FORMULA 1 - 2016

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Analysis: Why 2016 F1 season will severely test Williams

Williams has finished third in two consecutive Formula 1 constructors' championships, but faces a stern challenge to achieve performance chief Rob Smedley's "minimum" target of repeating that feat in 2016.

Finishing third in 2014 marked a revival of fortunes, built on efficient car design and the strength of the Mercedes V6 engine.

Last year's ultimate result was the same, but the journey to get there was significantly tougher.

Amid Ferrari's own revival after a disastrous 2014, Williams slipped further away from current frontrunner Mercedes.

There were five fewer podium finishes to celebrate, and some races, such as Monaco, Hungary and Abu Dhabi, where Williams looked decidedly midfield.

Remaining in the top three is the target, but there is every reason to think achieving it is going to be tougher than ever.

THE THREATS FROM BEHIND

Depending on the performance and reliability of its interim TAG-badged Renault engine, Red Bull could pose a serious threat to Williams this year.

The quadruple champion team finished ahead in 2014, and arguably ended last season with the most capable chassis on the grid.

McLaren-Honda was a complete disaster in 2015, but the chassis improved markedly, and the partnership should shoot up the order if Honda can make the sort of improvement we saw from Ferrari last winter.

Then there is last year's late-season dark horse to consider.

Force India was the strongest Mercedes customer team in the 2015 Abu Dhabi finale, and scored just nine fewer points than Williams across the final nine races of the year.

"What we saw from Force India towards the end of the year you could put a little bit down to the fact they carried on developing their car when other people had stopped," Smedley told Autosport.

"But a lot of it is hard work, and they were working smart - making fewer mistakes, learning how to run their car very well, and that's been a key development for them.

"It will give them a lot of confidence going into 2016.

"Ferrari are so much stronger now, Red Bull are a strong outfit regardless, and other teams that were behind us are getting their acts together.

"You've got to go into the season thinking everybody can beat you; once you get complacent you're on a hiding to nothing."

ADDRESSING WEAKNESSES

The FW36 and FW37 were decent cars, but both were found wanting on twisty circuits and in wet weather, and sometimes unable to get the Pirelli tyres working consistently.

Williams has put a lot of effort into fixing those weaknesses, which do not appear to afflict its nearest rivals so markedly, but work in this area is complex and ongoing.

New rules mandating a greater range and choice of tyre compounds will only add to that challenge.

"The effort going into that area is unabated," confirmed Smedley.

"One thing I absolutely hate in life, even though I can do it with humility now I'm in my forties, is losing.

"I hate to go places like Monaco and look bad; I hated Abu Dhabi, because we just looked bad.

"I felt personally responsible for that, and that's why I've put in so much effort, because it's something we need to sort out."

WORKING HARDER THAN EVER

Consistent results over the past two seasons have revived belief within Williams that it can be a frontrunning F1 team again.

But the technical leadership knows everyone within Grove will have to work harder than ever this year just to consolidate its current status, never mind take the next step and challenge for victories.

"For us to achieve third in the constructors' again, as a minimum, will be an order of magnitude more difficult than it was in 2014 and '15," Smedley warned.

"We pretty got much all of the low-hanging fruit in 2014; 2015 was more difficult, because there was less of it.

"2016 is diminishing returns again, and at the same time we're trying to introduce new development methodologies - that's a key part of how we're going to make steps forward.

"I have to concentrate on that much more now, because operationally - apart from silly mistakes that all teams do when you're running at breakneck pace - there are no major flaws now.

"It's not easy, because the competition is getting so much harder, and for the effort and development we put in, the returns are so much smaller.

"We took some strategic decisions in 2015 in order to begin the development in earnest on the 16 car, and all we can do is hope that gamble has paid off."

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VETTEL: I HOPE KIMI IS MY MAIN RIVAL THIS SEASON

Sebastian Vettel is still not ruling out the possibility that he will be able to challenge Mercedes for the 2016 world championship and hopes teammate Kimi Raikkonen is his main rival in this year’s title race for obvious reasons.

Ferrari announced on Monday that it will reveal its new red car, reportedly set to feature a white engine cover, by live stream on the internet on Friday.

Team and Fiat Chrysler Sergio Marchionne has clearly targeted the title, but German Vettel warned that Ferrari had a big task over the winter.

“It’s no secret that we were still not where we wanted to be, and there are things we need to improve,” he said on his website. “But we’re working on it and 2015 showed that we are on the right track.”

In fact, Vettel said he can imagine resisting the lure of moving to a team like Mercedes for the rest of his career.

“Perhaps,” said the 28-year-old. “I’m not the type of person who changes from one year to the next, as I’ve never been like that in any area of my life. At the moment I feel very comfortable, and we all have a great common goal that we want to achieve.”

As for estimating Ferrari’s chances of toppling Mercedes in 2016, however, Vettel insisted: “Just ask a bookmaker. Making forecasts about a season is always difficult, but we will give everything of course.”

