FORMULA 1 - 2015

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MEXICO TRACK RENOVATIONS ALMOST COMPLETE

Mexico is right on track for its return to Formula 1 this November, with the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, not seen on the F1 calendar since 1992, is currently being extensively renovated for its 2015 return.

The fabled and fearsome Peraltada corner has gone, but in a new visit to the site, the FIA’s Charlie Whiting says he is happy with progress.

“I am impressed with the progress and quality of the work in general,” he is quoted by Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo.

“I was here barely a month ago and the progress is significant,” Whiting added, saying he is “confident” the track will be ready for its November 1 race.

Another notable visitor to the track was FIA president Jean Todt, coinciding with the recent World Motor Sport Council meeting in Mexico City.

Christian Epp, in charge of the project on behalf of Hermann Tilke, was quoted as saying the reconstructed facility is now 75-90 per cent complete.

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Massa eager to carry on at Williams

Valtteri Bottas may be considering a move away from Williams next year, but his team-mate Felipe Massa is "happy" there and hoping to stay.

Veteran Massa joined Williams from Ferrari ahead of the 2014 campaign and has done a brilliant job as he has claimed four podiums over the last season and a bit. He is also the only non-Mercedes driver to have started in pole position since the start of last season.

While there has been a lot of talk that Bottas could leave Williams with Ferrari named as a possible destination, Massa is loving life at the Grove-based squad.

"I am happy where I am," he said. "Sometimes it's not just money or things like that making a difference: you need to understand what you are doing, where you are and how happy you are.

"I really like this team - they respect me a lot, I feel relaxed and we have some good results as well. I don't see why things would change.

"We have an option for next year, [and] I don't see really why we wouldn't take it and carry on. Results are always the best [way] to keep you happy and relaxed and in the right mind. I feel happy; we're doing a good job."

At the age of 34, he knows he probably doesn't have too many F1 seasons left in him and he says he is opening to moving to the Formula E or the World Endurance Championship.

"Maybe," the Brazilian said. "I have so many things to think about for the moment, maybe after I will have some options in Formula E or WEC, which I think is a very nice Championship and has the best car after F1, so maybe I am more interested to do that first.

"I don't know, maybe when I decide to stop I will have more time to think about it."

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Fangio exhumation delayed after 'second son' claim

Five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio's remains won't be exhumed just yet, following a court order to delay the process after a second person came forward claiming to be the legend's son.

A court in Mar del Plata - the nearest city to the Argentinian racers place of birth - ruled on Friday that his body should be exhumed for DNA testing in order to verify claims that Oscar Cesar Espinoza is his son.

However that process, which had been due to take place on August 7, has been delayed pending the outcome of a second claim from Ruben Vazquez.

A court in La Plata overruled the former court order, claiming the exhumation shouldn't take place until the outcome of Vazquez's case is decided.

This is because the Vazquez case began prior to Espinoza's and, according to the ruling, a 'Stay Order' was placed on Fangio's body, stopping anyone else from exhuming or moving his remains.

It's unclear what claim Vazquez has to believe he is the son of Fangio as the former Mercedes driver recognised no children and never married. He did however have a long-term relationship with Andrea Berruet, the mother of the second claimant, Espinoza.

This week marks the 20th anniversary of Fangio's death. He was 84-years-old when he passed away.

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F1 chiefs using Fan Survey in new rules talks

The opinion of more than 200,000 Formula 1 fans who took part in the GPDA Global Fan Survey is already being taken into account to by the sport's chiefs in discussions about future rule changes.

Two weeks after the GPDA issued an Executive Summary of the Survey's finding (gpda.motorsport.com), its chairman Alex Wurz says the unprecedented scope of the biggest ever sports survey has prompted interest from F1 chiefs and teams.

With feedback from 217,756 fans, across 15 languages and 194 countries, the Survey revealed what fans think about F1, and what they want to see it become in the future.

Fan opinion matters

While work is ongoing to collate the results in to a final full report, Wurz has revealed that F1's key figures, including F1 Strategy Group members, have already begun paying attention to the findings amid talk of future rule changes.

"We are in contact with the key stake holders and the Strategy Group, and they are interested and definitely considering the fans opinions that were collected in the Survey," Wurz told Motorsport.com.

"Due to the huge sample size we gained, there is a great deal of understanding that can be had – and it would be hard for anyone to ignore the collective opinion and data from such a large number of fans."

Race format talking point

The initial findings of the GPDA Survey came too late to pre-empt a move by the FIA and FOM to begin looking at an overhaul of the race weekend format, something the results indicated fans did not want.

More than 50 per cent of fans did not want there to be a Saturday sprint race, while 67.2 per cent were against the idea of there being two shorter races.

Only 26.9 per cent of fans were in favour of a third driver race, while only 20.8 per cent thought the current Saturday qualifying format needed changing.

Wurz says that the fans' reluctance to want sprint races or double headers has been communicated to chiefs, and he welcomed the fact that dialogue was open.

