Formula 1 - 2017

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LIBERTY MEDIA: WE ARE GOING TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE

The old ringmaster has gone, pushed aside by Formula One’s new American owners, and the marketing men have moved in with a mission to overhaul the circus and give spectators something more modern for their money.
If an era ended in January with the exit of Bernie Ecclestone, following Liberty Media’s takeover, the Formula One season starting in Australia on March 26 marks a bright new dawn.

The cars are faster, wider and more aggressive-looking with fatter tyres and revised aerodynamics but, behind the scenes, more far-reaching changes are being mapped out to drive expansion.

Sean Bratches and Ross Brawn have been appointed managing directors for the commercial and sporting sides respectively, under chairman Chase Carey, and sponsorship and research executives recruited.

The sport is set to accelerate further away from the Ecclestone era, one in which the 86-year-old controlled everything with a famous reluctance to delegate.

“There will be a point in the season…where we start to effectuate change,” Bratches told Reuters. “We are going to be very aggressive. We are going to try new things, all in the spirit of better serving Formula One fans.”

In the short-term that means building up the race weekend, adding in entertainment and events along the lines of SuperBowl week, exploiting digital platforms and building fan engagement through social media.

Longer term, expect new races – with Las Vegas and other U.S. destination cities high on the wish list – closer ties to promoters and a push to maximise revenue.

“We are not yet really even a player in the digital media landscape, so that’s an opportunity for us to add some digital dimension to our traditional broadcast media,” Carey said in January.

Brawn, the former Honda and Mercedes boss who won titles with his own BrawnGP team and was previously Ferrari technical director, has a three and five-year plan on the sporting side.

It has to be slow burn because of contracts that run to 2020 but he is looking at everything from the format of races to how the sport should look and sound.

“In the five-year programme we´ve got to identify what sort of engine we want in the future, because that´s the sort of timescale it takes, and list the things that are important,” he told an audience at a talk in Oxford this month.

In the near term, he is putting together a group of engineers to try and come up with “a more intelligent design of car”.

Levelling the playing field, allowing smaller teams a chance to compete against wealthy manufacturers, and keeping traditional races on the calendar are high on the agenda.

“I think for sure the philosophy of Liberty and the management now in FOM is to look at things in a more complete way,” Brawn said.

“Not just the amount of money we can get from a race but what does it offer Formula One, what opportunities?

“Do we become partners in promoting the races? Because up until now most of the consideration has been how much they can pay. And we want to change that balance a bit.”

“Where the race is, and how it´s held are going to be vital for the future,” said the Briton.

Ensuring the 20 drivers were the best in the world, free of commercial considerations, is another box yet to be ticked and one linked to the thorny subject of a fairer distribution of revenues.

Brawn said that only truly applied to the top half of the grid at present.

“We should have a true meritocracy in Formula One. But you can´t do that because some of the teams rely on the commercial input of their drivers, else they wouldn´t survive,” he said.

“So you have to create a platform where the small teams can survive and then you can start to insist that they pick drivers on merit and not on what money they bring with them.”

 

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RICCIARDO: I AIM TO BE ON THE PODIUM IN MELBOURNE

Daniel Ricciardo has celebrated on the Melbourne podium once in the five times he has competed in the Australian Grand Prix, but he was disqualified and officially he has yet to finish in the top three at his home race.

This year Ricciardo is keen to change that statistic, “I’d love to be on the podium, that’s certainly my aim. But I’m not going to go there with too many hopes or dreams in my head. I will just go there prepared and do what I can.”

Many believe that Red Bull did not ”unleash the beast’ during Barcelona qualifying, while there is  expectation that some trick bits, masterminded by the team’s design guru Adrian Newey, are heading to Australia in the team’s cargo.

Ricciardo himself hinted at a solid package ahead of the new Formula 1 season, “I think if I look at the last few pre-seasons, performance-wise, I think we’re the best we’ve been in the past few.”

The big smiling Aussie had a busy off-season, preparing relentlessly for the more challenging 2017 cars, and revealed, “The aim is to be better prepared than everyone, and I believe that I am.”

“But it’s certainly one that if a driver doesn’t quite take some of those real physical ones seriously, if they’re out enjoying their weekends more than they should, then I definitely feel it will show this year,” added Ricciardo whose best finish on home soil was at last years race at Albert Park where he finished fourth.

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Toro Rosso believes fifth possible with 2017-spec power unit

Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz Jr. says the team's aim to finish fifth in the Constructors' Standings this season has been boosted through its use of a current-year Renault power unit.

The Faenza-based team used a 2015-spec Ferrari power unit last season, meaning it had a performance deficit to its rivals, all of which were running current-spec engines. Toro Rosso still managed to score 63 points to finish seventh, just 13 points adrift of McLaren, but some way off Williams in fifth.

Sainz Jr. believes the team now has a higher chance of battling at the head of the midfield to claim that fifth-place spot, thanks not only to engine parity with their rivals, but a strong chassis.

"Every year we want to finish fifth in the championship – and this year there is a high chance, or a higher chance, because we do not have the disadvantage of the power unit as we had last season – and I do believe that the team has delivered the good chassis and aerodynamics from the previous years," he told the official Formula 1 website.

"I really hope the Toro Rosso is as fast as it looks. It is a real beauty and has caught the attention even from the big teams in terms of looks. Now let’s hope that it also behaves to match the looks. Over the last few years we’ve had a really good chassis but not the power unit to match it. Hopefully this year we will.

"I don’t say that we will fight Red Bull, Mercedes or Ferrari - but to be in the higher part of the midfield. Take last year: Williams and Force India battled for P4 - we want to join them because with a good engine our car is capable to do it."

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Azerbaijan GP boss hits out at "ignorant" Liberty criticism

Azerbaijan Grand Prix promoter Arif Rahimov has hit back at Liberty Media boss Greg Maffei after he made critical remarks about the Baku F1 event.

Speaking at Deutsche Bank conference in Florida last week, the Liberty president and CEO referred to the potential expansion of the F1 calendar and markets that were of interest.

He then cited Baku as an example of a race that did not contribute to the overall growth of the sport, implying that the fee was of more significance to former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

"I think it's our job to do far more to help the promoters to be successful," Maffei told the audience.

"Frankly Bernie's attitude was, 'How much can I extract from them?' I heard him call them the victims! 'How much can I extract, how much up front?'

"So we end up with races in places like Baku in Azerbaijan, where they paid us a big race fee, but it does nothing to build the long-term brand and health of the business.

"Our job is to find partners who pay us well, but also help us to build the product.

"And it's incumbent upon us to bring best practice. What are the races that are considered the most exciting?

"Abu Dhabi, the Singapore night race, Mexico City. What's going on well in those races? We need to share that better with the promoters in each of the cities where things are less successful."

Maffei's apparent dismissal of Baku was not well received by those behind the event, with Rahimov admitting his comments had upset organisers. 

"It does upset us obviously," Rahimov told Reuters today. "Mr Maffei has been involved in F1 for less than half a year.

"We've been working on this project for three years now so we have more experience with F1 than them.

"I think saying something like this is ignorant, but we'll see."

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Renault "not attacking anyone" with F1 oil clarification request

Renault insists that a recent push to clarify that Formula 1 manufacturers were not allowed to burn oil as fuel was not an 'attack' on any of its rivals.

