FORMULA 1 - 2015

[Orion21]

^^^^ A nice healthy ego coming from a driver who has done nothing and has a website dedicated to the timing between his crashes. If it weren't for the money that comes with him from Venezuela how long do you think he remains in an F1 seat? 1 second? Maybe 1/4 of a second?

[MIKA27]

^^^^ A nice healthy ego coming from a driver who has done nothing and has a website dedicated to the timing between his crashes. If it weren't for the money that comes with him from Venezuela how long do you think he remains in an F1 seat? 1 second? Maybe 1/4 of a second?

I'd love to see him go, such a bad driver

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AMERICA, ENTERTAINMENT AND FORMULA 1

When the Formula One circus hits America, it always makes an interesting cocktail. Probably the biggest differentiator between the development of motorsport on either side of the Atlantic is the attitude to the paying public. In Europe, racing was principally competition between the competitors, whereas in North America it was all about putting on a race as a show and creating entertainment.

In 1905, while helping friends racing in France, Indiana entrepreneur Carl Fisher noticed that Europeans held the upper hand in automobile design and craftsmanship. He came to the conclusion that for America to catch up, it needed to provide a better means of testing cars before delivery to their customers. American racing was just getting started on horse tracks and occasionally on public roads.

However these venues were not really suited to either racing or car testing. In addition, Fisher also believed that spectators didn’t receive their money’s worth from an infrequent glance of a hell-bent competitor racing past during a 50 mile open-road race.

Fisher proposed building a circular track with smooth wide racing surfaces. A facility which would provide manufacturers an opportunity to test cars at sustained speeds and give drivers a place to learn how to maintain control at the limit. Fisher knew he was literally on the right track after visiting the Brooklands circuit in the UK, which opened in 1907.

Seeing the steeply banked 4.4 kms pear-shaped course cemented his determination to develop his dream. With dozens of carmakers and suppliers in Indiana, a dual-purpose track would be ideal for testing, plus would also be the perfect venue for demonstrating a car’s strengths to the buying public through racing. This lead to building the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the home of the famous Indy 500.

In fact the Indy 500 between 1950 to 1960 was actually part of the Formula One World Championship, even though none of the Indy drivers raced in Formula One and of the F1 drivers only Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari raced in the 500 in 1952. Five time world champion Juan Fangio practiced at the Speedway in 1958, but ultimately decided against racing there.

The American Grand Prix over the years has had a range of venues. For many years the Grand Prix was held at Watkins Glen in New York State which has the longest hosting record of any American Formula One race in history.

Long Beach was and still is street race held in a suburb of Los Angeles. It became a Formula One event in 1976 and now is a poplar venue for Indycars. I went to the final F1 event in 1983 before joining McLaren, where John Watson’s won for McLaren having started from 22nd on the grid.

In Las Vegas the track was laid out in the parking lot of the Caesars Palace hotel and has been described as one of the worst circuits Formula One has ever visited!

In 1982, the U.S. became the first and only country to host three World Championship Grands Prix in one season. In addition to Long Beach and Las Vegas, the event was held in Detroit, on a street course encompassing the Renaissance Centre, the current headquarters of General Motors.

When the USA Grand Prix went to Phoenix in June 1989 it was approaching the hottest part of the year, so it was ironic that the race was sponsored by Iceberg! The street circuit in Phoenix never attracted a large crowd and it was rumoured that a local ostrich race attracted a larger crowd than for the Grand Prix!

On the track the tension between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna was intensifying. Alain was becoming increasingly convinced that Ayrton was receiving better engines from Honda, claiming that he had more speed on the straight. Whilst the collection of car data through the telemetry was in its early stages, especially when compared to today, I do remember having it explained to me at the time that the reason Ayrton was quicker on the straight was that he was quicker coming out of the corners!

That weekend also showed me a demonstration of the more gentler side of Ayrton. As it was the American Grand Prix, there were a number of Marlboro promotional activities for the drivers to do with senior executives and guests. Whilst Ayrton was never a great fan of going to these functions, once there he always performed well, albeit with one eye on the clock ready to make an early exit. On this particular occasion we had two Marlboro functions back to back, but held at opposite ends of the hotel, the luxurious Phoenician Resort.

My job was to make sure that Ayrton went to both. After the first function the two of us walked through the vast empty corridors of this huge hotel. Suddenly we became aware of a young girl coming towards us. Now the awareness and interest in F1 in Phoenix was not great, but this lady was a fan and most particularly a fan of Ayrton and to come face to face with him in a hotel corridor left her speechless. Much as she wanted to converse with her hero, she was frozen to the spot, with tears welling up in her eyes.

This is when you saw the very gentle and humble side of Ayrton. Seeing the state she was in, he put his arms around her, calmed her down and gave her his autograph. As we walked away onto the function, she still remained frozen to the spot, but with a great big smile on her face!

Then the was the return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but this time to a purpose built section on the infield through the golf course, which then rejoined a couple of the sections of the oval speedway, but going in the opposite direction to regular speedway use.

Trying to educate the guests about Formula One tended to be a challenge, especially as the Indy cars, which normally raced on the ovals, looked very similar and actually had a faster top speed. Therefore we had to emphasise the technology and sophistication of F1 and we did this through putting on a show for the sponsors which took place downtown in the Artsgarden, which was a huge glass auditorium which straddled over two of the main roads.

The first year in 2000 we used the hugely impressive Cirque du Soleil who astounded the audience with their breathtaking acts, to illustrate such aspects as precision and teamwork.

The second year had a much more sombre atmosphere as the race took place two weeks after the horrendous tragedy of the collapsing of the Twin Towers in New York on September 11th. For many days there was intense speculation as to whether the race would actually take place, especially as many companies in the immediate aftermath forbade their employees to travel by airplane.

In the end the decision was taken that to cancel the race would actually be giving in to the wishes of the terrorists, so the race did take place, but to a much reduced audience. This to had an impact on our event at the Artsgarden.

We still went ahead and Ron Dennis gave a very moving welcome speech, describing the impact it had on him watching the demolition of the Twin Towers on TV and comparing the powerful emotion he also felt when seen the first man on the moon – one negative and one positive.

