FORMULA 1 - 2015

[MIKA27]

MALAYSIAN GP STRATEGY REPORT

Jack Leslie of Formula Legend, studies the various strategies that played out at Sepang during the Malaysian Grand Prix, Round 2 of the 2015 Formula 1 world championship. Over 56 Laps around the 5.543km Sepang International Circuit, totaling 310.408 km race distance, with high tyre wear a decisive characteristic on the day.

Seb vs the Mercedes strategy played an important role in deciding the winner of last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Eventual victor Sebastian Vettel took the fight to the two Mercedes drivers. He won fair and square, but was helped by completing one less stop and from staying out during the early Safety Car.

With Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg pitting and emerging behind slower cars, Vettel was able to quickly eke out a sizeable advantage. We already knew following Friday’s practice sessions that the SF15-Ts would be closer to Mercedes, but the extremely hot temperatures played to Ferrari’s advantage.Vettel was able to complete two impressive stints on the medium compound tyre, with both being several laps longer than either of the Mercedes drivers could manage. Because of this, he was able to continue on a two-stop strategy, while Hamilton and Rosberg were both switched to a three due to suffering higher degradation.

It proved to be a relatively easy run to the flag for Vettel, finishing 8.5 seconds clear of Hamilton. Ferrari’s decision to not pit during the Safety Car was undoubtedly the right one and the conditions helped the team gain performance.

The four-time world champion was able to push the tyres more without losing much speed, and was able to keep up a good pace even towards the end of stints.

Mercedes acknowledged after the race that the early first stop under the Safety Car cost them time and positions. Both were forced to make their way past slower cars, and Rosberg lost six seconds during the stop thanks to the team double-stacking the two cars.

Mercedes thought the prime tyre would be better suited to the race, meaning Hamilton and Rosberg used up an extra set during qualifying and the former was fitted the hard compound for his final stint. It proved to not be the case.

There’s something about Kimi

Kimi Raikkonen finished a distant fourth, but recovered well following an early puncture. Like Vettel, he showed impressive pace throughout the 56-lap event, but the contact with Felipe Nasr on lap two put pay to his hopes of a podium. He was battling with the Sauber after qualifying only 11th, having failed to set a good banker lap before the rain hit in Q2. The Safety Car really helped Raikkonen, bunching up the field and enabling him to close the gap to the leading three.

However, he wasn’t on the back of the pack when the race resumed, and had to complete plenty of overtakes to make his way up the order. He pitted two further times and, if you ignore his early stop for repairs, mirrored Vettel’s strategy. This enabled him to quickly make progress and he spent most of his second and final stints in fourth, albeit some distance away from the podium finishers. However, it makes you wonder what could have been possible if he hadn’t been hit on the second lap.

Nasr struggles

It was a case of hero to zero for Nasr, following his spectacular debut in Australia. The Brazilian finished down in 12th place after a dismal Malaysian Grand Prix. Sauber knew ahead of qualifying that it would be a more difficult weekend, and Nasr struggled more than most during practice to find a set-up. This wasn’t helped by missing FP1 in order for the Swiss outfit’s reserve driver Raffaele Marciello to have some track time.

The contact with Raikkonen damaged his front wing, and he was forced to pit at the end of the following tour for repairs. That put him at the back of the field and despite the Safety Car bunching up the field; he didn’t have the speed to make much progress. Two unusually short stints on the hard tyre mid-way through the race meant he stopped four times in total.

[mgravito]

Bernie's really damaging the sport. He's so far behind the times it's impossible to listen to anything he has to say. Just looking at the way other sports leagues have grown over the past 20 years compared to F1 is staggering. There's no reason F1 shouldn't be more popular than it is. Live streaming events, activity in social media, accessability of historical content content, etc. He's damaging the sport and it's frustrating to listen to him say anything.

[ptrthgr8]

Bernie's an old crank who needs to go. Wipeout has a bigger social media footprint than F1. And I like Wipeout... don't get me wrong. Love me some Jill Wagner! But this is F-f***ing-1. It's like Bernie thinks we're still in 1950 or something. This old curmudgeon needs to be sent out to pasture already.

Cheers,

Greg

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

Bernie's really damaging the sport. He's so far behind the times it's impossible to listen to anything he has to say. Just looking at the way other sports leagues have grown over the past 20 years compared to F1 is staggering. There's no reason F1 shouldn't be more popular than it is. Live streaming events, activity in social media, accessability of historical content content, etc. He's damaging the sport and it's frustrating to listen to him say anything.