Ahead of the first pre-season test at Barcelona, the FIA responded to a request from Red Bull to enquire whether, for a power boost, teams could cleverly burn oil as fuel.

Amid suspicions from the Milton Keynes-based team that rivals Mercedes had been exploiting this area of the rules for a qualifying boost, the FIA responded that it was clear such use of oil was not legal.

Renault's F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said he welcomed the clarification request from the FIA, not because it closed down something others were potentially doing but because it ensured clarity of what was allowed.

"Clarification of regulations is always very important, whether it is suspension or whether it is fuel systems, but also oil," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com. "We are right now in the period of the year where you have lots of traffic [communication] going around – that is important.

"We were not attacking anyone in particular. But we needed to make sure that it is clear to everyone, and it can be properly monitored and also enforced that fuel should remain the primary combustible used in F1."

     

Abiteboul likened the situation regarding the oil burn as similar to the ongoing row over suspension systems – in that teams are employing ever-more sophisticated technologies in areas of the regulations where rules are not so straightforward.

"We are coming into systems that are so complex – and it is very much like suspension systems," he said.

"We can refer to the spirit of the regulations – the combustibles are clear for everyone that they should be fuel – but having said that any engine will burn oil.

"But whether you burn oil for lubrication or as a combustible is something completely different. What we feel is that we need to be extremely clear about what should be the spirit, and we need to be clear also and that should be the FIA's responsibility to make sure that it is enforceable. I accept that it is challenging."

Mercedes has long denied suggestions of burning oil as fuel, and was cleared of suspicions back in 2015 when the FIA investigated the oil tanks of some cars at the Canadian Grand Prix for extra additives.

Ever since the new turbo regulations came in to force, Mercedes has offered to impose a maximum 5kg on oil use to ensure no manufacturers were getting around the rules, but this was never accepted.

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Tech analysis: The concepts that split Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and while too many fans it would seem all F1 cars are basically the same, that perception couldn't be further from the truth.

Among those that appear to occupy the front of the grid, Mercedes' and Red Bull's aerodynamic philosophies couldn't be more different - while Ferrari has seemingly risen to the challenge with something in the middle of the spectrum.

The first major obstacle we have to overcome in understanding the different philosophies in play is understanding rake. It's a phrase that has become almost synonymous with Red Bull because of the team's extreme nose-down attitude and the fact its whole aerodynamic philosophy is built around it. But we must also understand why others don't chase the same extreme concept when designing their cars.

Running in this configuration can be beneficial on several fronts provided you can maintain the correct ride height and overcome some of the compromises.

Of course, Red Bull, under the tutelage of Adrian Newey, have been perfecting the aggressive raked stance since the introduction of the 2009 regulations and while the prevailing regulations have been altered somewhat throughout the last eight years, the raked stance has been a mainstay.

The 2017 regulations actually accentuate the raked philosophy, given the reduction in length of the T-Tray/Splitter by 100mm, allowing the designers further scope with which to evade a collision with it and the tracks surface.

It's fair to say at this point that while Red Bull continue to push on with its high rake philosophy, so too Mercedes continue to run at the opposite end of the spectrum with very little rake present in its set-up.

Ferrari, meanwhile, appears to have edged closer to Red Bull, maximising changes to certain areas of the regulations in order to improve the aerodynamic seal necessary to expand the diffuser's area.

Starting at the front

The nose down attitude is good news for the front wing too, as it tilts the wing toward the track surface where it can sit at a more optimal height in order to maximise ground effect, enhancing the downforce and flow structures it creates.

That's one of the main divergences you'll note when viewing the Red Bull and then comparing it with the Mercedes and Ferrari front wings in action. The RB13's wing is much closer to the ground due to the rake angle and this should help drive the airflow toward its intended target, with more efficiency and with less need to remedy it downstream.

Take the Y250 region for instance. This section of the wing (which spans 250mm either side of the car centreline) was made 'neutral' by the FIA in 2009 but ever since then the teams have been trying to influence it to make gains, be it with the placement of the camera housings the shape of the nose or its height in reference to the ground.

For 2017, Mercedes and Ferrari have continued to follow the same development path as they had in previous seasons, with the flaps arched over to make a point (blue arrow), in order to interact with the Y250 vortex being generated by the flap and neutral juncture below.

In Mercedes' case, the team has exacerbated the shape of the vortex being created by pinching the Y250 juncture too, whereas Red Bull has a very different approach as the RB13 features a much flatter connection of the flap and neutral section.

This year the flaps have been repositioned so that they arch in the opposite direction (blue arrow), undoubtedly reshaping the Y250 vortex too.

The differences continue in the way they treat the airflow, as it washes across the front face and around the outside of the tyre. Red Bull and Ferrari assist the front wing in this instance, with their blown axles used to help reshape the wake shed by the front tyre.

Mercedes' outwash tunnel design is the same as the one introduced during 2015 and while Red Bull's concept is also very similar in the outwash region to its predecessor, one area of interest is the arched footplate (red arrow), as it is no longer perpendicular to the endplate along its entire length, changing how airflow is received, conditioned and sent on its way.

Getting out of the way

 

Mercedes W08 front suspension

Mercedes have opted to displace its front suspension upper wishbones for 2017, with a horn sprouting from the upright, in order to place it much higher than is ordinarily viable (red arrow).

This will not only have an effect from a kinematic point of view but is also driven by aerodynamic considerations, with the wishbone's height, shape and angle pivotal in deciding the airflow's direction as it moves down the car, which is even more important when we consider the complexity of the aero appendages placed just behind it and ahead of the sidepod.

Ferrari SF70H and SF16-H front view comparison

Ferrari has looked at this problem laterally and, rather than change the suspension kinematics, as the team is likely happy with how it performs, it's decided to change how the airflow is collected by the sidepod inlet and in doing so has also improved the airflow's performance around the sidepod, too.

Comparing the SF70H with the SF16-H, you'll note the higher inlet presents the airflow with an almost unobstructed pathway to the radiators and electronics that need to be cooled within.

This also offers a much more sculpted surface for the airflow to follow, as the team looks to entice it rearward into more desirable positions.

Ferrari SF70H turning vanes, detailed

This is all made possible by the way Ferrari has looked at the change in regulations and the effect those could have on the overall shape of the car.

The regulations were written in such a way that the leading edge of the floor and sidepods be angled away from the car, in order to satisfy the aesthetic appeal that was part of the FIA's mandate when instructing the regulations would be amended.

This angle is considered undesirable to the designers in terms of the shape of the cooling inlet and so most of the teams have set the sidepod back slightly, allowing them to circumvent the geometric requirement.

Ferrari has taken this route too, but the sidepod is obfuscated by numerous airflow conditioning devices, in order to make use of the area.

This has also allowed the team to compartmentalise the cooling outlet, introducing an upper inlet (blue arrow) which likely feeds the internal framework which surrounds the radiator to improve both the internal and external sidepod airflow.

Nose job's

Mercedes W07 "S" duct

Mercedes' nose solution, similar to that of last season (above), is using the vanity panel to overcome the packaging issues that the team faced, especially as it was ducting airflow from a more prominent position than just under the nose/chassis juncture.

Red Bull RB13 nose

Red Bull, who took a year's sabbatical from the 'S' duct, returns to the solution this year, having studied the designs used elsewhere. The team continues to use the thumb tip-style nose though, rather than the slender one preferred by Mercede.

However, Red Bull has stole a march in this respect by taking advantage of the cross-sectional rules to open up an inlet in the front face of the tip.

