FORMULA 1 - 2015

[MIKA27]

SAUBER PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

The Brazilian Grand Prix will be another highlight of the season for the Sauber F1 Team – especially for Felipe Nasr and Banco do Brasil. Felipe Nasr is thrilled that he will drive in his first ever Formula One race in his home country.

The race weekend at Interlagos marks the most important Grand Prix for Banco do Brasil, Principal Partner of the Sauber F1 Team. Banco do Brasil expects 360 guests at its special hospitality area, as well as 2,400 guests in the grandstands.

Marcus Ericsson: “It is exciting going to Brazil, as it will be my first time racing in Sao Paulo. I am looking forward to it for two reasons – on a personal level, and also because it is the home Grand Prix for Banco do Brasil, one of our Principal Partners. Of course, as a team we will do our very best with the objective being that Felipe and I will finish the race in the points. That would be a great achievement for everyone. From what I have seen on videos as well as on the data, traction is really important on this track. The first corner is also crucial, as you need to carry the speed when going onto the back straight. Therefore, it is important to have a well balanced car.”

Felipe Nasr: “I am really looking forward to my first ever Formula One Grand Prix in Interlagos. I am sure there is going to be a lot of energy around the track from all the fans. It will be a very exciting weekend for me representing my home country in Formula One. Last year I drove in FP1 for Williams, which was a nice feeling. But racing in Formula 1 in front of my home crowd is a dream I have always had. Considering our motorsport history, it is not only a pleasure and honour, but also a moment to remember.”

Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Track Engineering: “The circuit at Interlagos offers a relatively high amount of challenges, considering the short lap distance. Trading the demand for speed on the two long straights with the stability and grip requirements of the infield will be challenging for both the drivers and engineers. Moreover, the ever changeable weather often adds to that challenge at this time of the year. The choice of medium and soft tyres is going to boost the show further, allowing some freedom with the strategies. Last, but not least, the atmosphere on race day makes the Brazilian Grand Prix a very special event.”

[MIKA27]

LOTUS PREVIEW THE BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Lotus team preview the Brazilian Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship, at Interlagos.

Lotus F1 Team Deputy Team Principal Federico Gastaldi looks forward to the team’s second Grand Prix in Latin America, hopeful of some further fighting spirit on track:

After the success of the Mexican Grand Prix are you looking forward to further fan fever in São Paulo?

Mexico was a great event and it was really fabulous for a new event to be such a success. But now we head to Interlagos where we have enjoyed so many fabulous and dramatic races over the years and where we always get a warm welcome too. Tamas Rohonyi and his team do a superb job of promoting the Brazilian Grand Prix. There is a real passion for Formula 1 in Brazil and when you consider names like Senna, Piquet and Fittipaldi it’s not hard to understand why. Brazilian success in Formula 1 has been a real way for the country to make its mark in the international sphere so the appreciation of it has added magnitude. Like in Mexico, the circuit is located in a very big city so we see many fans at the track as well as on the way to and from the circuit.

What makes Interlagos such a great track for Formula 1?

What makes it rewarding for us is seeing so many excited fans at the circuit. Why they come is to see their heroes race on a rollercoaster circuit which doesn’t let drivers rest for a minute. There’s a relentless energy in a lap of Interlagos and whether you’re in the car or watching from the stands or on television you can feel this. We have seen so many exciting races here over the years, with the passion of so many drivers really coming through. The Latin temperament appreciates emotions being shown and we have seen so many different ones on display here from so many drivers.

Will you be packing a rain coat?

We’ve seen some pretty extreme weather at and around the last couple of events so I’ll definitely be prepared for all eventualities. We’ve seen extreme conditions at São Paulo in years past so we won’t be too surprised if it happens again. Certainly, any rain does not seem to dampen the enthusiasm from the fans and the track becomes yet more of a challenge for the drivers. Let’s see what happens.

The Mexican Grand Prix saw very close racing from Pastor and Romain; how was that viewed from the pit wall?

We enjoyed watching them race. Of course, we’d have preferred to have seen them racing for more points through virtue of being higher up the order, but the drive and intent of both was clear to see. That they were both so close for the entirety of the race at a brand new venue for both of them shows how well they are extracting the performance from the car. All drivers want to end their seasons with very strong races and we have different motivations from both. Romain is heading to pastures new next year and wants to end his time at Enstone as strongly as possible whereas Pastor is as motivated as ever. It was a great battle.

With two races remaining, what’s the plan?

We’re putting everything into finishing the season as well as possible. It’s been a hard fight for us this year, in some ways even harder than 2014, but we keep pushing looking to maximise every opportunity that comes our way.

When can we expect further announcements about the future from the team?

In due course. There’s no point dancing faster than the music!

Romain Grosjean gives some insight into how he will be approaching his Brazilian Grand Prix weekend:

How are you looking forward to the penultimate race of the season?

It’s the penultimate race of the season and also my penultimate of this chapter with the team so it will be quite emotional. I’m sure we’ll see this at the team dinner we have every year at a churrascaria where the team who travels around all year can let their hair down a little and share some laughs over a couple of drinks well before the practice sessions. Like every year I will be raising a caipirinha to everyone in the team in São Paulo, then another to everyone back in Enstone too!

What is your strategy in the churrascaria?

It is an evening where you have to be very strategic and pace yourself. The trick is not to go too fast too soon. Early in the evening they bring out the cheaper cuts of meat and the salad bar is very well stocked so it’s easy to fill yourself up before the more expensive cuts come out. The other factor to be aware of is don’t drink too much as it’s very tempting to do that. Also, through the evening you need to store sufficient supplies just in case of any food fight!

Tell us about Interlagos; is it a track you like?

