Hello. Is it me your looking for?

Now for anyone expecting a Formula One post. I do apologise in advance. Because today is not about F1. It's about me. (Selfish I know.)
But because of the amount of time I have been away from the blog. I feel like it is time to set the record straight.
But be warned it's not pretty. (But it will probably be a bit rambling and full of nonsense. Standard really.)

I used to say to anyone who would listen that Formula One is a major part life.
Lately though. I feel I have lost my spark.
Both for writing and Formula One.
This however is not Formula One's fault.

It's my fault.

The blog has been neglected mainly because life has got in the way.
Work, illness, moving house and trying to juggle life.
It's all been a bit too much.
And I've struggled to cope at times.

Formula One for the past few months reminded me how much I haven't achieved over the last few years. In career and in life. So I started doing what I always do when I'm down.
I gave up on it all.
The one thing that makes me happy and I just dropped it.

I've stopped watching races, I stopped recording FanFormula's and I stopped writing.
The three things that make me the most happy and I just gave up on them. Because I was terrified.
Terrified because over the last three months my confidence has nose dived.
And I just shut myself away. From everything.

So after a lot of time spent soul searching in the past few of weeks and lots of chats with the boyfriend.  I know that 2013 is my last proper chance to make the blog work and to really try to improve myself and my confidence, but I know in order to make it work that I have to sort my shit out. Properly.

So over the next few weeks I'm going to reintroduce more blog posts and build up my confidence slowly. I would like to promise the world straight away but I know it's wise to start slow and see how things go.

This is probably my most honest post but I like to think that most bloggers have these kind of thoughts at least once in their blogging career. So I'm hoping not be completely mauled for my thoughts.

So before I go and start writing again. I would love to thank all the people who have been reading my blog posts whilst I haven't wrote. You are all amazing.

And thank you to everyone on twitter for being so kind when I've been down. It's lovely to think that people you don't even know can care so much.

And the biggest thanks has to go to David. The boyfriend who makes me believe I can do anything. You rule.

And now before this turns into an Oscar speech worthy of a pack of tissues.
I'm going to exit the building.

Thank you for listening.

You can also follow me on twitter @squiffany. If I'm around of course. :P

F1 (Team) Fitty of the week. Rob Smedley

In a slight change to the F1 fitty proceedings.

I won't be concentrating on a driver this week.
And have decided to move slightly further a field. 

To instead, one of the most famous and probably the most fancied race engineer Formula One has ever had.

I am of course talking about the Northern God that is.
Rob Smedley.
(I can already feel some ovaries twitching even from here.)

Rob makes it on to the list for many, many reasons. 

(And it hasn't been the constant badgering from my followers on twitter. Honest)

The first smexy (Yes I put sexy and Smedley together) reason is of course.
SMEDLEY FM.

The one radio show we wished was on 24 hours a day.
It might be the sexy Northern accent.
It is the sexy Northern accent.
Phwoar. Smedley could read the phone book and I would want it on audio.
And it would probably sell better then 50 shades of Grey. True story.


Angry Smedley is a sexy Smedley...



Secondly.
It has to be the constant love story of Smedley and Massa.
A bromance that can even rival Brokeback Mountain.

I mean they even buy each other presents.
Muchos Love.

Thirdly.
It has to be Rob's consistent dedication to his charity work.
He holds fundraisers for the charity SANDS which supports Stillbirths and Neonatal deaths. After his wife Lucy lost their daughter Minnie in 2007.
For someone who travels the world pretty much every other weekend. To find the time to organise these events is pretty special.

So in short.
Pretty, funny, clever and Northern.
My kind of F1 fitty.
Hoorah.

You can also follow my ramblings on twitter @squiffany but to be honest. Don't expect the world.

Simon Lazenby.

I know that what I have to say will divide opinion but sometimes a blog just has to do that.

I don't want to start a debate. I don't want to get nasty.
I just want to say how I feel about this situation.


Now you may of heard the story in the Daily Mail about Simon Lazenby being drunk and disorderly on an EasyJet flight back from Valencia.
But that's not what I want to talk about.

