Steve Matchett
@MrSteveMatchett
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I used to be young, then a mechanic, then an author, then a television broadcaster. Now I am old. And all I've come to know only confirms I know nothing at all.
Lost. Mostly lost.
Joined April 2009
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Pinned Tweet
Would you like me to quietly read to you?
Earbuds in, sit back... and let the kids go nuts.
Life in the Fast Lane:
The Mechanic's Tale:
The Chariot Makers:
These Desired Things:
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Last night at dinner I saw a chap at the bar wearing a Mercedes F1 shirt. I asked if he's enjoying the season. He said yes but he'd enjoy it more with Mick Schumacher in the car; said the kid's papa used to race too. Fast! Google him, he said, Mick's papa. I promised him I would.
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I’m enjoying Jenson’s broadcasting calmness. Refreshing.
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In light of all the current negativity surrounding the industry, how about we start this new day with a truly heartwarming Formula 1 story? A gentle reminder of just how precious this sport can be. Enjoy:
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Seemingly, some teams are complaining that Haas, a young low-budget team have produced a reasonably swift car. How is this possible, they say. I've seen some very well established, well-funded teams produce some notably slow cars. I'd be more inclined to ask how does that happen?
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Perhaps an inconvenient truth but the reality is ever faster lap times no longer make the sport ever better. I’d suggest F1 needs to refocus its attention on the passionate thrilling visceral emotions that once made the races unmissable. This onboard footage screams this message.
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I hope F1 are watching these scenes of celebration. This is how it’s done!
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Frankly, it was over for Vettel the moment Leclerc stood atop the Monza podium.
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Both McLaren and Norris need to learn from what just unfolded. Drivers need to listen to their engineers. Engineers need to be very clear in their communications to their drivers.
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Thirty-one years of experience and three F1 world championships.
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Lunch with an old friend. The perfect way to start the weekend.
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On a personal note, on what will be a distinctly significant race weekend, I give my many, many thanks for a working life encamped within the industry of Formula 1. Every single day throughout the last thirty years F1 has been bonded to me. It's been a truly wonderful experience.
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Any worthwhile life is one lived when attempting difficult challenges; tasks requiring relentless dedication and unending effort.
We can compete, be sporting rivals, but we must also be kind to others; above all there is no low or high, only equals. Frank Williams showed me this.
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Very refreshing to hear
@karunchandhok
on the call, a chap who very obviously understands what’s happening around him; highlighting points that need highlighting, and explaining his reasoning.
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Mercedes are correct to complain to the stewards, that is gamesmanship, part of the game... but the stewards must not be swayed by the passion of those pleas. The excitement of this race has been entirely deflated by this five second time penalty. What are we trying to achieve?
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Extremely saddened to hear of Charlie’s death. He was one of the good guys. A man I always respected in his various roles with the FIA. He was always supportive of my post pit lane years, both my writing & my television work with SPEED and NBC - and he always found time to talk.
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It’s so wonderfully refreshing when they open
@karunchandhok
’s mic. The info he gives is always concise, relevant, and correct.
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Goodness, I’m checking Twitter to see an absolute outpouring of positive emotion regarding the Speedvision/NBC F1 coverage featuring Hobbo, Leigh, Peter, Will, Bob, yours truly. Not quite sure what sparked such a flow of praising comments but thank you all, for your kind words.
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I very much enjoyed helping out my old mates at FOX with those few
@FIAFormulaE
races I hosted earlier this year. So much so I asked if I might return to host the entire 2018/2019 season - and for reasons I'm quite unable to explain they said yes! First race unfolds this weekend.
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Happy Independence Day, America. Sorry we had to come to blows over the whole governance thing but (all things considered) you seem to be getting along alright on your own. And thank you for opening your doors, allowing me to linger; your folks continue to treat me with kindness.
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Once upon a time, two Benetton colleagues and I sat on the seawall in Monaco, and picnicked on bread, cheese, and a bottle of local red bought from the marine resupply shop near Tabac. We watched the sunset, talked of racing; it was one of the most precious evenings of my life.
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Remind me again why we’re supposed to like ‘tyre management’ and KERS harvesting in Formula 1?
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Note the condition of the halo: even ever penetrating the barriers the halo appears to have retained its integrity. Beyond remarkable.
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Thank you all so very much for your truly stunning messages of friendship and support. Five races to go: lots more fun before the final lap.
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On the flip-side, however
@karunchandhok
never fails to impress with his natural affinity with the ever shifting elements of an unfolding race. It requires a calm appraisal of everything - not merely a reaction to the derring-do antics of the drivers. Karun makes it look easy.
