Location(s)

Thank you all for a great season! This year has seen the best run of F1 faithful to join us with nearly 1,000 guests out to watch the races at Overtime. Thanks also go out to Katie, Matt, Joe, James, Josh, Michelle, Nick, Juan, and the entire Overtime team - all have helped build a place we call home for Formula 1 in San Francisco. Take a look at our new friends page, featuring a look at everyone who's helped get out the word and contributed to a great 2008 season together.

This Sunday morning we'll be out in force to watch the grand finale to an amazing season LIVE from São Paulo. Brunch will be served, and we ask all who plan to attend to RSVP to help chef James prepare for the morning's race. As always, all are welcome, so bring a friend and join us for the best from Interlagos!

We hope you can join us for what will be quite a showdown in Brazil, featuring points leader Lewis Hamilton and local hero Felipe Massa in a battle for it all:

The 2008 Driver's Championship Trophy

Felipe or Lewis?

To recap an amazing midnight race from China two weekends ago - we had the best crew out for a midnight live race, with many new faces we hope to see again on Sunday. Thanks to all who made it out and enjoyed the action from Shanghai. We'll be raffling these shots below from the Chinese GP after the races from Brazil.

All raffle proceeds from this event's race will be donated to fellow F1 fan Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG nonprofit foundation, so show your support for your favorite sport and do some good!

Kimi's not going to be repeating his title drive this weekend. . .

. . . but no doubt will be doing all he can for Felipe and Ferrari!

Felipe stayed alive in China and now has got it all to do in front of his home crowd . . .

. . . so can Lewis stay on top and take it all this year?

We will be taking over all televisions in the bar for this race, and as always, big thanks to Paul-Henri and Terry Griffin for their amazing support of F1 in San Francisco. Visit F1-Photo.com if you've got a moment in F1 history you'd like to savor on your wall - both Paul and his late father, Bernard, have been capturing truly amazing moments in the sport for over 50 years.

Finally, SFF1.com member and Saison 73 founder Nasir Hameed has produced a unique look at an era gone by with his 2009 Motorsport Memories calendar: Powered by Turbo.

Saison 73 presents Motorsports Memories:

Powered by Turbo, a 2009 F1 calendar

These have begun shipping and are currently for sale on our website, featuring shots of your favorite drivers of the era spooling up and spitting fire on the circuits of the day. Have a look inside, car and driver histories are well-researched, described, and beautifully shot, so more nice work from Saison 73!

What: The Grand Prix of Brazil - The race for the title! GP Brunch served. (RSVP)

When: Sunday November 2nd, 8:30 am pre-race, the flag drops at 9am!

Where: Overtime Sports Bar and Grill, 398 7th @ Harrison, (415) 863-1688 in San Francisco

Location(s)

This October 18th, the Red Bull Soapbox Race will make its San Francisco debut as more than 30 teams of gear heads and auto amateurs speed down Dolores Street in their homemade, human-powered vehicles in a race against the clock. Teams have already been chosen, and those selected will be judged on four criteria – speed (of course), the creativity of their car and showmanship and the quality of their performance prior to crossing the starting line.

Start 'em up at the 2006 SFISS races!

Where is it?
The event is taking place in the Mission District at Dolores Park in San Francisco. The start line will be located on Dolores St. and 21st St.. The pit area, aka “Pit Row”, will be located on 20th Street, between Dolores and Church St. This is where you can view the crafts and mingle with the teams beginning at 11:00 AM before they line up in procession to the starting line around 12:00 PM. The finish line will be at the intersection of Dolores St. and 19th Street.

Entry Fee?
Is 100% FREE to the public and open to all ages!

There will be street closures...
There will be three main street closures to be aware of on event day, October 18th. They are:
1) Dolores Street between 21st and 18th Streets
2) 20th Street between Dolores Street and Church Street
3) 21st Street between Dolores Street and Church St.

What: The Red Bull Soap Box Races - this is a free public event

When: Saturday, October 18th, 11:00 am pre-race, the flag drops at noon!