But when asked if he would prefer to battle Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg or Raikkonen in 2016, Vettel answered: “I hope Kimi, because that would mean we have a very strong car.”

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VETTEL: WE SHOULD NOT GET LOST IN COMPLICATED REGULATIONS

Formula 1 should spice up the sport by simplifying the rules according to Sebastian Vettel, an unabashed motor racing ‘purist’ who is among those who believe the current regulations are not quite right.

Asked if F1 should be more concerned about being ‘hybrid’ and environmentally relevant or simply entertain the fans, the Ferrari driver answered: “I think primarily it should be about the sport and which driver is the fastest.

“The car plays a key role today, as it did in the past. But we should not get lost in complicated regulations.

“The spectators must be able to identify with the car and the technology, as currently it is far too complex. Additionally, the sound is missing,” Vettel added.

He also vowed to try to spice up 2016 by getting into the world championship battle, as “the dominance of Mercedes has taken away the excitement for many fans”.

“Also, we are currently focusing too much on details. I think we must not lose the roots of motor sport,” said the quadruple F1 world champion.

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MANOR CONSIDERING THREE INTO ONE DRIVER OPTION

Manor may have come up with a novel solution to the reported three-way battle to become Pascal Wehrlein’s teammate in 2016.

It is believed Rio Haryanto, Alexander Rossi and Will Stevens are all substantially backed by sponsors as they push to secure the final place on this year’s grid.

But according to a report in Finland’s Ilta Sanomat newspaper, Manor might be about to say ‘yes’ to the entire trio.

“There are rumours in F1 circles that the second car could be raced by all three drivers during the season,” the report declared.

Ilta Sanomat explained that, with F1 to stage a record 21 grands prix this year, Haryanto, Rossi and Stevens could each sign a seven-race deal with Manor.

Indonesian Haryanto, a government-backed GP2 driver, will reportedly contest the first few races and then re-appear for the Asian rounds later in 2016.

American Rossi would race mainly throughout North and South America, while the bulk of Stevens’ 2016 programme will be in Europe. Ilta Sanomat said the deal will cost each driver about EUR 5 million.

The team’s plan would be allowed by the regulations, with article 26.1 reading: “During a season, each team will be permitted to use four drivers. Any new driver may score points in the championship.”

Manor is being tipped for a significant step forwards in 2016, thanks to its new Mercedes power units and further technical support provided by Williams.

“Manor will make a big step up and not only because of the engine,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who was instrumental to Wehrlein securing the first race seat.

“I have confidence that the car and driver will have highlights and be a solid midfield runner,” he added.

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WILLIAMS AND MERCEDES PLAN TO RUN 2016 CARS ON FRIDAY

The 2016 Formula 1 season is set to burst into action later this week with Mercedes and also Williams will ‘shake down’ their new cars at Silverstone on Friday.

MTV reports that the teams, taking advantage of the 100km testing allowance for so-called ‘filming days’, will then move on to Barcelona for the start of official winter testing after the weekend.

And on the day before the official running at the Circuit de Catalunya begins on February 22, Ferrari will debut its 2016 machine on the Sunday.

AS, a Spanish sports daily, said Ferrari’s exclusive booking of the Barcelona track on February 21 thwarted plans made by McLaren-Honda.

The newspaper said McLaren originally intended to ‘launch’ its new MP4-31 in the Barcelona pitlane, but will now simply reveal it online on the same day.

The first running, however, will take place in the UK on Friday, and Williams’ Valtteri Bottas said he is looking forward to sampling the new FW38.

“Everything seems positive so far,” he told Finland’s Ilta Sanomat newspaper. “However at the moment everything is just in theory. We will need to see how the new car feels in practice.”

Bottas said he is itching to return after a long winter break.

“Yes, shortly after Christmas I was already starting to think about it (driving) again,” he said. “So it will be cool to get going finally.”

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DUTCH PRINCE WANTS F1 TO RETURN TO ZANDVOORT

New owners of Circuit Park Zandvoort, an iconic former Formula 1 circuit, could revive the long-defunct Dutch grand prix.

Late last year, we reported that the track – famously nestled among coastal sand dunes and a host of more than 30 grands prix until 1985 – was once again being linked with the F1 calendar.

“Everyone is enthusiastic about it, so I think the government and industry needs to tackle it together,” a local politician said.

Now, the Dutch newspapers Algemeen Dagblad and De Telegraaf are reporting that Zandvoort has been bought by Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, the son of Princess Margriet Francisca, the aunt of the reigning monarch.

Reportedly, the prince and a business partner bought Zandvoort from Hans Ernst, who has owned the track for almost three decades.

When asked about the possibility of F1 returning to Holland, prince Bernhard said: “That is the ultimate dream.”

He said the track will be developed, “Assen has been well developed, and Zandvoort will follow, meaning that along with Zolder in Belgium there will be a strong triangle of circuits in this part of Europe.”

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FERRARI TO LAUNCH 2016 CAR ON FRIDAY BY LIVE STREAM

The new Ferrari car for the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship will be revealed on Friday, 19 February at 13:00 GMT.