The race in 2001 also marked the end of the F1 chapters for quite a few people, including TV commentator Murray Walker, McLaren Team Co-ordinator Jo Ramirez and also myself. It was also the final race victory for Mika Hakkinen.

It was my job to interview Mika on stage in front of the guests and my final question to him was what were his tactics for the race: “Basically, at the start I am going to be in the lead for the first corner, and I am going to stay there until the chequered flag!”

Typical Mika, forthright and to the point. And he did exactly that!

Viewing motorsport as entertainment is highly topical in Formula One these days and in some areas it is at odds with the purists. Whether you support the “artificial” devices such as DRS or not, apart from the silver cars frequently disappearing into the distance, F1 racing further down the field is arguably the best it has been in years. Lots of dicing and not to many retirements.

Entertainment is key for the American audience. In NASCAR the promotors essentially have a contract with the spectators that ensures that as many as possible of the 43 starters actually finish the race, which is why the prize fund is allocated at various sections throughout the race. Therefore, you can understand the strong negative reaction of the American spectators in the stands with the debacle of only six cars actually starting the Formula One United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis in 2005!

Formula One has now found a new home in Austin, Texas and it seems that F1 has been warmly embraced at the Circuit of the Americas. In many ways people compare it to the wonderful embracing atmosphere of Adelaide for the Australia Grand Prix. The contrast was always that in Adelaide the Grand Prix was the THE event, whereas when it moved to Melbourne it became AN event.

Whilst America does not at the moment have a homegrown hero (with apologies to Alex Rossi) they do seem to have partially adopted Lewis Hamilton, with whom there seems to be a mutual admiration.

Going into the American Grand Prix Lewis is 66 points clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and 73 ahead of his own team mate Nico Rosberg with four races remaining. The points gulf make it conceivable that the 30-year-old could well join the elite club of triple world champions, provided he wins in Austin, and Vettel fails to take second place.

Now that could be a winning combination for all concerned!

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GROSJEAN: I BROKE MY SEAT IN SOCHI CRASH

Lotus Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean revealed on Friday that the force of his Russian Grand Prix crash last weekend was so strong it broke his seat.

The Frenchman, who is leaving Lotus at the end of the season to join the new U.S-owned Haas F1 team, said his escape without injury after hitting the barriers in Sochi was a testament to Formula One’s safety levels.

“I’m feeling pretty good, especially considering the force of the impact: I broke my seat,” he said in a team preview for next week’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Team technical director Nick Chester said initial investigations had not indicated anything broke on the car before the accident.

“It looks like Romain was maybe a little bit close to the McLaren and lost some downforce, running out of grip effectively,” he said.

“The car stood up well to the impact. The right hand side of the car suffered the damage — front and rear suspension right hand side, the nose, the rear wing, crash structure.

“We haven’t seen anything, however, that should stop us getting the car back together (for Austin),” added Chester, whose team have been struggling for cash but are hoping to be taken over by Renault.

Deputy principal Federico Gastaldi said there was a mood of optimism for the future.

“There’s an underlying confidence and strengthening resolve at Enstone (the factory) as we have a positive outlook for the future, all of which will become evident before too long,” added the Argentine.

“There’s no point dancing faster than the music, but our dancing shoes are being polished in readiness.”

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WEHRLEIN: I WANT TO BE IN FORMULA 1

Two important meetings that will determine the racing career of highly rated Pascal Wehrlein’s in are on the cards, and his priority for 2016 is simply a race seat in Formula 1.

The first is this weekend at Hockenheim, where the young German will blow out the candles on his 21st birthday cake and charge to become the youngest champion in the history of the German touring car series DTM.

After that, it seems Wehrlein is destined for the F1 grid in 2016. He is the cream of Mercedes’ driver development programme, already the reigning double world champion team’s F1 reserve and strongly linked with a newly Mercedes-powered Manor seat next season.

That will mean farewell to DTM.

“If that was the case, on one hand it would be a shame,” Wehrlein told DPA news agency. “Especially as this year has been so much fun with the team — and successful too.

“On the other hand, I want to be in formula one and I will do everything to make it happen,” he added.

But as match point in the DTM finale looms this weekend, it seems Wehrlein has already done everything that Mercedes chief Toto Wolff asked of him in 2015. After Hockenheim, a crucial meeting with Wolff will take place.

Wehrlein confirmed: “We will discuss what options there are and what would be the best for me. But it may well be that we decide to go for another year of DTM.”

Wehrlein announced his arrivalon the F1 scene in September 2014, when it was announced that he would be reserve driver for the Mercedes F1 Team.

Thereafter he took part in preseason testing in Barcelona, driving for both Force India and Mercedes.

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RAIKKONEN NOT THINKING BEYOND 2016

Kimi Raikkonen has not ruled out extending his stay in Formula 1 even beyond the end of 2016, and is adamant that he is not thinking beyond the end of next season.

Earlier, the popular Finn’s future beyond this season was clouded as Ferrari reportedly considered replacing him with Williams’ Valtteri Bottas.

35-year-old Raikkonen, however, was ultimately re-signed, and the 2007 world champion has now indicated he might also be interested in extending his F1 career even beyond his fourteenth consecutive campaign next year.

“I don’t know,” he told Sky Italia. “I have a contract for at least one more year. What happens beyond that remains to be seen.”

And Raikkonen also will not rule out staying at Ferrari in a non-racing role even after his career ends, perhaps akin to how Michael Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella remained affiliated beyond retirement.

“I’ve been with Ferrari a long time,” said the 20-time grand prix winner, who has also raced for Sauber, McLaren and Lotus. “Maybe that possibility opens up, but I do not make the decision now.”

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LAUDA SLAMS SAUBER OVER EU COMPLAINT

Niki Lauda has slammed Sauber after the Swiss team filed a complaint about F1’s governance with the European Commission.

Sauber chief Monisha Kaltenborn, backed by the Silverstone based team Force India, argues that Bernie Ecclestone unfairly divided the sport into ‘privileged’ and ‘non-privileged’ teams in the areas of income and rule-making.

F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda, however, has no sympathy for Kaltenborn.

“The problem is that for years Sauber never managed to come over the hurdle of building a competitive car that can compete with the top teams,” he told the Swiss weekly Handelszeitung.

