Formula 1 - 2017

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ARRIVABENE: WE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT CONTRACTS NOW

With Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen out of contract at the end of this season, Ferrari admit that new deals for their drivers are on the back burner as they focus on the Formula 1 World Championship.

In Montreal team chief Maurizio Arrivabene told journalists, “We are not thinking about contracts now, we are thinking about the championship. They are two separate issues. We are all concentrated.”

“As I have said many, many times we are working all together, including the drivers, we are very focused on our job and I have to say the contract is not an issue,” added Arrivabene.

Vettel, who has been linked with a move to Mercedes, is singing from the same hymn sheet claiming that a new deal is not on the agenda at this point of the season.

He said recently, “At the moment we are concentrating on this season and [my contract] is not a topic. So far we did not have the time to address this. The entire team in Maranello is fully concentrated to keep up the momentum that we have at the moment.”

Last year things were tense within Maranello amid a frustrating and below par season for the team, which apparently triggered talks between Vettel and Mercedes late last year.

Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne acknowledged, “With Sebastian last year, he was very tense because the car was not there.”

“We worked hard to get him a car that is competitive and now the the choice is his. If he is happy in the car, if he likes the car, then he can stay as long as he wants,” added Marchionne.

On the other hand, Raikkonen’s future has been the subject of regular speculation ever since he returned to Ferrari, and before the race in Montreal the veteran Finn did tell reporters, “I have no contract for next year.”

Asked if he knew what his future held, Raikkonen replied, “I have, but it’s nothing I need to share with any of you. It’s none of your business and you keep writing anyhow, it doesn’t change.”

[skalls]

I don't know if RBR is going to be able to get Merc or Ferrari engines.  So their choices are Honda (hahaha, sad though) or Renault.  I'd take the latter as they don't completely suck.

Had Newey designed a world breaking chassis I think RBR would be in full whambulance mode now.

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RAIKKONEN: IT WILL BE A CLOSE AND TOUGH FIGHT TO THE END

Kimi Raikkonen has predicted that the battle between his Ferrari team and Mercedes will persevere for the remainder of the season, the veteran Finn adamant that the Italian team can sustain the momentum despite a slip-up at the Canadian Grand Prix.

For the first time this season there was no Ferrari driver on the podium, while their arch-rivals Meercedes scored their first one-two finish of the year. Raikkonen was seventh, his worst result in the seven races apart from his DNF in Spain.

He said after the weekend in Montreal, “We’ve seen a lot of ups and downs this season. It will be a long, long year with a close and tough fight until the end. Every team has had problems. It’s about getting the maximum out of the good as well as the bad weekends and improving the car all the time.”

Pundits are debating whether Canada was a mere glitch on the radar for Ferrari, or if Mercedes have shifted the balance of power to their camp. Also up for debate is whether Ferrari can sustain the pressure and upwardly mobile development of the SF70H until the end of the season.

In other words can the Reds go toe-to-toe and slug it out with the Silver Arrows for the next 13 races, off-track and on-track. Time will tell.

When asked if Ferrari have the staying power this season, Raikkonen replied, “There’s no reason why we should not. People may have doubts because they have in the back of the head what happened in the past.”

“But this season we have shown that we are now in a much better position.  I am sure that we will continue to improve our package as well as our rivals. It is now about fully exploiting the potential to give it all and to minimize the less good race weekends,” added Raikkonen, the 2007 F1 World Champion, who has not won a grand prix since the 2013 Australian Grand Prix.

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Just now, skalls said:

I don't know if RBR is going to be able to get Merc or Ferrari engines.  So their choices are Honda (hahaha, sad though) or Renault.  I'd take the latter as they don't completely suck.

Had Newey designed a world breaking chassis I think RBR would be in full whambulance mode now.

Agree 100% - Typical RBR, when they're winning we hear and see their delight, when they're losing, complete childish behaviour. Even threats to leave the category.

The season isn't even midway through so who knows? They can still find something and develop what they have. Sure, they won't win the WDC but they can still compete.

