Michael Schumacher
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-21 (Istanbul Otodrom): Sunday pre-race

Podium: Fernando Alonso
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-21 (Istanbul Otodrom): Sunday race

Renault’s Fernando Alonso was pleased with his race — and thinks he got the best possible result from his afternoon’s work in Istanbul…

Q: Fernando, how was your race?

Fernando Alonso: Pretty much what I expected to be honest. We knew that McLaren would be quick, because we saw that in practice. That meant we changed our strategy for the weekend a bit. I was running quite early in qualifying, so we needed to overcome that — and we decided to use quite a light fuel load. That put us in a good position on the grid, and to stay in touch with the McLarens through the first stint.

Q: What happened next?

FA: Nothing unusual. After the pit-stops, Kimi was still ahead and we knew we wouldn’t be able to catch him in a normal race. Montoya was ahead as well, and just as fast. So we did not take too many risks, and I tried to just do a constant race. I tried not to lose concentration and to stay consistent.

Q: Then you seized the opportunity when Montoya had some problems…

FA: Exactly. Two laps from the end, I saw yellow flags and a McLaren and Jordan off the track. I understood what had happened, but Montoya got back on track in front of me and it would have been hard for me to overtake if his car had not caught him out a bit later on. That was a nice surprise.

Q: What are your conclusions from the weekend?

FA: I think we can be pleased with the job we did. This was a good weekend for Renault. I only lost two points to Kimi, which is positive. People will say I was lucky, and it’s partly true, but you need to seize your opportunities. But our competitors were very quick. In the constructors’ title, McLaren are getting closer and it will be a tight battle until the end of the year. We can’t let up the pressure and in that perspective, Fisico’s fourth place was really useful.

-renault

Podium: race winner Kimi Raikkonen with Fernando Alonso and Juan Pablo Montoya
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-21 (Istanbul Otodrom): Sunday race

By Nikki Reynolds – Motorsport.com

McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen took his fifth win of the season at the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix after losing and then regaining the lead on the first lap. It was very nearly a McLaren one-two but Juan Pablo Montoya, struggling with a flat-spotted tyre, went wide at the already infamous turn eight on the second to last lap and Renault’s Fernando Alonso shot past into second. A disappointed Montoya came home third.

It was hot but perhaps not as hot as expected on race day, with the track temperature in the high forties and the air around 30 degrees. At the start Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella took the lead from pole-sitter Raikkonen and Alonso had a look as well but decided against it. Behind them Sauber’s Felipe Massa bounced off a couple of kerbs and had a bit of contact with Nick Heidfeld’s Williams, and had to pit for a new front wing.

Takuma Sato, who was on the back row due to a penalty, had dived into the pits at the end of the formation lap to top up the BAR with fuel ready for a long first stint. The Red Bulls were gainers at the start, Christian Klien up to seventh from tenth and David Coulthard to eighth from 12th. Jordan’s Tiago Monterio and Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello both gained a place but the second Williams of Mark Webber dropped to ninth.

At the front Fisichella went a bit wide through turns nine and 10 and Raikkonen was quick to take advantage, retaking the lead at turn 12. Meanwhile, Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota dropped to 19th trying to avoid Massa, while Michael Schumacher, another back row starter, got his Ferrari up to 11th by the end of the first lap. Alonso sailed past Fisichella rather easily to take second behind title rival Raikkonen.

BAR’s Jenson Button, who started 13th, was making his way quickly through the field, dispatching both Ferraris to get up to tenth. Webber got past Coulthard for eighth but it was to be a difficult race for Williams. Heidfeld was the first in trouble when a right rear puncture forced him into the pits for a tyre change and a couple of laps later Webber suffered the same thing, also having to pit.


Button was now up to ninth and homed in on Coulthard along the pit straight, then dived up the inside of the first corner to take eighth. At the front, Raikkonen was about a second and a half ahead of Alonso but not really getting away. Klien was next to fall to Button’s charge, the Red Bull losing seventh at turn 13. Sato was also making headway through the pack and was up to 11th after passing Monteiro.

Alonso was the first to pit, quite early on lap 13, followed by Heidfeld and Fisichella. It was another unlucky stop for Fisichella as the fuel hose got stuck, which cost him a lot of time. Webber and Michael were next to come to grief; Webber went down the inside of the Ferrari at the turn but there was contact and both had to make a pit stop, Webber for a nose change and a rear left tyre change for Michael.

Unsurpisingly, they had different opinions on the incident. “I saw him closing on me and he moved to the right,” said Michael. “As I began to brake, I could no longer see him and, when I was in mid-corner, I felt a bang at the back as he hit me with his nose. He was one lap down, so I don’t understand why he tried this move.”

Webber was unrepentant. “I was a lap behind Michael Schumacher but I was much quicker than him. I thought it was strange that he was moving around the braking area as all the drivers agree to try not to do this. Michael seemed quite keen to do it though so I didn’t show much respect in the end when I went round the corner. We then made contact.”


Button was harassing Alonso in third but Fernando wasn’t having it and held the BAR off for quite some time. However, the Renault was heavy after the first stop, while Button was yet to pit and when Alonso lost time behind a backmarker Button made his move. Sensibly, Alonso didn’t fight him too hard and the BAR moved up to third. Meanwhile, Michael’s car was crawling round, obviously suffering after the Webber incident.

Montoya took his first stop on lap 21 and a stuck fuel hose also caused him some problems, although it didn’t lose him as much time as Fisichella. Button and Raikkonen came in for their first stops and Webber suffered another right rear puncture and this time Williams retired him. A few laps later Heidfeld spun off, another right rear puncture for him too. He also retired.

“Two on mine, two on Mark’s, it’s obviously something not working properly between our car and the tyres, as I don’t think anyone else had any problems,” said Heidfeld. Williams technical director Sam Michael couldn’t shed any light on the problem but said they and Michelin would be investigating.

After the pit stop shake out it was Raikkonen leading from Montoya, who had managed to clear Alonso in the stops, followed by Fernando, then Fisichella and Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, who was having a rather quiet time. Button was sixth and after Sato took his first stop the Red Bulls were both in the points, Coulthard seventh and Klien eighth.