Force India has also joined Sauber’s official complaint to the European Commission, but Lauda focused his attack on the Hinwil based team and Kaltenborn.

“Monisha Kaltenborn has her own way of leading a team,” said the great Austrian. “There have in my view been quite a few inconsistencies that were close to the limit.

“If drivers who have paid cannot race, or their cars are confiscated before the grand prix, that is just stupid,” Lauda charged, obviously referring to the Giedo van der Garde affair.

He is particularly scathing, however, of the European complaint, “Sauber is part of a racing community, they signed the Concorde Agreement where everything is regulated to the last detail and then they say: This is suddenly not valid. I don’t understand the reasoning.”

“In formula one there have always been the teams that win and the teams who are behind. Like every other sport,” Lauda argued.

“It cannot be that a team that is steadily accumulating debt then suddenly as a last resort brings the whole system into question. Everyone is responsible for himself. Sauber should fight first against their own inabilities,” he said.

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McLaren F1 team didn't want to hold Kevin Magnussen back

Ron Dennis says McLaren chose not to renew reserve driver Kevin Magnussen's Formula 1 deal because it did not want to hamper his chances of a race seat elsewhere.

As Autosport revealed on Thursday, Magnussen will leave the Woking-based outfit at the end of the year, with new GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne set to take on reserve duties.

Earlier this month, Magnussen's hopes of a McLaren race seat in 2016 were ended when Jenson Button was confirmed alongside Fernando Alonso.

Magnussen has been linked with a race seat at Lotus, alongside Pastor Maldonado, and Manor, which currently has two vacant seats.

"Evidently, we have no space for him at McLaren-Honda as a race driver next year, but there is no shame in being edged out by two world champions, Fernando and Jenson," said McLaren chairman Dennis.

"We wish Kevin well, and will do all we can to help him successfully embark on the next chapter of his racing career."

McLaren supported Magnussen through his Formula 3 and Formula Renault 3.5 campaigns, and he was elevated to a race seat in place of Sergio Perez for 2014 after winning the previous year's FR3.5 title.

He started well with second on his debut in the Australian GP, but was demoted to reserve duties when Alonso returned for 2015.

"Kevin has always done a very impressive and professional job for McLaren in the five years since he joined our young driver programme in 2010," Dennis added.

"In 2014 he raced very well alongside Jenson, who is a hugely experienced and very quick world champion.

"Kevin's grand prix debut in Melbourne last year was rewarded with a podium that day that he, and we, can be justifiably proud of.

"Kevin has continued to work hard for us in 2015, supporting Fernando and Jenson, although he was understandably frustrated not to be racing.

"He is extremely keen to return to racing next year, and, in keeping with our tradition with our young drivers, we will not stand in the way of his ability to fulfil his ambition and potential.

"He is a very talented racing driver, and he deserves to have a Formula 1 career, as Jenson has publicly said."

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HAMILTON: I SEE MY BACKGROUND AS A STRENGTH

Reigning Formula 1 world champion gave an insightful interview to Russian TV presenter Sophie Shevardnadze where he spoke of his early days in the sport, his first world title, the current generation drivers he admires and F1 rules.

Do you feel the advantage, because you had it harder and you had to overcome more obstacles to get where you are right now?

LH: I see it is a strength and I see it as an advantage. It was, definitely, difficult for us and the family. My dad had four jobs at one stage just to keep me go karting, and, we went into a sport… it was ultimately white-dominated sport, so to get in, we had to put in work.

So was it your dream to do that?

LH: It was my dream to be racing driver, yeah. My dad sacrificed everything, absolutely everything, to make sure that food was on table but also so that I could drive… such an expensive sport, so… You do see, sometimes, there are drivers that may have talent, but others surpass them because they have more financial backing rather than a talent to come through. So, I was very fortunate that I was able to come through. I think, today, to get that harder as a kid, driving a car that was slightly worse than other kids had, enabled me to be champion that I am today.

When you won the title the first time did you even understand the caliber of what was going on?

LH: I did not. 2008 was my second year and I really wasn’t… I wasn’t able to enjoy, I didn’t really understand what the hell has just happened. I don’t know why, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did last year. I was 29 and I was able to just absorb it, enjoy the fruits of my family’s labor and my own, so…it was a great feeling.

You’re often compared to Ayrton Senna – the way, you drive, you’re a star, you’re rough and tough – who is your Alain Prost, you would say? Is there such person out there?

LH: I would imagine someone like… I think, Alonso, is, probably. It might be Alonso, it might be Sebastian – those two are exceptional drivers, with whom I’m looking forward at some stage racing close up.

F1 has had epic battles between Prost and Senna, and Schumacher and Villeneuve – you don’t really see that much anymore. Why do you think that is?

LH: It’s difficult in Formula 1, because every team builds [their] own car, and every team starts at different time in terms of development, every team has different budget, and it is how you interpret the rules. One year, the team will interpret the rules the right way, and it happens to get off on the right foot, like Red Bull did a couple of years ago, Ferrari did many years ago, McLaren did also, and last year, we got it from the right foot with these new rules, and it’s difficult for others to catch up, because you’re constantly developing through the years, so… which is a shame. But you know, there are times when you do get to see battles. Ferrari has been very quick at some races this year, so… but overall, we come up with a better package and myself and Nico did at our best, because, naturally, you’d want to win the World Championship, so…

What would you change in Formula One rules? Bernie Ecclestone’s not happy with the current Formula One rulebook…

LH: I don’t know… he’s done pretty well for himself and for the sport. We wouldn’t be here today without his genius. I think, I guess, Formula One needs to be more accessible, particularly for the fans, more engaging with fans. In terms of racing, we need to make cars that, the car in front has the best air force, the car behind has slightly less, and further more, but if they give us more mechanical grip, maybe we ought to have more… If you ever seen a golf cart race, they go around like this, and they have lots of overtaking, because they don’t have aerodynamics, it’s just mechanical grip – so I think, at some stage, we’re going to do some changes for 2017, where perhaps we can start getting close ad have more racing – that’s what makes wheel-to-wheel racing, where you see people touching almost, but making it through.

What comes next to you? I mean, you can’t be race car driver all your life, and that’s, like adrenalin rush that you get there, you don’t get anywhere. Have you though what you’re going to do afterwards, and not kill yourself from boredom?