Where: Dolores Park, in San Francisco

ing is conducting a survey on f1 for 09
take the survey and your chances at winning swag
from teams and drivers

First of all, I hadn't posted in so long that the system didn't recognize me! I've actually been a member for over a year, but, we continue on...

Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel. The thing that went through my mind (and probably his) is that right now the Toro Rosso is doing great, especially with that Ferrari behind him. Is going to Red Bull next year (with a Renault engine) necessarily a step up? Sure, they have Adrian Newey, engineering up the wazoo and tons of cash, but results are results. And right now STR is kicking butt. Good for them!

Phil Hill: 1927-2008

"I had a very exciting life and learned an awful lot about myself and others that I might never have learned. Racing sort of forced a confrontation with reality. Lots of people spend their lives in a state that is never really destined to go anywhere."

Phil Hill's first Grand Prix in a Ferrari: Nurburgring, August 1958

Californian and first American F1 World Champion Phil Hill passed away last week and racing's loss is great. Our thoughts go out to the Hill family as the racing community mourns the loss of an American racing legend.

Location(s)

The GP of Europe is over two weeks away, but this weekend the show's coming to us! The Gumball 3000 rally is celebrating it's 10th year in action around the globe with the official launch this Saturday in San Francsico, and will be a motoring tour de force. 120 cars will be kicking off their 8 day world tour right here, and the cars are arriving in town now - recent sightings in the area have included several exotics you may not see on the road together again in quite some time!

The Gumball 3000 Rally kicks off Saturday on Nob Hill at 1pm!

What: The Gumball 3000 Rally Kickoff Event

When: Saturday August 9th, grid at 10:00am, the flag drops at 1pm!

Where: Nob Hill in San Francisco

www.flickr.com SFF1_'s The Gumball 3000 Rally photoset

"Following the incident involving Kimi Raikkonen and Paul-Henri Cahier on the starting grid of the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, that saw the finnish driver assault the photographer, we decided that it was necessary to clarify a few points.

There never was any contact between the two men, nor did Paul-Henri ever touch Kimi's equipment. Furthermore, the distance at which Paul-Henri Cahier was taking a picture, although close, was completely standard. The photographers who take pictures at Grand Prix races are all professionals who have been accredited by the FIA, and as the dozen other photographers who were standing next to Paul-Henri Cahier prove, there was nothing unusual or unethical about this situation.

Finally, Paul-Henri Cahier has been an F1 photographer for almost fourty years and has been close to the greatest champions, but none of them has ever behaved in such a rude manner. It is understandable that drivers might get irritable because of the pressure they undergo, but Kimi Raikkonen never even attempted to express his discontent in a non violent way. Paul-Henri Cahier luckily did not suffer any injury, and so does not intend to take any action, but he regrets the arrogance with which Kimi Raikkonen treated someone who was merely doing his job."

Dan Gurney, Bernard Cahier, and Phil Hill in France, 1962

Bernard Cahier, father of Paul-Henri, passed away having left a legacy of photo journalism in motorsport behind for all to enjoy. A native of France, Bernard studied at UCLA where he met his wife, Joan Updike, and became involved in the Southern California sports car scene working alongside then unknowns Phil Hill and Ritchie Ginther before building a career in journalism covering racing. Motorsport's loss is great with Bernard's passing, and for more on Bernard's life, please visit Grandprix.com, and F1-Photo.com. Our thoughts and best wishes go to Paul-Henri and his family at this time.

Hello Fellow SFF1 Group Members,

My blog can be found off site on my personal web-page, by clicking on my M coupe:

Ciao,
Byron
A.K.A. "Nivola"

Alonso admits it's difficult to stay motivated - After a difficult year with the McLaren Formula 1 team Fernando Alonso returned to Renault in 2008. Even though the team might have showed him a warm welcome the situation within the team didn't get much better for Alonso. The team is struggling to score points in every race and the Spaniard has now admitted after just three races it is difficult to stay motivated. [GP Update]

Whaaa whaaa whaaa . . . what's up with this guy? All pay and no podium makes Fernando - well, slower . . .