"There is definitely nothing wrong with wanting to improve the product, in this case the race weekend format, for the sake of being spectator friendly and equally for supporting the promoters themselves," he said.

"The clear message from the fans, and we talk of both the avid and casual follower who go to races and follow on television, is that the format should not be changed too much – if at all.

"But it is refreshing that F1 looks towards itself and asks what we can optimise.

"The survey data can be used to make sure we don't upset the fans with any changes, and if F1 follows the right method for development, then we can make the product better - so it is again a super competitive and thrilling sport without it being just a show."

Field tests

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said after the British Grand Prix that F1 considering change was a positive, but that feedback from fan surveys was important.

"We need to be on our toes, and try to constantly improve the racing," he said. "We should continue to develop the sport and listen to the inputs and the surveys."

Wurz welcomes the fact that the Survey is being used already, and thinks a good way for change to happen would be for things to be trialled first.

"We would suggest that any change should be done initially as a pilot study – so it is used at just one or two grands prix and does not get introduced for all races," he said.

"Such a 'field trial' would give good insights and consumer response data, based on which we could develop the idea further or decide it didn't work."

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F1's pre-2014 tyres were better for racing, says Romain Grosjean

Romain Grosjean believes the current generation of Pirelli tyres in Formula 1 do not degrade enough, which makes the racing less exciting than it used to be.

The F1 tyre supplier introduced harder compounds in 2014, after F1 switched from normally-aspirated V8 engines to turbocharged V6 hybrids, and beefed up the rear construction in anticipation of improved car performance this year.

Lotus driver Grosjean says the current iterations of rubber have largely eliminated the need for tyre management on some tracks, which he argues reduces opportunities for overtaking and means drivers can make less of a difference to the outcome of races with their individual styles.

"It's very different from two or three years ago where your driving style could influence the way you degrade your tyres, right now it doesn't change much," Grosjean said.

"I did prefer it when we had to think about it and when we could change the way it was degrading.

"That means if you took it a little bit slowly at the beginning of the race then you had an advantage over some of the other people, and you could try to go for an overtaking manoeuvre.

"I believe it creates overtaking chances, because there's a grip level and if the guy in front of you has a big snap it gives you an advantage.

"Right now if the guy in front of you has a snap you usually have the same one so you don't get the advantage anymore.

"Everyone is always on the limit of them [the tyres] and when you follow another car you don't really get that advantage anymore."

DURABILITY DOESN'T HELP OVERTAKING

Pirelli is facing competition from rival manufacturer Michelin, which has tendered to supply tyres to F1 from 2017 and reckons it can inject more excitement into the championship using more durable rubber.

But Grosjean says the experience of recent races, which have been mostly one-stoppers in dry conditions on various compounds of Pirelli rubber, suggests more durable tyres won't necessarily increase overtaking.

"Austria was a good example," he added.

"I was behind [sergio] Perez at the beginning of the race, I was on super-softs and he was on softs, so I had an advantage over grip, but I couldn't overtake him because every time I was trying to push to get closer I was overheating my tyres and was losing grip, so I couldn't overtake.

"That's probably why we can try to concentrate and focus to try and make it easier to get closer to the car in front of you.

"In 2012 and 2013 when they [the tyres] were degrading, they were getting into that bad shape of losing grip and the guy behind could take an advantage over it.

"Right now it stays quite consistent, but over the lap if you go over a certain window then you just lose the grip and when you follow another car you lose downforce, so you slide even more and lose the grip, making overtaking harder."

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HAAS: WE ARE DESIGNING OUR OWN CAR AND WANT TWO EXPERIENCED DRIVERS

Haas F1 team, is already learning the politics of Formula 1 and have found themselves on the defensive amid suggestions that it is already bending the rules.

Currently, as it is not yet racing, the outfit is outside of the current wind tunnel testing restrictions.

But its work at Ferrari’s Maranello tunnel recently caught the attention of the governing FIA, triggering an inspection.

Team boss Gunther Steiner told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: “In principle, we are doing nothing different to what Force India does at Toyota. We are a customer (of Ferrari’s) in the wind tunnel.”

However, Haas is making no secret of its close alliance with Ferrari, as it makes the most of the current rules in terms of buying parts from the Italian team.

But Steiner insists that Haas is designing its own chassis, “We have designed our own chassis. Rob Taylor has been working on it since January.”

Much of this work is taking place at Dallara, the Italian chassis manufacturer. Haas also has a headquarters in North Carolina, and yet another in Banbury, at the former Marussia base.

Steiner denies that Dallara is making the Haas car, “We have our own offices at Dallara. It’s like a company within a company.”

Soon, Haas’ attention will turn towards signing up the race drivers for 2016. Previously, the team has said it may pair an experienced hand with a rookie.

But Steiner now says: “We are looking for two drivers with experience. As a new team, you don’t also want to be running a driving school. You need two drivers who already know what they’re doing,.”

Auto Motor und Sport said a Ferrari-linked driver is a near-certainty, with Jean-Eric Vergne apparently the front-runner ahead of Esteban Gutierrez.