Massa was the next retiree, in the pits with smoke billowing from the Sauber, some kind of engine problem. “We changed our strategy (after the incident at the start) to a one stop refuelling and even with a lot of fuel aboard I could do very competitive lap times,” said the Brazilian. “It might even have been possible to do something good despite the crash but then I started to lose power, and my race was over.” Michael’s Ferrari had managed to get back to the pits for some repairs and eventually re-emerged several laps later. Michael did just enough to unlap himself up to the three retired cars, to get a better qualifying run at Monza, then quit for the afternoon. “We have not been quick enough all weekend,” he said. “Even before the start, I did not expect to get any points and that is how it turned out.”

Alonso pitted for the second time on lap 34, another fairly lengthy stop so he evidently wasn’t coming in again. He rejoined fourth behind teammate Fisichella and Giancarlo then took his second stop, which returned Alonso to third. The McLarens were flying at the front, Raikkonen and Montoya trading fastest laps, while Button was homing in on Trulli. Montoya nipped in and out for his second stop with no problems.

Monteiro nearly hit the back of Robert Doornbos’ Minardi and had to jump on the brakes which made him run wide but they both escaped unscathed. Fisichella also went a bit wide, which allowed Coulthard to close in but the Red Bull wasn’t up to the pace of the Renault. Raikkonen and Klein took their second stops and Button managed to clear Trulli for fifth in his last visit to the pits.

Further down the field, Ralf was closing on the Sauber of Jacques Villeneuve but was not really near enough to do anything about him. Button was edging up on Fisichella but was likewise not about to give him any trouble. Raikkonen had a little moment in the dust, which allowed Sato to unlap himself but it appeared to be a fairly sedate last few laps.

However, it all went a bit pear-shaped for Montoya. Comfortably in second, he was coming up to lap Monteiro. The Jordan got slightly ragged and braked hard but clipped the back of the McLaren when Montoya got past. The McLaren spun and Juan Pablo managed to wrestle it back on track but the incident allowed Alonso to close right in.

With only two laps to go it was by no means certain that Alonso could get past Montoya, or if he was even going to try. But next time around at turn eight the McLaren briefly escaped Montoya at the first apex and went very wide; all Alonso had to do was keep going, which he duly did. A very nice present for Fernando and it bought Raikkonen’s advantage down to two points rather than four.

Raikkonen duly took the chequered flag as the first winner in Istanbul and his fifth victory of 2005. He and Alonso have dominated this season, Fernando having six wins, but with Alonso’s second place today the status quo between them is barely disturbed. Alonso leads by 24 points with five races remaining. However, it’s not over yet and the McLaren is still the faster car.

“I think we were a bit unlucky as a team,” said Raikkonen. “It would have been nice to have a one-two but what can you do? Sometimes it goes on like this. It also would have helped me and the team, but anyhow, two points are two points and they can make a big difference at the end of the season. We did the best we could do and we just need to keep working hard and win more races and see where we end up.”

Alonso’s two extra points were a gift, as he had settled for third until Montoya’s problems, but he drove well and once again was there to take advantage when McLaren faltered. The hoped for battle between Renault and McLaren never really happened, there was just too much space between them. Fisichella did well to come home fourth after his fuel rig gremlin and Renault stays nine points ahead of McLaren.

“I nearly overtook Montoya (when he spun) but it was not possible and then it came to turn eight and I think he had damage in his car, he didn’t have the perfect car in turn eight so went wide and I overtook him,” Alonso summed up. “So it was a nice surprise at the end but it is a little bit disappointing because we were not fighting with the McLarens, we were a bit slower than them, but this result is much better.”

If not for Montoya’s problems the gap between McLaren and Renault would only be five points but such is racing. Montoya was obviously disappointed to lose second but he not only had the tyre problem but his diffuser was damaged in the incident with Monteiro. He has moved up to fourth in drivers’ standings, 15 points behind Michael.

Montoya was not too happy. “At the end we were just cruising to the end, passed Monteiro and he did just a bit like what Verstappen did to me a few years back. I did the first few corners fine then went into turn eight and had no rear grip and I could not keep on line,” he said. “It was disappointing because it would have been an easy one-two for the team and we were looking quite strong.”

Button had a very aggressive and determined drive to finish fifth after starting 13th. The BAR evidently has the speed and if not for his low grid spot he could well have been on the podium. Sato crossed the line ninth which was reasonable after starting from the pits but he did himself no favours with his performance in qualifying. BAR is now three points behind Red Bull.

Trulli had a rather anonymous race to come home sixth and Ralf was equally quiet in 12th. Red Bull had a pretty good day with Coulthard seventh and Klien eighth. Both drivers did a solid job and looked to have a trouble-free race. Barrichello struggled to the line in 10th; a dismal day for Ferrari. Villeneuve lost a couple of places at the start and 11th was the best he could manage.

Doornbos got his Minardi to the finish ahead of the Jordans in 13th and Narain Karthikeyan led Monteiro in 14th and 15th. Christijan Albers had a puzzling time — including four pit stops — and eventually gave it up as a bad job 10 laps from the end when the gremlins got the better of the Minardi. Fuel rig and gear selection problems were just two of his woes.

Turkey was not exactly a thriller but it was an interesting race with the incidents and unexpected moments. With only five races left and the distance between Alonso and Raikkonen barely any different, something drastic is going to have to happen if the situation is to change. Final top eight classification: Raikkonen, Alonso, Montoya, Fisichella, Button, Trulli, Coulthard, Klien

Photo by Faith Ninivaggi

Stones roll out a super stage
(Saturday, August 20, 2005)
This aerial view shows the Rolling Stones’ stage towering over the Monster Seats at Fenway Park.

Stones raise voices against war
By Larry Katz
Sunday, August 21, 2005 – Updated: 09:41 AM EST

“George Bush doesn’t listen to us,” Keith Richards said.

But that’s not the only reason the Rolling Stones, who open their world tour at Fenway Park today, won’t be getting an invitation to the White House anytime soon.

The Brit rockers’ new CD, “A Bigger Bang,” comes out Sept. 6, but Matt Drudge and other right-wing media types are already foaming at the mouth after discovering the lyrics to one of its songs, “Sweet Neo Con,” a scarcely disguised savaging of the commander in chief.

