FORMULA 1 - 2016

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Renault: 'Small details' key to better form

Renault team principal Fred Vasseur believes that improving on small details can help the French manufacturer deliver more performance over the second half of the campaign.

The Enstone-based outfit has had a difficult start to 2016, while it focuses on a major revamp, and currently lies ninth in the constructors' championship standings.

But with a few more developments set to be introduced later this year, plus areas where Vasseur is sure his team can do better, the team is hopeful that it can become stronger.

"If you look at the last two or three events, we are improving but we need to be focussed on the smaller details," said the Frenchman.

"We need to look at set-up and strategy and make sure we are doing a better job compared to the last events. We also need to understand tyre management a bit better.

"Over the last two or three races we have looked at it a lot and we have a much better understanding now, so we need to keep on with this trajectory.

"We are improving on the grid but if you look at race pace we are always better off than in qualifying.

"This means we need to get more from the Saturday situation. We are going in the right direction but we need to find two or three tenths and it is in the smaller details we need to improve and find it."

Chief technical officer Bob Bell thinks Renault's difficult in finding big leaps of performance is one shared by many teams.

"All teams are finding it hard to unlock real performance gains, partly due to the current stability in regulations that makes it tricky to find the final parts of the puzzle," he said. "It's also partly due to a concerted effort on 2017, which will see big regulation changes.

"It's not just hard for us, but for everyone on the grid. That said, we have been very good at finding our strong points and exploiting them, and since Hungary we have seen some genuine progress."

When asked about how the team planned to divide resources between this year and next year, Bell said: "It's a difficult call to decide on the resource split and it really depends on your aspirations for 2016 versus your aspirations for 2017 to decide when to switch. As per most teams we are now winding up 2016 and putting all our effort into 2017."

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Toro Rosso confident Key will stay on

Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost is confident that his highly-rated technical director James Key will remain at the outfit, despite interest from rivals in luring him away.

Key has been linked with several teams including Ferrari on the back of the promise that his Toro Rosso chassis designs have shown in recent years.

Although the team is well aware that other outfits are interested in luring Key away, Tost says that following talks with his technical boss there is no reason to be worried that the Briton wants to leave.

"Of course we have discussed this, but James has a contract with Toro Rosso," Tost told Motorsport.com.

"James is an honest person and a gentleman. I expect that he respects his contract. He has also good working conditions and has a good team around him. Therefore I hope that he will stay with us."

Tost knows that there would be grounds for Key to seriously consider an offer from a big team like Ferrari, but he believes working for an outfit like Toro Rosso has its own unique benefits.

When asked if Key could find the same level of job satisfaction elsewhere, Tost said: "It depends on the environment.

"I personally think that currently the environment on the technical side of Toro Rosso is positive. The working conditions are good. The rest we will see then next year with what's going on with the chassis and the Renault power unit."

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Interview: Why Hamilton thinks he is getting better with age

After turning a 43 points deficit against teammate Nico Rosberg into a 19-point advantage, Lewis Hamilton will return from Formula 1's summer break as many people's favourite for his third consecutive world title.

And if he does go on and deliver that championship success, it will be proof that the new, more mature Hamilton has learned how not to let adversity get him down.

Formerly notorious for wearing his heart on his sleeve and occasionally allowing his emotions to get in the way of his performance, the current racing season has seen him stay focused on the job at hand despite the obstacles put in his way.

But what is behind Hamilton's more mature approach? Is it a natural consequence of getting old, or has the Briton worked on rolling with the punches?

"I think it's definitely a part of growing and being the age that I am, but I think it's also interpreting other people's struggles," he said.

"You know many people have difficult times, but my brother... seeing him growing up, whether we played basketball or football, it's easy for me to kick around a ball and then my brother would trip, fall over.

"It's easy to run rings around him because he obviously can't move his legs like that. He'd fall over, get back up and never once ever complained, never complained that he couldn't get the ball off you, or I was whooping his butt.

"He just keeps getting up and keeps trying harder and I guess that's probably coming into real use, that kind of experience.

"I think also now I'm just in a place in my life where as you grow older your priorities shift and you understand what's it and what's not and you don't get caught up in the unimportant things.

"I think as I continue to grow those priorities will get clearer and clearer I would imagine. My friends are telling me that when you have kids then it changes again but I feel like I'm definitely in that transition, gone through that transition phase and now I don't get hung up on difficult times. I'm able to pass through it real quick and turn it [around]."

Several of Hamilton's colleagues have sought the services of sports psychologists to help better understand their behaviours, and to become better racers as a consequence.

Felipe Massa has heaped praise on the help he received in getting back to racing following his accident in qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, while Romain Grosjean has been similarly effusive in praise for those who helped turn the Frenchman from "first lap nutcase" to podium-sitter.

Hamilton, however, prefers to look within for the growth he needs.

"I don't speak to people," he said. "I don't speak to anyone. I generally just try to grow in myself. I think we all are great within our higher self and then sometimes we let other things get in the way and sometimes lose our way: say the wrong things, and think the wrong things, and for a minute you come off the road and somehow you navigate your way back.

"I think [I'm] just getting better at doing that, basically. As I said, back in the day I wouldn't leave the hotel room for days in anger of making a mistake or something like that. Now, once I've left [the track] and am on the way home I feel it for a bit but then next day, it's a new day and it's a new time.

"I just have the new outlook that all I can do is change what's ahead of me, or I can help shape what's ahead of me, rather than what's behind; there's nothing I can do about it.

