Formula 1 - 2017

[MIKA27]

Perez: Physicality of 2017 cars exaggerated

Sergio Perez says this year’s new cars are not as physically demanding as many had predicted they would be.

With increased downforce and speeds, this year’s heavier cars – up from a minimum weight of 702kgs to 728 – were expected to be difficult to drive.

Many predicted that they would be physically demanding, which resulted in all the drivers upping their pre-season exercise programmes.

Perez, though, says the physicality of the cars has been “somewhat exaggerated.”

“I noticed almost no difference in the physical demands between the 2016 and 2017 cars,” the Force India driver told Spanish daily Marca.

“I think this point has been somewhat exaggerated.”

But despite that Perez has been working hard in the gym to bulk up for the new season.

This, though, is proving a problem for Force India with reports suggesting that the VJM10 is 10kgs overweight.

As such Force India have asked both Perez and Esteban Ocon to drop a few kilograms before the season gets underway in Melbourne.

His personal trainer Xavi Martos revealed: “Checo is one of the most natural drivers on the grid and will have no problem with his neck, even if he loses kilos.”

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Haas unfazed by lack of sponsors

Although Haas are set to start this season with minimal sponsorship on board, team boss Guenther Steiner says he is not worried about the situation.

Heading to Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Haas will carry sponsorship from only the Haas Automation brand and Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.

While Steiner acknowledges that he would like more sponsorship on board, he says Haas “can survive without that.”

He told GPUpdate.net: “I think if you look at the teams which have been here a long time and are very stable, they have no big sponsors.

“It’s a difficult market for sponsors, I must say. I think if somebody wanted to sponsor us, then they are just waiting a little bit to see if we are stable in what we are doing.

“Would we have hoped to have a little bit more [on the car]? Sure. But we are fortunate that Haas Automation sponsors us, so we don’t live on sponsors, we can survive without that.

“We will try to get sponsors on the car, but it’s a difficult market.”

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Horner: Newey has his mojo back

Adrian Newey “has his mojo back again” thanks to Formula 1’s new regulations; that’s according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

Although Newey, Red Bull’s design guru, renewed his contract with the team in 2014, he stepped away from the day-to-day involvement to work on other projects.

But with new aerodynamic regulations coming into play this season, the Brit has been back at the helm working on the new RB13.

“Adrian definitely has his mojo back again,” Horner told Formula1.com.

“Right now he is juggling two projects – the Aston Martin car and the RB13 – but he’s got a great team and together they are doing a super job.

“Adrian is contributing effectively into that. It’s great to see him enthused again about Formula One.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Formula 1 will race without a defending World Champion on the grid after Nico Rosberg retired at the end of 2016.

Asked who he is ‘tipping to claim the crown’, Horner replied: “It is obviously a shame that the champion has decided not to defend his title – that is really an unusual scenario for a guy that is still pretty young.

” You could argue that it is little defeatist, but you have to respect his decision.

“And there are great champions on the grid: Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.

“But hopefully it will be a new guy at the end of this season – hopefully one of ours!”

He added:  “I honestly believe we have the strongest pairing. Ricciardo drove a wonderful year last year and is really hitting peak form and, with the exciting talent that is Max Verstappen, who is getting stronger and stronger, the dynamics in the team are fantastic.”

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Vettel: Yes, I can win titles with Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel is adamant he can win World titles with Ferrari but admits their pre-season form is not a true indication of this season’s pecking order.

Ferrari dominated the pre-season timesheets with Kimi Raikkonen fastest of all ahead of Vettel.

Mercedes’ best-placed driver, Valtteri Bottas, was third, some seven-tenths off the pace.

Ferrari’s form has given them confidence ahead of the new season, however, Vettel concedes that the pre-season timesheets don’t tell the full story.

“It’s impossible to predict anything,” he told Sports Bild. “Even the tests in Barcelona only give a basic idea where you stand.

“It is only in the first race that you will know how well you and the others have worked over the winter.

“And we will only get real clarity after three or four races.”

But while the German has downplayed Ferrari’s pace, he believes he can win World titles with the Scuderia.

“Yes!” he replied when asked if he still believed ‘in a title in red’. “If not, I wouldn’t go to the start grid.

“All I can say is that the spirit in the team is good, everyone is working for everyone else’s benefit.”

[MIKA27]

All Mercedes teams to use latest engine in Australia

Mercedes has confirmed all its teams will use the latest version of its 2017 Formula 1 engine at the Australian Grand Prix, despite reports this week that it could hold back its introduction because of reliability concerns.

Speculation has been bubbling away since the Barcelona tests that the German car manufacturer was concerned about a potential problem with its crankshaft, which could have forced it to delay using the latest specification of power unit.

But a high-level source at Mercedes has dismissed the reports - and says it is sticking to the plan for all its teams to run the latest version that Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas evaluated in the final test.

Minor reliability issues did come to light in the first week of testing, but these have proved to be easily resolved.

  

Conservative modes

Mercedes has made a big change to its power unit for this season and there have been rumours that it has been delivering up to 70 bhp more on the dyno – something that did not seem to be borne out by its performance at the Barcelona tests.

It appears, however, that Mercedes may have been running with its engines in a more conservative mode in testing, which has allowed it to trial experimental parts and manage those components that it is not convinced need to be brought into action just yet.

With F1’s engine token system having been abolished this season, major updates are now possible when any new power unit is brought in to life – so anything not ready to run now can be delivered later in the campaign.

If Mercedes was running in a more conservative mode throughout testing, it could explain why rival Ferrari – which ran a single power unit for the entire two weeks – possibly appeared to hold the edge and why things could be different in Melbourne.

Equally, Mercedes could feel that it is not yet comfortable enough with its latest unit to unleash its maximum power, meaning its full potential may not be seen for several races.

Ferrari may appear to hold the advantage now, but the prospect of Mercedes being able to bring big gains could be of bigger concern for Maranello's overall title ambitions.