Bernie's an old crank who needs to go. Wipeout has a bigger social media footprint than F1. And I like Wipeout... don't get me wrong. Love me some Jill Wagner! But this is F-f***ing-1. It's like Bernie thinks we're still in 1950 or something. This old curmudgeon needs to be sent out to pasture already.

Cheers,

Greg

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

I completely agree 100% - Bernie has to go he's obliterating the sport. Even the news has far too much politics where we should only be reading up on the drivers and individual races.

[avaldes]

That is because of Bernie's massive ego! Seems like he would like the world to revolve around his exploits and adventures, rather than the sport of F1. I totally agree about there being too much press on who is doing what to whom.

[mgravito]

we should only be reading up on the drivers and individual races.

Edit: I just realized what I wrote didn't make any sense lol.

[MIKA27]

And you course.

There is always news on drivers and races BUT, if I compare the F1 forums and sites from now to a few years ago, even they report more on politics than the driving. The bigger teams complain about petty issues, now it's RBR about advantages and disadvantages.

I'll try and NOT post so many political issues

[Baldy]

There is always news on drivers and races BUT, if I compare the F1 forums and sites from now to a few years ago, even they report more on politics than the driving. The bigger teams complain about petty issues, now it's RBR about advantages and disadvantages.

I'll try and NOT post so many political issues

Don't put too much effort about what to post/not post. Appreciate the effort you put into posting these articles Mika. Thanks. Let us filter what we read/don't read.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who can't stand Bernie. F1 survive despite Bernie.

[MIKA27]

Don't put too much effort about what to post/not post. Appreciate the effort you put into posting these articles Mika. Thanks. Let us filter what we read/don't read.

Glad to know I'm not the only one who can't stand Bernie. F1 survive despite Bernie.

It's no issue my friend, I'll filter out some of the stuff unless of course it has something to do with major change that effects the sport itself.

I can't imagine anything more negative occurring as the sport is really on a knifes edge with Bernies ruling. Surely someone at CVC and the greater FIA and stakeholders are looking at all this negative news sourcing from Bernie and wondering "What on earth is this guy doing to our sport?"

[MIKA27]

RED BULL AND RENAULT AGREE ON TRUCE TO SEE THE YEAR OUT

According to Helmut Marko Red Bull and Renault have put aside their headline grabbing row and are now focused on working together effectively for the rest of the season.

After Australia, Marko and his Red Bull colleagues let loose their fury with the team’s underperforming works supplier Renault.

Renault hit back at the attack, Cyril Abiteboul going so far as to accuse Adrian Newey of telling “lies”.

“All of this criticism was due to emotions that were all quite understandable,” Marko has now told the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV.

“In fact, perhaps the comments themselves were not even so hard, but the translation of Cyril’s words from French made it sound very harsh.”

Amid reports Red Bull and Renault must surely be heading for divorce, Marko says the two sides have sat down to talk about how to move forward.

“We have met,” he confirmed, “and decided on how we will work during the remainder of the season. We do not have to love each other, but we do need an engine that works.”

“Under the current regulations it is impossible to close the gap to the leaders, but in the past we got used to winning even though our engines were not the most powerful.

“At the same time,” said Marko, “we can all see what Ferrari has managed to do. According to Renault engineers, we will reach this level by the end of the year and once again be able to fight at the top.

“It was decided to postpone the debate and focus on working together to get us out of this situation,” he added.

[MIKA27]

ALONSO ERA VERY MUCH OVER AT FERRARI AND BEGINS AT MCLAREN

Ferrari is not looking back, having put its ‘Alonso era’ swiftly behind, while McLaren usher their second chapter with the Spaniard.

After departed number one Fernando Alonso’s 2015 replacement Sebastian Vettel won in Malaysia, Corriere della Sera reported: “Sebastian leaves the Alonso era behind and leads us back to where the Ferrari success story was interrupted”.

Alonso, now at the back of the grid at struggling McLaren-Honda, insists he made the right choice, but a Reuters reporter admitted after Sepang that he felt a “twinge of pity” for the 33-year-old.

And The Times said Malaysia had left Alonso red-faced. But would Ferrari be happy to pair Sepang winner Vettel with the feisty Alonso?