"It's just strange how life works where there are those times where you stumble and you go through that emotional roller-coaster ride and somehow as an athlete still manage to keep your head in the game, if not strengthen yourself through those experiences."

Turning 30 last year was something of a watershed moment for Hamilton, both as a racing driver and as a human being.

"I think last year, being 30, I was in the first year of the best years of my life," Hamilton reflected. "They say that, don't they?

"And my thirties so far have been my best; really enjoyed them and I think that's just part of me being mature and knowing what I want. I'm generally around people who are younger than me most of the time, I'm generally the older one there.

"I'm now finally in the place where I'm able to look at someone who is 25 or younger and actually give wisdom, which I was never in a position [to do] before.

"'I'm six years ahead of you and these are the things I've experienced in those six years, you've got loads more to learn so don't worry about it.' Those kinds of things. It's kind of crazy; I'm over that hill now and kind of hoping it's not too steep a hill downhill.

"I think I'm right at the top."

[OZCUBAN]

I know it's not F-1 but still 

 

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7 hours ago, OZCUBAN said:

I know it's not F-1 but still 

 

Still cool to watch mate!! Unsafe release, Charlie Whiting would lick his lips if that happened in F1

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FERRARI WARY OF UNPREDICTABLE SPA WEATHER

After a one month break from racing, Formula 1 is back in action with the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which is so popular with drivers and race fans alike.

Spa has undergone numerous changes from the 14 kilometre track used for the first race back in 1924, to the current 7.004 km, which has resulted in a reduction in the top speeds seen on some sections in the past.

However, it still has a special attraction and, as well as being the longest circuit on the calendar, it is still today’s most technical track.

Part of this is down to the uncertain nature of the weather, which can even change from one section of track to another.

Therefore, the Belgian round is major test bench for cars and drivers, as Formula 1 rounds the mid-point marker and tackles this the thirteenth round of the season.

“It is very challenging from a meteorological point of view” reckons Sebastian Vettel’s race engineer Riccardo Adami, “The weather is challenging: in the past, I remember having found a part of the circuit with the sun shining and the other part with rain. So, it’s important to be sharp in the strategy and tires.”

Moving on to the technical side, Adami said, “In this track we have the second sector with its high-speed corners, while the first and the last sectors are more for top-speed and long straights. Therefore, it’s always difficult to find the right wing level and to have the right aero efficiency in the first and last sector, not compromising too much the second sector where corners are.

The braking system, even if it’s not too much stressed, is very important in this track, especially the last chicane in qualifying, because the drivers normally arrive there and it’s like without breathing and trying to take the last braking and the last few tenths, not destroying the whole qualifying lap.

Spa is also very important regarding the Power Unit settings, because there’s lot of time in full throttle and also for the ERS: we need to find the right compromise for the energy through the lap. The most important corner of this track is Eau Rouge, at least it was supposed to be in the past, because it’s close to be taken flat out.

It is one of the highest compression in terms of vertical load and vertical acceleration, reaching 4Gs. It’s very demanding for the driver because he finds himself through this corner which is so peculiar for the compression. So, he goes down and up without breathing.”

Kimi Raikkonen, who won his last race for Ferrari at Spa in 2009, said ahead of the weekend in the Ardennes, “It’s an old, traditional circuit, with up and down hills. That’s what is different, more than other circuits, even just the place itself in the middle of nowhere.”

“They changed lightly the last chicane in the past years, but I enjoy it. Conditions can be tricky sometimes, but it’s usually good for overtaking and that’s nice for drivers and spectators. On TV it’s hard to say, but when you’re there you can see it’s quite steep,” added the Finn.

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VERSTAPPEN: YOU DON’T JUST ALLOW SOMEBODY BY

Despite a stellar second season in Formula 1, Max Verstappen still has his detractors including veteran Kimi Raikkonen who questioned the young Dutchman’s defensive tactics and with it opened the lid on criticism leveled at the Red Bull driver.

But Verstappen is not fazed by the talk, in fact he sees it as a plus, “I always see it as a positive thing. If people are talking about you then you are doing something right. Of course, you always have people who criticise. Some people are for you, some people against.”

“But I just try to do the best possible job for the team because we are fighting with Ferrari. You don’t just allow somebody by.”

With victory in his first race for Red Bull, after his promotion from Toro Rosso, the teenager has revealed a ruthless streak that has inevitably conjured up comparisons with the late great Ayrton Senna.

Verstappen acknowledges, “Of course, I am always on the limit, but that’s how you become successful, by being on the limit – because if you are under it then you will never achieve what you are capable of.”

“So for me, [[criticism] doesn’t really change a lot. I will drive exactly the same as I have done before because there is nothing wrong with it.”

Verstappen also accepts that the focus is more on him now that he is a front runner with Red Bull, as opposed to a mid-pack grafter with Toro Rosso. The limelight exacerbated by his fairy tale maiden victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.

“After the win, of course people expect a lot from you. I just approach every weekend the same, just trying to do the best possible job, trying to set up the car as well as I can, drive as well as I can.”

“Of course, it was a surprise to me to win my first race with a new team straight away, but from there on everything has gone pretty well.”

“At Toro Rosso they were very professional, but being at Red Bull is another step up on a number of levels, so for myself I had to step up.

“It’s not the easiest thing jumping into a new team in the middle of a season, but so far everything has worked out quite well.