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With all due respect to the incredibly fast and brave response by all concerned, the images suggest to me that things would have ended very differently if GRO had been unable to get himself out of the chassis. Thank goodness he was able to scramble over the barrier and into care.
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Naturally, some things are very precious to us: this race poster was taken from my home in England in the days following my mother’s death. My mum truly loved it. It has taken five years, the kindness of friends, a sea crossing, and a reframe for me to be reunited with it today.
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Perez, 82nd Airborne, heading home to Texas for Thanksgiving. She blushed when I thanked her for her service, then asked if I may take a photograph with her. I'm pleased she agreed! A great way to start my trip to our studios.
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There are many stories concerning Niki Lauda but, following his horrific accident, his desire to return to Formula 1; his commitment to fight on; his determination to regain his place on the F1 grid is (in my humble opinion) the greatest, the most inspiring story in all of sport.
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The days when hearing but a single down-shift would inspire folks to seek out a lifelong career in motor racing.
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All of this only highlights the unending need for permanent stewards; the inconsistency from race to race always has been a terrible weakness of the sport.
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Amazing, and all achieved using a naturally aspirated V8 engine, without need of KERS harvesting or 65 unknowable energy deployment strategies, no DRS activation zones or 500 front wing vortex generators; you know, merely a straightforward, exquisite sounding Formula 1 race car.
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Are we sure we’re actually watching a grand prix or is this merely coverage of an extended test session?
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Happy birthday, to my old pal and erstwhile colleague, the one and only.... David Hobbs!
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Goodness, my Twitter feed has been very active with broadcast comments these last few days. I do sincerely thank you for your very kind comments, but there's little I can add to the debate beyond confirming that, yes, I do very much miss our F1/NBC days; they were wonderful days.
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I have no more details to share with you right now but it seems this is happening, I mean it seems that this is *genuinely* happening!
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I’ve got to get this off my chest, it’s been bothering me these past forty-plus years... That discovered bearing race must be close to 40mm in diameter: surely a component that significant couldn’t simply fall from a droid’s chassis without some serious motivator/mobility issues?
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This. Very much this.
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For those asking about my old farmhouse restoration project in France (after listening to
@jeff_gluck
's podcast) here are just two: the classic 'before' and 'after' photos. Ten years separates these two shots. Some of my happiest years, too, no question.
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From the day I started watching F1; to my career in the pit lane; to my time with Autosport and F1 Racing; to my years writing my F1 trilogy; to my career with Speedvision/NBC, the Williams team, run by the Williams family has been there. Thank you Frank, for all you’ve given us.
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Nothing better encapsulates that enveloping sense of NBC 'team' that I was describing in the close of today's show than this: a simple sit-down brunch/get-together with my incredible colleagues who perform their magic behind the cameras. Nothing betters team camaraderie. Nothing.
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Happy Thanksgiving.
Personally, I'm giving thanks to America, now my home, for being so kind to me. I enjoy my life here, my work, my friends. America extended a hand, warmly welcomed me, and I am forever grateful.
Enjoy the day - any small act of kindness is always remembered.
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On this day, the earliest hours of December 19th 1944, the 101st Airborne arrived in the bitter woodlands of Bois Jacques, the outskirts of Bastogne (the Ardennes forest near Spa, Belgium). Here, without winter equipment, they dug their foxholes in the frozen ground and waited.
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My humble opinion of the sprint race: it was exciting racing action during the opening laps but this excitement swiftly faded. That said, I gained no sense whatsoever of it being a qualifying session - an essential element was entirely lacking. Conclusion: leave qualifying alone.
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Morning all. Coffee's on. Palestrina's on. Well, here we go then: all for one and one for all... for one more time...
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Or leave DRS closed and force the drivers to work for their overtakes. You know, like racing drivers are supposed to.
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And that's from Mario, so...
The present team of
@leighdiffey
@MrDavidHobbs
@MrSteveMatchett
@thebuxtonblog
have set the highest standards as to how to present
#F1
races. They should be proud and will be sorely missed!!
@F1onNBCSports
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Sitting outside, sipping coffee, watching the sunrise; wondering who’s going to be grumpy with us today, or if we’re allowed to watch the F1 race in peace? One thing I do know: America has been kind and welcoming to me, and I’m very happy to be a part of the US racing community.
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Tiny gestures of kindness. That’s all it takes.