As for the other seat, Nico Hulkenberg, Romain Grosjean and Felipe Nasr are all linked with Haas, while Americans Alexander Rossi and Danica Patrick have been effectively ruled out.

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BOTTAS: ALL MY LIFE I WILL BE REALLY GRATEFUL TO WILLIAMS

Valtteri Bottas says he will always be grateful to Williams for giving him a break and guiding him into Formula 1 amid speculation linking him to Ferrari for next year and beyond.

The Finn was speaking amid ever-growing speculation that he is first in line for a switch to Ferrari next year, in the event the fabled Maranello team ousts countryman Kimi Raikkonen. However 25-year-old Bottas played down the speculation.

“I think the first time I was linked to Ferrari was last year so now it’s back,” he smiled. “But for me nothing has changed since the last time the question was asked. There is no new information to give.

“At some point we will know what will happen, but it’s not yet,” Bottas told Sky at the recent British grand prix.

It was at Silverstone that Williams actually looked to have overtaken the resurgent Ferrari and had a shot at victory, even though ultimately the white cars finished behind the red ones.

So given the ‘Williams versus Ferrari’ battle for supremacy behind Mercedes in 2015, it might be a tough decision if Bottas ultimately does get to make a call.

“I think this team (Williams) can win,” he said. “It’s not impossible. “At the moment it’s difficult times because Mercedes is really dominant and Ferrari made a big jump from last year and we’ve not moved forward that much compared to others.”

“But we’re pushing, we’re trying everything we can and I think we’re making progress at the moment. There’s still a long way to go until the season ends,” Bottas added.

And no matter what colour overalls he is wearing in 2016, Bottas said he will always be grateful to Williams, who gave him his shot at formula one.

“Of course. I think all my life I will be really grateful to Williams that I got the opportunity to go into formula one, first as a test driver then as race driver. So for sure I will be forever very thankful,” he said.

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HORNER: 100% SURE KVYAT IS STAYING WITH RED BULL

Daniil Kvyat appears to have secured his place at Red Bull Racing for now, as he appears to have emerged from a troubled early season with the energy drinks team.

Earlier, the young Russian seemed to be under pressure from the energy drink stable’s latest F1 hotshoes Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, as he struggled after stepping up from Toro Rosso.

But at Silverstone recently, Kvyat secured the public backing of Red Bull’s tough taskmaster Dr Helmut Marko. And now team boss Christian Horner says he is happy with the 21-year-old.

“Dany did a stunning overtake on Sebastian Vettel at Silverstone and had great pace in the race. It’s a pity he spun or he could have fought for the podium,” he told France’s Auto Hebdo.

Asked if Kvyat is delivering what Red Bull expects, Horner confirmed: “Yes, absolutely.

“In the last three or four races he has started to show his potential. He was fast in Monaco, Montreal, Austria and Silverstone, and as I said in Silverstone he had the chance to fight for the podium,” he added.

Meanwhile, Horner ruled out speculation Red Bull could be about to lose its lead driver, Daniel Ricciardo, to Ferrari.

“The interest of other teams is flattering for Daniel,” he said, “but we both know the conditions of his contract. You can be 100 per cent sure that he is staying with the team,” Horner added.

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WILLIAMS PRACTICE NOSE CONE CAUSES A STIR

Formula 1 fans and insiders were scratching their heads in confusion this week when they spotted a radical Williams nose.

The British team posted to Twitter a photo of a factory worker preparing sidepod bodywork for the forthcoming Hungarian grand prix.

But – initially unspotted by many glancing viewers – in the upper corner of the photo was the front end of the Mercedes-powered FW37, featuring a bizarre nose with an apparently gaping hole at the tip.

“Will it be used in Hungary?” Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Tobias Gruner wondered. “Is it even legal?”

When he contacted the Grove team for confirmation, the answer was less spectacular than the flurry of speculation it had sparked.

“It is not a new nose for racing, but a ‘dummy nose’ for pitstop practice in the factory,” Gruner revealed.

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BRIATORE SLAMS TAX EVASION SENTENCE

Controversial former F1 figure Flavio Briatore has hit out at the media coverage of his conviction for tax evasion.

Once expelled from formula one amid the ‘crashgate’ cheating scandal, the flamboyant Italian has now been sentenced to 23 months of probation over a case surrounding his luxury yacht Force Blue.

Briatore, 65, and fellow directors were found in an Italian criminal court to have used the boat only for recreational purposes whilst claiming tax benefits for charters.

Asked about the media coverage of the case, Briatore told the Italian weekly Chi: “I have not read all the reports in the newspapers, but it doesn’t interest me. It’s a waste of paper.

“The fact is that my yacht is still used in the charter business, as I have always maintained, and yet I am condemned.

“The Italian newspapers and journalists are brave with their big headlines, but we are going to appeal (the conviction). This story is not over yet.”

Meanwhile, Briatore’s legal spokesman commented: “This whole process and the judgement came about only because someone should be punished for his lifestyle.”

