FORD FOCUS F1 TEAM STATEMENT
ROUND 4: CHINESE GP
Well, we should have known it wouldn't last. In the space of just 1 month, our promising start is quickly fizzling away as we teeter uncomfortably on the edge of perpetual mediocrity, the painful memories of last season come to mind...
Rather than put all our trust in McLaren as we did last year, this time we decided to split it between McLaren and Williams, with both teams looking good for outside title challenges in the pre-season.
Instead we have found that Williams keep up their old traditions by wasting good cars and rare opportunities! As for McLaren, if you take out their engine, this means that somehow, after the false dawn of Melbourne, they have actually produced an even worse car than last year! Well that's just fantastic.
At least Bottas is proving a good buy and keeps getting the points in, keeping us from POSF1 and Mia depths of performance (sorry guys). ;) We still feel Valtteri was great value at just £6 and was quite surprised that Aki's Hedgehog Racing Team didn't continue with him, having trained him up last year - D'oh!
However, that is a small mistake compared to our decision not to confirm a deal with Daniel Ricciardo (who we could afford and was totally in our grasp!) in favour of Kevin Magnussen - who drives a McLaren...
Wouldn't you just know that McLaren's promise turned out to be a mirage, and Red Bull and Ricciardo, who couldn't complete a qualifying lap would become immediately successful.
At least we have a Mercedes component in the form of their chassis in our line-up, but then so does almost everyone else.
All we can do now is spend the rest of the season hoping that McLaren find a key to unlock some major performance so we might return to the top 10 again this year. *Gulp* This is looking worryingly like 2013 all over again...!
As for our rivals, who we have a sort of agreement with to scratch each others backs, Happy Bubble Racing Team are at least doing quite well, and have now overtaken us in the championship, while Aki's Hedgehog Racing Team finished ahead of us last time out and is making inroads towards us. This proves that the commonsense approach of choosing a certain Australian driver was the right one.
2014 Results so far:
Aus: 5th
Mal: 10th
Bah: 24th
Chi: 22nd
Overall Championship Position: 17th (awww no)
Also, a reporter from motorsportforums.com caught up with team boss rjbetty, who is recovering from his minor meltdown the other night:
MF: rjbetty. Thank you for joining us. We believe this is the first time you've bothered to do so.
RJ: It is actually, yes.
MF: First question, why do you have a username like a girl?
RJ: Guuuuuys, Say what? What's wrong with RJ? That's a guys name right?
MF: After such a promising start, how does it feel to see your team sinking like a stone?
RJ: Yes thank you so much for reminding me. I wasn't aware that we SUCK already!!
MF: What can you do to turn things around?
RJ: In true F1 team style, we intend to kick up a huge stink and protest until we get the rules changed to suit us and our agenda. Erk, I mean on safety grounds of course! Also, we have put together a master plan, which is to sit back, relax, and just hope McLaren (and Williams) save their season and start performing. (*sob*)
MF: It sounds like you could do with a drink.
RJ: Yes I could, I'm going to see if there's any chocolate milkshake going, into which I can cry (sob)...
MF: Ok then, have a good race next time.
MF: We also have here, reigning champion Sebastian Vettel to get his views on Ford Focus' season. Sebastian, what are your thoughts on rjbetty's alarming tumble down the standings?
SV: Tough Luck.