FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

NICO ROSBERG CAN WIN THE 2016 F1 WORLD TITLE IN BRAZIL – BUT IS IT THAT SIMPLE?

After he finished second in the Mexican Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg will head to the next race in Brazil with the knowledge that a victory at Interlagos will mean he wins the 2016 Formula 1 world championship.

In fact the 31 year old German will be champion with a variety of scenarios in which he scores 7 points more than his English rival. So if Rosberg is second with Hamilton 5th, Rosberg is 3rd with Hamilton 6th and so on.

The German driver has won the Brazilian Grand Prix for the last two seasons, and his title rival Lewis Hamilton has never beaten him at the 4.3-km track since they became Mercedes teammates at the start of 2013.

Hamilton has also never won at Interlagos – although if he does win the next race it will become the 24th venue where he has claimed an F1 victory, which would be an outright record.

Heading into the final two rounds of the season, Rosberg leads Hamilton by 19 points. Two years ago, it was the Briton who held the advantage with two races to go (he led Rosberg by 24 points ahead of the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix), and it was Rosberg who needed to produce a win to keep the title fight alive heading into the season finale.

On that weekend, Rosberg did exactly he needed to do – he took pole and won the race – while Hamilton spun just as he was starting to exert maximum pressure on his rival.

So the evidence of 2014 suggests that Rosberg can deal with the pressure and win when it counts at Interlagos, but it is a very different scenario being the hunted rather than the hunter. At the 2014 Italian Grand Prix, it was the German driver who made two crucial mistakes at the first chicane while leading, which handed Hamilton the win and kickstarted the Briton’s surge to his second world title.

Interlagos also has a history of producing title upsets – just look at Hamilton in 2007 and 2008 – and if it rains things could get even more complicated for Rosberg. The German struggled for pace in the wet at Monaco – arguably his most disappointing performance of the season – while his teammate excelled.

The wet weather would also play into the hands of Red Bull, which is probably the strongest team when it rains (look at its pace at the start of Austin 2015 and Daniel Ricciardo at Monaco this year) and its drivers could well get in amongst the title protagonists in the event of a downpour. Red Bull’s aggressive strategy in the dry could also play a role in the championship battle.

Unreliability is another factor that could hurt either Mercedes driver and Hamilton’s post-race comments about being “petrified” of another Malaysia-style failure while leading in Austin suggest it still may be a worry for the Brackley-based team.

Mercedes does appear to have got a handle on its starting procedure after Hamilton’s struggles in Italy and Japan, and both he had Rosberg made decent getaways in the US and Mexico.

There is often a discussion about the role of luck in a close title battles, and Rosberg does appear to be coming out of difficult situations (the Virtual Safety Car in Austin and the first corner clash with Max Verstappen in Mexico) with minimum damage to his championship lead. Some times that’s just the way it goes.

After yesterday’s race, Rosberg looked back on a “tough” Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and reflected that his second place was not the worst place he could have finished given the championship situation.

He said: “I had a tough race today. At the start I had a good getaway and thought I would be able to take the lead from Lewis, when I saw he had a massive lock up and went straight through the grass.

“Then, suddenly, Verstappen hit me heavily after he had a lock up too and forced me off the track. Luckily my car wasn’t damaged and it didn’t cost me a position. Lewis was that little bit quicker today, so I didn’t manage to achieve my goal and win here again.

“But being second is not too bad overall. Now I look forward to flying home after two long weeks and relaxing a bit with my family, ready to come back stronger in Brazil and go for the win there. I think the Interlagos track suits our car much better, so I’m looking forward to going there and seeing what we can do.”

[Baldy]

Not a Vettel van and I despise Ferrari but I don't see why Vettel need to apologize.  What he says in his radio to his team is private.  That the broadcaster choose to broadcast that message is on the broadcaster.  Let's take an already boring mostly processional sport and make it more boring by turning the drivers even more PC than they already are. 

Nevermind that Vettel was right, F**K Whiting.  Had the stewards did their job none of this circus of switching positions well AFTER the race would occur.  Give me a break about Vettel finger wagging to Max after the race.  My finger gestures was a lot worse after someone have cut me off.  Is this F1 or a Sunday picnic with the Nuns?  Sometimes I wonder which would be more interesting to watch.

Really hope rumor about Brawn comes true.  Wonder if Wolff is up to his old game, support Brawn and be PC in the media while working in the background to undermine him.

Hopefully next year my McLaren becomes somewhat competitive for the checker flag vs the blue flags.

[RijkdeGooier]

Hahaha Max has really set fire to the stuffy sport??. 

[MIKA27]

BRAWN: I’M DOING A LITTLE CONSULTING TO HELP LIBERTY

Former Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has denied accepting a position with Formula One’s new owners Liberty Media to help run the sport.