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SPOTLIGHT SHIFTS TO ALLISON AS FERRARI FALL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

As Ferrari’s 2015 Formula 1 title campaign appears to be stalling, focus is beginning to shift to the unextended contract held by technical boss James Allison.

Leo Turrini, the well-connected Ferrari media insider, says the Briton’s current deal expires in mid-2016.

The Maranello team, although apparently improved this year with Sergio Marchionne, Maurizio Arrivabene and Sebastian Vettel at the helm, hit a conspicuous snag at Silverstone when Williams turned out with a clearly superior package.

But the token-upgraded engine debuted in Canada had also failed to live up to its promise, amid suggestions other aspects of Ferrari’s development programme for 2015 are similarly not delivering as expected.

Writing in Italy’s influential La Gazzetta dello Sport, correspondent Luigi Perna wondered if Allison’s performance is “already under scrutiny”.

“It is true that he took over the project started by Nicholas Tombazis, and to save time he stayed with certain elements of the car such as the pull-rod suspension which seemed to limit the usage of the tyres,” he wrote.

“But it is equally true that more was expected in terms of development, as Maranello has invested millions in restructuring the wind tunnel and on modern dynamic test benches for both engine and chassis,” Perna added.

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Sainz happy with less help off the line

Formula 1 rookie Carlos Sainz is looking forward to the introduction of restrictions on driver aids, particularly those that help with race starts.

Sainz, who races for Toro Rosso, believes that it is important that a driver’s skill be brought to the fore, even at the start of a race.

Speaking to Formula1.com, Sainz says the start should rely much more on the driver than on any computer software.

“I know zero details about what they want to ban, but if they want the driver to play a bigger role when the lights go out in terms of managing torque maps and things like that then I think it’s a positive thing," he said.

“If it’s more and more driver dependant and the driver can make a difference with his feelings and his calls, it’s more than welcome."

He acknowledged however, that these changes will have to be discussed as current start procedures are very complex.

“We have to make it a bit more simple. At the moment we have so many parameters [on the car]. It would be very difficult for the driver to choose one of a hundred [in order] to know how to do the best start," he continued.

“But we will see. First we need details from the FIA to see what they want to ban."

These changes will come into affect at the Belgian Grand Prix in August.

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'A question of time' - Alonso

Fernando Alonso believes that McLaren will once again be fighting it out for podiums in the future.

The two-time World Champion, who moved from Ferrari to the Woking based outfit for the 2015 season, feels that although they have struggled during this campaign, the team’s persistence will eventually bring success.

The Spaniard, who recently scored his first points of the season at the British Grand Prix, says a podium finish will require a little more time. He remains hopeful, however.

"The podium will be a consequence of hard work and time - it's a question of time,” he told ESPN.

"We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the commitment. Unfortunately Formula One is not easy; the competitors are extremely professional and extremely strong as well.”

Despite his optimism, McLaren are severely hampered by an under performing Honda power unit. They were 2.9s off pole position pace at Silverstone.

Alonso accepts there is much catching up to do, especially with Honda only returning to Formula 1 as an engine supplier this year. The summer break, he feels, will help immeasurably.

"We are very young and behind the other guys because we had a completely new start, from zero, and unfortunately in professional sport there is no time to wait and we all want to do right now and quickly the [good] results, but this is not happening," he said.

"The important thing is not to get frustrated and keep working in the same direction. I think the second half of the year will show a completely different McLaren - much more competitive - and the project for next year is the second year so everything will be different."

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Button backs proposed ground effect return in 2017

Jenson Button believes returning to lighter cars with downforce generated by the floor, rather than the front and rear-wings, is where Formula 1's future lies.

It's a proposal that has already been put forward for 2017 when the sport will undergo a radical overhaul aimed at making the cars "five to six seconds" per lap quicker.

Ground effect was last used in the early '80s, but was then banned, leaving F1 cars reliant on aerodynamics for downforce, primarily from the complex front and rear-wings which have increased in cost ten-fold over the past decade.

Button backs the return to ground effect floors, similar to how GP2 cars generate much of their downforce, as it doesn't impact overtaking as it creates very little 'dirty air'.

"It's good to see a lot of new ideas for the future - I wish they were next year rather than 2017," the Briton is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"I like the idea of making the cars lighter - they become more nimble, they become less lazy; more mechanical grip is always good for racing, because it doesn't hurt overtaking.

"And if you're going to work with downforce it should come from the floor rather than the wings, because you can race closer and fight, and you don't have as much dirty air from the wings for the car following."

No firm decisions have been made for 2017, other than the cars being made wider along with wider rear tyres, therefore ground effect remains a possibility.

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Tilke says rules, not tracks, make overtaking hard

Formula One circuit designer Hermann Tilke says F1’s rules are more to blame for the challenges of overtaking than track layouts.

Tilke, who has designed many of the circuits on the current calendar and has helped remodel corners on several others, defended his work in an interview with Sports Business Journal.

“Some criticism is simply not true,” he said. “Take Bahrain for example. People said, ‘Oh, it will be boring because overtaking is not possible.’ Not true. Last year, Bahrain was one of the most exciting races in history. There was overtaking everywhere.”

