FORMULA 1 - 2015

[MIKA27]

Massa questions lack of pace

Following a disappointing Sunday in Hungary that concluded without a single point for Williams, Felipe Massa says he is baffled by the team's lack of pace.

Qualifying inside the top ten at the Hungaroring, the Brazilian and his team had hoped for a solid showing come Sunday.

But that was not to be.

Massa was unable to recover from an early penalty, the consequence for being out of position on the grid, and broughts his car home in 12th place.

The Brazilian has revealed he has no idea why he pace was so "really, really" poor on Sunday.

"The pace was really, really bad," Massa told Autosport. "I don't know why.

"We were slow, especially me, behind in the traffic, especially with the prime [medium] tyres.

"I couldn't drive at all, we were missing the overall grip on the car.

"I think maybe the best stint was the last one when I was free with the option [soft] tyres but even like that I was not quick.

"I was struggling a lot with the pace and not good at all."

[MIKA27]

Horner: Look beyond the money for tyres

Although Christian Horner concedes money will play a role in deciding F1's new tyre supplier, he has urged those in charge to consider the show.

Current supplier Pirelli are up against Michelin to see who becomes F1's sole tyre supplier from 2017 onwards.

According to reports, both tenders have met the approval of the FIA so it is now in the hands of Bernie Ecclestone as to which tyres the drivers race.

Michelin have said want 18 inch rims and one-stop races while Pirelli have stated they will do whatever the teams want.

And Horner, who was full of praise for Pirelli, reckons it is how the tyres will impact the racing that should be foremost when deciding, rather than considering the financial side.

"I think what we're basically saying is that whoever pays the most cash will sit here and say we love and think they should be the right supplier for Formula One. But I think it does go a bit beyond that," the Red Bull team boss explained.

"An 18 inch rim and a one stop is going to do nothing for the spectacle of a grand prix and I think actually we need to be looking at doing the opposite: getting two- to three-stop races, controlled degradation, maybe more choice for the teams in terms of the tyres that they can take to grands prix, all the things that we're talking about.

"I think Pirelli have done a good job since they've been involved in the sport, they've been supportive of Formula One through hard times as well as the good times.

"And hopefully with the cars that are coming for 2017, that are going to be quite a bit different, quite a bit quicker, with tyres that are significantly different to what we have now as well, then that represents a great challenge and hopefully Pirelli will be successful with that."

[MIKA27]

What F1 cars could look like in 2017

This video animation by Giorgio Piola - based on a Mercedes W06 Hybrid - shows what Formula 1 cars could like in 2017, when new regulations come into play.

Wider rear tyres

The rear tyres are wider - up to 420mm - compared to the 380mm ones used now. The greater contact patch will give cars more "muscle" and higher mechanical grip.

The nose will extend 200mm further towards the front starting from the front axle, while the front wing width could increase from the current 825mm to 925mm.

Lower rear wing?

The rear wing will be substantially lower but with a greater projection towards the rear of the car: the top flap is down from 945mm to 800mm, while the lower flap is down to 600mm from 740mm.

Longer diffuser

In order to increase downforce, the rear diffuser will be longer. The side plates of the rear wing will be inclined towards the rear.

[MIKA27]

F1 teams want longer summer break restored in 2016

F1 teams have asked Bernie Ecclestone to adjust the 2016 provisional calendar in order to restore a longer summer break and incorporate a factory shutdown.

In recent years the calendar has left a gap of three free weekends between the Hungarian and Belgian GPs.

Built into that is a two-week complete factory shutdown, and the teams are free to choose when they take it within that time frame.

The shutdown, during which teams even have to switch off their computer servers, is intended mainly to allow both race and factory staff to have a summer holiday. It also allows teams to conduct annual maintenance and work at their facilities, including wind tunnels.

However, in the 2016 calendar approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council the break has been shrunk from three to two weekends.

Adjusting it is complicated given that there are back-to-back races on either side of the break, with Germany/Hungary before it, and Belgium/Italy to follow.

However, sources suggest that the German GP at Hockenheim race could yet drop out, which would allow Hungary to move.

Team managers raised the issue of the shorter break with the FIA's Charlie Whiting last weekend, and indicated that they don't want to discuss ways of squeezing a factory shutdown into the shorter gap until the possibility of changing the calendar had been explored.

Summer break vital

Later some team principals lobbied Ecclestone on the subject, making it clear to him that they now regard the shutdown as essential.

"I think the break is something that is important," Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Motorsport.com.

"F1 is such a demanding schedule for all people involved, not just technicians and people in the factory, but all the support staff, FOM, the media, and so on.

"It's important to have that moment to catch your breath. So it's something that has been raised with Bernie, and as we see sometimes the calendar does move around a bit before October.

"It's nothing new in that the calendar does sometimes change a little, but obviously there's a lot of races crammed into a shorter period.

"There's usually a bit of fine tuning that goes on, so it wouldn't surprise me if it did get tweaked a little bit."

McLaren's Eric Boullier agreed that the calendar could change: "We need to have a summer shutdown for the travelling people.

"We are discussing when we can do it and how long it will be. There are always some little tweaks to the calendar, so we should wait until later in the year."

"From a Williams perspective the factory shutdown is important," Claire Williams told Motorsport.com.

"The calendar is long and it's arduous, and people put their blood, sweat and tears into going racing, and they sacrifice a lot to do that.

"Those two weeks, regardless of anything else, allows them time with their families, to have a bit of a normal life and a normal existence.

"To not have that is a concern. If I had I would have that conversation with Bernie I would put our arguments forward as to why it is important."

Meanwhile, Ecclestone himself told Motorsport.com that he does not anticipate any changes.