“You call yourself a Christian

I think that you’re a hypocrite

You say you are a patriot

I think that you’re a crock of (expletive)

. . . How come you’re so wrong?

My sweet neo con.”

Mick Jagger, who wrote the lyrics, goes on to criticize the war in Iraq as well as Bush’s motives for starting it.

“It’s liberty for all

Democracy’s our style

Unless you are against us

Then it’s prison without trial

But one thing that is certain

Life is good at Haliburton . . .”

“I’ve got strong opinions,” Jagger said in a phone interview last week. “I’m obviously very interested in the way that we conduct foreign policy in the West. It’s one of my interests, if not passions. So obviously I have opinions about it.”

But never in the 42-year history of the Rolling Stones has he expressed such partisan opinion. You can count previous Stones political songs on one hand: the wishy-washy “Street Fighting Man”; “Sweet Black Angel,” widely construed as an ode to black activist Angela Davis; and “Undercover of the Night,” a denunciation of South and Central American dictators and death squads. There’s not much more to add to the list.

“There’s been other social comment before from the Rolling Stones,” Jagger said. “This one’s a bit more direct. Perhaps it’s the times we’re living in. I was being more direct than metaphorical.

“I think right-wing commentators get fed up with pop singers getting involved with anything but pop singing. But artists have responsibilities too. Everyone has responsibilities. As long as you don’t bang on about it every day – because people get pretty bored with that – I think comments from artists, whether they are painters or any kind of creative people, is part of what you do.”

Richards supports his partner Jagger’s song, but he worries that fans will think it’s a calculated publicity ploy – or simply boring.

“I spoke to Mick about it,” Richards said in a separate phone conversation. “Personally, I find politicians a very pallid subject. I said to Mick, `Are you sure these guys are worth a Rolling Stones song?’

“But he felt strongly about it and he writes the songs as well as myself. I said, `If you feel like that about it and you feel it needs to be said, then I’m backing you up, pal.’ That’s the way it is. But my fear is that one little track like that would be a storm in a tea cup and distract from the rest of the record. But that was my only reservation. Otherwise, hey, it’s free speech, right?”

And just wait. Those with their knickers in a twist over “Sweet Neo Con” have yet to discover that there’s another pointed anti-Iraq War jab on “A Bigger Bang.” In “Dangerous Beauty,” Jagger addresses the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal with some very dark humor.

“Who you got there in that hood

You look so fancy in those photographs

With your rubber gloves on

But you’re a favorite of the Chiefs of Staff . . .”

“You’re almost the first person to bring that (song) up,” Jagger said. “I never hustled that one. But, yes, it’s pretty strong.”

Kimi Raikkonen
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-19 (Istanbul Otodrom): Friday practice

Ricardo Zonta
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-19 (Istanbul Otodrom): Friday practice 2
Image by Toyota Racing

Zonta fastest on Turkish GP Friday
Racing series F1
Date 2005-08-19

By Nikki Reynolds – Motorsport.com

Ricardo Zonta put in a last second flying lap to snatch the fastest time of the day from McLaren in the second practice session for the Turkish Grand Prix. Toyota’s third driver clocked a best of 1:25.583, six tenths up on McLaren counterpart Pedro de la Rosa. Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen reinforced McLaren’s pace with third and fourth fastest.

Conditions were similar to the earlier session, with a track temperature in the high thirties as Minardi’s Christijan Albers and de la Rosa led the pack out. Albers clocked the first time of 1:36.580 but was quickly eclipsed by de la Rosa’s 1:30.759. Red Bull No.3 Tonio Liuzzi took second but was demoted by Zonta.

Raikkonen’s McLaren took over at the top, 1:29.659, and teammate Montoya arrived in sixth. Sauber’s Jacques Villeneuve posted third but was replaced by teammate Felipe Massa, while Narain Karthikeyan put his Jordan seventh. Montoya was next to the top, 1:29.001, to make it a McLaren one-two-three.

Rubens Barrichello’s Ferrari clocked eighth and Fernando Alonso put his Renault one better for seventh. His teammate Giancarlo Fisichella posted fourth on his first effort and Montoya improved his time to 1:27.941. Villeneuve moved up to fifth after being shuffled down and Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari arrived in sixth.

Alonso climbed to third and further down the field Christian Klien put his Red Bull 13th and Jenson Button’s BAR was 15th. Zonta improved to third and Red Bull’s David Coulthard went one behind Liuzzi for 12th. Button then went up to fifth and Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello to 10th, while Mark Webber’s Williams clocked seventh initially.

Massa climbed to 10th after falling down the times, and Klien likewise to 13th, followed by Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher into 14th. Alonso improved his time but stayed fourth and Massa improved again, this time to seventh. De la Rosa returned to the top with a 1:27.908 but was immediately demoted by Zonta’s 1:27.194.

Montoya moved into third and Nick Heidfeld’s Williams climbed to 12th. Jarno Trulli’s Toyota started with 15th and Albers led the Minardi/Jordan group in 20th. Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota improved to sixth, Webber to ninth and BAR’s Takuma Sato to 10th. Raikkonen moved back up the order to fourth and Michael to eighth.

Montoya improved to second, just over two tenths off Zonta, then set fastest sectors across the board to take the top spot with a 1:26.525, nearly seven tenths up on the Toyota. Fisichella moved up to seventh and then to fifth but about half way through there was a lull in the activity. Jordan’s Tiago Monteiro moved up to 20th to lead the backmarkers.

De la Rosa improved his time but stayed third and Heidfeld climbed to 14th. Red Bull teammates Coulthard and Klien improved in tandem to 13th and 14th respectively, while team third driver Liuzzi was 11th. Sato was idling in the midfield, down in 14th, while Zonta and Raikkonen scorched round together for second and third respectively.

Sato made an effort for 11th and de la Rosa took over the third spot, then had another go for second, three tenths off Montoya. He stayed for another lap and closed the gap to a tenth. Alonso improved to sixth, Trulli to 12th and Liuzzi to eighth, then Trulli climbed again to take the place from the Red Bull.

Webber went up to sixth and in the last few minutes there was a little flurry of activity. Zonta finally ousted Montoya from the top with a 1:26.259, two and a half tenths up, and Sato improved to sixth. De la Rosa demoted Zonta by six hundredths, 1:26.196, and Alonso climbed to fifth. At the very last second Zonta clocked 1:25.583, finally into the predicted lap time bracket and six tenths up on de la Rosa.