[Baldy]

The McLaren Honda relationship is reminding me a lot of the RB Renault relationship (or lack thereof) of a few years ago.  I'm a big Honda fan in general but they need to deliver. 

Surprise to read that the last time Williams won was 20 years ago.  I like the Paddy Lowe signing but not a fan of Stroll even though he's Canadian.  It's laughable the TV commercials I've seen locally lately on this kid.  Only reason he got a ride is because of rich daddy.  A Verstappen he is not.  With all the crashes this kid is going to rack up it might cost Williams more than the $$$ daddy brings in.  Imagine what the team like Williams can do with a more level playing field with regards to money distribution.  No other professional sport is run this way.  Imagine an NFL system with 4-5 teams with $200 million salary cap while the rest are restricted to $100.  That's what it seems like to me.

So glad Bernie is gone.  Yeah right Bernie you were so "constrained" because of CVC Capital.  I'm liking the messages from Liberty Media so far and their action so far but time will tell with these things.

Enough of the speculations already.  Let's go RACING!

 

 

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40 minutes ago, Baldy said:

Surprise to read that the last time Williams won was 20 years ago.  I like the Paddy Lowe signing but not a fan of Stroll even though he's Canadian.  It's laughable the TV commercials I've seen locally lately on this kid.  Only reason he got a ride is because of rich daddy.  A Verstappen he is not.  With all the crashes this kid is going to rack up it might cost Williams more than the $$$ daddy brings in.  Imagine what the team like Williams can do with a more level playing field with regards to money distribution.  No other professional sport is run this way.  Imagine an NFL system with 4-5 teams with $200 million salary cap while the rest are restricted to $100.  That's what it seems like to me.

Enough of the speculations already.  Let's go RACING!

 

 

[Colt45]

On 3/17/2017 at 8:35 PM, LLC said:

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.

Surely the evolution of the cars / technology is a big part of what F1 is about. To me, though, it sometimes looks like a bunch of airplanes driving on the ground, trying to pass each other

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FORMULA 1 2017: THE DRIVERS

The Class of 2017 – the drivers contesting the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship which gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix weekend at Albert Park in Melbourne, from 24-26 March.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes

Having spent his 2015-16 Christmas break desecrating Indian burial grounds, 2016 was a difficult year for Hamilton, as reliability ultimately cost him a third consecutive driver’s championship. Now with frenemy Nico Rosberg gone, Hamilton will look to reassert himself as the dominant force not just at Mercedes, but on the entire grid. Certainly, we’ve seen he’s capable of doing so, but even an all-timer like Hamilton has foibles – starts proving particularly tricky for him last year. 2017 will be a chance for Hamilton to not just cement his dominance over the current crop of F1 drivers, but to secure his spot in the pantheon of F1 greats.

2016 Championship Position: P2

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

F1’s smiling assassin, Ricciardo was a popular choice for “driver of the season” honours in 2016, putting in consistently excellent performances even if his car wasn’t quite up to par. Looking to mount a legitimate championship challenge in 2017 he’s got his work cut-out with a car that looks still slightly below the top. Regardless of what happens in the to mention a teammate who’s sure to generate his fair-share of headaches – but with the brilliance he’s shown throughout his career, you wouldn’t bet against him being right there when it’s all said and done.

2016 Championship Position: P3

Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 

After enjoying a remarkable honeymoon with Ferrari in 2015, 2016 was an abject disappointment for the four-time world champion. A distant fourth in the standings was not the result Vettel would’ve expected heading into the season, but 2017 offers him a chance at redemption with a Ferrari that at least based on testing, is a serious threat to Mercedes hegemony. There is no one on the grid who has more championship no-how than the German, and in the tenth season since Ferrari’s last driver’s champion, Vettel could be poised to end the drought.

2016 Championship Position: P4

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 

After three years at Williams, Bottas finally has the chance to deliver on the promise that made him such a highly-touted driver in the first place. With Mercedes, the Finn will have to deal with the twin pressures of performing to a championship calibre and teammate Lewis Hamilton’s attempted mind games (Whinging  ). A handful of race wins is the absolute minimum expected of Bottas in 2017, but he could finish the year a world champion.

2016 Championship Position: P8

Max Verstappen, Red Bull

Last year’s championship may belong to Nico Rosberg, but make no mistake: 2016 was the year of Max Verstappen. Scoring a win in his first race with Red Bull, the Dutch teenager had the best debut since went above-and-beyond in his first season with the senior team, and will now have his sights set on going from F1’s youngest race-winner to its youngest champion. Expect to hear a lot about Verstappen in 2017, inevitably as much for the excitement he generates as the controversy.

2016 Championship Position: P5

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 

Something of a surprise package in 2016, Raikkonen was able to often get the better of more-decorated teammate Sebastian Vettel, and will look to build on that with a championship challenge in 2017. When a car suits his driving style, the Finn is still right there for pace, and testing would seem to indicate the SF70-H does indeed suit him. Turning 38 during the season, Raikkonen will be looking to add to one of the more remarkable careers in recent memory.

2016 Championship Position: P6

Felipe Massa, Williams 

At 5’5, there’s not many things shorter than Felipe Massa, but his retirement was one of them. Back in the saddle for his 15th season in F1, Massa will be hungry to prove he’s still got it with a Williams that looked very podium-capable in testing. Whatever awaits the 35-year-old Brazilian, he’ll get to enjoy at least one more rodeo before hanging up his child’s size 7 boots.

2016 Championship Position: P11

Sergio Perez, Force India 

Once the “next big thing” in F1, Perez has become something of an enigma. In each of his three years with Force India, Perez’s talent has been on full display with at least one podium, yet he was never able to separate himself from teammate Nico Hulkenberg despite the German never quite reaching the same heights. Never “there”, but always “there abouts” in driver rumours, perhaps this is the season he arrives back at the forefront.

2016 Championship Position: P7

Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso 

No man finds himself in a more awkward position than Sainz. A highly regarded young talent, he remains the odd-man out in a stacked stable of Red Bull drivers, meaning that while he can’t move up to the senior team, it’s clear he can’t stay at Toro Rosso much longer. 2017 will go a long way to shaping his career, and he should be a popular name in silly season rumours.