“I do not think that this possibility was ever really considered,” team boss Maurizio Arrivabene told Sport Bild.

“It is also pointless to think about it, because we are absolutely happy with the driver pairing of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel,” he insisted.

The situation means Alonso, his supporters and the rest of the F1 world will have to be content with the 33-year-old’s new project with works Honda power.

“He and Jenson are two very experienced drivers,” Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo, “and I am sure they will fight for the podium.”

Another man tipping McLaren-Honda to build its form is Carlos Sainz, the world rallying legend and father of Toro Rosso rookie Carlos Sainz jr, who is close to Alonso.

“He is at the start of the process of building up a major project,” Sainz told Marca sports newspaper.

“I am convinced that they will take giant steps quickly and will be trying to close the gap as soon as possible.”

[MIKA27]

MANAGER SAYS RAIKKONEN AS QUICK AS VETTEL

Kimi Raikkonen’s manager has come out in defence of the Finn following suggestions he is already slipping into a number two role at Ferrari this season.

After struggling alongside former teammate Fernando Alonso, 35-year-old Raikkonen has been joined in red for this year by his friend Sebastian Vettel.

But Raikkonen is already 28 points behind his German teammate, while quadruple world champion Vettel has a win to his name and is nipping at the heels of Lewis Hamilton’s early title lead.

The situation moved former Ferrari team boss Cesare Fiorio this week to observe on Italian radio: “After two races, the hierarchy of the team is already established.

“If Vettel fights for the world championship, Raikkonen will only support him,” said Fiorio.

Raikkonen’s long-time manager Steve Robertson, however, hit back at those sorts of claims, insisting the 2007 world champion got caught up in troubles in Australia and Malaysia that had nothing to do with the Finn’s pace.

“I strongly believe that Kimi and Sebastian are very close to having the same level of performance,” he told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

“The most important thing is that Kimi is very happy with the car. The whole package is much stronger than it was last season,” said Robertson.

“Kimi was able to show that potential on Friday, which many competitors paid a lot of attention to,” he added.

[MIKA27]

FERRARI MUCH FASTER THAN WILLIAMS CLAIMS BOTTAS

Williams drivers have admitted that their team has been clearly overtaken by Ferrari in the F1 pecking order.

Last year, with field-leading Mercedes power, Grove based Williams ended a long slump by finishing the season as clearly the closest challenger to the dominant works Mercedes team.

But after finishing fifth in Malaysia behind both red and silver cars, Valtteri Bottas said: “We need to look at everything now, because it seems that they (Ferrari) have progressed much more than us.

“If we want to fight them, we need to keep pushing hard,” the Finn is quoted by Universo. “At the moment, they are much faster.”

[MIKA27]

Button: Top 10 fight unlikely before Spain

Jenson Button admits McLaren are unlikely to fight for points in the next two races, but he is optimistic about their chances once they hit Europe.

The new McLaren-Honda engine partnership got off to a slow start in Australia and Malaysia with Button seeing the chequered flag in last place at Melbourne while both cars retired at Sepang.

Although the team appear to have gained 1.5s between the two races, they are still well off the pace and Button believes they might start to fight for top 10 positions when the European season starts in Spain on 10 May.

"We have a lot of work to do before we can think about winning," he told Press Association Sport.

"I don't think we will be even fighting for points when we go to the next race in China, maybe Bahrain if we make a small step before then.

"But it is probably going to be Europe we start fighting for points, and that would be a massive step."

Button's team-mate Fernando Alonso had to watch his former team Ferrari claim their first victory since 2013 through Sebastian Vettel over the weekend.

Alonso, of course, left Ferrari at the end of last season after five frustrating years.

"He has definitely lucked into a situation, I would say," Button said. "I am sure he had the same information as Fernando when Fernando left the team.

"It is one of those situations which sometimes works out for you, for example (Daniel) Ricciardo was overtaken by his new team-mate (Daniil Kvyat), and lapped by his ex-team-mate (Vettel) on the same lap.

"Who would have thought that at the end of last year, so sometimes you do luck into a situation."

[MIKA27]

McLaren to re-use Sepang engines in China

McLaren Formula 1 chief Ron Dennis has told Motorsport.com that his team will re-use its Malaysian GP Honda engines at the next race in China.

