FORMULA 1 - 2016

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Jenson Button and his engineer preview the Brazilian Grand Prix

Speaking ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, McLaren-Honda’s Jenson Button and his race engineer Tom Stallard share their thoughts on Sao Paulo’s Autódromo José Carlos Pace; also known as Interlagos – A circuit famed for it’s history, exciting races & passionate fan base.

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Wolff: We’re maxed out on performance

With regards to development in 2016, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reckons they have done all they can this year and now all the Silver Arrows have to do is concentrate on the minor details.

Since the regulation changes implemented in 2014, Mercedes have out-classed all of their opponents and have claimed the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship ever since.

With more regulation tweaks set for next year, Wolff is ready for the next step in development.

“We’re maxed out on performance, as is normal at the end of a regulation cycle, and when that happens everything becomes more marginal,” he explained.

“This is where we find ourselves right now, so we must remain focused on every last detail.”

While Nico Rosberg set to claim his first ever World Title, the Austrian revealed that his future is in his hands with two races remaining.

“For Nico, all this talk of just needing to finish second in order to make it to the end is over,” he added.

“He has it in his hands. If he wins the race in Brazil, he is champion.

“We’ve seen many races, particularly in the second half of this season, where he has coped well under pressure.

“But, mentally, I think this new situation is actually a bit easier in terms of tackling the situation with a little less pressure, as he still has another chance in Abu Dhabi.”

However, Wolff has warned that Lewis Hamilton will challenge his team-mate right until the last race in Abu Dhabi.

“Equally, Lewis knows what he must do to keep his title hopes alive. He will never back down and that’s what makes him one of the great ones,” said the Mercedes boss.

“He has three championships and 51 victories under his belt – and no matter the outcome this year, we all know there will be more to come.

“It’s a really interesting dynamic and great for the fans. As a team, we will do all in our power to provide both with the opportunities they need.”

 

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Alonso: Age doesn’t slow F1 drivers

As one of the elder statesmen on the grid, Fernando Alonso feels Formula 1 drivers don’t slow with age as the sport is largely about “the car.”

Alonso will celebrate his 36th birthday next season as he lines up on the grid in what will be his 16th season in Formula 1.

The double World Champion is still rated by many are one of the best on the grid but it remains to be seen whether he will extend his McLaren stay beyond 2017.

However, when the time does come to hang up his helmet, he says it will be because of he is tired of the life and not because age has slowed him down.

“I don’t see it like other sports that maybe the physical situation is so relevant,” he told F1i.com.

“Here it is just about the machine, about the car, so I don’t think there is a peak and then you go down. Here is just a normal progression line and you get better every time.

“If you stop one day I don’t think it’s because you’re slower, it’s because you’re tired.

“Tired of travelling, of media, when you expose your life for 20 years – you’ve been in the newspaper for 20 years, you’ve been on television for 20 years – maybe you want to stop that because real life is on the other side of that box.

“So you stop because of that, not because you are four tenths, three tenths or half a second slower than 20 years ago.”

He added: “We saw with Michael [Schumacher] he was 37 when he first retired and he was winning, he was fighting for the World Championship until the last race with me in 2006 and decided to retire.

“It’s because you start at 19 or 20 in Formula One and at 37 then 17 years of your life are totally dedicated to the sport.

“There’s not a single day when you don’t do breakfast thinking about what you’re eating. There’s not a single day when you do something not thinking that you don’t want to be hurt because the race is next weekend. So it’s all your life dedicated to the sport.”

Alonso also weighed in on modern day Formula 1, saying in yesteryear the sport was for “heroes and for big men” whereas these days it is about simulators and PlayStation.

“Definitely we have to change a lot with the current regulations. And also I think it helps the new generations to come to Formula One because if you do a lot of simulator, if you do a lot of PlayStation, now the cars are so slow and so delicate to drive that it’s about that kind of feeling that you can get on those tools.

“Whereas before, Formula One was just for heroes and for big men. You need to eat a lot if you want to drive a Formula One car from 2004 or 2003 at 15, 16 or 17 years old – or even 20 years old – you need to eat a lot. And now you are ready in winter testing already because the cars are half Formula One.”

He does, however, believe that only the best drivers make it into in Formula 1.

“I think still the best arrive in Formula One, but they don’t need time to learn the category. They don’t need time to get 100% out of the car, they don’t need two or three years to be physically very strong to finish every single race at 100%. They don’t need the neck or anything, they can be 100% in race two.

“So for this I mean they need less preparation but I still think the best always arrives in Formula One and they show in smaller categories they are winning the series.

“And then when they arrive in Formula One they deliver, because if someone arrived in Formula One and they didn’t show it then after two or three races they change the driver. You have to race in Formula One and deliver the results that teams are expecting because if not then you will not race for long.”

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Sauber future "not dependent" on Nasr and Ericsson re-signing

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn is not worried about the prospect of losing Felipe Nasr or Marcus Ericsson to rivals, despite the substantial sponsorship that both men currently bring to the Swiss outfit.