It’s a fantastic track and there’s no part of it that isn’t great. It really suits my driving style so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a big challenge at every turn. There never seems to have a part where you relax. Even the main start-finish ‘straight’ isn’t boring as it starts uphill with some interesting camber, then gradually turns before finishing at the downhill turn one, where it’s so easy to out-brake yourself. If I had to pick favourite parts of Interlagos, I would say the first and last corners; the first corner is really technical and punishes you if you get it wrong, and the last corner is so fast and really puts quite a stain on your body. As a driver I really enjoy these corners. It’s an old style track, so very hard to pick out a single element; I’d say everything is pretty good in Interlagos; I love it!

What’s the response of the fans like in Brazil?

They really love Formula 1 and Formula 1 really loves the Brazilian fans. You feel the passion when you arrive at the circuit and you see so many fans outside and around the track and city too. Of course, we know they all save their strongest support for their own Brazilian drivers but everyone in Formula 1 gets a strong welcome.

You and Pastor were very close throughout the last race?

I wasn’t happy with how he got past me at the start in Mexico so I was determined to keep him behind me at the end of the race. It’s great that the fans could see both the Lotus F1 Team cars racing so close, although we all wish it was racing further up the order! I think we got pretty much everything we could from the car in Mexico.

What are your other thoughts on the Mexican Grand Prix?

Like everyone I was very impressed by it. It was a great event. The track was really good, the facilities were very impressive, the fans were knowledgeable and enthusiastic and it was a really rewarding and enjoyable weekend.

Pastor Maldonado keeps rolling on the Latin vibe for the Brazilian Grand Prix at São Paulo’s fabulous Interlagos circuit:

We are going from one of the newest circuits on the calendar to one of the oldest; what do you think of Interlagos?

Interlagos may not have the most impressive infrastructure these days but it is a great, historic circuit. I really love the track, the atmosphere and the people. Brazilians have such a great Formula 1 heritage and for me it will be great to be at another event where there are a lot of Venezuelans in the crowds. Hopefully we can have a great race and put on another good show for the South American fans.

What are the challenges of the layout?

Technically it’s always tricky to find a set-up balance between the twisty parts of the circuit and the long straights. In an ideal world you’d want Monza-spec for the start and end of the lap and Hungaroring-spec for the rest! Different drivers and teams will make different compromises, which all adds up to an interesting race. Some will go for greater straight-line speed to help them pass and defend in the race, others more downforce for a better lap time and less sliding. Bumps can also be an issue and there are several overtaking opportunities on the track which rewards late braking, both to go on the attack and keep rivals behind. Last but not least the unpredictable weather is sure to keep us on our toes.

We’ve seen some epic races in Interlagos where wet weather has been a factor and thunderstorms are present…

We all know the amount of rain which can fall in São Paulo and the Interlagos track even has grooves cut into it to help the water flow off the track! It’s a challenging circuit in the dry and even more so in the wet, but there have been some amazing races over the years because of this. One of the great aspects of racing at Interlagos is you can almost feel the vibe of the crowd as well as hear their enthusiasm, even when the rain is falling. Whatever the weather, we’ll be pushing for the best result possible.

How do you look back over the Mexican Grand Prix weekend?

It was a superb return to Mexico for Formula 1 and it was enjoyable for everyone. We received a warm welcome and the facilities were spectacular. For a first race back after so many years off the calendar it was such a well-run and superbly organised Grand Prix. It’s certainly an event I’m really looking forward to on the calendar for many future seasons.

How did you enjoy your race-long battle with Romain?

I made a better start than him so it was great to get ahead, but then we lost that through traffic at my first pit stop. After that we were always very close on track, even when we were fighting other cars. At the end of the race I felt much quicker but it is a hard place to pass. Nevertheless I kept pushing as that’s what racers do. I would have been happier finishing in front, but we both delivered well for the team and hopefully gave the fans plenty of excitement too.

Are you hoping to show more fighting spirit for the final two races of 2015?

I always want to show fighting spirit! We have two races to end the year, at two very different race tracks. We want to score as many points as possible and we’ll be doing everything we can to achieve that. I’m never scared to race whoever else is after the same points I’m pursuing so we’ll definitely keep fighting till the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.

Lotus F1 Team Technical Director Nick Chester directs his mind to Interlagos and the Brazilian Grand Prix as the penultimate outing for the E23 Hybrid:

Interlagos is quite an old-school track. What are the idiosyncrasies of it from an engineering perspective?

It is a tricky circuit to find the right set-up. The middle sector is very twisty with a lot of low speed turns and then the final sector which is essentially a long uphill corner on to a very long straight. You rely on strong engine power and delivery for the straight. You need a nice stable car for the twisty mid-section where a driver wants a strong turn-in without much understeer, and you want strong traction on exit after a balanced mid-section. The compromise on how to run on downforce is quite challenging. You want to take downforce off for the last sector but then want it on for the other sectors. We tend to rely on where the simulation suggests will be the best compromise. We normally don’t run on full downforce which is probably what we will do again this weekend.

From an engineering perspective, what was learnt in Mexico?

It was quite a big challenge. We knew before we went that the high altitude was going to give us a lot of obstacles to overcome – for instance we’d only have 70% of the downforce that we’d have at sea level, 70% of the drag and 70% of the cooling. Cooling was the biggest issue. We made bodywork changes and adapted the brake ducts. Fortunately everything worked as required so it was a good job done by the team in that regard. Seeing both cars pass the chequered flag was rewarding. It would have been nice to have been further up the order, but it was good to see validation of all the simulation work we’d done in advance of the event.

What lessons in particular were learnt for next time?

We have a lot of data from over the weekend so we’ll be better prepared for our return. Having both cars complete race distances is very useful here as we can compare, contrast and analyse performance better. Certainly we saw the track surface evolve a lot over the course of the weekend which allows us to make better calls for the future in terms of tyre usage.

Did you enjoy the race-long dice between Romain and Pastor?

I’m happy as long as they don’t touch! They were fair with each other and both cars finished so it was fine.

