the podium.

In 1994 at the San Marion Grand Prix on the famed Imola circuit the 34-year old superstar lost his life. To this day questions abound about what really happened to cause the crash but in the end a broken suspension part and six inches were all the separated life and death that day on the track. Experts say Senna could have walked away from the accident if that part had not struck his helmet.

His death draws the most immediate parallel to NASCAR in the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. Both men, legends in their own worlds, lost their lives doing what they loved and their deaths changed both series in significant ways.

After Senna and Earnhardt’s deaths, both NASCAR and F1 embarked on unprecedented safety campaigns. The proactive measures taken have resulted in safer cars and no driver has lost his life in either series since.

Both men were also living legends. Popular with the fans both were also known to be fearless on the track. Neither would ever make apologies. The film shows Ayrton being interviewed by legend Jackie Stewart and Senna scolds Stewart for questioning his driving style. “If there is a gap, and you don’t go for it, then you are no longer a racing driver,” Senna said.

I actually think Senna’s life more parallels that of Tim Richmond than Dale Sr. While we did not lose Richmond on the track his battles with the France family are very similar to what Senna faced in his battles with the FIA – the sanctioning body of Formula 1.

There is no doubt that Richmond and Senna left us too soon and both would have won more championships. Many in NASCAR argue that Dale Earnhardt SR would not have won his seven championships had Richmond still be racing. Similarly, one can argue that 7-time world F1 Champion Michael Schumacher would have fewer crowns if Aryton hadn’t died that day at Imola.

One of the most striking things detailed in the film are the battles between the FIA and Senna. NASCAR fans today complain about seemingly inconsistent calls from race control, but these complaints seem insignificant compared to some of the “rulings” that were made against Senna.

In the 1989 Grand Prix of Japan, Senna’s nemesis Alain Prost squeezed Senna off his racing line and into the run-off road near a chicane. Prost’s car was terrible damaged and he was out of the race – the DNF would cost him the championship. Senna, while damaged, continued on to win the race and the championship.(as it was flagged)

His teammate Prost quickly jogged to race control to protest. Senna was stripped of the win, his championship and his license was suspended for 6 months. The FIA ruled that Senna used the run-off road instead of the chicane and that was a clear violation of the rules.

The problem was that the FIA had selectively enforced that rule in the past. There is footage from other races where other drivers took the same “escape” route without getting any penalty. The FIA at that time was ruled by Jean-Marie Balestre and he always seems to rule in favor of Prost who was also a Frenchman.

At the 1990 Grand Prix of Japan Senna had taken the pole position. Before the race, Balestre and the FIA moved the pole position to the dirty side of the track.

Can you imagine if that happened on a NASCAR restart?? Let’s say Dale Jr. was on the pole and wanted to start on the inside. Then at the last minute, Mike Helton called over the radio and said the rules changed and Junior would have to start on the outside.

In spite of these political battles with the FIA and his on track battles with Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna became one of the best drivers in history and a real hero in his native Brazil. When he died Senna was honored with a State Funeral.

Driven by his faith in God Senna’s life offers inspiration for even the most casual race fan. Formula 1 fan or not, every NASCAR fan needs to watch this movie. The in car footage showing Senna navigate the wet streets of Monaco is amazing and worth the price of admission!

WATCH THE TRAILER:

US SCHEDULE: see it near you!

12 Hour Traffic Jams Predicited for US Grand Prix

by: Michael T. Myers

If you think the NASCAR traffic jams are insane – wait until you see what’s awaiting F1 fans at the inaugural US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

12 hours in Traffic leaving the track…….

That is assuming of course that this track gets built.

According to a story on TheStatesman.com – local Travis Country Planners have done a traffic study and they think the traffic jams on race day could be up to 12 hours!

Twelve hours. That’s how long it would take fans on race days to get into, and then out of, the proposed Formula One track to be built southeast of Austin, according to a quick analysis of the site plan by county planners.

In addition local Austin officials are worried about who would pay for road improvements and how many jobs the project might create, served to highlight the county’s frustration over the paperwork submitted by Full Throttle (track owner/promoter) — which is thus far so sketchy as to make planners’ jobs nearly impossible.

So this 12 hour figure is based on incomplete paper work………. I for one am not sure that track will ever be built.

We have landed on the moon – We created pizza with cheese IN the crust - will anyone ever solve the traffic jam?

Layout for Austin F1 Track Revealed

[ via Formula 1 Untited States Press Release ]

The team responsible for bringing Formula 1 racing back to the United States is pleased to reveal the track layout for the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in Austin, Texas. Set to host the race from 2012 to 2021, Austin, Texas has proven to be an ideal location for Formula 1 racing in more ways than one. The natural landscape and elevation of Austin has allowed Tilke GmbH to design a one-of-a-kind track.

Members of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ team feel that racing fans the world over will share their excitement as the track details are revealed. “In the modern era of Grand Prix racing, I think this track layout and topography will be very special,” said Tavo Hellmund, Chairman of Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™. “It will have many of the elements of previous ‘classic’ circuits combined with the benefits of FIA-mandated safety for the competitors and spectators alike. Add in the amenities fans have come to expect, like rare, multiple-turn viewing opportunities for added value, and you have an ideal, world-class venue.”

“For the competitors, we’ll have all the ingredients necessary,” Hellmund said. “You’ll see fast turns that require commitment from the drivers and technical turns that will test the engineers from a set-up point of view. We have a good deal of elevation to make it not only scenic but challenging also, and the view of downtown Austin is wonderful as well.”