Ferrari said in a media statement: “The event will be broadcast on live streaming on the Ferrari website as a world exclusive, showing the first images of the new single-seater before it hits the track for the first time a few days later in Barcelona.”

“Also, the ten winners of the ‘Ready Set Red’ contest will be able to connect with the Maranello headquarters, representing all our fans worldwide, and ask their questions to our Team Principal, drivers and top technical staff, who will go through the details of the project.”

“Shortly afterwards, all the contents related to the new car will be made available, and fans will be able to replay the event video.” the statement concluded.

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WEHRLEIN ADMITS HE HAD NO MONEY TO MAKE IT TO F1

In the age of Formula 1 pay drivers, Pascal Wehrlein has revealed that despite having no personal or family money to invest in his racing career he has nevertheless made it to the pinnacle of the sport.

“I don’t bring any money,” admitted Wehrlein was in Sigmaringen to a German father and Mauritian mother.

Nevertheless he impressed in the junior fomulae enough to catch the eye of Mercedes who have nurtured his career since his Formula 3 years.

Wehrlein, who at the age of 21 is now a 2016 rookie with Manor, said winning in DTM was the perfect preparation for making the big step to F1.

“I’m proud of what I have achieved,” said the youngest ever DTM champion. “Last year was very important.”

“Who knows if I would have got this chance without winning the title. But of course I also had to be good at the (F1) tests,

” he added.

“Defending the DTM title would have been nice this year, but the big goal was formula one,” Wehrlein added.

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FREE F1 COVERAGE ON TV COMES TO AN END IN SPAIN

Free-to-air television coverage of Formula 1 throughout Spain has ended, according to sports daily El Mundo Deportivo.

The report said the 2016 world championship can only be watched by Spaniards who subscribe to Movistar.

Reportedly, the terrestrial broadcaster Telecinco decided to stop its F1 coverage in 2008, as viewership dropped substantially in the years following Fernando Alonso’s two titles.

The coverage was picked up first by La Sexta and most recently Antena 3, but from 2016 the only way to watch F1 in Spain is to pay for a Movistar subscription.

Antena 3 is not the only free-to-air Spanish broadcaster to drop F1 ahead of the 2016 season, as the Catalunya regional channel TV3 has also not renewed its contract.

TV3 reportedly broadcast F1 throughout Catalonia for 19 consecutive seasons.

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Palmer: Magnussen has a point to prove

Jolyon Palmer believes Kevin Magnussen will be fired up this season as he wants to "show McLaren why he shouldn't have been dropped."

After just one year of racing for McLaren, Magnussen was dropped down to a test driver role to make way for Fernando Alonso.

His troubles, though, didn't stop there.

Months later McLaren opted not to renew his contract leaving the Dane out in the cold.

Renault came to the rescue, signing Magnussen as Palmer's 2016 team-mate after Pastor Maldonado's sponsors failed to deliver.

Looking ahead to the 2016 season, Palmer reckons his new team-mate has a point to prove.

"He's a good driver who has proven what he can do in F1 already," the Brit told Autosport.

"If they were struggling to decide who should stay between Kevin and Jenson [button] then that says something about him.

"I'm sure he's now going to be unbelievably motivated to do a good job and show McLaren why he shouldn't have been dropped."

And although he concedes Magnussen may have the advantage in their inter-team battle due to his year of racing in 2014, Palmer believes his experience with the team will balance the scales.

He added: "When you are in F1 any driver that is your team-mate is a challenge because they are the best drivers in the world.

"I can't really kid myself it was going to be any other way. You look down the grid and you have to be at the top of your game.

"He maybe has the advantage with a year's race experience, but I know the team well, I travelled with them all last year, I drove last year's car and managed to get a fair amount of mileage.

"We're both drivers that had a year out last year, so it's whatever you want to make of it, but I feel we're reasonably even."

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Mercedes fires up 2016 engine, reveals new exhaust solution

Mercedes has become the latest Formula 1 team to share a video of its 2016 power unit firing it.

While the new car is not expected to be seen in public until winter testing kicks off at Barcelona next week, the team has shared a brief clip of its engine fire-up, including a glimpse of its 2016 exhaust set-up, featuring a twin waste gate pipe.

New regulations for 2016 require cars to feature a single turbine tailpipe and either one or two wastegate pipes which must exit rearwards - in an effort to increase the volume of the current hybrid turbo power units.

The video reveals that Mercedes will adopt a twin pipe solution for 2016.

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Toro Rosso too late to run full livery at first F1 test

Toro Rosso has decided to hold off on an official launch for its new STR11 until February 29, because the rush to gets its F1 challenger ready has left it no time to sort out its livery.

The Italian team's switch to running year-old Ferrari engines was only made at the end of the season, and has meant staff have been working extra shifts in a bid to complete the car prior to next week's test.

And although team boss Franz Tost confirmed on Monday that the team was on schedule to get its car out for the first Barcelona test that starts on February 22, he also said that it was now decided the outfit would be running in a temporary test livery there.

