Plans for 2001 (14feb01)Matthew and Angelo's plans for 2001 are taking shape. This year will either be spent in Japan, running in the Super Taikyu endurance series for Group N cars, or cherry-picking the best long-distance events around the world. Races included will be the Nurburgring 24 hours, Spa 24 hours, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the Daytona 24 hours.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 5:29 PM
Limping the Cresta (sometime in mid-January)Wednesday, January 10, 2001The night before doing the Cresta Run we were invited to race a toboggan (translation: sledge) down an 8kms mountain road in the dark. In the resulting accident Matthew damaged a ligament in his left knee. The Cresta itself was good but too much time was spent standing around in the cold listening to the plummy voice on the tannoy announce yet another ride for Mr Barrington-Barnes.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 5:22 PM
Running to the CrestaSaturday, December 23, 2000Matthew is off to Switzerland this weekend to try his hand on the appropriately named Skeleton (like the luge, but on your front and head-first) at the Cresta Run in St. Moritz.
Racing team-mate Angelo Barretto visited Hong Kong today on his way back to Manila from Europe. Marsh and Barretto were awarded the International Group N Series Championship for Division 3 (up to 3 litres) and it seems likely that Angelo will win the Filipino Driver of the Year award next week.
Plans are now afoot for Matthew and Angelo to compete in the 2001 Super Taikyu long distance racing series in Japan.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 5:18 PM
Lunch at the Grill; Cresta Run?A Christmas lunch at the Mandarin Grill for Michael Denmark, John McLellan and Matthews Baile and Marsh. A splendid, heavy-in-cholesterol, time was had by all. McLellan - predictably - had to return to his office in the late afternoon to deal with a pop-queen's drama or a drama-queen's pop. Baile lasted longer and finally gave up in the early evening and returned home to rescue wife Ayako from their three boys. Marsh and Denmark began singing songs from The Monkees...
Insurance guru Mike Eagles is off to the Cresta Run on the 13th January and has suggested that if Marsh was a REAL man he would attend.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 1:14 PM
More of JennyThursday, December 21, 2000The JLL has been in HK a bit recently and through a bit of stalking and persuasive talking I have seen a little more of her than perhaps I ought to. We had a lovely dinner at the Spanish restaurant Il Pomposo reminding me that I should go there more often - ideally with JLL but not necessarily. We also went to the Peak and I froze outside on the terrace whilst watching the sun set. She's into Sting - or at least the Mercury Falling album - which is a good sign.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 1:05 PM
Robbie Williams - SupremeSunday, December 17, 2000You must check out the latest video from the music world's Eddie Irvine: it contains F1 footage from the late 60s and tells the story of a championship battle between Jackie Stewart and Bob Williams. Great!
posted by Matthew Marsh on 8:08 PM
Jenny Drops InArriving back in Hong Kong I tried - yet again - the telephone number of The Jennifer Lopez Lookalike (The JLL). After two weeks of 'this is the voicemail of...' I was surprised - delighted - to hear the voice of the girl herself. We met for a quick cocktail at a new joint called Drop. Drank. Laughed. Boogied a bit. "It's all in the hips," she told me. How could I argue with that?
Drop is certainly recommended: good drinks; great furnishing; cool music that you will have heard before. Am I the only person that likes dancing to songs I know the words to? No. The JLL agrees. Another reason to love her.
She disappeared again the next morning.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 10:42 AM
IRDA at ChangiSingapore's Changi airport now features posts where one can connect to the internet via an infrared connection. Simple enough except that you need to know to activate your direct cable connection (choose COM4) and to find that out you must walk to the computer store which is a five minutes jog, laptop in hand. Annoying that they couldn't have put the instructions by the post. Anyway, it was good to be connected to the net so easily (-ish). When will HK's Chek Lap Kok follow suit?
posted by Matthew Marsh on 10:34 AM
Marsh Reports from the SouthMonday, December 11, 2000Jakarta was unremarkable. The economy certainly seems to be improving and there is some room for optimism. But the underlying problems remain. Singapore was fun. A new joint called the Siam Supper Club on Mhd Sultan Road served great bar food (of the Asian variety) and very cold Tiger beer which went down well. Too well in fact, leading to an early close of play. Lunch with Filippo Olivi at the outside Crossroads Cafe on the junction of Orchard and Scotts was fun. The laksa lemak was tasty, as were the girls walking by. The Holiday Inn Park View did a great job of making me feel welcome and special.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 10:31 AM
Collins goes home; The Millers Excel.Thursday, December 07, 2000Ben Collins dropped in to Hong Kong on his way back to the UK from the Formula Nippon test days at Motegi circuit, near Tokyo. He loved the car, liked the team, but was disappointed with his lap times: "My foot was catching the throttle pedal when I was under braking - I wasn't able to slow down enough."
Mike Miller's barbeque was a great hit with Collins: more to do with the video of Miller flying a jet fighter in Scotland than the fabulous food prepared by wife Sarah, perhaps.
Matthew Marsh is on business this week in Jakarta and Singapore.
posted by Matthew Marsh on 9:55 AM
Matthew received an e-mail from someone claiming to be the Jennifer Lopez look-a-like. Celebrations have been muted since this person's name is Carlos and he played rugby for Puerto Rico at the HK Sevens tournament in '97. No news from Collins in Motegi. EDJ member Mike Miller is hosting a barbeque on Saturday where 'we can talk about motor racing and stuff.' What is this 'stuff'?
posted by Matthew Marsh on 12:06 PM
