FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

RED BULL TEAMS UP WITH IBM SPECTRUM COMPUTING

Press Release: Behind all the glamour and excitement, Formula One is a sport of hard science, high-tech innovation and relentless development. Staying on top of that game requires some powerful development tools, and a robust IT infrastructure to run and manage them.

Red Bull Racing is today delighted to announce a renewed agreement to team with IBM Spectrum Computing for a further four years, until 2020. The Team uses IBM Spectrum solutions to manage the data used in the design and development of their 2016 challenger, the RB12. The newly extended Innovation Partner relationship is marked with IBM Spectrum Computing branding on-car and around the garage.

The team uses IBM Spectrum software to automate mission-critical development processes running on the factory’s High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster, enabling more efficient and effective use of the resource. Key to this is workload scheduler IBM Spectrum LSF, which acts like a project manager for this data, and IBM Spectrum Scale™, a software-defined-storage tool designed to simplify and control large volumes of data.

The renewed agreement will also add IBM’s Spectrum Protect™ functionality to the team’s IT arsenal; providing backup capability to secure the large volumes of data generated every day in the factory – and every weekend at the race track.

Matt Cadieux, Chief Information Officer, Red Bull Racing, said: “We’re delighted to have the continued support of IBM, who have already helped us see significant gains in productivity in the way we use our HPC resource. Their scheduling and storage tools have become a key element in managing our work flow and maximise our data handling.”

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN-HONDA AND NTT ANNOUNCE TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP

Press Release: McLaren-Honda, a pioneer for over 50 years in Formula 1, and NTT Communications Corporation, the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group (NYSE: NTT), has today announced the start of a three-year technology partnership.

Under the agreement NTT Communications becomes a Technology Partner to McLaren-Honda. Over the course of the partnership, NTT Communications will provide network, cloud, data connectivity and other innovations to meet McLaren’s need for an IT communications platform that delivers optimum performance to support its Formula 1 race team.

Partnership to underpin McLaren’s new IT strategy

The McLaren team celebrates its 50th anniversary on the Formula 1 grid this year and this partnership will underpin its new IT strategy which has a focus on cloud, mobility and people centric services.

Ron Dennis, Chairman and CEO, McLaren Technology Group that includes the McLaren-Honda team said: “I am delighted to welcome NTT Communications to the roster of McLaren-Honda’s high-technology and premium brands. NTT has a long association with technology that goes all the way back to the introduction of the telegraph in Japan. Given McLaren’s long association with innovation, it is only fitting that we should join forces with such an established and well-respected leader in enterprise communications technology who well understands our own drive for relentless technical development.

“NTT Communications has a resilient and high-capacity network that will allow the team to access its systems without delays.”

Tetsuya Shoji, President and CEO, NTT Communications said: “I am thrilled that NTT Communications is now a Technology Partner for McLaren-Honda, a symbol of innovation for motorsport fans worldwide. The NTT Communications technology repertoire is wide and deep, and McLaren’s excellence in Formula 1 is world renowned. With innovation a part of the DNA of both companies, this partnership will help McLaren-Honda transform how it manages the data generated during Formula 1 races and transcend hitherto established boundaries in motorsports racing.”

Network and cloud services for resilient and accessible performance

McLaren needs a robust network across its globally distributed support and analysis locations including its headquarters, the McLaren Technology Centre, in Woking (UK).

NTT Communications will offer Wide Area Network (WAN) and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) services to McLaren across multiple countries including UK, Spain, US, Singapore and Japan. During race weekends, this network is critical to support the transmission of data in real-time from McLaren’s race cars to the company’s technology and engineering teams based in the UK. NTT Communications will combine the management of WAN and LAN (Local Area Network) services to provide a seamless and consistently managed network to increase the quality, resilience and availability of end to end ICT services.

NTT Communications will offer its enhanced Enterprise Cloud 2.0 services to provide a platform from which McLaren can consume dedicated and shared computing and storage resources on a Pay-As-You-Go model. This service, together with the NTT Communications consulting practice and Cloud Management Platform (CMP), will offer McLaren a strong opportunity to deliver on its technology transformation strategy.