"It will be a blue car," he said, when asked by Motorsport.com about the livery plans.

"We will [present the car officially] on the 29th [of February] because we are so late with everything.

"We want to make a proper paint job as well, so we will present the car only then in Barcelona."

Fire-up

Tost said that the fire-up of the Ferrari-powered STR11 was expected to take place at some point on Monday, with there being no suggestion the team would not make the first Barcelona test.

"In F1 you have always two problems," he said. "You run out of time and you run out of timing. That is always the same. It is nothing new this year.

"Nevertheless, because of the late decision of what [engine] we were running this season everything got a little bit late, but our people did a fantastic job.

"The car is nearly ready. I think we will have the fire-up today and we absolutely on schedule. Therefore I am not worried for the first test in Barcelona."

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Six things we will learn when F1 testing begins

After Formula 1's long winter hibernation, the sport will have burst back in to life at Barcelona this time next week when the first of two pre-season tests begins.

It marks the start of the formal countdown at the F1 opener in Melbourne as teams face just eight days of running to get their new cars in shape before the real battle commences.

Fans and media are already excited about seeing 2016 cars in action, and it should not take long for some key answers to be delivered, even though some questions may not be resolved.

Here, we'll at six key answers that we cannot wait to get from the first Barcelona test.

Will the new cars be louder?

Formula 1's technical regulations are pretty much unchanged from 2015, but one key area where designs have had to change is in the exhausts.

For 2016, teams are forced to run an extra tail pipe directly from the waste-gate, with the aim being to deliver more noise for spectators.

There has been some optimism from early dyno testing and factory fire-ups that the cars do sound better – and could be around 25 percent louder – but it is only when the cars get out in the open air will be know for sure.

The answer to this question should take just seconds to find out.

Has Mercedes gone revolutionary or evolutionary?

As soon as Mercedes had wrapped up the world championships last year, it wasted little time in using the remainder of the season to try out some 2016 developments.

Most intriguing of all those was revised suspension and components for an S-duct that were trialled during opening practice for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

They came amid talk that Mercedes felt it needed to make some solid progress on the aerodynamic/mechanical front if it was going to stave off the threat of Ferrari.

But with whispers coming out of Brackley that there have been some decent engine gains, has the team pulled back on going too radical with its W07, or will it surprise us when the car is run in public for the first time?

Is Ferrari in the game?

Pre-season testing may not be able to deliver any definitive answers as to who is quickest (if it did, why would anyone tune in to watch the racing?), but it invariably it does deliver some pretty good clues about trends.

For those wishing that F1 in 2016 delivers a much closer fight than last year, hopes rest on Ferrari's bold steps on the engine front and improvements on the aero front having helped edge it closer to Mercedes.

Headline end-of-day times may ultimately grab attention, but we have seen in the past that a team in trouble can often do a low-fuel glory run at the end of the day to disguise their issues.

So instead it will take some decent poring over the data – which will include long-run pace, speed trap figures and tyre degradation – to get some answers about whether or not Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen have a real sniff of the title in 2016.

And that answer will be there amongst that paperwork somewhere.

Has anyone screwed it up?

First tests will never give a clear answer about who has got it right, but they can often expose those who have got it wrong.

And with the battle behind Mercedes and Ferrari looking incredibly close this year, there is an increased chance that one of the expected heavy hitters may have slipped up.

Plus, with Manor having grabbed Mercedes engines and a host of top-line staff, and new boys Haas enjoying a close technical collaboration with Ferrari, you would be hard pressed to say for definite that either of them will be at the back.

Indeed, with Renault admitting it is going to face a hard time amid its restructuring, and Sauber's new car coming late, there is every chance that there could be some fascinating battles further down the order in 2016.

The first indication of who is going to face the toughest time could come pretty early, for often it is the body language of team members and drivers at the end of the first few days' running that says everything you need to know about how tough a season they are already bracing themselves for.

Is McLaren's worst behind it?

The McLaren and Honda partnership would be hard pressed to endure as miserable a pre-season testing programme as it did 12 months ago when reliability woes severally hampered it.

However, the Anglo-Japanese partnership is well aware that it's not just more running it needs to do this time around, for its drivers are impatient for performance too.

Honda has spoken boldly about tweaks to the compressor/turbine design – albeit while keeping its size-zero concept in play. And Barcelona should show us if these changes have addressed the main problems it encountered in 2015.

But it will not be laptimes, or even top speed through the speed traps that will show us if Honda's progress has been good enough.

For it will only be watching trackside at the end of main straight, for an indication of if Button and Alonso's energy recovery deployments last as long as the other engines, that will show us if the real progress has come in the area most needed.

Haas – headaches or hit?

F1's newest team Haas has already attracted a great deal of interest, and there has been plenty of talks that the outfit will not endure the troubles that grand prix racing's recent rookie outfits faced.