LH: No, true. I try to keep myself energized doing lots of different things. I’m very-very open-minded, I do all sports I can possibly do outside, I ride bikes, I ride buggies, I do hiking, rock-climbing, so I don’t know… nothing, will, perhaps ever come close to what Formula 1 car feels like, but there’s so much more to do in the world, and there’s not enough time for us all. So, for me, it’s really about exploring. I think, I’m in a fortunate position to get back to kids, so that’s something I would want to do, whether it’s create an opportunity in racing, or whether it’s music or football..

Would you like your son to be a race car driver?

LH: If he’s driving and he’s good at it, then, of course I will do everything as my father did.

You’ve said: “If I weren’t a race car driver, I would probably be a soccer player”. Do you think you’d be just as successful, would you be like Messi?

LH: No, no, I was never that good. He’s pretty amazing, but, to be honest, I would have tried to be a soccer player, but I don’t think I would’ve been top soccer player, like, that awesome player, but… I don’t know I would probably follow in the family’s business: IT or something like that.

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Wolff: Still time for third cars

As Formula 1 awaits news on Red Bull and Toro Rosso, Toto Wolff says there is still time to get everything into place should Mercedes have to field a third car.

At present neither Red Bull Racing nor Toro Rosso have confirmed engine deals for next season as both teams, owned by Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, opted to end their Renault contracts a year early.

Ferrari have reportedly offered to supply Toro Rosso with engines but none of F1's current engine manufactures are keen to power Red Bull.

This has led to concerns that Red Bull could quit Formula 1, taking junior team Toro Rosso out of the mix as well.

Should that happen the 2016 grid would be down to 18 cars which means if another team falls by the wayside and the grid drops below 18 cars, Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are all contracted to race a third car.

Asked whether it was too late in the game to do that, Wolff told Autosport: "No. The question is about how to finance the additional car, but logistically, it is possible.

"We have crunched the numbers and I wouldn't want to quote them officially, but all the teams were asked to look at the numbers a while ago and it is all pretty similar, so financially viable."

The Mercedes motorsport chief also believes third cars would be good for Formula 1 as a whole as it would open the door for young drivers to race.

"It would enable the smaller teams to place drivers and raise revenue by having them in the car. It would give teams more TV exposure and more media coverage with having a third car.

"Also, it would give young drivers the chance of driving in a competitive car in a competitive environment, stepping up from junior categories. We haven't seen many young drivers getting into Formula 1 recently, apart from through the Red Bull programme.

"There are many boys out there who deserve to be in Formula 1, and this [third cars] would be a good solution, a good possibility of benchmarking them against the very best."

In fact in an ideal Formula 1 world, Wolff would welcome Red Bull and Toro Rosso staying in the sport and the teams still running three cars.

"It is important for the sport teams like Red Bull and Toro Rosso stay in Formula 1, not only to make up the numbers but because the brand is very important to Formula 1. But you're responsible for your destiny, each of us.

"If it were the case some high-level people in Red Bull decided to pull out, a contingency plan would be to have three cars, so I don't see a scenario of having 18 cars being realistic.

"Now whether it is with Red Bull or without, I would rather have third cars and a grid of 26 or 28 cars in Formula 1."

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Force India ‘full of energy and optimism’

Still enthused by Sergio Perez's Sochi podium, Force India head to Austin full of "energy and optimism" for the upcoming United States GP.

Perez claimed Force India's first top-three result of this season when he raced to third at the Russian Grand Prix.

It was a fantastic result for the midfield team, who further extended their advantage over Lotus in the battle for fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

Team principal Vijay Mallya said: "We travel to Austin full of energy and optimism following Checo's fantastic podium in Sochi. The car was strong, our strategy was good, and Checo didn't put a wheel wrong.

"You could see from our post-race celebrations just how much the result meant to everyone in the team and it's a welcome reward for everybody’s hard work this year. It's very satisfying to get some more silverware for our trophy cabinet at Silverstone.

"Over the winter I said that the target was to achieve podiums in 2015. That may have seemed like an over-optimistic objective, but ever since the introduction of the b-spec car I knew that we had the potential to do something special.

"We may have had a little good fortune in Sochi, but I believe you make your own luck and we worked hard to seize the opportunity and bring the result home."

The Indian businessman believes Perez's podium will ignite the "healthy competition" between the Mexican racer and his team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

The duo, who will continue with the team into 2016, are ninth and 11th in the Drivers' standings with Perez 16 points ahead of his team-mate.

"There is a lot of positive energy in the team at the moment. We've confirmed both Nico and Sergio for next year and that continuity is important for us. They are very closely matched and they push each other hard. I believe that having healthy competition within the team is a good thing and will help drive the team even further forward."

Looking ahead to the United States Grand Prix, Mallya is hoping Force India can keep the momentum going.

He added: "The next race in Austin is one of my favourites. They always put on a great event and the fans show lots of enthusiasm for our sport. Luck wasn't on our side there last year, but there is every reason to believe we can be competitive this year and build on the momentum from Sochi."

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Kvyat: COTA is a beauty

Daniil Kvyat is relishing his second grand prix at the Circuit of the Americas, hoping this season he has a better luck.

Next weekend Formula 1 heads to Austin for round 16 of the 2015 World Championship.

The grand prix takes place at one of F1's newer circuits but it is already one of the favourites amongst the drivers as Kvyat can attest to.

Asked whether he felt the layout made the track a "beauty" or a "beast", he replied: "The first one. I really like racing at COTA; the track is really good.

"It has a lot of high-speed corners, heavy braking, long straights, a bit of everything really, so it's great for racing, very enjoyable.

"Sector One is exciting. There are a lot of high-speed changes of direction. It's kind of like Maggots-Becketts at Silverstone and it feels great through there in an F1 car.

"The circuit also has a lot of changes of elevation, which is something I think every driver appreciates. It's a good track."

The Austin track holds good memories for the Russian driver as it was in Texas that he made his grand prix weekend debut in 2013 as Toro Rosso gave him track time ahead of his debut season.

"I made my F1 debut there and that was a big moment in my career," he said.

His first race, though, did not pan out as he had hoped as Kvyat, who qualified P14, was classied 15th and a full lap down on the race winner.

