FORMULA 1 - 2016

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RAIKKONEN: WE’RE AIMING TO CATCH MERCEDES

Kimi Raikkonen is adamant that Ferrari are targeting Mercedes and not Red Bull, despite the energy drinks outfit out performing his team last time out.

Speaking in the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Raikkonen told ESPN, “We need to keep improving, going forward and take what we can. Obviously we’re aiming to catch Mercedes but at the last race Red Bull was better than us.”

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to go and defend something. Is it going to be the same in the next races? I don’t know, we will see, but I think we’ve been stronger than them overall, but definitely not at [Silverstone].”

At the British Grand Prix, a track that was not expected to favour the downforce friendly Red Bull RB12, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo finished second and fourth respectively, while Ferrari struggled.

The F1 circus left the British Grand Prix with Mercedes clearly top of the pecking order, followed by Red Bull and Ferrari slipping down to third.

“What will come in the next races I have no idea but we need to improve, go forward and not try to defend something. We should look forward and improve,” said the Ferrari veteran.

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Mercedes: Every week we're analysing how much focus we switch to 2017

Mercedes are analysing "every week" how much of their focus should be switched over to next year's car, which represents a major challenge with the introduction of new technical regulations.

Teams up and down the grid face a dilemma as the 2016 progresses, as they must decide when to switch focus and therefore abandon the development of their current cars - a decision which could cost them valuable points and therefore risk their championship position, with a drop of just one place costing tens of millions in prize money payments.

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says those that switch too late risk falling behind in the development stakes, particularly as a number of teams have already switched their focus 100 per cent to 2017, therefore Mercedes must analyse with each passing week how much it moves over.

"We are now entering a time where things are complicated even more by some big decisions to be made," said Wolff. "Every week we must analyse how much resource we move across to the 2017 project – but that’s a tricky balance.

"Some teams will have stopped 2016 development very early – as early as February maybe, once the current cars hit the circuit. That does give them an advantage, as the learning curve is very steep at the beginning.

"If you are a few weeks behind you can find yourselves much further back in the end. We may be halfway through the battle for this year – but the hard work is only just beginning."

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Button optimistic ahead of Hungary GP

Jenson Button is confident that this weekend’s twisty and curvy Hungarian Grand Prix will be a good outing for McLaren-Honda, since the Hungaroring doesn’t demanding a lot of power.

It has been evident this season that their MP4-31 has been lacking pace on power-hungry circuits, which is why Button looks forward to tracks less dependent on power.

Since the Monaco GP, McLaren have only scored eight points, with last four races being power sensitive tracks.

However, with the F1 paddock heading to a track that is more favourable to McLaren, the Brit is optimistic that he and his teammate Fernando Alonso can both finish in the top ten this Sunday.

“This circuit is quite different from the last few we’ve been to, so I’m looking forward to heading back to Hungary next weekend,” said the 2009 World Champion.

“It’s less dependent on power, and much more dependent on traction, cornering speeds and agility, and it’s a really enjoyable challenge. You get a great feeling when you hook up a good lap there.

“The focus is much more on aero, so we’ll run pretty high downforce and try to make the most of our car’s good traction under braking. Hopefully it’ll mean we can keep up with the chasing pack and maybe even make up a bit of ground, too. Although we struggled with our pace in Silverstone, the Hungaroring is a different kettle of fish, so I’m keen to see how we perform there.

“In the past couple of years Hungary has been fairly good to us and provided a bit of a boost before the summer break after a relentless few weeks of back-to-back racing, so I’m hoping for more of the same this time around.

“It suits our car more than some of the other circuits, but of course there are no guarantees, so we’ll be putting in the hard work on Friday to make sure we have the best possible set-up for the demands of this quirky track.”

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And More On Those Ferrari rumourings

When a man of 62 has tens of millions of dollars and can live happily on the interest he earns, after a very successful career, during which he has achieved all he can achieve – as his own boss – it is hard to imagine that he wants to go back to work in a stressful environment, employed by someone else. Yes, there is ego, but there is also the risk of failure and with a couple of beautiful houses to enjoy and plenty to do with a car collection, fishing and other peaceful pursuits, it is easy to see why one might think there is nothing left to prove. The man himself – Ross Brawn – says that he does not want to live his work 24/7 as he has done in the past.

“I’m quite content doing what I’m doing and nothing has come along that I would be motivated and interested in,” he said. But, and this is where the rumours leap in, he added that “you can never say never”.

So the possibility is left open and, it being the summer season, when there is not much real news about, there are instantly stories suggesting that Brawn could return to Ferrari, to work miracles and lift the team from the lacklustre performances of the F1 season to date. Down in Italy, they are scratching their heads (again), why is it that the team cannot win? It’s been nearly nine years since Ferrari last won a Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship (2008) and coming up to a decade since Kimi Raikkonen took the last Drivers’ title (2007). It’s not the team’s worst run ever, but five Grand Prix wins in four years is none too spectacular for the team that gets paid $90 million more than everyone else because it is important. The lack of on-track success hasn’t, by the way, affected the company’s ability to sell its supercars, but it is not like the good old days when Michael Schumacher swept all before him. Ferrari tried a phase when everything was run by Italians and that did not work, so now it is back to having technical control in the hands of an Englishman, James Allison.

Outside Italy, we all know that, if given enough time and sufficient tools, James will do the job, but in Italy there is a tradition of shovelling out people if they do not perform but, lest we forget, Todt took over Ferrari on 1 July 1993. The team did not win a World Championship until 1999. Six years. During that time, Todt was given whatever was required to build a winning team, and he was protected by Ferrari chairman Luca Montezemolo. In turn, he protected Brawn and his engineers. The result was a team that won five consecutive titles between 2000 and 2004.

Brawn himself says that Allison is “excellent” and says that “if they give him the resources and give him the time and put the infrastructure around him, with great drivers, they’ll get results”.

Allison has been at Ferrari since August 2013. Much has changed since then and the team has moved forward, but there has still been a lot going on in the background. In April 2014 Stefano Domenicali, the boss of Ferrari’s sporting department, resigned and was replaced by Marco Mattiacci. In September Montezemolo was ousted as chairman and replaced by Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne. Two months later Mattiacci was kicked out and replaced by Maurizio Arrivabene. Ferrari was then floated and it was only in May this year that Marchionne became CEO as well as chairman.