One lucky steward is showing off his special new cap today 👀
Nicely done,
@Max33Verstappen
👍
🎥
@SkySportF1
#BelgianGP
🇧🇪
#F1
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I really hope Sky are taking notice of Jenson’s input: it really is like listening to a team discussing the unfolding events during a race. Remarkable stuff.
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It seems to me the sport of F1 shot itself in the foot today. Once again, this only serves to highlight the question: is Formula 1 a sport or a business?
We may long for it to be the former but I fear Reality will always choose the latter.
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Lunch with an old friend today. Now we’re both unemployed, I helped him navigate the best value lunch specials on the menu.
We also traded books. I gave him my ‘author’s proof’ copy of Life in the Fast Lane - The Thirtieth Anniversary Edition, to prevent him selling it on Ebay.
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Having pulled on my Benetton coat, I'm now unable to shake the curious need to remove the gearbox from my car, hang around inside the garage until 6am, then refit the gearbox.
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Horner: "They will be apologising to the team, and all members of the team, because it is a team sport and that seemed to get forgotten."
Both drivers called to the Milton Keynes factory to make personal apologies to the entire payroll.
Easy to dismiss this... but I applaud it.
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Or maybe we simply go back to these engines and allow F1 to be F1? Just putting the idea out there is all.
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I’d prefer
@karunchandhok
to have a permanently open mic, so we have his valuable insight on tap.
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I’m always perplexed by that moment of excessive oversteer each time the batmobile exits the batcave en route to Gotham city.True, the low grip nature of the ground adjacent the cave can never help matters but I do wonder if lowering the rear tire pressures just a tad might help.
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So very strange not being in Monaco. A most disconcerting feeling.
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Just sitting down to watch the re-air of today’s race. Totally baffled as to why announcers feel it necessary to talk over the red flag discussions twixt the drivers and engineers. There is a time to talk; there is an obvious time not to say anything… just lay out and listen!
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I'm thankful for genuine, longstanding friendship. Dinner with m'colleague, dear old Hobbo.
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On this day, 1944, the 101st Airborne dug their foxholes in the woods adjacent Bastogne. They were driven in trucks, carrying little cold weather equipment, rushed there to hold the line: the Battle of the Bulge. In freezing conditions, they stayed in place until after Christmas.
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I can’t really apologise if some of my views on racing don’t toe the current party line. I suspect many of those who follow my timeline for my racing experience would wish me to be nothing but straight up and forthright. I also feel that all commentators ought act this same way.
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I will now visit Home Depot to buy four lag bolts. That's the sort of whacky, carefree lifestyle I lead these days. I knew those endless all-nighters, being set on fire, dragged down the pit lane, and working with David Hobbs in a darkened room for 20 years would finally pay off.
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"I've read Life in the Fast Lane, Steve, and I'm going to be brutally honest with you about it, your future is not in continuing to work in the pit lane but rather in explaining this business to its audience."
Thank you Murray, and thank you for everything you gave to Formula 1.
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I’m still getting the hang of belts, these things look easy but they’re actually very complicated.
@virtualstatman
When I first moved to the US, a major concern was what the F1 coverage was like, if it even existed. Five minutes in with these boys and my fears were assuaged. F1 was in good hands.
@bobvarsha
@MrDavidHobbs
@MrSteveMatchett
@wbuxtonofficial
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Also, in other (not entirely unrelated news), I must say, on a personal level, it feels really very weird for me to be watching F1 races 'recorded' delayed and away from the commentary booth. After twenty years of calling the races 'live' I'm still struggling with the transition.
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I think this is the first time in publication I've ever been referred to as "beloved". Thank you
@RoadandTrack
, it's very sweet of you, truly.
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Omaha beach, the morning of June 6th 1944.
Thank you.
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Norris should keep his new helmet design forever. It’s outstanding: unique and instantly identifiable.
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A crazy notion, perhaps, but how about an FIA appointed official (and only an FIA appointed official) displays the chequered/checkered flag to signal the end of a Formula 1 grand prix - and *only* after this has happened is the flag handed over for those celebrity camera shots?
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Can we please have a camera in the Red Bull debrief room?
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Terribly sad news. A life of unremitting faithful service to her country. In the second world war she served as a mechanic, and she has been Queen throughout my whole life. Truly remarkable.
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Happy Birthday to m'colleague, longtime pal, and part time dad - seen here in deep contemplative study: if to drop the front pressures by a quarter pound. He wants to, we all know he wants to, but will doing so upset the car's balance as it careens backwards through the gravel?