This falls within the scope of the regulations as the vertical strakes within allow a slice to be taken through the nose at any point without exposing a hole. The idea is that although the thumb tip is physically present, to the airflow it isn't, as any airflow taken in is directed out of a hole on the rear face of the thumb.

It's a nice interpretation of the regulations, much like the 'Cobra' nose used by Force India in order to imitate a high nose.

The 'S' duct inlets can be found just behind the front wing pillars and, like Toro Rosso had done last season, Red Bull has given them a NACA shaping.

This puts the inlet, much like Mercedes' solution, in a much more desirable position to collect airflow than under the nose, especially as the nose is 200m longer this year. Driver cooling is still taken care of by the inlets in the corner of the chassis.

Ferrari has adopted an 'S' duct for the first time since 2008, taking on board the design implemented by Mercedes and Toro Rosso last year and placing the inlet just behind the front wing pillars and ejecting the air it takes in over the upper surface of the chassis.

The exit is flanked by two winglets either side of the chassis, which not only help to define the direction of the exiting airflow but are also used to control the air upwashed by the front suspension elements.

Turning point

Red Bull Racing RB13 and Mercedes AMG F1 W08 detail comparison

Under the nose/chassis is another area where the Mercedes and Red Bull divergence peaks, with Mercedes turning vanes a much more complex expression of its aerodynamic philosophy. Note, for instance, the introduction of a new more horizontal vane (red arrow).

Red Bull, meanwhile, has added another vertical vane in behind their turning vanes, almost creating a tunnel as the appendages reach back to where the bargeboards are sited.

Mercedes opts for a staccato solution - shorter, more aggressive working of the air, whilst Red Bull's legato approach uses long purposeful strokes to entwine aerodynamic structures so that they need less work as they move down the car.

Mercedes W08 w-floor

Mercedes began testing with a simplified version of its floor and bargeboard configuration (inset), waiting until the second test to show its hand. The W08 was then furnished with a revised axehead that features the W-Floor-style floor strakes protruding from it (red arrow), while the vertical slots that became a familiar sight on the W07's bargeboards are now also in use (blue arrow).

Red Bull Racing RB13 & Ferrari SF70H bargeboards

The complexity needed to make the airflow work that much harder at the floor's leading edge on the Mercedes is not followed by the more highly raked pair of Red Bull and Ferrari.

In fact, the RB13 is quite barren in that respect - more so than the SF70H, which tries to marry the best of both solutions.

This is primarily because of the way the airflow has been set up until this point and also due to the nature of how the the various teams want to try and 'seal' the diffuser area in order to increase the rear downforce being leveraged from it.

Sidepods

The RB13's sidepods are another area where we can see Red Bull moving away from convention as they don't have the flat upper surface we are used to seeing.

Instead, they have a bowed surface which doesn't extend to the new full-width available in the regulations, which leads to an extremely tapered flank and leaves an enormous section of floor exposed as the engine cover curves toward the coke bottle region.

In comparison, the W08 does have full-width sidepods and a flatter upper surface but features a much more aggressive undercut in order to make space for the air to move around the sidepods, before tightly narrowing into the coke bottle region.

We've already looked at how Ferrari has maximised the new regulations in this area due to how its philosophy is intrinsically linked to the airflow passing over and around the front suspension - but the diverse nature of the designs in this area does also point toward a very different internal architectural layout from team-to-team, which will be fascinating to see when the covers inevitably come off in the coming months.

Diffusing the situation

Red Bull Racing RB13 and Mercedes AMG F1 W08 diffuser comparison

The diffuser has been dramatically increased in size for 2017, now 50mm wider, 50mm taller and, most importantly, starting 175mm ahead of the rear wheel centreline, rather than on it. This increase in diffuser area will provide the teams with a large chunk of the downforce needed to achieve the FIA's remit of cars that are five seconds per lap quicker.

When this is combined with additional rake angle, the diffuser area continues to soar providing the airflow can be contained, something that Red Bull has excelled at, even though the use of exhaust blowing tactics like we saw between 2010 and 2013 have been curtailed.

Red Bull's exploitation of increased rake angle and downforce via the diffuser means that the team is able to reduce the rear wing's role in creating downforce, as is easy to observe from the much shallower angle of attack it employs when compared with its rivals.

Mercedes is looking to overcome some of the drag penalty that comes from running a steeper angle of attack on its rear wing by utilising a gentle spoon-shaped mainplane, which reduces the drag being created at the wing tip.

Ferrari SF70H diffuser

Meanwhile, Ferrari have maintained a level of design parity when it comes to their diffuser, opting to retain the complex stack of fins on the outer portion (arrowed), something that was revised slightly during the first two tests.

Like Mercedes, they seem to be a little more concerned with lining up the diffusers outer flow structures with those of the brake duct winglets and the wake created by the rear tyres as they deform too.

The sharks are circling

Christian Horner has been vocal in his derision of the shark fin engine covers that feature up and down the grid - and his team did attempt to have them outlawed at the last Strategy Group meeting.

This is political posturing, given the appendage is much less effective, owing to Red Bull's raked philosophy.

For other teams who run with less rake angle, the lower position of the rear wing this year means it would be subjected to more turbulence from the airbox and engine cover if it were not for the shark fin.

The fin erodes some of these issues by re-aligning the airflow, whilst also capturing airflow that might otherwise go unused in yaw.

The highly raked RB13 features a shark fin, but you'll note it's not as aggressive as some of the other interpretations, as the disturbances to the rear wing are lessened by the angle of the rear wing given the rake angle.

Mercedes AMG F1 W08 engine cover T-Wing

Allied to their shark fin engine covers, both Mercedes and Ferrari have decided to exploit a mistake in the last draft of the 2017 regulations that has allowed the teams to use T-Wings.

These winglets can occupy a 50mm space ahead of the rear wing up to 950mm above the reference plane like the previous rear wing, whereas the rear wing in 2017 cannot exceed 800mm in height.

The designers are using these T-Wings in order to reshape both the airflow ahead of the rear wing and the upwash that occurs as a consequence of the airflow being worked by the rear wing and diffuser, in order that the aero structures connect more effectively.

Suspended sentence

Mercedes W07 front suspensions details

All of this aero work is for nought if the aero platform moves around too much, which is the reason why we've seen a swing toward development in this area, with Mercedes leading the way with its hydraulically assisted suspension.

Development has primarily been focused around the use of a hydraulic heave element, stabilising the chassis' compression when needed and improving the car's balance during transitional phases.

Mercedes has run a hydraulic heave element since the latter part of 2015 but it was noted that Red Bull also opted to do so in the latter part of last season, replacing the Belleville spring arrangement it's been using for several years.

During the development phase for 2017, Ferrari was clearly investigating the use of a similar system and asked the FIA for clarification of certain criteria in order that it didn't push development beyond the limit of what the governing body consider legal.

This has led to a bit of pushback from the FIA but all of the teams on the grid seem to be of the opinion that their suspension systems are compliant as we head toward the season opener.

Rubbering in

Make no mistake - the role that Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari played in the development of 2017's tyres will have helped the trio big time when compared to their competitors, even if measures were installed whereby data was shared with the rest of the field and a certain amount of blind testing was done.

First-hand knowledge of how these wider tyres perform on your own challenger and the chance to use that to design the 2017 car will have been invaluable, not only from a kinematics point of view but also in understanding their aerodynamic impact.