Both Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button were forced to retire from the Sepang race, the Spaniard with an ERS cooling problem and the Briton with a turbo issue with their Honda power units.

But Dennis has alleviated fears that his team may need new engines for China, saying the units can be used again, although with some components replaced.

"The retirement reasons were slightly related but not identical," Dennis told Motorsport.com.

"The primary engines have not been damaged, because we stopped. They'll be the engines for the next Grand Prix, albeit with some reliability components changed."

Dennis insisted that the Malaysian event was a positive weekend for McLaren and Honda, despite the retirements.

"Both drivers were extremely complimentary about high-speed cornering performance, and braking characteristics," Dennis said.

"A whole range of positives came out of the weekend. I think we're very strong in certain parts of the circuit. Clearly we aren't where we want to be with the engine, and nor is Honda, but we are getting there."

Dennis has no regrets about committing to the Japanese manufacturer, and says it is just a matter of time before things come together.

"We have a steep learning curve, and of course we want to win races, but we want to be on a path to world championships. And to do that you need the complete support, and focussed support, of an OEM.

"Yes, it's challenging at the moment, but we're working hard with Honda and we will get there sooner than people realise. It goes step by step. It will be Europe before we'll have a pace we can measure."

Regarding the return of Alonso, he said: "It's great, I think he's done a great job all weekend, in every way."

[MIKA27]

Trulli would choose Vettel over Alonso

Former Formula 1 driver Jarno Trulli says he would choose Sebastian Vettel over Fernando Alonso, as he says the Spaniard is difficult to work with.

Alonso left Ferrari after five seasons with the Italian squad, with Vettel replacing him after leaving Red Bull, the team with which he took his four titles.

The German ended Ferrari's victory drought in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix with a superb drive to victory ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Trulli, who was Alonso's teammate at Renault in 2003 and 2004, reckons Vettel is exactly what Ferrari needed.

"Sebastian brings a freshness to the team that had been lost because it did not have the best relationship with Alonso," Trulli told Italian newspaper Tuttosport.

"I have worked with Alonso and he is difficult to work with.

"Now as a manager of a team, I would prefer Vettel," added Trulli, who runs his own Formula E team now.

Trulli admitted, however, that he would never have predicted the race victory in Malaysia for Ferrari and Vettel.

"I would not have bet a penny on it at the start of the season," said the Italian.

"From here they can start to breath down Mercedes' neck.

"For Mercedes too I think it was very unexpected, but I have a feeling they will have some cards to play at the next race. The next grand prix will tell us a lot."

[MIKA27]

FORMULA 1 Malaysian GP: #FeelTheForce – In the heat of battle

Formula 1 is an intense sport for the body and mind. Though it isn't something many of us will ever truly get to experience, whether it's the G-Forces that sweep through the body when cornering and under braking, or the discomfort that inevitably comes when your uniform is worn in a sport that predominantly takes place in sweltering conditions, it's certainly more than just your average hour in the gym.

Some races are tougher than others though. Last weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix – already known for the physical strains it places on the body at the best of times due to it being the only daytime race located so close to the equator -, offered up arguably its biggest challenge yet as air temperatures never once strayed below 30 degrees and temperatures on the track soared to more than 60 degrees.

Though debate raged in the media centre over whether you could indeed fry an egg on the track surface (Pirelli said yes, others claimed no… unfortunately no-one had an egg to hand), just a quick walk across the grid before the race in ill-advised black shoes offered up an entirely new sensation as they warped in the heat and began cooking my feet within them.

The words (well, sounds) of 'oooft, it's hot out there' were frequently trotted out over the weekend and that was just after the short walk from paddock to media centre, so you can't help but spare a thought for those, literally, in the heat of battle.

For Force India's Sergio Perez, he says the temperatures can make it a very intense event.

“You really feel it in the body, the heat can be very intense,” he told Crash.net. “Temperatures inside the cockpit can reach more than 55 degrees…”

55 degrees… Consider this, the average sauna is set to around 70-80 degrees Celsius. I can personally manage 5 minutes at most before I need to bail out. These drivers, in their racing suits, taking on G-Forces and feeling the exertion of hauling a car around a circuit, must persevere for almost two hours.

Nico Rosberg revealed he attempts to get around this he uses a damp sanitary towel taped to his forehead – resourcefully but amusing -, but most drivers persevere with keeping their time inside the car to a minimum and supping on a water bottle.