This is hardly a stable environment, and suggestions that there have been crisis talks at Maranello in recent days, adds to the feeling that it is all still a bit too unstable. That may not be the case, but the team’s public relations has been dreadful since Mattiacci departed. There seems to be little understanding that working with the media is better than treating it as an adversary. All this will ultimately do is add to the pressure on the team.

The problem, of course, is not that Ferrari is doing a bad job. It is that Mercedes is doing a better job. Red Bull is also now back in the hunt as Renault’s engines get more competitive and so Ferrari appears to be struggling. The optimistic noises that we have heard from Ferrari have a hollow ring to them. But is that a reason to change everything? It would be far wiser for Ferrari to underplay everything and not throw scraps of hope to the fans. “We are working hard but F1 is tough” is much better than “We think we can win”…

 

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Early engine deal a "massive" boost for Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso's technical director James Key says already knowing which engine the team will use next season is a "massive" advantage.

The Faenza-based squad faced the difficulties of a very late switch to Ferrari engines at the end of 2015, a move that compromised its chances early on in 2016 as the new car had not been designed to accommodate the Italian power unit.

Toro Rosso will return to using Renault engines in 2017 as part of a deal that was announced in May.

Key admits that, having faced the challenges of fitting the Ferrari engine in such a short period of time, securing the Renault power unit so early is a big boost for its chances of hitting the ground running next season.

"Massive. It's very difficult to describe how big it is," Key told Motorsport.com about the difference it makes to have its engine supplier confirmed so early.

"We are really happy to know which engine we'll be using now. That was a very tough situation with this car.

"We were very late with the Ferrari engine. We didn't really have any information about the Ferrari engine, so we sat down with them in December and discussed things, so it was extremely late.

"The fact is you build the architecture of your car around the power unit installation, and it's so complicated now. It's so much trouble. An optimum car is based around the integration of the power unit."

 

Ferrari engine compromise

Key conceded that this year's STR11 was inevitably compromised as a result of the late deal with Ferrari.

"We tried to minimise the impact of that, but inevitably there are knock-on effects," he said. "The car was a bit too heavy at the start of the year. We had some issues with some of the cooling parameters.

"Many other things weren't optimum, we had to make some guesses in some places. And it costs you a lot of money as well. To do that in such a short space of time costs you a lot of money.

"There are many, many things which even if it's difficult to tell when you see the car on the track, actually you know what's wrong with that car because you've had some compromises."

The Briton added that Toro Rosso is making good progress with its 2017 challenger, but admits that is hard to judge given the big regulations changes coming into play next year.

"I think it's okay," Key said. "We are sort of on schedule at the moment, although the schedules move depending on what you find.

"I know most people are pretty hectic now with their 2017 cars. It's very difficult to tell how you are doing because you don't know what other people are doing with the regulations.

"One of the hardest bits is knowing what makes a car with such massive regulations change tick. It's so difficult to tell at this stage.

"We are going down a route of really trying to understand what makes a good 2017 car and see if we can achieve it."

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Wind tunnel clampdown will curb F1 dominance - Symonds

Formula 1's move to limit teams' use of wind tunnels will prevent bigger outfits getting a 'runaway' advantage for 2017, reckons Williams technical chief Pat Symonds.

As the current season approaches its halfway stage, a number of teams are making decisions about when to switch over all their efforts to the 2017 project.

While an early focus on new rules paid huge dividends for Brawn in 2009 and Mercedes in 2014, Symonds suspects that the advantages for those committing first to 2017 will not be as great.

"What you've got to remember is what's changed in the last few years in the aerodynamics is that every single team can now only do 65 runs a week in the wind tunnel," said Symonds.

"Now, if you go back to the last big change in 2009, they could run as much time as they wanted in the wind tunnel. Some teams used two wind tunnels - like Toyota: two wind tunnels, 24/7. That's quite something and that's quite a differentiator.

"When we've moved on to 2014, we could at that time do 80 runs a week in the wind tunnel. Now we can only do 65 runs – so there's an awful lot of equalisation going on.

"Yeah, you've still got to choose your 65 runs well, you've got to do the right things, but I think it doesn't quite allow the sort of runaway development that we'd had seven years ago."

 

Good-looking cars

Although Symonds is sceptical about whether the new generation of faster cars will be any better for overtaking, he does think they will offer a visual appeal.

"I like it, I like what the cars are going to look like and all that sort of stuff," he said. "I think technically it's going to be quite interesting. I like change.

"Whether it's what the sport needs or not - I don't think it's going to do much for the racing."

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Hungarian GP: Grosjean expecting high tyre degradation in Hungary

Romain Grosjean says the biggest challenge his Haas squad faces upon its maiden outing at the Hungaroring is understanding the level of tyre degradation each compound sustains on the resurfaced circuit. 

Grosjean is bidding to return the US team to points finishes after the disappointment of Silverstone, where the French driver felt he had a competitive set-up but his charge was ended prematurely with transmission problems. 

Switching from the high-speed British circuit to the tight and twisty Hungaroring, Grosjean is relishing the return to a circuit he's consistently performed well around, with three points finishes in four race with the highlight of third place in 2012. 

Despite Haas gearing up for its first competitive outing as an F1 team at the Budapest-based circuit, the US squad has performed consistently in the mid-pack in his debut year, albeit losing some performance at slower-speed tracks. 

Grosjean feels the toughest task facing Haas will be gathering the key data to predict tyre degradation on super-soft, soft and medium compound tyres Pirelli is bringing to the recently-resurfaced Hungaroring. 

“I've always had a good feeling in Hungary. I've always liked the track,” Grosjean said. “They've resurfaced it this year, so we'll see how it goes. It used to be very bumpy. It's a low-speed circuit. How the car handles is important. 

“It's going to be our number one priority to get the tyre to work for us and analyse the degradation, which can be high on some compounds. If we get the grip, we'll get the lap time. Then we can do more pit stops and have more fun.” 

Grosjean currently holds 10th in the F1 drivers' championship but has recently come under pressure from Force India's Nico Hulkenberg and Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz – both in arguably stronger-performing cars – and the French driver says concentration on the technical circuit with errors frequently punished at the tricky track. 

“It's not an easy race, but on the other hand, there's not many high-speed corners on the track, so it's more about keeping your focus and concentration all through the race,” he said. “Regardless, we're always keeping fit to prepare ourselves.”
 