“Liberty have not got far enough down the road to make any commitments yet,” the 61-year-old Briton, who left the sport at the end of 2013 after decades of involvement, told the BBC on Wednesday. “I’m doing a little consulting to help them better understand F1 but that’s all.”

Auto Bild had reported this week that Brawn, a former Ferrari technical director who won titles with Michael Schumacher and also with his Brawn GP team in 2009, had agreed a role with Liberty.

Other media reports indicated he was set to work as a sporting director, including liaising between the teams and governing body and assisting with plans for the future.

Bernie Ecclestone remains at the helm of Formula One and Brawn said any future role on his part “all depends” on what the 86-year-old Briton decides to do following the Liberty takeover.

Ecclestone has shown no sign of loosening his grip and has continued attending races.

The Formula One Management (FOM) hospitality unit at last weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix had ‘Mr. E’ in large letters over the entrance where previously it had been designated ‘FOM’.

American Chase Carey has been appointed as Formula One chairman, working closely with Ecclestone, and has attended some races since the September takeover.

Liberty are expected ultimately to appoint executives to oversee the sporting and commercial sides.

[MIKA27]

ARRIVABENE: I AM NOT TAKING LESSONS FROM HELMUT MARKO

Ferrari F1 chief Maurizio Arrivabene has slammed Helmut Marko, after the Red Bull consultant criticised Sebastian Vettel’s behaviour during the Mexican Grand Prix as the German battled with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race.

During radio communication with his engineer, Vettel said on two occasions that FIA race director Charlie Whiting should “f*ck off”, while berating Verstappen and Ricciardo during their wheel-to-wheel duel for third place in the race.

Afterwards Marko told Sky Sports, “The situation is unworthy of a four-time world champion. His choice of words certainly wasn’t first class.”

To which Arrivabene has now responded, “I think everybody has to think about their problems, because accusing others is not correct. I answered a question before and this is the right way to do it, but I am not taking a lessons in education from Helmut Marko or anybody else.”

The team chief was himself in full theatrical mode on the Ferrari pit gantry, he admitted, “Of course I was angry but it was nothing to do with the other teams.”

“I was talking to my people to move on and to talk with Charlie. I was really concentrated on that. You know my character, my passion is like this,” added Arrivabene.

Meanwhile the FIA have decided not to penalise Vettel for his radio rant, as the four times world champion was contrite and wrote a letter to this effect to the sport’s governing body. 

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KVYAT: THERE ARE NO FRIENDS IN FORMULA 1

Daniil Kvyat was on the brink of losing his drive with Toro Rosso earlier this season, but the Russian turned things around and has been given a lifeline by Red Bull in the form of another season in the junior team, but he admits that he has learned plenty from the his saga.

Speaking to F1i, Kvyat acknowledged that the season has been packed with trials and tribulations, “Yeah, it wasn’t an easy one, it turned out to be a surviving year in the end.”

“In the beginning I had big plans, then it turned out to be a survival season. Now it seems like I managed just to put myself in a position to be in Formula 1 for next year, to be with Toro Rosso, which I like.”

“But, yeah, it turned out to be a survival season, I didn’t like it and I don’t want it to happen ever again. It gives you a wider vision of what things, details you should look at, what things you should pay attention… to not be, let’s say, screwed over.

“There are many interesting details I’ve learned – not just on the track. Because, actually, unfortunately, when these kinds of things happen in your career, it’s harder to learn anything on the track, so my progress kind of stopped for a while.

“Luckily, I’m working with a very hungry young engineering group and we’re pushing each other, and they’re pushing me – and after the summer break I feel like I can a manage to focus on the track and it paid off and it started to feel much better.”

Kvyat’s final observation is telling, “There are no friends in Formula 1, unfortunately.”

[MIKA27]

GROSJEAN MYSTIFIED BY VF-16 CHASSIS PROBLEMS

Nine months ago Romain Grosjean decalred that the Haas team was living the American dream in their Formula 1 debut season, but a spate of bad races in the last half of the season appear to have turned the project into a nightmare for the Frenchman.

Speaking after a woeful race weekend in Mexico, Grosjean said, “We tried to change a few parts to analyse what was going wrong but we haven’t found the problem yet.

Grosjean finished 20th and believes there is something seriously amiss with the VF-16 chassis, “The car was nowhere. It is difficult to handle, to drive. We didn’t get anything right. Understeer, oversteer, you never know what you’re going to get.”

“The car is pulling left under braking. It feels like something is weird. We tried to change a few things overnight but the car was not behaving the way it should. Difficult day in the office,” admitted Grosjean despondently.

Teammate Esteban Gutierrez was not better off in his home race, finishing one place ahead in 19th at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

[MIKA27]

Drivers favour soft tyre in Brazilian Grand Prix tyre picks

The Formula 1 teams and drivers have favoured the soft Pirelli tyres for the penultimate round of the 2016 season in Brazil.