Both drivers have been talking to other teams in recent weeks, but Kaltenborn insists that Sauber is on a stronger financial footing than it was, thanks to its new investors.

"We're not nervous, and there's nothing anymore that puts the existence of the team into question," she told Motorsport.com. "So we are not dependent on anything there, like it was earlier on, when it was the case.

"But if a driver who is a good driver comes to any team with a partner, I don't think any team would refuse that. This always comes in handy, and it's good for the team, and it's good for the driver who comes to the team as well.

"And we have our options, we are assessing them. The two drivers, Marcus and Felipe, are also among them, but there's no priority list, I'd say."

     

Kaltenborn admitted that Ericsson was not necessarily committed to staying at Sauber, despite the overlap between his Swedish sponsors and Sauber owners Longbow.

"They are two things which don't have anything to do with each other. If another team would like to have Marcus, he's free to talk there, and we'll definitely talk about it.

"I don't know what the conditions would be for Longbow to do this. It's a different project, it would not have an effect on us. Like I said, if that door closes, maybe something else opens."

Kaltenborn says that her team won't necessarily wait for slots at other teams to fill up before making its choices.

"Obviously, we have not announced our drivers. You are looking at the developments going on in the market, and we have, as I've said, different options, independent from whatever is going on. But of course your options are also influenced by what's happening.

"We'd like to get this sorted out as quickly as possible. Things can happen quickly. As I said, we have our options, but there is no priority list."

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Ricciardo: I wouldn’t be Massa’s team-mate in Brazil!

Daniel Ricciardo says he wouldn't fancy being Felipe Massa's team-mate at the Brazilian's final home race in F1, with a wry dig that Valtteri Bottas 'is going to be really in for it'. 

The Red Bull driver, who has only enjoyed one points finish in Brazil back in 2013 with a solitary 10th place for Toro Rosso, says the Interlagos circuit is one he's grown to appreciate during his F1 career and now feels more a home at the South American event. 

Ricciardo will be paying tribute to one of his closest F1 friends and rivals this weekend as Massa becomes the centre of attention for his final home race ahead of his retirement from the sport. 

The Red Bull driver has cheekily suggested Massa's Williams team-mate Bottas will have a difficult race weekend due to an unfavourable reception from the Brazilian crowds. 

“The atmosphere at the track in Brazil is pretty unique, a lot of air horns and noise always make for a good crowd,” Ricciardo said. “Even more so this year as it is Felipe's last race there. 

“Brazil is one place you don't want to be Felipe Massa's team-mate, you get so much abuse on the drivers parade it's hilarious. I think Bottas is going to be really in for it next week. 

“The lap is quite a short one but it's definitely grown on me over the years. Sao Paulo was quite an overwhelming place when I first went there but I have now found a few little hot spots. As it is near the end of the season we usually do some big team dinners there which means it's a really sociable race week.” 

Having secured third place in the F1 drivers' championship last time out in Mexico thanks to his promoted third place after Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen both received post-race time penalties, Ricciardo can solely focus on aiming for the podium and challenging the Mercedes duo in Brazil. 
 

 

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Sauber aims to channel spirit of its 2012 F1 success in strategies

Sauber wants to channel the kind of out-of-the-box thinking behind its surprise podiums of 2012 in a final bid for the lucrative 10th position in 2016's Formula 1 constructors' championship.

The team claimed four podiums in 2012 with Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi, and the Mexican's rostrum appearances in Malaysia, Canada and Italy were earned from ninth, 15th and 12th on those races' respective grids.

Recently Sauber has been trying different strategic approaches again, including one-stops for Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr in the United States when most pitted two or three times.

In Mexico, the team decided to keep Ericsson out to the finish after a stop for first-lap damage repair - a tactic that brought 11th place, albeit over 40 seconds away from the top 10.

Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn said innovative strategies were now the only hope of getting off zero points and leapfrogging Manor.

"We need to take different approaches," Kaltenborn told Autosport.

"When it comes to strategy we have to try something different because if you follow the mainstream then we know it's going to be very difficult to be in a position to get the opportunity and get the points.

"So absolutely we have to think outside the box otherwise we remain in our comfort zone and then it's not going to get us anywhere.

"We have to make sure, from the bunch we are in, we are right on top - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - and in Austin it wasn't so bad.

"The drivers delivered what they should have with the strategy, they made it work.

"If unforeseen things happen, or the chance comes up, then we have to be there.

"If you remember in 2012 we always had to take a risky approach - our qualifying positions used to be 16, 17, 18, and we ended up on the podium a couple of times.

"It's always the situation that determines what strategy you take."

Kaltenborn suspects if Sauber had adopted such a bold philosophy earlier in the season then it might already have scored.

"Had we taken this approach at many other races before then it might have just worked," she admitted.

"Had we taken this approach in Baku, for instance, then we would have been there to get that point.

"We've seen the car can do this, the drivers are delivering on it, the strategists are right on it, so we are getting there."