“The lap time is a lot quicker than we expected because the track surface is better,” said Zonta. “Of course the grip improved throughout the day, and we also saw some tyre graining, but we have plenty of data to look at tonight. It’s looking good so far.”

Despite Zonta’s final fling, McLaren impressed the most and looks ferociously fast — if we take the two third drivers out of the picture, Montoya and Raikkonen are the top of the race drivers. All three McLaren men were consistently quick but of the Toyota race drivers, Trulli was best in ninth, well over two seconds down on Zonta.

“A productive first day here in Turkey,” said McLaren boss Ron Dennis. “We completed our scheduled programme and are happy with the data we have obtained so far from this impressive but demanding new circuit. The work we have done back home preparing for this track has allowed us to arrive well prepared.”

Button was only hundredths shy of Raikkonen’s time but Sato was just on the edge of the top ten. Renault was solidly, if not particularly notably, comfortable with Alonso seventh and Fisichella eighth. De la Rosa’s car failure in the first practice reminds us of McLaren’s dubious reliability, while Renault appears slower but well balanced.

“It was good that we were able to run more laps than normal today, after saving the engine a bit in Hungary, so that I could really get to know the track properly,” said championship leader Alonso. “I felt very comfortable out there, and really enjoyed the sessions today.”

Ferrari does not seem so far to have carried its form from Hungary to Turkey. Michael ended in 13th and Barrichello 15th and neither looked likely to challenge the front runners through both sessions. The rest were unremarkable, it was pretty much business as usual for a Friday. Final top eight classification: Zonta, de la Rosa, Montoya, Raikkonen Button, Liuzzi, Alonso, Fisichella.

 

Pablo Montoya
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

F1 circuit designer Herman Tilke and Turkish GP promoter Thomas Frank
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

Michael Schumacher
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

Ferrari engine covers
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

Michael Schumacher inspects the track
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella
F1 > Turkish GP, 2005-08-18 (Istanbul Otodrom): Thursday

Turkish Grand Prix FIA Thursday press conference transcript with

Fernando Alonso (Renault)
Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)
Robert Doornbos (Minardi)
Christian Klien (Red Bull)
Felipe Massa (Sauber)

Q: To all of you, what are your first impressions of Turkey and the circuit?

Robert Doornbos: This is my first press conference and it feels quite good. The circuit looks good. I did a walk around, as we do on every new circuit, I was quite impressed with the difference in height because on the playstation you didn’t really notice that and it looks like a lot of fun. I cannot wait to go out there tomorrow.

Christian Klien: As Robert said, it is very interesting this circuit, it is completely different to other tracks, it is very much up and down and a lot of corners where you can’t see the entry and I was just two laps out there on the track and I think I will have to go out for some more laps in the afternoon because it looks very difficult.

Q: Were you walking or running or what?

Christian Klien: I went out with my bike, it is my supermoto bike, a KTM, which is always good fun.

Felipe Massa: Yeah, me too. I took his bike after, and I was really impressed. I think it is a very complete circuit, you can find everything, quick corners, slow corners, change of directions, heavy brakes and everything. I think we can see some overtaking in the race, so I think it is a fantastic circuit, just looking like that. Tomorrow we will have some better idea, but I was really impressed and I think they did a really good job.

Fernando Alonso: I think the same as everyone, quite impressed about the circuit, not only the facilities here in the paddock I think also the track is a little bit different compared to all the new circuits we have seen in the last three or four years, Bahrain or China, I think to go up and down is the most interesting thing from a driver’s point of view because we really enjoy the lap, like Spa or some of the other circuits, so I am really happy to be here.

Q: What are your feelings from a technical point of view? Is it going to be hard on tyres? Is it high downforce, low downforce?

Fernando Alonso: It is a little bit of all. As Felipe said, it is very complex and will be very challenging for the engineers to set up the car because there are so many different parts on the track. I think it will be a medium to high downforce, the power of the engine will be quite important as well and from a driver’s point of view, the corners where you cannot see the entry because it is going down or up hill will be difficult to find the line, because it is so wide as well, so it will be interesting on Friday and Saturday morning.

Rubens Barrichello: I agree with everyone, it is a great everything. Since I came into the track I saw great facilities. It is difficult to know the circuit before we actually get to see the grip level because it is so wide you can take so many lines into the corners so it is going to be good to get onto the circuit tomorrow. I walked it, I haven’t done the last because it was before two when Charlie had to go in, but up to there it was quite nice.

Q: What about the first corner?

Rubens Barrichello: I have a feeling it is a corner where you are always going to tell yourself you can brake later and later because the braking point is still quite plain and then it starts to go down and there will be times where you will just overdo it and there are times when you will tell yourself you could have done more, so it is quite interesting because you don’t see the turning point of the corner and I think there are some facilities to overtake there as well.

Q: Obviously it is going to be dirty and slippery for the first day, isn’t it?

Rubens Barrichello: It looks grippy, in a way, but it is dirty, as a new circuit is always going to be. But it looks grippy.

Q: Robert, I think you were at a fairly major event in Rotterdam last weekend, can you tell us a bit about it?

Robert Doornbos: It has been straight after my debut in Formula One with racing it is like living in a dream for the two weeks because we did two races in a row and then went straight to Rotterdam with the whole Minardi team. It was the city where I was born so it was great for the fans and friends and sponsors, and it was quite a special feeling to drive where I used to drive my scooter and now with a Formula One car with 900hp and very narrow streets and we tried to make a good show, a lot of burn-outs, so as a driver you cannot call it work anymore, just have some fun and we made a great day out of it.

Q: A lot of people?

Robert Doornbos: About 300,000 they said, the whole city was blocked. It was great for me. I felt one day like Michael Jackson almost because the people were cheering and taking pictures wherever I went, so that was really good.

Q: What about your prospects for next year?

Robert Doornbos: This chance at Minardi came a bit out of nowhere. We want to race, for sure. Testing is nice but you can develop yourself more as a driver when you are racing and now we have done two weekends, there are six more to go this year, try to make the best of it and for me as a driver it is more important to focus on each weekend. For sure, the management already thinks to 2006 and it will be great to be there as well, maybe with the same team or maybe with another team.