"The race last year was I would say unlucky in that we had really good pace but I had to pit for a vibration with the tyre after overtaking Kimi, but yes, I have very positive memories of the circuit."

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Ecclestone comes to Blatter’s defence

Formula 1 chief Bernie Ecclestone does not believe that FIFA president Sepp Blatter should have stepped down despite being caught up in a corruption scandal.

Blatter is currently suspended pending a criminal investigation in relation to a payment he made to Michel Platini in 2011. Blatter's 17-year long reign at the helm of FIFA will end in February.

Football's governing body is currently caught in a wide-ranging corruption scandal that has resulted in criminal investigations in the United States and Switzerland. Despite this, Ecclestone feels Blatter should not be removed from his post.

"I don’t think he should have ever stepped down, and I don’t think he should have ever been challenged, because it’s because of him we have a lot of countries around the world that are now playing football," he said in an interview with Russian TV channel RT.

"And if these people allegedly have been corrupted to make things happen in their country, it’s good. It’s a tax football had to pay."

Ecclestone is no stranger to controversy, having faced bribery allegations in a German court last year. The Briton would pay a US$100million settlement in order to avoid a long trial and preserve his innocence.

The 84-year-old has never been shy to make controversial comments, and has once again opened himself up to criticism by saying that: “I don’t think there’s any place for democracy, first of all.”

He added: “I think, if you can get people to, more or less, fall in line with what you’re trying to do and support you, then it seems like democracy.”

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Webber laments lack of F1 ‘heroes and gladiators’

Mark Webber has once again bemoaned the state that Formula 1 finds itself in, saying the sport lacks characters as everything can be engineered.

With Mercedes dominating since the start of the 2014 season, many have described the sport as expensive and boring with its popularity waning in recent years.

Some believe the tracks are not challenging enough, some are upset about the lack of noise from the V6 engines, some moan about fuel saving and tyres while others feel drivers are more like robots.

In an interview with Speedweek, former Red Bull driver Webber lamented that "today's F1 doesn't feature characters anymore".

He added: "It no longer inspires the fans. The public wants heroes and gladiators, but F1 no longer provides those.

"You buy a ticket for 500 Euros and you can see Lewis Hamilton exit from the corner. Then comes the GP2 and Mitch Evans travels at the same speed from the curve as Hamilton. But nobody wants to pay 500 Euros for that."

"When someone like me who was part of the action for quite some time don't understand the sport anymore, then how is your regular Joe supposed to understand what's going on?"

Webber's former team Red Bull as well as Toro Rosso are facing an uncertain future as they still don't have a power unit supplier for the 2016 season and they have threatened to quit the sport if they don't find a fast and reliable engine.

The Australian hopes they are on the grid, even if they don't have a great engine.

"The guillotine is already set up, but I hope it does not fall. I hope Red Bull will remain in Formula 1," he said. "Maybe the solution for 2016 won't be great for next year's Championship, but at least both teams will be on the grid. Who will be the engine partner? I have no idea.

"The biggest problem is time, because it is putting Red Bull in a difficult situation. I feel for Dietrich Mateschitz as there is nothing worse when the situation is not in your hands."

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Rossi: No extra pressure in Austin

Alexander Rossi insists there will be no extra pressure on him at his home race the United States GP.

The American finally made his Formula 1 debut with Manor at the Singapore Grand Prix as he replaced Roberto Merhi while he had second outing in Japan the following week.

After making way for Merhi in Russia, Rossi will be back in the cockpit of the MR03 at the next three races in Austin, Mexico and Brazil.

Of course, next weekend's race at the Circuit of the Americas will be very special as it will be the first time an American competes on home soil since 2007 when Scott Speed lined up for Toro Rosso in Indianapolis.

"To represent my country at our home Grand Prix is an honour, privilege and a responsibility that I do not take lightly," he said in a Q&A with the Circuit of the Americas.

"COTA is one of my favourite circuits as it has the perfect mix of many great European circuits. I've only tested at COTA, so I'm really looking forward to my first time racing on it.

"There isn't really any extra pressure than at any other round. You learn to deal with pressure and compartmentalise it as part of being a racing driver.

"It's not a distraction – since go-karts, every race I take part in is a pressure cooker, but that's what we do.

"We're used to this and I'm very clear on what my role is and what is reasonably achievable at this stage of my career, so that mitigates the pressure.

"Simply put, I'm extremely proud to be an American racing in F1 and hopefully giving the US fans more to engage with, within F1 and the sport itself.

"My real focus is doing my job, improving and learning each day, while racing at the pinnacle of motorsport, whether it's Austin, or Singapore."

His big dream remains to have a permanent race seat on the Formula 1 grid for 2016.

"It’s important that I’m racing full time in F1 for 2016. This is well underway and moving in the right direction," he said.

"For the next few weeks my focus is doing a great job for the Manor Marussia F1 Team and Racing Engineering as both championships come to a close.

"I have complete faith in the team around me and our efforts leading into 2016, but through November I’m laser focused on the tasks at hand."

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Vettel doubted himself during tough 2014 season

Sebastian Vettel has admitted that he doubted his talent during his final season with Red Bull, one that saw him overshadowed by team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

The German was outscored by 71 points as Ricciardo went on to win three races in his debut season with the Milton Keynes team - making him the only non-Mercedes driver to win a race that year.

Meanwhile Vettel struggled, scoring just four podium finishes, leading to his shock departure for Ferrari.

When asked if he had self-doubts that year, he told the official Formula 1 website: "Yes, I did – and I am not ashamed to admit it. Everybody doubts himself at one point or another.

"For sure, 2014 was not a nice season. I was not performing the way I wanted to perform – and if that happens it is more honest to show your feelings and not hide behind a fake smile."

He confirmed those doubts prompted him to switch teams and start from scratch with Ferrari, a relationship which has so far proven fruitful as he sits second in the Drivers' championship behind Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.

"About the same time last year I understood that it was time to move on. And the stage I am at now proved me right. I am very happy with how things worked out.

"Sure, when I joined Ferrari there was never any guarantee in terms of results, but now it is nice to know that we've exceeded all kinds of expectations, including mine – maybe."

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Smedley: Earlier 2016 start has a financial impact

An earlier start to the 2016 Formula 1 season will be a financial burden on constructors, according to Williams performance chief Rob Smedley.