NTT Communications and McLaren will also work together to explore other advanced technologies capable of enhancing the performance of the team.

[MIKA27]

SILVERSTONE QUALIFYING: LEWIS HAMMERS THEM ALL

Lewis Hamilton put in a sensational late lap under intense pressure to seize pole position for his home British Formula One Grand Prix from Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg on Saturday.

The triple world champion had just one chance to secure the top slot after an initial effort in the final top 10 shootout was deleted because he exceeded the track limits at Copse corner.

With championship leader Rosberg on provisional pole, and Hamilton 10th as the clock ticked away and fans held their breath, the home hero pulled out all the stops to secure his 56th career pole and fourth at Silverstone.

“I was sitting in the garage and knew I couldn’t let the guys down and I’m grateful I got the final lap in,” said the Briton after setting a time of one minute 29.287 seconds.

Huge cheers went up around the circuit as Hamilton lit up the screens, with a 140,000 crowd expecting to witness his third successive British Grand Prix win on Sunday and fourth in total.

“Lewis in Silverstone with the crowd behind him, it gives him an extra one tenth,” said the team’s non-executive chairman Niki Lauda.

Rosberg, who has an 11 point advantage over Hamilton after nine of 11 races, was due to line up in second place but was summoned to see stewards for an alleged rules breach at the start of qualifying.

After meeting with the Mercedes driver and a team representative, FIA race stewards soon ruled that no offence had been committed.

Mercedes team bosses are sure to be watching nervously on race day after collisions between their drivers in three of the last five races.

Hamilton and Rosberg have been told they are on a final warning, with new rules of engagement and the threat of tough sanctions if they make contact again to the detriment of the dominant team.

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen out-qualified his Red Bull team mate Daniel Ricciardo for the first time since his promotion to the senior team from Toro Rosso, with the pair filling the second row with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen fifth.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel qualified sixth but will have a five place grid penalty for the second race in a row due to a gearbox change.

That will move the Williams of Finland’s Valtteri Bottas alongside compatriot Raikkonen on the third row in sixth place.

Hamilton was not the only driver to have a lap deleted for exceeding the track limits, with Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg suffering the same fate and dropping to eighth behind Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s Fernando Alonso will start ninth but his 2009 world champion team mate Jenson Button failed to get through the first phase and starts 17th for what could be his final home appearance.

There was confusion after the first phase with Button hurriedly returning to the garage to get back in his car when it seemed like Renault’s Kevin Magnussen was going to have his time deleted for exceeding track limits.

Sauber’s Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson did not take part in qualifying after being taken to hospital for checks following a big crash in final practice.

[MIKA27]

VETTEL AND ERICSSON SET FOR GEARBOX PENALTIES

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel and Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson are both expected to drop five places on the grid for the British Grand Prix following unscheduled gearbox changes ahead of qualifying at Silverstone.

Vettel started the day with a new gearbox bolted to his SF16-H, but reported issues with it late in FP3.

Vettel had a similar problem in Austria, a week earlier, and this will be the second race in row he will drop five places on the grid.

Ericsson crashed heavily at Stowe this in the same session, his Sauber thoroughly wrecked thus the need for a new gearbox.

The Swede, who climbed unaided from the cockpit after the accident, was taken to hospital for routine medical checks and did not take part in qualifying.

[MIKA27]

Silverstone F1 track limits debate 'really stupid' and 'rubbish'

Formula 1's track limits debate at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix has become "really stupid" according to Renault's Jolyon Palmer.

Palmer was one of six drivers to have a time taken away during qualifying for exceeding track limits, following a declaration from the FIA that it would impose 'zero tolerance' on cars going off the circuit at Copse, Stowe and Club corners.

While Palmer accepted having his time deleted, he feels officials were inconsistent in applying penalties through the session.

"I haven't seen everything but it seems like there were some [incidents] not policed properly," said Palmer on Saturday evening at Silverstone.