Q: Christian, the last time we saw you you were on your head. Were there any after effects from that? What were your feelings about that accident?

Christian Klien: The next day I had a bit of a headache but I don’t know if it was from the rolling or from the party on the Sunday night! Yeah, the crash happened quite quickly, I didn’t find it a hard crash, it just happened so quickly, I landed again on all four wheels and that was a hard hit because I landed just on the floor, not the tyres, and it was quite hard on the back. But I had no problems at all after this and it is not in my mind, it is two weeks ago and we are here for the next race.

Q: Looking forward to the next few races and to next year, what are your feelings about that?

Christian Klien: It is great. I have another two races again and it is just great to be back again in the car for another two races. I am quite happy to be here in the car for here in Istanbul, new circuit where it is new for everyone, and for me it is quite easy to learn a circuit and to get used to it quite quickly, so I am looking forward to this race. And for Monza also I had a good race last year and it is good for me to show the next two races my potential and to show to the other teams and to my team, to Red Bull Racing, that I am a good driver and want to be in the car again next year.

Q: Felipe, can you tell us a bit about the contractual situation with Ferrari and also when you last drove a Ferrari and when you are next going to drive a Ferrari.

Felipe Massa: First of all I have to say that I am very happy with this opportunity. As everyone knows, I have had a contract with Ferrari since 2001 and it is a very long contract and now they ask me for one year, driving, and I think it is a fantastic opportunity to go to such an incredible team as Ferrari and to show what I can do in a top car. It is great for me. Last time I drove for Ferrari was last year, in the middle of the year, I did one day testing in Mugello, and the next time I am going to drive will be next week.

Q: That is the Monza test?

Felipe Massa: Yep, two days testing, Tuesday and Wednesday in Monza.

Q: And then do you test for Sauber as well?

Felipe Massa: On Friday.

Q: And what are your feelings about next year?

Felipe Massa: I think it is a bit early to say. There are many things going to change for next year, engine will be a big change for every team, so I think most of the teams are already working on next year’s engine and honestly, I don’t have some information already about the engine, I just saw Ferrari tried it a few days ago, and I think it is too early to say about how it is going to be next year, I think it will be new for everyone.

Q: Fernando, what were your feelings after Hungary?

Fernando Alonso: I was a little bit disappointed because I didn’t score points but these things happen. In the race, I was a little bit unlucky in the first corner, and then I damaged the car so much that I didn’t recover to get back into the points so I just finished the race, I drove the revs, I did a normal race with no risks at all just to finish in front of some cars to get a better qualifying position for here, for Turkey, but it was not really a good Sunday for me.

Q: Obviously nobody knows this circuit; is that a good thing for you or a bad thing?

Fernando Alonso: I think it is good. Normally we are quick on the hot tracks. We saw that in Malaysia, in Bahrain. I think all these new types of circuit, with high temperatures, is not bad news for our car so I’m really confident to have a good race here. The qualifying position will not be great for me and Giancarlo but I also think Rubens and Juan Pablo will not be in a much different position compared to us, so we have to be really concentrated this weekend, we need a good result.

Q: Rubens, still six races to go with Ferrari, but looking back what will be your best memories?

Rubens Barrichello: I just have to take the opportunity to thank them very much. I had a great time, I am having a great time. I didn’t take too serious the fact I could leave the team because I had a deal for next year, there was no buy-out or anything like this, so it is thanks to Jean Todt that I was able to. I was talking to BAR for a long time but it was just this year at some point that everything started to happen a little bit. Then I went to Jean and said ‘if I want to leave, will you be happy to let me go’ and he said ‘you have one week to decide that because I am counting on you for next year’ but then I came back with the news and, so, I really have to thank him for that and thank the team, because I had a great time. If it wasn’t for Ferrari I wouldn’t be where I am right now at 33, trying to get Honda to the very top. I still dream of being world champion, that is why I am here, that is why I feel competitive every day I wake up and that is the reason I take the challenge.

Q: Looking forward to the new team, what were the feelings, the reasons for moving?

Rubens Barrichello: Every change brings a new motivation, that is a fact, but it is the resources, the people, everything. One day Ayrton (Senna) told me about Honda, everything is in plan with Honda and BAR for next year is quite good, there is a good motivation for the team to have someone who is still young and motivated to win and to transform everything in a good way. I am not going there to actually say ‘change this, change that’ I am going there to learn how the team works and I am bringing the 13 years of experience to make that a winning team.

Q: There are six races left, six circuits. Which should suit you better and can we speak about that, because it looks like everything goes the opposite way this year?

Fernando Alonso: I think it will be difficult to know which circuits will be good for us and which ones for McLaren. We were so confident in our car in Monaco and Budapest and we were not competitive, especially in the last race. We were not even in the points for both cars. So let’s wait and prepare the weekend with no reference from the last couple of years and hopefully we can beat them in some circuits.

Q: Felipe, what did you feel when you signed the contract with the Ferrari team, the dream of most drivers, the importance it is to Brazil? And then the press department of Ferrari does not permit you to talk to the Brazilian press, except to TV Globo? Do you not think it is missing the respect of the Brazilian press and the Brazilian people?

Felipe Massa: First of all, I feel great to be a Brazilian and to have this opportunity to be in a top team. For Brazil it is fantastic. We are not having an easy time in Brazil, everybody knows that. Brazil is coming up to a bad moment in terms of politics. I think that for me it’s fantastic. I’m Brazilian, I’m young, I’m going to a fantastic team and hopefully me and Rubens will be doing a good job for the Brazilian people to give them some happiness. So this is really great for me. We announced that I am going to be with Ferrari and I was on holidays. I still have six more races to do with Sauber. It’s fantastic to be in Sauber. I think I have to say thank you to Peter for these years. I am still focussed on my year. I’m talking now about Ferrari but I want to concentrate on my next six races. As I said, I’m Brazilian, I love my country, everything I will do for my country I will do.

Q: It is a big challenge to be Michael’s team-mate: 1) because he’s fast, 2) because there’s either the real or the perceived notion that Michael gets preferential treatment and that you sometimes have to defer to him. So first of all, Rubens, what advice do you give to Felipe on how to cope with being Michael’s teammate, and Felipe, how will you face up to that challenge?