“I’ve been enjoying it, the pace is there, I’m having good results, and I’m definitely loving it out there right now,” admitted Verstappen who heads to Spa for his 32nd grand prix start.

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ALONSO: AT SPA WE’LL BE PUSHING FOR POINTS AS HARD AS WE CAN

Amid a season of sparse results, but steady improvement, McLaren driver Fernando Alonso is upbeat about his chances at Spa-Francorchamps which marks the end of the summer break and the start of the second half of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship season.

Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Alonso said, “You have to have a strong package at Spa, in terms of performance and reliability. More than 70 percent of the lap is spent at full throttle, which will be a challenge in itself.”

“But we’ve shown over the past few races that, even on the circuits that statistically should be difficult for us, we’ve worked hard and surprised ourselves with our level of performance relative to our competitors.”

“We’re seeing good correlation between the data back at base and in the car on track, so I hope we can continue our momentum and get the maximum out of the weekend.”

“This circuit is always a tough challenge for car and driver but if we can pull all the elements together we can enjoy a positive weekend. It won’t be an easy race, but as always we’ll be pushing for points as hard as we can.”

“I feel refreshed and raring to go, and ready to take on the incredible twists and turns of this legendary track. There’s a lot to think about at this circuit: strategy, tyres, fuel, power unit management, and then there’s the weather.”

“This is the sort of circuit that always throws up something unpredictable and there’s usually some drama during the race, so I hope we can fight hard and take advantage of any situation that comes our way,” added the Spaniard who will be competing in his 265th grand prix on the weekend.

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MERCEDES PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

The 2016 Formula One World Championship season continues this weekend with Round 13, the Belgian Grand Prix, from Spa-Francorchamps

Lewis Hamilton: “It’s crazy how quickly this year is going by. It seems like a few weeks ago we were in Barcelona for winter testing and now we’re through the summer break, heading to Spa. The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us. There will be more up and downs to come, I’m sure. But the way myself and the team have performed so far gives me huge confidence. I’m feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to go after a fun few weeks off, so hopefully everyone else has had a good rest too and we’ll come out fighting. Spa is a great track – one that every driver enjoys. It was great to finally get back on the top step there last year, so fingers crossed I’ll be able to have another strong race this time around. It’s been such a proud few weeks for British sport, with the Olympics and then Cal Crutchlow becoming the first British MotoGP winner in more than 30 years. I’ll do my best to keep the flag flying this weekend. A big shout-out to the British fans heading out to this one. I’m sure they’ll be out in force as always!”

Nico Rosberg: “It’s been great to have a couple of weeks with the family to relax and recharge the batteries. I’ve loved every minute – but now it’s time to get back to work! For me, it’s like a clean slate at this stage. What’s happened so far this season is in the past. I can’t wait to get in that car, put my foot down and get everything I can from these next races. Belgium is a great place to kick start the year after the break. It’s such an awesome track, with so many challenges and usually some crazy weather just to mix things up even more. If you ask any driver they will tell you how much they love racing here. And, if you look back through the years, there have been some great moments too – that mega move from Mika Häkkinen on Michael Schumacher down the Kemmel straight, for example. All of that history just makes it even more special, so I’d love to add my name to the winner’s list. I’m feeling strong in myself, I know I’ll have the best car out there and I’m massively pumped to be back on track, so let’s see how it goes.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “We return from the summer break with fresh energy for the next phase of the season – and we will need all of that energy, as time and again we’re reminded that nothing is clear cut. We were expecting Hungary to be tough, with Hockenheim playing more to our strengths. That wasn’t the case. It’s an unusual situation to be winning for so long, so you can’t expect it to last – especially against opposition with such passion and resource as those around us. We will continue to fight hard. For the drivers, it’s the same story. There are more than 200 points to be won in their title battle and a lot of racing to be done yet. Lewis is on an impressive run, just like Nico had at the end of last season and into this one. The advantage constantly swings, so it will be exciting to see how their battle pans out. We’re also pleased to see both of our Junior drivers side-by-side at Manor, with Esteban joining Pascal on the grid from this weekend. The coming races will be important for both of their development, so we will watch their progress with great interest. There is plenty to be excited about heading into these next nine races. I, for one, can’t wait to get back out there.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “Spa is one of the truly great Formula One venues, with long straights, a range of high-speed corners and significant elevation change creating spectacular racing and making it tough to find the best setup. You need a car which is quick through the corners for good lap time – but the long Kemmel straight leaves drivers prone to overtaking if they’re carrying too much drag. The speed they can carry through Eau Rouge is also crucial, with significant compression through this corner a notable setup consideration. Today, with the Hybrid systems, energy management also comes into play. Drivers must manage the lap wisely to protect against attack from behind and give themselves the best chance of making a pass themselves. There is so much variety and opportunity in the circuit. It’s a great formula and one which new venues should look to emulate. What’s more, thousands of enthusiastic fans from across Europe flock to this race and camp around the circuit. I have huge respect for them, as it can get very cold and wet out there. This is definitely a race which sorts the true fans from the glamour seekers! It’s important to get a good result here, as it’s a good test of all-round performance and sets you up for the rest of the season, so we’ll be pushing hard.”

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SAUBER DRIVERS PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

After a two week summer break and factory shutdown, the Sauber F1 Team goes into the second part of the 2016 season with a new aero package. Another back to back race weekened is approaching on two traditional tracks: One is the longest, the other one is the fastest.