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Imola withdraws legal action over Monza's F1 Italian GP

Imola's legal action over government backing of the deal to keep Formula 1's Italian Grand Prix at Monza has been withdrawn, paving the way for a resolution.

In September, Monza officials announced that a new three-year deal to keep the race through to 2019 had been secured, but admitted the contract had not yet been signed.

Imola took legal action as it felt it was not legitimate that Automobile club d'Italia awarded government backing to Monza and not Imola, to help fund an Italian GP beyond this year.

A court hearing was set for October 26 to assess the case, but this was cancelled when the objection was withdrawn.

The decision will allow Monza to continue talks with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone with the aim of getting a deal sorted in the coming weeks.

A Monza source told Autosport: "Imola withdrew its objection against Monza and so the court case scheduled for October 26 did not go ahead.

"This leaves the way open for Monza to continue negotiations with Formula One Management to secure the future of Monza as a Formula 1 venue.

"We are confident that matters will be concluded before the 2017 calendar is confirmed in early December."

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Williams F1 driver Bottas hates his points-without-a-win record

Valtteri Bottas says he hates the fact that he holds the record for scoring the most points without taking a Formula 1 victory.

The Finn made his F1 debut with Williams in 2013 and has since scored nine podiums, including two second places.

But as he approaches the end of his fourth full season, with 75 race starts and 411 points under his belt, he has yet to reach the top step of the podium.

Sergio Perez is currently second in the 'most points without a win' list with 351, one point ahead of his Force India team-mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Bottas, who will remain at Williams next season with rookie Lance Stroll as his team-mate, says his aim for 2017 is to capitalise on the regulation overhaul and rid himself of that statistic.

"I still have a feeling we have to achieve more together than what we have done so far," he said.

"I currently have a stat that I have the most points without a win, which I hate, so that's our plan together - it would be very special to have my first win with Williams.

"It is also for me like a family, like home, so it was natural for me to continue.

"I do believe next year, with the rule changes, it's a good opportunity to catch up, and to make better results."

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams said it was an "easy" decision to to keep the Finn for another season.

"We wanted some stability going into next year with the regulations, so we wanted to keep Valtteri with us," she said.

"He's a great talent and such an exciting driver to watch in F1 and he always delivers for us.

"So it was an easy choice to keep him in the line-up next year."

MOST FORMULA 1 POINTS WITHOUT A GRAND PRIX VICTORY

The points system introduced in 2010 and led by 25 points for a win shapes this list, with Martin Brundle (equal 77th of the all-time points scorers) the only interloper, having raced in the old nine- and 10-point eras.

Stefan Johansson and Chris Amon, with 88 and 83 points respectively, join Brundle on the 'old points system' podium.

1. Valtteri Bottas 411
2. Sergio Perez 351
3. Nico Hulkenberg 350
4. Romain Grosjean 316
5. Nick Heidfeld 259
6. Daniil Kvyat 128
7. Kamui Kobayashi 125
8. Adrian Sutil 124
9. Paul di Resta 121
10. Martin Brundle 98

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HOW NICO ROSBERG CAN BECOME THE SEVENTH INTERLAGOS-CROWNED F1 WORLD CHAMPION

Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel – Nico Rosberg can add his name to that list if he clinches the 2016 Formula 1 drivers’ world title in Brazil this weekend.

The Interlagos circuit has hosted the title-deciding race six times since 2005 – a year after it switched from being an early season event – and it is Rosberg’s first real opportunity to win the championship regardless of where Hamilton finishes (although he could have won it in Mexico with a race victory and a DNF for his teammate).

The German driver will seal the crown if he wins either of the year’s two remaining races, or by finishing with at least one a second place and a third place if Hamilton wins in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

Rosberg will also win if he comes second at Interlagos and Hamilton is fourth or fifth, if he finishes third and Hamilton is sixth or seventh, or if he finishes fourth and Hamilton is eighth. If Rosberg finishes fifth or sixth and Hamilton is ninth or tenth, the German will also win the championship.

However, at least one Mercedes driver has finished on the podium at every race this year (except in Spain after the lap one collision) and the team has scored a one-two in Brazil for two seasons.

The last time Mercedes had both cars reach the finish of a Grand Prix but its drivers were not in the top three was the 2015 Hungarian race, where both Rosberg and Hamilton had a number of incidents with other drivers.

So, with the likelihood that the both Silver Arrows make it onto the podium this weekend, Rosberg has to win the race to guarantee his first world championship.

“Mexico wasn’t ideal,” he said in a Mercedes team preview of the 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix. “I was going for the win as always but Lewis was just a little bit faster all weekend.

Sometimes you just have to accept that and be satisfied with your work.

“I’m not going to change my approach. I need to keep doing what helps me perform at my best and that’s going for the win every time. There are still two races to go and anything can happen in this sport, so I need to focus my energy on the factors that I have in my control.

“I’ve got good form in São Paulo. It’s one of the real classic tracks, which usually produce some exciting races, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and having a big battle in front of those awesome Brazilian fans.”