[MIKA27]

Horner: Ricciardo was on victory charge in Hungary

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has admitted that he thought Daniel Ricciardo was on his way to challenge for a shock second Hungarian Grand Prix win in the closing stages of the race.

Ricciardo was in fifth place after a safety car restart, but was crucially the lead car on the faster soft tyres, as all those ahead of him were on mediums.

After battling past Lewis Hamilton, he had no problem picking off Kimi Raikkonen before he starting challenging Nico Rosberg for third.

But it all went wrong after he dived down the inside of the Mercedes at Turn 1.

After locking up and trying to hold his line around the outside, Rosberg's left rear tyre broke Ricciardo's front wing, forcing a pitstop that robbed him of the chance to challenge eventual winner Sebastian Vettel.

When asked if he had thought the win was there for Ricciardo to take, Horner said: "It felt a little bit like deja vu from last year [when Ricciardo's won].

"We strategically made the call at the first stop to put the hard tyre on, as we felt our only possibilities would be in the later part of the race if there was a safety car.

"And sure enough, we had that set of tyres left. The safety car came out and it teed it up beautifully."

Rosberg surprise

Horner admitted that the biggest shock was that Rosberg had not opted for the soft tyres, but that had been due to a late-call to pit for rubber when the safety car came out.

"The surprising thing for us was that Rosberg went on to the hard tyre," he explained. "Lewis had to take the hard tyre and Kimi had an issue.

"Daniel made his way past Kimi fairly easily but in finding his way past Lewis, there was quite a big contact, which damaged the car quite significantly.

"Despite that, he was able to close in on the leading pair and he was always going to have a go.

"He obviously got a run up the inside, got in a bit too deep and Nico came across his bows on the exit and it looked like a racing incident.

"It was a shame, because without that, if he had managed to get pass Nico, it would have set up an interesting finish with Seb."

[MIKA27]

Susie Wolff joins Valtteri Bottas for a hot lap

Susie Wolff joined Valtteri Bottas for a hot lap around the Circuit de Catalunya at the Rexona Ultimate Driving Experience yesterday #AMGDrivingAcademy

[MIKA27]

Jorda 'surprised' by Mouton criticisms

Carmen Jorda believes Michele Mouton should have understood better exactly what she was doing with Lotus before criticising her efforts to test a Formula 1 car.

Mouton, who won four World Rally Championship events and is head of the FIA's Women in Motorsport commission, caused a stir last week when she said that she had no interest in Jorda's exploits.

"If I would suggest names of female drivers who have what it takes to make it to F1, I'd say Simona de Silvestro, Danica Patrick, Susie Wolff or even Beitske Visser, who is performing well in the Formula Renault 3.5 series," she said when asked about her views on Jorda.

"These girls have scored very good results in their career. Other less successful girls have managed to climb the motorsport ladder, but that has more to do with marketing strategies and political reasons, and I am not interested in that."

Surprised by remarks

Jorda is hoping to be able to drive a Lotus car at a filming day later this year, after beginning a development programme with the Enstone-based outfit earlier this season.

Speaking to Motorsport.com about Mouton's remarks, Jorda said that she was amazed Mouton had been so critical without fully understanding what she was up to.

"It really surprised me because if you don't know anybody – I don't know her, she doesn't know me – then you wouldn't talk about them like that," said Jorda.

"I haven't had the chance to tell her what is my programme. She had good achievements in rallying and she gave us a reason to believe in motorsport, but I don't think rallying is the same as F1. So, it really surprised me."

Open invite

Jorda says she is eager to invite Mouton to an F1 race so she can better understand exactly what her plans are with Lotus – and especially the high demands involved in driving a grand prix car.

"I was trying to make contact with her about two years ago, but we never managed to meet up," she said. "It has been hard to get in contact with her but I told her, 'look, come to a race.' It never happened.

"I am going to try again and I will tell her come here, and I will show her what I am doing, and what is an F1 car.

"Maybe she has driven an F1 car in the past but I never saw her doing anything close to F1. I don't have anything against rallying, it is a really good achievement what she did, but I don't know about rallying, and maybe she doesn't know about F1.

"I am happy for her to come, to show her and show my programme."

[MIKA27]

RED BULL 1-2-3-4 IN HUNGARY

The 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix saw the most unexpected podium of recent times – Sebastian Vettel, Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo; Max Verstappen who finished an impressive 4th, made it a 1-2-3-4 finish for drivers who have graduated from the Red Bull Young Driver Program – one of their best advertisements till date?

That’s when I thought, what about the Red Bull Young Driver Program? Red Bull have threatened to quit Formula One if they don’t find a competitive engine, should that happen, what will they do with their impressive and much sought after driver training program?

And worse, what about the drivers who are currently in the program? Questions not many have raised till date.

Before I wonder further, let’s agree that a driver training program is most necessary – for drivers and for the teams. If you’re a driver, you’re almost always paying for your drive (karting, junior series and all the way up to Formula One).

Yes, you could get scholarships and subsidized drives if you’re the series champion (or thereabouts) from the season before, but securing a 100% budget to go racing without support from corporate sponsorships or driver training programs is unheard of. Unless of course you’re investing family wealth!

But such is the structure of the Motorsport economy. The higher you go up the ladder, the more expensive it gets. To pursue the sport professionally, serious money is involved and this is where the correct support is necessary.

And if my research is correct, unlike other competitive sports, there’s almost no government support or grant for the drivers and the prize money in lower formulae is as good as non-existent. Despite this fact, the Motorsport economy is one of the well-funded ones.