The race at the Interlagos circuit takes place next weekend and will prove vital in the title fight, as Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton battle for the championship.

Both contenders have gone for the same tyre choices for the Brazilian Grand Prix and will have one set of the hard compound, four mediums and eight sets of softs at their disposal.

The vast majority of drivers will have seven or eight soft compound sets available over the weekend, with only four drivers opting for more than one set of the hard tyre.

The Williams duo of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa have gone slightly more aggressive with their choices, ditching a set of mediums to boost their soft tyre tally to nine each.

Here’s the full run-down of the tyre picks for Brazil:

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McLaren working on 2017 out in the open

The race to develop next years cars started some time ago, with teams running  their CFD and wind tunnel programs in tandem with this years developments.

However, in the last few races several teams have started using this years car as a real world baseline to better understand concepts they may want to carry over.

McLaren have been particularly proactive in this respect, with numerous tests being conducted during Free Practice 1 in Austin and Mexico.  These tests centre around a developmental front wing design, that the team are using to establish how the airflow may be altered given the dimensional changes of the bodywork and tyres in 2017.

The changes for 2017 mean that the front wing philosophy used since 2009 of outwashing airflow around the front tyre may be slightly amended in 2017 owing primarily to the larger bargeboards.  However, with both the width of the wing and tyre increased there is a net increase in drag that needs to be handled too.

The development wing has a much straighter leading edge and no arch (see inset) with which to usher airflow around the front tyre.  The flap construction also has to differ and so they terminate at the endplate, rather than the inner footplate that is created to facilitate the arch.  The number of strakes mounted under the wing have been increased from 3 to 4 and are much straighter than the current wing.

These changes point toward a team inestigating the real world implications of straightening the flow and how that impacts the wake generated by the front tyre under various loads.  This information can then be used to improve the correlation of their simulation tools at the factory, that will bleed into the development of next years car.

In Mexico the team briefly mounted camera’s on the central section of the front wing that look back at the splitter to see how much it’s deflecting as the cars behavior changes around the course of a lap.  It’s believed one of these was a thermal camera and the other a slo-motion camera maximizing the amount of data available to study back at the factory.

Thermal imaging cameras could also be found mounted in aerodynamically neutral pods on the top of the sidepod airflow conditioners.  These cameras will have a much higher fidelity than the ones we ordinarily see mounted on the cars, allowing the team to build a better understanding of how the tyres operate.

These tests and the information gathered during them will be critical in understanding if the concepts they’re working on perform as anticipated.

[MIKA27]

Vassuer proud of Palmer

Completing 70 laps on the same set of tyres at the Mexican Grand Prix, Renault boss Fred Vasseur heaped praise on Jolyon Palmer after the Brit started from the pitlane to finish P14.

Palmer missed out qualifiers after cracking his chassis during FP3, which resulted in a pitlane start.

Initially starting the race on the supersoft compound, the French manufacturers swiftly put him on mediums, a set which he made last till the end of the race, garnering praise from Vasseur.

“Jolyon had a strong race where we made the most of an aggressive strategy and pitted him very early under the safety car,” said the Frenchman.

“He drove 70 laps on the same set of tyres and was very consistent to finish in front of some of our nearest rivals.

“He put in a robust defence of his position, in particular against both Jenson [Button] and Fernando [Alonso]. It was a very strong race for him.”

With Nico Hulkenberg joining Renault next year, Palmer and his team-mate Kevin Magnussen are fighting for the last available race seat in the team.

[MIKA27]

Legacy Of A Champion – Fernando Alonso’s Karting Campus & Museum

As a 2-time Formula 1 World Champion, Fernando Alonso is determined to give something back to the community in which he grew up in.

Mobil 1 The Grid travelled to Alonso’s hometown of Oviedo, Spain, to catch up with the McLaren-Honda driver as he delivered an insight into his karting campus and personal museum. Jenson Button, Mika Hakkinen & David Coulthard also feature.

 

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New video compares Hamilton, Rosberg and Verstappen’s corner-cutting

This video filmed by a Formula One fan at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez gives the most revealing view yet of how three drivers cut the first corner in the Mexican Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Max Verstappen each cut the corner during the race, prompting claims from their rivals they had gained an advantage by leaving the track.

Hamilton straight-lined the corner after locking up a glazed brake at the start of the race. An unhappy Daniel Ricciardo described Hamilton’s driving as “kindergarten stuff” and Nico Hulkenberg alleged the race winner gained a “massive advantage”.
Meanwhile Rosberg tangled with Verstappen and also went across the grass. Neither Mercedes driver was penalised for their actions.

However Verstappen was given a post-race five-second time penalty for cutting the corner while he was battling Sebastian Vettel later in the race, which can also be seen in the video above.