Previous title deciders in Sao Paulo:

Fernando Alonso 2005
Alonso secured his first world title with third place behind McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen, who finished second in the championship standings, at Interlagos.

The Spanish driver could not convert his pole position into the race win, but his third place was enough to clinch the crown with two races in Japan and China still to go.

Fernando Alonso 2006
Interlagos was the season finale in 2006 and Alonso arrived in Brazil with a ten-point lead over Michael Schumacher after the Ferrari driver’s engine failed at the previous round in Japan.

Felipe Massa won from pole at his home race and Alonso rose from fourth to second to successfully defend his crown, while Schumacher battled back from an early puncture to finish fourth in his final race for Ferrari.

Kimi Raikkonen 2007
Kimi Raikkonen pulled off an unlikely title victory in Brazil in 2007. The Finn overturned a 17-point deficit with two races to run to beat McLaren teammates Alonso and Hamilton to the championship prize.

 

In the race, Raikkonen won ahead of his teammate Massa, with Alonso completing the podium. Hamilton came home seventh after an incident-packed first lap and a mysterious gearbox glitch dropped him to the rear of the field. Raikkonen took the title by just a single point over the two McLaren drivers.

Lewis Hamilton 2008

One year on from his 2007 title heartbreak, Hamilton won his first world championship in dramatic circumstances.

His title rival Massa won the wet race at Interlagos ahead of Alonso (now back at Renault) and Raikkonen. Championship leader Hamilton got caught in a battle with Sebastian Vettel’s Toro Rosso and looked like he had lost the title after the front-runners made a late stop for intermediate tyres and he was one place behind the fifth he needed to become champion after the German driver got by with just a few laps remaining.

But the wet weather rubber helped Vettel and Hamilton catch Timo Glock’s slick-shod Toyota at the final corner and they went by, which sealed the title for the Briton by one point over Massa.

Jenson Button 2009

Jenson Button made it five title-deciding races in a row when he sealed the 2009 championship with fifth place at Interlagos that season.

A wet weather qualifying session left Button down in 14th on the grid, but he climbed high enough through the field to take the crown with one event to spare, as Mark Webber won the race ahead of Robert Kubica and Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel 2012

Vettel’s third title winning season was another with a dramatic climax in Brazil. The Red Bull driver collided with Bruno Senna’s Williams on the opening lap and he spun to the rear of the field, somehow avoiding any further contact.

Despite damage to the left rear of his car, Vettel recovered to finish sixth at the flag and deny Alonso the championship by three points. Button won the race ahead of Ferrari teammates Alonso and Massa.

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RENAULT CONFIRM PALMER TO PARTNER HULKENBERG

Jolyon Palmer secured his place in Formula One with another year at Renault on Wednesday while current Danish team mate Kevin Magnussen was set to join the U.S.-owned Haas team on a multi-year deal.

Renault completed their 2017 lineup, and another part of the driver market puzzle, by announcing ahead of the season’s penultimate Brazilian Grand Prix that Palmer, 25, would be staying put.

The British-based manufacturer team have already signed experienced German Nico Hulkenberg from Force India and the second seat had looked like a toss-up between Palmer or Magnussen.

Magnussen, 24, pre-empted that by turning down a one-year offer in favour of a longer-term opportunity at Ferrari-powered newcomers Haas in place of Mexican Esteban Gutierrez, a source close to that deal told Reuters.

Renault said the combination of Palmer and Hulkenberg offered “a very promising driving force to meet our goals.

“Jolyon understands the team’s spirit and motivates everyone he works with,” said Renault Sport chairman Jerome Stoll. “The lineup of Jolyon and Nico harnesses the benefits of continuity and fresh blood.

“I am sure that having Nico as a team mate will help push Jolyon to greater achievements.”

Palmer, a former GP2 champion, said he was “over the moon” and eager to reward the team’s faith in him.

“For me, it’s been a steep learning curve driving in Formula One and I know that I am performing better than ever, and that there’s still more to come,” he said.

Renault thanked Magnussen, who made his debut with McLaren in 2014 and was a reserve with that team last year before Renault signed him in January, for his contribution.

Haas, eighth overall in the championship and one place ahead of Renault, this season became the first U.S.-owned team in 30 years.

French driver Romain Grosjean has scored all their points, however, with Gutierrez saying last month that he was exploring other options.

Magnussen has scored seven points for Renault from 19 races compared to one for Palmer, who was signed by the team when they were still known as Lotus, and has also out-qualified the Briton 12 times to seven.

With Renault and Haas finalising their lineups, there remains a vacancy at Force India, currently fourth overall, while struggling Sauber and Manor have yet to confirm their drivers.

Manor rookie Esteban Ocon is seen as a contender for Force India, with the team’s engine providers Mercedes having the Frenchman under contract, but Sauber’s Brazilian Felipe Nasr could also be in the frame.

Gutierrez was previously at Sauber but a return there looks unlikely.

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MAGNUSSEN TIPPED FOR HAAS F1 RACE SEAT

Kevin Magnussen is set to race for the Haas F1 team next season after agreeing a multi-year deal, a source close to the deal told Reuters Magnussen had rejected a one-year offer from his current team Renault in favour of a longer-term opportunity at the Ferrari-powered newcomers.