The biggest benefit that a driver training program offers an upcoming racer is the promise of a career in Motorsport – a possible seat in Formula One if the driver matches all the criteria. It is this promise and opportunity that the driver is then able to go and sell to potential sponsors and the media.

A quick look at history indicates that there have been driver training programs run by teams and sponsors and that many World Champions have graduated from such programs. Vettel, Prost (Elf), Schumacher and Hamilton are possibly the most successful ones on this list.

For teams, drivers are the least constant factor in the set-up, which is why they’re always scouting for newer talent. Till not very long ago, teams were on the lookout for the next Michael Schumacher and maybe now they’re hunting for the next Lewis Hamilton.

If a talented young driver comes by, it is best to invest and buy in when the stakes are lesser and the cost is cheaper with the hope that the driver will perform consistently on his way to Formula One. The other lesser known aspect here is of the ancillary revenue that teams would make via a driver transfer.

Most of the top teams in Formula One have a ‘driver program’ that offers funding, training and the opportunity to rise up through the sport. And to those who wonder about the economics of the academy, they’re either funded via separate sponsors or by the team themselves where a significant percentage of the driver’s earnings going back to the team to recover their investments or when the driver exits his contract to join another team. There’s no free drive in Formula One, of course!

If would be a shame if Red Bull quit Formula One. I penned my thoughts on their quitting in this post – ‘Thank You Red Bull Racing’ and I won’t be surprised if a business decision does force them to pull out. However, a bigger shame would be if their pulling out would impact the Red Bull Young Driver Program.

Red Bull could go back to the earlier avatar of their program where they sponsored drivers and teams in the sport, but that would be a step backwards for the energy drinks company and would seem a little out of sync with their ‘Gives You Wings’ philosophy. After all, for a young driver, the charm of a Formula One cockpit waiting in the wings wouldn’t just exist anymore.

Lastly, should Red Bull Racing quit and/or pull the plug on their driver program, the talented likes of Ricciardo, Kvyat, Verstappen and Sainz would be picked up by the current teams in no time. Now that is one driver market I would love to see play out – probably the silver lining in the dark cloud.

[Orion21]

A funny aside - I watched the two Lewis Hamilton Top Gear appearances yesterday for fun. In the first appearance he was young and very humble when interviewed. He went on to do his lap on a wet track with oil and bested half of the other F1 drivers times who had driven in dry conditions ( only .4 seconds off the Stig). His second appearance he was still humble and very likable after so much success with McLaren. He drove again and bested Seb's track time by over a second whilst singing to himself the whole time. Respect.

I would love to see many of the driver aids removed from the cars so that we could really see who the great drivers are vs. the good.

[MIKA27]

A funny aside - I watched the two Lewis Hamilton Top Gear appearances yesterday for fun. In the first appearance he was young and very humble when interviewed. He went on to do his lap on a wet track with oil and bested half of the other F1 drivers times who had driven in dry conditions ( only .4 seconds off the Stig). His second appearance he was still humble and very likable after so much success with McLaren. He drove again and bested Seb's track time by over a second whilst singing to himself the whole time. Respect.

I would love to see many of the driver aids removed from the cars so that we could really see who the great drivers are vs. the good.

The Lewis Hamilton of 2008 is by far the most mature version IMO.

[MIKA27]

BERGER PRAISES FERRARI BUT SAYS 2015 TITLE OUT OF REACH

Gerhard Berger has hailed the performance in 2015 of his old team Ferrari, but doubts they can challenge Mercedes for this year’s Formula 1 titles.

Earlier, some were arguing that Ferrari only appeared to have improved this year due to the collapse of its rival grandees like Red Bull and McLaren.

And after Sebastian Vettel’s breakthrough win in Malaysia, the resurgence seemed to taper, and following an engine upgrade in Canada, speculation suggested technical boss James Allison’s future might be in doubt due to the mid-season slump.

But Berger, who drove for Ferrari until the mid 90s, said the Maranello marque should actually be congratulated.

“They have made a big step forward compared to last year and I didn’t expect that,” said the Austrian legend.

As a former boss of Vettel’s at Toro Rosso, Berger told La Gazzetta dello Sport that “I always thought Sebastian would be a perfect fit with Ferrari”.

“He has the German mentality, is very organised and hard working. Above all he is a winner. But I repeat: I did not expect that Ferrari would be able to win races already this season,” Berger told the Italian daily, “given how difficult last season was.”

And he insisted that Vettel’s second win in Hungary was no fluke.

“Both drivers started the race very well,” said Berger. “I thought then that they had a chance for a one-two. Great start, no mistakes, and they led not because Mercedes had problems but because Ferrari was fast.

“Unfortunately Kimi Raikkonen had his technical problem but Ferrari did its job brilliantly.

“I am sure Maurizio Arrivabene is coping perfectly with the job of trying to take Ferrari back to the top, as at Maranello there is now a good atmosphere again,” he added.

But the 55-year-old warned that an outright title challenge in 2015 might be too hard a task for Ferrari.

“I think Ferrari is on the right track but Mercedes is still stronger. However, there is no doubt that Ferrari has been gradually reducing the gap.

“Hopefully by the end of the season they will be even closer to Mercedes, and next year will be able to take another step forward and fight with them on equal terms,” Berger concluded.

[MIKA27]

DENNIS IN BID FOR MAJORITY CONTROL OF MCLAREN

Ron Dennis has only until the end of the season to take majority control of McLaren, the German publication Speed Week reports.

The team’s ‘supremo’ is already chief executive, but it has been reported for some time that the 68-year-old has struck a deal to take over the 50 per cent stake held by Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund.