I think Renault are getting there with their engines and I still strongly believe Alonso is heading their way for 2018.

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HAMILTON: THE CHEMISTRY VALTTERI AND I HAVE IS DIFFERENT

Lewis Hamilton is relishing the new atmosphere in his Mercedes team since the arrival of Valtteri Bottas, admitting that his relationship with the cool and quiet Finn is different to the fractious partnership he endured with Nico Rosberg.

Speaking after his team’s first one-two of the season, Hamilton said “It’s always a great thing for a team to achieve a one-two, it’s always special. I think experiencing it with Valtteri is definitely different. I think the chemistry Valtteri and I have is different [to Nico].”

“I think the working environment we’ve both experienced this year is on a complete other level, on a professional level that’s been above any other year that I have experienced.”

“That obviously comes from Valtteri’s maturity and how the team also works with us, to give us a fair platform to fight. It’s our first one-two, it’s solid, solid points for the team.”

“I’m sure Valtteri will say he didn’t enjoy his qualifying, because he was rapid in Monaco for example but it’s very difficult with the car we have at the moment. I know he is going to have many more wins to come and I hope that when he has those wins I am able to back him up and get those points for the team.”

“This weekend we were really happy with the work we did, the guys did such a great job in terms of where we began and the small incremental steps that we made. We really made no fault in the direction of the settings.

“Just before qualifying, it was nine minutes until qualifying and I was still at my desk at my laptop still working, thinking I had an hour still until qualifying. My engineer left and then I was in the room on my own, I was in and out quick, I was so happy that it worked and it paid off the way it did,” revealed Hamilton who lies second in the championship standings after seven races.

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UK COURT TOLD MALLYA MAY FACE FURTHER CHARGES

Business tycoon and co-owner of Force India Formula 1 team, Vijay Mallya could face further charges and a second request to extradite him from Britain to India, a London court heard on Tuesday.

The flamboyant Indian liquor and aviation tycoon, 61, was arrested by British police in April on behalf of the Indian authorities, who accuse him of fraud.

Mallya’s lawyer, Ben Watson, told a hearing at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ court on Tuesday that India was believed to be preparing a second extradition request with further separate charges.

“I don’t know its contents,” Watson said.

India is seeking Mallya’s extradition over unpaid loans tied to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines after the businessman fled to Britain in March last year.

Banks are seeking to recover about $1.4 billion that the Indian authorities say Kingfisher owes.

Mallya has repeatedly dismissed the charges against him.

“I deny all allegations that have been made,” he told reporters as he arrived at court. “I have enough evidence to prove my case.”

The next hearing will be held on July 6 when Mallya, who was granted an extension to his bail, was told he need not attend. The full extradition hearing was provisionally listed to start on December 4 and to last two weeks.

Aaron Watkins, the lawyer representing the Indian government, told the court that prosecutors in Britain were still waiting for documentation and evidence from India and this was expected to arrive in the next month.

However, any delays or a second extradition request could push the case back to April next year, the court heard.

Britain’s extradition process can be complicated and take a long time to conclude. The judge will make a decision based on whether there is a prima facie case against Mallya and if the alleged crimes would be offences in Britain as well as India.

That ruling can be challenged in a higher court before being passed to the Home Secretary (interior minister) for approval. That decision can also be appealed to the courts.

Mallya, who has a base in London and a country home bought from the father of triple Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, on Friday dismissed speculation of a possible sale of his Force India team.

[skalls]

Well, if McLaren gets the Merc engines like rumored, I don't see Alonso leaving.  If that falls through and they are still powered by Honda, I don't see Alonso staying there.  But I don't think Ferrari would take him.  

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kimi going to williams, sainz to ferrari.  My question mark is Bottas, does Merc keep him?  They should, but I dunno

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Mercedes worked 24-hour shifts after Monaco to diagnose problem

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that engineers at the Brackley-based outfit worked 24/7 to diagnose what went wrong in Monaco, and to ensure it wasn't repeated in Canada last weekend.

