A Collection Of

Heading into my fifth MLS homestretch here at Helltown. Good a time as any to put something together to commemorate it. The video above is a sampling of artwork, design and photography that has appeared on this site over the last five years - set to the music of Daniel Pemberton.

It's also a good time for a reminder. Helltown Beer is an independent site dedicated to honest analysis, creative freedom and critical thinking with a focus on, but no limited to, sports in Columbus, Ohio.

The Absurdity of F1 Grid Penalties

Formula 1 has always been known as being somewhat of a circus. From the wild days of the 1970's, where spectacle, guts and determination ruled the day to the halcyon days of the present, Formula 1 has always prided itself on being the pinnacle of motorsport.

The world-famous Eau Rouge of the Belgian Grand Prix
at Spa-Francorchamps.

While the definition of pinnacle may state that it's the highest point of development or achievement, the absurdity of handing McLaren Honda drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button a combined 55-place grid penalty has many wondering if the powers that be have finally gone off the deep end.

Both drivers have a new, upgraded Honda power unit residing in their chassis. They both are on their seventh power units this season, two more than the regulations allow for new engine manufacturers. 

Both drivers have also replaced other components on their cars, all beyond the maximum number allowed per regulations. Alonso has a 30-place grid penalty, while Button has a 25-place penalty. Both drivers will obviously be starting from the tail-end of the grid.

And this is precisely why it is so absurd. With only ten race teams participating in the 2015 Formula 1 season, there are but 20 cars on the grid. Instead of the race stewards simply stating that Alonso and Button, due to the engine changes and such, need to start at the back of the grid, they have their tables that tell them what the penalty is for this and that. They followed their tables and assessed the combined 55-place grid penalty for McLaren Honda.

With the test calendar severely limited, ostensibly to reduce cost, the teams hope and pray their cars are perfect when the first two test take place ahead of the season. More often than not, the cars need work. This lack of testing translates to lackluster racing, where there may be a team or two that have a decent car. More often than not throughout the season, the result of each race is bandied about among two or three teams that may have a realistic shot at winning a Grand Prix on any race weekend.

After being assessed a combined 55-place grid penalty,
both McLaren Honda's will be starting the race from
somewhere west of Spa-Francorchamps.
Well, not really. But you do see the irony, no?
(image courtesy of @GrandPrixDiary)

McLaren Group CEO Ron Dennis told Eurosport.co.uk earlier this month that the testing ban being touted as a cost-saving measure is "false economy".

"It actually doesn't save any money, as we have to bring developments to the cars in quantities without proving it out. We don't always get it right, and when we don't get it right, we waste money. So, it is a false economy.

"It is more about hampering the performance of the larger teams than it is about really saving money. It doesn't save anybody money but the smaller teams.

"That isn't what F1 is about. F1 is about competition, not about handicapping. And perversely, the biggest handicap in F1 is no testing."

Formula 1 is getting bogged down in the minutiae, having lost sight of what F1 has always been about. Set the parameters of the formula and let the teams have at it. There have always been wealthy teams that can afford to play at the pinnacle. The strong will survive. The smaller teams will fall by the wayside from time to time, only to be replaced by another team that thinks they can have a go. 

As for McLaren Honda, at this point they should just use every Grand Prix remaining on the calendar as a testing session. If they are going to start from the back of the grid, use the rules to their advantage. Bring the upgrades that will give them a more competitive car in 2016. Get ahead of the curve. And at the end of the day? Enjoy the ride.

F1 Summer Hiatus in full-swing

All of the F1 factory doors are locked-up tight
with team personnel on holiday.

We're halfway through the F1 summer break, where the teams close the doors to their factories and everyone scatters to the four corners of the globe for a well-deserved holiday.

Next season, they might have as few as two weeks for the summer break, due to 21 races being on the calendar for 2016. Thus, next season will be the busiest in the 66 year history of F1.

Team managers met with the FIA's Charlie Whiting during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. They would like to see the provisional calendar rearranged versus trying to fit a factory shutdown and holiday for team personnel into a two-week break.

Before the addition of the F1 race in Baku, Azerbaijan (European Grand Prix), F1 had a built-in break of three free weekends between the Hungarian Grand Prix in July and the Belgian Grand Prix in August. During this break, even the computer servers have to be switched off during the mandatory two-week shutdown. This allows both race team and factory personnel to enjoy a summer holiday.

Next year, however, the provisional race schedule allows for only two free weekends during the summer break. While this may seem to be a trivial matter to many Americans, with the global nature of F1, the rigors of travel and the European tradition of summer holiday, that extra free weekend is essential.

Consequently, some team principals have now asked Bernie Ecclestone to adjust the 2016 provisional calendar.

Recently, Claire Williams (Williams Racing) told F1 journalist Adam Cooper, "From a Williams perspective, the factory shutdown is important. The calendar is long and it's arduous, and people put their blood, sweat and tears into going racing, and they sacrifice a lot to do that. Those two weeks, regardless of anything else, allows them time with their families, to have a bit of a normal life."