Its technical partnership with Ferrari, allied to the fact it has taken its time in getting ready for its debut, has left many convinced that it could be set to surprise the establishment in 2016.

But equally, Barcelona will mark the first time that the new operation will have worked together in a track environment.

It will be fascinating to see just how quickly up to speed the operation can get when there is finally some time pressure to deliver – as even the team management has said that its Achilles Heel early on may well be operational matters.

But if it can come through Barcelona with some decent running, and a solid platform, then that lays some pretty good foundations for a strong campaign to come.

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WHY DOESN’T FORMULA 1 VALUE ITS CLASSIC VENUES AS HIGHLY AS ITS TEAMS?

This week’s story about ongoing challenges for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza to stay on the F1 calendar has again raised an important question – why does F1 pay big premiums to its long serving star teams, but not cherish its most charismatic venues?

The funding for Monza is a challenge with money coming from the local region, the local promoter and the Italian government via road tax rebates channeled through the national motorsport federation.

At the same time, the current commercial deal between F1 and it’s leading six teams sees them getting paid a premium based on their longevity in the sport and their success in the last 10 years.

This initiative came about as F1 and its holding company CVC Capital Partners, looked to tie in the big names ahead of a planned floatation in Autumn 2012 that never materialised.

But even without the generous payments, the sport has always shared the commercial spoils with the teams, while at the same time squeezing the venues that host the events. The event hosting fees are one of the three main commercial revenue streams alongside TV and media rights and sponsorships.

Event hosting fees account for roughly a third of F1’s income, but since CVC’s acquisition of the sport they have targeted that and global sponsor partnerships as the big areas for growth.

So when assessing what elements are truly valuable to F1 as a package, the sport values Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Mercedes and its star drivers, who make the history, but doesn’t make any allowance for the venues where all the history was made.

The exception is Monaco, the one venue that unarguably does more for F1 than F1 does for the venue. Their hosting fee is negligible, because it’s hard to imagine F1 without Monaco, in the same way as it is hard to imagine F1 without Ferrari.

Clearly it’s not hard for CVC and F1’s CEO Bernie Ecclestone to imagine F1 without Monza, nor Silverstone which the F1 media seems to portray as always ‘under threat’.

In fact CVC did have a moment when things were getting difficult, when they told Ecclestone that a deal needed to be done to retain Silverstone as the teams had put pressure on and they considered that the negative fallout from no British Grand Prix would be a problem. The current deal was duly done. It’s an example of the ‘consensus power’ that sometimes is brought to bear within F1.

Another example is the teams telling Ecclestone, when the BBC decided to quit its TV contract two years early, that it was very important to maintain a free-to-air TV platform for the sport in the UK, rather than go exclusively behind a SKY paywall. That led to the Channel 4 deal, although ITV thought they had got it.

So what is the consensus within the sport on Monza?

If Ferrari is so important to the sport that it merits a $100m bonus as the longest standing team, then how do you value its home race, where much of the glory of Ferrari’s history was written and where the Tifosi create a unique spectacle unrivalled in world sport?

Certainly a few drivers made their feelings clear at last year’s race there about how important Monza is to F1. Sebastian Vettel, having experienced the Monza podium for the first time as a Ferrari driver, said it would ‘rip our hearts out’ to lose the event. Clearly he was somewhat biased given the love he was feeling from the crowd for the first time in his career.

Others chose more guarded language, but expressed similar support for the venue, which generates special passion and provides a unique backdrop.

There is no survey or evidence yet pulled together to show whether the expansion of the F1 calendar and the move away from famous venues to new ones with no motorsport history like Korea, Abu Dhabi, and Azerbaijan is having a negative impact on the following for the sport. Certainly one meets many F1 fans these days who say that once they started to skip a few races as there are too many of them, they have lost the thread of following the sport and their interest has waned, the comments section of this site frequently confirms this view.

Live TV viewing data I’ve seen in recent years has shown that the Japanese Grand Prix tends to get one of the lowest live audiences, which is strange because it is a great track and usually exciting things happen there. So maybe not all classic venues are cherished by fans?

The time of day here is a factor; over 60% of the global TV audience for F1 is in Europe and in fact viewer numbers in Asia have slipped a bit in the last couple of years.

Perhaps the sport should consider what are its “Crown Jewels” and put them in a special category to be cherished and nurtured.

Clearly Ferrari and Monaco would be in there. Would venues like Monza and Silverstone earn a place?

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SCHUMACHER HONOURED WITH EXHIBITION CELEBRATING HIS CAREER

Michael Schumacher’s manager paid tribute to the absent Formula 1 legend, as his entire family gathered for a rare public appearance at an exhibition celebrating the seven times world champion’s remarkable career.

In Marburg, Germany, Schumacher’s wife Corinna, father Rolf, children Gina-Maria and Mick and friends Norbert Haug and Stefano Domenicali all gathered.

The exhibition opening was attended by 200 guests, hosted by long-time sponsor DVAG and taking place on the 20th anniversary of the great German’s first test at the wheel of a Ferrari.