Following the Belgian Grand Prix (28th August), which is a kind of roller coaster ride on the legendary Ardennes race track in Spa-Francorchamps, the Swiss Team heads straight to the Italian Grand Prix (4th September) on the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.

The track near Milan is known for the highest speed on any straights on the calendar. The weekend is always like a home grand prix for the Sauber F1 Team, as Monza is not far away from the Swiss border.

The Italian Grand Prix will be the last round of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship in Europe.

Marcus Ericsson: “Looking back to last year’s Belgian and Italian Grands Prix, my memories are not too bad. I was able to score points by finishing both races in the top ten – in tenth and ninth. I remember we had a decent pace in both races last year, and I hope we can achieve similar results this time as well. In comparison to other circuits, the track at Spa is quite long with some interesting corners and passages – Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, Pouhon and so on. Engine power is the crucial factor – as it also is in Monza. On this circuit, which is the fastest on the calendar, we need to find a compromise with the downforce level giving us a high straight-line speed, but also finding the right set-up for a stable and fast car through the chicanes. There is always a thrilling atmosphere in the Autodromo, and the Italians are really passionate about motorsport.”

Felipe Nasr: “Spa-Francorchamps is the opener of the second part of the season – and my favourite circuit on the calendar. The track is unique, having a lot of high-speed corners and a great corner combination. As a driver you get a nice flow going – up and down – through these corner combinations. From the technical side, the combination of low downforce and traction is essential to be competitive. At Monza we also need to find an efficient balance for being fast on the straights and not losing too much time in the corners. The flow is really nice too, with Parabolica being my favorite corner. Monza is an historic and unique circuit for me. I know the circuit well from every series I have come through. It reminds me a lot of the time when I moved to Italy in 2009 as a young racing driver. Back then I lived very close to Monza.”

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PUJOLAR EMERGES AT SAUBER AFTER LEAVING TORO ROSSO

Xevi Pujolar who had a guiding hand in Max Verstappen’s entry into Formula 1 with Toro Rosso has been appointed Head of Track Engineering for Sauber as from the Singapore Grand Prix.

The Swiss team announced in a press release: “The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to confirm the appointment of Xevi Pujolar as new Head of Track Engineering. The 43-year old Catalan started at the Sauber F1 Team headquarters in Hinwil after the summer break and will work in this capacity from the Singapore Grand Prix onwards.”

“Pujolar has worked for several Formula 1 teams; previously he worked as Senior Race Engineer at Scuderia Toro Rosso. Paul Russell, who is in the role of Chief Race Engineer on an interim basis, will be back in his previous position as Head of Performance Integration.”

Pujolar was reportedly fired by Toro Rosso when Verstappen was promoted to the Red Bull team. Pujolar is said to have been instrumental in dividing the Faenza based team into two factions, namely his and Verstappen’s side of the garage, and on the other side Carlos Sainz and his crew.

At the time of Pujolar’s dismissal, Verstappen, a Red Bull driver by then, told De Telegraaf, “I think for [Pujolar] it was more of a surprising goodbye. I am very happy that I am now at Red Bull.”

Verstappen added, “For me there was nothing personal going on at Toro Rosso, but it is strange that after my departure two engineers were immediately dismissed.”

Pujolar says of himself, “I have an approach to problem identification and solution finding that is scientific, methodical, and practical. I like working in a team role where I can bring expertise to bear under-pressure and in difficult or sometimes inevitably chaotic situations.”

“I work effectively in small and large teams planning ahead in a structured cooperative way. I am highly motivated and ambitious to succeed.”

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Belgian Grand Prix, Round 13 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, at Spa-Francorchamps.

Max Verstappen: “It has been a nice relaxing break after a busy start to the summer. I managed to spend some time with my family, get some rest and have a bit of fun. Going into Spa it should be a great weekend, there will be a lot of Belgian and also Dutch fans. They are all coming to one of the most famous tracks on the calendar and from the driver’s point of view one of the favourites also. I had a really good weekend there last year so hopefully we can have an even better result this year.

“Spa is the longest track we go to, I did a track walk last year and it felt long so I will probably use a bicycle this year. Also last year I drove part of the circuit the wrong way for a Live Demo, it was definitely interesting and quite a lot different. Downhill into Eau Rouge was pretty scary, the barriers aren’t made for that but it went well and not many people get the chance to do it.

“After Spa we head straight to Monza, it’s really cool because of the history of the track as well as being a really fun track to drive. The food though is of course the best in the world. I have spent a lot of time in Italy so to go back, eat some local food and see some old friends will be very nice. I can’t wait to get back there.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “I spent my summer holidays in the Californian sunshine. It was really good, I have some friends there and some close mates from home came over as well. We had good fun, no racing chat so we just switched off and caught up. It was especially nice to see those friends from Perth who I only see once or twice a year.

“Spa is cool and the track is amazing. It’s very historic, fast and flowing. I had a win there two years ago so it has always been a good track to return to for me. I think it’s funny how spread out the circuit at Spa is, on one side you can have sun while it rains on the other. You always get a lot of regular fans there, you see them year after year so it’s nice to see real F1 fans out there. Food wise fries and waffles seem to be the local cuisine, it’s not really race diet but it tastes pretty good.

“Then it’s straight on to Germany. I think the Hockenheimring is “We are straight in to Italy after Spa. It has the best pizza place in the world, it’s ridiculous and I love it. The fans in Italy are cool too, they are crazy about racing and extremely passionate. I like the track through the park, racing there is good and there are plenty of overtaking opportunities.”