Neither Lewis Hamilton nor team-mate Valtteri Bottas finished on the podium in Monaco, with the pair taking seventh and fourth respectively, in what was Mercedes' worst result since Spain last year, when Hamilton and then team-mate Nico Rosberg collided.

Wolff explained that while the team had a basic understanding of why its car lacked pace on race day, it was still trying to uncover the reasons behind its struggles across the remainder of the weekend in Monaco.

"After Monaco we pretty quickly understood why the Sunday was as it was," Wolff told the official Formula 1 website. "But we also needed to understand the Friday and Saturday - and that was a bit more tricky. So a group of engineers came together to calmly assess what happened.

"Since Monaco there was lights [on] in the factory 24/7, the simulator was 24/7 ten days in a row. There is no golden bullet in this sport - it is all about analysing the data and drawing the right conclusions from it.

"No stone was left unturned: aero, mechanical balance, set-up work, the tyres themselves; and the way the drivers drove the car. Everything!"

A fortnight later in Canada the team scored its first 1-2 of the season, with Hamilton dominating the weekend, leading the entire race from pole position, with Bottas backing him up in second spot.

However, Wolff has warned that Mercedes can't rest on its laurels ahead of the next round of the campaign in Azerbaijan.

"Monaco looked pretty grim, but we didn’t dive into depression – and Montreal now looks pretty great – but I would not say right now that all problems are solved. [However] we understand the situation much better."

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1 minute ago, skalls said:

Well, if McLaren gets the Merc engines like rumored, I don't see Alonso leaving.  If that falls through and they are still powered by Honda, I don't see Alonso staying there.  But I don't think Ferrari would take him.  

I wouldn't be surprised to see Kimi going to williams, sainz to ferrari.  My question mark is Bottas, does Merc keep him?  They should, but I dunno

I'd love to see McLaren back with Mercedes. I loved the Mika days

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Nico Rosberg refutes Toto Wolff's comments over Ferrari return

2016 world champion Nico Rosberg has refuted comments made by former team boss Toto Wolff, after the Mercedes team boss hinted that the German could make a return to Formula 1 in the near future with Ferrari – possibly replacing Kimi Räikkönen when the Finn re-retires.

Rosberg retired at the end of his championship winning campaign in a shock announcement that came just days after the season finale in Abu Dhabi, forcing Mercedes to find a suitable replacement in a hurry.

Rosberg said his decision was based on the need to spend more time with his family and because racing against team-mate Lewis Hamilton was mentally draining, whilst insisting his F1 career was over.

But during the Canadian Grand Prix, Wolff was asked about Rosberg's future, to which he responded: "I will give you one [comment] – I wouldn't be surprised if he changes his mind in a year and reappears in a Ferrari! Or somewhere else."

The 31-year-old has rejected that claim when the comment was put to him by Germany's Sport Bild.

"No, I really have finished my [Formula 1] career," he said bluntly.

"I'm happy and proud of my career, the results and the successes that I had. It fulfils me a lot. But it's now in the past and I'm going to do new things."

Discussing whether he would be tempted by a different category, such as Le Mans, he added: "At the moment no. I'm looking for other challenges. But who knows? Maybe one day."

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Force India considering team name change

Force India is considering changing its name to give it a more "international flavour" and make the Formula 1 team more attractive to potential new sponsors, says boss Vijay Mallya.

Mallya bought the team that was formerly known as Jordan, Midland and then Spyker and rebranded it Force India in 2008.

It aimed to attract Indian sponsors and bring an Indian driver into F1.

Since then, Force India has made progress up the field, finishing a career-best fourth in the constructors' championship last year and it currently holds that position after seven races.

But while it has delivered impressive performances and added sponsors, such as water technology specialists BWT this season, the team has not had much success bringing Indian companies onboard.

This is not the first time the team has considered a name change, with Force India coming close to rebranding itself as Aston Martin Racing for 2016, only for the deal to collapse at the final hurdle.

Mallya said: "There is a growing feeling that maybe since we are a much-improved team in terms of performance and attracting more international sponsors, and sadly less Indian sponsors, there is a debate as to why the name should not be changed to give it a more international flavour.