But, according to Speed Week correspondent Gerhard Kuntschik, he only has until the end of November to get the money together. Whether Dennis can do that, Kuntschik added, is “an open question”.

The report said works engine partner Honda is waiting for the situation to unfold, with “three major Japanese companies” in the wings as potential sponsors.

A lot could depend on McLaren-Honda’s ability to improve the MP4-30 package following an abysmal first half of the 2015 season.

Lead driver Fernando Alonso admitted in Hungary to some frustration.

“Before, when we had more freedom to test and improve the car, you could still end a season in a competitive way,” he is quoted by El Confidencial newspaper.

“But now our hands are tied during the season. We test the car in Jerez and Barcelona and if it is competitive, you will have a good year. If not, you will have a bad year,” said Alonso.

[MIKA27]

TORO ROSSO BEST PLACE FOR VERSTAPPEN CLAIMS JOS

Max Verstappen’s father has added another denial to lingering speculation the teen Dutchman might be a candidate for Ferrari in 2016.

Two weeks ago, the 17-year-old’s father Jos, himself a former grand prix driver, dismissed the ‘silly season’ rumours by insisting Max is “very satisfied” with his long-term Red Bull contract.

Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has also denied the reports, while Verstappen snr has now told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat that the best option for his son is to stay at Toro Rosso.

“It is important at this time for him to gain experience, and here (at Toro Rosso) he has the chance to develop in peace.”

Jos said he is “pleased” with how the opening half of his son’s first season in F1 has gone, “particularly” the way he has taken the fight to his older rivals.

“He is a fighter,” said Jos. “The races themselves have gone very well, and he has been working on getting better in qualifying. It’s not easy when the operating window of the tyres is so narrow.

“But Max is doing a good job and the team is satisfied. The team is also going in the right direction and hopefully the engine reliability is sorted out now too,” Jos added.

[MIKA27]

SAINZ MOST OVERTAKEN DRIVER IN F1 THIS SEASON

Toro Rosso rookie Carlos Sainz is the most overtaken driver on the 2015 grid so far this season.

That is the finding of Bild, reporting that the otherwise impressive rookie Spaniard has been passed 32 times so far this year — more than any other rival.

“I’m not sure I can be proud of this record!” he laughed.

Toro Rosso driver Sainz, 20, explained: “We are always quite good in qualifying, but for the race we lack power.”

However, Sainz is also ranked among the top-four overtakers of 2015, Bild added. Indeed, boss Franz Tost said he is happy not only with Sainz, but also fellow rookie Max Verstappen.

“I would say they are one of the most competitive pairings we have seen at Toro Rosso,” he said.

[MIKA27]

Nasr upbeat despite setbacks

Sauber are "facing a rather difficult time" at the moment, but Felipe Nasr is confident things will improve in the second half of the campaign.

Nasr made an excellent start to his Formula 1 career when he finished fifth in his debut race in Australia and then followed it up with top 10 finishes in China and Monaco.

However, things haven't really gone Nasr or Sauber's way in recent races as he was unable to start at Silverstone due to a gearbox failure while he finished P11 in Hungary last time out.

The rookie, though, is hopeful they will be able to turn things around once the C34 has been upgraded.

"Looking back to the beginning of the season, we have achieved most of the goals we had for the first half of the season," he said. "We maximised our opportunities, especially in the beginning of the season; therefore, we were able to score important points.

"The result of the Australian Grand Prix was impressive. Finishing fifth was very special for me, as well as for the team.

"At the moment we are facing a rather difficult time. We have our updates in Spa-Francorchamps and Singapore, so we have to be patient. We are halfway through the season, and I think we are going in the right direction.

"For myself as a driver, I am learning something new every weekend. It is my first year as a race driver in Formula One with ups and downs. As a team we have done some good things so far."

[MIKA27]

Tyres caught Mercedes out in Hungarian GP - Williams F1's Smedley

Mercedes' shock defeat by Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari in the Hungarian Grand Prix happened because the Formula 1 champion team misread the Pirelli tyres' behaviour, reckons Williams's Rob Smedley.

After locking out the front row, with Lewis Hamilton on pole, Mercedes had been expected to control the Hungaroring F1 race, but Vettel jumped both Silver Arrows at the start and had the pace to pull away at the front.

It would have been a one-two for Ferrari had Kimi Raikkonen not suffered an MGU-K failure, while Mercedes - further hampered by incidents for both Hamilton and Nico Rosberg - failed to get on the podium.

Williams performance chief Smedley, whose team struggled last Sunday, said: "I was surprised - [Ferrari] were particularly quick.

"If you looked at everybody's pace from Friday and then everybody's pace on Sunday, we are an outlier in one direction and they are an outlier in another direction.

"Talking about tyres, you could clearly see that [Ferrari] were quicker than Mercedes at most points in the race.

"In qualifying that clearly wasn't the case.

"Not that it should be a mitigating factor, but the tyres are clearly not easy to understand.

"Mercedes haven't understood them [in Hungary]."

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff agreed Ferrari's pace was "a surprise", but felt the performance swing was more complicated than the Italian team mastering the conditions better.

"We struggled with Nico's car, he couldn't really hold the pace, but Lewis had good pace," said Wolff.

"You cannot over-simplify it by saying they are better in hot conditions, and we are better in the cooler conditions.

"It's a particular circuit. We weren't quick enough on pure pace with one car, and we need to analyse why."

[MIKA27]

F1 FLASHBACK: BERGER WINS BIZARRE 1994 GERMAN GRAND PRIX

The German Grand Prix, held 21 years ago – almost to the day – was another horrid chapter in the controversial 1994 season.