Verstappen disputed the penalty, pointing out his driving had been little different to Hamilton’s had been at the start of the race.

“When I went off the track towards the end I think it was pretty similar to Lewis on lap one, corner one,” said Verstappen.

“He went off and I felt he gained an advantage, I didn’t even gain an advantage, I was ahead going into braking and when I came back on the track I was the same distance in front so I don’t understand the penalty.”

 

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Ross Brawn should take an FIA role not Liberty F1 job - Ecclestone

Formula 1's commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone reckons Ross Brawn would be better suited to a role inside governing body the FIA, rather than with F1's new owner Liberty Media.

Speculation has linked the former Ferrari technical director and Mercedes team boss to a job running the sporting and commercial aspects of F1, but Brawn told BBC Sport on Wednesday that he has not been handed such a role.

He says US company Liberty Media, which is currently undertaking a $4.4billion buyout of F1's commercial rights from present majority shareholder CVC Capital Partners, has taken him on as a consultant to help it understand how Formula 1 operates.

Autosport understands Liberty could be keen to offer Brawn a permanent role on the racing, sporting and technical side of the business in the future, once its takeover is complete, but Brawn told BBC Sport that it "all depends" on what Ecclestone decides to do in the future.

Ecclestone remains in position as F1's CEO while the takeover proceeds, and he told Autosport Brawn's technical nous would be best suited to a role with F1's rulemaker, rather than its commercial governor.

"I'd be delighted if he went to the FIA - he would be absolutely first class," Ecclestone told Autosport.

"I haven't spoken to him for quite a long time. I haven't got the slightest idea what he could do.

"But nothing with us. We don't need an engineer, or anybody like Ross's job."

Ecclestone described speculation that Brawn has signed a deal to replace him as CEO as "a load of bollocks", but said Liberty Media could do "whatever they want to do" once they take full control of F1.

"Liberty Media are shareholders - Chase [Carey] has taken up Peter Brabeck's role as chairman, but they are not in control of the company," Ecclestone added.

"They have 10% of the company, and at the moment I am still chief executive of the company.

"It's the same company it's always been. If Liberty gains control then they are in a position to do whatever they want to do, which anybody that owns a company can do.

"But at the moment they don't own the company, so they are not in that position."

Ecclestone said he would have had prior knowledge of any move to appoint Brawn to an official position.

"Chase is absolutely no problem to deal with at all, if this had even been talked about then he would have spoken to me," Ecclestone said.

"For sure, if anyone is going to be put in that position [CEO] then I would be the person that would be doing it."

[MIKA27]

STROLL AND BOTTAS CONFIRMED BY WILLIAMS

Canadian teenager Lance Stroll will make his Formula One race debut with former champions Williams next season, the team announced on Thursday.

Montreal-born Stroll, who celebrated his 18th birthday on 29 October, will be the first Canadian to race in the sport since 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who won his title at Williams and retired in 2006.

The son of fashion billionaire Lawrence, who made a fortune from the Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors fashion brands, Stroll will partner experienced Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas at the Mercedes-powered team.

He replaces Brazilian Felipe Massa, who had already announced his retirement from Formula One.

Stroll will be the youngest driver on the starting grid next season, but not the youngest ever to start a race — that accolade belongs to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who was 17 years and 166 days old when he made his debut for Toro Rosso at the Australian grand prix 2015.

The rules have been changed since then, with 18 set as the minimum age and a points-based super licence system introduced. Stroll secured his after winning this year’s European F3 championship.

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BOTTAS: WILLIAMS IS LIKE MY FAMILY

Valtteri Bottas turned down a bid by Renault to extend his deal with Williams for at least another year, his fifth as a race driver with the team who gave him his break in Formula 1 back in 2011 as a test driver.

The team said in a statement: “Valtteri has proved a great talent with four years’ Formula One racing experience under his belt and nine podiums to his name since the start of 2013. Valtteri remains a valuable asset to the team and will help lead the team through the big regulations changes that will be introduced in 2017.”

Speaking about the announcement Bottas said, “Firstly, I am very happy that I will be starting my fifth season racing for Williams in 2017. It’s going to be an exciting year with all the regulation changes and a great opportunity for the team to get closer to the front.”

“I’ll be giving 100% as always to the team. Thank you to Frank, Claire and the whole Williams Board for their continued trust in me. Also, thank you to everyone at Williams, as it will be nice to continue working together with everyone both at the factory and the track.”

Bottas will be the team leader, with 18 year old Canadian Lance Stroll is the second car for his F1 debut season. The Finn’s role will surely be to mentor the youngster in his rookie year.

Bottas added, “I’d also like to extend a very warm welcome from myself to Lance on joining the team. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.