"There are some people who believe the current name Force India is restrictive psychologically.

"I'm considering along with the other shareholders what steps to take but it's a major decision and one that is not going to be taken in a hurry without due consideration.

"More importantly, we have to look at the way the F1 scenario is unfolding under Liberty ownership. If they follow the NFL model, then of course the name becomes even more important because it's a franchise model where the focus is on the name. But the current pattern may continue.

"These are all issues I'll consider with the other shareholders before arriving at any final conclusion."

Mallya said there was a "proposal on the table" from a sponsor regarding the name change while adding the team is in "negotiations for some additional sponsorships as well".

The Indian businessman said the fact he is considering a name change has "absolutely" nothing to do with his current legal situation.

Authorities in India are chasing Mallya for around £900million they claim he owes in the wake of the collapse of one of his former businesses, Kingfisher Airlines, in 2013.

Mallya had his diplomatic passport revoked last April, with a warrant issued for his arrest, and he has since been residing in the UK.

"The fact the country of India and me are not the best partners is something that has been going on for a few years now," said Mallya. "This is nothing new.

"I haven't in the last few years considered any name change. It's purely to do with current sponsorship, a proposal on the table and sponsorship going forward for the team."

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Lowe: Hamilton as fast as Senna, but not as ruthless

Lewis Hamilton has the same brilliant speed and raw talent that Ayrton Senna displayed but without the ruthlessness, says Paddy Lowe, one of the few people in the sport who worked with both of them.

After a Canadian Grand Prix weekend that witnessed Hamilton equal Senna's tally of 65 pole positions, there was plenty of debate on social media about how the two drivers stack up.

Lowe, who worked briefly with Senna at McLaren in 1993 and enjoyed spells with Hamilton at the same team from 1997 through to Mercedes, has no doubts they are among the very best drivers F1 has seen.

"They both stick within the handful of greats that there are within the history of the sport," said Lowe, who is now technical chief at Williams.

When asked if he believed Hamilton had the same raw speed as Senna, Lowe said: "Yes. Undoubtedly.

"Those great drivers are able to pull out an extraordinary lap and I think you kind of saw that with Lewis [with pole on Saturday], that probably on Mercedes estimations and simulations, that time wasn't in the car.

"They didn't have it on the charts. They probably thought Ferrari had them after P3, and then you see Lewis will go out there and really dig deep.

"These drivers cannot do it every Saturday but, every now and again, they go out there when something really extraordinary is required and produce a lap where you go, 'where on earth did that come from?' Lewis is certainly one to do that and Ayrton was certainly one to do that."

Different characters

Despite acknowledging that their speed is equal, Lowe reckoned there are big differences between the way the two approached the business of F1 – and especially the sporting aspects.

"I think character wise they were quite different," added Lowe. "People criticise him for a number of things but actually he is within it all a real gentleman and a very fair racer. Hard but fair.

"With Ayrton, we have a tendency to get a bit rose tinted. Mostly I was playing against Ayrton, that is why I struggle a bit with perspective, but mostly I was at Williams in those days and Ayrton was the guy we were struggling to beat.

"We eventually did in 1992 but it seemed impossible in the years building up to it, and he was ruthless. He had some various tactics to intimidate his opposition, but that was more the name of the game back then.

"I was talking to Riccardo Patrese the other day about this and without mentioning any specific instances, bearing in mind you didn't get a penalty for blocking in qualifying in those days, you just had to go and see the bloke and intimidate him so he didn't screw you over again.

"That is how it was back then. Now you can rely on the police to give the guy a ticket! It is a very different world and Ayrton played it how he had to back then."

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Tech analysis: Canada updates help Red Bull close the gap

Red Bull endured a troubled start to 2017, but has made clear progress over the opening races of the campaign, with a further step seemingly made in Canada.

An update at the Spanish GP has given renewed signs that a recovery could still be on the cards and that the drivers might be thrust on the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes toward the middle of the season.