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Honda to hold fire on next F1 engine update for McLaren

Honda is planning to wait four or five races before introducing its next Formula 1 power unit update, according to its chief Yusuke Hasegawa.

The Japanese manufacturer spent two development tokens on an internal combustion engine intake system update for McLaren ahead of the British Grand Prix.

It was aimed at improving combustion efficiency and power output as well as trying to recover some of the exhaust power it sacrificed when it updated the turbo for the Canadian Grand Prix last month.

Hasegawa says the combustion engine [ICE] remains Honda's focus with some good results coming out of development at the factory, but it is holding fire on spending its 10 remaining tokens for now.

"We still keep trying our efforts to improving our engine, the ICE area," he told Autosport.

"We have seen some good numbers, we just need to prepare.

"Not in a couple of races but in four or five races we aim to introduce it."

Hasegawa added Honda plans to "ideally" spend all of its remaining tokens before the end of the season with a plan to introduce "regular steps".

SILVERSTONE A STEP FORWARD

Hasegawa felt Honda made progress with its Silverstone upgrade but conceded it is still trailing its arrivals.

"We definitely have some gain from the power unit," he said.

"We didn't do any back to back tests so I can't tell and the driver didn't feel a big difference but it contributed to the car performance so it was good.

"Fernando [Alonso] got a very quick Q3 lap time which was eighth and although it was eliminated [for a track limits infringement] it was proof of the upgrade.

"We are bottom of the pile but we can reduce the gap."

Carlos Sainz Jr said Honda is making steps and getting very close to Toro Rosso's one-year-old spec Ferrari power unit.

When asked about the comments, Hasegawa said: "It's mixed feelings. We don't know if it is a correct comment.

"We have to appreciate they thought our power unit improves but at the same time, they only compared it to a one-year old engine!"

ENGINE TOKEN USE SO FAR

Ferrari 29 (3 remaining)
Honda 22 (10 remaining)
Mercedes 21 (11 remaining)
Renault 11 (21 remaining)

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SAUBER NOW OWNED BY LONGBOW FINANCE

The struggling Sauber Formula One team announced a long-awaited change of ownership on Wednesday, with founder Peter Sauber retiring and handing over control to the Swiss investment firm Longbow Finance.

The Swiss team, based in Hinwil, said its name would stay the same and Monisha Kaltenborn will remain as principal and chief executive.

Longbow president Pascal Picci will replace Sauber, 72, as chairman of Sauber Holding, the company that controls the team and group.

“It is Longbow Finance S.A.’s clear intention to stabilise the group and create the basis for a competitive and successful future,” the team said in a statement before this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest.

“The transaction also secures the continuation of the brand Sauber in Formula One and will open opportunities to further grow the engineering activities of the group.”

Sauber, who entered Formula One in 1993 and won a race when it was owned by BMW, are the only team yet to score a point in 10 races this season. Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson and Brazilian Felipe Nasr are its drivers.

The team has also been struggling away from the track. Some staff salaries have been paid late, and it skipped this month’s in-season test at Silverstone to save money.

“We are convinced that Longbow Finance S.A. is the perfect partner to again make the team competitive and successful in Formula One,” said Kaltenborn.

“At the same time the new structure will allow us to finally further expand our third party business in which we commercialise our know-how.”

Little is known about Longbow Finance SA, which Bloomberg describes as a company that “provides financial services. The company is based in Lutry, Switzerland.”

Official Statement:

The Sauber Group is pleased to announce the change of its ownership. Following the signing of the acquisition agreement with the current shareholders, Longbow Finance S.A. will fully acquire Sauber Holding AG which is the ultimate holding company of the Sauber Group. It is Longbow Finance S.A.’s clear intention to stabilise the group and create the basis for a competitive and successful future. This transaction also secures the continuation of the brand Sauber in Formula One and will open opportunities to further grow the engineering activities of the group. There will be no changes to either the company or the team name.

Peter Sauber will retire from all functions, being succeeded by Pascal Picci as Chairman of Sauber Holding A.G. Monisha Kaltenborn will remain as a member of the Board of Directors and continue to lead the company in her functions as CEO and Team Principal.

Pascal Picci, President & CEO, Longbow Finance S.A.:
“As a Swiss company, we are very pleased with having secured the future of a Swiss presence in a highly specialized and innovative industry.”

Monisha Kaltenborn, CEO and Team Principal:
“We are very pleased that by reaching an agreement with Longbow Finance S.A., we can secure the future of Sauber at the pinnacle of motorsport. We are convinced that Longbow Finance S.A. is the perfect partner to again make the team competitive and successful in Formula 1. At the same time the new structure will allow us to finally further expand our third party business in which we commercialise our know-how. This solution is in the best interest of our employees, partners, loyal suppliers, the base in Hinwil and for the Swiss motorsport. We are very grateful that Longbow Finance S.A.believes in the competences, efficiency and capabilities of Sauber Group, and we look forward to a new exciting future.”

Peter Sauber, President of the Board of Directors, Sauber Holding AG:
“Monisha Kaltenborn and I yesterday signed an agreement which secures the future of the Formula 1 Team and the Sauber Group. I am very happy that my courageous investment to buy the team back, which I made six years ago, with the intention to secure the base in Hinwil and the place in Formula 1 has proved to be correct.”

About Longbow Finance S.A.
Longbow Finance S.A. is incorporated as a Ltd / Société Anonyme / Aktiengesellschaft in Switzerland and active in financial investments since more than 20 years.

 

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ENTER MARCHIONNE AS FERRARI CRISIS DEEPENS

Ferrari are in crisis once again, in the aftermath of a first half of the Formula 1 season which failed to deliver expected results, prospects for the second half look grim as the legendary team are unlikely to reel in Mercede, while Red Bull seem to have edged ahead in the pecking order.

The situation has resulted in Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne taking a hands on approach to try halt the decline, a move which is not only making waves but reportedly adding fuel to an already explosive situation that exists at Maranello.

Influential and respected Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, “Marchionne’s increasingly hands-on approach also appears to be the result of the fractious nature of the Ferrari hierarchy, with Marchionne’s relationships with team principal Maurizio Arrivabene and technical director James Allison having broken down.”

“Now, likely to the irritation of Ferrari’s engineers, Marchionne is beginning to personally intervene in the technical and strategic decisions of the Sporting Management team,” the report revealed.