The notable absentee, however, was the 47-year-old seven time world champion himself, as he was apparently still being tended to by full-time rehabilitation staff at his palatial home on the shores of Lake Geneva.

“He is the most successful driver in history,” manager Kehm said, “and sometimes, on days like this, it is good to be reminded of it.”

“Of course, Michael is not here and of course we miss him. We know what has happened and cannot change it. We must accept it and hope with everything we have that with continued support.”

“Patience he will one day be back with us. Racing was his life and no one would have liked to have been here more than him,” Kehm added.

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CAPELLI: WHITE DOES NOT BRING GOOD RESULTS TO FERRARI

Ivan Capelli, a former Ferrari driver, has questioned the Maranello marque’s apparent decision to add white to the livery of its 2016 car.

La Repubblica newspaper has published what are purported to be official drafts of the single seater’s colours that will be revealed publicly on Friday, depicting an all-white engine cover reminiscent of Niki Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari.

But Capelli, who drove for the team in 1992, says the white reminds him more of 1993, a winless season for the great Italian carmaker.

“When I heard that the white is coming back, at first I was a bit puzzled,” Capelli, now an Italian-language commentator and leading official of the Italian grand prix, told Repubblica.

“In the team, at some point it was said that white does not bring good results to Ferrari.”

Told, however, that red and white Ferraris were particularly successful in the mid 70s, Capelli answered: “I know, I know. But the legend (about white) was born in more recent years.

“In fact, after 1993, Maranello decided to remove the white and restore the traditional look. Since then, every season a bit more white was removed and things have gone better and better,” he added.

The new Ferrari car for the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship will be revealed on Friday, 19 February at 13:00 GMT.

Ferrari said in a media statement: “The event will be broadcast on live streaming on the Ferrari website as a world exclusive, showing the first images of the new single-seater before it hits the track for the first time a few days later in Barcelona.”

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STEINER: GOAL IS TO RUN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AT BARCELONA

Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner embarks on the most important ‘adventure’ of his career as he leads his spanking new team into the the Formula 1 arena starting with testing in Barcelona next week. He spoke ahead of new season.

How much of an undertaking was it to build a Formula 1 team from scratch and be ready for Barcelona?

For sure, it’s a big undertaking. But you don’t realize it because you do it day by day. You never get up in the morning and think I have a big job in front of me today. It’s a state. You are in a state to put this together. For sure, getting close to this test and everything, temperament gets heated up because the deadline is coming. You just need to keep on going and encourage everyone.

What are your expectations for the test?

Because we are a new team, you want to make sure all the people work together – the mechanics work together with the race engineers – to make the car reliable, to understand the car. Everything is new for us. It’s not only a new car, but a new team. In the second test, hopefully we put ourselves in a position to start work on the setups of the car to where we can learn how to make it better for the race.

Explain what will happen during the Barcelona test…

In our first test of the season and first as a team, you try to make sure everything works as you designed it. You just prove out whatever you did, and in the second part of the test, you try to get performance out of the car. Or, better said, you try to get performance as quickly as possible. First of all, make sure everything works. Everything is new on the car. The first test is quite important just from a reliability factor. You try to learn as much as possible about the car. You get the baseline on the car and you work off that baseline the rest of the year.

How do you manage personnel during a test, as it seems to be a 24-hour work day, everyday?

At the test, there is no limit to how much we can work. We have a day and night shift. In the old days, which weren’t so long ago, it was the same people doing the day and night shifts. What is done now is you have people coming in around 6 p.m. and have dinner with the guys from the day shift, so they exchange what they learned and know what they have to do. The (night shift) guys take over and work until the sun comes up, then the day shift comes in again and you do the same thing. They have breakfast together and some go to sleep and the others go to work.

How do you prevent personnel from burning out?

What you do normally, because at the test you run only one car and have two mechanic crews, you swap them over on the second test. You still have to be careful because you will have some who don’t want to go home. They want to stay, so you have to tell them: No, your time is over. It is quite a challenge. We try to give them a Saturday or Sunday off before they go to Australia. These guys, when they come back to the workshop after the second test, have to rebuild the cars before they are shipped to Australia. You have to be careful so they aren’t burned out.

What do you take from the test at Barcelona and apply to the season opener in Australia?

You prove out your methodology, how you work, how your guys work. You have the time in between – 10 days to fix it. There is so much electronics in these cars, software programs. You try to prove out everything so there are no mistakes. When you get to Australia and your drivers notice the car’s behavior isn’t right, you will know what to do to get the behavior of the car right. It’s a mix of everything. The biggest thing is to run as much as possible at Barcelona and avoid any downtime with the car breaking or something. The more you drive, the more you learn and the better prepared you are for Australia.

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Silverstone in-season Formula 1 test open to general public

British Formula 1 fans will get the opportunity to see F1 cars up close and personal on more than one occasion this season, as the Silverstone in-season test will be open to the general public.