For Canada, the first medium-downforce circuit of the season, the team has another significant update package, looking to put previous results behind it and attack the latter two thirds of the season with renewed vigor.

The update, tested first by Daniel Ricciardo, features several revisions, including a new front wing.

A vertical slot has been added to the leading edge of the endplate (white arrow) changing the pressure distribution at the outboard section of the wing.

It's a change that is combined with a revision to the outboard footplate (blue arrow), which has been set back from the leading edge and raised in reference to its usual position, in order to change the shape and position of the vortex that is generated by it.

The shape of the rearward strake housed within the main cascade (red arrow) has also been revised.

A holistic overview of these changes, rather than looking at them in isolation, shows a concerted effort to change how airflow moves across the front face and around the front tyre.

This changes the shape of the wake generated by the front tyre, which will also change how the surfaces downstream have airflow delivered to them.

Bargeboards

The modifications made to the bargeboards for the Spanish GP were optimized further in Monaco, with the main vertical element increased in height, while the secondary vertical element saw its shape changed on the trailing edge.

These tweaks have been retained for Canada as the team looked to take advantage of other localized alterations.

Sidepod deflectors

Another item that was revised for the Spanish GP and then altered further for the Canadian GP is the aero appendages that flank the sidepods.

Having previously arched over to meet a triangular panel affixed above the sidepod, the new deflectors have been simplified, returning to the simple vertical elements that have been used in years gone by (blue arrow).

This simplification has seen the sidepod's upper surface armed with three vortex generators (red arrows) staggered rearwardly on the outermost corner and a horizontal cockpit fin (white arrow), in a similar vein to how the McLaren MCL32 has been set up for some while now.

It's unsurprising given the similarity in the two team's aerodynamic philosophies that had began to diverge a little more this season, at least before this latest update from Red Bull.

Floor

The floor's edge is now home to the type of longitudinal slot we've seen teams like Toro Rosso, Haas and McLaren employ so far this season, rather than the large wedge-style cutout that could be previously found in that location.

This changes the airflow's behaviour in a crucial section of the car, Red Bull aiming to take advantage of the design changes made upstream of it.

Further downstream, the floor has seen more modifications, with the slots that occupy the area ahead of the rear tyre and responsible for dampening the issue of tyre squirt modified.

The slots have been stood proud of the main surface, allowing more airflow to migrate under it while the last slot has been widened significantly, altering how airflow spills across the face of the tyre.

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HASEGAWA: ZAK’S COMMENTS ARE VERY UNDERSTANDABLE

During the build-up to and after the Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren chiefs unleashed a barrage of criticism directed at their engine part Honda, but the Japanese company’s F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa has not taken offence and rather sympathises with the Woking outfit’s boss Zak Brown.

Hasegawa told Racer, “They are all still frustrated, and of course we are frustrated as well. So Zak’s comments are very understandable. We are frustrated and we are disappointed, so it’s no wonder if they comment about something like that.”

“Of course good results will cheer the team up, but even in a difficult situation we have a very strong connection. But even so it is very difficult to keep [the team together].”

“We are frustrated, but feeling frustration in the race does not directly mean ‘they want to divorce’ nor ‘ending the contract’. The frustration in the race and the decision making for the relationship are totally different matters.”

Meanwhile, with McLaren yet to score a point this season and thus last in the constructors championship and to increasing lack of reliability without an end in sight, Brown said, “We speak to them [Honda board] all the time.”

“Daily, their views are consistent with Hasagawa-san’s. they are not hiding from the issue, they are not in denial of the issue. They are putting more resources against it. So they are trying harder than ever.”

“They understand our situation, and because everyone has a cool, calm approach to it, we are trying to get through it. But I think they are as frustrated as we are.”

“What we want to see now is it work. Around the tests we were obviously very frustrated and disappointed. But they laid out a plan for us. And we were as comfortable as we could be in the environment, and some of that stuff has happened and not worked, some of it has happened and has worked, and some of it is not here yet.”