Rubens Barrichello: The only thing I told Felipe was not to use the toilet on the top because I had bad times there, so just be careful there. The rest is for him to enjoy his time. He is going to have a tough time, absolutely, but if I was in his position, younger, eager to win, I probably would have done the same. I’m proud to say now that the team is different to the one when I came to Ferrari in 2000. It is much broader in its thoughts, and thinking much more of both drivers so I think Felipe will have an advantage compared to myself if you look back to 2000. But the rest is up to him to show his speed. Speed is much better than words.

Felipe Massa: One thing I have to say is that I am still young. When you have a competitive car, and when you have the opportunity to go to Ferrari it is fantastic for a young guy, so I feel ready. I have some good experience in Formula One already and now is the time to take the opportunity to show what I can do. Going to Ferrari is always an incredible opportunity.

Q: Rubens, what kind of role did what happened in Monaco between you and Michael play in your decision?

Rubens Barrichello: I had fantastic times at Ferrari and I had bad times too. The bad times always taught me and the team to improve. People ask me what is the worst time I had at Ferrari and they might think it was Austria 2002. I think that was the best time, because that was really good to change things around, really good in terms of respect because they knew I could win races without the help of anyone, so it was probably the turning point of my racing career there. But obviously being with the team the whole time, I saw it was going to be very difficult for me to actually try to win the championship, because you’re there, they have two competitive drivers, Michael has been there for longer and I saw my chances much higher with a team that has not yet won a race but has all the desire and the good ingredients to do it. That was more the fact that took me to there.

Q: Rubens and Felipe, is there any chance that you split to BAR before the end of the season, and Felipe, what kind of Ferrari do you expect to find next week in Monza?

Rubens Barrichello: I think that would be impossible. It would be a lack of respect, to stop now and say I don’t care any more what is going on at Ferrari. If we can still fight for the Constructors’ championship I would leave Ferrari with six (titles) rather than five and that would be much better for myself and the achievement would be great. So I don’t think there is any doubt I will finish the year contractually and just in the human respect, I think that would be lacking, so I’m just glad to say that I’m definitely carrying on.

Felipe Massa: It is always difficult to say how it’s going to be before you test the car. I saw Ferrari was much more competitive in the last race than in the previous races and I think they are working in a good direction to improve. But it’s difficult to say before you test the car. After the test I can say something.

Q: Fernando, do you think there are not as many opportunities to overtake here as written in the preview? And the second question, for everyone, is after the period of holidays and vacation, are you eager to drive again or would you rather have more time on holiday?

Fernando Alonso: There are places to overtake, like turn one, but the same opportunity as you have in Hungary, maybe. It is still very difficult these days to overtake in Formula One. It is true that because the track is wide, and you have two or three long straights, you have the opportunity, but you still have the chance to overtake, maybe one or maximum two places to overtake, not more. During this time of holidays, I think we all want to be in the car. I prefer the races when they are together, next weekend you have the next race is good for us, because I like to be in the car, racing, not testing, so when I am racing I am happy. After three weeks, you miss the car.

Q: After the holidays and vacation, are you eager to drive again?

Rubens Barrichello: I had a good time, as always when I go back to Brazil to my family, but you get eager to get back in the car. I think everyone likes those two weeks off. You just feel that you start driving fast on the roads which means that you have to get back to the (racing) car. (Laughter)

Robert Doornbos: I am a rookie anyway, so any minute I can get in the car is great now and I learn a lot from it. I did Rotterdam and then I was just waiting for this weekend to happen. I spent many hours on the Playstation and focussing on the weekend. Yeah, it is great to be in the car. The Minardi team doesn’t test a lot outside the race weekends so I have to use every minute I can get.

Christian Klien: This year we have nineteen races, a lot of back-to-back races, especially in July. It was really busy, so it is nice to have two weeks off and come back hungry and enjoy racing again.

Felipe Massa: I think after some time to cool down it is time to come back and do everything we can. I still have six races with Sauber and I want to do my best to have a good result for Sauber and I want to come back to the car as quickly as I could because it was time enough for me to cool down.

Q: Felipe, you have the same contract as Rubens now? You will be there the second driver for a while?

Felipe Massa: This is not written in my contract.

Rubens Barrichello: In mine, too. (Laughter)

Q: Felipe, which engine do you drive in the Ferrari at Monza?

Felipe Massa: 10 cylinder.

Q: Felipe, you have heard Rubens say that speed talks louder than words. How do you think you will compare in terms of speed against Michael Schumacher?

Felipe Massa: I think this is the best comparison a driver can have. Michael is still, as seven times World Champion, he is still the example of every driver. If you can have this possibility to compare your speed with him, I think it’s the best comparison you can have.

Q: Will you be quicker or slower?

Felipe Massa: I hope I can be quicker. I will do everything I can to be quicker, for sure.

Q: Christian, because of your special situation, which is your main goal for next year, to stay with Red Bull as a driver, or just to be a Formula One driver wherever?

Christian Klien: It would be great to stay at Red Bull. I have been supported by them for nine years and this year is the first year they have their own Formula One team and it’s great to drive for them. I know all the people there and I think our team has good potential in the future, also next year with the Ferrari engines. The best thing for me would be to stay in this team, where I know everyone and where I feel comfortable and feel good and where I feel I can have a good future. But still, the main thing for me is to stay in Formula One and if I don’t get an opportunity at Red Bull I also have to look with open eyes for other teams.

Q: Rubens, you said that during your thinking about going to BAR you remembered what Ayrton said to you about Honda. What did he say to you?

Rubens Barrichello: I remember because at the time when I started we shared some dinners and things and he always used to be late and he used to say he was spending time with the Honda boys trying to get the driveability and the power and everything about the car that he liked his way. The good thing is that they love this kind of a conversation, he said, and they used to do everything he asked them in order to get everything correct for his driving style and everything. I feel that the Honda is always very powerful and I’m very much looking forward to working with them.

Q: Felipe, when Rubens came into Formula One he was described as the next World Champion and he did not become World Champion, probably because he spent a lot of time with Michael Schumacher. It’s very difficult to beat Michael. So don’t you think that you could burn your career going to Ferrari with Michael? I know it’s a good opportunity but don’t you think you will burn your career?