"It's rubbish for everyone. Us drivers want to push to the maximum and we'll use everything we can.

"But it's really stupid when some people can seemingly go four wheels off and get away with it and some people get their times deleted.

"It's rubbish for the fans because Lewis Hamilton is on pole one minute but then his time is deleted - fortunately he got pole after that anyway.

"This circuit is great to drive but it's a real problem here - it's too easy to go off and gain time."

Palmer is predicting "the same mess" in the race, and more discussions about track limits at the next grand prix in Hungary.

"We had zero tolerance in qualifying, the race is more unknown," he said.

"I'm sure they are looking at qualifying and how they can police it because it's going to be so difficult.

"They are going to have to make a clear-cut rule, but they've got to police it for 52 laps with 22 cars.

"On Friday we had a really long meeting, and I'm sure when we get to Hungary there will be a big discussion again to see what can be improved."

Daniil Kvyat backed this weekend's track limits approach, after being a heavy critic of the aggressive kerbs that caused him to crash in Austria last weekend.

"In Austria it was a joke," he said. "It's still a bit strange here, but I will be supporting zero tolerance.

"That's how it should be in Formula 1, as drivers we should know our limits.

"There has to be something in between [drivers abusing track limits or placing aggressive kerbs at circuits], like zero tolerance we have here."

Nico Hulkenberg, who had his best time deleted in Q3, agreed with Kvyat.

"I have no problems with it - my responsibility," he said.

"We discussed it in the drivers' meeting and everyone more or less agreed that zero tolerance should be applied, so fair enough.

"It was very marginal with me at Copse, I was aware it was close but I was hoping they didn't see it!"

[RijkdeGooier]

Fantastic thread @MIKA27  It collates a lot of info and really gets me prepped for this afternoon's events. Thank you for giving it so much effort

 

[Baldy]

Agree @RijkdeGooier, @MIKA27 is awesome and this is my only source for F1 news now.  This thread, in a cigar forum, is a must read for me.

Great job by LH today and this whole weekend.  4 points separating the championship leaders.  Game on but I'm afraid realiability and engine/gearbox penalties will ultimately determine this year's championship.

RB and Renault (engine) have really improved this year.  That RB chassis must be something else considering how much better they are than the works Renault team.  Love seeing Ferrari's struggles.  $100+ Million dollar lead every year just for showing up and still beaten.  Love it. Williams, I'm afraid is going backwards fast.  Haas is getting a dose of how difficult F1 can be. My McLaren are improving....slowly.  Battling hard for...10th!  C'mon Honda.

[joeskow]

Wife and I was at Silverstone today... came in from NYC, fun race great venue but was disappointed in the safety car start (UK weather sucks!!) as we had seats in Abbey which would have been great for a standing start.. Oh well, but we saw all the action in front of us with just about everyone going off in the wet.. Max is for real and slowly becoming my favorite driver on the grid.. Red Bull has caught Ferrari and will surpass then within the next few races. Ferrari is making to many mistakes with setups and strategies. 

Can't stand seeing so many Lewis fans in 1 place, lol, he was almost mistake free today once he dodge the safety car early on..

Bus ride back to Banbury took about 3 hours in traffic with no AC.. it was ugly as some drunk guy punched out our driver was we got to the stop..

Any way keep the updates coming Mika love this thread..

[capitalpg]

Start was disappointing for sure, but safety car almost made it worth it as Lewis was close to being bounced!

Been one of the more disappointing seasons for Ferrari as its amateur hour for strategy. Some of the management should have stuck with developing fiat rather than be involved with racing at the highest levels....

Interesting communication sequences with Nico that floated grey area of the rules.

I concur with above sentiment, Mika does a fantastic job updating this thread!

[MIKA27]

Thank you one and all for your comments, since the beginning, it was always my intention as a fan to have the best news in one place. I really hated going to numerous sources to read up on news and filter out the fodder so my attempt here is to have as much info as possible for the F1 fans.