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I’m unconvinced that the solution to procession races, in which key drivers are sidelined/hampered by technical issues, is a set of regulations which encourage cars be built with overly-complex engines needing continual fuel/power management; unforgiving aero; and one-stop tyres.
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This sweet couple are celebrating their 50th anniversary. They don't know it but I've picked up their breakfast tab. Rest of the day off...
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It’s results like this, the reaction from the team, the yells of pure joy, that brings back to the fore the realisation of just how incredible a Formula 1 race win truly is.
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It boggles my accountant's mind too; he seems rather vexed about it.
@MrSteveMatchett
It boggles my mind that I live in a world where the best F1 broadcaster on the planet, Mr. Matchett, is not calling F1 races.
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Just finished watching the race. Regardless of all I saw and heard, the only genuine story of this Monza race is one of a truly inspired drive by Charles Leclerc. A massive result by Ferrari. The team had the wing trimmed to all but zero, this requiring pinpoint driving accuracy.
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Living in Charlotte tonight is like sitting with Quint, Brody, and Hooper in the cabin of the Orca. You know it’s out there and you know it’s coming and you know it wants to do you harm... you just don’t know exactly when it’s going to hit the side of the boat.
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It's not everyday you get the "don't be alarmed, but this is NASA, and we need something from you" emails - but when it happens it really does make you look twice!
And now I can say: Life in the fast Lane - the audiobook, as listened to by astronauts... in outer space!
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Do not get me started on the Stewards’ decision to impose only a financial penalty on a team (any team) for an unsafe pit release.
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The brave and the fearless accept the risks of what they do because for them Life is Challenge. Their great courage teaches us to be strong.
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Dear
@MrDavidHobbs
: Happy Birthday, old lad. Enjoy the day. Thinking of you with much love.
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On this day of reflection I'd like to share a few precious memories:
The bottom one is an initial rejection letter.
The middle one is an invitation to interview.
The top one, my acceptance letter.
The FIA chassis sticker from Japan 1990: My first win (1st & 2nd).
A special sport.
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I’m reasonably sure my trousers are on back to front. That is all.
The Ultimate F1.
@MrSteveMatchett
@MrDavidHobbs
@BobVarsha
I miss you all so much! It's not the same.
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Finally, on this brief trip down memory lane, one you will not have seen before, this from my own camera: Benetton's race bay (Witney) 1990
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I've read Ferrari's comments re. their not checking the driveshaft post-accident. It still sounds quite surreal to me that they were unaware of the damage. It would be like NASA forgetting to check that both Neil and Buzz were safely back inside the Eagle before leaving the moon.
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Dear
@Twitter
, I have no idea of what a 'top tweet' might be but believe me, even if I did, all I desire is to see all tweets displayed in flowing, chronological order. How about we default to this option? Twitter isn't a game to me, it's a tool, and I desire tools to be helpful.
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One of those truly unique moments in my (curiously blessed) life, when I paused, closed my eyes, breathed once, twice, then opened my eyes to confirm it was real - yep, I was sharing a stage, sharing racing stories with
@MarioAndretti
. Surreal, thrilling, quite, quite wonderful.
Look at all those
#F1
fans. Thank you
@leighdiffey
@MrDavidHobbs
@MrSteveMatchett
for including me in your program. I had a blast!!
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I wasn't sure I was allowed to say I was contacted by
@NASA
to have one of my audiobooks uploaded to the ISS - a request from
@Astro_Feustel
himself... but now I feel it's okay to share this story with the world. One of my proudest achievements ever: My book made it to space!
@MrSteveMatchett
I remember when it happened and I remember re-living it when I listened to your audio book in space!!! Thrilling.
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Congratulations, David, old lad, a wonderful award for a wonderful friend and colleague.
Finally the Phil Hill award caught up with me, after so sadly missing the ceremony with flu.
Very proud to get this award,such an honor too.
It will make a very handsome addition for the next year.
Thank you RRDC
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Hmmmm, Speedvision, you say, now there's an idea. Now that would definitely be 'putting the band back together'.
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No, it isn’t nostalgia that makes the hairs on the back of one’s neck prickle with thrill on hearing a Ferrari V12 (undiluted by turbo or KERS) howling and spitting fire like a scolded banshee as it rips the car along. No, not nostalgia, that emotion is pure visceral excitement.
@MrSteveMatchett
I'm going to stand by my statement that there were no "glory days" of F1, nostalgia is getting the best of you. There always been two or three dominant teams, with two or three dominant drivers. Prost, Senna, Schumacher, Hamilton. Only the names have changed.
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