Felipe Massa: First of all, Rubens has not quit Formula One yet so maybe he still has a chance to be World Champion and I’m sure he had a good time at Ferrari. So as I said, I’m young, I am ready for the challenge, so I’m ready to try everything I can to have a competitive car. Fernando had his chance to go to a good team and show what he could do, Kimi as well, so I want to do the same.

Q: Rubens, do you think Jenson Button will be your teammate next year and if he is, how do you think you will get on together?

Rubens Barrichello: I told the team I would have no problem with anyone, so it is up to the team to decide what’s the best option. Obviously there are various options in place but I have no further comment. I have no problems, Jenson is definitely a good guy, he is one of the friends I have in the paddock so it would definitely have been no problem but it is BAR-Honda that has to decide what is the best option alongside myself.

Q: Fernando, looking at your position for qualifying, what is your main goal at this circuit and the other question is what’s your opinion about turn eight?

Fernando Alonso: I’m starting tenth in qualifying, so it is not the best position here, but also if we are competitive in this track it doesn’t matter if you are four or six in qualifying which is the difference. Maybe, starting there, you lose two or three positions because if we are competitive in the race we will recover, and I think the approach for this weekend is to try to win the race, try to beat McLaren. It’s not an easy goal because we saw how competitive they were in the last two or three months, so it is not an easy goal but we have to approach it thinking like that.

Turn eight is the most special corner here in Turkey compared to the other tracks we have. I think we are all really concentrating on that corner, especially tomorrow. We think the tyres can really suffer there. It will be quite demanding for the tyres in turn eight, on the right side of the car, so we will see tomorrow, but for sure turn eight is the biggest challenge we have here, from the drivers and engineers’ point of view

’740 PARK’ HAS SOME WORRIED  Email  Archives  Print  Reprint

‘WELL, WHEN’S it coming out?” asked the fabulous designer Vera Wang of writer Michael Gross at Michael’s literary café earlier this week. “I am asking about his book on 740 Park!” she explained to onlookers.

Gross, a well-known editor-writer and a man who survived being called a “lesbian” when he went to Vassar, looked horrified. He said, “I can’t confirm that.” So the book from Broadway Publishing doesn’t actually come out until Oct. 18, but “740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building” — about the famous co-op on 71st Street where apartments go for $30 million — is already lifting brows among the swells. Everybody from “wannabes” to “bes” can’t wait to read it.

Revlon’s Ronald Perelman, who left 740 when he gave up his marriage to his first wife, is just one plutocrat said to be worrying over what might be written about him. He’s not alone. Let’s add Jacqueline Onassis’ sister Lee Radziwill (their grandfather, James T. Lee, built the building and Black Jack Bouvier, their father, and their mother, once lived there!) . . . financier Saul Steinberg, his three wives, their children . . . the elegant Henry Kravis . . . liquor king Edgar Bronfman Sr. . . . the once wives of Steve Ross — Amanda Burden and Courtney Sale . . . David Rockefeller, son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. . . . that certain Saudi prince and members of families behind Standard Oil, Gulf Oil, Chrysler, Anaconda Copper, the New York Central, Havemeyer Sugar, International Harvester, Seagram’s, Campell Soups, Marshall Field, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonita Banana and Avon products have all lived in this glamorous building.

Currently in residence are Mrs. Steve (Courtney) Ross, Stephen and Christine Schwarzman, David and Julia Koch, Spyros Niarchos, United Technologies chair George David, Countess Marie Douglas, New York Times scribe Alex Kuczynski and Charles Porter Stevenson Jr., Colombian billionaire Julio Mario Santo Domingo, heirs from the Mosler Safe, Loew’s, Estée Lauder and TV Guide families. Author Gross pulls no punches. Promotional material for the book promises stories about “the Friendly’s ice cream heir whose gay lover lived on one floor of the duplex he shared with his wife” and “a Palestinian billionaire believed to have been murdered by his third wife.” So lots of nice people with even less compelling histories may be worried!

Did Vera Wang, whose father also lives there, talk to the author? Gross won’t say, but did tell me, “It is fascinating who did and who didn’t talk. The people you’d expect to say no — Mayflower descendents, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Guggenheims, the Campbell Soup heiresses and lots of Jackie O’s Bouvier relatives — well, they were happy to give interviews. But some of the more recent and aspiring tenants, people with pictures in W and Vanity Fair all the time, either wouldn’t talk or asked to be anonymous.

“I think it must take a generation or two to become secure enough to understand that — as Alice says — a cat can look at a king!” The kings and queens seem a little bit nervous. But they have to wait until October to read the book.

TALK ABOUT hot; that’s how warm speculation is on Reese Witherspoon‘s coming turn as June Carter Cash in the movie “Walk the Line.” Add Joaquin Phoenix playing opposite her as the one and only Man in Black, Johnny Cash. This movie has big pre-buzz with both actors giving performances that are right up there with the classic Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

Everything about the country-western phenomenon is even more so than ever these days. In “Walk the Line,” the two leading actors really and truly sing. And Reese tells Reader’s Digest that achieving her musical twang wasn’t too hard. Reese says her favorite singer is Dolly Parton: “She is an amazing songwriter and she has such a beautiful voice . . . she’s so kind and giving and open . . . she’s a nice country girl, with a lot of sense and a lot of pizazz!”

ACTOR Andrew McCarthy found fame back in the 1980s era of the old “Brat Pack” — “Pretty in Pink” and “St. Elmo’s Fire.” He rose with Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. Recently he appeared off-B’way in the play “Fat Pig.” But now Andrew wants to direct and has signed with Creative Film Management International. He has already made his directing debut with an adaptation of Frank O’Connor‘s short story “News for the Church.”

CATHY RIGBY has flown high as Peter Pan for many years, but now will say ta-ta to the boy who won’t grow up. She appears as Peter for the last time during a holiday run of the show at Madison Square Garden’s theater Nov. 30-Dec. 30 . . . THERE’S A young actress on the rise who might be competition to Dakota Fanning. She’s Charlie Ray, 13, making her screen debut in the coming romantic comedy “Little Manhattan,” where she’ll be the amused object of desire when a younger friend finds himself smitten. (Cynthia Nixon and Bradley Whitford also star.) Charlie, a dance student since the age of 3, screen-tested for her role and told the director, “It would be great if I got this part, but if I don’t, I learned a lot and had fun!” Great attitude, kid — keep it up!