There was no immediate comment from Renault or Haas, with teams flying to Brazil for Sunday’s penultimate race of the season.

Renault’s option on the 24-year-old, who made his debut with McLaren in 2014 and then served as a reserve last season before Renault signed him in January, expired last month.

American owned Haas made their debut this season as the first U.S.-owned team in 30 years, and are eighth overall.

French driver Romain Grosjean has scored all their points so far this season, however, with Mexican Esteban Gutierrez enduring a difficult year. The Mexican said at his home grand prix last month that he was looking at other options.

Magnussen, brought in as a late replacement pre-season for Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, has scored seven points from 19 races compared to one for British team mate Jolyon Palmer. He has also out-qualified his team mate 12 times to seven.

The Dane’s decision could boost Palmer’s chances of staying, although other drivers, including Sauber’s Brazilian Felipe Nasr and Manor’s Frenchman Esteban Ocon, are also in the frame for the Renault seat as well as a vacancy at Force India.

Nico Hulkenberg, currently at Force India, is Renault’s only confirmed driver for 2017 at present.

MIKA: Perfect! What a great pair up at HAAS IMO

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FIA's Charlie Whiting to attend press conference alongside Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting will attend Thursday's drivers' press conference alongside Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, to discuss the controversy which followed the Mexican Grand Prix.

Vettel and Verstappen were involved in an on-track battle which resulted in the Red Bull driver being demoted from the podium and replaced by Vettel. However later in the day, Vettel was handed a penalty, dropping him behind Verstappen and promoting Daniel Ricciardo to third.

Vettel was also heard telling Whiting to "f**k off" over team radio - which he was later pardoned for by FIA president Jean Todt after he wrote letters of apology to the FIA and Whiting.

The FIA has confirmed that Whiting will join the pair during Thursday's press conference to address the matter.

"FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting will attend the latter part of the Thursday Drivers’ Press Conference, alongside the nominated drivers, to talk about the 2016 FIA Formula One Mexican Grand Prix.

"On this occasion he will be present to address this topic ONLY in order to avoid questions which are not in line with the facts in discussion."

Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Daniel Ricciardo, and Nico Rosberg will also be in attendance.

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Vijay Mallya demands perfection from Force India as 'every point counts'

Force India team principal Vijay Mallya says the team must perform at the top of their game in the final two races of the season as they fight over fourth place in the championship, with every point potentially decisive in their battle with Williams.

The Silverstone-based team have gradually improved on their Constructors' Championship position with each passing season, having finished sixth in 2014 and then fifth in 2015.

The team are currently nine points clear of Williams in fourth with just two races left on the calendar, meaning the smallest of errors could cost them the points needed to remain ahead.

Mallya is however confident they can finish the season on a high: "Our strong showing in Mexico proved how competitive we are at the moment and gives us further encouragement for this weekend’s race in Sao Paulo.

"We’ve had some good memories from Brazil over the years and it’s a circuit that has staged some special races - often helped by wet weather.

"It’s a very important weekend for us as we reach crunch time in our battle for fourth place in the championship.

"With two races to go and a nine-point advantage, every point becomes potentially decisive. We need to be at the top of our game to ensure we finish the job we have done so well all year."

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Renault's 2017 engine '100 per cent' new - Fred Vasseur

Renault will introduce a completely new power unit for the 2017 season as it looks to bridge the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari, team principal Fred Vasseur has revealed.

The French manufacturer struggled with the introduction of the new V6 hybrid rules and suffered with an unreliable and underperforming engine. However the manufacturer has made huge steps forward this season, powering customer team Red Bull to two victories.

However Vasseur says they've reached the limit with their current concept and have therefore designed a "100 per cent" new power unit as they strive to match Mercedes.

"We have some good improvements in the pipeline," he told Motorsport. "We will have a completely new engine next year. It is 100 per cent new.

"It was the end of the development of the current one. We needed to do a step in order to move forward and we will do that. So far, everything is progressing and [it's] close to the expectations."

Vasseur expects a similar jump in performance next year as they have managed in 2016.

"When you take a decision on a project, we were at the end of the concept – and to do another step we need to change a little bit the concept.

"We improved over the winter, and between Spec A and Spec B," he added. "We could expect the same thing next year and during the season."

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Perez dumps sponsor via Twitter in Trump row

Sergio Perez has tweeted that he will ditch sunglasses brand Hawkers as a sponsor after a controversial comment it made regarding Donald Trump.

The Mexican F1 star took exception to a tweet from the official Hawkers account, intended to be light-hearted, which suggested that Mexican citizens could use its glasses to not show their ‘crying eyes tomorrow when you are building the wall’.

In the wake of Trump’s controversial comments regarding the US/Mexican border and his shock win in the US election, Perez wasted little time responding to the tweet, claiming he will end his relationship with Hawkers.