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Pirelli confirms Italian Grand Prix tyre compound choices

Pirelli have confirmed which tyres each driver has selected for the upcoming Italian Grand Prix in a fortnight's time, with the vast majority favouring the supersoft tyre for Monza.

Championship leaders Mercedes and rivals Ferrari have selected seven of the supersoft each for their two drivers, whilst their soft and medium selection differ internally.

Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel will have just one of the medium and five of the soft, whilst Nico Rosberg and Kimi Raikkonen will have one extra of the medium.

Red Bull have taken one less of the supersoft for both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, a strategy copied by Sauber with the two teams taking the least of the red striped tyre.

Meanwhile Haas have chosen the most of the supersoft at nine for each driver.

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BOB BELL: RENAULT’S REBUILD MEANS F1 TITLE IN FIVE YEARS IS “NOT UNREALISTIC”

Renault’s chief technical officer Bob Bell believes it would not be “unrealistic” for the team to be capable of winning the Formula 1 world title in five years time.

The French manufacturer returned to the sport as a full works outfit at the beginning of this season after a five-year absence as it repurchased the former Lotus squad that it had previously owned between 2002 and 2010 late last year.

Carlos Ghosn, Renault’s CEO, outlined his expectations for the team to return to the F1 podium in three years when its 2016 challenger, the RS16, was launched back in February.

Since then, Renault has scored just six points, all of which came courtesy of Kevin Magnussen’s seventh place at the Russian Grand Prix, and the team has struggled to escape the first part of qualifying for much of the season.

But Renault appeared to make step in performance during the last two races before the summer break as Jolyon Palmer ran in the top ten before spinning down the order late in the Hungarian Grand Prix, and the Briton made it through to Q2 in Germany.

Bell, who was speaking at the European final of the Infiniti Engineering Academy, which offers young engineers the chance to work with the automotive firm and Renault for a year, cited past examples of F1 teams winning the title after five years in the sport.

He said: “If you look at it historically, it took Renault five years from when they bought Benetton to win their first championship, it took Mercedes five years from buying Brawn to win their first championship, [and] it took Red Bull five years from buying Jaguar to win a first championship.

“For me, a five year time window from where we are now to winning a championship is not unrealistic. We’d like to better that and we will do all that we can to better that, but that’s not an unrealistic time frame.”

When asked by JAonF1 how the team’s transformation work from the final days of the cash-strapped Lotus era into Renault’s latest works F1 effort was going, Bell explained that the rebuilding process had picked up thanks to increasing amounts of investment from Renault.

He said: “[The rebuild] is going well. There is a huge amount of investment coming into the team now. Renault have just started to provide us with the tools we now need to move the team on. We’re replacing machine tools and all the pieces of equipment we need to move – everything from wind tunnel model cars through to final car parts. So that side of it is really coming on and going well.”

Bell also described how Renault has” aggressive growth plans”, but insisted that the team would wait to hire the best staff it could to help it move up the grid.

He said: “We’ve got quite aggressive growth plans for personnel, which stretch out over a couple of years and those are in good shape. We’re not, in that specific regard, we’re not in a hurry. We will get the best people we can get our hands on and we’ll wait for them if we have too.

“The team is not yet able to demonstrate its full prowess on track. But all the pieces are being put in place for the future and we know it will take time [and] effort, but we’re fully committed to it.”

Bell explained the team was working to improve all aspects of the RS16 rather than concentrating on just one area of the car.

He said: “We focus our efforts on everything. You can’t leave one part untouched to find performance benefits and it’s easy to simply point the finger at a Formula 1 car and say the most important thing, from an engineering point of view, are the aerodynamics and the hybrid power unit, but there are so many other things that you have to get right and if you don’t get them right you won’t do a very good job. So there’s no simple answer to it.

“We are trying to build an organisation that is competent in all of the areas you need to be. Whether it is aerodynamics, whether it is hybrid power drives, simulation, control systems, materials, structures, tyre modelling, race engineering, strategy – you name it – all of those things have got to be right and if any one of them is weaker you will suffer on track.”

Renault is currently ninth in the constructors’ championship heading into the second half of the season, which begins with this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The French manufacturer has also said it will evaluate the progress of Manor’s Esteban Ocon when he makes his F1 debut for the British team at Spa, amid speculation that Renault could sign the 19-year-old for 2017.

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Renault will be an interesting team to watch next year.  Have a good, but not great engine, and finally get a car built around said engine.  Just don't know that their driver line up is good enough for consistent top of the pack or top mid-pack finishes yet.

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BACK TO BUSINESS AT SPA: HOW THE BELGIAN F1 GP CAN BE WON AND LOST

This weekend F1 roars back into life after the summer break at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium one of the heritage jewels in the F1 calendar.

It will be a test of character for Nico Rosberg in his battle for victory with Lewis Hamilton; a test of performance for Red Bull, who should be very fast here, especially in the middle sector and a test of resilience for Ferrari, which dispensed with its technical director before the break and now needs to regroup and finish the season strongly. This is Round 13 of 21 so there is still a long way to go and plenty to fight for as Ferrari fell behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ championship before the break.

With 19 corners on a 7km lap, Spa is the longest track on the calendar and one of the toughest on engines, with two sustained periods of flat out full throttle each lap; from La Source hairpin to Les Combes chicane which is around 25 seconds and then later in the lap the run through Blanchimont to Bus Stop chicane.