I appreciate your comments, feedback and I myself enjoy reading your comments regarding races etc.  The year is becoming better and better, I hope Rosberg doesn't cave and hand over the WDC to Lewis, Verstappen is brilliant but so is the RBR team's chassis, I think McLaren and RBR have great chassis so even Alonso and Button deserve better results and surely this will be achieved....?

What is happening to Williams!? I have no words, the past couple years they have been resurgent but they are indeed falling backward, do they need a new driver line up? Not so much Bottas, perhaps Massa? I wonder if we will see Massa at Williams next season or Button? I guess both drivers have been in the game a while..

[MIKA27]

BRITISH GRAND PRIX: HAMILTON HAT-TRICK HERO AT HOME

Lewis Hamilton won his home British Grand Prix for the third year in a row on Sunday with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg finishing second but under a stewards’ investigation.

The triple Formula One world champion’s fourth home win, from pole position in tricky conditions, was the 47th victory of his career and cut Rosberg’s overall lead to four points after 10 of 21 races.

Rosberg was slowed by a gearbox problem five laps from the end and crossed the line 6.9 seconds behind, with a question mark over his result after Mercedes seemingly broke the rules on radio advice by telling him to avoid seventh gear.

Red Bull’s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was third, 1.3 seconds behind Rosberg, in a race that began behind the safety car after heavy rain before starting properly at the end of the fifth lap.

“I don’t know if you can be as happy as me but I’m really happy,” Hamilton told the 130,000-strong crowd that stood and cheered him all the way round the final lap with the sun shining brightly at last.

The Briton got even closer to the fans, who flooded onto the track, after parking up at the finish, and then enjoyed some celebratory crowd-surfing after the podium presentation.

“I’m glad that the good English weather came out. It was so tricky in those conditions. When we started the race, I was the first one who had to attack it,” said the champion. It’s never plain, smooth sailing – that’s why the British GP is the best.”

Hamilton is now the closest he has been to Rosberg this season and that gap could narrow even further if stewards rule Mercedes erred in telling the German what to do.

Red Bull principal Christian Horner said the radio rules were “pretty clear” and questioned where Rosberg, who was booed by some in the crowd as he stepped onto the podium, would have finished had Mercedes not given him their advice.

But Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the governing FIA would have to decide.

“We know what is allowed on the rules. The gearbox was about to fail. We think we should be OK, but we’ll wait,” the Austrian told the BBC.

Rosberg, who had a stirring battle with Verstappen that involved each overtaking the other, said he was confident the team had acted within the rules.

On the podium Rosberg said, “I’ve scored four points more than Lewis. That’s a glass half full perspective – I’m disappointed because I wanted to win the GP. Lewis did a better job but I’m over it already now. It’s a great time because we’re fighting out there for race wins every time.”

Third placed Verstappen, who generated a large cheer as he stepped onto the podium, “It’s amazing, they are even cheering on for a non-British driver. In the beginning it was very difficult to see where I was going. But even on the slick tyres, the car was doing what it should do and we were close to the Mercedes.”

Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth for Red Bull, 17.9 seconds behind his team mate, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen fifth.

Mexican Sergio Perez was sixth for Force India, with team principal Vijay Mallya able to attend a race for the first time this season, having previously had his passport withdrawn, with German team mate Nico Hulkenberg seventh.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was eighth for Toro Rosso, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel ninth after being handed a five second penalty for forcing the Williams of Brazilian Felipe Massa off the track.

Sainz’s Russian team mate Daniil Kvyat took the final point.

[MIKA27]

ROSBERG DEMOTED TO THIRD AFTER PENALTY FOR RADIO HELP

Formula 1 championship leader Nico Rosberg had his advantage over Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton cut to one point after the German was demoted from second to third place in the British Grand Prix.

Race stewards imposed a 10-second penalty on Rosberg for receiving help from his team via radio transmissions late in the race, in breach of the regulations. Mercedes said shortly after that they will appeal the time penalty.