What are your thoughts on a potential ‘client engine’ to a different configuration to the existing regulations?

It’s quite a can of worms. A two-tier championship would be very difficult to operate. There would be so many different challenges for equalisation and this would be exceedingly difficult with engines of different characteristics.

How’s progress with next year’s car?

We’re well progressed through the design process and most of the layout has been done. We’ve learnt a lot over the past two seasons and all this knowledge is being put into next year’s car. There hasn’t been the greatest amount of development through the year on the E23, so we’ve been able to dedicate quite a bit of additional manpower to our 2016 challenger. Manufacture of some of the parts is already underway and we’re looking at a lot of the final detailing currently.

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo to debut upgraded Renault engine

Daniel Ricciardo will run Renault's upgraded engine at the Brazilian Grand Prix, which will result in a grid penalty for the Australian.

The French manufacturer confirmed in the build-up to the United States GP that it had used 11 of its 12 in-season engine development tokens, but Red Bull opted against using it in both in Texas and Mexico.

Ricciardo, though, will be able to sample the new-spec engine at Interlagos this weekend, but he will take a 10-place grid penalty as he has already exhausted his engine allocation for the season.

Autosport reports that "the engine will be used from first practice onwards, while a decision as to whether to fit the new unit to [team-mate Daniil] Kvyat's car is expected to be taken on Saturday".

Speculation is rife that Red Bull will be powered by Renault in 2016 despite announcing earlier in the year that they had terminated their contract, and the final two races of the season may well be to test the engine for next year.

[MIKA27]

Vettel aims to win final two races of 2015

Sebastian Vettel believes Ferrari has the potential to win the final two races of the Formula 1 season to bounce back from its worst showing of the year in Mexico.

The Maranello squad suffered a double retirement in Mexico, the first time both Vettel and teammate Kimi Raikkonen had failed to score this season.

"[Mexico] was probably the worst race we've had this year, but we've got had a lot of good races and this season we have been gradually closing the gap," said Vettel during a visit to the Ferrari Finali Mondiali at Mugello.

"The pace on Saturday was very promising, but obviously we were not in the right position. The next few races we promise to give it everything, and the target is to be as close as possible and ideally in front."

Despite his torrid weekend in Mexico, Vettel insists Ferrari continues to close the gap on Mercedes.

Although he concedes beating the German squad will be difficult, the four-time champion believes the Maranello team can still aim to finish on top in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

"There are two races to go, and two more wins we can potentially get, so this is our aim, even though it won't be easy," he said.

"The team has done an incredible job across the season to close the gap; eight or nine months ago the gap was something like 1.3 or 1.4 seconds [off the pace].

"Now it's half a second or less, so we've been doing the right things."

[MIKA27]

FIA reveals conditions of Ferrari’s engine veto

FIA president Jean Todt has revealed that there are conditions attached to Ferrari's veto over Formula 1 rules, in the wake of the controversy over engine cost caps.

Ferrari recently exercised its right to block a plan to limit the price of customer engines to $12 million per season, which has left the FIA pursuing instead a plan to find a cheap standard power unit for customer teams.

But while accepting that the cost cap veto was within Ferrari's rights, Todt has made it clear that the Italian team is only able to use its power if it can prove that its own commercial interests are damaged.

"The veto right, which is in favour of Ferrari, is an historic veto right," explained Todt. "But it has to be demonstrated that it is something that goes against their interest.

"Trying to suggest a [standard] customer engine for teams is not against their interest? I am happy if we go and debate on that."

Maranello isolation

Todt knows full well about the Ferrari veto, having been team principal himself of the Italian team from 1993 to 2007.

However, he says he questioned it remaining a part of Ferrari's rights when the last commercial agreements were reached with teams ahead of the 2013 season.

"It originated in the 1980's, when the Concorde Agreement got implemented," said Todt about the history of the veto.

"It is something I was curious about, because when I joined Ferrari in 1993 I tried to understand what was the story behind it. And the story behind it was simple.

"Enzo Ferrari was the founder, and he was very isolated in Maranello compared to all the British teams. He was alone and you will remember, in the 1980's, Ferrari was the only full car manufacturer of engine and chassis.

"And he was facing private teams, like Williams, Lotus and McLaren, that were all using the same engine. If I remember it was a Ford Cosworth engine. So he got that [veto] in his discussions to implement.

"It was something that was given to him in the Concorde Agreement and it was always taken into consideration and accepted.

"When we arrived in 2013, it was the first time as president of the FIA I was facing the consideration of the veto right, and I must say that I was very cautious, because it is like having a gun. So was I, as president of the FIA, prepared to give that?

"And I was surprised because Bernie as commercial rights holder was in favour of Ferrari having the veto right. All the teams were in favour of giving the veto right too. So it would have been a bit strange that myself, I would have been against.

"I know sometimes I get blamed because I try to have a harmonious situation and everyone going in the same direction, but course I agreed to implement the veto right in the discussions of the renewal of the Concorde Agreement 2013-2020.

"We simply changed the wording of it, to make it more precise. So it not a veto right, you need to have a strong rational to be able to exercise it."

[MIKA27]

Ferrari F1 team has changed a lot since 2014 - Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen says his Ferrari Formula 1 team has changed a lot since he rejoined the Italian outfit at the start of last season.

Having previously driven for the Scuderia between 2007-09, Raikkonen returned with the car well off the pace and struggling to compete for podiums in 2014.

But development over the winter, particularly on the engine, combined with a better atmosphere behind the scenes has allowed Ferrari to emerge as Mercedes' closest challenger.

Asked how Ferrari compares now to when he rejoined for 2014, Raikkonen said: "The team has changed a lot, how things are working.

"Obviously some people have changed but it's a very solid team and the atmosphere is very good and the results [in 2015] help.

"It's a great place to be again and it's very nice how the team is running now and where we are going.