No cookie cutter solution

If you had to compare their approaches to moving airflow around their respective cars, Red Bull's would be akin to using a tack hammer, while Mercedes' is a sledgehammer job.

This is not new. Both teams have opted to run in these differing configurations for several years now but the way in which they do so seems to become a little more radical year-on-year.

Meanwhile, while Ferrari has previously often concentrated too heavily on one or two aspects of its car rather than looking at it as an entire package, the SF70H appears to buck that trend. While it's not as extreme as the other solutions, it may well have taken the best of both.

 

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Fernando Alonso's F1 future could be out of McLaren's hands

McLaren admits that Fernando Alonso's future at the team will be out of its hands if it fails to turn around its current struggles in Formula 1.

The Woking-based outfit is facing a race against time ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, with its Honda engine proving to be unreliable and down on power during pre-season testing.

After two already difficult seasons with McLaren, the current situation has prompted fresh speculation that Alonso could walk away if his frustrations get too much.

Alonso's contract runs out at the end of this year, and he has already indicated that he wants to stay in F1 for 2018.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has admitted that it is essential his team gives the Spanish driver a car that makes him 'happy', otherwise there is a chance he could give up on the project.

"There are always a lot of stories about this," Boullier said in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS about Alonso not staying at the team if the results are not good.

"Fernando is being honest with us, just as we're being honest with him.

"He first wanted to see how the new car was. And how the new regulations are. And I think he likes the new F1.

"He wants to be competitive because he has talent to show the world and to himself.

"And we need to be competitive to keep him happy. If we're competitive he'll be happy and if not he'll take his own decisions..."

Boullier said he had already spoken to Alonso about next year, but said that it was "still early days" in terms of making any progress in those talks.

Although Alonso has not won a championship since 2006, Boullier says he has no doubts that he remains the best driver on the grid.

Pushed on why he believed that, Boullier said: "I don't want to give you too much information, because I know a lot of teams want that information, but he's the best.

"Without a doubt. He's the best because he is, clearly, but over and above that, it can be shown."

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PADDY LOWE CONFIRMED AS WILLIAMS TECHNICAL BOSS AND SHAREHOLDER

Paddy Lowe has joined the Williams Formula One team from champions Mercedes with immediate effect as chief technical officer and shareholder in the group, Williams announced on Thursday.

The team did not say how big a stake Lowe had taken or where it had come from, with details expected to be made known at a later date.

The Briton, who started his Formula One career at Williams in 1987, also joins the board of directors and will run the business with deputy principal Claire Williams and chief executive Mike O’Driscoll.

“This is a game changer for us and once again makes us extremely excited about this team’s future,” said Claire Williams.

The Briton had been on ‘gardening leave’ from Mercedes, who have already replaced him with former Ferrari technical director James Allison.

At Mercedes, Lowe played an integral role in the team winning the last three drivers and constructors’ world championships. Before that he won titles with McLaren and Williams.

Mercedes have won 51 of the 59 races since the 1.6 litre V6 turbo hybrid power units were introduced in 2014.

In his previous six-year stint at Williams, Lowe worked with co-founder Patrick Head and designer Adrian Newey and helped pioneer the active suspension system that took Britain’s Nigel Mansell to the 1992 championship.

“It is a huge honour to return in this leadership position and to have the opportunity to become a shareholder,” said Lowe. “I am extremely motivated to play my part in bringing success back to the team.

“The vision for the future set out by the Williams Board is powerful and has compelled me to join an organisation committed to building on its unique legacy and to reaching the pinnacle of Formula One once again.”

Claire Williams said Lowe’s arrival was a boost for a team that last won a Formula One title with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.

The current line-up also includes a Canadian, 18-year-old rookie Lance Stroll, alongside Brazilian veteran Felipe Massa following the departure of Finland’s Valtteri Bottas to Mercedes in place of retired champion Nico Rosberg.

“Having someone of Paddy’s calibre and engineering competence is not only a morale boost for everyone at Williams, but I know it will also significantly support our efforts to return this team back to the front of the grid,” she said.

“We want to win races and championships, but to do that you need the best talent in the business. In Paddy we believe we have just that as well as a leader who will drive change.”

Press Release:

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Paddy Lowe as Chief Technical Officer for the Williams Group.

Paddy will join Williams today, 16 March, and will take overall management responsibility for the engineering operation at Grove. Paddy will also join the company’s Board of Directors and take a shareholding in the company, underlining his passion and commitment to working with Claire Williams and Mike O’Driscoll to drive the Williams Group forward.

Paddy moves to Williams from current Formula One Constructors’ Champions Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, where he held the position of Executive Director (Technical) since June 2013 and helped lead the Mercedes team to record dominance in the Formula One Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships.

Paddy started his Formula One career with Williams in 1987 as a control systems engineer, working with Sir Patrick Head and Adrian Newey. In his six years with the team he helped pioneer the active suspension system that took Nigel Mansell to the 1992 World Championship in the FW14B.

Paddy then moved to McLaren in 1993 and spent two decades at the Woking based team in the positions of Head of Research and Development, Chief Engineer, Engineering Director and finally Technical Director, helping the team secure three Drivers’ Championships and one Constructors’ Championship during that time.

During his 29 years in the sport, Paddy has contributed to 158 race wins, 7 Drivers’ Championship titles and 5 Constructors’ Championship titles: an impressive CV making him one of the leading engineers in the Formula One paddock.

Commenting on his appointment Paddy Lowe said; “I‘ve always had a deep respect for Williams – my first team in Formula One. It is a huge honour to return in this leadership position and to have the opportunity to become a shareholder. I am extremely motivated to play my part in bringing success back to the team. The vision for the future set out by the Williams Board is powerful and has compelled me to join an organisation committed to building on its unique legacy and to reaching the pinnacle of Formula One once again. I’m looking forward to this exciting new phase to my career working with Claire, Mike and Nick and with the rest of this great team – especially Frank himself, who is one of the most committed “racers” I know!”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, added; “I am delighted that the team is welcoming Paddy back to Williams in the role of Chief Technical Officer. Having someone of Paddy’s calibre and engineering competence is not only a morale boost for everyone at Williams, but I know it will also significantly support our efforts to return this team back to the front of the grid. Our ambitions at Williams are unwavering, we want to win races and championships, but to do that you need the best talent in the business. In Paddy we believe we have just that as well as a leader who will drive change. This is a game changer for us and once again makes us extremely excited about this team’s future.”

Commenting on Paddy’s appointment to the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board, Nick Rose added: “Paddy will be a great addition to our Board bringing his deep technical expertise and overall business knowledge and management skills. Alongside Claire and Mike, he will be one of the three key executive directors running our business day-to-day.”

[MIKA27]

F1 2017: HAMILTON VS BOTTAS THE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM

Valtteri Bottas is learning fast but Lewis Hamilton’s new Mercedes team mate will only really find out what he is up against when the Formula One season starts in Australia next week.

The 27-year-old Finn, who has stepped into the hot seat vacated by retired world champion Nico Rosberg, has yet to put a foot wrong.

He did more laps (628, equal to 2,923km) than anyone else in pre-season testing and drew early compliments from Hamilton, the man who drove Rosberg to the brink both mentally and physically last year.

“There are no games, there is complete transparency. I like that,” the triple world champion, who had already called Bottas a “nice guy” during an interview earlier this month.