2016 Championship Position: P12

Esteban Ocon, Force India

Whether or not you thought he won his battle with former Manor teammate Pascal Wehrlein, Ocon came out on top in the only way that matters – by securing a better race seat for 2017. No longer languishing at the back, the 20-year-old Frenchman will be expected to snare plenty of points in his Force India, and with his sights set on quickly advancing even further, nothing less will be acceptable.

2016 Championship Position: P23

Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 

After three years at Force India, new pastures await for Hulkenberg as he joins the revival project at Renault. Despite being a proven commodity on the F1 grid, the 29-year-old German has yet to attain a grand prix podium, and will find it difficult to open his account in another midfield car. Expect a consistent, if unspectacular 2017 from the German.

2016 Championship Position: P9

Romain Grosjean, Haas 

Despite starting 2016 with two top-6 finishes, Grosjean had a season of relative obscurity as Haas settled back into the midfield. Now in year two with the American team, the Frenchman will be expected to not only take the lead in making them competitive, but will face a genuine challenge from the other side of the garage with Kevin Magnussen having replaced Esteban Gutierrez.

2016 Championship Position: P13

Kevin Magnussen, Haas 

Once a heralded protégé of the McLaren young driver programme, Magnussen enters his third season in F1 yet to really deliver on the promise after finishing P2 on his race debut in Melbourne, and now finds himself once more at a new team. If the 24-year-old Dane harbours ambitions of scoring a ticket back to the big time, his 2017 battle with talented teammate Romain Grosjean will be particularly interesting to watch.

2016 Championship Position: P16

Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso

From Toro Rosso to Red Bull and back again, Kvyat’s career epitomises the cut-throat nature of the driver market in F1. Turning a near-ancient (by Toro Rosso standards) 23 in 2017, this might be Kvyat’s final chance to impress enough to secure his F1 future, lest he end up abandoned on the same deserted island as Jean-Eric Vergne and Sebastien Buemi.

2016 Championship Position: P14

Fernando Alonso, McLaren 

A long-time admirer of Bushido – the samurai way of life – 2017 might be the year Alonso is forced to commit seppuku. Now a decade removed from his second world championship with Renault, Alonso finds himself as far away from glory as he’s ever been, and you have to wonder just how much more his psyche can take. If McLaren continues to fail him on track, expect him to start generating plenty of headlines off of it.

2016 Championship Position: P10

Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 

It’s been a long time coming, but the best name in motorsport has finally made his way to a full-time race seat. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely he’ll get to build on the point he got on debut in 2015, but he’ll still be expect to match up well with Fernando Alonso as McLaren’s driver for the future – one that should include better engines.

2016 Championship Position: P20

Jolyon Palmer, Renault 

A slow start to his rookie season had many doubting his future in F1, but a strong finish was enough for Palmer to secure his seat for 2017. With Nico Hulkenberg now occupying the other Renault, the benchmark for success will be somewhat higher than it was in 2016, and the former GP2 champion will have to raise his game even further if he wants to impress.

2016 Championship Position: P18

Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 

From one backmarker to another, Mercedes development driver Wehrlein has to be smarting after being passed-over for Nico Rosberg’s vacant race seat. Now in a 2016-Ferrari-powered Sauber, Wehrlein will be measured by not whether he beats teammate Marcus Ericsson, but how comprehensively he does it. A few cheeky points wouldn’t hurt either to regain Toto Wolff and co.’s attention.

2016 Championship Position: P19

Lance Stroll, Williams 

Having evoked memories of Pastor Maldonado with his crash-filled performance in the first pre-season test, Stroll has his work cut out to change perceptions he is more than the latest deep-pocketed driver to buy their way into F1. Going against the veteran Felipe Massa will provide an excellent benchmark in what is sure to be a pressure-packed season, and with the car looking more than capable, Stroll will have to be likewise.

2016 Championship Position: N/A

Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 

Among the champions and challengers, heroes and villains, Marcus Ericsson remains a forgotten man in F1. Having never found himself in a particularly quick car, the Swede’s career has yet to give us any meaningful moments, yet, like Lewis Hamilton’s barber, he somehow still has a job. With an underpowered Sauber his ride for 2017, expect more of the same this season.

2016 Championship Position: P22

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WOLFF: LEWIS AND VALTTERI ARE IN A GREAT PLACE

Toto Wolff chief of the dominant and reigning Formula 1 World Champion team Mercedes, is looking forward to a season when the sport has cars that will again test drivers’ skills once again and believes his drivers will are well prepared to rise to the challenge.

Ahead of the season opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Wolff said in a statement: “It’s the dawn of a new era – in more ways than one. This is the first time that Formula One has changed the rules to make the cars faster. We have new management looking at how we take the sport forward. And, in our team, we have seen some significant changes of personnel over the winter. It’s been a busy few months, no doubt. But an extremely exciting time, too.

“The target with these new regulations was to make this generation of F1 cars the quickest in the history of the sport. And looking at the results from testing, we’re well on the way to achieving that. It’s something that’s never been done before and that’s a radical change. We’ve even made them look more spectacular.

“Having spoken to the drivers, these machines are violent – just like Formula One cars should be. I have been out on track watching them and, next to the previous generation of cars, these are properly spectacular cars. From a fan perspective – and a part of me will always be a fan – it really is something special. Any true motorsport lover simply has to see them in the flesh.

“Lewis and Valtteri are in a great place. They have a respectful and friendly relationship from what we’ve seen in our team briefings so far. It’s an exciting time for them because these new cars are a real physical challenge. Both felt from testing that the G-Forces are enormous and they are embracing the new challenge of F1 2017.

“We have tackled with determination the challenge of the new regulations. We have been very successful over the last three years through stable rules – but no team has ever maintained its success over such a big regulation change before. In a way, it’s just what the doctor ordered. To have such a challenge is good for the team.