Tilke suggested the restrictions on car design inhibit overtaking. “We have to do our part and the regulations have to do their part to make overtaking possible,” he said.

“We try to create corners where overtaking is possible. The simplest way is a long straight followed by a sharp corner, which creates a long brake zone.”

“However, if regulations prohibit cars from racing close to each other they simply can’t overtake. That’s always a problem, but we try to find ways to make it possible.”

Processional racing in F1 can also be a consequence of the quality of the drivers, Tilke added. “We also try to find ways to allow drivers to make mistakes,” he explained. “The problem is the drivers in Formula One are the best drivers in the world and they don’t make mistakes.”

‘We always try to keep the character and history’

Tilke’s company is planning the Baku street circuit which will host Azerbaijan’s first round of the world championship next year. Before then F1 will race on the revised Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico, which Tilke is also taking care of.

Although every corner on the circuit is being altered from its original layout, Tilke said his team “always try to keep the character and the history of the circuit”.

“The difficulty in Mexico City is its really tight boundaries, which provide a challenge. We need to bring some parts of the track to the inside to have more run-off on the outside to comply with FIA safety regulations.”

The final corner, which was once a high-speed 180-degree bend, is now a slow section which winds through a baseball field. Tilke said this alteration was “the client’s wish”.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting recently claimed run-off areas at some modern circuits were larger than they needed to be. Tilke admitted he is more inclined to “push the limits” with his newer designs.

“We are doing things now that we wouldn’t have done 10 or 15 years ago,” he said. “Now that we know those things, we can go much closer to the edge of the regulations to make it more exciting.”

However he also expressed concern that several of F1’s oldest venues are in danger of losing their races. “First of all it’s a world championship, so it should go to every corner of the world. But also the traditional European races should remain part of it.”

“For me personally, I’m not really happy that Germany has no grand prix this year. And should Italy lose its race, it would be very disappointing for me as a fan. I like the traditional races such as Spa, Monza, Hockenheim, Nürburgring or Silverstone. As a fan, I want them to be part of Formula One for the next 50 years and beyond.”

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Mercedes duo predict more troubled F1 starts

Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton think that the scope of Formula 1's new race start restrictions will be enough to shake things up away at the lights.

The FIA revealed last week the extent of a new clampdown on driver aids aimed at making starts less predictable: which will minimise team control and ban any radio communication advice.

Rosberg is convinced that the changes will be enough to make things harder for the drivers, which will open the door for mistakes to be made.

In particular, if drivers don't get it right they can suffer either too much wheelspin, or burn out the clutch for a compromised getaway. Even worse, they could end up stalling.

"It is good," said Rosberg in an edition of the Mercedes F1 team's weekly Studio Show. "It is going to be make it even more exciting and will be even more in our hands to make it more difficult.

"That will throw in a lot of variables and it will be much more difficult to predict the outcome of the start. All good."

Hamilton predicts trouble

Although Hamilton says that the job of the drivers will not change much – as there will be no hardware tweaks or different systems – he accepts there will be scope for drivers to get things wrong.

"It doesn't make a huge difference," he said. "We still have the same responsibility it so doesn't change anything.

"But when you do the start from the grid [at the moment], the team can calculate how much grip there is and how much torque delivery the engine is giving. So if you have too much torque you get wheelspin. If not enough then there is no wheelspin and it is a slow getaway.

"The team can then tell you to put the torque up or down. Now we can't do that, and we can't ourselves do torque up and down. There will be such a differential between the first and real start that there will be a lot of people getting bad starts."

[ptrthgr8]

RIP Jules.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/07/18/formula-1-driver-jules-bianchi-dies-nine-months-after-crash/

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

[Orion21]

'A question of time' - Alonso

Fernando Alonso believes that McLaren will once again be fighting it out for podiums in the future.

The two-time World Champion, who moved from Ferrari to the Woking based outfit for the 2015 season, feels that although they have struggled during this campaign, the teams persistence will eventually bring success.

The Spaniard, who recently scored his first points of the season at the British Grand Prix, says a podium finish will require a little more time. He remains hopeful, however.

"The podium will be a consequence of hard work and time - it's a question of time, he told ESPN.

"We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the commitment. Unfortunately Formula One is not easy; the competitors are extremely professional and extremely strong as well.

Despite his optimism, McLaren are severely hampered by an under performing Honda power unit. They were 2.9s off pole position pace at Silverstone.

Alonso accepts there is much catching up to do, especially with Honda only returning to Formula 1 as an engine supplier this year. The summer break, he feels, will help immeasurably.

"We are very young and behind the other guys because we had a completely new start, from zero, and unfortunately in professional sport there is no time to wait and we all want to do right now and quickly the [good] results, but this is not happening," he said.

"The important thing is not to get frustrated and keep working in the same direction. I think the second half of the year will show a completely different McLaren - much more competitive - and the project for next year is the second year so everything will be different."

What else is he going to say! Lol. A true professional.