In the days leading up to the race, on 31 July, fans heading to the Hockenheimring were shocked to learn the participation of home hero and championship leader Michael Schumacher was in doubt as he and his Benetton team’s FIA appeal was rejected.

Although the German did race, his team came away from the race weekend pointless and counting the cost of a horrendous fire during Jos Verstappen’s pit stop [thanks to the team fiddling with the fueling hose to speed up pitstops.]

And with a massive crash eliminating ten of the 26 car field on the first lap, it almost escaped notice that, when the chequered flag fell, Ferrari had ended their longest-ever victory drought.

Race day was a chance of opportunities for Schumacher’s rivals to fight back. Ferrari had their best chance yet to claim their first victory in almost four years after both 412T1’s claimed the front row of the grid due to the power and straight line advantage of the V12 engines. And Hill, armed with Williams’ revised FW16B chassis, knew he had to capitalise on his starting advantage over his title rival.

But owing to his shock earlier in the weekend the Briton had other things on his mind during the pre-race rituals. “I followed the usual obligatory procedure of taking part in the drivers’ parade and, as I sat on the back of an open-topped car with my team mate David Coulthard, the constant firing of rockets and firecrackers in the banked grandstands, something of a tradition inside the massive arena at Hockenheim did little for my peace of mind.”

For half of the field which included Hill, the outcome of the race was already decided in the first lap. Indeed for most of them it was decided within the first few metres. The chaos was triggered just seconds after the lights went green: Andrea De Cesaris tangled with Michele Alboreto, sent the Sauber C13 left onto the grass and Alboreto’s Minardi-Ford into the pit wall and pinned against Alessandro Zanardi’s Lotus.

As the rest of the field approached the first corner Mika Hakkinen, who was almost ahead of David Coulthard on the inside, squeezed the Williams driver too far and the two collided. Hakkinen’s McLaren skidded in front of the field, and several of the Finn’s rivals were taken out as they braked to avoid him, including Heinz-Harold Frentzen, Pierluigi Martini, Mark Blundell and both Jordan’s of Eddie Irvine and Rubens Barrichello.

The decimation of the field didn’t end there. Jean Alesi’s new Ferrari 043 V12 engine blew as the remaining cars headed into the forest for the first time.

That briefly put Ukyo Katayama into second place. The Tyrrell driver had a brilliant start, squeezing past Schumacher and Hill, who were now trying to find a way past. Schumacher made it through halfway around the first lap, and Hill went down the inside as they approached the Senna Kurve. But the pair tangled and Hill dropped back with a bent steering column.

As he limped on he was overtaken by the rest of the field including Coulthard, whose front wing had been damaged in the contact with Hakkinen. Both headed for the pits, where many were surprised to see the race continue.

As Berger led Schumacher onto the main straight yellow flags were flying everywhere and several course cars were parked on and next to the track while battered machinery was still being removed.

After the race some drivers criticised the decision not to stop the race and allow the marshals to clear the track of debris. In ordinary circumstances the Safety Car might have been deployed, but questions remained over whether its use had contributed to the crash which had killed Ayrton Senna, and it hadn’t been used in a race since then.

It took several laps to clear the start/finish straight. During that time Hill rejoined the race a lap down. Meanwhile Schumacher had caught Berger and was forcing defensive moves from the Ferrari, the Benetton making up for its lack of straight line speed thanks to a tiny rear wing piece.

Schumacher was also running light on fuel, and on the 13th lap of the 45 lap race he headed to the Benetton garage for his first pit stop of the race. He rejoined the track behind teammate Jos Verstappen, who let him by as they entered the stadium section. Two laps later the Benetton crew prepared themselves for Verstappen’s pit stop.

It was the ninth race of the season and the teams were now well used to the standard-issue refuelling rigs which had been introduced at the start of the season. But Simon Morley, the team’s sub-assembly mechanic who had taken on the job of handling the fuel hose, found he couldn’t attach the nozzle properly.

As he tried to attach it again, fuel sprayed from the end of the hose. The shock of what happened had only a few seconds to sink in until the heat of the car’s exhaust and front-right brake disc caused an explosion. A firestorm engulfed the B194, Verstappen and most of the mechanics.

Fast-thinking crewmen discharged their fire extinguishers immediately, which had been flared by up to six litres of fuel, and within seconds the worst of it was out. Some mechanics had jumped clear of the car, their uniforms ablaze, and were aided by members of other teams.

The worst injuries were to Morley and Verstappen, as burning fuel had sneaked inside their protective headgear, but the consequences could easily have been worse.

Most drivers became aware of the incident as they headed towards the grandstand section and saw a column of thick black smoke rising from the pit lane. Among them was Schumacher, who still had another stop to make, but with six members of Benetton’s pit crew receiving treatment for injuries the German’s car could not be serviced but that became irrelevant on lap 21 when his Ford V8 engine blew, and he came to a stop at his team’s devastated pit box.

This left the field down to just eight runners, and Berger took an untroubled win with the two Ligier-Renault drivers promoted to second and third places respectively. The remaining points were taken by Footwork duo of Christian Fittipaldi and Gianni Morbidelli, followed by Erik Comas’s Larrousse. His team mate Olivier Beretta and Hill were the only others still running at the end.

Berger’s win was Ferrari’s first since Alain Prost’s victory at the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez almost four years earlier. It had been a long and painful spell for F1’s most prestigious team. This was their 104th win and put them level once again with McLaren who had overtaken them as F1’s most successful team in terms of race wins the previous year.

It was a relief for Berger too, though his last win had been more recent, at the end of 1992 in Adelaide. He had been hit hard by the loss of his fellow countryman Roland Ratzenberger and friend Senna, and after another tough day for the sport it had at least produced a popular winner in the Austrian.