It has some fast, high energy comers that take a heavy toll on the tyres, however it is not the fastest combination of corners in one lap on the F1 calendar; that honour belongs to Silverstone.

Overtaking is easy on the long straights, so teams can plan their fastest strategy knowing that they will be able to clear traffic. However there is a high chance of a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car and this can wreck a race plan, if it falls at the wrong time.

The weather always plays a part in the strategy planning and execution for this race and being responsive is always useful at Spa. This year with the new tyre rules meaning that each team has three different tyre options to choose from, the supersoft is the qualifying tyre, but the soft and medium the race tyres, as last year. It’s the eighth time that this combination of tyres has been brought to a race and thus is becoming something of a ‘default’ combination, which the teams understand well.

This should make life interesting as the supersoft will not last long in the opening phase of the race, so it will be interesting to see the pace offset between the supersoft and soft in qualifying over the long lap to see whether some front runners try to qualify on the soft. The cars starting outside the Top 10 could have quite a tactical advantage, being able to run a longer first stint on soft.

Last year race winner Hamilton did 13 laps on soft, then 17 lap middle stint on mediums before a final 13 lap stint on softs again.Rosberg did something similar, while Grosjean and Perez bagged third and fifth places respectively with two short, punchy stints on softs at the start and then a long final stint of 22 laps to the flag on mediums.

Last year after a weekend of limited dry running in practice, teams had a limited knowledge of how the soft and medium compound tyres would perform in the race. Most teams were briefing that it would be a two-stop race, with some teams perhaps getting marginal on degradation and needing a third stop. No one was contemplating a one-stop for the 44-lap race.

However Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari found themselves attempting it after being caught out by a Virtuil Safety Car just at the wrong moment for their race strategy. Realising that they were racing Roman Grosjean for a podium, after a poor qualifying performance, Ferrari decided to run a longer first stint with Vettel to Lap 14 and to put him onto the medium tyres for the middle stint, the idea being that Vettel would have a tyre offset of five laps against Grosjean later in the race and would come through on new soft tyres as Grosjean’s mediums faded and attack him in the closing laps.

However the problem with this plan was if there were a Safety Car or a Virtual Safety Car between laps 19-23, Vettel would be compromised as his rivals around him on soft tyres would pit and be able to move to a set of medium tyres that would take them to the finish.

The nightmare scenario came true; when the VSC was deployed on Lap 21 and Grosjean, Perez, Raikkonen all pitted and effectively took a pit stop in half the normal time.

So Ferrari took the gamble to try to make the finish and as we all know, one of his tyres exploded in the closing stages.

Click on this link to view the onboard of Lewis Hamilton’s pole lap from 2015 on F1.com

Belgian Grand Prix in Numbers

If any Mercedes powered car starts on the front row this weekend, the manufacturer will move ahead of Ford and into third on the all-time table of front row starts for F1 engine suppliers. The two companies are currently tied on 301 each, while Renault (388) and Ferrari (472) head the list.
Hamilton led every lap of the German Grand Prix last time out in Hockenheim, and in the process he surpassed Alain Prost’s 2,684 total of F1 laps led to slot into third on the all-time table with 2,732. Ayrton Senna (2,987) and Michael Schumacher (5,111) remain in front of the world champion, but it is possible he could pass the Brazilian if he leads 255 more laps before the end of the season.

The Belgian Grand Prix can often generate surprising results and the polesitter at Spa has only won three times in the last eight races at the 4.35-mile track. The 2011, 2012 and 2013 races also featured a podium finisher who had started outside the top eight on the grid, as did 2015, when Grosjean came third for Lotus from ninth on the grid

Qualifying on Saturday offers several drivers the chance to continue positive streaks or break bad runs. Nico Rosberg, who has a 100 per cent finishing record in the nine Belgian races he has started, has qualified first or second at the last 18 races – although a grid penalty meant he started sixth in Austria.

Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat has never started in the top-10 on the grid at Spa, while Nico Hulkenberg has not qualified higher than ninth for the Belgian Grand Prix since 2010 when he drove for Williams.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen is something of a Spa specialist, with four F1 victories at the track, a figure that is twice as many as the number of wins he has secured at any other circuit in his career.

But the Belgian track has not been a happy hunting ground for McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. The Spanish driver has never won an F1 race at Spa in 12 attempts and he has only finished on the podium there on one occasion since 2007, when he came second for Ferrari in 2013. The double world champion also has five retirements in Belgium, a number beaten only by the six times he has failed to finish at Montreal.

Manor’s Esteban Ocon will make his F1 debut this weekend and in doing so he will become the tenth teenager to make a Grand Prix start. The 19-year-old Frenchman, who will be four days younger than Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was when he made his first F1 appearance at Indianapolis 2007 for BMW-Sauber, has already driven in four FP1 sessions for Renault and completed the mid-season test for Mercedes.

[Orion21]

As an aside.  I recently bought the Xbox One game F1 2016 and it's a blast to play.  Highly recommended for those who like video games and F1 racing!

[MIKA27]

13 hours ago, Orion21 said:

As an aside.  I recently bought the Xbox One game F1 2016 and it's a blast to play.  Highly recommended for those who like video games and F1 racing!

I'm planning on grabbing it, will send a message when I do and perhaps have a race?