The Northamptonshire based circuit, home to the British Grand Prix, will play host to the second in-season test of 2016. The first will be held at Spain's Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with each taking place on the Tuesday and Wednesday after their respective races.

The circuit has confirmed that the public can attend the test if they wish, with tickets expected to go on sale in a few weeks.

The circuit last played host to an F1 test in 2014 along with Spain and Austria. However it was agreed to drop in-season testing for 2015 due to costs. The F1 Strategy Group then agreed to re-introduce it for 2016 as the sport gears up for major regulation changes in 2017.

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Visser: Reaching F1 still the goal

Dutch racer Beitske Visser has insisted she will continue to pursue a future in Formula 1, coming off of a difficult second year in Formula Renault 3.5.

Visser, 20, is among the most high-profile female drivers on the current junior ladder below F1, a category which has not seen a woman start a grand prix since 1976.

"I want to continue racing in formula cars," Visser told Motorsport.com, having recently signed a deal to drive for Pons in the rebranded Formula 3.5 V8 series.

"I don’t know what the [long-term] future holds, but for now it remains my goal to reach Formula 1."

Visser made her single-seater bow in German entry-level series ADAC Formel Masters back in 2012, winning two races and impressing Red Bull enough to join their junior programme for 2013.

She was subsequently let go by the Austrian team after a mixed sophomore season in Formel Masters and made the huge step directly to Formula Renault 3.5, contesting two seasons with AVF and finishing 22nd and 23rd.

"I learned a lot at AVF," she said. "It was a pretty big leap going from the ADAC Formel Masters to Formula Renault 3.5. There was a lot to get used to and the 3.5 car is physically quite demanding to drive as well.

"We knew we wouldn’t be racing at the front of the pack right away, but I made a lot of progress during my first season, which ended with a fifth place in Jerez. In my second year I was a bit unlucky and I made a bit too many mistakes."

GP3 was an option

Having done two guest rounds in GP3, Visser confirmed that it was a possible avenue for 2016, but insisted Pons and F3.5 were a better fit.

"We were choosing between switching to GP3 or doing another year of 3.5," she revealed. "It became the latter, because we got a good offer from Pons.

"I already worked with them as a driver coach for two days this winter, which went really well. I had a talk with my manager and sponsors and decided that this was the way to go for my career."

The Dutch racer said that she won't be gunning for a specific spot in the standings, but has stated that 2016 is "when everything needs to fall into place".

"I haven’t told myself that I need to finish the year in a certain position. The most important thing is that I work well together with the team during the pre-season tests and that we learn as much as possible together. After that we’ll see where we are."

Formula V8 3.5 still the same championship

The end of Renault Sport's long-term backing of the FR3.5 series was a major development for the junior ladder last year but, as Visser puts in, it has not been a big change for the championship.

"I'm not worried about [Renault pulling out]," he said. "It's true that you lose the name - and maybe it will be more difficult for the series in the future."

"But for us drivers everything remains the name. We drive the same car. Even if you look at the drivers who are confirmed so far, it’s actually of the same level as before."

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Toro Rosso warns drivers over second-year crash dangers

Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz have been urged to show discipline in Formula 1 this year, otherwise they risk a season of crashes.

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost believes that the pair could face more difficulties in their second campaign than they did as rookies if they make the mistake of believing they need to push harder.

"The second year could become more difficult if the drivers are not disciplined enough," said Tost, speaking at Toro Rosso's new Faenza factory this week.

"That means if they think [they have] to come now for their second year and show people their real potential, then they will have difficulties because they will have crashes.

"Both drivers showed already last year a very high level and they cannot drive much faster. But what they can do, because of their experience, is to get more out of the car during qualifying and also in special conditions during the race.

"That does not directly come from driving the car at the limit because they were already at the limit."

Close battle

Although Verstappen got most of the attention last year, Tost thinks that the fight between the Dutchman and Sainz will be close throughout 2016.

"Carlos is underestimated," he said. "He did last year a very good job, but the media was focused on Max being 17 years old and coming into F1 without having a driving licence.

"But if you look to qualifying and race performance, also Carlos showed a very good performance. I am convinced this year both drivers will be close together and there will not be a big gap, otherwise I am wrong."

Verstappen praise

Although believing there will be little to choose between his drivers, Tost is in no doubts that Verstappen has the potential to become a champion.

"Max Verstappen from his talent, from his driving skills, up to now, has all the ingredients you need to win races and at the end also the championship," he explained.

"A driver in F1 always learns something. There is no driver, even not Kimi or Button [who stops learning].

"There are always new challenges in F1, with tyre or regulation changes, engines, whatever – therefore you are always confronted with new challenges.

"Max learned last year very fast, and he has learned because he has a very, very high level of natural speed.

"This natural speed is coming from his skills and also from the work his father did with him in karting, because this helped him for sure to come to this level.

"I am really, really convinced that he will have a great career in front of him, if he is at the correct time in the correct car."

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F1 Simulation - Behind the scenes

Take a look at what goes on behind the scenes in the McLaren brake dyno in this exclusive interview.

