Friday 13th March 2015 – Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

The 20th running of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park is

underway and what a first day it was. As we all know, Friday means Formula 1, two 90-minute practice sessions and our first opportunity to witness the World’s elite racing category. A fleet of new drivers and new

liveries are sure to keep us occupied when they hit the track.

A big welcome must go to all of the International officials who are here in Melbourne this weekend. The professionalism of the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix is reflected in the interest by so many officials to

travel from across the globe.

Throughout this weekend’s editions we will be looking to give you a behind the scenes view of a variety of different roles that aren’t always necessarily in the spotlight, but which require a large amount of work in

order to be carried out in the way they are every year.

Check out www.cams.com.au for all the editions of the Official’s Gazette.

Yours in Motorsport, Liam Meegan

CHATTING WITH CHARLIE – PART 1 It's always my pleasure to be able to sit down and have a nice chat with

Charlie Whiting, the FIA F1 Race Director/Permanent Starter/Safety Delegate.

Charlie always enjoy coming to Australia and working with the Marshals. "We feel like we're among friends. It's great that so many of them have

done all the races, and I feel lucky to be one of them. I've worked all the Australian Formula One races, and the first Melbourne AGP was my first

'Start' in 1996.

"I always feel the same way. I look forward to this twentieth year at Melbourne. It feels a bit special this year - a special landmark. I think the circuit looks better than ever. It's come together quite well. We get a nice reception from everyone when we do our inspection, and I look forward to

that. It's a nice feeling, almost as like being home."

More of Charlie's interview will follow in the Saturday and Sunday editions.

Lynne Hunnting

AND WE’RE AWAY!

Friday 13th March 2015 – Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

HAVE YOU BEEN TESTED: WHAT IS A CAMS TESTING OFFICIAL?

Peter Rosier has not only worked all 31 of the 'modern' AGP's, he also worked nine of the original races, including five at Calder and four at Sandown.

That makes 40 of the 80 AGP's.

At Albert Park Pete is part of the Officials Safety 1st Monitors. His job is to handle the random

Breathalyzer tests of the CAMS Officials and Drivers. The 20 or so daily tests are chosen by a random

system, which uses the Team Numbers. About eighty tests will be done this year.

So far this year and all of last year's AGP, there have

been no positives. Everyone is subject to the test, and already this weekend tests have been done

including the Secretary of the Meeting.

Pete, along with his helper, CAMS staff member, Fab Pulcian, tests the person. The max limit is .01. If one has a .009. he/she is OK. The process is very similar to those conducted by the police. If a positive test is received, the test is repeated after a twenty-minute wait. If the test is still positive, Fab remains with the person and/or goes with Pete and the person to see

the Secretary of the Meeting. Said person is then excluded from the event.

In order to be able to conduct these tests, Pete had to complete a CAMS Course, taught by a policeman.

This year the Boundary Riders Team has its first female - Jeanine Evers of Tasmania. The ten

members (down one rider from last year) have Honda 250cc motorcycles, down 400cc in power

from last year.

This year the team, as part of its training and practice, have been doing Sims, as do race car

drivers - simulated rides. The largest member of the team acts as a stranded race driver, and the

Boundary Riders ride all around the track, checking for quick, safe routes with as few impediments as

possible. After all, they have "valuable cargo."

It's thought that AGP was the first F1 race to have such a crew, starting with the first AGP in Adelaide.

Then Secretary of the Meeting, Peter Nelson, borrowed and refined a similar concept from the

Phillip Island motorcycle races, which used horsemen to ride the circuit to retrieve stranded

riders and perform other duties as needed.

Here in Albert Park, the Boundary Riders are basically "Roving Assistant Clerks of Course."

MONITORING THE BOUNDARY: THE ROLE OF THE AGP BOUNDARY RIDER

Friday 13th March 2015 – Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

THE FORMULA 1 STARS TOUCHDOWN

Friday 13th March 2015 – Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

FEATURE STORY: THE FIA VOLUNTEERS AND RACE OFFICIALS COMMISSION WITH HERBIE BLASH AND MICHAEL SMITH

We're fortunate this year at AGP to have two members of the FIA Volunteers and Race Officials Commission - FIA F1 Race Control Observer, Herbie Blash, who is the FIA Official Liaison to the Commission, and Michael Smith, FIA F1 Secretary of the Meeting and CAMS

General Manager of Motor Sports, who has been a member of the Commission since its inception in 2011.

The Commission just last week held its latest of quarterly meetings.

Five years ago, FIA's then new President, Jean Todt, acted upon the many suggestions that FIA have a Commission for one of its most important resources - the officials. The current Commission has 15 members. Each of the world's ASN's have the opportunity to

nominate a representative which then is put to the World Motorsport Council. The WMC meets four times a year, but Commission appointments are made at the November meeting.

One of the functions of the Commission is recognition and awards - overall and in several categories.