“Really bad comment,” he tweeted. “Today I am breaking my relationship with @HawkersMX. I will never let anyone make fun of my country.”

The relationship between Perez and Hawkers is only weeks old, the brand having released it’s Perez-edition glasses on November 2 for a price of 725 Mexican pesos (approximately US$39).

 

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The Brazilian GP with Kimi Raikkonen - Scuderia Ferrari 2016

 

“It’s a good place to go” reckons Kimi Raikkonen, speaking prior to tackling his 13th weekend at Interlagos, the track where he clinched the World Championship title with the Scuderia in 2007. “It’s a different and “old”, traditional circuit. It’s about short laps and not so many corners, but it’s hard to make a very good lap time and the grid is always very tight there."

 

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OCON TO RACE FOR FORCE INDIA IN 2017 AND BEYOND

French driver Esteban Ocon will race for Force India next season after agreeing a multi-year deal, the Silverstone-based Formula One team said in a statement at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Thursday.

Ocon replaces experienced German Nico Hulkenberg, who is moving to Renault, alongside Mexican Sergio Perez at a team co-owned by Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya and currently fourth in the championship.

The 20-year-old is contracted long-term to Mercedes, Force India’s engine provider, and made his debut this year with the lowly Manor team as a mid-season replacement for Indonesian Rio Haryanto.

“I’m still relatively new to Formula One, but spending half a season at Manor Racing has given me some valuable experience and I feel ready for this new opportunity with Sahara Force India,” he said.

The Force India announcement leaves only Mercedes-powered Manor with a clear vacancy, although Swiss-based Sauber have yet to confirm Brazilian Felipe Nasr and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson are staying.

Renault confirmed Britain’s Jolyon Palmer on Wednesday with Haas set to sign Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen.

Ocon’s promotion is likely to be seen as a setback for German youngster Pascal Wehrlein, the Frenchman’s more experienced Manor team mate and also the Mercedes reserve who scored a point in Austria in July.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff made clear that he saw Ocon as a big talent for the future.

“Esteban has the most impressive track record in junior formulae and he is an exceptional personality outside of the car,” he said.

“It is a positive development for Formula One that talent wins over money and we will be seeing some of the most impressive youngsters fighting to make it to the top… over the coming years.”

Ocon is one of several youngsters, including Red Bull’s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen and Wehrlein, to enter Formula One on talent rather than their financial contribution.

The jury remains out on 18-year-old Canadian Lance Stroll, signed by former champions Williams for 2017, who is a promising talent but whose career has been bankrolled by his billionaire father.

Ocon tested for Force India last year and expected a busy few months ahead.

“It’s something I’ve been working towards my whole life and I intend to grab this opportunity with both hands,” he said.

Mallya, whose business difficulties in India mean he is currently unable to leave Britain, said the team had been following Ocon for some time.

“We ran him in the car last year during testing and his performance convinced us that he is more than capable of racing alongside Sergio,” he said.

Force India press release:

Sahara Force India is pleased to confirm Esteban Ocon as a race driver for 2017 and beyond following the signing of a multi-year contract.

The 20-year-old Frenchman will race alongside Sergio Perez to form one of the most exciting line-ups on the grid with a blend of youth and experience.

Esteban Ocon: “I’m very excited to join Sahara Force India. I know the team quite well already because I was a test driver last year and I’m really looking forward to working with everybody at Silverstone once again.”

“I’m still relatively new to Formula One, but spending half a season at Manor Racing has given me some valuable experience and I feel ready for this new opportunity with Sahara Force India. The next few months will be very busy as I do all I can to prepare for the challenge ahead of me.”

“It means lots of days at the factory, working on the simulator and building relationships with the engineers and everybody in the team. It’s something I’ve been working towards my whole life and I intend to grab this opportunity with both hands so that I can deliver the results the team expects from me.”

“I want to say ‘thank you’ to everybody at Manor and especially to Mercedes-Benz for their support and belief in me. I can’t wait for 2017 and my first full season racing in Formula One,” said Ocon.

Vijay Mallya, Team Principal and Managing Director: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Esteban as our new race driver. He’s an exceptional talent, as his status as a Mercedes Junior demonstrates, and I have no doubt he will flourish inside our team. We’ve had our eye on Esteban for a number of years and have followed his progress through the junior categories where he delivered outstanding results.”

“We ran him in the car last year during testing and his performance convinced us that he is more than capable of racing alongside Sergio. Sahara Force India has a tradition of investing in young, talented drivers and the arrival of Esteban will bring some fresh energy and motivation to everyone in the team,” added Mallya.

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “Esteban has the most impressive track record in junior formulae and he is an exceptional personality outside of the car. Force India have a strong record of working with young drivers and have again shown courage and vision to take Esteban under their wing.”

“Even more, it is a positive development for Formula One that talent wins over money and we will be seeing some of the most impressive youngsters fighting to make it to the top in Formula One over the coming years,” concluded Wolff.

[MIKA27]

MAGNUSSEN: RENAULT’S OFFER WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Kevin Magnussen has revealed that Renault made him an offer to drive for them in 2017 which he had to refuse, citing dubious management of the French team as one of the main reasons for his decision.