“Williams is like my family. Going into next season, it will be eight years in total since I joined at the start of 2010, so it really does feel like home here. However, I still believe we haven’t yet achieved what we should, and can do together,” concluded Bottas who has nine podiums to his credit in 75 grand prix starts. A F1 victory still eludes him.

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, commented, “I’m delighted to confirm that Valtteri will be racing for Williams once again next year, and be joined by Lance Stroll. Valtteri is a much-loved member of the team and his talent is unquestionable, so for him to use that experience to help lead the team forward is exciting.”

“He has played a pivotal role in the team’s turnaround since 2014 and we are looking forward to continuing the strong relationship we have with him into the future. As a team, we continue to push forward in our goal to win races and championships, and believe this exciting fresh combination will put us in a strong position to deliver on our future targets,” added Williams.

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STROLL: TO BE RACING IN FORMULA 1 IN 2017 IS INCREDIBLE

Lance Stroll – in the same vein as Max Verstappen – is a new breed of teenage drivers being fast-tracked into Formula 1 thanks to huge dollops of talent and, in the case of the 18 year old Canadian, substantial backing which has resulted in a deal for him to drive for Williams in 2017.

So much so that Stroll starts his Formula 1 rookie season, in 2017, better prepared than most drivers since the days of unlimited testing over a decade ago. He has racked up massive mileage in a Williams run test programme, using a 2014-spec Williams FW36, to prepare him for his debut season.

Stroll said of his big break, “To be racing in Formula One in 2017 is incredible, I can’t thank Williams enough for showing faith in my ability. Racing in F1 was something I dreamt about as a young kid. When I began karting seriously, F1 was then the ultimate goal and especially when I started racing cars in 2014.

“2017 is going to be a big learning curve for me, but I’m eager to absorb everything Williams can share with me so that I improve. I’ll be taking things on a race-by-race, lap-by-lap basis and hopefully progress with experience like I did when I entered Formula 4 and then Formula 3.

“I believe contesting the FIA European Formula 3 Championship for the past two years has prepared me well for the step up. There are many elements for me to learn and I’m still young.”

“I’ve been experiencing a 2014-spec Williams FW36 since August, which has gone very well. The power is incredible. I’m learning about the car, the incredible downforce, DRS and tyre management, finding a rhythm and finding the limit. I’m becoming more comfortable and confident with each run.”

“I’ve enjoyed success in karting, F4, Toyota Racing Series and most recently F3 – winning every category I’ve competed in – so I believe I have earned a shot in F1. I’m very thankful to everyone who has helped me to reach this level.”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, said during the announcement function, “Lance joined the Williams Young Driver Programme at the end of 2015 and has impressed our engineers with his maturity, talent and enthusiasm.”

“We are pleased to be able to offer him the opportunity to step up and show what he can do in Formula One, after proving a dominant force in all the categories he has raced in so far.”

The team statement added: “Since beginning his karting career in 2008, aged eight, Lance Stroll has gone on to secure the 2014 Italian Formula 4 Championship title and 2015 Toyota Racing Series title in New Zealand, with numerous wins to his name.”

“Lance has progressed through the Williams Young Driver Programme alongside clinching the 2016 European Formula 3 title in dominant style with 14 race wins and 17 front-row starts, 14 from pole position. At the age of just 18, he has already proved he is a talent to watch in the future.”

Bottas, as the senior driver in the team, is likely to mentor the young Canadian and said at the function,
“I’d like to extend a very warm welcome from myself to Lance on joining the team. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”

[MIKA27]

HORNER: THERE’S AN ARGUMENT FOR A GRAVEL TRAP

In the wake of the Mexican Grand Prix and a slew of track cutting by several drivers during the heat of battle, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has suggested that gravel traps be installed at corner complexes where cutting the track can be turned into an advantage.

The Turn 1 and Turn 2 section at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was in the spotlight during the race as Max Verstappen was handed a five second penalty for cutting the track in that sector, while both Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg also used the ‘path’ over the grass earlier in the race. However, the pair were not penalised.

Horner told F1i, “I definitely think there’s an argument for a gravel trap because if you end up in the gravel you either lose an enormous amount of time or you’re out of the race.”

“I really think it’s something that should be looked at for corners such as Turn 1 to see if gravel is a better deterrent than large tarmac run-off areas.

“It remains too open to interpretation because why was Max’s move any different to Lewis at the chicane in Monte Carlo or Lewis on lap one here?”

“You’re leaving it constantly up to stewards interpretation on individual events. If there’s a gravel trap there they pay the price, it’s as simple as that,” added Horner.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone made headlines last week when he suggested walls be built along the track perimeter, as in street circuits, to keep drivers honest.

Horner observed, “Bernie’s view is put a wall there, which is probably one end of the spectrum.”