On lap 48 0f 52 the conversation between Rosberg and his engineer was as follows:

Rosberg: “Gearbox problem, gearbox problem.”
Engineer: “Chassis default zero one! Avoid seventh gear, Nico, avoid seventh gear.
Rosberg: “Skip through seventh?”
Engineer: “Affirm, you need to shift through it. Affirm, you just need to shift through it.”

Rosberg had finished the race 1.3 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen. Hamilton won the race to bag maximum points.

The statement from the stewards read: “Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that the team gave some instructions to the driver that were specifically permitted under Technical Directive 014-16.”

“However, the Stewards determined that the team then went further and gave instructions to the driver that were not permitted under the Technical Directive, and were in Breach of Art. 27.1 of the Sporting Regulations, that the driver must drive the car alone and unaided.”

Rosberg’s demotion means that team mate Lewis Hamilton trails the German by a mere point in the drivers’ standings – they have 168 points and 167 points respectively.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON: THE CROWD SURFING WASN’T PLANNED

Lewis Hamilton turned Silverstone into his own personal mosh pit on Sunday, riding a wave of energy to the chequered flag before celebrating his fourth British Grand Prix victory with some impromptu crowd-surfing.

“That wasn’t planned,” said the Mercedes driver as images of him falling back into the sea of people, smiling serenely with his body supported by raised arms, travelled around the world. “I could see the crowd there and I just wanted to connect with them in some way.

“I was hoping that I would crowd surf further in and then I would have to say ‘take me back’ but I got right to the edge and I stayed there for like a second and then they pushed me back.”

The rapt response to the home hero’s third win in a row at Silverstone — the first hat-trick at the circuit by any driver — contrasted to the boos that greeted him on the podium in Austria a week before.

Then, after he and German team mate Nico Rosberg collided on the last lap and Hamilton went on to win, the joy had been tempered.

On Sunday, after a race that had started behind the safety car following an earlier downpour and ended under bright skies, it was an unbridled love-in between the triple world champion and his adoring army of fans.

There were some boos, but aimed at Rosberg as he stepped on to the podium — something Hamilton did not condone but excused as another manifestation of just how passionate the supporters were.

“Ever since 2007 I’ve felt this incredible energy from these fans here,” said Hamilton, the third British driver after Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell to win his home race four times and first to do it at Silverstone.

Mansell, the 1992 champion, was there as a steward on Sunday: “Welcome to the club,” he told his compatriot.

Hamilton, a mere child in the days when ‘Mansell-mania’ swept the sport, said the fans had lifted him in the same way that they did his predecessor.

“I really feel like I’ve grown with them over the years and obviously, naturally, when you have success that speeds up the bond, that connection you have…they really do make a huge difference,” he said.

“It’s a very humbling experience to be here in this sport, particularly in a time of difficulty in the world, and to see so much love out there.”

[MIKA27]

Mercedes to appeal Nico Rosberg's 10-second radio message penalty

Mercedes has confirmed that the team intends to appeal the 10-second time penalty the FIA stewards gave to Nico Rosberg after the British Grand Prix for illegal radio messages.

The German driver suffered an issue with his gearbox late in the British GP at Silverstone, which he believed was one lap away from failing.

In a radio conversation with his Mercedes engineering Rosberg was told to switch to "chassis default 0-1" and also to "shift through" seventh gear.

He eventually finished the race in second place but stewards deemed the radio instruction from Mercedes breached Article 27.1 of the sporting regulations.

He was handed a 10-second time penalty, which dropped him from second place to third, behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Mercedes has now officially confirmed it intends to appeal the decision to give Rosberg the penalty.

This now means his lead in the drivers’ championship over Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton is just one point.

 

[MIKA27]

Sebastian Vettel: Felipe Massa situation nothing more than a 'racing incident'

Sebastian Vettel doesn't believe he deserved a penalty for forcing Felipe Massa off the circuit during the British Grand Prix, insisting it was simply a "racing incident".

The Ferrari driver was hit with a five-second time penalty which didn't impact his finishing position of ninth, but believes it was uncalled for as he never meant to run the Williams off track, blaming the tricky conditions for a small error.