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RIP Jules.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/07/18/formula-1-driver-jules-bianchi-dies-nine-months-after-crash/

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

JULES DEPARTS

French Formula One driver Jules Bianchi has died of critical head injuries sustained at last year’s Japanese Grand Prix, his family said in a statement on Saturday. He was 25.

Bianchi had been in a coma since the accident at Suzuka last October. He passed away at a hospital in Nice, near his parents’ home in the south of France.

“Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end,” said the Bianchi family. “The pain we feel is immense and indescribable.”

Bianchi was the first driver since Brazilian triple world champion Ayrton Senna, at Italy’s Imola circuit in May 1994, to die from injuries sustained during a grand prix weekend.

“We are devastated to lose Jules after such a hard-fought battle,” his Manor F1 team Tweeted. “It was a privilege to have him race for our team.”

The Frenchman suffered severe head injuries when, in wet conditions and fading light, his Marussia slammed into a recovery tractor while it was attempting to remove Adrian Sutil’s crashed Sauber.

Television images of the 5 October 2014 accident, which were not publicly broadcast but have since been posted on the internet, showed the Marussia’s roll hoop had been entirely ripped off in the massive impact.

The race was stopped and the unconscious driver was extracted from the wrecked car and taken by road ambulance to the nearby hospital.

Bianchi, who was also contracted to Ferrari and was considered to have a bright future in the sport, was initially treated in the Mie General Medical Centre in Yokkaichi.

His parents and siblings flew out from France and were a constant presence at his bedside, hoping against hope for a miracle.

An International Automobile Federation (FIA) report said in December that the Frenchman had not slowed sufficiently under warning flags before crashing.

The report found that Bianchi’s car hit the tractor at 126 kph and said medical services were not at fault in their handling of the aftermath.

His family praised medical staff in Nice and Mie Prefecture for their care over the last nine months and asked for privacy as they sought to come to terms with the loss.

“Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world,” the statement said.

“We would like to ask that our privacy is respected during this difficult time, while we try to come to terms with the loss of Jules.”

Bianchi’s father, Philippe, had told French radio earlier this month that he was “less optimistic” of a recovery. In May he said they had been preparing for the worst.

“It’s hard to get up in the morning while telling yourself that you’re not sure whether your son is going to live and every day is like that,” he said.

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MANOR MARUSSIA: JULES WAS A SHINING TALENT

The Manor Marussia F1 Team would like to communicate the following statement from John Booth, Team Principal.

“Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules. He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward.”

“Jules was a shining talent. He was destined for great things in our sport; success he so richly deserved. He was also a magnificent human being, making a lasting impression on countless people all over the world.”

“They recognised, as did we, that at the same time as being a fiercely motivated racer, he was also an extremely warm, humble and intensely likable person, who lit up our garage and our lives.”

“We are incredibly grateful that we were able to provide Jules with the opportunity to show the world what he could do in a Formula 1 car.”

“We knew we had a very special driver on our hands from the first time he drove our car in pre-season testing in 2013. It has been an honour to be able to consider him our race driver, our team-mate, and of course our friend.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the wonderful Bianchi family, who have remained so strong for Jules throughout the past nine months. In turn, Jules was an absolute credit to them.”

“Finally, we would like to thank everyone who has supported Jules since his accident in Japan last October. Your kindness has been such a source of comfort to his family and to us, his team. We will rely on your continued support over the coming days and months as we race on for Jules.”

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ARRIVEDERCI TO RAIKKONEN AS FERRARI OPT FOR BOTTAS?

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas has reportedly signed and sealed a deal with Ferrari to replace Finnish countryman Kimi Raikkonen from 2016 onward.

That is the assertion of well connected and influential Corriere dello Sport, adding that the Maranello team will therefore not exercise the 2016 ‘option’ on Raikkonen’s existing contract.

The option with Raikkonen does not expire until 31 July, and so there will be no official confirmation of the Bottas deal “at least until that date”, the newspaper said.

The report revealed that Ferrari reached an agreement with Bottas’ current team Williams, who had a firm option on the 25-year-old’s services for next year.

Corriere dello Sport said the deal, brokered by Bottas’ experienced manager Didier Coton, amounts to some €12 million.

Correspondent Fulvio Solms backs the decision to oust Raikkonen and wrote, “Kimi did not fit with the last two Ferrari cars. He did not fit with the new team management. Sometimes he seems not to fit even with himself.”

Raikkonen has been on the podium only once in the 28 races he has contested since his return to the Maranello outfit, in that period his respective teammates have been on the podium eight times.

This year the veteran Finn, who became a father recently, has also been increasingly moody and unapproachable as his form has failed him, while driver errors have not helped his cause.

After a below par British Grand Prix for Raikkonen, team boss Maurizio Arrivabene said, “I do not want to talk about Kimi’s future. There are still ten races to go and when the time comes, we will make a decision if we have to.

“Kimi knows what we expect of him. At the same time everybody has been talking about this since Bahrain, which is not good in terms of the pressure on him,” added Arrivabene.

Opinions are divided regarding the course of action that Ferrari should take with Raikkonen being voted the sport’s most popular driver in a recent GPDA fan survey.