"We are doing the right things and I think everybody appreciates in the team where we have gone in that very short time.

"We all know why we are here, we all want to be in the front, fighting for championships and winning races.

"Yes, we are happier when things are going better, but we're still not where we as Ferrari want to be, and hopefully next year we can be there."

Ferrari has scored just 15 points in the last two races, but Raikkonen is convinced the direction the team is working in is the right one.

"Obviously the results have been pretty bad in the last three races," he said.

"But we know where we are, more or less, and we just have to do a better job with no mistakes.

"I don't think we're going to do anything differently to what we have been doing so far.

"We've been doing a good job as a team and going in the right direction, so there's no point to change anything in the last two races that are left.

"We're going to do our maximum and finish as well as we can and then put all of the effort through the winter into preparing for next year."

[capitalpg]

I see Ferrari heading in the right direction, aside from the last couple of weekends.

It would be great if the new environment is conducive in allowing more input from the drivers, which was a big issue last year. Kimi even appears to have had a few sips of the Kool Aid as shocking as it may be - he's all in.

[MIKA27]

ROSBERG OUT TO DENY HAMILTON A FIRST IN BRAZIL

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton has never won the Brazilian Grand Prix and Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg intends to keep it that way for another year.

“With all due respect to his ambitions, I want to win there as well,” said the German, last year’s winner at Interlagos from pole position after he had lapped fastest in every practice session.

With Hamilton feeling sufficiently unwell to delay his flight to Brazil by a day on doctors’ orders, Rosberg will fancy his chances of a Latin American double after his recent triumph in Mexico.

With both titles decided, Hamilton having wrapped up his third Formula One championship in Texas last month after Mercedes retained the constructors’ crown in Russia, Sunday’s race is all about the winner on the day.

Hamilton has now tried eight times to win in Sao Paulo, his best result coming last year when he was runner-up, and has only twice finished on the podium.

But he did clinch his first title there in 2008, when he finished fifth with a pass at the end of the last lap, and the race has a special place in his heart as home to his late boyhood idol Ayrton Senna.

“It was a dream of mine to race in Sao Paulo when I was younger and I always feel his presence when I’m there,” the Briton said this week.

“It’s amazing to think that it took Ayrton eight attempts to win this race and it’s one of the few I haven’t yet won myself,” he added.

“If I can change that this weekend it would be a salute to him and another highlight to add to this amazing year, so I’ll be going all out to make that happen.”

Rosberg will again be the man to beat, the German chasing his fifth successive pole position to again deny Hamilton a career 50th, even if his team mate has no pressure on him.

The German said he was “pumped” after Mexico, where he completed his first career hat-trick of pole, fastest lap and victory.

“Last year was a good battle with Lewis, when I came out on top. Standing on the top step after a hard-earned win, following in the footsteps of so many great drivers who have won there and with the passionate Brazilian crowd cheering on — that was a great feeling,” he said.

“I’d love to experience that again, so the aim is to put on another good show for the fans and to carry my form from Mexico into this race.”

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who won in Brazil in 2013 and 2010, can still deny Rosberg second place in the championship and will be determined to finish strongly after both he and team mate Kimi Raikkonen retired in Mexico.

That failure ended a record run of 183 races with at least one Ferrari among the finishers.

Brazil will have two drivers in the race, with former winner Felipe Massa hoping to get back on the podium with Williams and Felipe Nasr making his home debut with Sauber.

Brazilian Grand Prix Stats & Facts

• Lap distance:4.309km Total distance: 305.909 km (71 laps)
• 2014 pole position: Nico Rosberg (Germany), Mercedes One minute 10.023 seconds.
• 2014 winner: Rosberg
• Race lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) 1:11.473, Williams 2004.
• Start time: 1600 GMT (1400 local)
• Tyres: Medium (white), soft (yellow).
• Mercedes have retained both titles, with the constructors’ crown secured in Russia and Lewis Hamilton taking his third championship in Texas last month.
• Hamilton is the 10th driver with three or more titles.
• Mercedes have had 10 one-twos this season and won 14 of the 17 races so far.
• Hamilton (10) is the first driver to win 10 or more races in successive seasons. He won 11 last year.
• He can no longer equal the record, held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, of 13 wins in a season.
• Four-times world champion Vettel has won three races for Ferrari this season. That is the same number that Schumacher won in his first season at Ferrari in 1996.
• Hamilton has 43 career wins, putting him third in the all-time lists and pushing Vettel down to fourth with 42.
• Schumacher holds the record of 91, with Alain Prost on 51.
• Fernando Alonso has 32 wins, Kimi Raikkonen 20, Jenson Button 15 and Nico Rosberg 12.
• Ferrari have won 224 races, McLaren 182, Williams 114 and Red Bull 50. Mercedes have won 43.
• McLaren have not won for 55 races, a run that dates back to Brazil 2012.
• Hamilton has been on pole in 11 of 17 races this season, Rosberg five. The Briton has 49 career poles, Rosberg 20. Vettel has 46 career poles.
• Only two drivers in F1 history have had 50 poles or more: Schumacher (68) and Senna (65).
• Rosberg has been on pole in the last four races, winning only one of them (Mexico).
• Ten drivers from six teams have been on the podium in 2015: Hamilton, Rosberg (Mercedes), Vettel, Raikkonen (Ferrari), Valtteri Bottas, Felipe Massa (Williams), Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), Romain Grosjean (Lotus) and Sergio Perez (Force India).
• Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel have shared the podium in eight races.
• Rosberg has been second on seven occasions this season.
• Vettel has had 12 podium finishes so far this year, more than in his title-winning 2010 and 2013 seasons.
• Felipe Massa is the last Brazilian to have won his home grand prix, doing so in 2008 and 2006. Massa has not won since his last triumph at Interlagos.
• Felipe Nasr will be making his home debut with Sauber.
• Five of the current drivers have won in Brazil: Massa, Vettel, Raikkonen, Button and Rosberg.
• Rosberg won last year. The last driver to take back-to-back wins at Interlagos was Montoya in 2005.
• Brazil has been on the calendar since 1973, starting at Interlagos before moving to Rio de Janeiro and then returning to Sao Paulo, with the circuit named after the late Jose Carlos Pace.
• Hamilton has been on the podium only twice in Brazil and never won. However he did clinch his first title there in 2008.
• Pole position has translated into victory only 11 times in 32 races in Brazil, although the last two have gone with pole.
• Ferrari’s failure to finish with either car in Mexico was their first such blank since Australia 2006 — a record run of nine years and 183 races.