Speaking to journalists in Brazil, Magnussen revealed, “It was my decision. I had an offer, but it was not a good enough offer that I could take it. It was more the feeling of commitment from Renault’s side. If they had committed to a longer contract then I would have probably looked at it much more seriously.”

At one point Renault were openly courting Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz, while the likes of Esteban Ocon, Jean Eric Vergne and even Romain Grosjean were on their radar.

Magnussen explained, “It was more the feeling of them not committing, offering the drive to so many others and I think at one point the pope had an offer! It was a bit messy, so it’s better for me to leave. More openness would have been good as well.”

“Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to know who is actually in charge here and who will make a decision. But that doesn’t matter now and it’s in the past.

“It is how it is and I have enjoyed my season with the team and I think it really is a great team. I love the people here and they have all been so friendly and they are very good as well, and I’m sure if they get the resources and the structure in place they can do the job.

“So there is sadness with leaving the team as well, I’m going to miss a lot of the people here. Hopefully we can keep in touch and luckily we will be in the same paddock next year. It’s not all bad.”

“It really is a lot about the feeling I had with the management here, but I’m happy the way it turned out at the end of the day, said Magnussen, clearly indicating that he has a deal sealed for next year.

According to numerous sources it is only a matter of days before Haas announce that the Dane will join the team, while team principal Guenther Steiner refused to comment on whether it is Magnussen or if they will retain Esteban Gutierrez.

Steiner wants the deal to be wrapped up by the time the F1 circus leaves Interlagos, “Hopefully we will announce something this weekend. There are still a few things things we need to talk to people about and then we will announce who our driver we will be.”

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HAMILTON TO USE SENNA INSPIRED HELMET IN BRAZIL

Lewis Hamilton has always taken great pride in calling Ayrton Senna his idol and at this edition of the Brazilian Grand Prix the reigning Formula 1 world champion will wear a special tribute helmet inspired by the legendary Brazilian driver.

Hamilton announced on Facebook: “Check out my special helmet design for the #BrazilGP ??? Inspired by my idol, Ayrton Senna and Brazil. I love it here, such a special place to race!!”

The FIA clamped down a couple of years ago on drivers changing their helmet deisgns, insisting that one design should be used throughout the season.

However earlier this year the FIA relaxed the restriction by allowing drivers to use a special helmet design for one race in the season. Hamilton has chosen to use his one design variation in Brazil.

Hamilton previously used an Ayrton Senna inspired helmet during the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix.

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SAINZ DONATES HELMET FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz has donated a signed helmet to the Ayrton Senna Institute with the aim of raising funds for the social work done by the foundation.

Sainz said at a function at the Corinthians Stadium in Sao Paulo, “It is an honor for me to donate this helmet Ayrton Senna institute. I always like to see videos of historical moments of F1 and for me Ayrton is the best ever for sure.”

“In my house we have a picture of my father [rally legend Carlos Sainz] with Ayrton during the FIA Gala in 1990 where they both received their world championship trophies, revealed the 22 year old Spaniard.

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CHANCE TO WIN JENSON BUTTON’S HELMET

Want to get your hands on a signed replica of the actual race helmet worn by Jenson Button during this 2016 Formula One season? We’ve teamed up with our friends at McLaren-Honda to offer you the chance to win in this exclusive competition.

Mobil 1 The Grid are delighted to announce an exclusive competition to win a full-scale replica of Jenson Button’s race helmet, as worn during the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship.

This is a genuine Arai helmet, hand-painted by Jenson’s race helmet painter and fitted with HANS anchors and a visor signed by Jenson Button himself.

The helmet comes complete with a certificate of authenticity, authenticated by McLaren-Honda.

All you have to do to win this unique prize is sign up to the Mobil 1 The Grid newsletter, watch the video in the tweet (above) and answer the question here

The deadline for this competition is 17:00 [UK time] on Wednesday 14 December. The winner will be selected at random and informed by email. Full competition terms and conditions can be found at the bottom of this page.

Good luck!

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Ferrari asks stewards to review Sebastian Vettel's Mexican GP penalty

Scuderia Ferrari has submitted a request to the FIA stewards to review the penalty handed to Sebastian Vettel in the closing stages of last month's Mexican Grand Prix.

Vettel was hit with a 10-second time penalty for appearing to move under braking when defending fourth place from Daniel Ricciardo late on in Mexico, dropping him from third to fifth in the final classification.

The incident sparked much debate about the so-called 'Max Verstappen rule', with FIA race director Charlie Whiting issuing a clarification of the rule that Vettel breached just one week earlier at the United States Grand Prix.

Ferrari issued a statement ahead of this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix confirming that it had asked the stewards to review the call, although it will not change the final race result as the classification has been declared official.

"Scuderia Ferrari has submitted a request to the Stewards of the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix to review their decision to penalize Sebastian Vettel for breach of Article 27.5 of the 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations as a consequence of his driving behavior in Turn 4 of lap 70," the statement reads.