"I was on the inside and he went wide at Turn 1 and I was on the inside for Turn 3," explained Vettel. "Basically we hit the brakes at the same time and I tried to turn in but I lost the car so I had to open up and went wide myself.

"It was not my intention to force him off the track because I was going off as well so it wasn't something I could control.

"For some reason the stewards took the view that I did it on purpose and I got a penalty. It was a racing incident."

Meanwhile Vettel agreed with the decision to start behind the Safety Car, but criticised the extreme wet tyres as "only good enough for following the Safety Car".

"Obviously it depends where you are [on the grid]. I was looking forward to the start, to move ahead. But if you're in the lead then it's a safe bet you'll stay in the lead," he said.

"I think it was the right call, there was quite a lot of aquaplaning on the first half of the track, but the otherr half was quite dry.

"It's wrong to criticise the call to start behind the Safety Car, we need to criticise the fact nobody has any trust in the extreme wets. We'd rather take a lot of risk with the intermediates, even though there was a lot of aquaplaning, simply because it's the quicker tyre.

"I think we've mentioned it a couple of times that the extreme wets, in this case, are only good enough to follow the Safety Car. "

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo races to ‘boring’ P4

Daniel Ricciardo raced to his fifth P4 of this championship in Sunday's British GP and declared it a "boring" race.

The Aussie started the 52-lap grand prix from fourth place on a wet grid and was fourth when he took the chequered flag later in the dry.

Ricciardo saw very few of his rivals during the race, finishing 18 seconds behind his team-mate Max Verstappen and 43 in front of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.

In fact his only noteable battle of the day was against Sergio Perez but even that was an easy pass.

“Hard fought? Not really,” he said of his grand prix. “I thought that was boring. 

“We just got a bit unlucky with the Virtual Safety Car and lost the gap to the leaders, so it put me in a race by myself.

“Perez was in front for a little bit but we knew once we cleared him it was just trying to hope something happened up front or whatever. 

“I’m definitely over these fourth places.

“Unfortunately there was really just not much happening the race. We just got unlucky with the Virtual Safety Car, it came at the wrong time and we lost more than ten seconds there.”

[MIKA27]

Alonso lacking the pace to score points

Fernando Alonso says while fighting with the Williams was a step forward for McLaren, they cannot be proud of their result at Silverstone.

The Spaniard finished Sunday’s British Grand Prix in 13th place, one position behind his team-mate Jenson Button.

It was a disappointing result for Alonso, who had started as high as sixth on the grid.

His efforts to score points, though, were not helped by a spin at Abbey that saw him fall out of the top ten.

“We are P12 and P13, so I don’t think we should be very proud of today’s race,” Motorsport.com quotes him as having. “It is the way it is.

“Probably we could have a point or two with my car, but it’s difficult to overtake any cars with the power we have at the moment, so we have to invent some places like Turn 1 or Turn 2, and we went off there.

“Tough race. We didn’t have the pace to finish in the points, and that’s it.

“We were close, especially when the track was damp I think we were a bit quicker. Then when the track dried up we struggled, but we have people who are very competitive in front, like Williams, Force India, Toro Rosso…

“We were close, but we are still missing that bit in the race.”

There is, however, some positives to be taken from the weekend.

He added: “I think it’s a step forward this weekend, fighting with Williams, with Force India and Toro Rosso in the race, so that’s good news.”

McLaren remain seventh in the Constructors’ Championship on 32 points.

[MIKA27]

Bernie: Ferrari has become very Italian again

Bernie Ecclestone has questioned whether Ferrari can mount a challenge for the titles next season saying they have “become very Italian again.”

During a chaotic period in the 1970s and 1980s Ferrari became known for their “spaghetti culture”.

However, in the midst of a season where reliability and strategic errors have cost them, Ecclestone says implied that they are back there again.

“Ferrari has become very Italian again,” he told the official F1 website.

But the F1 supremo is still hoping that Ferrari, and also Red Bull, will put in a challenge next season.