[MIKA27]

FUNDING DISPUTE COULD END UNITED STATES GP

A dark cloud has moved above the future of the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

The local Austin American Statesman newspaper reports that the office of the current governor of Texas has dramatically slashed funding to the race from $25 million a year to less than $20m.

Speaking from Brazil, the scene of this weekend’s grand prix, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone confirmed: “If it’s changed, it’s going to be difficult to continue the race in Austin.”

And promoter Bobby Epstein agreed: “To use a technical term, I think we’re screwed.”

A spokesman for the Circuit of the Americas, meanwhile, hinted that a legal challenge to the governor’s decision cannot be ruled out.

“An entire facility was constructed based on that deal,” he said. “If the calculation is changed now, that’s effectively changed the terms of the deal.”

[MIKA27]

VERSTAPPEN DECLINES LOCAL SPORTS AWARD

Teenage Formula 1 Max Verstappen has counted himself out of the running for a local sports award in his native Belgian province of Limburg.

Although born in Belgium, the country of his mother, the 18-year-old F1 sensation now regards himself as a Dutchman and races under the national flag of The Netherlands.

And now his father, Jos Verstappen, says Max is not interested in being nominated for the best sportsman of the year award presented annually by the Belgian province of Limburg.

“In 2013, Max was European and world karting champion but we heard nothing from them (Limburg). Which is strange, because every Limburg athlete who does such a performance would be eligible for the sports prize,” Jos told the 1Limburg publication.

“Now that it would make world news, he would suddenly be eligible? This is not right and therefore we decline the nomination,” Verstappen senior added.

Limburg’s sports awards will be announced in December.

[MIKA27]

MAGNUSSEN FASTEST IN FIRST DAY OF PORSCHE WEC SHOOTOUT

Ousted McLaren reserve Kevin Magnussen thinks he has put himself in pole position to make the switch to Le Mans with Porsche.

Magnussen is in Barcelona this week, where he is taking part in a ‘shootout’-style test alongside rival Porsche candidates Mitch Evans and Oliver Turvey.

Porsche has a vacancy in its 2016 Le Mans programme due to the fabled 24 hour race’s calendar clash with the inaugural grand prix in Azerbaijan, which has ruled out this year’s winner Nico Hulkenberg.

“It is easy to feel that this probably is the most advanced race car in the world at the moment. I can’t wait to get back in,” Dane Magnussen said after Tuesday’s running.

The 23-year-old told the Danish broadcaster TV2 that the last race car he drove was the McLaren in Australia, when he filled in for the ill Fernando Alonso.

“I’ve been looking forward to it like crazy,” he said on the telephone from Barcelona, where he drove the Porsche, “and I was not disappointed.

“I was a little nervous at first, but that went once I got started. I was the fastest, and that is quite important. All three drivers got the same conditions, so it was quite fair for everyone.”

As for Porsche’s Le Mans-winning LMP1 prototype, Magnussen said: “It’s a really cool car. It’s not as fast as a formula one, but only because of the weight — if a F1 car was as heavy, it would not be able to keep up with the Porsche.”

“So in that way, Porsche has gotten more out of its car than formula one has with its cars. In pure performance, it’s the best I’ve ever driven,” he added.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari and Mercedes engines now equal - Lauda

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda believes Ferrari have now caught up with Mercedes in terms of power unit performance and believes that could bring an end to their dominance in 2016.

Mercedes entered into the turbo-hybrid V6 era with a power unit well ahead of its rivals, allowing it dominate in both 2014 and 2015 as it secured both the Constructors' and Drivers' championships with relative ease.

However the team has often come under pressure from Ferrari, with the Italian team having claimed three wins so far, whilst Sebastian Vettel sits just 21 points adrift of second placed Nico Rosberg, having led him before crashing out of the Mexican Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

Lauda has warned Mercedes must pull out all the stops to find a competitive edge, as he believes their engine advantage has now been wiped out.

"This year to do better than Ferrari we had to make a lot of progress," he told Italy's Autosprint.

"Since they introduced the updated engine at Monza, I would say that they have matched us in terms of power and efficiency.

"The 20bhp advantage we had is now gone. Now we are at the same level of power - we know this for certain because of the reference we have."

The tirple world champion expects the grid to be closer next year as Mercedes reaches a performance plateau where it will stuggle to find gains compared to its rivals.

"The picture will change in 2016, because in F1 you can't sustain your technical superiority for a long time," added the Austrian.

"We know the others can catch up. When you are at the limit of the performance of the regulations it's difficult to make big progress, which is easier for those behind us."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton unhurt following minor road accident in Monaco

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that a fever and a road traffic accident are to blame for his delayed flight to Brazil ahead of the country's race this weekend.

The Mercedes driver was due to fly out on Tuesday, but on the advice of his doctor and team, delayed his flight by 24 hours and is set to arrive on Wednesday.

He will race, despite rumours suggesting otherwise, despite having been involved in a minor car crash in Monaco on Monday evening.

"I've not been well with a fever but I also had a road accident in Monaco on Monday night," the Britain wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of himself aboard his private jet (pictured).