[MIKA27]

THE FINE ART OF FORMULA 1 BY JOHN CHEALL

For most of us our passion for Formula 1 is restricted to watching the sport on TV, perhaps articulating ourselves on one of the numerous forums such as FOH or websites.

Others have gifts, such as a natural eye, and pursue photography of motorsport, or the gift of words and write about the sport.

Then there are those – a very special and rare breed, born with a special and priceless talent, who have the gift of art and are able to beautifully portray their passion on to canvas.

John Cheall is such, a gifted artist who uses his superb talent to portray his vision for motorsport, particularly F1, into the most enthralling artworks.

We delved into his passion which no doubt will inspire others as it has inspired us. But maybe most importantly we salute John’s genius at portraying the sport we love in such a spectacular and enduring manner. His paintings prove that racing is in his blood…

The first obvious question was, how did it all begin?

John: “My obsession with grand prix cars began in the 1976 season, the dramatic battle between Hunt and Lauda, I was eleven years old, it was only possible to follow F1 on the radio or via the reports of ‘DSJ’ in Motorsport Magazine – th late great motorsport journalist Denis Jenkinson. I was a fan of Lauda and liked his patient, rational, race winning approach. I was much affected by his crash at the Nurburgring and could not believe the pictures of his bandaged face in the papers next day . He became a hero to me for making such a great recovery and comeback. Prost may be known as ‘the prof’ but it was from Lauda that he learnt his racecraft.”

And the merging of your talent for art and motorsport?

John: “My nextdoor neighbour was an art teacher at our comprehensive school. I was friends with his son who had an enormous Scalextric set, we could lay out Spa or Monza to fill the garden, or weaving in and out the easels in the painting studio. Racing cars and oil paint, a connection was established then. Our nearest circuit was Croft Autodrome, my dad took us there a few times to watch a large program of racing from side-cars to Formula Ford and Formula Libre. The smell of fried onions still takes me back. Once, in 1977 James Hunt was special guest, my brother queued for his autograph and we gawped at his championship winning Mclaren M23 parked in the paddock. In the course of my studies I left my hometown and went off to Loughborough College of Art to study fine art, graduating in 1990, I cleared my debts working as a street-artist then I began to make a living as a painter of landscapes. I have since done paintings for the British Consulate in Berlin, Morrisons PLC, Payne Worldwide, Rampton and Addenbrookes hospitals and numerous individuals notably a tank-veteran of the Normandy landings. I am also recognised in the Nottinghamshire volume of the Public Catalogue Foundation which details all the paintings held in public buildings in Britain. There have been good years and bad years, schmoozing galleries, falling in and out of favour, closing galleries etcetera, it’s a long way to the top.”

When did you start painting Formula 1 scenes?

John: “I have continued to follow motorsport throughout but it is only a few years ago that I began to paint F1 cars. After painting a few tanks for my friend the WW2 veteran I found that I enjoyed the discipline of painting well-defined objects after years of trying to capture atmospheres and moods. Just for my own amusement I began to paint small pictures of F1 cars in watercolour. I sold one which is always encouraging so I started painting them with greater solidity in oils. It was fun to use some of the bright colours of the F1 palette and a challenge to capture some of the luminous pigments they use.”

Tell us why paintings tend to have an awe factor stronger than a photograph?

John: “Anyone who has seen my work up close will tell you that the pigments of the paint make an image far stronger than anything possible with the printed photograph. There is a huge range of tone and colour in oils, you can create a very convincing illusion of depth as if the painted subject is almost three dimensional, coming at you out of the flat canvas. It is not my aim to interpret the subject overmuch but rather to enhance it, I might exaggerate colour, tone and texture but I want a realistic image. I am a follower of an earlier tradition when painters were artisans making well-crafted illusions in oil-paint rather than trying to force a unique signature style. My influences range from Vermeer through Caspar David Freidrich, JMW Turner, John Martin and the Pre-Raphaelites to the Photo-realists.”

Much of your work is of bygone eras of Formula 1. Why is this?

John: “Initially I concentrated on paintings of the 1970s era, there was something more creative about those cars, not uniformly sculpted by the logic of the wind tunnel but created by whimsical boffins with varying philosophies of design, some just plain ridiculous; the various six-wheelers, the Ligier ‘tea-pot’. There was an art to the cars then but I still appreciate the pure scientific lines of the modern cars and I am carefull to respect their shapes in my paintings. The return to plain slick tyres last year prompted me to tackle the new generation of cars, it was no fun painting grooved tyres with all those parallel elipses! I rolled out some of these car paintings for sale on ebay and there was immediate interest, just about all of them sold, some of them for surprising amounts.”

Tell us about your interest in Formula 1?

John: “Formula 1 always interests me whatever the result and sometimes such as at Melbourne last month it excites and amuses me as much as ever. I find myself rooting for Hamilton, he has the necessary hunger and aggression and even as a rookie deferred to nobody, that’s what makes a champion. I like to see bounders who don’t know their place, new guys working their way up on merit, coming in and upsetting the old heirarchy. The show still needs improving though, there have been times when even I have nodded off mid-race. It is often disappointing to see so many resources spent on changing the cars when in many cases it is the circuits that need improving to allow overtaking.”

Did you have the need for speed as a youth? Were you going to be a policeman, a fireman, and astronaut or a racing driver?

