More news from the trees

Is nothing sacred? According to the BBC there is no point in planting trees to reduce greenhouse gases. Makes a mockery of crediting countries for their forest cover under the Kyoto Protocol.
This debate long ago stopped being about science. Beware of politicians offering to change the weather say I.
I'm going to keep planting trees anyway most of all because I like them.

News from the trees

The new edition of Tree News is out and I was lucky enough to receive a complementary copy from the editor John May. If you have any appreciation of trees this magazine is a must.
I was taken with the discussion on what the tree cover in Europe was really like in times gone by - the self-appointed "chainsaw conservationists" on the South Downs in Sussex are obviously keen to prevent anything but grass growing, leaving tree stumps in their wake.

Macau reprise

The great Far East tour has come and gone for another year. For the record Nicolas Lapierre won the 50th Macau Grand Prix at his first attempt. James Courtney was unlucky to crash out of the lead as he picked up a puncture from debris on the track.
Matthew Marsh finished third in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race having been passed on the initial run down to Lisboa Corner by Alex Yoong and Charles Kwan.
Macau is not entirely over however as I have a copy of Phil Newsome's splendid book "The Macau Grand Prix - 50 years of Motor Sport." He very kindly acknowledges my modest contribution to the book for which I am grateful - to my knowledge I've never been mentioned in a book before.

Marsh looks forward to greatest race

Matthew Marsh is looking forward to the greatest race of his career on Sunday when he starts the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race from pole position in Macau. Marsh said "It is great to receive new-found respect from the racing community."
His pole lap is the talk of the paddock as he beat the vastly experienced Charles
Kwan and Formula One driver Alex Yoong to the top spot. Current Formula One driver Ralph Firman of the Jordan Team and former Macau Grand Prix winner congratulated Matthew on his dominant practice performance.
The Porsche 911 GT3 is now being prepared with a race set-up optimised for this 6.12
Kilometre circuit round the streets of Macau.

Carbone on pole position for Macau F3 Grand Prix

Fabio Carbone from Brazil will start the Macau Grand Prix from pole position in his Signature Plus Dallara-Renault. Carbone set a time of 2 minutes 13.016 seconds round this 6.2 kilometre street circuit next to the South China sea. The race celebrates its fiftieth anniversary when the Grand Prix is run on Sunday.
Carbone said "I have confidence in the car and I was able to push alot, this is a good start for the race."
In second place in practice was Australian Ryan Briscoe who said "I'm so happy to be on the front row on Sunday." Third was fellow-Aussie James Courtney, the Japanese F3 Champion who had to rely on a time set in the first qualifying session.
Courtney said "It should have been better than it was this afternoon but it is a race with a long straight and overtaking opportunities so it should be good."
Top British driver was Danny Watts who qualified in sixteenth position.

Marsh fastest at Macau

Matthew Marsh grabbed pole position for the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia race to be held here in Macau on Sunday.
Marsh set a time of 2 minutes 35.668 seconds early in the session leaving other competitors to play catch up. Marsh, a Hong Kong resident, was clearly elated to put the car on pole as he bids to secure backing to compete in the series next year.
He said "I wish the weekend could end right now" and thanked his racing buddies Patrick Long, Peter Windsor and Rob Wilson for all their support.
Charles Kwan from Hong Kong, the Championship leader, came closest setting a time at the end of the session just one-hundredth of second short of the pole time. Kwan said "I was disappointed not to get pole position but I was concentrating on qualifying ahead of Nigel Albon."
Third fastest was Formula One driver Alex Yoong whose car was repaired following a crash in practice yesterday. Nigel Albon from Great Britain, Championship contender to Charles Kwan, was fourth and should be a threat in the race.

Marsh fastest in first practice at Macau

I'm in Macau at the Grand Prix.......

Hong Kong driver Matthew Marsh set the provisional pole position time for the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia here in Macau. The race will be run over ten laps in the 50th Macau Grand Prix race meeting on Sunday.
Marsh circulated the 6.12 kilometre street circuit in a time of 2 minutes 38.581 seconds. Second fastest was Charles Kwan from Hong Kong, Charles Nattavude of Thailand was third.
Malaysian F1 driver Alex Yoong guesting in the Porsche Asia Pacific car was fourth fastest before brushing the Armco barrier and damaging the rear suspension in the sister Porsche 911 GT3 to team-mate Matthew Marsh.