"This has been the first application of Article 27.5 of the 2016 F1 Sporting Regulations as interpreted on the basis of the Race Director's notes on "defensive maneuvers" and effective from the 2016 US Grand Prix.

"Scuderia Ferrari considers that a number of new elements have come to light after the decision was rendered that make the decision reviewable under Article 14.1 of the International Sporting Code.

"Scuderia Ferrari is aware that championship rankings will not change, regardless of the outcome. But in light of its importance as a precedent for the future, and in order to provide clarity in the application of the rules in future events, Scuderia Ferrari believes that the decision should be reconsidered by the Stewards."

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Horner unimpressed by Ferrari's bid to challenge Vettel penalty

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has questioned Ferrari’s decision to ask the FIA to review Sebastian Vettel’s post-Mexican GP penalty.

Vettel dropped from third to fifth place – behind the two Red Bull drivers – after he was deemed to have moved in the braking area while defending from Daniel Ricciardo.

On Thursday, Ferrari announced that it wanted the decision reviewed after “new elements” came to light.

“Where do you draw the line?” Horner told Motorsport.com. “That means that you could theoretically challenge an awful lot of other events of the other 18 races throughout the season.

“That event, the book should be closed on it, the results were published and official, there was a right to protest and appeal. That wasn’t taken up, so it really should be end of story.”

     

New evidence needs to be revealed

Regarding the process of what happens next, he said: “I guess Ferrari must feel that there is some compelling new evidence. I think the process is it has to go back in front of the stewards that were at the event, and then they have to unanimously decide if it warrants being looked at, and then it would be put before the stewards at this event.

“There’s very little for me to comment on until we understand what their new evidence is, and what the response of the FIA stewards is.”

Ferrari has refused to elaborate on what “new elements” it has to back-up its request for an official review.

MIKA: I can tell you Ferrari (Vettel) did alot of arse kissing to escape more serious penalties that's for sure.

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Whiting explains Hamilton’s escape, Max’s penalty

Charlie Whiting gave the drivers and the gathered media his explanation as to why Lewis Hamilton wasn't penalised in Mexico, but Max Verstappen was.

In an unusual move, Whiting was called up to attend Thursday's drivers press call in the build up to the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend.

The F1 race director was there specifically to speak about the controversial penalties in Mexico, or in Hamilton's case the lack thereof.

Both drivers went off at track at Turn 1 and rejoined at Turn 3. But while Hamilton escaped without sanction, a post-race penalty cost Verstappen third.

With video footage in hand, Whiting explained that the main difference was that Hamilton did not gain a "last advantage" whereas the stewards felt that Verstappen had.

"The principal difference between the two was simply that in Lewis's case it was felt he didn't gain any lasting advantage and in Max's case, he did," Whiting said.

"You can see that Lewis makes a small mistake at the beginning, cuts across [the grass], gains significant track advantage but then sets about giving that back immediately.

"You can see on the straight between Turns Three and Four he backs off to 80 percent throttle to give that advantage back because he'd obviously got a significant advantage there.

"And then about a minute later the Safety Car deployed and that advantage has gone completely. So the stewards felt no lasting advantage.

"On the other hand the case with Max and Sebastian, if Max had done the same thing on the straight between Turns Three and Four he would certainly have lost the place.

"So I think that's why the stewards felt it deserved a penalty because he had gained a lasting advantage. 

"That was the fundamental difference between the two incidents in the eyes of the stewards."

Whiting also confirmed that the stewards were ready to tell Hamilton that he had to reduce his advantage after cutting the corner but that the Safety Car did that for him.

He added: "We were going to ask Lewis to back right off to ensure he maintained the same distance he had when he went into the corner.

"We could see from the data he had already backed off significantly. Then the VSC was deployed followed by the Safety Car. Had that not happened, yes, we would have done that."

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Stroll: Verstappen paved the way for young drivers

Lance Stroll reckons Max Verstappen’s success in Formula 1 paved the way for young drivers as he proved that age doesn’t matter.

Verstappen made his F1 debut at 17 years of age racing for the Toro Rosso team and earlier this year was promoted to senior team, Red Bull.

Although his entrance into the sport saw the FIA impose a minimum age limit of 18 that came into effect in 2016, Stroll believes the Spanish GP winner opened the door to F1 for other young drivers.

“He’s paved way for very young drivers coming into F1,” he told Autosport.

“It’s shown the sport that young drivers are capable of making the step from F3 to F1.”

However, the 2016 F3 European champion says he does not want to be compared to the Dutchman, he wants to do his own thing.

“Everyone has their own situation, I don’t want to compare myself to others – he’s Max and I’m Lance,” he said.

“Max came in and had a team-mate who was a rookie. You can’t compare it to a team-mate with years of experience.

“We can go all day speaking about him versus him but I’m just going to focus on myself.

“I’m surrounded by a great team, which knows how to work with young drivers.

“I know I have a great benchmark and I can learn a lot from him.

“I’m just going to do my thing.”