 

XBOX One profile -  M1KA27

[MIKA27]

RE-ENERGISED HAMILTON HUNTING 50TH GRAND PRIX VICTORY

Lewis Hamilton can become only the third driver to win 50 grands prix races when Formula One returns from its month-long August break, and gets back to business with the Belgian Grand Prix at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

The triple Formula 1 world champion ended the first half of the season in blistering form, opening up a 19-point lead in the standings over Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg with six wins – four in a row – from the last seven races.

His win in Germany last month was number 49, and only Michael Schumacher (91) and Alain Prost (51) have reached the half century.

Hamilton, who trailed Rosberg by 43 points after May’s Spanish Grand Prix, is determined not to ease off.

“The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in the position I’m in with more than half of the races behind us,” said the Briton, who spent his break in the Caribbean, Costa Rica and the United States.

“I’m feeling refreshed, re-energised and ready to go after a fun few weeks off, so hopefully everyone else has had a good rest too and we’ll come out fighting.”

Rosberg won the opening four races of the season, but has scored only three podiums since Hamilton hit his stride.

The break, spent with his wife and baby daughter in Ibiza, could be the reset he needs with nine of a record 21 races still to run.

It will be crucial that the German does come back strongly, as even finishing second behind Hamilton this weekend will see him drop 26 points behind the Briton, who is set to tale engine penalties in Belgium. 

The 7km Spa circuit is an enduring favourite of drivers, with its flat-out blasts and undulations harking back to the sport’s golden age.

For 18-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen, the track is the closest he has to a home venue.

Verstappen, whose victory on his Red Bull debut in Spain in May helped the team move up to second in the standings ahead of Ferrari, was born in Belgium to a Belgian mother, and can count on strong local support.

His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, won in Belgium for Red Bull two years ago after Hamilton and Rosberg collided.

With little risk of a repeat after Mercedes imposed tighter rules of engagement, Verstappen can pin his hopes on the capricious Spa weather to shake things up instead.

French teenager Esteban Ocon will make his Formula One race debut this weekend, replacing Indonesian Rio Haryanto at backmarkers Manor.

Making his debut at Spa, as boyhood idol Schumacher once did, Ocon will join fellow Mercedes-backed youngster Pascal Wehrlein, with both aiming to impress in their bid for a future Mercedes seat.

[MIKA27]

VANDOORNE: I CAN GO ELSEWHERE IF NOT MCLAREN IN 2017

Stoffel Vandoorne says that if he doesn’t race for McLaren next year, he has opportunities to move elsewhere in the Formula 1 pitlane and wants a guarantee of a race seat for 2017 from the Woking outfit.

The 24-year-old Belgian and reigning GP2 champion has been strongly backed by the British team, and made his grand prix debut for McLaren early in 2016 when Fernando Alonso was injured.

But the Woking team is yet to declare its 2017 driver lineup, amid speculation McLaren will replace Jenson Button with its hotly-rated reserve driver Vandoorne.

At an event ahead of his home Belgian grand prix, Vandoorne warned that he actually might not be a McLaren driver next year.

“My contract expires at the end of 2016,” he told La Derniere Heure, a French-language Belgian newspaper. “So I’m in a fairly comfortable position. If they cannot guarantee me a ride in F1 for 2017, I can go elsewhere.”

Asked if that ‘elsewhere’ might be the works Renault team, Vandoorne answered: “Yes, or elsewhere. There are still other free seats, but I can’t tell you anything more.”

“The only thing I can confirm is that I have to drive in F1 next season. And I hope with all my heart that it will be at McLaren,” he added.

The highly rated 24 year old could also be on the Williams or Force India shopping list for next season.

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BRAWN: MICHAEL HELPED MAKE MERCEDES THE FORCE IT IS NOW

Two and a half decades after observing the meteoric start to the most successful career in Formula 1 history, Ross Brawn says the fate of Michael Schumacher is nothing short of “tragic” and is adamant the German was instrumental in the early stages of making the Mercedes team the dominant force it is today

Brawn, who was Schumacher’s technical boss at Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, says he was already in talks with the then 22-year-old when, at Spa, he stunned the F1 world by qualifying seventh on debut in a Jordan for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

“We [Brawn and Benetton’s Tom Walkinshaw] knew Michael from sports cars and so we had a head start over the other teams. We knew that we wanted to have him,” Brawn told the German broadcaster RTL in a forthcoming interview.

At Benetton and then again at Ferrari, Schumacher won all of his record seven F1 titles overseen by Brawn, but they were unable to recreate that success when the famous German then returned to the pinnacle of the sport between 2010 and 2012.

“We had no doubts about his competitiveness,” Brawn said of Schumacher’s Mercedes era, “but it frustrates me that we were not able to give him the car that he deserved.”

“Nevertheless, Michael was a part of the process of Mercedes becoming a world championship team,” he added in comments published in advance by Auto Bild.

As for Schumacher’s post-retirement fate, including his mysterious current physical condition as the result of a late 2013 skiing fall, Brawn said: “I am in contact with the family.”

“I’ve seen Michael since the accident several times. We pray every day that he is making progress. Life can be cruel,” said Brawn.

“He’s such a wonderful person, and what happened to him is tragic,” he added.

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FERRARI NOT GIVING UP AS THEY TAKE UPDATED ENGINE TO SPA

Ferrari has a new engine specification in its luggage as the sport prepares to wake from its August slumber this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix, with their F1 boss Maurizio Arrivabene declaring that the Reds never give up.

The development follows a less than impressive mid-season period for the Italian team, having fallen off Mercedes’ heels and even behind Red Bull as well.