“There is an art to managing expectations. You must not set them too low – but you must also keep them under control. With new regulations, everyone starts with zero points. It provides opportunities as well as risks for every team on the grid. You only need to look back to 2009 to see how unpredictable Formula One can be, with Brawn winning the Championship after being on the brink of extinction.

“We enter 2017 with that mindset. We take every one of our rivals seriously and respect every team’s ability to find that magic bullet. They are all full of very clever people – the best in the world in their fields. We have done the best job we possibly could over the winter and, if we are not the fastest in Melbourne, then it’s about finding out why and what needs to be done to get us back to that top spot. It’s a challenge we will take on with great motivation and energy. Setbacks can provide a long-term opportunity because you constantly need to improve yourself.

“What we’ve seen from Barcelona is that the margins at the front of the field have shrunk. We’ll see how that pans out in Melbourne, because we still don’t know about the fuel loads, weights or power settings of the other cars. As the old saying goes, it is when the flag drops that the bullshit really stops.”

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FORCE INDIA: WE CAN PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST YEAR

Force India preview the season opening Australian Grand Prix, Round 1 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Team Principal, Dr Vijay Mallya, reflects on the start of a new season in Australia.

Mallya: “I always say that Melbourne is a great place to start the season and this year there is so much to be excited about with the new generation of cars making their race debut. It’s interesting for the teams, the media and most importantly, the fans. Let’s hope we put on a great show to kick off the season in style.

“We will race in our new colours for the first time in Melbourne. BWT have given us a very exciting livery and they have generated a huge buzz among the media and fans. The VJM10 looks stunning and it’s great to see such a positive reaction on social media.

“As for our expectations this weekend, it’s still not easy to make predictions – even after eight days of testing in Barcelona. Qualifying on Saturday will give us our first indication of the true pecking order. Testing taught us lots of things and we’ve identified where we can improve, which is exactly why we go testing. We’ve addressed most of those things in time for Melbourne and we’re in good shape.

“The VJM10 is largely reliable and clocked up 785 laps in testing, and we took encouragement from our long run pace. We’ve got to approach the early races believing we can pick up where we left off last year. We arrive in Melbourne feeling optimistic and confident that scoring points is a realistic objective.”

Sergio Perez revs up for the new season and one of his favourite races in the calendar.

Sergio: “The first race of the year is always good fun. We’ve had a long winter to recharge the batteries, but now I just want to go racing again. Australia is the best place to start the season: it’s a great country and I really enjoy going there. There is so much to do in Melbourne and it’s a fun weekend, even if it’s busier than some of the other races.

“It’s important not to get distracted: we want to start well and get back into the race weekend rhythm, and get on with our work. The track itself is quite enjoyable and it’s a challenge to drive because it’s almost a street circuit. It starts the weekend very green and as you go on, you get more grip and more confidence in your new car.

“I am confident we can do well and score points from the first race: Australia is a place where anything can happen and we have seen some very unpredictable races there in the past. You never know what opportunities turn up in a race so you have to be ready at all times to take them.”

Esteban Ocon prepares for his Sahara Force India debut and his first full season in Formula One.

Esteban: “I am feeling great after a long winter and I’m very excited to go to Melbourne. It will be the first time racing at Albert Park for me, so I do not really know the track, but last year I went there and I liked what I could see. It’s a proper old-school track and those are the sorts of circuit I really enjoy. Of course it’s not easy when you don’t know the track in advance, so it’s especially important to learn quickly in the Friday sessions and listen to the feedback from the engineers – whether it’s where I can be faster or where we can make the car quicker. I think I have all the tools and all the people around me to do that.

“Joining this team has gone very smoothly from my perspective. The team welcomed me and made me feel at ease straight away. I feel very comfortable about the way we work and I feel this will help me give my best in Australia.

“I think we did a good job as a team during winter testing and I also feel confident because of all the simulator work we did over the winter. We continue to push on the simulator and I was at the factory a few days ago doing the final preparation for Melbourne. I was very open to the team – I told them I’d be available at HQ as much as they needed me over the winter and I feel satisfied with the work we’ve done together so far. I think we’re on track to extract everything we can from the car, which is our objective. We’ll go out and do the best we can and see where we are.”

The Team’s Technical Director, Andrew Green, shares his views on the start of the new season.

Andrew Green: “As we begin this season, we are still on a very steep learning curve with the VJM10. In terms of data, we are effectively starting from scratch as nearly everything we had from previous years has been set aside. The reality is we’ve only had a handful of days of testing, on just one track and with consistent temperatures, so there will be a huge amount to discover about the car and the tyres once we get running for real in Australia.

“Melbourne is a temporary street circuit and, as such, there are compromises to be made in the set-up of the car. It’s a circuit that is traditionally hard on brakes, but the biggest challenge will be optimising the tyres. We have never done a race on them; we have never done a race with the VJM10 and therefore there is still a lot to learn. This is not just specific to Australia – the first race could have been anywhere and we’d be facing the same situation, but we’re ready for the challenge.

“Another variable, as always, will be the weather. The climate in Melbourne can be very changeable: it can be very hot or cool down very quickly, especially racing in the late afternoon as we do, so you need to set up the car to take this into account. It’s the start of a new era – new car, new regulation, new tyres. It will be interesting to see how the race pans out – we will be paying particular attention to what we should do to cover the various scenarios that may happen on Sunday.”

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FORMULA 1 2017: PITSTOPS HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER

Faster, wider, heavier… Formula One in 2017 presents a big physical challenge for the pit crew, Mercedes video shows what is expected.

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BRUNDLE: MCLAREN CAN’T LEAVE HONDA

Martin Brundle, who is one of the better connected pundits in the Formula 1 and as a former McLaren driver probably has a better inside line on his former team than most, believes that the Woking outfit cannot simply ditch Honda and pursue an alternative engine supplier.

Brundle said, “They can’t leave Honda unless Honda pull out and leave them a fat cheque like they did Brawn. But they are very much integrated technically, financially and they have to work through it.”