"Whilst ultimately it is nobody's business, there are people knowing my position that will try to take advantage of the situation and make a quick buck. No problem," he added, suggesting he expects photos of the crash to surface.

He accepted blame for the incident and admitted he is now feeling better.

"Nobody was hurt, which is the most important thing. But the car was obviously damaged and I made very light contact with a stationary vehicle.

"Talking with the team and my doctor, we decided together that it was best for me to rest at home and leave a day later.

"But I am feeling better and am currently boarding the plane to Brazil.

"However, I am informing you because I feel we all must take responsibility for our actions. Mistakes happen to us all, but what's important is that we learn from them and grow."

[MIKA27]

America's Hellmund eyeing Manor Marussia takeover

The man behind projects to bring Formula 1 back to America and Mexico is turning his sights to team ownership, with a desire to take over the struggling Manor Marussia outfit.

Tavo Hellmund was instrumental in the construction of the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. He was later forced out of the company, leading him to help bring F1 back to Mexico a fortnight ago in an event Niki Lauda hailed "one of the best" he's ever attended.

We reported last week that Hellmund had shown interest in Manor Marussia, to the extent that he, with the backing of several American investors, approached current owner Stephen Fitzpatrick about buying a majority stake in the outfit.

His offer was however rejected, which is thought to be one of the contributing factors in the resignation of a number of high-level staff including founder John Booth and team boss Graeme Lowdon.

That hasn't put Hellmund off though, setting a February deadline to have a deal in place.

"I think if we get to late January or February, it may be too late, and my partners and I would probably lose interest," he told the Austin Statesman.

He cited Manor's deal to use Mercedes engines next season as a major advantage, but admitted the team would never compete at the front.

"Manor Marussia cut a deal to be able to have Mercedes motors next year, which is a step forward as opposed to a year and one-half old Ferrari spec engine," he added.

"It would never be our goal to compete with the manufacturer teams. We're never going to spend $400 million a year like Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. But we think you can run it respectably and not be in the red. I think you can fight for fifth."

Meanwhile he suggested NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jnr would be offered a seat alongside America's only current F1 driver, Alexander Rossi, who currently races for the Manor team alongside Will Stevens.

[MIKA27]

Lotus insists Brazilian GP participation not in doubt despite garage lockdown

Lotus insists its participation in the Brazilian Grand Prix is not in doubt, despite security staff blocking access to its garage at Interlagos on Wednesday.

Team personnel were not allowed to unpack the team's freight or continue work on preparing the cars, by officers who were stationed at the front and rear of the garages.

Images of the security staff were widely distributed on social media, but suggestions that team equipment had been confiscated were wide of the mark.

A team spokesman confirmed that the team was dealing with the situation – which related to an unspecified 'commercial arrangement' – and there was no reason to suggest the team would not be ready for track action on Friday.

Tight finances

Lotus has faced a number of financial difficulties this season, as the team battled to keep its head above water amid ongoing negotiations with Renault about a takeover.

In Hungary, the team was late in getting hold of its tyres following delays in a payment to supplier Pirelli.

In Belgium, the team's trucks were impounded following a legal dispute with former test driver Charles Pic, while in Japan Lotus was locked out of its hospitality unit because of unpaid bills.

Discussions with Renault are ongoing and the team remains hopeful that a deal for the French car manufacturer to resurrect its work outfit will be completed soon.

[MIKA27]

Nasr plays beach volleyball with Olympic champion Emanuel Rego

The scenery: Rio de Janeiro, the famous Copacabana, stage for the beach volleyball matches during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil! Felipe Nasr meets Emanuel Rego, Brazilian, beach volleyball Olympic Champion as well as three times World Champion.

Just as Felipe Nasr can't wait to race in front his home crowd during the Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo, the beach volleyball icon looks forward to the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

After having a sportsmen-chat and playing some volleyball, Felipe is ready for a match competing against two other famous Brazilian beach volleyball players: Bronze medalists Maria Elisa Antonelli and Juliana Felisberta da Silva. Who will be the winner?

Watch the video and you'll know..

[MIKA27]

F1 Brazilian Grand Prix: McLaren ‘still working flat-out’

There is no sense of winding down towards the end of the season in Woking, as McLaren remains determined to maintain its development push as far as possible before the hard work of winter begins.

It has been a trying campaign for the multiple champions, as its reunion with Honda has failed to provide the sort of return both parties had been hoping for. However, despite the results, the team is poised to keep pushing through the final two rounds, in Brazil this weekend and Abu Dhabi two Sundays after that, in order to provide as much data as possible for its designers and engineers to work with through the off-season.

“For McLaren-Honda, after a challenging couple of races, we are looking forward to arriving at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace and pushing hard with our development for the next two grands prix,” racing director Eric Boullier confirmed, “Although the end of the season is in sight, we are still working flat-out to bring new parts to the car and maximise our learning and development until the last possible moment. We are focusing on both reliability and performance, and hope for a more positive weekend at this legendary circuit.”

Interlagos has been the scene of myriad McLaren triumphs, not least in 1991, when Ayrton Senna led from pole position, and fended off a fired-up Nigel Mansell, the onset of late-race gearbox problems and rain in the final few laps to take his MP4-6 to victory. While the team has an enviable record at the Brazilian Grand Prix, having won the race twelve times, and its drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button good memories of the track having clinched all of their world titles there, all know success is unlikely this weekend but Boullier is still looking forward to the trip.

“After the drama of Austin and spectacle of Mexico, it's great to move to another hugely popular circuit in the Americas, and a track that holds great memories for the McLaren-Honda team,” the Frenchman concluded, “We've enjoyed numerous nail-biting finishes, stunning victories and tense championship battles there, and Interlagos is a venue universally loved by the whole F1 community.