So Speed Week cites Italian sources in reporting that a new version of Ferrari’s ‘power unit’ has been packed for Spa-Francorchamps – even though it may not actually be used until next week at Monza.

Respected F1 correspondent Mathias Brunner says the new spec has cost Ferrari its last three development ‘tokens’ for 2016, but reliability concerns means it could be held back until the long straights of the team’s home race next weekend.

Arrivabene also thinks engine development is not Ferrari’s priority in the race to re-pass Red Bull and chase down Mercedes.

“Our car has two main shortcomings: aerodynamic efficiency and mechanical grip,” he told La Repubblica newspaper.

It means that while before the target was to win the title, Ferrari now risks falling behind Red Bull in the lucrative constructors’ championship.

“We do not exaggerate the situation,” Arrivabene insisted. “In Budapest we were faster than them, so we can still overtake them. The gap will be contained already in Spa, where we hope to reverse the situation.”

Arrivabene also denied claims that Ferrari has actually already given up on 2016, having now turned its full focus to the new rules and car for next year.

“No,” the Italian said, “Ferrari does not give up and under my management it never will. We are already looking ahead to next year’s car and will not find ourselves unprepared for the new rules.”

“But right now I’m interested in this season. We have to solve every problem, and as quickly as possible,” insisted Arrivabene.

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Williams F1 team changes Felipe Massa's chassis for Belgian GP

Williams has changed Felipe Massa's Formula 1 chassis for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix to solve the mystery car problem that held him back in the last race in Germany.

The Brazilian retired after 36 laps at Hockenheim citing a handling problem making the car "undriveable" that was a legacy of a rear-end impact from Jolyon Palmer's Renault.

Massa has returned to chassis 02, which he used from the start of the season until July's Austrian Grand Prix before switching to 04 for the British, Hungarian and German Grands Prix.

"Yes, we have some ideas," he said when asked by Autosport whether the team understood the reasons for the problem.

"We are changing the chassis because it was a pretty strange feeling that I had in the race after the contact I had on the first lap.

"We have a different chassis and I'm sure it will not be a problem any more."

Massa confirmed that the decision to change the chassis was not to tackle a specific concern with the old chassis, but "to eliminate" possible problems with it.

The Brazilian also expects a difficult second half of the season as Williams battles to hold on to fourth place in the constructors' championship under pressure from Force India, which is now only 15 points behind having gained 24 over the past five races.

He added that the improving form of McLaren and the strength of Toro Rosso will make the battle for points challenging.

"It will be tough because they have a team that grows during the season and two good drivers that are scoring good points," said Massa of Force India.

"McLaren is the same, so they are all improving during the season - even Toro Rosso.

"It's clear that we didn't improve in the way that we expected [this year] as we expected still to be fighting for the top three in the championship but Red Bull improved massively and Ferrari are still in front.

"We are not fighting for third position anymore, we are fighting for fourth with close competition from three other teams. It is very close."

[MIKA27]

Sauber Formula 1 team brings raft of upgrades to Belgian Grand Prix

The Sauber Formula 1 team has brought a raft of new updates, including a short nose, to this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Autosport has learned.

Sauber has finally been able to put upgrades into production following its recent takeover by Longbow Finance, with a new rear wing introduced before the summer break.

It had planned to bring a bigger aerodynamic upgrade package to Spa and after meeting targets at the factory, a new front wing with short nose, floor and front and rear brake ducts will be run.

Both Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson will get the updates and these will be seen on the car from first practice on Friday morning.

Following a cash injection from its new investors, it is believed Sauber has strengthened its pool of spares but it remains lower than it would like.

The package represents the first major update to the C35 all season, with a lack of finance and an uncertain future having left the car largely unchanged since pre-season testing.

Sauber is continuing to develop its 2016 challenger in a bid to score its first points of the season and move up to 10th in the constructors' championship.

Manor currently occupies that position, following Pascal Wehrlein's 10th-place finish in Austria.

Sauber has never finished outside the top 10 since the outfit made its debut in 1993.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON: THERE IS GOING TO BE VERY LITTLE I CAN DO

Reigning F1 world champion and current championship leader is wary of the challenges he faces starting from the back of the grid, believing that his points lead faces a stern threat at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Speaking after the first day of free practice at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton told journalists, “It’s so hot and the tyres are not lasting very long, so everyone has to do two or three pit stops or whatever it is.”

“There is going to be very little I can do, it’s not like I can do a one stop and get through the crowd like the Force Indias and Ferraris have done at some stage.

“It’s really hard out there, and unfortunately this is not the best weekend for me to have all the penalties, but it is what it is and I didn’t have any engines left. I’ll just do the best job I can with it and hope for the best.”

Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg is now the favourite to win on Sunday. If this scenario plays out and Hamilton finishes outside the top seven, then the Briton will drop to second in the standings.

As a result of his back-of-the-grid demotion, Hamilton has tackled the weekend in a different manner,”The approach is not the same, because normally you are dialling in the car with more front end to get around the track as fast as possible, as where now we are trying to get round for as long as possible.”

“I didn’t do any low fuel runs, I only did race fuel running the whole time and it will be the same tomorrow to try to get the most realistic and representative scenario for Sunday.”

In a quirky trick of fate, Hamilton will be joined at the back of the grid by McLaren’s Fernando Alonso.

“Oh nice!” said Hamilton when told about the situation. “Me and Fernando racing at the back? That could be cool.”