But I do want to talk about Simon Lazenby.
I do feel very sorry for Simon. He really does divide opinion in the F1 community.
"Oh he's just a poor Jake Humphrey"
"He knows nothing about F1"
Blah blah blah.

Funnily enough I realised that some people seem to have extremely short memories. Because I remembered that when it was announced that Jake Humphrey would be hosting the BBC F1 coverage.
There was uproar. ACTUAL UPROAR.
"How can a children's TV presenter host a major sporting event?"
"Jake who?"

Yet now Jake is so loved by the F1 community he's deemed a bloody national treasure. (Not in my eyes though. You can see why here)

Yes Simon may of made some mistakes since hosting the Sky F1 coverage and yes he may of said the wrong thing at times. But he's always admitted them and ALWAYS said sorry.
People seem to forget that he's human. He's only nine races into a new job and in the last few races, seems to have really settled into the role. Especially with people like Ted, Natalie and Johnny.

What people seem to miss about Lazenby is that he is bloody funny (He really is. Hence why he has the nickname Lolzenby to his loyal subjects.), witty and a seemingly nice bloke.
What I like about Simon is that he actually tweets to his fans. He may not post many status tweets but he does talk to some us, gains our opinions and actually wants to improve how he is on screen.
He cares about what people think of him. He wants to impress us. The F1 fans. The F1 community.
That to me makes him all the more human and all the more endearing.

So maybe at times he tries too hard and gets it a little or even all wrong.
Who else hasn't done that at some point in their lives?
I know I have.

As for the alleged drunk and disorderly plane incident.
I would like to point out that Georgie Thompson does have a drink drive conviction under her body con dress. Yet no one seems to be mentioning this when it comes to her presenting skills and so they shouldn't.
A private life is a private life. It doesn't affect her work. She does a good job.

So will Simon keep his job next year?
I don't know, but I for one hope he does.

The Spanish GP for me showed how good Simon really is.
He was cool, calm and collected when the fire broke out in the Williams garage.
He took charge. Tried to give us the fans as much information as he could possibly get, whilst trying to talk to and find influential F1 figures and make sure that they were all okay.
Spain proved that Simon and the whole Sky F1 team had class and compassion.
Something that a sport like F1 always needs.

So you can get your poison pens out for Simon Lazenby.
Bring it on.

The Simon Lazenby fan club may only be small.
Be we are mighty.

You can also follow me (Or send your abuse which ever floats your boat) on twitter @squiffany

FanFormula: Week 17. Monaco.

So after a pretty dry Monaco.
Grace decided we needed a glam theme to the FanFormula video this week.
But me being the organised one, didn't actually think about anything glam until two minutes before the video was being made.

So in my state of panic. I found the only slightly glam thing in my wardrobe.
Yep. A feather boa.
Rock and roll.

So in this week's FanFormula I argue about the F.I.A consistency again, I get sadistic about Lewis Hamilton injuries and a feather boa + extreme English heat = PAIN.

This week's FanFormula questions.

Question One
In FP3 we saw Pastor Maldonado bump tyres with Sergio Perez and in response was awarded a ten place grid penalty. What was your view on the incident and the resulting penalty?

Question Two
Qualifying saw Sebastian Vettel not set a lap time and through this benefited from a choice of tyres in the race. Do you think this rule should be changed with penalties enforced if a driver/team do not set a time in Q3?

Question Three
A slow pit stop for Hamilton, being hit on the head by numbers falling off his pit board and a lack of communication regarding Seb's pace left Lewis Hamilton frustrated in the race. Do you think this will affect his upcoming contract renewal and what do you think his options would be aside from McLaren?

Bonus question
Do you think we should still be racing at Monaco when overtaking is clearly more important in modern F1?



If you want to get involved with FanFormula you can by going to the website at http://fanformula.weebly.com/

Or if you want to follow my F1 ramblings you can also follow me on Twitter @squiffany

FanFormula: Week 16. 25 percent.

So this week's FanFormula is about hitting the first quarter of the season.
(Already? Eeep.)
Well actually the questions are about Monaco.
One of the most exciting and most loved tracks.