The Italian-Canadian, who earns a whopping $170,000 per day is a hugely successful executive at the helm of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, chairman of a number of corporations and of course president of the fabled Scuderia.

However he is very new to the business of Formula 1 and his naivety emerged earlier this year when he announced with confidence that he expected Ferrari to challenge for the F1 world championship and start the season winning in Australia.

Ahead of the first race in Melbourne, Marchionne declared, “2016 should be the year for us to return to the top. Our investments have not been lacking. We want to present ourselves in Australia as the team to beat. We know that our rivals are strong, but we are not afraid of them as we are the most successful team in the history of Formula 1.”

Since then, despite his predictions coming back to haunt him, he has not toned down his rhetoric and headline grabbing demands, which in turn has put the team under intense pressure.

Last month, clearly briefed by someone with inside information, Marchionne said, “The Ferrari SF16-H is new compared to the 2015 edition. Although the design looked great, once it took to the track there were some results that didn’t match up to our expectations.”

In Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen the team have a potent driver line-up, who with a good car at their disposal have the ability to do the business at the sharp end of the grid. But they have struggled and been ill at ease with a car that lacks the firepower to mix it with the pace setters this season.

Marchionne acknowledged this, “Vettel is a pilot with extraordinary abilities, but he has to be given the right car to win. The problem is the machine. It is necessary to give the machine so that Vettel can win – he is ready. The problem is that when he gets a winning car, the whole season is ruined.”

The Gazzetta report added, “A truly embarrassing campaign has almost inevitably led to questioning of character among key members of the Ferrari leadership, and now James Allison would seem to be on the verge of leaving amid mutual acrimony between himself and Marchionne.”

“The problem for Ferrari is precisely the lack of viable candidates capable of replacing Allison. The prospect of convincing Ross Brawn, whose tenure with the team was legendary, to come out of retirement is highly unlikely, and the Cavallino would also struggle to bring in Toro Rosso’s James Key at short notice,” concluded the report.

Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda, one who knows the volatile Ferrari scenario well, summed up the situation at Maranello, “The problem with Ferrari is that they are under pressure. The more Marchionne calls for wins, the more the Italians make mistakes.”

 

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ALONSO: WE WANT TO WIN THE 2017 F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Fernando Alonso is still not ruling out a serious bid for the 2017 Formula 1 world championship title, and believes that the way which Honda restructured their project will be key to the success.

Soon, McLaren-Honda will welcome its new chief executive to Woking – current VW racing director Jost Capito – and Spaniard Alonso agrees that the German has a big task ahead.

“There are many things that need to be improved to be able to return to the top,” he told Autosprint. “Aside from the power unit and aerodynamics, there are still many small mistakes that we’re making every day during the race weekend.”

The 34-year-old doesn’t hide that he might have expected slightly faster progress with the new McLaren-Honda project after switching from Ferrari.

But Alonso insists: “I knew from the beginning that it wouldn’t be easy. We started from a very low point with the performance of the power unit, but in terms of preparation, a lot has been done in a very short time.”

Indeed, he claims McLaren-Honda’s improvement this year has been better than any other team, and tips that big steps in performance are next, “That (performance) will arrive next year.”

He admits that a key to 2016 was Honda’s decision to replace Yasuhisa Arai with Yusuke Hasegawa.

“Let’s say that with the new organisation structure came faster progress,” said Alonso. “The new boss came directly from racing, in the past he was an engineer and is more open to new ideas and a new philosophy.”

“Things have improved,” he added, “but we are aware that we are at least eight months behind the planned targets.

“For next year we want to win the world championship,” Alonso revealed. “It may sound strange being where we are, but that is the goal.”

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PROST: KIMI IS AN F1 ICON FERRARI DID WELL TO KEEP HIM

Formula 1 legend Alain Prost has backed Ferrari’s decision to stick with Kimi Raikkonen.

Finn Raikkonen’s new contract for 2017 has been controversial, given the fact younger chargers like Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo or Romain Grosjean were reportedly keen to join the fabled Maranello marque.

But Prost, who was actually fired by Ferrari in his second season with the team in 1991, backed the Scuderia’s call.

“Kimi is an icon in Formula 1 and the sport needs personalities like that,” the Frenchman told Canal Plus. “My view is that Ferrari’s decision to extend his contract was quite logical, especially given the rule change that is coming.”

“It would have been too disturbing to have another driver, and a younger one too, when they are still trying to rebuild the team with Sebastian Vettel,” Prost added.

“As we saw at Silverstone, Ferrari is now the third force behind Red Bull and more difficult for them. They were fighting with Force India all race so they have a lot to do and they need some stability and calm because they are not at the level they should be.

“So I think it’s not a bad decision to keep Kimi for another year,” Prost said.

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HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX FACTS & STATS

Facts and statistics – compiled by Reuters – for the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 11 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, at Hungaroring near Budapest.

• Lap distance: 4.381km. Total distance: 306.63km (70 laps)
• Race lap record: One minute 19.071 seconds (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)
• 2015 pole: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes
• 2015 winner: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari
• Start time: 1200 GMT (1400 local)

Wins

• Champions Mercedes have won 41 of the last 48 races and nine of this season’s 10.
• Nico Rosberg has won five this season, Hamilton four.
• Triple world champion Hamilton has 47 career victories. The Briton is third in the all-time list behind Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51), and five ahead of Ferrari’s four-times champion Vettel.
• McLaren’s Fernando Alonso has 32 wins, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen 20, Rosberg 19 and McLaren’s Jenson Button 15.
• Championship leader Rosberg has more victories than any other non-champion in the history of the sport.
• Ferrari have won 224 races in total, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Mercedes 54, Red Bull 51. McLaren last won in 2012.

Pole Position

• Mercedes have been on pole in 45 of the last 48 races and all but one of this season’s grands prix.
• Hamilton has 55 career poles and is third on the all-time list behind Schumacher (68) and Ayrton Senna (65). Vettel has 46, Rosberg 20.
• Points
• Sauber (Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr) are the only team yet to score a point in 2016.
• Renault’s Jolyon Palmer, Haas’s Esteban Gutierrez and Manor’s Rio Haryanto have also yet to open their accounts.