“Ultimately what we need to see is delivery of what their expectations are on where they think they are going to get the power unit in the foreseeable couple of months,” added Brown.

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ABITEBOUL: A VERY SUBSTANTIAL GAP BETWEEN NICO AND JOLYON

Jolyon Palmer has a had a fair share of bad luck this season, but it is also clear that he is being thumped by Renault teammate Nico Hulkenberg and the team is now demanding that the Englishman raise his game.

In an interview team chief Cyril Abiteboul declared, “No one is safe in F1. F1 is not an environment where anyone can say loudly: I’m safe. To a certain degree there are two questions. There is Jo, and there is a second driver. Right now my focus is on Jo. Jo has to deliver.”

“What would happen then, I don’t want to elaborate on that, and even further, who would be stepping in, because that’s absolutely not the point for today. The fact is that Jo has a car which is a point-scoring car, and he has to enter into the points. Full stop.”

At the same time Abiteboul is adding to pressure by setting a timeline for Palmer to up his game, “I would hope that by the summer break I would be able to leave on holiday in sixth position in the championship.”

Hulkenberg has been delivering, he has 18 points while Palmer has zero, as Abiteboul explained, “There is a bigger picture for the team, for Renault, for our partners, but also for the two guys racing the car.”

“Right now I feel that it’s a bit almost unfair to Nico, who has to do a lot. The team is clearly very dependent on him. You could see that in Monaco. When Nico is out of the game, including for reasons beyond his control like when he had his gearbox failure, we struggle to finish in the points, despite a number of cars that were also not finishing the race. It’s a challenge.”

“We see that there is a very substantial gap between Nico and Jo in qualifying, and in the race. We are discussing on a regular basis obviously with Jo to see how he can improve.”

Abiteboul is also sympathetic to bad luck that afflicted Palmer early on in the season, “The first thing we had to do was deliver him a weekend that was a clean weekend, and we did that in Monaco.”

“It was the first time in a while that we’d done that, and for me that weekend was almost a restart for the season for the relationship between Jo and the team, that is finally providing him the right platform in order for him to improve his game, and hopefully eventually to deliver.”

“That process has to lead to a position where Jo will also make a contribution to the championship,” warned the Renault chief.

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WOLFF: OCON IS GOING TO BE A SUPERSTAR OF THE FUTURE

Esteban Ocon is fast establishing himself as a well respected young driver on the Formula 1 season, and int he aftermath of the Canadian Grand Prix his boss, Mercedes chief, Toto Wolff is commending the young Frenchman.

Wolff said after the race, “Force India could have done many more points. He did a great race. Really fantastic for his first season. He’s developing just in the right way, he’s going to be a superstar of the future.”

Ocon was embroiled in a race long duel with his more experienced Force India teammate Sergio Perez, the Mexican ignoring team orders to allow him past to attack Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo for third place.

Perez has been criticised for his stubbornness, while Ocon has received plaudits for his patience and restraint.

When Force India signed Ocon, ahead of Pascal Wehrlein, it was clear the team saw something special in the youngster, as does Wolff who snapped him up as a Mercedes junior driver.

“Esteban has the most impressive track record in junior formulae and he is an exceptional personality outside of the car,” said Wolff in reference to the fact that Ocon beat highly rated Max Verstappen in the 2014 European Formula 3 championship.

Wolff said when Force India announced that Ocon would be their driver for 2017, “Force India have a strong record of working with young drivers and have again shown courage and vision to take Esteban under their wing.”

Ocon does not come from a monied background. His family lived out of a camper van during his karting years and early single seater forays. This differs vastly from majority of drivers who have backing from rich parents or government based grants.

Ocon’s rise was the hard way, which Wolff sees as a positive for the sport, “It is a positive development for Formula 1 that talent wins over money and we will be seeing some of the most impressive youngsters fighting to make it to the top in Formula 1 over the coming years.”

Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer is also impressed, “It’s one of the reasons we chose him. It’s hard to predict the future but we’re happy he’s done what we thought he could do.”