The testing woes of McLaren and Honda are well documented, while the aftermath of this has F1 media speculating that a split is looming, but at the same time there is the issue of a reported $100-million that McLaren would forfeit should they initiate a split with Honda.

It’s a something of a double edged sword for the sport’s second most successful team, because a third year at the wrong end of the grid is equally unacceptable and a solution is needed as soon as possible.

Brundle explained, “I do get the impression that it’s not an easy fix and they might take some pain for a few races before they can sort it out. McLaren should be bothering Red Bull let alone midfield. So we all need McLaren to be good.”

And added, “I’m not getting anything out the team that suggest it’s anything other than grim at the moment. There are some big fires to put out.”

As for the new rules which have beefed up the current era Formula 1 cars, extra aero and fatter tyres have made the cars almost five seconds per lap quicker around Circuit de Catalunya during preseason testing, Brundle expects overtaking to be at a premium and far more challenging.

“The objectives were to make the cars go faster and that’s been achieved hasn’t it? Whether it makes for better racing remains to be seen. Let’s hope so,’ Brundle said.

“Verstappen was saying it seemed like the same to him [following other cars]. Barcelona is horrendous for that anyway so I think until you get to different tracks I don’t think we will know.”

“But common sense tells me if the car in front is making more downforce and more drag and you have an ever bigger front wing going into it, it’s probably going to affect you. But we will see. The cars are a bit draggy in a straight line anyway so we might see a bit more overtaking.”

“When we see overtakes this year I think they will be proper chess moves,” predicted Sky TV Brundle.

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Fernando Alonso 'prepared for difficult weekend' in Melbourne

Fernando Alonso is under no illusions that he and McLaren face a "difficult weekend" at the season opening race in Melbourne, following eight days of testing which couldn't have been much worse for the Woking team.

McLaren were the ninth slowest team during testing and their best stint lasted just 11 laps before reliability troubles with their Honda power unit forced them to stop.

It's believed the Honda engine is causing vibrations which are literally shaking it apart, and although the Japanese manufacturer is working hard to remedy the problem, McLaren racing director Eric Boullier has already admitted he's unsure as to whether they can even finish the first race.

Alonso, therefore, has prepared himself for a tough race weekend, but insists he's motivated for the season ahead and the challenge the new cars will present drivers.

"The start of a new season always gives us a range of feelings – great excitement to be racing again, and the sense of the unknown as we go into a formula with a brand-new set of regulations.

"I’m incredibly motivated for 2017 and I can’t wait to see what kind of racing this new shake-up of the sport will bring.

'We already know the sport is a lot more physical and the cars are more challenging to drive – from a driver’s point of view this is exactly what we were looking for in the new regulations, and I really hope this will translate to good battles on track."

Alonso says the teams aim this weekend will be to focus on improving reliability, rather than seeing where they stand against their rivals in terms of performance.

"After a difficult two weeks of testing we’re prepared to face a difficult weekend in Melbourne," he added.

"We’ll do our best with what we have and there’s a lot of hard work and collaboration happening within the team, but the lack of time before the first race means you have fewer options for big changes.

"The first step will be to work on reliability before we can make any assumptions or predictions about performance, and we will try to enjoy the weekend as much as we can."

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Australian GP timetable

The 2017 F1 Championship begins this coming weekend with the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit.

All times are local (Melbourne is GMT +11)

Thursday 23 March
15:00: FIA press conference

Friday 24 March
12:00 – 13:30: First free practice
16:00 – 17:30: Second free practice
18:30: FIA press conference

Saturday 25 March
14:00 – 15:00: Third free practice
17:00 – 18:00: Qualifying
18:00: FIA post qualifying press conference

Sunday 26 March
16:00 – 18:00: Australian GP
18:00: FIA post race press conference

Australian GP Info
No of Laps: 58
Race Distance: 307.574 km
Lap Record: 1:24.125 – M Schumacher (2004)

2016 Winner: N Rosberg (Mercedes) – 1:48:15.565

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Ricciardo gets his own grandstand in Melbourne

Daniel Ricciardo says he has extra motivation ahead fo his home race, the Australian GP, after a grandstand was named after him – and sold out fast.

The Aussie heads home to Australia this weekend for the season-opening race at the Albert Park street circuit.

In five starts he has yet to reach the podium in Melbourne but this season will have a bit of extra incentive.

“This year they have named a grandstand after me, the Ricciardo Premium Grandstand with views of Turns Three, Four and Five, which is pretty cool,” he said.

“It’s another bit of motivation for me to do well and I will of course give the fans a wave. It’s great to have such positive support and I’ve heard the tickets sold out pretty quickly for the stand.

“I will definitely embrace the weekend, have some fun with it and try and give the fans a reason to celebrate on Sunday.”

The build-up to the race, though, is rather intense for Ricciardo, who as Formula 1’s only Australian driver is a hot commodity at home.

“It’s always good to be back on home soil and enjoy a bit of sunshine after winter testing,” he added.

“My home race is awesome in so many ways but it’s also super busy and full on, the week for me starts on Monday and doesn’t stop until Sunday night.

“It’s nice that there’s so much media attention at the start of the season and everyone is super excited to see how I go. I try and attend as many events as I can but I’m still there to do a job.

“We get a pretty big greeting from everyone when we arrive at track each morning, the fans are so enthusiastic!”

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Magnussen: Haas Dallara chassis as good as Renault or McLaren

Haas newcomer Kevin Magnussen says the American outfit's Dallara-supplied chassis compares well to those he used in previous years at McLaren and Renault.

Magnussen drove the McLaren MP4-29 in his debut Formula 1 campaign in 2014, and was behind the wheel of a Renault RS16 last year.

Now at Haas, the Dane said that he has been impressed by the team's chassis and parts supplier Dallara - which had come in for some criticism for a high number of mechanical failures last year.

"Dallara is doing a very good job," Magnussen said. "I'm really, really impressed with them as well. I hear they've stepped up their game.