“I feel we already have a better working relationship than I ever had with any team mate I had before,” said Hamilton, who has previously paired with champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button as well as Rosberg and Finland’s Heikki Kovalainen.

“He wants to do the best thing that he can in his first year with the team – and with me being here for quite a while now, I want to deliver and make sure that I give as much information so that he will learn.”

Both drivers have equal status but Hamilton, winner of 10 of the 21 races in 2016 including the last four, is the championship favourite.

From his perspective, Bottas is there to score points and back up the team’s bid for a fourth straight constructors’ title.

The Briton has won 53 grands prix, more than any driver apart from seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher. On his day, as previous team mates will attest, he can be simply unbeatable.

Hamilton is also no stranger to the psychological trickery, media manipulation and sheer single-mindedness that come with being a world champion.

Bottas, described by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff as “modest, humble and hard-working” when he joined from Williams in January, has yet to win a race.

But if the Finn, who has said he is “not here to be in second place”, proves as much of a rival for Hamilton as Rosberg then things could get very tasty indeed and the smiles will surely fade.

The championship is a long haul, but a Bottas victory in Australia would certainly liven things up.

“I would tell him don´t expect an easy ride, that´s for sure,” Rosberg, who raced against Hamilton from karts to Formula one, said when asked what advice he would give Bottas.

Former racer Martin Brundle said Hamilton would not underestimate his new team mate, who is undeniably quick, but was bound to feel good with the situation.

“Lewis must think ‘I’m in the best team, probably in the best car and my team mate has got all the learning to do of what it’s like to be under pressure’,” the Sky TV presenter told reporters.

Brundle recalled how that had felt in 1992 when he went from unsung Brabham to Benetton, a team expected to be on the podium.

“You can be in a midfield car and have three weekends on the missing list and nobody notices. You have one bad session when you are in a championship position and everybody notices. And Valtteri has not had that kind of pressure yet,” he said.

“If I was Lewis. I’d be thinking ‘I’ve got this one covered.”

[MIKA27]

F1 2017: VERSTAPPEN TO PUSH RICCIARDO TO THE MAX

It takes some effort to wipe the smile off Daniel Ricciardo’s face but Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen will be hoping the breezy Australian has less to grin about this season.

The battle between two of Formula One’s most popular drivers will be a leading storyline of the new-look championship starting in Melbourne next week as they fight to be team top dog.

Even if Red Bull currently appear to be behind Ferrari and Mercedes on pace, both can expect to be jostling for podium places.

Verstappen, the youngest driver and race winner in the sport’s history, goes into his last teenage year with a burgeoning reputation as a fan favourite and with more records for the taking.

A demon overtaker, compared to the late Ayrton Senna after lighting up last year’s wet Brazilian Grand Prix, the 19-year-old is widely regarded as a champion in waiting.

“There is a buzz around him that is growing and growing,” team principal Christian Horner said during pre-season testing in Barcelona.

“You saw the people that turned out to see him at Spa last year….there is a national following behind him.

“But beyond that there is this raw talent. His potential is enormous and that is what is so exciting about him. He is so grounded.”

Ricciardo, the “Honey Badger” whose easy charm belies a ferocious determination and will to win, was best of the rest behind the Mercedes drivers in 2016 but faces a bigger challenge this time.

His “shoey” celebration, drinking champagne from his sweaty shoe on the podium and urging others to partake, has become a post-race hit.

Ricciardo, who can count on strong home support for the opener, was the only driver other than the Mercedes pairing to qualify on pole position last year.

The Red Bull pair were also the only non-Mercedes drivers to win last year, but Verstappen’s arrival on the top step was more sensational – coming in his debut race for the team in Spain in May after switching from Toro Rosso.

As the season progressed, “Mad Max” added consistency to the mix. Verstappen was only once out of the top four in the last six races, but lost out 10-7 to Ricciardo in their 17 as team mates.

The Dutchman was only 8-7 behind on podium finishes, however.

“There was nothing between them over the second part of the year,” Horner told inews.co.uk. “What´s going to be fascinating for us to see is how Max, being so young, continues to evolve and improve.

“Can Daniel go with him? Is there more left in the tank? Was that the top rung last year? You suspect they both have more evolution and it will be interesting to see the battle between the two of them this year.”

[MIKA27]

McLaren have made contact with Mercedes about 2017 engine switch

McLaren has sounded out Mercedes about a supply of customer engines in Formula 1, sources have confirmed, if it concludes that it is best to split with current partner Honda.

On the back of a difficult pre-season testing programme, with Honda's new engine proving to be unreliable and under-powered, McLaren has been evaluating various options to try to save its campaign.

While Honda itself is adamant that it can resolve its reliability dramas which will then unlock steps in power, McLaren knows that it cannot afford for the situation to stay as it is.

There are fears that if Honda does not make steps to improve, then there is a danger that McLaren could be the slowest team on the grid and struggle to finish races.

That could deliver a huge financial hit in terms of constructors' championship income, as well as limit the potential to attract a much-needed title sponsor for 2018.

While meetings have taken place since Barcelona testing to try to push Honda to take action needed to lift its engine programme, McLaren has not dismissed the idea of looking elsewhere.

One avenue is the customer Mercedes engine supply that had originally been earmarked for the Manor team, and perhaps could be ready as early as later this season if Honda shows no signs of improving.

Sources suggest that a preliminary discussion has taken place to enquire about whether a supply deal would be possible in the short term – and the idea was not rebuffed.

McLaren declined to elaborate on the speculation regarding Mercedes, but said that all avenues were being looked at.

"Together with Honda we are considering options, but we will not comment on media speculation," said a spokesman.

However, for talks to advance, then McLaren will first of all have to be out of a contractual commitment to Honda – something that is unlikely to be easy.

The Woking-based team and Japanese car manufacturer have a long-term deal in place and the indications from Honda are that it remains fully committed to sorting out its F1 programme.

Much is now likely to depend on the progress that Honda is able to make over the next weeks and months however, as it responds to the latest push from McLaren to improve matters.

For McLaren, just three years into its partnership with Honda, a move to Mercedes would come against the backdrop of the team having said several years ago that it believed it could never win the title with a customer engine.

Earlier this week, however, racing director Eric Boullier said he believed McLaren would be in the hunt for victory if it was powered by Mercedes engines.

"Yes, we'd be winning again," he told Spanish newspaper AS.

[MIKA27]

Mika Häkkinen becomes McLaren partner ambassador

McLaren has announced that two-time Formula 1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen has re-joined the team as its partner ambassador, on a multi-year deal.

Häkkinen spent the bulk of his Formula 1 career with McLaren, taking 20 Grand Prix victories alongside world titles in 1998 and 1999.

In the newly-established role, Häkkinen will sit alongside Executive Director Zak Brown and the staff of McLaren marketing in working with existing sponsors, and potential new partners.

“I’ve always considered McLaren to be my home in Formula 1, and I still have an enormous place in my heart for everyone in the team,” said Häkkinen.

“Of course, the past few years for McLaren haven’t been easy, but I’ve always believed that it’s only a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ McLaren will come good again – and I want to play my part in helping that happen. 

“Returning to McLaren was an easy decision for me – I’ve never really lost contact, and I still know a lot of the hard-working men and women there from my eight-and-a-bit seasons with the team.

“I’m also really looking forward to working with Zak, who owns one of my race-winning McLarens from 2001.