For Perez, a bit of acclimatising is necessary to cope with the heat, including an unorthodox 'track run'…

“I will try and acclimatise to the conditions in advance. I ran the circuit – all 5.6km of it – in a tracksuit on the Wednesday for example, and I went back to Mexico during the break between Australia and Malaysia so I could train in the heat and humidity, specifically for this event.

Regardless, the body will inevitably react to the stresses placed on it and the weight loss following a 56 lap race in 50 per cent humidity is notable.

Indeed, Perez lost upwards of 2kgs during the race alone in Malaysia. In Australia it was close to 1kg, but in some races it may only be 0.5kgs loss, demonstrating just how demanding it can be... almost four times as demanding!

The harsh conditions remain relatively specific to Malaysia, however, earmarking this as arguably the toughest on the calendar physically, along with the twisty and lengthy Singapore Grand Prix, which will take place in September.

“I think this race and Singapore (closer to the equator but held at night) are particularly difficult. The European races aren't so bad, but every race is a challenge.”

Races in exceedingly warm conditions are nothing new, but the introduction of Malaysia, Singapore and Bahrain has upped the stakes, with the 2005 edition of the latter reaching a dizzyingly hot 42 degrees in the air alone.

Despite this, Perez says his training is specially conditioned to ensure he is ready to take on the challenges posed by each particular race.

“The heat and the humidity are a big challenge, but as a driver you are prepared for this. You work really hard during the pre-season and every day with your trainer to be at your best in these circumstances, so I know I am ready.”

Until they give me a race suit and send me off on a track run (it will probably happen now…), I cannot begin to know exactly what a driver will experience in such a situation, though merely running it in the cooler evening, wearing t-shirt and shorts, yet still coming away with sweat literally pouring off me, it is most certainly a feat of human endurance!

[MIKA27]

Ferrari chief Arrivabene says Formula 1 must be more affordable

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene believes Formula 1 needs to become "a bit more affordable" to safeguard its future, but thinks any proposals for standardised cars are too extreme.

The cost of competing in Formula 1 has been high on the agenda after Caterham and Marussia went into administration towards the end of last season.

Marussia required a last-minute rescue package to survive and now run as Manor, while teams including Force India asked F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone for support with their finances before Australia.

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley has repeatedly called for a reduction of costs so that independent teams can survive while making the sport more attractive to new entrants.

And although Ferrari is among the wealthiest teams on the grid, Arrivabene agrees that something needs to be done.

He insists the situation is being looked at with sufficient seriousness.

"We have to do our best to make Formula 1 a bit more affordable," Arrivabene told AUTOSPORT.

"I have to say it is a work in progress at the moment and everybody - they are really committed."

One of the suggestions to reduce costs is for teams to run a standardised car, but Arrivabene believes that is a step too far.

"I think that was one of the proposals on the agenda," he said. "You know, sometimes somebody starts from an extreme, which is something else.

"Standardisation in certain parts of the car could be an interesting cost saving way. Of course, not in all of the parts in the car.

"We are Formula 1, not another series where all the cars look the same and there is no spectacle."

[MIKA27]

'Stupid' Verstappen critics silenced - Toro Rosso F1 boss Tost

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost believes "stupid people" who criticised Max Verstappen as too young for Formula 1 will have been silenced by his first two grands prix.

Verstappen, the youngest ever F1 driver at 17, became its youngest scorer as well when he finished seventh in last weekend's Malaysian GP, having qualified sixth in the wet.

Asked by AUTOSPORT if he felt Verstappen's critics were now answered, Tost replied: "I said this in October and November when all the people criticised: he will answer them on the racetrack because the answer on the racetrack means stupid people can understand."

Verstappen's team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr - also an F1 newcomer - has scored points in both the first two races of 2015, and Toro Rosso technical director James Key said the duo do not seem like rookies at all.

"I think the drivers did brilliantly in really difficult conditions," Key told said.

"But they're both doing exactly what we want them to and the feedback in the race about the tyres is exactly what you want.

"It doesn't feel like they're rookies in many respects.

"There's no major drama behind, they just got on with the job."

Tost added that he has been particularly impressed by Verstappen's and Sainz's work ethic.

"I'm more than happy with both of the drivers," said Tost. "Both of them have done a fantastic job without any mistakes.

"They are open-minded and they want to learn until late at night.