[MIKA27]

Sir Frank Williams released from hospital after pneumonia recovery

Sir Frank Williams has been released from hospital and returned home after contracting pneumonia, his daughter and Williams F1 deputy team principal Claire Williams confirmed.

He was taken ill after the Italian Grand Prix and has been in hospital receiving treatment since September.

Claire Williams has missed the last five race weekends to remain in the UK and be closer to her father.

Williams CEO Mike O’Driscoll said over the Mexican GP weekend he was making a “slow and steady” recovery.

"He's now back home and he's back at the factory," Claire Williams told media at the team’s factory, after announcing its 2017 F1 driver line-up.

"He contracted pneumonia after Monza and has been in hospital ever since.

"It has been a slow recovery but I'm pleased to say he's pretty much back to the old Frank we know and love.

"It's lovely to have him back with the team."

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Key Mercedes strategy decisions from the Mexican GP

Mercedes chief strategist, James Vowles goes over the major strategy decisions the team made during the Mexican Grand Prix, to score its sixth 1-2 finish of the 2016 Formula 1 season.

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Massa column: Gearing up for emotional Brazilian GP

Two world championship points for ninth place were the prize at the end of what I would say was a challenging Mexican Grand Prix.

For myself and the Williams Martini Racing team, any points finish is now precious – as the fight with Force India for fourth place in the constructors' championship will almost certainly only be decided at the chequered flag at Abu Dhabi.

There are just nine points separating our two teams, so it means during this final stage of the season we cannot afford any mistakes.

My race began with a good start, and over the course of the first lap I was able to pass Valtteri Bottas at the exit of Turn 1, and then overtake Sebastian Vettel under braking for Turn 5. It was a pretty good start – but after that came some more difficulties.

After 14 laps I switched from the supersoft tyres that I had started the race with and, as I got back out on track, I was really struggling for grip. For about 10 laps it was hard to get good traction, and with Sergio Perez right behind me I knew that if I had made the slightest mistake he would have got past me.

But I was very focused, and after about 10 laps finally the tyres got better and I could control the situation with less difficulty. It was very important to keep ahead of the Force India and I managed to do that until the chequered flag.

     

Top speed record

On the weekend of Mexico City, there was a great deal of interest about a new top speed record in a race. I managed to reach 371.5 km/h, but my teammate was 0.8 km/h faster!

Some fans have asked what it is like to be a racing driver when you hit such a peak, and if I answer truthfully I would say that a driver is aware of being very fast – but if it is 350 km/h or 370 km/h it doesn't make much difference.

We are used to the speed, and even if we like it when we go fast, the news of a record is something that excites lovers of statistics rather than those who are behind the wheel.

     

Home time

After the Mexican Grand Prix I went straight to Sao Paulo. The build-up to my home race is always very special, and this year it is even more so. It will be my last Brazilian Grand Prix and I am sure it will be one of the most special races of my career.

It was at Interlagos that I took my first steps with a crash helmet, and it is the place where I managed to achieve my biggest dream: winning my home race. Every driver wants to win their home race, but for Brazilians I am sure it means a little bit more.

The joy of achieving it is incredible, and I had the good fortune to achieve it twice! So knowing that in a few day I will drive my last home grand prix, in front of an extraordinary audience – it makes this time very special. I'm really looking forward to getting out on track.

There is a job to be done though, and on that front I do not think Interlagos will see much of a shake-up in the midfield compared to the last few races.

We have to knuckle down and bring home the best result possible – for if there is one place where I hope we can achieve something more it is Interlagos.

The support of the fans, and the reasons to give them something to cheer about, means I am preparing for a weekend that I am sure I will never forget.

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F1 must fix penalty "lottery", Toro Rosso's Sainz believes

Carlos Sainz Jr has called for Formula 1 to eliminate the "lottery" surrounding whether drivers get penalties during grands prix.

F1's stewarding process has been in the spotlight this year, with a debate growing over the number of regulations being put in place over wheel-to-wheel battling.

While some teams and drivers have called for there to be less interference from officials when incidents occur, Sainz believes a more consistent line-up of stewards would help solve the problem.

"This is what Formula 1 needs to understand, either to look at it incident by incident or to put a fixed rule," said Sainz, who was penalised for forcing Fernando Alonso off the road at the start of the Mexican GP.

"Nowadays it's difficult to know what will happen to you if you do a certain move that is a tiny bit on the limit.

"It's a bit of a lottery to get a penalty or not.

"I heard that [in Mexico] there were very similar situations with mine and Fernando's incident and that there were no penalties.

"Us drivers need to race with a very clear thing in mind when we overtake a guy.

"When we go [to the stewards] we need to know what they think about these rules."

While F1 has a cast of ex-drivers that take turns as stewards at each grand prix, Sainz believes the same officials are required for every race.