“We’ve spoken about how we can work together, and I can see that he’s putting in place the building blocks needed to help McLaren get back to the front. I’ll be collaborating closely with him during the exciting years ahead.”

Brown believes Häkkinen will be an “incredible asset” for McLaren across the coming years.

“Mika is one of my all-time racing heroes, and a driver who remains one of the bravest, greatest and most iconic champions in Formula 1 history,” said Brown.

“His success with McLaren, and his battles with Michael [Schumacher], have become the stuff of Formula 1 legend, and underline Mika’s place among the pantheon of Grand Prix greats. 

“Just as important, Mika is a hugely impressive individual away from the cockpit – sharp, intelligent, wise, calm, witty and still a huge fan of the sport. He’ll be an incredible asset to McLaren as we look to build on our partner portfolio and return to full competitiveness.”

Häkkinen's role will also extend to the automotive arm of McLaren.

MIKA: This guy is indeed a legend...

[MIKA27]

Why have shark fins returned to F1?

The wider, more aggressive look of F1's 2017 cars has won the support of many fans and key figures within the sport, but there remains controversy about shark fins and T-wings.

New regulations always present discrepancies, and unintended consequences of changes to the dimensional constraints.

But why have these areas suddenly become a development battleground again?

Shark Fins

Renault R28 2008 engine cover fin

Shark fins are not new. They were part of the designs used by the teams between 2008 and 2010 - and became an integral element of the F-duct.

The shark fin design rose to prominence in 2008 for much the same reason they have in 2017 - which is due to the way they interact with the rear wing, which is now 800mm tall rather than 950mm.

They are helpful on several fronts. One of these is to stabilise the airflow received by the rear wing, which has been made turbulent by the upwash from the front wing and suspension.

This area has become more consequential this year given the increase in the width of the tyres, which are punching a bigger hole in the air.

The turbulent airflow created by the airbox and chassis also corresponds to the height of the rear wing. The shark fin aligns the flow passing down its length, improving its distribution over the rear wing element.

Meanwhile, the effect of the shark fin in channeling air is of particular interest to the teams while cornering (in yaw), as it can help stabilise the car and use the side force being generated to improve downforce and reduce drag.

T-wings

Williams FW40 double planes

The arrival of T-wings is one that came about when a mistake made its way into a redraft of the 2017 regulations in October.

These regulations have undergone numerous changes as they've matured, with the zone that has allowed the arrival of the T-wings closed off in the preceding version of the regulations.

Article 3.15.1

• With the exception of the opening described in Article 3.15.3, when viewed from the side, the car must have bodywork in the area bounded by four lines. One vertical line 1330mm forward of the rear wheel centre line, one horizontal 550mm above the reference plane, one horizontal 925mm above the reference plane and one diagonal which intersects the 925mm horizontal at a point 1000mm forward of the rear wheel centre line and the 550mm horizontal at a point lying [on] 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line.

The reversion to the previous wording (in italics) in this article opened up a 50mm box zone ahead of the rear wheel centreline, which is the space that these T-wings occupy.

Having seen this grey area emerge, F1 designers immediately looked at this an opportunity, with Mercedes, Ferrari, Williams and Haas all developing varying solutions.

These winglets generate little downforce of their own, and their short chord isn't significant enough to consider them in that respect. Instead they should be seen as a way of further manipulating the airflow ahead of the rear wing.

The airflow structure they shed is used to change the upwash that is generated by the connection that the diffuser and rear wing share.

Romain Grosjean, Haas F1 Team VF-17

Although the FIA has no concerns about the shark fin and T-wing designs, one issue that could come under scrutiny this year is flexing - as was witnessed during pre-season testing at Barcelona.

If behind-the-scenes moves are made to get rid of T-wings, then it could be done on grounds that they are either unsafe because they bend so much, or that they are moveable aerodynamic devices.

[MIKA27]

Brawn plans F1 task force and overtaking study

Ross Brawn is to set up a small task force of independent experts to help shape his vision for a better Formula 1, as he targets a proper investigation on how to improve overtaking.

The former team boss has joined FOM as managing director of motorsport, and is beginning to plot a long-term strategy to make grand prix racing better.

With the self-interest of teams having impacted on rule changes over recent years, Brawn plans to hire a small panel of well-recognised figures to get involved and deliver proposals that it believes will help improve grand prix racing.

Speaking to Motorsport.com in an interview about his next steps, Brawn said: "We will have some experts, industry recognised people, working within FOM, who I think people will be able to respect.

"It won't be a big team, just five or six people, but there will be enough capacity with my experience and knowledge to be able to create and get a proper reasoned argument for what we want to do and have an input into the process."

Show comes first

Brawn has spent recent weeks discussing outline ideas with F1 figures, and this week Liberty Media held a meeting with teams to inform them of its next steps.

And after years where change in F1 has been difficult because teams have been reluctant to do anything that could hurt their own form, Brawn is clear that the over-riding priority of anything that be brings to the table will be that it improves the show.

But he is clear that gimmicks – like elimination qualifying, double-points and DRS – are not the answer.

"What I want to make sure is that, over time, there is always a consideration for the quality of the show and the quality of the racing and the cost of the racing," he said. "So there are some boxes that need ticking every time we make a decision in Formula 1.

"There may be a very strong sporting consideration where, in order for the integrity of the sport, it's a decision that has to be made and I understand that.

"But there will be other decisions where someone holds up a flag saying, 'Have you thought about what the fans are going to think about that? Have you thought about how much this is going to cost? Have you thought about the impact on racing?"

Overtaking investigation

One area that Brawn wants to devote special resources to is a proper investigation in to how to make F1 cars better at overtaking.

The move to increase downforce for 2017 has prompted fears that passing could be more difficult because it may be harder for cars to follow each other.

Brawn suggests that the answer longer term is for a state-of-the-art CFD project to study the creation of an aero concept where cars with a lot of downforce are able to run close together.

He says that a previous investigation several years ago by an Overtaking Working Group did not produce the right answers because technology was so limited.

"It's a complex problem. We don't want the cars to be slow, so we want the levels of grip that we have, but we want it in a way that doesn't cause disruption to the car following. So is there a solution to that?

"If we put the right sort of people on that task and gave them a year, 18 months, to find a solution, can we design Formula 1 cars in a way that a car behind could follow?

"I know we had a go at it before with the Overtaking Working Group, but I don't think we had the knowledge and capability that teams have got now. CFD has made a huge difference.

"We were trying to carry out physical experiments in the windtunnel that was never designed to have two cars in it, so it was compromised.

"We had the two models and we were doing things to the one in front to see what it did to the one behind. But the one in front had to be in the front of the tunnel and the one behind had to be on the scales. So it was all a bit compromised.

"The CFD now gives new opportunities to look at all of that. Because if you could create a car which had decent levels of aerodynamic grip, but left a wake that was benign…there's lots of people who will tell you that you can't do that but I don't think we've really put our minds to it.

"Otherwise, there's not a solution. You can't just get rid of all the aerodynamic downforce. You can get some back with tyres and chassis grip, but you can't have cars as quick as this.

"And if you want cars as quick as this, you've got to find another solution. So that's the sort of stuff that we will be involved in initiating and supporting to make sure that we can do it."

[MIKA27]

Formula 1 podcast: F1 Racing magazine 2017 season preview

The first Autosport podcast of 2017 looks forward to the upcoming Formula 1 season with F1 Racing magazine.