“I hope so. Mercedes should have let an engine go to Red Bull. That is the biggest mistake we’ve made in F1 in the last couple of years. That would have been brilliant for the competition.

“Mercedes probably still would have won – but it would have looked a lot better when they win the World Championship in the last race of the season.”

As for which of the two he would prefer to see take the fight to Mercedes, he said: “As I am very close and friendly with Red Bull, I hope it is Red Bull. And I hope it is Ferrari, as it would be the best for Formula One.”

For now, though, he reckons the title fight is between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg with Ecclestone putting his money on the Brit.

Asked if he can ‘see a 2016 champion’, he replied: “Apart from Lewis? The only person is possibly the one who is leading the championship right now. But I believe Lewis will win again.”

In fact Ecclestone is so confident that Hamilton will win his fourth title, he’s willing to bet money on it.

“Yes,” he said. “I am not saying that this would be the best thing for Formula One. I am not saying that there is anything bad about Nico at all. It’s just the general circumstances.”

[MIKA27]

Grosjean ‘fine’ with missed Ferrari opportunity

Romain Grosjean says he was “not desperate” for a Ferrari driver as that door was shut, at least for the 2017 championship.

Ferrari announced on Friday that Kimi Raikkonen would remain with the team for a further season, putting an end to speculation that Grosjean was hoping to step up.

The Frenchman joined Ferrari-powered Haas at the start of this season with reports suggesting that was done in a bid to move a close to the Scuderia.

But, even if it was, that option is no longer on the table with Grosjean revealing that he will stay on at Haas next season.

Asked by Motorsport.com if Raikkonen’s new deal impacted his future, the former Lotus driver said: “Not much to be fair – I get to wear these same clothes next year!

“It’s fine, it’s great for him, it’s the best team or the team you want to be in, so good for Kimi. But now it’s clear Kimi is staying, the market is a bit closed.

“You always want to be in a team where you can be World Champion, but I’m not desperate because I feel very well at Haas and there’s more to do.

“I’m convinced that next year we can surprise more people.”

However, the 30-year-old, who has 10 Formula 1 podiums to his name, is not ruling out a move to Ferrari in 2018.

He said: “That would be great.

“I’ve never hidden the fact I want to be World Champion and drive for a big team. But I’ve discovered with Haas a very nice team, and we’re doing a great job, so I’m proud to be part of that.”

[MIKA27]

Sainz talks ‘Renault trade’ rumours

Carlos Sainz has played down the likelihood that he could be 'traded' to Renault for the 2017 Formula 1 season in return for a more favourable engine deal for Red Bull. 

The Spaniard was officially confirmed as having signed a new Red Bull contract for the 2017 F1 season ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix in a deal that is presumed to see him compete with the Toro Rosso outfit for a third season. 

However, reports in the Spanish media suggest Red Bull could be prepared to loan Sainz to Renault's factory F1 team in return for a better engine deal following the confirmation both it and Toro Rosso will receive a supply in 2017. 

Though Sainz does not explicitly deny Red Bull could utilise that option on him, he says it would be 'strange' if the motivation to re-sign him was simply to trade him with another team. 

“I don't know if it's a possibility or not but this obviously lies on Red Bull. It would be very strange, because if Red Bull has signed me, and Toro Rosso has signed me it's because they want me, and they don't want me to be traded with other teams,” he said. 

“Maybe they change mind, I don't know, but it would be very strange, I think it would be very extraordinary if something like that happened.” 

“I heard the rumours that Renault might be interested and all those kind of stuff. I don't know how much of it is true. 

“If it could happen or not I really think no because the one and sole intention that Red Bull has renewed the contract is to keep me, not for me to be traded, so I think I can be quite confident and quite calm about my future because of that. If at the end it happens it will be unexpected, let's put it like that.”
 

[skalls]

Just got back home from the indy car race today (Newgarden had a rocketship for a car today).

 

I didn't like the safety car start either,  but the track was in no shape to have a normal shape.  where is Williams?   red bulls complaining last year looks so foolish. 