Hungarian Grand Prix

• Hamilton has won four times in Hungary, a record he shares with Schumacher. While three of those wins were from pole, he is the only driver to win from pole in the last 10 years at the Hungaroring.
• Raikkonen has made more podium appearances (seven) in Hungary than any current driver.
• It has been 12 years since the winner in Hungary also won the championship that year. The last was Schumacher in 2004.
• Button (2006) and Alonso (2003) took their first wins in Hungary. Button’s was from 14th on the grid, which remains the lowest winning start for the race. The Briton’s 2011 win was in his 200th race.
• Hungary’s debut in 1986 made it the first F1 race in eastern Europe behind what was then the ‘Iron Curtain’. This weekend’s race is the 31st Hungarian GP.
• Thirteen of the 30 races to date have been won from pole.
• The track is the slowest permanent circuit on the calendar.
• Zsolt Baumgartner, with Minardi, is the only Hungarian driver to have competed in his home race (in 2003 and 2004).

Milestones

• Max Verstappen’s second place at Silverstone was his third podium of the season, one more than his father Jos managed in his entire 106 race F1 career. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin,

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WILLIAMS ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THALES

Press Release: Williams is pleased to announce a new technical partnership with Thales, the leader in critical information systems, cyber security and data protection.

As part of the agreement Thales will deliver state-of-the-art cyber security solutions for real-time global telemetry transmission to both Williams Martini Racing and Williams Advanced Engineering, the engineering services and technology division of Williams.

Thales designs, develops and operates resilient and high-performance critical information systems supported by its 2,000 cyber security experts and world class data protection and digital trust management solutions, protecting mission critical data anywhere data resides. Cyber security, especially data protection, is of the utmost importance in the competitive world of Formula One.

The expertise brought by Thales will assist Williams in protecting its confidential high-value data. Thales Datacryptor 5000 delivers high speed data protection with state-of-the-art throughput enhancement and low latency to ensure high assurance, real-time global telemetry transmission from the pitlane back to Williams’ headquarters. Furthermore, with an increasing number of projects being undertaken for external customers through Williams Advanced Engineering, data protection and security has become a priority across the Williams Group.

Speaking about the new partnership Marc Darmon, Executive Vice-President, Secure Communication and Information Systems for Thales said; “Thales is a world class cyber security expert and a globally recognised systems integrator, delivering safety and security critical systems in challenging environments such as Aerospace, Space, Defence, Finance, IT and Technology and Ground Transportation. This agreement builds on the already strong existing relationship between our two companies and our combined skills and expertise. It clearly illustrates Thales’s commitment to accompany its clients in their digital transformation where cyber security is a vital requirement.”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal and Commercial Director of Williams, added; “Williams has undergone a significant digital transformation over the past two years. We are revolutionising our IT infrastructure to make sure that we are well placed to continue innovating. With the help of Thales, we will be introducing cyber security systems that keep our data secure from wherever we are in the world.”

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CAPELLI SAYS MONZA WILL NOT LOSE F1 TO IMOLA

Former F1 driver Ivan Capelli says he is confident Monza will soon end its never ending negotiations and cement its place on the 2017 Formula 1 calendar.

This week, reports have suggested Bernie Ecclestone is on the cusp of switching the Italian grand prix from Monza to Imola, citing “political problems”.

Capelli is now president of the automobile club of Milan, which is in that political mix.

“It is just technicalities that need a clear framework that we already know will be formalised this week,” he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“The money is there. If it were to go to Imola, it is because there is a will that is beyond all of that but right now, I cannot see it,” Capelli added.

He denied that a solution to the situation between Monza and Imola is that the two circuits annually alternate the Italian grand prix.

“No,” Capelli said, “because there was always the Italian grand prix at Monza, and rightly so. I think the goal is to sign for four more years.”

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Bottas keen for ‘Finnish Grand Prix’

Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Williams driver Valtteri Bottas has said that racing at the Hungaroring is like racing in his home country with all the Finnish flags being waved.

After suffering a recent slump in performances despite being tipped to rival Mercedes and Ferrari before the start of the season, Bottas is desperate to get back into the points, with both he and Felipe Massa only managing two points in the last two races.

On the race this weekend, the Finn admitted that the track itself is quite a challenge but is confident that Williams can prepare a solid car before Friday.

“The Hungaroring is probably the most intense track compared to the other events it falls around during the season,” said Bottas

“It’s much tighter with many slow speed corners and a very technical track to drive, so definitely not the easiest.

“Budapest falls in the summertime and normally it’s very hot. It’s nicknamed the ‘Finnish Grand Prix’ because there can be tens of thousands of Finns at the race.

“I always really appreciate seeing the Finnish flag and feeling that support.”

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Imola begins legal action over Italian GP bid

The fight between Imola and Monza to secure the Italian Grand Prix took a fresh twist on Wednesday when it was announced that legal action was beginning over approval for the event.

During a dramatic development that shows how tensions over the race are escalating, Imola said it was taking the matter to court – as it feels it not correct that the Italian racing authority, the ACI, did not want to approve its bid nor make funds available that are there for Monza.

As Motorsport.com reported earlier this week, Imola has an agreement in place with Bernie Ecclestone to hold the Italian GP from 2017, if it can secure the support of the Italian motor racing authority.

But as well as the ACI not willing to grant the Italian GP approval to Imola, it was also clear that extra funding given by the government to help Monza's cause was not going to be made available either.

Formula Imola president Uberto Selvatico Estense told Motorsport.com recently that ACI president Angelo Sticchi Damiani was only interested in helping Monza.

"It just depends on Angelo Sticchi Damiani," he said. "I think it's a political issue. We have an agreement with Bernie, and we only need the approval of the national sporting authority.

"If in the future there is not an Italian GP, it is only the problem of Mr Sticchi Damiani, who didn't allow this agreement."

With it clear the Damiani was not interested in giving the race nor funding to Imola, circuit chiefs announced on Wednesday that they had lodged an appeal to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court against the ACI for not providing the available support that would allow the circuit to host the race.

It claims with its contract accepted by Ecclestone, and Monza not having a deal in place, that it is wrong for the ACI not to help Imola.

In a statement issued by the track owners, it said: "Formula Imola, in her own right, and solicited by FOM, attended free negotiations which led to Formula Imola taking on the contractual commitment.

"Furthermore, the same proposal, sent by FOM (Formula One Management) and FOWC (Formula One World Championship) to SIAS and the Autodromo di Monza was not accepted.