While current teammate Sebastian Vettel is in favour of keeping the current driver line-up, the German told Autosprint, “My contract lasts longer than his [Raikkonen] but if he does continue with us next year it would be a good thing. We work well together and I think the team knows it.”

Raikkonen remains the last Ferrari driver to lift the Formula 1 title when he did so in 2007, and sources close to him suggest that if he is axed by Ferrari he will walk away from racing.

“I have no idea what will happen with Ferrari or what my life could be like [afterwards],” he told Bild am Sonntag during the British Grand Prix. “It was the same six years ago when I stopped for the first time.”

“I could be here or I could be at home. I have basically been travelling around my whole life so it [staying home] might be nice,” Raikkonen added.

Meanwhile Bottas has been talking like someone who is on his way out at Williams, but at the same time is keen not to burn bridges with the team that gave him his break and where his personal manager Toto Wolff still has influence.

Bottas said last week, “Of course. I think all my life I will be really grateful to Williams that I got the opportunity to go into Formula 1, first as a test driver then as race driver. So for sure I will be forever very thankful.”

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NASR IN LINE TO REPLACE BOTTAS AT WILLIAMS BUT THERE ARE OTHERS

The Silly Season continues to gather momentum amid reports in Corriere dello Sport claiming that Williams has agreed a €12 million buyout by Ferrari of Valtteri Bottas’ 2016 contract ‘option’.

And the Rome-based daily said the man slotting into Bottas’ Williams seat next year will be the British team’s former reserve driver, Felipe Nasr.

Corriere dello Sport predicted Bottas’ move, tipped to be announced officially in early August once the 2016 option on Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari deal runs out, will trigger a “domino effect” on the driver market involving “at least four teams”.

Brazilian Nasr, who stepped up from the Williams reserve seat in 2014 to make his grand prix debut with Sauber this year, carries the significant sponsorship of Banco do Brasil.

Earlier this week, the 22-year-old had been quoted by Brazil’s UOL Esporte as playing down the suggestions of a return to Williams for 2016, “For my part I have not heard anything yet. Of course there are always rumours…”

“But I’m still committed to Sauber, we have a plan to improve the car in 2016, we have a lot of work going on and have hired a new (technical) boss,” Nasr, referring to Mark Smith, added.

But last month, Nasr admitted his frustration with Sauber’s stalled car development in 2015, reportedly calling a recurring brake problem “unacceptable”.

When asked by Globo about a potential return to Williams, he answered: “I think it’s too early to talk about it. I am committed to Sauber.”

But Nasr continued: “I had a great year with them in 2014 so I see the door open. Who knows if in the future an opportunity there may arise.”

Nasr has been one of the standout rookies in a year where the likes of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz are also enjoying impressive debut seasons, but are both within the Toro Rosso team.

But Nasr has easily out performed more experienced Marcus Ericsson in the other Sauber, the Brazilian scoring 16 points to date compared to six by his teammate.

F1 teams are at the moment spoilt for choice when it comes to available drivers and Williams could also consider the likes of:

• Nico Hulkenberg who brings speed and experience but not the much needed cash injection;
• Kevin Magnussen or Stoffel Vandoorne who may find funding from McLaren to get them on the grid in 2016;
• Jenson Button has hinted recently that he could move and a swansong at Williams would be poetic as that is where he began his F1 career.
• Daniel Ricciardo of whom respected F1 journo Joe Saward wrote: “His contractual status is not entirely clear as he’s not keen on giving detailed answers, so it is safe to assume he’s not completely locked in [at Red Bull] for 2016.”

The F1 Silly Season is now in top gear as the circus heads to Hungary next week where it will be a hot topic throughout the weekend.

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RUSSIAN GRAND PRIX ON VERGE OF FINANCIAL COLLAPSE

This year’s Russian Grand Prix is in danger of last-minute collapse, according to reports in Russian media and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Sochi is scheduled to host its second consecutive race in October, but organisers are reportedly desperately hoping for a 64 million euro bailout by the government in Moscow amid a deep economic crisis.

“If there is no credit, there will be no formula one,” said Veniamin Kondratiev, the interim governor of the Krasnodar region.

The reports said 20,000 tickets for the 2015 Russian grand prix have been sold to date.

But Kondratiev explained that, amid the crisis, funding for schools and funding are being prioritised, “We will not use our regional funds for formula one.”

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Hungary will be a sombre place

Next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix will be a very sombre event due to Friday's passing of Jules Bianchi.

Graeme Lowdon, president and sporting director of Manor, feels that the loss of the Frenchman will become very apparent when the teams begin to arrive at the Hungaroring circuit.

"Jules had very many friends in the paddock, and it'll be a sombre place but he was a racer, and I know he would want to see the team continue and the sport continue as well," said Lowdon.

He admitted that the team were extremely shocked by the news.

"We always knew it was something that could happen, but it's still a shock. It's a very sad day for the sport and the team. It's a real shock to lose a team-mate in such a way. It's been really terrible for everyone.”