F1’s governing body, the FIA, have released a new provisional calendar for 2016 with changes to the initially proposed start date.

The season opening Australian Grand Prix was originally scheduled for April 3, however the new provisional calendar has the Albert Park race pencilled in for March 20.

The change in start comes after calls to re-extend the summer break between the Hungarian and Belgian GP's to three weeks.

The earlier start has forced F1 teams to reconsider their winter programme, as the first pre-season test is now due to commence in Barcelona on February 22.

Whilst Smedley is in no doubt his team will be ready for the first test, the former Ferrari engineer believes that such changes will cause teams financial difficulties.

"It has an impact, there's no doubt about that," said Smedley.

"But we have rejigged all the plans now, we have sat down and looked at an operational plan to get us from this point to the first day of the first test.

"That plan was already done and under way and we've had to redo that. It's just going to be more costly for us.

"It won't make a difference to when everyone sees the new car or in what state the new car runs or how it runs in the first test or how it runs in Australia - those plans won't change.

"It'll just be more costly to us and all the other teams because you have to rejig your manufacturing plans because you don't want to change your design plans.

"You would subcontract some of it out, especially the composites and bodywork.

"We will probably be a little bit shorter on parts in the first test then we would like to be but that is just something we have to live with.

"You can't magic parts out of the air. We will probably get to first few days with less than operational quantities.

"The change has big ramifications."

MIKA: I don't get the issue when the Melbourne Grand Prix has always kicked off in March of every year...?

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Video: How Brembo tests its Formula 1 brakes

Formula 1 brakes must undergo extreme forces, extreme temperatures and operate almost continuously for two hours without failing - although that isn't always the case.

During a heavy braking race, such as the Singapore Grand Prix, drivers will be on the brakes more than 1,400 times, coming to an almost stop from 180mph, putting the driver through 5G of force.

The carbon brakes will experience temperatures of more than 1,000 celsius, therefore they must undergo extreme testing before F1 teams will allow them anywhere near their car.

But Brembo can't simply go testing with an F1 car to see if their new brakes work as expected, instead they use bench tests involving a high-speed drill and repeatedly clamp down on the brake disc to simulate the extremes of an F1 race.

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Top Sauber drivers name their favourite races ahead of team’s 400th appearance

Sauber will make its 400th appearance in a grand prix weekend at the United States Grand Prix next week.

The Swiss team entered Formula One in 1993, and competed as BMW Sauber between 2006 and 2010.

To commemorate the occasion, Sauber asked eight of its most famous former drivers to pick their favourite moments at the wheel of their cars:

Karl Wendlinger

Karl Wendlinger drove for Sauber until 1995

“In our first year in Formula One I was part of a great Sauber moment during the fourth race of the season in Imola. It was exciting as I started the race, surprisingly in P5, just behind Alain (Prost), Damon (Hill), Michael (Schumacher) and Ayrton (Senna).”

“Because of the rain, we started the race with more downforce and I was able to compete against Schumi and Gerhard (Berger). That was a great fight which I still remember well.”

“As the rain stopped shortly after the start, we then changed to slicks. On the straights we had way too much downforce and, therefore, less speed. Schumi was able to outstrip Aguri (Suzuki), but I couldn’t. Around ten laps before the end of the race I was in P4. Suddenly an engine failure stopped me. That’s why I will never forget these great fights and especially this race.”

Heinz-Harald Frentzen

“As a long-standing Sauber driver I was part of many highlights. My nicest memory was definitely finishing third at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza in 1995 – behind Johnny (Herbert) and Mika (Hakkinen).”

“For the Sauber F1 Team, as well as for me, it was the first podium in Formula One. We celebrated this landmark as if it was a victory. I remember this quite well: There were not only tears of joy, but also a lot of champagne flowing. That was very emotional – a superb moment, which can’t be forgotten.”

Johnny Herbert

“Actually there are many unforgettable moments with Sauber – too many good as well as some not so good memories. One moment was in 1997. We had many great races in this season. In Imola we started the race from P7 and were very strong, fighting against Williams and Ferrari for a podium. In the end we had to retire due to an electric failure.”

“There was also the race on the Hungaroring. This was a really nice moment. I only started from P10, but in the end Jacques (Villeneuve) Damon and myself were able to beat Michael after a great fight. That was terrific. A highlight.”

Nick Heidfeld

Heidfeld beat Alonso in Bahrain in 2007

“It was a relief to get the first podium in 2001 at the wet race in Sao Paulo, which was then followed by a beer shower afterwards. In the same year, together with Kimi (Raikkonen), we finished P4 in the constructors’ championship, which was a fantastic team success.”

“For me the 2007 season with BMW Sauber was exceptional. We were on the way to the top and the car suited my driving style well. I extracted the full potential from it and took every opportunity that came up for a top three result.”

“My highlight was one manoeuvre during the Bahrain Grand Prix when I managed to overtake Fernando (Alonso’s) car on the outside, we were wheel to wheel, right on the ragged edge. I have to admit that I watch this moment once in a while, and I am proud that I drove this BMW Sauber car.”

Felipe Massa

“My time at Sauber is special to me because it was the start of my Formula One career. Overall I spent three years there, living in Switzerland and learning a lot while in the car. We had some good results, and I was in the points in the second race of my first season.”

“My stand out moment was in Canada in 2005 when I finished fourth, but we had many good performances in the years I was there. I have many fond memories.”

Robert Kubica

Kubica scored his sole win for BMW Sauber

“I have great memories from my time at Sauber. One of the most important is surely my first ever podium in Formula One, which I celebrated in Monza 2006 together with BMW-Sauber. I finished in P3 at my third race as a Formula One driver, after being promoted by the team from a reserve to race driver. I believe that this third place was an important achievement for my future career. It also showed the potential of the car at that time.”

“My victory at the Canadian Grand Prix two years later in 2008 is definitely a moment to remember forever, not only for myself but also for the team.”

Kamui Kobayashi

“My Sauber moment was in 2012 when I achieved my first podium ever at my home race in Suzuka. This is one of the greatest memories in my life. Finishing in P3 and standing on the podium in front of my fans was amazing.”