John: “Of course I had boyish ambitions to be a racing-driver but it was a world always out of reach, I soon realised only a tiny minority ever get the opportunity, besides I didn’t learn to drive until I was in my 30s. But it is possible now to get some insight into the racing experience using simulation software not much different from that which the teams use. I race Rfactor online in the ‘Legends-League’, it really is a heart-poundingly intense experience lining up on the grid with a full-field of human opponents. It teaches you the real meaning of concentration, consistency, frustration and even jubilation, we raced a full hour at the old Nurburgring last week, magnificent. As welI as being fun I find it a useful part of the creative process, I am probably not now going to get the chance to experience a real race car but this is the nearest thing and getting more immersive all the time.”

Your plans for the future?

John: “It is early days for my Formula 1 pictures, there is much to learn and new perspectives and viewpoints to explore. I have some new ideas for the next few but first I have a queue of landscape commissions to complete. I am currently working on a version of Heironymous Bosch’s ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ for a customer. Then it would be great to get some motor racing commissions and maybe tackle something larger scale.”

[MIKA27]

NASR: I AM LEARNING SOMETHING NEW EVERY WEEKEND

Brazilian Felipe Nasr, one of the standout rookies of the 2015 Formula 1 season, reflects on the first half of his year, his first as s driver for the Sauber team.

How would you summarise the first half of the season and how would you rate yourself?

FN: “Looking back to the beginning of the season, we have achieved most of the goals we had for the first half of the season. We maximised our opportunities, especially in the beginning of the season; therefore, we were able to score important points. The result of the Australian Grand Prix was impressive. Finishing fifth was very special for me, as well as for the team. At the moment we are facing a rather difficult time. We have our updates in Spa-Francorchamps and Singapore, so we have to be patient. We are halfway through the season, and I think we are going in the right direction. For myself as a driver, I am learning something new every weekend. It is my first year as a race driver in Formula One with ups and downs. As a team we have done some good things so far.”

What were your highlights? What would you say was your best manoeuvre so far?

FN: “It was for sure finishing fifth in my first Formula One race in the Australian Grand Prix. During this race I remember having a good drive and holding off Daniel (Ricciardo). He put a lot of pressure on me, but I managed to keep it under control. Another one was in Monaco. Our car was difficult to drive there, and I was pushing a lot to drive at the ultimate limit. In the end I finished the race in P9.”

What was your low point from a sporting point of view? What was your most memorable mistake on track this season?

FN: “My low point was in Montreal when I faced issues with the brakes during the whole weekend. On top of that, I made a mistake in FP3 as I accidently opened the DRS while warming up the tyres. I learn from these things.”

What can you as a driver improve on track in regard to the Sauber C34-Ferrari?

FN: “We know that our car is limited in some areas. In order to compensate for that we try different things, for example on the set-up side. We go in different directions, trying a softer or stiffer car set-up. The car has a narrow window for its working range in order to extract the best performance out of it. I am always open to trying different things which help me to understand the car in a better way. This is something from which I learn a lot.”

What input can you contribute to the development of the new Sauber C35?

FN: “We give valuable feedback on the areas that should be improved. We have to keep doing the best we can to collect this information correctly, as the C35 will be based on that. I am pleased that Mark Smith has joined us as Technical Director. Already he has a good overview of the car. I think we are going in the right way, and I am confident we can fight for points more often next year. We have to make sure the updates we are bringing for the next races are working properly. This will be the first step to guide us into the right direction for 2016.”

What are your expectations for the second half of the season?

FN: “During the second half of the season there are some tracks on which I will get my first taste in a Formula One car. For example, the circuit in Japan is one I have not driven on yet. The Mexican Grand Prix will also be on the calendar again, which is new for everyone. I am looking forward to running the car with the updates. As we have not driven the car yet, we cannot precisely predict what it is going to be like. The target is to put us back into the points. In the championship we have dropped back down, and I think it will not be easy to move up. However, I am still confident the updates will help us to be in a better position.”

The summer break is almost here. What are your plans?

FN: “I will be back in Brazil. It’s been a while since I have been back there. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends, and just being back home in Brasilia. I will keep training hard and stay focused. It is good to have some time off to recharge the batteries and look back to what we have achieved so far. It is important to find a balance for this time in between the races. It is a short break, but there is enough time to get myself into a good shape. After the summer break I will be back in the car full of energy and confidence.”

[MIKA27]

HAAS HAVE SHORTLISTED VERGNE, GUTIERREZ AND HULKENBERG

A trio of drivers has emerged at the top of the shortlist to drive for the new Haas F1 Team in 2016.

As Haas Factory Outlet Portugal’s new headquarters was inaugurated near Oporto, the outfit’s Californian founder Gene Haas confirmed that Jean-Eric Vergne, Esteban Gutierrez and Nico Hulkenberg have all been linked with the two available race seats.

“We have a list of drivers in which we are interested in, but in the next few months there will be many moves in the (existing) teams’ lineups and we will wait to see who is interested in the project we are developing,” he said.

As for the reports specifically mentioning Vergne, Gutierrez and Hulkenberg, Haas added: “Two of them are reserve drivers from Ferrari, so they are certainly a possibility.

“As far as the other name that you mention, he is a driver from another team, so the possibility of him driving for us depends of his position with his team.

“Anybody who is driving in a formula one team right now, certainly, is someone that we would be interested in, if he becomes available,” said Haas.

MIKA: I'd love to see Jean Eric Vergne back in Formula 1, had a lot of talent, needs a decent car. Very similar to Jules Bianchi IMO.

[MIKA27]

McLaren 'handicapped' by testing limits

At a time when McLaren are not competitive, Ron Dennis says F1's limited in-season testing is a "huge handicap" and "frustration" for all at Woking.

Although McLaren-Honda recorded their best result of this season last time out in Hungary, the team's trials are by no means over.