"I've said [F1 should have fixed stewards] my whole Formula 1 career," he added.

"It's understandable - humans are humans - you will have a different opinion to me, so every race there will be very different opinions.

"At the moment we never know what to expect about a move or after an accident.

"After seeing Fernando on the grass in Mexico do they give me a penalty or do they think it was a great move?

"[With fixed stewards] probably the criteria will be a lot closer every weekend.

"Maybe not always the same, but a lot closer."

MIKA: Let's not forget that indeed stewards are ex-racers and some harbour personal preferences over some drivers. Whilst not proven, there is a conflict of interest IMO.

What I hate and I've always been concerned with is that as an example, during the Silverstone GP, Nigel Mansell was a steward and whilst Hamilton was the race winner, Mansell chose to reprimand Rosberg who came second (Over Radio regulations), thus Rosberg lost P2 to Max Verstappen and went down to P3. Overall in the championship, losing points is losing points.. What get's me angry is that right after that penalty, they changed that very rule and since then, radio restrictions have been lifted.

For me, I personally feel that they should never use a British driver as a steward at the British GP and or a German Steward and the German GP, so on and so fourth.

Alternatively, use the very same stewards for each and every Grand Prix weekend.

[MIKA27]

HERBERT: VETTEL SHOULD HAVE GOT SOMETHING

Formula One’s governing body got it wrong twice over with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at last weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, according to former race winner and television pundit Johnny Herbert.

Stewards promoted and demoted the German to and from the podium after he tangled with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, and then let him off for hurling abuse at race director Charlie Whiting over the radio.

Herbert told Reuters that, while he welcomed the airing of communications between driver and team as an insight into the stresses of racing, Vettel’s swearing at Whiting had gone too far.

“The worst thing was the stuff directly at Charlie. I thought that was out of order and something should have been done about that one. It’s a step too far,” said the Briton.

Herbert, who won three grands prix between 1989 and 2000 and was Michael Schumacher’s team mate at Benetton in 1994 and 1995, said a race ban would have been too hard but a grid penalty or fine could have been imposed.

The FIA said on Tuesday that its president Jean Todt had decided, “on an exceptional basis”, not to take disciplinary action against the four-times world champion after he apologised.

“You are hearing a frustrated Sebastian Vettel coming out with all this stuff and we want to hear it. But you know you’ve got to be sometimes careful with what you say and how you say it,” said Herbert.

“We heard it, it was directed at Charlie in a very rude manner which is unacceptable. He should have got something. He got off scot-free.”

Vettel finished fourth on the road in Mexico but was promoted to the podium after Verstappen was demoted to fifth for gaining an advantage by going off the track while defending against the Ferrari driver.

The Dutchman had refused to cede position to the German on the track, triggering the expletive-laden rant by Vettel who then clashed with Verstappen’s team mate Ricciardo.

After a stewards’ investigation, Vettel was then handed a penalty that demoted him to fifth for a dangerous move while defending his position, elevating Ricciardo to third and Verstappen to fourth.

Herbert felt that penalty was another wrong decision, “I’m surprised he (Vettel) got something for that. That’s what I want to see, was there anything wrong with it? It was a squeeze, there wasn’t anything wrong with it. I’m ‘let them race, let them get on with it’.”

Speaking at Blackwell’s Holborn bookshop in London, where he was promoting his autobiography ‘What Doesn’t Kill you…”, Herbert also said something had to be done to ensure drivers kept within the track limits.

“I remember when I was racing, I would try and take a little bit of the track if I knew I could get away with it,” he said.

“I’m still of the thinking that track limits are track limits. Full stop. Whatever the argument I keep hearing from people, there is always a gain (by going off the track).”

[MIKA27]

NASR: I AM CONFIDENT TO BE IN F1 NEXT YEAR

Brazilian driver Felipe Nasr hopes his home Formula 1 race next weekend will finally give Swiss-based Sauber something to cheer about.

It has been more than a year, and a run of 22 races, since the 24-year-old Brasilia-born driver secured struggling Sauber’s last points with ninth place at the 2015 United States Grand Prix.

With financial difficulties leading to a lack of pre-season testing and car development, 2016 has been one big blank for Nasr and Swedish team mate Marcus Ericsson.

Sauber, who have been in Formula 1 since 1993, have been last in the constructors’ standings since Germany’s Pascal Wehrlein finished 10th in Austria in July but Interlagos could change that.

“In terms of getting a point, in Sao Paulo as we know there is always a question mark on the weather, it can be anything – sunny or rainy on the same day,” Nasr told Reuters in a telephone interview from Miami.

“And this could play into our hands, in terms of having tricky conditions out there or if the track is wet or dry enough.

“I would expect something like this that would help us score points because in normal conditions, on pure performance, we don’t have the car to achieve a top 10 finish.