"We want the national bodies to jointly assess and look at every possible option to prevent such a serious risk to the country's image in sporting terms [if it lost the GP].

Monza announced on Wednesday that it would be holding its regular pre-Italian Grand Prix press conference on the Tuesday before this year's race.

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Haas working on Singapore upgrade

Romain Grosjean says Haas is still planning to bring updates to its car later this season, despite the team having switched its focus to 2017.

On the back of a strong start to the current campaign that delivered a decent haul of points, the outfit wasted little time in choosing to concentrate the new regulations coming in for next year.

While that has limited the scope for developments this season, Grosjean says there are still items coming through the system that should help lift performance later in the campaign.

"Developments are arriving, but they are very late," he said. "In manufacturing, these parts take much longer than we would like – and these are pieces that should have been here a long time ago.

"These are the type of things that we have to improve in-house.

"But there are two big updates that are supposed to be coming and should be quite good. They should be around Singapore time, I think."

Heavy car

As well as the push to find aerodynamic improvements, Grosjean says that further gains can be had from refining other aspects of the car, especially in terms of reducing weight.

"In qualifying, we know that the car is heavy and it is a problem," he explained. "On a circuit like [Silverstone], five kilogrammes is two tenths – plus I am much heavier than Esteban [Gutierrez] too – which does not help.

"The car now has a level of performance that is between 11th and 14th place in qualifying.

"But that's because there have not been the updates we must have and because we know there are things that could easily save lap time but have not yet been sorted."

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Hungarian GP: Massa: Hungarian GP fans still give me gifts

Felipe Massa has revealed he still receives gifts from fans attending the Hungarian Grand Prix seven years after a freak accident at the Hungaroring left him fighting for his life. 

Massa was left in intensive care with skull damage when his helmet was struck by an errant piece of debris during qualifying for the 2009 edition of the race. Knocked unconscious and requiring emergency surgery, though Massa would make a full recovery, the incident would force him out for the remainder of the season. 

It is a career-defining incident that Massa continues to reflect on each time he heads to Hungary, though he says the warmth of the fans and the notoriety he received as a result makes every return a welcome one. 

“Hungary is a track where I personally have a lot of history with the accident I had. As a consequence, I have the most amazing fans there who support me a lot. 

"They follow me everywhere I go and always have gifts for me. It's an amazing place to go back to and spend time with them.” 

With Hungary marking the mid-way point in the 2016 F1 season, Williams heads into the second-half of the season now more than 100 points adrift of third place Red Bull in the constructors' standings, while Force India is just 19 points in arrears. 

Though some have pointed to occasionally lacklustre performances from Williams as a justification for its 'dip in form', Massa feels the margins are being magnified by the massive gains Red Bull has made with its Renault engine. 

“I think the biggest change [this year] is related to the Red Bull, they improve a lot,” he said. “Definitely last year the Red Bull had the better car in terms of chassis compared to us, even here, but they didn't have a good engine, so now the engine improved a lot and they even improve more the car I would say, so they are in front in the championship so they are fighting on some of the tracks, even Mercedes, so definitely they are in front of us. 

“So when you are third in the championship some of the races are even better than Ferrari and then now you are fourth, so for sure it is more difficult, it's clear.” 

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Hungarian GP: How old Hungary is F1’s new recipe for success

Tight, twisty, dusty and difficult to overtake on, the Hungaroring was met with a rather lukewarm response when it made its landmark F1 debut in 1986, a stark contrast to the scorching weather it would become synonymous with almost every year thereafter. 

The first grand prix to be held behind the Iron Curtain, whilst communism and the Trabants may have been long expunged from the country (well, not entirely with the latter), the event has now racked up a faithful 30 races to become one of the series' longest-serving consecutive events – only Monza and Monaco have hosted more in a row. 

It's not the most modern venue on the F1 calendar but the Hungaroring has matured into one of the most revered

On face value, it's perhaps surprising Hungary – once readily dismissed as Monaco without the walls - has avoided the axe when others have dropped off the calendar. The facilities are relatively dated, the grandstands could use a lick of paint and the layout itself has undergone only one significant upgrade in those three decades. Next to the Yas Marinas, COTAs and Marina Bays of this world, the Hungaroring brings an unmistaken – if not entirely intentional - retro chic to the F1 calendar… not that the schedule is particularly crying out for it. 

However, though age hasn't necessarily been kind to the venue itself – at least in relative terms -, its reputation in the paddock has matured favourably over time, from a much maligned exponent for processional races to the scene of an increasing tally of memorable motorsport moments. 

Breathtakingly intensive 

The compact Hungaroring is nothing if not sweat-inducing. Built in the small town of Mogyorod but only 15km from the capital city Budapest, the circuit spent its early years being rather unkindly referred to as a slippery 'dustbowl' with every summertime return, a consequence of the natural 'dip' in the land it has been created in. 

However, though there is only so much you can indeed do about dust, the Hungaroring – barely used by anything beyond F1 until recently – has a wide range of disciplines from the FIA portfolio to keep its surface sufficiently swept. Furthermore, this year's resurfacing is likely to provide more grip than ever and allow lap records to tumble.

With one corner after the other and only one straight, there is little opportunity to catch a breather

Then there is the layout, with almost every driver likely to make reference to the twisting, unrelenting nature in the run up to the event. 

Indeed, the Hungaroring was once referred to in the context of a physical hardship particularly as the temperatures rose, though less taxing modern-era machinery have reduced this to a more palatable physical 'challenge' for some of the hardier competitors. That said, compared to most – if not all – races, conquering the Hungaroring has enjoyed increasing bragging rights in recent years. 

“It is relentless, just corner after corner after corner, getting faster all the time,” says former Williams, McLaren and Red Bull driver David Coulthard. “The lack of a long straight to provide a breather and the usual high temperatures in central Europe at this time of year add to the challenge.” 

Fun in the sun 

It took 20 years for the Hungarian Grand Prix to experience a wet race day – much to Jenson Button's pleasure in 2006 -, but while we have seen the odd damp encounter since then, the Hungarian Grand Prix is well known for its sweltering conditions and it has been responsible for some of the hottest races on record. 

Whilst this is perhaps less pleasant from the cockpit or the pit-wall, the Hungaroring's proximity to the beautiful capital city Budapest means it has become a firm favourite amongst drivers, media and visiting fans, spurred on in part by the buzzing summer holiday atmosphere as you mingle wit locals and hip weekend breakers. 