A lack of pace meant that even though both cars were inside the top ten, fifth-placed Fernando Alonso crossed the line 50 seconds behind the race winner.

Added to that, reliability remains a concern with an electrical issue causing his car to shut down during qualifying.

Shortly after that incident the Spaniard admitted that there is "the temptation for other categories" as he is unhappy with F1's tyres, calendar and "no testing."

The latter is a frustration that McLaren CEO Dennis understands.

"I think Fernando shares my frustration, which is not being able to test when you are not competitive," Dennis said. "It is such a huge handicap.

"It is much more difficult to improve both the performance of the engine and the performance of the car.

"It actually doesn't save money as we have to bring developments to the cars in quantities without proving it out.

"We don't always get it right, and when we don't get it right, we waste money. So it is a false economy.

"It is more about hampering the performance of the larger teams than it is about really saving money: it doesn't save anybody money but the smaller teams.

"That isn't what F1 is about. F1 is about competition, not about handicapping. And perversely the biggest handicap in F1 is no testing."

[MIKA27]

Renault consider young driver programme

With Renault on the verge of returning to F1 as a works team, Cyril Abiteboul has confirmed they could implement a young driver programme.

In recent years Red Bull's young driver programme has been very successful as demonstrated by the result of the Hungarian GP.

All four of the top drivers; Sebastian Vettel, Daniil Kvyat, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen; came through the young driver ranks.

Renault are now considering a similar move with managing director Abiteboul revealing it would help to keep down salary costs.

"You only need to see the driver wages for a team like Mercedes versus the driver costs for a team like Red Bull or Toro Rosso," he told Motorsport.com.

"I think that Red Bull/Toro Rosso wages are just a fraction of those of Mercedes and that is fantastic.

"So that tells us a lesson about what we should do and how we can improve what we are doing.

"What we know is that we want to be in this category, which is single-seaters, if possible, with F1 at the top.

"But we need to do that in a much more cost efficient manner which serves the business and the marketing story much better than what we are doing now."

Abiteboul added that it would also help with marketing if Renault were known for being the starting point in the careers of successful drivers.

"What is for sure, if we have to be in F1, is I am a big fan of driver programmes. We had that in the past, but maybe it was a bit too ambitious because we had a lot of drivers.

"We got more return being identified as the one who identified [Fernando] Alonso, than the first one who allowed Lewis Hamilton to get behind the wheel of a single-seater [in Formula Renault].

"If you were to question everyone in the paddock, even those who know very well Lewis' career, Fernando is definitely connected to Renault. Lewis has never been connected to Renault.

"So we need to build on that, and that is why I am a big believer in a young driver programme."

[MIKA27]

Monza deal 'by early September'

The future of the Italian Grand Prix could be secured by "early September" thanks to a tax free investment for the Monza circuit.

The Italian Grand Prix's place on the Formula 1 calendar had reportedly been on the line as circuit owners needed to find 22 to 24 million Euros to secure a new deal with FOM.

That money has now come thanked to the Italian government and the governor of Lombardy, Roberto Maroni, is hoping to have a new F1 deal in the bag within two months.

Maroni told Gazzetta dello Sport: "We can do it by early September.

"With this tax free investment we can close the deal with Ecclestone."

He added: "The day after tomorrow I will meet Andrea Dall'Orto, the president of Sias, to close the deal with the mayors of Milan and Monza.

"The grand prix has to stay in Monza, because Monza is Monza."

[MIKA27]

JB's advice: Buy a football

Jenson Button has offered words of wisdom to aspiring F1 drivers: "buy a football or a tennis racket, it's a lot cheaper."

The British racer, winner of the 2009 F1 World title with Brawn GP, began his Formula 1 career back in 2000 with the Williams team.

16 years later, he's racing for McLaren-Honda and is one of the elder statesmen in the sport and more than qualified to offer his opinion.

Asked by official F1 website what he feels are the 'essential qualities of an F1 driver', Button said: "There are many!

"I think that every driver on the grid has a natural ability - so I would say being willing to learn is what is really essential, every time you jump into the car.

"I am 35 and have 16 years of experience and I still have a lot to learn. There are always new things to learn - so the most important thing is 'keep learning'!"

As for the 'personal quality most essential' to succeed in the sport, Button answered: "Don't trust too many people. (laughs)

"F1 is so completely different to all the other highly visible sports like football or tennis. In F1 the rules are changing permanently - and you have to cope with that by being ready for changes and willing to learn.'

So what is his 'essential tip' for anyone wanting to enter the sport?

"Buy a football or a tennis racket. It's a lot cheaper and you stick with the same rules! (laughs)"

[MIKA27]

Red Bull looking ahead to Singapore for more success

Red Bull will have to wait until the Singapore Grand Prix before they can replicate the success of last month's Hungarian GP, according to team boss Christian Horner.

The Milton Keynes based squad took a double podium finish at the Hungaroring, with Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo taking second and third respectively.

Red Bull had shown good pace all weekend and could have taken the overall race victory with Ricciardo, however a collision with Nico Rosberg in the closing laps ended the Australian’s charge.

Despite their success in Hungary, and with the likelihood of additional engine penalties, Red Bull are expected to endure more difficult weekend’s at the upcoming power circuits of Spa and Monza.

Horner shares this view but believes that the tight and twisty streets of Singapore will highlight the good features on this year's RB11.

"We're going to live in the moment for now and think about Spa after the break, and particularly Monza," said Horner.

"They're going to be much more challenging than Hungary, so Singapore's probably our next opportunity to shine," he explained.

"We're going to keep pushing, keep developing the car, and you never know, it could be wet at Spa.

"You've got to be in a position to capitalise on those days when it doesn't quite go right for others."