“We need this combination and lets count on home soil too to bring us luck. It’s better to be positive than not,” he added.

Next week will be Nasr’s second home race, after a promising debut season in 2015, and this time he heads for Brazil with time pressing literally and figuratively.

Busy promoting a limited edition Felipe Nasr watch, made by Miami-based apparel and design brand Felio Siby and with an eye-popping price tag of $135,000 (108,330 pounds) he is also assessing his options and waiting for a deal to come together.

With compatriot Felipe Massa retiring, Nasr stands to be South America’s sole F1 driver next season.

Commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone is keen on ensuring he stays but where remains to be seen, with speculation linking him to vacant seats at Force India and Renault — for whom Brazil is an important market — as well as Sauber.

“There is nothing 100 percent yet but I am pretty confident we are going to be there (in Formula One) next year,” said Nasr.

His watch sponsor, founded by Gabon-born Dominique Siby, is also Force India’s official lifestyle partner but the driver ruled out any significance of that deal in relation to his future.

“Everybody wants to know where (I’ll be). Even me, I don’t know where yet. But hopefully soon we are going to know,” he added.

Sauber will have 2016 specification Ferrari engines next year, which will put them at a power disadvantage but save money, and Nasr supported that step because more could be spent on improving the chassis.

“There are better possibilities for results in other places, but Sauber — knowing the team and I’ve been there for two years now so you build a relationship — it’s much easier to know how to work with them,” he said.

On the downside, it would take time to get back up to speed.

“As a driver you’re always thinking about how can I get the best results for myself. There’s many other things that come together, being at the right place at the right time, so we are working on it,” he said.

“In that first year I was able to show what I came for. This year since has been a little bit more difficult … I saw the two sides of the coin, put it that way.”

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: I KNEW FERRARI WOULD NOT WIN IN 2015 AND 2016

Fernando Alonso knew in his heart that Ferrari did not have the capacity to win the Formula 1 world championship in 2015 and 2016, thus accepting the challenge to join McLaren was a worthwhile challenge.

Alonso told Marca, “I will always wish the best for Ferrari, in fact we now things have not reached even dream them., but I knew that in 2015 and 2016 Ferrari would not win. So I accepted the challenge of McLaren-Honda.”

When Alonso joined Ferrari in 2010 it seemed to be a match made in F1 heaven, indeed the double world champion won his first race with the Scuderia, then scoring another four victories that year on his way to second in the championship which he lost by only four points.

He was second again in 2012 and 2013 wherein he amassed another six victories. But in 2014 the Italian team failed to win a race. The relationship between their ace driver and management was at an all time low.

Alonso departed as a new cabal, led by Sergio Marchionne, took over after a nasty boardroom power struggle which ended the Luca di Montezemolo era at Maranello.

Of his move to McLaren-Honda, who have struggled for the past two years, Alonso repeated what he has said often before, “If I did not think McLaren can be champion would not be here. There is no deadline for another title. Everyone wants to win many championships.”

“In the end the important thing is to feel valued by fans and the people of Formula 1, heads of teams and the drivers. The key to staying so long in the elite is being yourself and being very consistent,” added Alonso.

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE: I HOPE FERRARI GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER

Everyone knows that Formula 1 needs Ferrari to win races, they are the sport’s iconic team which is steeped in history and packed with passion, thus no surprise that the sport’s chief Bernie Ecclestone is willing the Maranello outfit to get on with it.

He told the official F1 site, “All I hope is that Ferrari get their act together and start winning races.”

As for advice, the 86 year old suggested, “What Maurizio desperately needs is a good back-up support like Mercedes have got, for example. If he had the support that Mercedes has, they would win races for sure. I am also sure that you will see a different Ferrari next year.”

Ecclestone likes to remind people that it was he who suggested Ferrari hire Frenchman Jean Todt to lead the team in the late nineties. What resulted was the team’s most successful decade in F1.

He was at it again, “When I got Jean Todt to take his position and go to Maranello, which was a bit of a risk for Jean to do, it was an all-Italian team and they were a bit concerned about taking a foreigner.”

“But I told them: when you win the championship you sure will find ancestry in Jean’s family that comes from Sicily.”

“Now it has gone back to being a very Italian team again. And it is run like an Italian team. So I don’t envy Maurizio’s job. I wouldn’t want to do it,” said Ecclestone.

Not helping Arrivabene’s cause is also the fact that this year’s SF16-H is a dire piece of kit which has done Sebastian Vettel and Kimi raikkonen no favours.

Arrivabene explained, “What was wrong in Mexico was the endemic problem that we have all year long. You remember in Baku and in Spain and Monaco, when the temperature goes up to the sky we have problems.

“We are making an analysis of that and now it is quite clear the reason why, so we are working on that,” added the Ferrari chief whose team has yet to win a race this season.