"They want to see what is going on, what's being changed on the car and this understanding helps them perform well.

"They are also very high-skilled drivers."

MIKA: I must admit, Sainz and Verstappen are doing far better than other rookies did in their first two GP's. Maldonado and Grosjean constantly collided with other cars, in fact, Maldonado still does!

[MIKA27]

Valtteri Bottas backs Williams F1 team's stance on team orders

Valtteri Bottas believes he and Williams Formula 1 team-mate Felipe Massa have proved they can be trusted to race without team orders after their Malaysian Grand Prix battle.

Massa lost fifth to Bottas in their late dice at Sepang, which included near-contact at the first corner and ended when the Finn pulled off an outside-line move on the Brazilian through the long, fast Turn 5 on the penultimate lap.

Williams was involved in a team orders controversy at the same event last year when Massa declined to follow a request to let Bottas past to attack Jenson Button's McLaren for sixth.

But this year it allowed them to resolve their battle between themselves.

"It was really good to get the green light from the team to allow us to race," said Bottas.

"It was hard and fair. In the end there was no contact.

"In any situation, I think they can trust us that we can race hard but fair. That is nice."

Williams's performance chief Rob Smedley said it would be wrong to put limits on intra-team racing.

"We are not going to stop them racing," he said.

"It has to be clean, they have to not jeopardise any points for the team, but they are two great drivers, two professional drivers.

"They give each other a lot of respect and just enough room to race.

"It was good wheel to wheel racing, it's good for Formula 1 and we're not going to stop them doing it."

Massa said he had raced Bottas more carefully as they were team-mates, but he felt he had little chance of retaining his position anyway.

"I tried to fight but I had two laps older tyres than him," he said.

"I was fighting to keep my position but I had no tyres to fight.

"We race but you have to take care because if you have two cars out on the last lap of the race it would be not nice."

[MIKA27]

Force India wary of F1 becoming too harsh with collision penalties

Formula 1 must be wary of reverting to a harsher stance on collision penalties says Force India's Bob Fernley, after both his drivers were penalised at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Last year the FIA decided to show more lenience over driving standards investigations from the British Grand Prix onwards.

Both Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez were given 10-second penalties in quick succession during last Sunday's Sepang F1 race after tangles with Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean respectively, with both drivers feeling the stewards had been excessive.

While Fernley emphasised that Force India accepted the stewards' ruling, he said the decision appeared to be a throwback to the previous rules position.

"It's difficult because I can't see all the data," Fernley said.

"You need to look at all the angles the stewards can look at and I think we have to abide by the decisions of the stewards at the end of the day, because they are operating Formula 1.

"But some time ago we looked at it from the point of view that unless it was a blatant or dangerous manoeuvre, we would try to give the benefit of the doubt to racing incidents.

"I just think we have to be careful we don't go back to where we were.

"But equally, we accept fully the decision of the stewards.

"Let's just not air on the side of caution too much and let them race a bit because that's part of the excitement of racing."

Grosjean strongly criticised Perez's driving over team radio after their contact, which happened as the Lotus completed an outside-line pass on the Force India.

Fernley felt Perez had little option in the situation he was in.

"It's a fast corner, Romain was going around the outside, Checo [Perez] was obviously having difficulties in the corner," said Fernley.

"I'm not sure there were a lot of places for Checo to go. I didn't see it as necessarily dangerous.

"It was a strong move from Grosjean, I don't think Checo had a lot of room and it is what it is."

Perez suggested that he would raise his concerns over his Malaysia penalty with the FIA.

"I think we have to try to do something on that but it won't change anything," he said.

[MIKA27]

ARRIVABENE MOVED BY VETTEL AND SCHUMACHER SIMILARITIES

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene revealed that he became emotional when he witnessed the striking similarities between Sebastian Vettel and the sport’s (and Maranello’s) most successful driver Michael Schumacher.

Speaking to Italian media after a triumphant weekend in Malaysia, Arrivabene said, “When I noticed it for the first time. I was very emotional.”

“They have different natures, different personalities,” said Arrivabene, “but the way Sebastian approaches his work – delving into every detail of how he can motivate everyone and criticise constructively – reminds me of Michael.”

“Both share the same cultural background and this perfectionism, which they have brought to Ferrari,” added the Ferrari team boss.