The Briton said, however that Bianchi’s family were uppermost in both his and Marussia’s thoughts.

"Our heart goes out to Jules's family. He's from an extremely loving family, and it's terrible they've had to go through this."

Lowdon stressed the importance of Formula 1 continuing to upgrade its safety procedures.

He believes that the sport need to continue to learn and improve from tragedies such as Bianchi’s accident at Suzuka.

"It's always important to learn from any incident like this and to be fair the sport has already improved a number of safety measures. Hopefully, we'll never see an accident like this again."

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Detailed analysis of Force India's B-spec car

Force India's B specification was finally unveiled at the British Grand Prix and marked the culmination of the teams move from their own wind tunnel facilities to the Toyota tunnel in Cologne. The team had already pulled the covers off a few of the updates at the in-season test in Austria, using the track time to correlate data on those parts.

The most obvious of the updates is the new nose which features two 'nostrils' in the upper surface, however, the car features a mouth watering array of new parts that should help to boost their performance over the coming races.

Front Wing

The new front-wing bears a significant resemblance to the philosophy employed by Red Bull up until most recently, not a bad way to go considering their pedigree over the last few seasons. Outwardly it may look very similar to the old specification but every surface has been reworked.

A new endplate curves over to meet with the new mainplane and footplate arcs (marked in purple above), the endplate itself is completely different in its approach with the flaps, which now form part of the footplate, allowed airflow by virtue of the endplates slot. Meanwhile the canard mounted on the outside of the endplate (marked in dark blue above) has been moved, flattened and its orientation changed, leading to a change in the pressure gradient it creates.

The flaps which as previously mentioned now merge with the footplate have been completely redesigned and should allow more flexibility in terms of setup. A four full flap configuration has been traded-in for a five full flap configuration with slotted upper flap.

The two tier cascade has been swapped out for a three tier design (marked in red), whilst the vertical fin placed in the middle of the cascade (marked in light blue) has been replaced by two fins and a thermal imaging camera, in order to monitor temperatures on the tyres surface.

Replacing the 'r' cascade (marked in green above) are two small horizontal winglets, which also act as the cascades structural support by virtue of the metal stay.

An inboard canard can now also be found hanging from the endplate (marked in orange above).

The front-wing (and nose) of the car represents the first impact on the airflow, meaning it sets up all the flow structures for the rest of the car, whilst also having to provide aerodynamic balance from the downforce it generates. The latter is a given with F1 teams able to generate more forward downforce than is often needed, which gives them license to compartmentalise the wing to achieve other effects.

Primary to these is the need to create the right Y250 vortex where the flaps meet with the neutral central section of the mainplane, whilst also controlling the wake generated by the front tyre. This has been of particular significance since the rule changes in 2014 as the teams look to improve rear downforce whilst reducing drag. The changes that Force India have made with this update are largely aimed at dealing with tyre wake and its influence on the car downstream.

Nose

The new nose is an interesting interpretation of the regulations, one I'm sure many of the teams looked at when designing their own. The 'nostrils' allow airflow to pass from the upper surface of the nose back under the nose whilst circumnavigating the single cross section regulation. This is because when you look at the holes in the upper surface from above you cannot see through to the floor, instead the holes on the underside of the nose (highlighted in green below) are offset, allowing airflow to merge under the central portion of the nose.

For all intents and purposes this is meant to mimic the nose tip not being there, as the nostrils increase how much flow is committed under the nose, ideally returning the team to a similar level of performance seen before the low nose tip rules were introduced. Of course it can't go that far but it's a less structurally demanding way of passing the crash tests whilst mimicking if not improving on the short nose solutions run by other teams.

Bodywork

The sidepods and engine cover must be designed with great care, as aerodynamically both the internal and external airflow they preside over can have a large impact on the car in general. The update saw changes to both, starting at the sidepod inlets where the team have reshaped the inlets and, like others, shrink wrapped the sidepods shoulder bodywork around the upper 'spec' crash structures, creating a blister on the sidepods shoulder (marked in yellow).

The shape of the sidepod outlets at the rear of the car now encourage more airflow into the coke bottle region, whilst a change in exhaust philosophy has also led to the bodywork around it being tightened, shrinking the entire cooling outlets profile.

The exhaust now lies directly atop the crash structure/gearbox casing, with the last portion of the exhaust tilted upward (marked in red) to interact with the airflow structures developed by the diffuser and rear wing.

Meanwhile, the oil cooler that used to sit astride the exhaust has been moved into one of the sidepods. This follows the same design continuity we saw from the team at Silverstone in 2014 as they looked to improve the VJM07 mid-season. This allows the engine cover to be shrunk down further and an enlarged shark fin (marked in green) used simply to meet the size regulations, whilst the rear wing support pylon is increased in length in order to meet the more svelte engine cover. These changes have all been made in order to maximise the cooling potential, whilst improving aerodynamic performance.

The changes made to the VJM08 won't be enough to leap-frog the team to the front of the grid but it'll be handy as they continue to bring updates and challenge the established order at the front of the midfield.