Per Adam Cooper, Ecclestone said he does not anticipate any changes.

Williams Racing currently sits third in Constructors points (151 pts),
behind Mercedes AMG (383 pts) and Ferrari (236 pts).
(Image courtesy F1)

With two weeks remaining until the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps (August 23), it remains to be seen if Renault will buyout the Lotus F1 team (they use Renault engines), as they are in the midst of making the decision to form a factory works team. Renault is unsure at this stage exactly how much money they want to invest in this venture. Renault has had some issues in recent years with the reliability and/or power of the engines it supplies to teams, as evidenced by the rift between the French automaker and Red Bull racing.

Lotus F1 driver Romain Grosjean welcomes Renault buying-out the Lotus F1 team, because that would mean more investment in the team, leading to a more competitive car on the track. He told ESPN UK, "The development hasn't been as good as we've wanted (this year), but it's not down to people or brainpower because we have a lot of good ideas in the pipeline."

Could Lotus F1 become a Renault factory works team?
(Image courtesy of F1)

"The CFD, wind-tunnel and design office is working very well," Grosjean said, "but at the moment, we can't bring it on track. On the other hand, when you are thinking about selling the team, you will not continue to put money in at one stage because afterwards it's all lost."

Lotus F1 (owned by Genii Capital) has had some financial issues in regards to its debt to shareholders in the Enstone-based team and currently sit in 6th place in the Constructors Championship (35 pts). Genii Capital bought a majority stake in the team from Renault in 2009 and purchased the remaining 25 percent Renault stake at the end of 2010. They rebranded it as the Lotus F1 team in 2012. Selling the team back to Renault would pave the way for the venture-capitalist's exit from F1.

From Budapest, Ciao Jules...

The family of the late Jules Bianchi joins the current F1
drivers in a minute of silence before the start of the
Hungarian Grand Prix

Cette victoire est pour Jules…

On a somber Sunday afternoon twelve miles outside of Budapest, the first words spoken by race-winner Sebastian Vettel on the podium were dedicated to the first driver to lose his life from a racing incident in 21 years.

Indeed, all three drivers on the podium toasted the heavens with their champagne bottles. Jules Bianchi was just 25 years old when he lost his fight and succumbed to his injuries nine days ago.

It was a day full of emotion and spectacular racing, starting with a minutes silence before the race began. “The minutes silence for Jules before the race was very emotional,” said Fernando Alonso. “But today, we respected Jules and we respected the sport.”

From the opening lap, when the prancing horse of Vettel’s Ferrari surged to the lead and never looked back, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was under the gun to make his car perform. Alas, it was all for naught. Hamilton would wind up serving a drive-thru penalty for causing a collision with Red Bull’s Daniel Riccardo in the waning laps of the race.

Riccardo would survive hits from Williams’ Bottas, Hamilton and Mercedes’ Rosberg to stand on the third step of the podium at race end.

For a track that historically is known for lack of overtaking, the Hungaroring provided some of the most exciting racing of the season. The end results were proof positive of that. In addition to Vettel, Kvyat and Riccardo on the podium, fourth place through tenth were as follows: Verstappen, Alonso, Hamilton, Grosjean, Rosberg, Button and Ericsson.

While the racing was hot and heavy as the drivers jockeyed for position, the penalties meted out post-race matched what was seen on-track.

With the win, Vettel has matched the great Ayrton Senna’s record of 41 race wins and has fully integrated himself within the walls of the team from Maranello, Italy. On his victory lap, he thanked the Ferrari team in Italian for their work in giving him a car with which to win.

Another great sign was both McLaren Honda cars finishing in the top-ten and garnering points, with Alonso finishing fifth and Button in ninth. While they still have a ways to go in hopes of running consistently at the top, the positive steps are there.

The teams now take a three week break before resuming the F1 schedule in the Ardennes at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Will Mercedes return to the top of the podium? Will Ferrari replicate their result from Budapest? Or will the leader-board be rewritten once again?

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes AMG top qualifying in Hungary

Fernando Alonso pushes his car back to pitlane in Q2

On a scorching day twelve miles outside Budapest where the track temperature hit 129 degrees, Lewis Hamilton topped timing and scoring (1:22:020) in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring. He out-paced his factory-Mercedes teammate, Nico Rosberg, by half a second (1:22:595).

Former teammates Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari - 1:22:739) and Daniel Riccardo (Red Bull - 1:22:774) round out the second row.

The remainder of the top ten: Kimi Raikkonen (P5, Ferrari - 1:23:020), Valtteri Bottas (P6, Williams - 1:23:222), Daniil Kvyat (P7, Red Bull - 1:23:332), Felipe Massa (P8, Williams - 1:23:537), Max Verstappen (P9, Toro Rosso - 1:23:679) and Romain Grosjean (P10, Lotus - 1:24:181).

Q2 saw a red flag as Fernando Alonso nursed his broken McLaren Honda to he side of the track at the entrance to pitlane. With the help of track marshals, Alonso pushed his car to the team's garage. Unable to rejoin the qualifying session, Alonso will start 15th, one position in front of his McLaren teammate Jenson Button.