“After the nuclear catastrophe in Fukushima in 2011, it was a very difficult time for us. I cannot say that in one word, but this podium was a very special moment for me as well as for my fans. As a team we were fighting hard to make that happen. During my time at Sauber we had good as well as less good times, but overall we really enjoyed working together. We worked very hard and fought a lot. That is the most important. We always did our best.”

Sergio Perez

Perez almost won at Sepang in 2012

“I would like to congratulate Sauber on reaching the milestone of 400 races in Formula One. It was my first team, and together we celebrated some fantastic moments.”

“The highlight was my first podium in Malaysia in 2012, which was one of the best races in my career. I was able to push Fernando hard for the final few laps and the victory was almost within reach.”

“Then, later that year in Monza, we celebrated another second place. It was a day when everything came together and the car was working perfectly. I did a really good job of looking after the tyres and that helped me move up through the field after having started from P12. We had the pace to attack and I had some nice battles, but everybody was fair. And I was able to beat both Ferrari. It was just a very enjoyable race in Monza.”

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Ecclestone: F1 needs overhaul to cease being "engineers' championship"

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone thinks the time has come for a total rewrite of the sport's rules book to make it more exciting – claiming grand prix racing has now become an "engineers' championship".

In a lengthy joint interview with former FIA president Max Mosley conducted by German channel ZDF, both men have made it clear that they think F1 has diluted too much the role of the driver.

They believe the time has come for a wholesale rethink – either through totally new regulations or a strict enforcement of current rules to outlaw driver aids.

Ecclestone says that F1 has lost too much from the drivers no longer being central to the action – with engineers now having a major influence on performance.

“When people say to me who do I think was the best driver, the name I come up with, and most people don't agree with me, I say Alain Prost,” he said.

“Prost had to look after his brakes, gearbox, everything, and he did a good job. So he finished more races and finished in a better position, whereas today they don't have that.

“They sit there on the starting grid and there is an engineer who starts the race, it is just not on.

“It should be when the lights go off they are on their own. They don't need somebody telling them your [team-mate] is using that through this corner. It is just not on.”

He added: “It is an engineers' championships more or less. I am not saying Lewis [Hamilton] is not a super driver, but he is given a hell of a lot of help.

"I would like to see him in a GP2 car with the GP2 drivers... I am not saying he would not win, but it would be interesting.”

2017 tweaks not enough

Although F1 chiefs are pushing on with changes to make cars faster and more challenging for 2017, Ecclestone thinks the tweaks are not enough.

He suggests there is nothing he has heard from the Strategy Group that makes him feel encouraged that things will be dramatically better.

“I sit on the Strategy Group, I would like to know what they [the changes] are going to be. They are like all the other rules.

“[The rules] are like an old Victorian house, people keep doing things to it – but it needs pulling down and starting again.

"You cannot cross the line and add that, put this in place of that. We need to rip it up and start again.”

Mosley: ban driver aids

Mosley agrees that the technology has got out of control – and thinks F1's attraction is being lessened because of it.

“The fundamental thing is that a lot of the technology is so complex that nobody understands it,” he said.

“I will give you an example, you can look on the Internet and see a picture of a modern F1 steering wheel with all the buttons and so on – I have followed it for the past 30 or 40 years and I could not tell you what most of those buttons were for.

“And we bought in a rule that driver aids were prohibited, meaning the driver had to drive the car and not a computer. It is a constant battle to stop the computer taking more and more the functions.

"I think there is a big argument for a back to basics [approach], where the driver has a steering wheel and maybe even a gear lever, and brakes and an accelerator and a very powerful engine and he has to get on with it.”

He added: “It is supposed to be a double competition: men and machines but if the engineering competition starts to take over from the human competition, F1 in my opinion loses an essential element."

Strict enforcement

Mosley suggests that a rewriting of the rules may not be needed – and a simple enforcement of regulations that demands drivers drive the car alone and unaided could be the answer.

“I think you will already find there is a rule we brought in in 1994, it is very simple and says driver aids are prohibited,” he said.

“The teams agreed to that at the time because they said you can never define what a driver aid is: and they forgot that, if you are the regulator, a driver aid is whatever you say it is.

“So you have the possibility of eliminating all these outside helps from the engineers, radio and computer control, by enforcing rigorously that rule. But you cannot do that without upsetting people….”

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Formula 1 teams want to agree tyre approach with Pirelli

Formula 1 teams think it essential they agree an action plan with Pirelli to deliver tyres that the whole sport will be happy with, now it is set to land the 2017 tyre contract.

Bernie Ecclestone revealed before the Russian Grand Prix that he had agreed commercial terms with Pirelli for it to remain F1's tyre supplier from 2017-2019, albeit the move still needs to be approved by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council.

But with that green light expected to be a formality, teams say the time is right to sit down with Pirelli and agree on an approach to F1 that works for everyone.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: “At least we know early enough who the tyre partner is going to be.

“Now it is about developing new regulations for 2017, making the cars go quicker and obviously the tyre is a crucial ingredient in making that happen. We know the guys, have been with them for a long time, so let's make the most out of it.”

Right approach

Wolff acknowledges that tyre suppliers often have a hard time getting appreciated for their efforts.

That is why he thinks sitting down with Pirelli to talk about how best to approach things in the future would be good for them and good for teams.

“I think as a tyre supplier you can only get it wrong,” he said. “Whatever you do you get criticised.

“If you are producing a tyre that is spectacular and drops off, the driver will moan about it dropping off too quickly. Make it rock solid, and some of the boys have been asking for a tyre like in Le Mans, and they do triple stints there.

“It is a tricky challenge for them to make a product that suits everybody. I think now with the new contract we have to just sit down and agree on the specification of the tyre based on the learning curve we had over the last spell.”

Ferrari dialogue

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene had an exchange of views with Pirelli after the Belgian Grand Prix, but thinks there is now scope for closer relations to help improve things.

“We had an exchange of different opinions after Spa,” he said. “So if they are going to be the tyre supplier we must work together with them to help in terms of performance and safety and so on.

“The last meeting we had in Monza, [Marco] Tronchetti Provera assigned a person, [Mario] Isola, and now we have a reference with our driver, with our technical engineer. They are talking directly with him.

“They are also looking forward like all of us for 2017 about how to make F1 more interesting and more spectacular. Bernie took his position because he evaluated all what they are promising is going to take place.”