"I wasn't here last year, so I can't say really how they did then, but the job they've done this year with the quality of the components and the car and the chassis is very nice.

"It's completely up to any of my previous experiences. So, very happy."

Team boss Gunther Steiner said the Danish driver has been a good fit for the American team.

"He's fitting in well. He's enjoying himself, we're making progress and he's very analytical about it. He enjoys being with us," he said.

Magnussen was 12th fastest in the first week of 2017 F1 testing with his new team, one place behind teammate Romain Grosjean, and then 15th in week two, one place ahead.

Although Steiner has hailed the step forward made by Ferrari with its 2017 engine, he admits it has been impossible to know where his team stands in the pecking order after testing.

"It's too early to jump to conclusions. It's so tight that until we go to Australia and go into qualifying, we will not know," Steiner added. "That's my feeling at the moment.

"Three or four teams have very similar speed like ours, but as we all know [in testing], time of day when you run, the fuel load, the tyres – to come to conclusions would be completely wrong.

"We wait until Australia for that surprise."

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Renault says manufacturers should be F1's "main players"

Renault believes the manufacturers involved in Formula 1 should be considered the ‘main players' in the championship because of the amount they contribute.

Heading into what Renault Sport Racing president Jerome Stoll believes is a "new era" for F1 under the ownership of Liberty Media, he said the French firm is keen to play a central role in shaping the future.

"We've had some discussions [with Liberty]," Stoll told Motorsport.com. "We explained that we should work together in order to increase the show, because the attractiveness of the show has decreased a little bit.

"We have to open a new era with Liberty, and they are really willing to do something different. I don't know what that's going to be, but we want to be considered as the main players for the show.

"Without the car makers like Mercedes, Ferrari [Honda] and ourselves – because we are the only ones who are developing engines and investing money – there's not going to be a show.

"So we have to establish a dialogue together and see how we can meet our target."

While F1 teams are currently locked into contracts that last until the end of 2020, Stoll expects discussions over new deals to start soon.

"Liberty is expected to discuss what will be in the future, because by 2020 everybody knows [the current deals] will stop," he said.

"There are a lot of things to change with this redistribution of rights, and the fact that small teams cannot survive. There are many things to be discussed, and this is something that can come in the coming weeks.

"We should work together to increase the audience – which is a ‘chicken and egg' process. If you increase the show you're going to increase the audience, but you can increase the audience as well by touching people in different ways.

"Pay TV and things like that was the system for a period of time, but it might be different in the coming years."

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Williams stronger than Mercedes in certain areas - Lowe

New Williams chief technical officer Paddy Lowe says the F1 team is already stronger than world champion Mercedes in certain areas.

Lowe returned to work at Williams last week, having last worked for the team in the early 1990s, off the back of a stint at Mercedes that yielded three consecutive drivers' and constructors' championship successes.

While Lowe has played down the chances of his arrival having an immediate impact on Williams' fortunes, he says he has already identified areas where the team is very strong.

"The first stage is to get to know the team and see how I can bring value," Lowe told Motorsport.com.

"The challenge is how to make the best with what you have available to get the best gains and the best value from it. That's no different whether you're working from one particular base, as I might have in another team, or what we have here.

"The process is the same and there are undoubtedly things here at Williams that are much better than they have in Mercedes already.

"I have to see what the strengths are and what are the gaps, and then build on those.

"I've been asked many times over the past several years, 'what is the secret?' but it would be extremely misplaced for anybody to think they can come into any team and expect to suddenly find some sort of miracle or silver bullet."

No time for sentiment

Lowe added that it was emotional to return to Williams after more than two decades away, but he believes that as soon as he gets down to work at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, he won't have time to focus on his former team's fortunes.

"It's interesting because of course you have feelings about what you have done [at another team] – these are feelings you have in that no man's land when you're between jobs," he said.

"I strongly suspect that by the time I've landed in Australia and I'm completely turned 100 percent towards my new team that my only thoughts would be around where we're at and how we can be better.

"It automatically disappears with the intensity with which you immerse yourself in the competition of Formula 1.

"[Coming back to Williams] is an amazing story, I'm still coming to terms with it.

"It was an emotional moment to come back – it's almost 30 years since I started with Williams at the end of '87 and it's very, very special to come back and in effect take on the position of my original boss, Patrick [Head, former Williams technical director].

"At the same time, this is not about the sentimental side, this is about going forward and not telling old stories.

"I'm very excited about the future, and already I'm very happy with what I've seen and how we can build on that."

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Brawn doesn't want "Mexican standoff" with F1 teams

Ross Brawn wants Formula 1 to avoid a "Mexican standoff" over its future, but he has hinted that the richest teams should be prepared to sacrifice their current favourable financial terms.

F1's current commercial structure with teams is based on deals put together by Bernie Ecclestone which involved enticing the biggest teams with additional payments on top of those based on finishing positions in the constructors' championship.

Following the takeover of F1 by Liberty Media, there is hope that revenue will be split more fairly when new deals come into place after 2020.

Brawn, who has been brought in by Liberty to handle sporting matters, hopes discussions are carried out differently over the new contracts this time.

"There's always going to be differences of opinion, there's going to be different views on things and things sometimes get a bit heated," he said. "But at the core of it, there's lots of willingness to co-operate.

"The elephant in the room, we all know, is distribution of funds, and the discussions need to start on that so that everyone knows where everyone stands and we can start to find solutions.

"We don't want to have a Mexican standoff in 2020 to see who's 'chicken', that's what happened last time."

Liberty's involvement in several American sports has prompted comparisons between F1's business model and other major entities, and Brawn hinted that the most successful teams could learn from the benefits that were felt when payments were evened up in the NFL.

"There was a time in American football where there was quite a heavily distorted reward system and the top two teams got the majority of the money and the rest struggled," he added.

"The top two teams sacrificed their position in order to have an equitable solution.

"When it became much more successful because there was a [competitive] spread, those two teams surpassed what they were getting before because the sport became so much more successful.