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Manor's Pascal Wehrlein reveals helmet for rookie F1 season

Pascal Wehrlein has revealed the design of his helmet for his rookie Formula One season with Manor.

Wehlrein, a Mercedes junior driver and the 2015 DTM champion, was confirmed earlier this month in one of Manor's two seats for the upcoming campaign. On Tuesday the German driver revealed his helmet for the year -- an orange, black and white design with his chosen career number, 94, on the side.

Under the regulations drivers are not allowed to make significant changes to their helmet design for a whole season. The rule was brought in to stop drivers changing helmet designs every race in an attempt to make it easier for F1 fans to identify their favourite drivers.

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Barcelona F1 Test [1]: Grosjean to focus on Haas reliability

With under a week to go until Haas pulls the wraps off its much anticipated first F1 race car, Romain Grosjean says the focus for the first of two tests will be to simply get the machine running smoothly and reliably.

The Frenchman will head up the American team's maiden F1 effort this year, with the as-yet-unnamed car set to break cover for the first time when pre-season testing begins on the morning of 22nd February at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Grosjean will then have the honour of turning the car's first competitive wheel, where he says the immediate priorities will be to focus on getting comfortable in the car and ensuring everything is working reliably under the skin.

“The first thing for the test is to get the car to run and to work well from there,” he said. “Hopefully, we can get a lot of mileage. This is a new team, so we need to get everyone to work together, all the engineers, mechanics and the drivers.

“As a driver, you want to be comfortable in your seat. You want the steering wheel to work as you want, along with the dashboard. You want the communication with your engineers to work. From the team side, of course, there is a protocol they want to follow. They want to do as much mileage as they can. It's a big test, which we don't get during the course of the season.

“They also want to make sure everyone works together. On the final day, you normally do a race simulation where you do a pit stop and you work on strategy. You want to see that you don't have any problems so you're ready to go to Melbourne.”

Indeed, with just two tests across eight days, Grosjean admits it will be a challenge for a new team to build up the data, but he is looking forward to the challenge.

“We need to get as much data and knowledge as we can. It's important to get the reliability sorted as early as possible because we don't get much testing and we're going straight to Melbourne.”

Grosjean will drive the Ferrari-powered car on the first day of action before handing over to team-mate Esteban Gutierrez on Tuesday (23rs Feb).

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Red Bull Racing reveals 2016 matte livery in London

By accident or by careful design a photo of the 2016 Red Bull Formula 1 challenger, sporting an all new livery was ‘leaked’ on Twitter shortly before the official ‘skin’ was made public during a function in London.

The 2015 car was used to show off the new look which features a prominent Red Bull logo on the side-pods, with Total boldly placed on both the rear and front wing end-plates and TAG-Heuer branding on the lower side of the engine cover.

The iconic ‘prancing bull’ logo features on the air intake cover and a smaller version on the nose-cone.

As expected Renault and Infiniti branding no longer appear on the new livery.

The unusual matte finish of the car contrasts to the highly polished and gleaming bodywork that has been the norm for F1 cars over the ages.

Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were on hand kitted out in their latest Puma race suits.

Team boss Christian Horner said, “We decided to go with something a bit more innovative, aggressive, that will stand out in the crowd and stand out in a few more drivers’ mirrors. It looks right and things that tend to look right, go right.”

The new Red Bull RB12 will break cover on Monday on day one of the first test at Circuit de Catalunya, in Spain.

MIKA: Don't like it... Toro Rosso's livery designs usually outdo their parent team, can't wait to see theirs once they unveil it in the second testing phase.

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MONTEZEMOLO: FERNANDO BECAME DEMOTIVATING FOR FERRARI

Fernando Alonso was not right for Ferrari because he was “demotivating” the great team according to the man who hired him, namely Luca di Montezemolo.

The former Ferrari president was still in charge of the Maranello marque when in late 2014 the wheels of Alonso’s departure were already in motion.

“I had the feeling that Fernando had got it into his mind that he could never win with Ferrari,” Montezemolo said, “and that if he was in a Mercedes he could win with one hand.

“This was very demotivating for everyone,” the colourful 68-year-old, who was ousted by Sergio Marchionne and now leads the Italian airline Alitalia, told the forthcoming April issue of Motor Sport Magazine.

But Montezemolo insists that Alonso’s exit has nothing to do with his talent.

“Let me be clear,” he told the correspondent Mark Hughes during an interview in Rome. “I believe Alonso is probably the best driver in the world even today – certainly on a Sunday.

“Maybe not in qualifying, where I think Hamilton and Vettel are maybe faster over one lap, but in the race he is unbelievable – a machine.

“But we needed motivation and it made me think what we needed for the future,” Montezemolo added.

He credits the great former Ferrari champion Michael Schumacher for helping to steer his protege Sebastian Vettel towards the red-coloured team.

“I recalled that when I was trying to convince Michael to return with us after Felipe’s injury in 2009 he was saying ‘The guy you need for the future is Vettel’,” said Montezemolo.