The podcast was recorded in the Bibendum restaurant on London's Fulham Road in late-January, before pre-season testing had started, but has been released now to coincide with the UK release of the season preview issue of F1 Racing.

Associate editor James Roberts welcomes three special guests to look ahead to the 2017 season: former Renault and Williams technical chief Pat Symonds, Sky Sports F1 analyst and commentator Martin Brundle and F1 Racing columnist Peter Windsor.

Among the topics tackled are how F1 hit on its new regulations package and the potential impact on the racing, how well Mercedes newcomer Valtteri Bottas will do up against Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's hopes.

The new-look April issue - on sale in the UK from today - has been printed on thicker, higher quality paper, with a fresh design and rich new content.

Inside the issue is a joint interview with Red Bull drivers Dan Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, a trip to Maranello to glimpse the new Ferrari, an exclusive sit-down with Lewis Hamilton, a training session with new boy Lance Stroll and a driving Masterclass with Jolyon Palmer.

Plus, there's your guide to every circuit, every team and every driver competing in the 2017 world championship - and much more besides.

The new-look April issue appears on magazine stands, subscriber doormats and online from this week, offering a revitalised and authoritative preview to Formula 1's new season.

PODCAST

[MIKA27]

PROGRESS ON ENGINE, BUT WHAT DOES THE 2017 F1 SEASON LOOK LIKE FOR RENAULT’S F1 TEAM?

After the winter testing, one of the hardest teams to place in the pecking order is the Renault F1 team. They looked relatively solid in the midfield pack in the first week and struggled to match that in the second week.

With two of the manufacturer backed teams, Ferrari and Mercedes set to compete at the front this year with Renault-powered Red Bull, the question arises – where is Renault F1 team at this point?

How good is the engine they share with Red Bull and Toro Rosso and what should the team’s 2017 game plan be?

The 2017 Formula 1 season marks the start of the second year back in the world championship for Renault since it re-purchased the Enstone-based former Lotus team at the end of 2015.

In 2016 – always billed as a transitional year – the team often struggled to escape Q1 largely thanks to the RS16’s under-developed Lotus predecessor and the last minute change from a Mercedes power unit to a Renault design.

But at the launch of the RS17 in London last month, Renault Sport boss Jerome Stoll stated that the squad was aiming for fifth place in the constructors’ championship in 2017.

To achieve that aim, Renault needs to have produced a competitive chassis and improved the performance of its power unit compared to the Mercedes and Ferrari engines.

“This has been an exciting two weeks for everyone at Renault Sport Racing as we have seen the first Formula 1 car designed from the outset by us take to the track,” said Renault Sport’s managing director Cyril Abiteboul at the conclusion of winter testing in Barcelona last week. “The RS17 looks beautiful and we think it is a good platform to build the performance that will allow to achieve our aims for 2017. We know the areas we need to address.”

Step 1 – the power unit

Under the technical leadership of Remi Taffin, Renault seems to have got its act together.

Like Honda, Renault opted to completely overhaul the design of its V6 turbo power unit. But unlike the Japanese manufacturer, it has made a significant step forward, which could be seen by Red Bull, with its Renault engine, topping the speed trap classification at Barcelona on the first day of testing. Eve Red Bull boss Christian Horner has said positive things about the engine.

To achieve this improvement, Renault has implemented an entirely new approach to its engine architecture on both the internal combustion element and the energy recovery systems.

Although Red Bull’s top speed improvement has been aided by the RB13’s slick aerodynamics reducing drag in a straight line, Toro Rosso, Renault’s other customer, has also been impressed by its 2017 engine.

“We are quite happy with the Renault engine,” said Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. “It’s the new design and the engine shows a good performance, also from the drivability.”

Dominic Harlow, JA on F1’s technical advisor, explained that re-arranging engine architecture could lead to manufacturers finding significant laptime gains.

He said: “It’s about packaging and potential to size their turbo and compressor as they want for the best performance. In the end having better packaging will enable them to get more from the MGU-H to use more mega joules per lap. If you’re unable to run at the limit of [electrical] deployment at any point you’re losing potential lap time and if you can get closer to that limit you’ll gain lap time.

“It used to be that 0.4 of a mega joule was about three tenths of a second per lap, as a rule of thumb.”

One downside to Renault’s new power unit is that all three teams using it during testing suffered reliability problems, specifically with the new MGU-K overheating. Renault was aware of the issue from its dyno work on the new engine, but that problem became clearer during testing.

The French manufacturer is already working on a solution, which it expects will be implemented in time for the Australian Grand Prix, but it may not necessarily be a straightforward fix.

The tight confines of the current F1 power units mean that any attempt to improve cooling can have a significant knock-on effect to other areas of a car. More cooling for the ERS could impact the cooling of the gearbox, hydraulics, intercooler, engine water and engine oil, and effect the overall aerodynamic performance of a car if its packaging needs to be opened up.

Step 2 – the chassis

Renault was hampered in 2016 by the underdeveloped RS16 it inherited from Lotus, which also had to cope with the late switch from a Mercedes engine to the Renault design.

The RS17 features a number of aggressive aero parts, particularly around the sidepods, directing air towards the rear of the car and the diffuser. But Renault has hit trouble with the mounting of its rear wing support pillar, which was attached to the DRS actuator pod when the car was launched and during testing, but the FIA ruled it was not compliant with the regulations.

Jolyon Palmer noted that the RS16 had “made a good gain” in ride quality, and reckons Renault has made a big step with its new car.

But the Briton’s new team-mate, Nico Hulkenberg, has already moved to check expectations for 2017.

He said: “I think Renault is better placed than last year. The team moved closer to the midfield. Points will be difficult as I think four teams are clearly in front. Then there’s not much left. It’s going to be difficult.”

The aim – bridging the gap

Fifth place in the constructors’ championship is an ambitious aim given the crowded nature of F1’s current midfield. Our analysis from the long runs in Barcelona last week shows that Renault is likely to be locked in a fight with Toro Rosso and Haas F1 behind Williams and Force India.

At the moment it is behind its two customer teams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso, which is an uncomfortable situation for any manufacturer. But Renault can at least take comfort from the performance gains it has made with its power unit, and once it irons out the reliability concerns it can push on and further bridge the gap to its rivals.

[Colt45]

As much as I like all types of racing, F1 continues to become harder and harder to watch. One of the "problems" for me is that the cars are just too big, and continue to get bigger. Mid '60s!

 

[LLC]

As much as I like all types of racing, F1 continues to become harder and harder to watch. One of the "problems" for me is that the cars are just too big, and continue to get bigger. Mid '60s!

 

Love the look of the cars back then but even at those slower speeds a lot of drivers died. I assume the larger size is part to do with safety. Interesting that even road cars keep getting bigger with each new generation of a model.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

McLaren 'doesn’t know' if it can finish first race in Australia

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier says he doesn’t know if the team can finish the opening race of the 2017 Formula 1 season in Australia.

The new MCL32 suffered numerous engine-related problems with Honda’s new power unit during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, restricting Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne to just 424 laps, the fewest of any team.

Formula 1 heads to Melbourne's Albert Park circuit for the opening race of the campaign next weekend, but Boullier is unsure that McLaren will be able to complete the 58-lap encounter.

“Oh, I hope so, but I don't know,” was Boullier’s response when asked in an interview with Spanish publication AS if McLaren can reach the chequered flag in Melbourne.