"Is there a lesson for us there? It's a great example of the balance of sport and commercialism. The new owners [of F1] and my fellow directors come from that culture.

"It's not about razzmatazz and all the rest of it, it's about lifting the whole business. Can we do that? It's going to be a big challenge, but we can try."

[MIKA27]

Australian GP: A lap with Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez talks us through a lap of the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DEFINITIVE NICO ROSBERG INTERVIEW

An extensive, profile interview with Nico Rosberg – taped over two days in Monaco – airs across the U.S. this weekend (and at later dates internationally) on In Depth with Graham Bensinger.

Here are highlights from the interview with the retired reigning Formula 1 World Champion in advance of its airing, including:

• Why Lewis Hamilton was wrong and went against team orders in last season’s final, championship-deciding race
• Openness to repairing his friendship with Hamilton
• Why Fernando Alonso can’t win
• Why Formula 1 needed new ownership
• Practicing for a second child with his wife

Episode preview:

The 2016 Formula 1 championship came down to the last race of the season – in Abu Dhabi – and Lewis Hamilton found himself out in front early, followed by Rosberg. Rosberg explains how Hamilton was wrong to defy team orders and intentionally slowed down… and cites a similar situation in Monaco in which

Rosberg abided by Mercedes’ team-first guidelines:
Bensinger: “…with the championship on the line, could you see yourself even handling it similarly?”
Rosberg: “Well it was not right what [Lewis] did. Because in the end, we’re driving according to certain guidelines that are given to us by the team. And I respected those guidelines, because in Monaco we had exactly a similar situation where I was second, he was third, and I was driving too slow – just as he was in Abu Dhabi. And so we were risking a good team result, so the team wanted me to let him past. And I just did straightaway – let him past. And he got the race win, which helped him in the championship fight as well, ironically. And so it was the same situation in Abu Dhabi and he didn’t abide by those rules, so from a team’s perspective for sure that was not the right thing to do but from an individual I can understand why he wanted to try something.”

Rosberg says that despite their intense rivalry, retirement presents the opportunity to repair his once close relationship with Hamilton:
Rosberg: “It was important for me to tell [Lewis] personally as well [about retirement]. Because… of the battles we’ve had and everything… I just wrote him a message before the actual announcement and then afterwards we got together and had a chat about it and just went through stuff and it was a nice conversation. And I’m open to finding our way and even having a good relationship again in the future. Why not?”

Rosberg calls Fernando Alonso one of the best drivers in Formula 1, but say his car continually restricts the veteran from elite status:
Bensinger: “How dependent is a driver on his team’s technology and equipment?”
Rosberg: “So our sport is quite unique in that sense… We’re seeing it with [Fernando] Alonso for example, who is one of the best drivers out there… for the last 10 years he’s struggled to be in the top 10 because his car is just not good. So we really depend on our car and then the driver is important as well.

In October, former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone talked down to Rosberg, saying that him winning the world title would be bad for media headlines. More recently, Rosberg shared his excitement with Graham Bensinger regarding the sale of F1, including how the old ownership group grew stale and ran out of ideas:
Bensinger: “Your reaction when you first learned Formula 1 was being sold”
Rosberg: “The structure in Formula 1 needed change. It was not optimum for the sport. And so I was very happy, because it’s really a breath of fresh air…”
And later (at 1:01):
“It needed to reinvent itself a little bit … the last structure sort of ran out of ideas a bit and didn’t want to race all these new directions, like digital arriving, for example.”

Rosberg says he and his wife, Vivian Sibold are “practicing” for a second child:
Bensinger: “You’re an only child. Do you want to have more kids?”
Rosberg: “Yeah, yeah it would be nice. Yeah. Now we have one daughter and we’re in the process of practicing already for the second child.”
Bensinger: “Oh are you? There you go. How many kids do you want to have?”
Rosberg: “… 11, yeah. Soccer team. But I think my wife is not up for that.”

 

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BOTTAS: A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME TO BE IN A TEAM LIKE THIS

Valtteri Bottas is determined to make the most of his “dream” opportunity after being ushered into the Mercedes seat left vacant by the sudden retirement of Formula One champion Nico Rosberg at the end of last season.

The Finn has proved his pace over 77 races with Williams but knows he will be stepping up into the big leagues when he starts his first race for the reigning constructors’ champions at this week’s Australian Grand Prix.

“It’s a great challenge for everyone, but I think especially for me,” Bottas told reporters in Melbourne. “This team has been winning the last three years and it’s kind of a dream come true for me to be in a team like this. So, it’s a big year ahead.”

Expectations are indeed high at Mercedes, and if Bottas fails to at least support the team’s charge for a fourth successive constructors’ title with regular podiums and points there will be no shortage of drivers waiting to replace him for 2018.

Although he finished fourth in the drivers’ championship in 2014 and has accumulated nine podiums and 411 points over his career, Bottas has never won a race.

Melbourne has thrown up a few surprises but Bottas is not banking on breaking his duck at Albert Park, however much he would love to.

“That would be the perfect way to start a season and my career with Mercedes, but I’m not thinking about it too much,” he added.

“Obviously, it’s the only thing I want, but I always want to focus on my job and work as a team and if we do our work perfectly, if I do my job perfectly, it’s possible.

“But yeah, definitely, the goal for me is to start a season in a good way and get the results early on and continue from there.”

Bottas has already been welcomed with open arms by fellow Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton but the Briton’s history with former team mates, including Rosberg, suggests the bonhomie would not last long if the Finn was a genuine title contender.

As the winner of 10 of the 21 races in 2016, including the last four, Hamilton is the clear championship favourite this season and expectations are high that he will win the Australian Grand Prix for the third time on Sunday.

Bottas showed off one skill advantage that he almost certainly has over his team mate when he took to the ice hockey rink with players from Melbourne Ice and Melbourne Mustangs on Tuesday.

And the 27-year-old made clear he would not be moving over to let Hamilton through if he got in front of the triple world champion on the Albert Park track.