So in this week's FanFormula. The words I can't say this week are suggestion and strategy, I do some product placement and I accidentally get dirty minded. F1 smut there.

This week's FanFormula questions.

Question One. 
The tight and twisty nature of the Monaco circuit is known for difficult overtaking. Do you think we will see drivers take more risks like Hamilton did in 2011 or will it be more about strategy and pitstops?

Question Two
What is it about Monaco that makes it so special or do you not feel the excitement for Monaco?

Question Three
What is your favourite corner on the Monaco circuit and why?

Bonus Question
Which Monaco race that you have watched is your ultimate Monaco GP and why?



If you want to get involve with FanFormula then just go to the website to find out more. http://fanformula.weebly.com/

Or if you want to hear more of my twitter ramblings you can follow me @squiffany

F1 Lefty watch

So hello.
I just want to let you know that I'm right handed.

A random way to start a post but I will explain.
Since the age of about six. I have always been fascinated with which hands people write with. Especially anyone who wrote or did anything with their left hand.
I was always jealous of the kids who got to use the green and yellow scissors whilst I, being a boring right hand soul. Ended up with the generic red handed scissors. Boo, hiss.

This is something I thought I would grow out of and not notice anymore.
But as I got older, it started to get worse.
Every class I ever studied in. I knew who all the left handers were.
(So if anyone from school, college or university is reading this. I wasn't staring at you. I was just staring at your hands. Honest.)

Most people who are either left or right handed. Usually do something with the opposite hand they write with.
My sister is right handed but eats left handed.
My friend can throw right handed but is actually left handed.

I thought I couldn't do anything left handed until at the age of eighteen whilst playing a game of pool. My friend told me that I played left handed.
I never even noticed. I just thought that was how everyone played.

And since then my left handed obsession seems to have got a little bit out of hand.
To the point where I even started the hash tag #Leftywatch on twitter.
(Still immensely proud of this achievement)

So lets get this post back to F1 and not my life and its boring ramblings.

So F1 has had some amazing 'Southpaws' over the years.
These aren't all of them but here is a small sample of the best ones.

Jenson Button. 
The only left hander on the grid in 2012.
He may be in the minority in terms of dexterity but not in terms of driving.


Johnny Herbert, David Croft and Anthony Davidson 
These three together are a winning F1 commentating/presenting combination.
They also make up a third of the Sky F1 presenting team. How many left handers do the BBC F1 team have? None.
Hoorah for lefties.

Giancarlo Fisichella.
Remember him. Seems like so long ago since he was about in F1.
But he's also another lefty to add to the bunch.
In fact along with Jenson Button in 2001 they also have the title (I think) of being the only both left handed team mates.


And on to the last lefty F1 driver for this post
Probably the best ever left handed driver ever.
I am of course talking about.
The one, the only.

Ayrton Senna


Need I say anymore.

So to all the left handed people out there.
I support and salute you.

And if you see and F1 left handed-ness about.
Remember folks. Hash tag #Leftywatch on twitter.

If you want to hear more of my love for lefties or for Giraffes even you can also follow me on twitter @squiffany

FanFormula: Week 15. Spain.

So this week's FanFormula video is of course all about Spain.

I thought it was a pretty boring race myself.
I mean controversy, a new winner and then fire with added bravery. 

Standard race really.
(Haha of course I jest)

So in this week's FanFormula. I do some more singing, I teach you all a new hand gesture and I get angry that I can't say the word incident. 

This week's FanFormula questions.

Question One. 

Qualifying saw Hamilton's penalty and Karthikeyan's qualifying outside the 107% rule. What do you make of both incidents and the resulting steward decisions?

Question Two
In the Senna vs Schumi crash, who did you think was at fault?

Question Three

Maldonado took his first victory in Spain (The first Williams win since 2004). Do you think this signals the return of Williams to the top of the grid or is this just another topsy turvy result for the 2012 season?

Bonus Question

Who would you say drove the best race at Catalunya and why?

If you want to get involved in future FanFormula videos you can by going to http://fanformula.weebly.com/

And if you want to hear more of my rambling then you can also follow me on twitter @squiffany