“Over its incredible 78-year history, its charm is as strong as ever, and the fans are just as animated. Interlagos has an incredible heritage and it's great to see its legacy continue. It's a fantastic driver's track with lots of uniquely challenging features that the drivers love, and the fans love to watch. Although no longer the season finale, there's always a great sense of anticipation before every Brazilian Grand Prix, and this year is no different.”

[MIKA27]

Williams confident on securing third in Brazil

Williams Head of Performance Engineering Rob Smedley is optimistic the layout of the Interlagos circuit can work in his team's favour as his team looks to tie up third in the F1 Constructors' Championship.

After bouncing back from the disappointment of a double DNF in America with a third and a sixth place in Mexico, Smedley is confident Williams' woes in low-speed circuit won't be an issue at the Brazilian Grand Prix, despite the circuit in Sao Paulo creating a contrasting blend of challenges.

Smedley is confident his Williams team can optimise its performance around the first and last sections of the Interlagos circuit to compensate for any loss of performance in the tight and twisty middle section which shares similar characteristics to the Hungarian GP circuit where both Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas finished trailing its rivals.

“Brazil should be a good circuit for our cars - it was certainly good for us last year with Felipe on the podium at his home race, and we will look to repeat that,” Smedley said. “The layout is power and drag sensitive so the efficiency should work in our favour. The hard part will be getting the car to perform well in sector two.”

With Williams pulling out the smallest of gaps on Red Bull in Mexico – Williams extended its advantage by a single point with P3 and P6 compared to Red Bull's P4 and P5 – it now holds a 71-point lead over the Milton Keynes squad.

Another positive result in Brazil will guarantee its second consecutive third place finish in the F1 Constructors' championship and Smedley is upbeat about Williams' form moving into the end of the season.

“We head to Brazil after a good result for the team in Mexico,” he added. “We are in good spirits, with our main target of securing third position in the Constructors' Championship still firmly on track. It means we are going to be racing extremely hard to make that happen.

“Equally as important will be beating the cars that we have been racing against all season. We want to get a good result and find ourselves in a position to celebrate securing third position on Sunday evening.”

[MIKA27]

F1 Brazilian Grand Prix: Perez: I'm in the form of my life

Sergio Perez feels he is in the form of his life currently as he looks to charge into the end of the 2015 Formula 1 championship on a high.

Since taking delivery of the B-specification Force India car at Silverstone the Mexican driver has secured seven points finishes in nine races including three impressive top-five finishes and a crowning highlight of a podium finish in Russia.

Arguably the most consistent driver over the course of the second half of the season, Perez has risen to ninth in the F1 Drivers' championship and his eighth place finish at his home race guaranteed the Mexican his best year in the sport.

“In the last few races we've had a really good run of results,” Perez said. “I feel I'm driving at my best and the team is doing a fantastic job. We want to finish this season on a high and I think we still have some big results in us, so I am confident ahead of the race.”

The Brazilian Grand Prix has proven to be a difficult event for Perez, with only one points finish in four races, coming with McLaren in 2013. The Force India driver says he enjoys the test of the Interlagos circuit and will be hunting an improvement in results this weekend.

“Brazil is another venue where you can feel the energy of the fans,” he said. “The track is brilliant: it's a proper racer's circuit with some amazing corners. The first sector is fantastic: you can take different lines through turn one and you can end up in a battle for position that lasts until turn six.

"The lap is very technical and there are a lot of places where you can easily make a mistake, but the feeling when you get a perfect lap together is amazing.”

[MIKA27]

McLaren unfortunate that the F1 season is ending, reckons Alonso

Fernando Alonso believes it is unfortunate the 2015 Formula 1 season is ending because McLaren's recent car upgrades have taken the team's MP4-30 in a good direction.

McLaren introduced a significant aerodynamic upgrade two races ago at Austin, while Alonso and Jenson Button are happy with the performance step Honda has found with its 'phase four' engine, even if it remains unreliable.

The team has made it clear that it has used this season's race weekends for testing, and Alonso says it is a shame track time is running out.

"In Austin, and definitely in Mexico, the car was going in the right direction," said Alonso.

"Aerodynamically we introduced some improvements in Austin, and the car is delivering what we expected.

"The engine is also improving every race. With the 'spec four' there is definitely more performance. The whole package is improving every race.

"Unfortunately the season is going to end, but we have a positive trend with the package, and hopefully this trend will continue over the winter without testing or racing."

Alonso said the first signs of Honda's bigger improvements for 2016 will only become apparent once dyno testing is conducted over the off-season.

"The recent races show us some of the potential we are unlocking for next year," said the Spaniard.

"With the engine side, it's a question mark because some of the improvements we are hoping for are just on paper now.

"They need to make the project and we need to run the engines on the dyno in January and February.

"Until that date we will not be completely sure in terms of progress but I'm optimistic.

"We learned a lot of lessons this year in terms of reliability, performance, the philosophy of the engine, the philosophy of the electrics and the turbo."

Button added that the recent progress shown by McLaren and Honda was an indication that the pain of this year could pay off next season.

"We all get frustrated when things don't go our way," he said.

"As a team we get frustrated because we're not fighting at the front, which is our fault - it's down to us as a team for that not happening.

"I'd rather see improvements like we had from the new spec of engine and have a few issues over a race weekend because it's all promising for the future, and that is what we are looking forward to."

[MIKA27]

Formula 3 driver Lance Stroll set for Williams F1 development role

Formula 3 driver Lance Stroll is poised to take up a driver development role with the Williams Formula 1 team, Autosport understands.

Sources have confirmed the 17-year-old Canadian and advisor Luca Baldisserri have been in discussions with Williams about taking up a position at Grove.

Stroll is currently part of the Ferrari Young Driver Academy programme, run and managed by Baldisserri, who was previously chief track engineer with the Scuderia.

Stroll, however, now looks set to join Williams, with the recent retirement of Susie Wolff creating space on the team's driver roster.