“I think Mercedes doesn’t have number one or number two driver and that’s pretty much up to me to perform,” he said. “That is to perform on the track on the level where the car should be. We’re all good and I know I can do it.”

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RICCIARDO: I AM NOT EXPECTING TO WIN F1 WORLD TITLE IN 2017

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that he does not expect to be challenging for the Formula One title this season.

The 27-year-old Australian, who finished behind champion Nico Rosberg and runner-up Lewis Hamilton last year, believes Mercedes still hold the edge with Ferrari not too far behind.

Ricciardo’s prediction on the eve of his home race – Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix round Melbourne’s Albert Park – will come as a bitter blow to those who hoped the sweeping changes to Formula One’s technical rulebook over the winter would bring an end to Mercedes’ dominance.

Indeed former champions Red Bull, spearheaded by the technical mastermind of British designer Adrian Newey, had been tipped to lead the challenge to Hamilton’s all-conquering Mercedes team this year.

But Ricciardo believes Red Bull, which won four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013, will start the season half-a-second a lap adrift of their rivals.

“Hopefully we are going to go well but it is hard to know, ‘ said Ricciardo, who returned to the winners’ circle last season following his triumph at the Malaysian Grand Prix. “Testing is never really a clear picture, but I expect Ferrari and Mercedes to be quick.”

“Last year I did not win the title and I was still very happy. I got my first pole position, and I got back on the top step of the podium. If I perform at my best I will be happy this year and I will be very happy with the world title.”

“It is my target and aim to be world champion, and I will do what I can to make it happen this year, but I am not expecting it.”

Ricciardo forms one half of possibly the best driver line-up on the grid with Dutch teenager Max Verstappen occupying the other Red Bull seat.

In stark contrast to Hamilton’s bitter rivalry with Rosberg at Mercedes over the past three years, the Red Bull duo appear to revel in each other’s company.

“We obviously try and keep it as amicable and professional as possible,” explained Ricciardo, who joked that the pair may soon start sharing a bedroom at grand prix weekends.

“We both want to win and beat each other and there is no denying that. But at the same time we have got a team that is trying to build fast cars and they rely on us, not only to push the car but give feedback and push the technology of the car, too.”

“Two heads are better than one and we understand that we are only helping ourselves if we help each other because then the car is going to be faster and give us a better chance to win.”

Hamilton, who will start the season as the favourite to win what will be his fourth title, faces the media for the first time this week when he lines up in the official press conference at Albert Park in the early hours of Thursday morning.

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HAMILTON HUNTING FOURTH WORLD TITLE IN HIS TENTH YEAR IN F1

Lewis Hamilton will look to put his stamp on the new Formula One season at this week’s Australian Grand Prix, as he seeks to regain the world title following the shock retirement of reigning champion Nico Rosberg.

Ten years after his F1 debut at Albert Park, Hamilton arrives at the downtown circuit as the leading light of a sport now under new management and featuring wider and faster cars.

Hamilton, 32, was beaten to last year’s title by Mercedes team-mate Rosberg, who quit the sport five days later citing the intense pressures of competing.

This year, Hamilton will be face renewed competition from Ferrari and Red Bull, who are expected to close the gap on dominant Mercedes, as well his new team-mate Valtteri Bottas of Finland.

Hamilton is revelling in the new generation of quicker cars, which coincides with American group Liberty Media’s takeover and the exit of long-time ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone.

“I’m finding the car is much more physical to drive than in the past,” said Hamilton, who is seeking his fourth world title after victories in 2008, 2014 and 2015.

“It’s so much faster in the corners. The force you feel on your body and on your neck is much higher. I’ve got bruises and bumps where I’ve never really had them before.”

An overhaul of technical regulations has ushered in wider cars with broader tyres, which are expected to be noisier and provide faster racing, but also put greater physical demands on the drivers.

“Having spoken to the drivers, these machines are violent — just like Formula One cars should be,” said Mercedes chief Toto Wolff.

“The target with these new regulations was to make this generation of F1 cars the quickest in the history of the sport.

“And looking at the results from testing, we’re well on the way to achieving that. It’s something that’s never been done before and that’s a radical change.”

Hamilton and Rosberg had a fractious relationship in the Mercedes garage, but Wolff said the Briton and Bottas were “in a great place”.

“They have a respectful and friendly relationship from what we’ve seen in our team briefings so far,” he added.

Bottas is yet to win a race but he is confident of improving on his best finish of fifth around the Melbourne circuit, for his former team Williams in 2014.

“It’s a big challenge and I’ll definitely need to prove myself to a lot of people and my team that I deserve the place,” Bottas said.

“But I see it very positively. It’s a great opportunity for my career to fight for the wins and even for the championship.”

While the Silver Arrows have dominated F1, winning the drivers and constructors titles over the last three years, pre-season testing pointed to other teams pushing hard.

Ferrari topped the timesheets at testing in Barcelona, with Kimi Raikkonen fastest ahead of team-mate Sebastien Vettel.

Ferrari last won at Albert Park in 2007 through Raikkonen, who went on to win the championship that year — the last time the Italian team lifted the drivers title.

“It’s impossible to predict anything,” said Ferrari’s Vettel, a four-time champion with Red Bull from 2010-2013.

“Even the tests in Barcelona only give a basic idea where you stand.

“It is only in the first race that you will know how well you and the others have worked over the winter. We will only get real clarity after three or four races.”

Daniel Ricciardo, attempting to become the first Australian F1 world champion since Alan Jones in 1980, believes Red Bull can loosen Mercedes’ grip on the titles.

But Ricciardo, who finished third behind Rosberg and Hamilton in last year’s standings, said it would be tough to win in Melbourne.

“Can we be the quickest? I think we can. Will it be by Melbourne? Probably not,” he said. “We haven’t quite been the fastest in testing so I would say we’re not the quickest as we stand here today.”

But he added that Mercedes would have a “target on them”.

“If we can get close to them and get a few wins and somehow end up in a championship fight towards the end of the season then that’s what I want.”