The Hungarian GP's regular July date gives an 'F1 on summer holiday' atmosphere from start to finish

For many, this is 'F1 on holiday' and though the decision swap it with the German Grand Prix as the final round before the summer break is likely to add some 'sensibleness’ to proceedings amongst the drivers, it is not unusual to see a few of them celebrating (or commiserating) on a Sunday evening with a beverage or two by their side. 

Indeed, while Budapest was initially warily viewed as a Central European 'oddity' amidst the backdrop of the Soviet-era influence when it first emerged on the calendar, the advent of low-cost air travel unravelling this up this area of the world to a wider audience in the last 15 years has seen it evolve into a hotspot of parties, culture and frivolity. 

Better still, it is one of the better value events to travel, stay and purchase tickets for, while its relative geographic isolation compared to other events means it attracts a sizeably dedicated and cosmopolitan demographic from across Europe – if nothing else the colourful grandstands are awash with all manner different nationalities brandishing their flag-waving pride. 

Overtaking can now happen… but you have to work for it 

One of the overriding characteristics of the Hungaroring when it first emerged on the calendar was how difficult it was to overtake on. This is no better demonstrated than the notorious 1990 event in which Ayrton Senna simply couldn't find a gap to hustle his McLaren past a slower but steadfast Williams of Thierry Boutsen. 

Overtaking is now a regular occurrence at the Hungaroring… but DRS doesn't make it as easy here as it does elsewhere

However, it is perhaps unfair that the race is still referenced to this day, not least when you consider that only 13 of the 30 editions have actually been won by the driver that started on pole position. Furthermore, who could forget Nelson Piquet's scintillating pass on Senna around the outside of turn one in 1986? If you have forgotten, feel free to marvel here below… 

Ironically, the scant changes to the layout over the years has forced F1 to grow into the Hungaroring, its antithesis to the wide and lengthy norm once a critique, now a thumbs up. 

This is partially explained by the introduction of DRS, which makes overtaking possible at the Hungaroring, yet it remains short enough to ensure passing isn't the somewhat point-defeating breeze it has become at the broader venues... you only need to look at the myriad of turn one out-brakes and clashes in 2015 alone to see that DRS doesn't always have to take the challenge out of passing. 

Nostalgic value 

Admittedly, the cracks and ageing relics aren't hard to find here but in the face of some fairly soulless new additions the Hungaroring has inherited a nostalgic status, albeit mostly via a process of elimination as other more historical events fall by the wayside. 

That said, change is seemingly on the horizon. A new 10 year deal has been agreed with the likely caveat of state funding that will be used to revamp the circuit. Yet, such maturing fondness has prompted teams to urge bosses not to tamper too much with the formula, the once frustrating high kerbs, winding bends and dustbowl, now more fondly regarded as 'characterful'. 

“Leave it alone, it's great,” says Christian Horner. “It's a fun circuit, it's a different type of circuit and I think it always produces, for whatever reason, good races here. So, I think all the drivers enjoy racing here, it's a great city, a fun city to come to and visit.” 

“It's got a lot of character, the fans seem to love it, you can get in and out, which is a bonus,” added Pirelli's Paul Hembery. “The city itself is very welcoming – so there isn't a lot really wrong. I think if it's carrying on, most people are going to be very happy.” 

The Hungaroring has undergone just one significant upgrade in 30 years… but many want it to remain the same as it is now

Granted, praise isn't entirely unanimous and it's admittedly strange that Hungary never seems in doubt despite its foibles and lack of a history or motor racing culture (Bernie has complained about less in other countries), but as time goes by and more bits and pieces fall off, the love for the Hungaroring only continues to grow…
 

 

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Silverstone plans 25,000 British Grand Prix capacity increase

Silverstone plans to increase its seating capacity by a further 25,000 over the next three years to keep pace with rising Formula 1 costs.

Circuit managing director Patrick Allen is confident for the second year in succession the British Grand Prix "will have made money", after recording a profit for the first time in 10 years in 2015 when it made £1.2million.

This year attracted a race-day crowd of 139,000, just 1000 shy of 2015's record, while the three-day attendance was 350,000.

Allen is already looking at ways to further increase capacity and to reduce the distance between the track and grandstands.

"Budget allowing I'd like to get the crowd closer to the track action, and this is where we are in discussions with the FIA and Charlie Whiting," Allen told Autosport.

"So for instance at Becketts, and down the National pit straight, I want to bring the grandstands in. I'm currently looking at that.

"If we could do that it would be more exciting for the fans and drivers. They would feel like they are driving through an arena all the way around the circuit, rather than seeing the crowd from a distance.

"We can also put more grandstands in, but it's not cheap to do that.

"Initially we can do more with our existing ones, and if we can get them closer to the track then that will allow for further capacity.

"We've currently around 65,000 seats, and I'd like to see that climb to nearer 90,000.

"That will probably be phased in over three years. If we get a slug of investment money, then who knows, we might be able to do it sooner."

Allen also aims to attract more casual fans by adding a major concert in the new arena area he plans on the Stowe infield.

"It would be the Rolling Stones or U2. That's who I want to go to, or Coldplay, Paul Weller - a really big name that attracts another audience," he said.

"Obviously those kind of names don't come cheap, and that's why we need the crowd to be able to sell it."

Another of Allen's ideas is to create a sport season ticket that could combine the British GP, a day at Wimbledon, the FA Cup final and The Open.

"For a lot of people who attend a grand prix, to also attend Wimbledon or The Open may be on their bucket list," said Allen, who wants to begin talks with his counterparts at the other major British sporting events.

Silverstone is also working on collaborations with other F1 venues.

In recent weeks Allen has met with Yas Marina CEO Al Tarek Al Ameri, Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, CEO of the Bahrain International Circuit, Singapore GP deputy chairman Colin Syn and Mexican GP marketing director Rodrigo Sanchez.

Allen concedes they are "all in the same boat with regard to escalating F1 costs, so we're all looking at ways of making our circuits profitable".

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Fernando Alonso 'not at all happy' with current Formula 1

Fernando Alonso has lamented what he deems to be the unclear direction of Formula 1 and many failings of the current rules that are making him consider his future.