TEXT MESSAGE FROM SCHUMI CAMP MADE ARRIVABENE CRY

A text message sent from Michael Schumacher’s home in Switzerland reduced Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene to tears after the Malaysian grand prix.

After a tumultuous period for the great Italian marque, seven time world champion and Ferrari legend Schumacher’s protege Sebastian Vettel broke through with a landmark and emotional win.

But Arrivabene, who worked with Ferrari during the Schumacher era as an executive for the team sponsor Marlboro, said he felt in control of his emotions after Vettel’s win.

“I was trying all the time to stay cool,” the Italian told Sport Bild. “But then a text message made me cry.”

The German magazine said the text was from Sabine Kehm, Schumacher’s manager, who had reportedly watched the Sepang race at the house of her 46-year-old client, and at the side of Schumacher’s wife Corinna.

Schumacher suffered brain damage in a skiing fall late in 2013, and has not been seen publicly since.

[MIKA27]

FERRARI AND PIRELLI BACK MONZA TO STAY ON F1 CALENDAR

Automobile Club of Milan chief Ivan Capelli said he is hopeful his negotiations with Ecclestone set for Monaco next month will bear fruit, with regards to the future of the Italian Grand Prix at the legendary Monza circuit.

“I have already won the support of Pirelli in the talks with Bernie,” revealed Capelli, a former F1 driver.

As for Ferrari, there have been suggestions the powerful Italian marque is not so supportive of Monza, as it would prefer to host the race itself at Mugello.

But Capelli is adamant that this is not the case and said, “I talked with [Maurizio] Arrivabene in Australia and he said that his table is clear. Maurizio is an honest person and I believe him.”

[MIKA27]

Keep 'essential' European races

Sir Jackie Stewart has urged Formula 1's powers that be to "respect the sport's heritage" and keep the traditional European races on the calendar.

Germany won't feature for the first time since 1960 this year after the German Grand Prix was dropped as "the CRH [commercial rights holder] and promoter did not reach agreement".

Only Britain, Italy and Monaco remain of the so-called traditional races as the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours was axed after the 2008 season.

Italy's future is also not secure as commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone is yet to agree a new deal beyond the 2016 season with promoters, adding that "whatever goes, goes" in terms of European races.

Stewart, though, says the "essential" races should always remain on the calendar.

"That sounds like me being a purist," he is quoted as saying by the Associated Press. "But you have to respect history.

"They should always be on the calendar - it’s terrific we have a US Grand Prix, a Brazilian Grand Prix, one in Bahrain, and that we are going to new countries. But you still have to respect your heritage."

[MIKA27]

FERRARI VERSUS MERCEDES HOSTILITIES RESUME IN SHANGHAI

In the aftermath of a surprise result in the Malaysian Grand Prix, Formula 1 2015 is shaping up for a Mercedes versus Ferrari battle in 2015.

Mercedes were surprised to have been beaten to the chequered flag by Ferrari ‘new boy’ Sebastian Vettel at Sepang, and now the gloves are off for the ‘return match’ in China.

Boss Toto Wolff said the “wake-up call” will speed up technical developments and trigger a strategy re-think.

His colleague Paddy Lowe agrees: “It is now clearer than ever that there is serious competition for this world championship”.

Ferrari is also vowing to keep the pressure on as technical director James Allison told Sport Bild, “We have some aerodynamic improvements coming and we will bring them to the car as quickly as possible. The aerodynamic regulations are still young, so there is a lot of potential.”

Ferrari has undoubtedly made a step forward with its car in 2015, but others see the biggest gain in the area of the Italian marque’s ‘power unit’.

“The two teams that have taken the biggest leap are (Ferrari-powered) Ferrari and Sauber,” Williams’ engineering boss Rob Smedley is quoted by Spain’s El Confidencial.

Also getting a lot of credit, however, are technical boss Allison and quadruple world champion Vettel. Allison, however, played down any comparison to the great technical brain of the Schumacher era, Ross Brawn.

“I have won exactly zero world titles,” he told Auto Motor und Sport, before joking: “Ross won several million.”

As for Vettel, his former mentor Helmut Marko said Malaysia was the perfect rejoinder to those who thought the German can only win in a Red Bull.

“Last year, Sebastian simply could not use all of his little tricks with our car, but with this Ferrari he can use them again,” Marko told Sport Bild. “He never forgot how to drive.”