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Oil wells burned out of control in 1991 in Kuwait when retreating Iraqi troops set hundreds of the wells on fire

August 14, 2005
The Oil Price to Be Scared Of
By JAD MOUAWAD

Once upon a time, not too long ago, the prospect of crude-oil futures hitting $50 a barrel sent waves of anxiety over consumers, business executives and politicians, evoking the specter of gasoline rationing, not to mention a global recession and general economic mayhem.

Today, the $50 mark is a mere dot in the rear-view mirror and the economy keeps growing at a healthy clip. Is there another benchmark – a new number that everyone is scared of?

For now, the number to watch is $86.

In early 1981, when the Iraq-Iran war caused an oil shock, a barrel of oil cost the equivalent of $86 in today’s dollars. That number still seems a long way away, and OPEC is promising to pump itself dry to meet demand.

But consider this: it has taken less than eight months for oil prices to jump by $20 – from $46 to $66. Over the last year, oil prices have increased by 54 percent. In the past week alone, futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose to a record – $67.10 on Friday – the highest since crude oil began trading on the exchange in 1983.

At this rate, oil prices might hit $86 a barrel sometime next spring.

Last month, Goldman Sachs predicted that prices could reach $80 a barrel if a hurricane were to destroy production platforms and pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for a quarter of American production.

And other worries abound, including growing tension between Iran and the West, the possibility of more pipeline bombings in Iraq, civil unrest in Nigeria, oil worker strikes in Venezuela and, most devastating, the fear of an attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry.

While the economy stayed upright at $50 a barrel, few economists are predicting the same for $80 and up.

Here is another number to worry about. Back in March, Arjun Murti, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, made a bold prediction: oil markets had entered a “super spike” period, he said, and if supplies were interrupted, the price of a barrel of oil could rise to – take a breath – $105.

Cold Cracking, Mystery Solved!

The energy bill that President Bush signed Tuesday includes a provision, attached at the last minute by a Texas Republican, for $250,000 to study “cold cracking” of oil.

But what exactly is cold cracking? That was the mystery that emanated from inside the Beltway last week.

When he added the amendment, Representative Ralph M. Hall acknowledged he didn’t have much idea. Nor did his staff, who in response to inquiries provided a one-page “white paper” that detailed the potential benefits of the process – but offered little insight into what it was.

Ah, but Mr. Hall had submitted the amendment for a Republican colleague from Alabama, Representative Mike Rogers. Did Mr. Rogers’s staff know what cold cracking was? No, but an aide suggested contacting the staff of the House Energy Committee. They suggested contacting Mr. Rogers’s office.

Finally, an aide to Mr. Rogers tracked down someone who knows something about cold cracking: Bud Brainerd, the president of Renaissance Petroleum Technologies, which, because it is the only company studying the concept, stands to receive the $250,000. Perhaps no one will be surprised that the company is located in Auburn, Ala.

“First of all, you have to understand it doesn’t have anything to do with radioactivity,” Mr. Brainerd said in a telephone interview. Cold cracking, he added, is an alternative way of refining petroleum – breaking long chains of hydrocarbons into shorter ones – by irradiating it, much as food or medical equipment can be sterilized by exposing it to gamma rays.

Mr. Brainerd said that oil refining is currently done under high pressure and temperature, making it costly and risky. Cold cracking, by contrast, can be conducted at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure.

So far, though, it has only been demonstrated in a laboratory. The money in the energy bill will be used to try to show that the process can be scaled up. “Our hope is that with success, over time this $250,000 investment will be viewed as the best investment in the whole bill,” Mr. Brainerd said.

HENRY FOUNTAIN

When Lawyers Make Good TV

It was the television equivalent of a summary judgment in court: after just two episodes, as viewership sank from 5.1 million to a dismal 3.9 million, NBC pulled “The Law Firm,” a reality show that it said “features real lawyers competing against each other while trying real court cases with real clients, in front of real judges and juries.”

What went wrong? After all, at least since “Perry Mason” began in 1957, viewers have loved shows about lawyers and the law. Consider the current popularity of “Law & Order,” as well as “Judge Judy” and all the other shows where judges ham it up.

Lack of ham may have been the problem. “The Law Firm,” which was the brainchild of David Kelley, who created “Boston Legal” and “The Practice,” among other shows, may have offered too much legal reality and too little fantasy.

“It’s like watching grass grow,” Michael J. Shepard, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice in San Francisco, said jokingly of his daily professional routine. “You pore over documents.”

“I have an associate in my office looking at documents now,” he added. “It’s not that exciting.”

Finding the exciting moments in legal practice requires patience, said Bill Guttentag, the executive producer of “Crime & Punishment,” a reality show that followed the professional and personal lives of assistant district attorneys in San Diego. “You have to hang in there for a long period of time,” he said.

The show, created by Dick Wolf, the man behind the “Law & Order” franchise, ran from 2002 through 2004. Mr. Guttentag said his crew shot 390 minutes for every one minute of usable material.

But every successful program about the law has managed to skip lightly over the yawning abysses of real legal life, emphasizing the dramatic cross-examination, the cunning killer, the corrupt D.A. or, in those real-life courtroom shows, judges who fulminate over the stupid or venal actions of those who appear before them.

In addition, successful legal shows have portrayed the courtroom not as the soporific, rule-bound place it usually is, but as a pressure cooker in which urgent moral issues and human motivations are laid bare, said Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute who writes about lawyers but is not one himself.

“It is a window into situations of family betrayal and bad behavior which are going to raise questions of how could you do that,” said Mr. Olson.

It follows that most viewers of “Law & Order,” would be no more interested in the daily realities of legal practice or law than “E.R.” viewers are interested in biology.

Meanwhile, NBC has said it would move its six remaining episodes of “The Law Firm” to Bravo, one of its cable channels, allowing loyal viewers to learn who wins the contest and the $250,000 in prize money.

Now, there’s a Hollywood ending.

JONATHAN D. GLATER

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