McLaren driver Alonso claims there are many aspects of modern-day F1 he currently dislikes, underlined by the V6 turbo hybrids and current range of Pirelli tyres.

Expressing his discontent, the double world champion told Autosprint: "These days F1 is in a time of highs and lows, for several things the series' direction isn't clear.

"I'm not at all happy for some things that are happening: we can never drive the cars to their real limit; we can never attack as much as we would like because the tyres don't allow you to.

"If you push too hard they overheat, and lose grip immediately. If you use the engine too much, you step over consumption parameters.

"To be quick in today's F1, you must not attack too much, that's the secret, but that's something against a driver's instincts.

"This is why current cars aren't as pleasing to drive compared to other periods, when the technical rule book was different. This situation doesn't make me too happy.

"I am not saying current cars are easier to drive, but they certainly are from a physical point of view or in finding the car's true limit.

"That's because before, when you were attacking a turn, the speed mid-turn was so high that you really had to trust your car, trust that it would handle it. With less grip, it's easier to find the grip's limit.

"Before, after 10 laps you had to have a two-hour massage, while now you can drive 150 laps and barely sweat by the end."

Alonso has already suggested the sweeping rule changes for 2017 need to make him enjoy driving F1 cars again if he is to continue in the championship.

If not, then with a year remaining on his current McLaren contract, Alonso reiterated he could be lured away from F1 by the Le Mans 24 Hours or the Indianapolis 500.

"Many things will change next year, let's hope the joy of driving will return to be a major factor," added Alonso.

"If I see F1 carries on going in a different direction compared to what I knew and loved in the recent past, at that point I could consider other alternatives and leave F1.

"Le Mans would be the option closest to my driving style, and to what I've always done.

"The Indy 500 is a fascinating, radical change because you must learn a completely different driving style and way of thinking.

"Nevertheless, I'd be open and ready to learn it because when you have been F1 world champion there are only two other races that are equivalent prestige-wise: the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Indianapolis 500.

"But in any case it would be an idea, a plan that would be really long term in order to be turned to reality."

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HARYANTO: IF YOU SEE ME AT HOCKENHEIM THEN I WILL FINISH THE SEASON

Manor’s Rio Haryanto’s future in Formula 1 will be decided during the eek between the Hungaruan Grand Prix and the German Grand Prix.

The Indonesian driver’s future on the F1 grid hinges on his management team securing funding for the second half of the season as his funding only covered the first half of the year.

Asked by reporters if Hungary would be his last grand prix, Haryanto said, “We will see. Obviously if you see me at Hockenheim then I think that would secure the whole season.”

Despite the uncertainty Haryanto is adamant that his on track performance is not affected, “I have been able to focus a lot on the track so it was no problem at all.

“I think I’m much more relaxed now. It’s good to be back here in Hungary at this track that I’m very familiar with. I’ve been here many times, I think this is my sixth time.”

“Obviously I’ve been racing in GP3 and GP2. With Formula One it’s good to be back here as I’ve got a lot of experience,” added Haryanto.

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MAGNUSSEN: I WANT TO STAY WITH RENAULT

Amid a less than stellar return to the Formula 1 grid this season, Renault driver Kevin Magnussen is keeping his options open for 2017 but admits staying with the French team is his top priority.

Neither Magnussen or Jolyon Palmer have been confirmed for next season by Renault, with a number of hopefuls on the team’s radar including the likes of Carlos Sainz, Esteban Ocon and Stoffel Vandoorne.

Magnussen told reporters in Hungary, “I’ve clearly made it obvious that I want to stay and I consider myself part of the team and part of the future, I haven’t seen any signs that I’m not [part of the future] the time will tell but I feel happy and confident so we’ll see what happens.

But he admitted, “I think that you know people around the paddock, I’m not only talking with the Renault people, I know a lot of people so you always talk so you know what’s going on, keep your doors open and at the moment I’m not going to need it.”

First prize for the Dane, whose return to F1 coincides with a transition year for Renault who are guilty of not providing him with a car in which he can show his maximum potential, is to remain with the Enstone based team beyond 2016.

“It doesn’t seem like they’re in much of a rush, I’ve been in this situation before and you never really know, all you can do is do you best and enjoy it while it lasts,” added Magnussen.

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WTF!? DRIVER MUST PIT TO SORT PROBLEMS AS PER NEW F1 RADIO RULES

Formula 1 has clarified the rules on radio communication between teams and drivers in the wake of incidents that have cost competitors points this season.

The clarification from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the sport’s governing body, makes clear that a team can inform a driver of a problem with his car but must order him to enter the pits for a decision on what to do.

The technical directive, from Formula One race director Charlie Whiting ahead of Hungarian Grand Prix, defines more clearly what teams can tell drivers during a race.

The document, dated July 20 and seen by Reuters, says “any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car”.

The FIA has acted following some high-profile incidents relating to instructions from teams to drivers on the track.

At the British Grand Prix on July 10 Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg was found to be in breach of the rules restricting what information can be conveyed.

The German, nursing a potentially terminal gearbox problem, was hit with a 10-second time penalty that demoted him from second to third after the team gave him instructions on how to get around it.

At the time Mercedes, which decided not to challenge Rosberg’s penalty, argued the messages were legal as the rules permitted communication regarding a terminal problem.

Force India’s Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix a week earlier with brake problems after the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue.

Following the clarification, teams will be forced to bring a driver into the pits if they inform him of a critical problem where they will then be free to either help him fix it or retire the car.

Coming into the pits will, however, cost the driver a significant chunk of time.

The fresh directive also clarified that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pit lane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the car left the garage.

“The rule is now clearer than before,” a Mercedes source told Auto Motor und Sport.

But Williams’ Valtteri Bottas isn’t sure, arguing that some teams may choose to ignore the pitlane instruction and instead push for a Rosberg-like post-race time penalty, “At the moment it looks like it’s better to take the penalty.”

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel pulled no punches at all, blasting the “bullshit” radio rules.

Force India team manager Andy Stevenson is also confused, revealing: “We checked all the radio messages after Silverstone and there were more than 15 cases that should have been punished too.”

He also warned that the new clampdown will drive up costs, with engineers now having to rewrite some software.

And Williams technical chief Pat Symonds is also surprised with the FIA’s latest rule tweak, declaring: “We wanted the radio ban to be somewhat relaxed, so what does the FIA do? They make the rules even more strict.”