Australia has done quite well being recognised by the Commission. Each year since 2011 an Aussie has won a Best Official award in one of the several categories, and last year an Aussie won the overall award - Adrian Stafford, the CAMS and Rally Australia's chief sporting

organiser. The award recognized his "high level of professionalism and leadership." Previous winners include 2015 Chief scrutineer, Ewan Cole, as Best Scrutineer in 2013, and 2015 AGP F1 Steward, Steven Chopping, as Best Senior Official in 2012.

Selecting the award winners is very difficult from so many great nominations. It’s a way to people who have contributed a lot to the sport. And actually, said Michael, it's showing the officials that there's something with which to aspire, rather than getting the award

itself. More than 150 nominations were received last year, and the quality is outstanding, and there's very few who aren't worthy of an award. Each ASN can put forth one (and only one) nomination for each category. Every year CAMS nominates someone for each

category. Last year was the first time an ASN could nominate a team, and CAMS nominated the Australian Grand Prix Team to get the award. Unfortunately they didn't win, but Michael said we all know what an outstanding job they do. The nomination process had a slow

build-up, but it's gaining momentum.

Marshals and officials who feel someone is worthy of a nomination can forward this to his/her country's ASN - such as Michael Smith of CAMS for Australia, or Nick Craw of ACCUS in the United States. The ASN's receive the nomination forms in August, so any suggested

persons should be forwarded by the end of August for consideration this year.-2015. Herbie said he will be contacting the ASN's regarding the Nominations procedure.

The long-anticipated website for this Commission has been a long-time work-in-progress. Herbie said it should be up and running this

April, so stay tuned for that.

This new FIA website will be available to all marshals around the world. Amongst other things, said Michael, is it will be a networking site for officials, for sharing information, eventually attend each others events, and will be a great tool for officials.

There has been a lot of time-consuming work done to create a more consistent structure for officials that is a FIA structure. Even simple

things like the definition of what the Clerk of the Course does, what a Flag or Sector Marshals does, take a lot of work trying to define them, which then underpins the framework that ASNs all around the world could adopt. There's a new Appendix V, which is coming out

in the FIA Regulations next year, which is all about that - defining what the recommended Officials Licence structure should be. The benefit of all this work will be shown on the website when it is launched.

Friday 13th March 2015 – Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

 

                                       

   

RACE GUIDE: FRIDAY

11AM – Penrite Oils Heritage Touring Cars –

Race 1 11:30AM – Shannons Historic Demonstration

12:30PM – Formula 1 – Practice 1

2:20PM – MSS Security V8 Supercars – Race 1

3PM – Ultimate Speed Comparison – Demo 2

2:10PM – Ultimate Speed Comparison – Practice

3:30PM – Porsche Carrera Cup – Race 1

4:30PM – Formula 1 – Practice 2

6:20PM – MSS Security V8 Supercars – Race 2

NEWS TIPS… Have you got an exciting story that we don’t know

about yet?

Maybe you’re celebrating a milestone with us at the

Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix?

Make sure you drop us a

line or come and see us at the Muster Tent each

morning and we will be sure to do our best to

include your story in the Officials Newsletter.

The best way to get in contact is via email at

liam@directmanagementgroup.com.au or give us a

ring or text message, 0432 880 088.

When you contact us, be

sure to include your officials team and location

around the track so we can grab some photos and

an interview.

0 - Aussie winners of AGP

4 - most AGP wins by a driver - Michael Schumacher 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004

6 - most AGP wins by a Constructor - McLaren 1997, 1998, 2003, 2008,m2010, 2012 & Ferrari 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007

8 - fewest AGP finishers 1999, 2002, 2008

8 - most wins by an engine - Mercedes 1997, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014

11 - most wins by a tyre supplier - Bridgestone 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

12 - winning AGP driver

13 - most AGP retirements 1998, 1999, 2008

17 - most AGP finishers 2005, 2007

20 - smallest AGP grid - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009

23 - largest AGP grid - 2010

28 - nations represented by drivers at AGP

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,

Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Venezuela

97 - total AGP started drivers

104 - total AGP entered drivers

369 - total AGP overtakes

620 - total AGP pit stops

0.702 secs - smallest AGP Margin of Victory - Mika Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes ahead of teammate David Coulthard 1998

38.020 secs - biggest AGP Margin of Victory - Damon Hill Williams Renault ahead of teammate Jacques

Villeneuve 1996

1 min 24.125 secs - AGP lap record - Michael Schumacher Ferrari F2004 - 2004

1 hr 24 mins 15.757 secs - shortest AGP 2004

1 hr 38 mins 26.533 secs - longest AGP 2001

17,182 - total AGP laps raced

91,114 km - total AGP distance raced

323,9 km/h - highest AGP top speed - Michael Schumacher Ferrari F2004 -2004

401,000 - biggest AGP four-day crowd 1996

IN BRIEF: AGP BY THE NUMBERS