He added: “If we've got a good engine we'll be competitive, if not, we won't be. It's that simple.”

McLaren’s competitiveness in 2017 could determine whether Alonso remains at the Woking-based outfit, with the Spaniard entering the final season of a three-year contract.

Boullier admitted it is "early days" to consider contract talks, adding: “I think Fernando is being honest with us, just as we're being honest with him. He first wanted to see how the new car was. And how the new regulations are. And I think he likes the new F1.

“And he wants to be competitive because he has talent to show the world and to himself. And we need to be competitive to keep him happy. If we're competitive he'll be happy and if not he'll take his own decisions...”

[MIKA27]

Video: Eddie Jordan on Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in 2017

Speaking from the King of the Hammers event in the depths of the Arizona desert, Eddie Jordan shares his thoughts on the 2017 Formula One season – including his thoughts on Mercedes, Nico Rosberg's retirement & Valtteri Bottas' chances against Lewis Hamilton.

[MIKA27]

Kevin Magnussen: 'It's important to start the year with a good result'

Kevin Magnussen believes it's important to get a strong result in the opening race of the season as it provides a real morale boost for the remainder of the year.

Magnussen has joined Formula 1's newest team, Haas, for the 2017 season, following previous stints at McLaren and Renault. .

The American outfit enjoyed a stunning start to its rookie campaign last year, with Romain Grosjean taking sixth in Australia, before improving to fifth in Bahrain.

Magnussen is hoping to replicate those results to get his and Haas' season off to a flying start.

"It’s always important to have a good start to the year just to kick-start everything," said the Dane. "It gives you a boost to have a good beginning.

"The end is important too, but it’s always nice to start off the year with a good race. We’ll do our best and see what we get.

“My goal for the season, and it’s the same for the team, is to try and improve on the result from last year, which was very good.

"Going on to then finish eighth in the constructors championship, with 29 points, was a great result for a first-year Formula 1 team. To improve on that, even just a little bit, would be a good target."

[MIKA27]

Pascal Wehrlein feels 'ready' for F1 opener despite lost track time

Sauber driver Pascal Wehrlein insists he feels “ready” for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, despite suffering a disrupted build-up to the new Formula 1 campaign.

Mercedes-backed Wehrlein spent his rookie campaign with the now-defunct Manor squad, scoring a point in Austria, before securing a deal to race for Sauber in 2017, alongside Marcus Ericsson.

Wehrlein, though, was forced to miss the opening test as a precaution, due to the back complaint he sustained when he rolled a Polaris Slingshot at the Race of Champions in January.

The German was replaced by Ferrari reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi, ensuring Sauber was able to conduct its programme, before being given the green light to return for the second week of action at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Wehrlein was able to complete 201 laps in the Sauber C36, the only car to be fitted with a 2016-specficiation power unit, as he gears up for the first round of the season.

“It is the beginning of my new role as a Formula 1 race driver at Sauber, and I am sure when those five lights go out it will be a unique moment on the race day,” he said.

“During the second week of pre-season testing I had productive days, where I was able to get quite familiar with the car’s procedures.

“After intense physical preparations in the last few weeks I am excited about going to Melbourne, and I feel ready and well-prepared for the challenging season opener.

“It looks promising at the moment for me, but we never know until we get to Melbourne.”

Wehrlein made his Formula 1 debut at the corresponding event last season and finished in 16th position.

[MIKA27]

Bernie Ecclestone admits he's 'envious' of new F1 CEO Chase Carey

Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he is envious of his replacement Chase Carey, because he has been given the freedom by new owners Liberty Media to run the sport in the best way he sees fit.

Ecclestone meanwhile says he was forced by owners CVC Capital Partners – an investment company – to maximise profits, which meant he had to run the business in a completely different manner.

"I’ve been trying to run the business as a chief executive of the company to make profits for the shareholders," he told the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

"I knew CVC wanted to sell the company – I was doing all I could to make sure the company was set up to make good profits in order that they could sell.

"I’m terribly envious of Chase because he is in the lovely position of being able to do a lot of things I wanted to do and couldn’t."

Meanwhile Ecclestone says he has been completely shut-out of the business, with Liberty Media "wanting rid of the Bernie era".

"I can’t do anything," he added. "Even the staff have been told they shouldn’t talk to me.

"I was a little disappointed because I was asked before they took over, would I stay here for three years if they took over – and I said, provided I was fit and competent, yes, I would.

“So I was a bit surprised the day after they completed the deal that I was asked to stand down because Chase wanted to be chief executive."

[MIKA27]

Max Verstappen: 'We're not in contention for pole position in Australia'

Max Verstappen doesn't believe Red Bull will be in a position to fight for pole position at the season opening race in Melbourne next weekend – a fight be believes will be between Mercedes and Ferrari.

The Dutch driver believes Ferrari have made enough of a gain over the winter to challenge champions Mercedes, but isn't entirely sure of where Red Bull stacks up in the pecking order.

"It is always hard to say who now has the better car, but it is very obvious that Ferrari is stronger than last year," he told his personal website.

"Mercedes is always up there as well. I think that they are not showing their true potential. The past years that was also the case."

Although Verstappen is confident Red Bull can make gains during the season and eventually find themselves in contention for race wins, he expects that will take a few races and doesn't therefore head to Australia with the thought of taking pole position.

"For us, it’s hard to say. Personally, I think that we aren’t the best team yet, but we need to wait and see. After qualifying in Australia we will be able to see how it is, based purely on speed.

"In any case, we are not heading off to Melbourne with the thought of being able to take pole.

"At this moment, I think that Ferrari and Mercedes will be at the front, but hopefully, like last year, we’ll gradually get into a better rhythm. We can do better, compared to last year, albeit we need to work hard to achieve that. In any case, I will do my best and we will see where we stand."

[MIKA27]

Hamilton ‘could do a Rosberg’ in 2017

David Coulthard has said Lewis Hamilton could "absolutely" follow in Nico Rosberg's footsteps this season and retire as a World Champion.

Rosberg announced his shock retirement shortly after clinching the Drivers' Championship in Abu Dhabi and Coulthard can envisage Hamilton doing exactly the same come the end of the 2017 season.

“How long before he retires? It could be sooner than maybe we would all want," Coulthard said via the Daily Mirror.

“I would be surprised if he was still doing it beyond 35 because he started so young – I stopped at 37, but I started later.

“Like anything in life, to keep things fresh and exciting over a 10 or 20-year period is tough. He could ‘Do a ­Rosberg’ and walk away if he wins the title this season, ­absolutely.

“When things are going well, Lewis is the most ­recognisable face on the grid and there are moments when you see the pure enjoyment, the little boy in the man.

“As long as that light’s getting switched on from time to time, he’ll continue to show up and do it. But when the ­passion goes, you can fool others but not yourself.”

Hamilton is the favourite to land what would be his fourth career world title, but Coulthard reckons that his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas can not be ruled out of the equation.

He added: “Maybe Hamilton’s met his match, though the ­evidence of Bottas at Williams suggests he’s not at the same level as Lewis.

“Remember, Peter Warr once said Nigel ­Mansell would never win a Grand Prix ‘as long as there’s a hole in my a***’, and Nigel went on to win a lot because he got an exceptional car, and ­became a world champion.

“Maybe Bottas is suddenly going to appear as this winning machine that nobody saw coming – including Hamilton.”