With a complete length of 3.4 miles, the track combines modern features with details reminiscent of traditional races from the 1960′s. The surrounding landscape will allow for a maximum elevation change of 133 feet, and the strategic combination of over 20 turns will please drivers and fans alike.

Complete details of the track layout can be found in the attached documents, which include an image of the track layout and a 3D version of changes in elevation. Details of the master plan and facilities will be revealed in the coming months.

Jacques Villeneuve to Drive Nationwide Race at Road America

Jacques Villeneuve and Boris Said (2009) - Credit Jason Smith/Getty Images

Braun Racing announced that former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will drive the No. 32 Dollar General Toyota in the upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series’ inaugural event at Road America (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) and at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

Both tracks hold special meaning to Villeneuve. He earned his first career CART Series win at Elkhart Lake and the return to Montreal will mark his third career NASCAR Nationwide Series start at the world-renowned road course named after his father, Gilles Villeneuve, also a legendary F1 racer.

Last season in Montreal, Villeneuve qualified Braun Racing’s No. 32 Toyota Camry in the sixth position. Despite heavy rain conditions that enveloped the area for the second consecutive year, the highly-skilled driver brought home a fourth-place finish. He is a road course phenomenon with a tremendous amount of experience at both race tracks. A two-time winner at Road America in the CART Series (1994 and 1995), Villeneuve also claimed the pole position for the 1995 event.

“It’s great to be back driving with Braun Racing and Dollar General,” said Villeneuve. “Racing again after an exciting and fun race last year in Montreal, and now to also be doing the race at Elkhart Lake (Road America) where I won my first Indy race is going to be full of good memories. I am very much looking forward to it.”

In a career that has spanned more than two decades, Villeneuve has found success that can be rivaled by very few. He has captured world championships in both the CART and Formula One Series and was the winner of the 1995 Indianapolis 500. To win championships in both CART and F1, in addition to the famed Indy 500, is a feat that has only been accomplished by two other drivers.

“We are very happy to have Villeneuve back behind the wheel of the Dollar General Toyota at Road America and Montreal,” said Braun Racing owner, Todd Braun. “He is an extremely talented driver and has had very strong runs in our cars in the past. His experience and success at Road America will be a great asset to our team and its road course program.”?

[ via NASCAR Media Group ]

F1 Scheduled to Return to the US

[ via Formula1.com ]

image via F1-site.com

Formula One World Championship Limited and Formula One Administration Limited (together, the F1 Commercial Rights Holder) and Full Throttle Productions, LP, promoter of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™, announce that a historic agreement has been reached for Austin, Texas to serve as the host city of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ for years 2012 through 2021.

“We are extremely honoured and proud to reach an agreement with the F1 Commercial Rights Holder. We have been diligently working together for several years to bring this great event to Austin, the State of Texas and back to the United States. All parties involved have a great amount of trust and confidence in each other and are committed to establishing the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in Austin, Texas as a prestigious global event,” stated Tavo Hellmund, Managing Partner of Full Throttle Productions, LP.

Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of the Formula One Group stated: “For the first time in the history of Formula One in the United States, a world-class facility will be purpose-built to host the event. It was thirty years ago that the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ was last held on a purpose-built permanent road course circuit in Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), which enjoyed great success. Since then, Formula One has been hosted by Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas and Phoenix all on temporary street circuits. Indianapolis joined the ranks of host cities in 2000 when they added a road course inside the famed oval. Lewis Hamilton won the last Formula 1 United States Grand Prix™ in 2007, signalling the end to eight years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This however, will be the first time a facility is constructed from the ground up specifically for Formula One in the US.”

Mr. Hellmund added: “This is a case of the right timing in the right place. As many Americans know, Austin has earned a reputation as one of the ‘it’ cities in the United States. Austin features that rare combination of ideal geographic location and beauty. Its fine dining, world-renowned hospitality and excellent transportation infrastructure make Austin ideally suited to host and manage an event of this magnitude. Few cities if any in America could rival the connectivity of all the key elements needed for hosting a Formula 1 event as well as Austin. Now, many people around the world will have the opportunity to experience a world-class event, facility and city.”

Nelson Piquet is NASCAR Bound !

All of the straight Nascar fans will be focused on Danica next year as she makes the transition from Open-Wheel to Nascar. BUT Now the readers of Q4G have something to smile about; F1 hottie Nelson Piquet announced via his website that he is planning to come to Nascar. He wrote: ”NASCAR is hugely challenging and nobody has ever come in as an outsider before and gone on to win it ? it will be the ultimate challenge. I will let you know more details on the exact programme soon.”

In other words – he does not have a seat yet! In this market it may be hard to find an owner willing to spend the money. Juan Pablo Montoya took 3 years to get competitive in NASCAR and the path for Nelson would be no different. Plus Nelson comes with a lot of baggage. If you think Kyle Busch has a bad reputation then google Nelson Piquet.

His 18 month stay in F1 with Renault did not go well and ended with a huge scandal in which he was accused of intentionally crashing his car in the 2008 Singapore Gran Prix (on team orders) so that his teammate could win the race.

This has been coming for some time, Q4G first posted about it back in October. Heck, throw him out on the track with Denny and Brad – he can wreck with those guys. Plus he may knock some drivers down a few spots in the “hottest driver” rankings.

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