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: WE WERE SLOW TO REACT

Fernando Alonso departed Silverstone a frustrated man after finishing out of the points in 13th place, believing his McLaren team could have been more adventurous with reagrds to race strategy.

The Spaniard vented his disatisfaction during the race, claiming on the radio to his pitwall that they had compromised his race when they kept him out too long on intermediate tyres while most of the field pitted for slicks.

When asked by media after the race what could have been done by the team, Alonso said, “We could invent something. We are not fighting for the world championship, we could have stopped earlier or later, something to try and gain some positions but we were slow to react on that. That is the way it is, these races are always very complicated.”

“I think in these conditions we can go from hero to zero in nothing. You stop one lap earlier and you probably don’t finish the lap. I think we did what we can but I think we lost positions, the stops, so we need to look at this.”

Just about every driver had an off going in Turn 1 including eventual race winner Lewis hamilton, where a wet patch lingered for most of the race, also catching out Alonso which added to the frustrations on the day for the double F1 world champion.

“We are P12 and P13, so I don’t think we should be very proud of the race. That is the way it is, we could have had some points with my car when I was behind Felipe when it was dry but it is difficult to overtake with the car we have at the moment so we have to invent some places, like T1 and T2, which is not a normal overtaking place. We went off there.

“It is difficult when you are battling with someone, [it is] better in qualifying when we are alone and can extract the maximum from the corners but tough race. In a way, I think a step forward, more competitive fighting with Williams, Force India and Toro Rosso in the race, so that is good news,” added Alonso who last won an F1 race at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.

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HONDA MAY NOT SHUTDOWN F1 WORK IN AUGUST

Honda could keep working throughout the August factory shutdown period, it has emerged.

To cut costs and give hard-working staff a break in a busy race calendar, teams must close their factories for a period during the long break between the German and Belgian grands prix.

But suppliers are not subject to the same agreement, meaning McLaren’s works partner may be able to keep working in August.

“I think all the departments relating to the development of the chassis must obey these rules,” McLaren team boss Eric Boullier said at Silverstone.

“As for Honda, I hope they will continue to work in August,” he admitted. “The situation at Renault and Ferrari may be different, because their teams are organised in a different way.”

Honda’s F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa commented: “We plan to do a certain amount of work in August, but we still have to double-check with the regulations.”

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MASSA COULD REMAIN WITH WILLIAMS BEYOND 2016

Brazilian F1 veteran Felipe Massa is at “the top of the list” to stay at Williams next year, according to the team’s deputy boss Claire Williams, having revealed at Silverstone that her team’s driver lineup for 2017 is yet to be decided.

Jenson Button is being strongly linked with a switch from McLaren-Honda, and Claire Williams doesn’t deny that, but she insists the team is not simply waiting for McLaren’s call.

“I said a few weeks ago that our decision has nothing to do with what other teams do. We have many options available so we need to make the best decision for our team and our business,” Williams explained.

The paddock mood is that Valtteri Bottas is likely to keep his place, with any Williams newcomer to replace Brazilian veteran Massa.

But Williams told Brazil’s Band News FM that Massa, 35, is definitely “on the list” for 2017, “This is Felipe’s third year in our team and he’s done a great job for us.”

“It’s amazing to have him as part of our team. So of course with all the experience he brings to us, he is at the top of the list.”

Asked if another Brazilian – the strongly Banco do Brazil-backed driver Felipe Nasr who currently races for Sauber – is also on the list, Williams answered: “I cannot confirm who we’re talking to.”

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DOCUMENTARY: THE REAL JAMES HUNT

The Real James Hunt is a documentary about the life of James Hunt, a racing driver and Formula One World Champion who today is remembered as one of the great characters from the golden era of grand prix racing.

Oftentimes people focus on James’ iconic playboy lifestyle but behind all of that he was one of the most naturally talented drivers of his era. His battles with Niki Lauda were immortalised in the 2013 Ron Howard movie Rush, in this documentary you’ll see a lot of behind the scenes footage as well as interviews with those who knew the man best – making it an excellent insight into what Hunt was really like.