"Jenson had a problem with the KERS and for me with the car switched off," said the Spaniard. "Not the right time, but hopefully we learn for tomorrow."

With teammates Hamilton and Rosberg locking out the front row yet again, coupled with the notoriously difficult to overtake Hungaroring, Mercedes AMG will likely extend their constructors championship lead, barring any mechanical setbacks.

F1 driver Jules Bianchi dead at 25

The family of Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi has confirmed that he passed away from injuries sustained during the Japanese Grand Prix, October 5, 2014 in Suzuka, Japan.

Bianchi, 25, sustained head injuries after hitting at track marshall's vehicle that was removing another car that had spun off the track during very wet conditions. He suffered a diffuse axonal injury (head trauma or brain injury) as a result. His helmet became lodged underneath a mobile crane after his car slid underneath it.

After being stabilized in Japan, Bianchi was flown to Nice, France in November, where he was hospitalized and in a coma. There were very little, if any, signs of progress for the young Frenchman.

His family released the following statement:

"It is with deep sadness that the parents of Jules Bianchi, Philippe and Christine, his brother Tom and sister Mélanie, wish to make it known that Jules passed away last night at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) in Nice, (France) where he was admitted following the accident of 5th October 2014 at Suzuka Circuit during the Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix.

“Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end,” said the Bianchi family. “The pain we feel is immense and indescribable. We wish to thank the medical staff at Nice’s CHU who looked after him with love and dedication. We also thank the staff of the General Medical Center in the Mie Prefecture (Japan) who looked after Jules immediately after the accident, as well as all the other doctors who have been involved with his care over the past months.

“Furthermore, we thank Jules’ colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times. Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world.

“We would like to ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time, while we try to come to terms with the loss of Jules.”

The staff of the Helltown Beer blog would like to offer their condolences to the Bianchi family.

What Will The Future Bring?

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards does his
best to answer my arcane questions prior to the start of
the 2014/15 NHL season.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – As I sit in my office on a rather rainy and wet Monday afternoon, Genesis’ 1981 album “Abacab” serenading me in the background, the realization has set-in that I’ve lived in Ohio longer than anywhere else I’ve lived in my life. Just over eleven years ago I made the decision to move to the Midwest. I now call Columbus home.

It really is a great, progressive city that is full of life. There’s music at any number of nightclubs, bars, etc. The food menu that is offered all over the city means you can have almost any food from anywhere in the world. And of course, there are sports.

With their pro football team… um, I meant to say college football team, filling Ohio Stadium with over one hundred thousand delirious fans six times a year, one would think that’s all the ‘Bus has to offer.

But professional sports teams do inhabit the Arch city. There is the Ohio Machine (Major League Lacrosse) and the Columbus Clippers (AAA baseball and farm team of the Cleveland Indians). There is also the Major League Soccer, and original 1996 team, the Columbus Crew SC. There is a sizable Formula 1 fan base, too. And last, but certainly not least, are the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.

So, why have I fallen in love with Columbus? There are myriad reasons, and the above-mentioned are just a few. The people are friendly and full of Midwestern charm. I’m privileged to call many of the people I’ve met friends.

I never set-out to be a sports writer/reporter. It just kind of happened to evolve. I started writing about sports in 2005 on a personal blog. That morphed into covering the Blue Jackets in their first playoff season of 2008/09. I was covering the Crew SC when they made a coaching and an ownership change in the summer of 2013. Along the way, I’ve also covered the NBA and other NHL teams for various media outlets.

Interviewing Crew SC goalkeeper Matt Lampson
after a match with the Dayton Dutch Lions in 2013

The owner of the Helltown Beer blog, Larry Johnson, is a knowledgeable guy about many things, but especially soccer. I’ve been honored to call him a friend for quite a few years. We record the Red Cards in Helltown podcast every other Sunday morning over coffee. We then have a beer and talk about the world of soccer. There’s a reason I call him the “Stat Man” on the show, and if you’ve read the blog and/or listened to the podcast, you will know why.

Recently, after wrapping up another episode of the podcast, Larry told me he wanted to expand the coverage of his blog to include hockey and Formula 1 racing. This excited me, as I had been writing for the regional Fox Sports affiliate covering the Blue Jackets until they decided that they would not renew my, and many others’ contracts.

And so, I now find myself writing once again about the sports I love. I will be writing about soccer (worldwide) with a Columbus Crew SC focus, the Columbus Blue Jackets (and NHL in general) and of course my long-time love of F1. Along the way, you may find musical references sprinkled in, just to keep it interesting.

I hope that you will join me and the other fine writers at Helltown Beer on this journey into the next chapter of online sports media coverage in Columbus. I promise you that it will not be boring. It may not always be what you, as a fan, want to hear about your favorite team, but it will be real, unvarnished analysis.

So, join in the conversation and let us know your thoughts on what is important to you about your team. This just may the beginning of something beautiful. Then again, it could get a little gonzo, too.

All the best,

   Rick Gethin