Fan input

Nico Rosberg believes that fans should also be consulted on what they want to see from tyres – to ensure that 2017 and beyond delivers something that people want to tune in and watch.

“We need to make sure that the fans love the sport – that is what we need to be sure of,” he explained.

“Therefore we need to discuss what they are looking for going forward. 2017 is the opportunity to make a change if it is necessary, and that is what is being worked on at the moment with a big effort.”

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Grosjean crash not down to failure, says Lotus

Lotus technical director Nick Chester says that the team could not find any evidence that a mechanical failure caused Romain Grosjean's spectacular crash at Sochi.

The Frenchman had been delayed by a first lap incident, which led to suspicions that something might have subsequently broken.

“There is no indication in the data and in the parts that anything broke and subsequently caused the accident,” said Chester.

“It isn’t easy to draw conclusions in any accident investigation but it looks like Romain was maybe a little bit close to the McLaren and lost some downforce, running out of grip effectively.

"There is nothing that we can see that makes it a car failure.”

Regarding the damage, he added: “It is quite significant but still the car stood up well to the impact.

"The right hand side of the car suffered the damage – front and rear suspension right hand side, the nose, the rear wing, crash structure.

"We haven’t seen anything however that should stop us getting the car back together.

“Any work that needs carrying out on the cars is done at the track now until Abu Dhabi; this means that the mechanics will be busy in Austin rebuilding Romain’s chassis.”

Meanwhile, Grosjean reiterated that it was one of the biggest crashes of his career to date, saying: “I’m feeling pretty good, especially considering the force of the impact; I broke my seat!

“It was my biggest impact for quite a while and when I knew I was going to hit the wall I took my hands off the wheel, closed my eyes and braced myself.

“It’s a testament to all the safety inherent in the car and the other safety devices, so a little thank you to Bell, HANS, Enstone, the circuit, the FIA and the marshals and medical personnel.

"Also a big thank you to my crew who had to pick up the pieces and put the car back together.”

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Mercedes brake heating a tyre boost

Mercedes keeps pushing the boundaries despite having a car that is the class of the F1 field. Giorgio Piola looks at the latest innovation introduced by the German squad to improve tyre performance.

There has been no better illustration recently of the need of Formula 1 teams to get tyres into the perfect operating window than what happened to Mercedes in Singapore.

Despite a car that is clearly the class of the field, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were powerless around the Marina Bay circuit to find the speed from their rubber.

Failure to manage properly both the surface and core temperature of the rear tyres – on a weekend when Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari got it spot on – was widely believed to have been a key factor behind its race to forget.

New limits

Let's not forget also that the need to manage the tyres has become even more critical in recent races too, ever since fresh restrictions were laid down by Pirelli on what teams could do to their rubber prior to the cars hitting the track.

This has included enforcement of minimum tyre pressure and camber settings, but also limits on how much the tyres can be heated in the blankets beforehand.

There is now no way teams can overheat the tyres in the blankets to ensure that, once they have started to cool down on the car, they are still in the perfect temperature/pressure operating window for maximum performance as the car hits the track.

Finding performance

The new limits put the tyres into an area where they do not perform as well as if teams were given free rein on the parameters.

That is why extra efforts now appear to be going on to find ways to help keep tyres in the right operating window without going outside of the Pirelli restrictions.

One avenue that is now being exploited is to get extra temperatures into the tyres through the heating of brakes prior to the tyres being put on the car.

Having super-heated brakes when the tyres are fitted would in theory lift the core temperature of the tyre, and help get them in to a zone that the teams want.

The extra heat transferred through the rim could also temporarily lift the pressures when the tyres are first fitted, to help them get above the limits when checked by the FIA.

Then, when the temperature drops away, the pressure can drop nearer an area that delivers the ultimate performance.

Mercedes blanket

It is interesting that in the last two races Mercedes has been spotted using a heated blanket system on its rear brakes prior to the cars hitting the track.

Our exclusive photographs from Russia show it being fitted in both the garage and on the grid.

Having the tyre temperatures managed so well like this could also explain why, on the formation lap in Russia, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton appeared so confident to crawl to the grid prior to the start.

Many believe their holding back so much was a bid to get the tyres of rival Ferrari to drop outside of their comfort zone, either with dropping temperatures or dropping pressures.

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Marciello to get Austin practice outing with Sauber

Raffaele Marciello will return to the cockpit of the Sauber at next weekend's United States Grand Prix, when he takes part in Formula 1's first free practice session.

The Italian, who is part of Ferrari's young driver academy, has already driven for the team in practice sessions in Malaysia, Spain and Britain.

He will take over Felipe Nasr's car for the Friday morning session, before he hands it back to the Brazilian for second practice.

Sauber is celebrating its 400th grand prix in Austin, having first entered F1 back in 1993.

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Lotus close to knowing who will replace Romain Grosjean

Lotus is close to deciding who will partner Pastor Maldonado at its team when it is taken over by Renault at the end of the year.

Although the Renault deal is not yet complete and some doubts have been cast on the plans in recent weeks, Lotus deputy team principal Federico Gastaldi says there is a "strengthening resolve at Enstone as we have a positive outlook for the future". The team has already confirmed its plans to keep Maldonado for 2016, but with Romain Grosjean leaving for Haas it has a second seat to fill.

Kevin Magnussen, who announced his split with McLaren this week, is believed to be in the frame along with Ferrari test driver Jean-Eric Vergne and current Lotus reserve Jolyon Palmer. Gastaldi says he now has a good idea who the successful candidate would be.

"The remorseless passing of time means that you always get closer to something in the future, so yes, we are closer to making an announcement," he said. "I would say something will come sooner rather than later.

"We won't be disclosing who it is before we announce it, but we certainly have been speaking to drivers with good provenance and we have a pretty good idea who we will have in the car."

Gastaldi said he was feeling positive about the team's future now Renault has made its interest public.

"There's an underlying confidence and strengthening resolve at Enstone as we have a positive outlook for the future, all of which will become evident before too long. There's no point dancing faster than the music, but our dancing shoes are being polished in readiness. Do I feel good? Yes, I feel positive and know we're doing everything we can to capitalise on the opportunities ahead."