In his first year of car racing, Stroll won the Italian Formula 4 title in 2014 before moving up with Prema Powerteam to the Formula 3 European Championship this year.

After some controversial mid-season accidents, he finished the year strongly with six podiums in the final 11 races, including a victory in the first race of the final round at Hockenheim.

Stroll, who will remain with Prema in F3 in 2016, is backed by his retail billionaire father Lawrence, who was last year linked with a potential buy in to Sauber, which ultimately came to nothing.

[MIKA27]

VETTEL: NIKI IS USUALLY NOT THE BEST ONE TO TRUST

Ferrari should be able to make “a good step forward” next season after establishing themselves as the closest challengers to Formula 1 champions Mercedes, Sebastian Vettel ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, while he scoffed at Niki Lauda’s recent comments about the Silver Arrows’ better chassis.

The four-times world champion, who joined Ferrari from Red Bull at the end of last year, has won three races in 2015, the only non-Mercedes driver to stand on top of the podium in 17 rounds so far.

“It’s always difficult to predict what’s going to happen but surely it is our target,” the German told reporters at the Brazilian Grand Prix when asked whether Ferrari could take the fight to Mercedes in 2016.

“I can see what’s happening in the background, the work that has gone into this year, the work that is going into next year back in the factory, back in Maranello with all the people,” he added.

“So it looks promising and I think we should be able to make a good step forward.”

Ferrari have not won a drivers’ world championship since 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen succeeded against the odds, and failed to win a race last year.

They have closed the gap in engine performance this season, however, despite Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton retaining both their titles.

Niki Lauda, Mercedes’ non-executive chairman and a triple world champion, said recently that the Italian team could match them for power but not in terms of chassis or aerodynamics.

“Well, as a fact we are not yet a match otherwise this season would have been very different,” said Vettel, who crashed out of the previous race in Mexico that was dominated by Mercedes, when asked about the Austrian’s words.

“But I’m very happy, as I said, with the season so far, with the progress we’ve made and also with the things that I think we have in the pipeline for the future.

“Niki is usually not the best one to trust, let’s put it this way, he’s changing his opinion very quickly and sometimes what he says makes sense and other times it doesn’t make any sense,” continued the German.

“The more he’s talking about us the better it is for us because he can feel that maybe we’re coming so hopefully that’s good news.”

Vettel said his target for the remaining two races of the season was to beat compatriot Nico Rosberg to second place overall and split the Mercedes drivers.

[MIKA27]

RED BULL SET FOR INFINITI-BRANDED RENAULTS IN 2016

Pending a green light from billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull will stay in Formula 1 running Infiniti branded Renault engines.

That is the claim of Sport Bild, and if true it will mean the end of the engine supply crisis that threatened to push the energy drink stable off the grid.

One by one, alternative plans to run Mercedes, Ferrari and even Honda power next year were ruled out, meaning efforts were re-focused on finding a solution involving Red Bull’s existing partner Renault.

However, the French carmaker is reportedly poised to announce its Lotus buyout and return to full works team status later this month in Abu Dhabi.

So the Red Bull solution, according to Sport Bild correspondents Ralf Bach and Bianca Garloff, will probably involve the Renault ‘power units’ being re-branded as Infiniti in 2016.

And that may just be a one-year, stop-gap solution, before the FIA’s plan to introduce a parallel engine formula based on Indycar’s twin-turbo V6 and involving an independent supplier hits the paddock.

Some have suggested the affordable ‘client engine’ idea is simply a complex political ploy by Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone.

But Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko told Der Spiegel that he had a “very long and constructive discussion” with the FIA president in Mexico and “he (Todt) has promised us” that the parallel engine regulations will be introduced.

Marko said that Red Bull will accept one more year in the F1 midfield as the team takes a “longer term perspective” of the unfolding situation.

All that is missing now is for Mateschitz to rubber-stamp the Infiniti-branded Renault deal for 2016, which he is expected to do before November 20.

Toro Rosso, meanwhile, appears set to switch to 2015-specification Ferrari power.

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner said recently he is confident Mateschitz wants to stay in F1.

“He recognises the commitment and the skill and determination of the team,” he said. “He wants to find a solution going forward, he is committed to helping that and behind the scenes is involved in numerous discussions to try and facilitate that,” Horner added.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON CRASHED €2 MILLION PAGANI ZONDA SUPERCAR

The car Lewis Hamilton crashed in Monaco early on Tuesday morning was his EUR 2 million, purple Pagani Zonda supercar.

That is the claim of Bild newspaper, after the triple world champion admitted a fever was not the only reason he travelled late to the scene of this weekend’s Brazilian grand prix.

No one was hurt in the crash, but 30-year-old Hamilton admitted he struck a stationary car. It is believed the crash occurred just before 3.30am local time.

“He reported it to the police immediately,” a Mercedes team spokesman said.

Bild said Hamilton’s Zonda has a V12, 760hp AMG engine, capable of 350kph.

[MIKA27]

BRAZIL TO USE MIX OF GRID BOYS AND GIRLS AT INTERLAGOS

Brazil will debut a world’s first this weekend by mixing the traditional Formula 1 grid girls with an equal number of grid boys.

F1 drivers including Sebastian Vettel earlier this year admitted their displeasure that the usual grid girls in Monaco had all been replaced by male models. It followed the total banning of grid girls at the fabled Le Mans.

On Wednesday, the new and admittedly “modern” approach taken by organisers of the Brazilian grand prix became clear, when both female and male models rehearsed on the Interlagos grid.

“I’m not for democracy,” F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone smiled to the local Globo, “but it’s good to have both men and women on the grid.”

In charge of the innovative approach is Marcelo Peixoto, a member of the local race organisation team, who said the idea was to mirror the modern thinking of “the Brazilian people”.

“I think it’s important that Brazil is also innovating with this change,” Peixoto added.