“We’ve got two drivers that can work together and now they’re close together which means they’ll be pushing each other. We had that with Nico [Hulkenberg] and Sergio and we were a little unsure with Esteban, we thought, but he’s quickly gotten up to speed now and that will just push both of them forward,” added Szafnauer.

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Massa: ‘Alonso should leave if he’s unhappy’

Felipe Massa has told his old Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso that he should pursue other interests if he is unhappy in Formula 1.

Alonso is currently weighing up his options as his McLaren-Honda contract continues to wind down but has said his first priority is to try and win a third World Championship.

However, Alonso has been critical of Formula 1 in general in recent interviews with the press, stating that the atmosphere is much better at the Indy 500.

But Massa thinks he is only criticising the sport because he is not in a competitive car.

"Fernando is complaining about F1 because he does not have a good car," Massa told Spain's El Confidencial.

"F1 is the same now as it was in the '80s Now, with Liberty, we are going in the right direction to attract people, but with the cars we still do not make a difference, because the gap between Mercedes and Ferrari and the rest is too great.

"Small teams should be given more opportunity, but until another Concorde Agreement is signed in 2020 it will be impossible."

Massa then speculated on Alonso's future, saying it might work out for him if he was to leave Formula 1 altogether.

He added: "I think it depends on a lot of things. But I think if you're not having a good time, it's best to leave. He does not seem to be enjoying much right now, so maybe he will.

"Maybe he will go to another team or take on other challenges outside of Formula 1.

"It's something we don't know."

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Horner: ‘New team’ approached Red Bull staff

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has revealed that some of his staff have been approached about joining a  mystery new team.

According to reports, a Chinese-based consortium have been looking at the remains of the now defunct Manor Racing team as a foundation to build a new team for as early as next season.

And Horner has confirmed that there has also been interest in some of the members of the Red Bull garage, too.

"Some of our people were asked if they would be interested in working for a new team," Horner said via Auto Motor und Sport.

"But to start next year with a new team, it is actually already too late."

FOM boss Ross Brawn recently revealed that a number of interested parties have enquired about joining the Formula 1 grid, but one factor in particular is holding them back.

"About ten people have asked," Brawn said. "But they all wanted to know whether we would change the rules so that new teams would be allowed a slice of the prize money distribution.

"However, we told them that we are bound by existing contracts until 2020."

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Haas healthier place than old F1 teams - Magnussen

Kevin Magnussen says the environment at the Haas Formula 1 team is much healthier compared to what he experienced at McLaren and Renault.

Haas is the Dane's third F1 team in four years, having spent two years at McLaren - as race driver and then reserve - followed by a year driving for Renault last season.

Sources at both Renault and McLaren have questioned his work ethic but Magnussen argued his old teams never gave him negative feedback in that area.

Haas is believed to be pleased with Magnussen's performances so far, which have yielded five points in seven races, while the Dane himself is relishing having finally found a team he is comfortable with.

"It's a much healthier environment for a driver at Haas, at least that is my experience, than my previous experiences where I was in big teams, big companies in fact, that were struggling in the sport," he said.

"When you're in a place that is struggling, the pressure is huge on a driver. I came in with very little experience, brand new in McLaren, which is a very big team, and the pressure was immense.

"I feel this is a lot less pressure here, but very, very high motivation - it's a much happier place to be."

Magnussen hinted at a blame culture in his previous experiences, which was particularly challenging for a young driver trying to gain a foothold in F1.

"I would like to be under more pressure but only if it was because I was fighting for pole or wins," he said. "In F1, there can be this kind of pressure where someone has to be blamed and the driver is easy to blame.

"Sometimes we are to blame, but not always, and it can be tough in certain situations."

 

Benefiting from longer term contract

After a turbulent start to his own career, Magnussen is happier with Haas - his third team in four years following one-year race seat stints with Renault and McLaren.

The Dane signed a multi-year deal with the American team, giving him a firm foundation in which to develop.

"It's nice not having to talk about negative subjects like not being chosen for next year," said Magnussen, whose future was a popular topic during his time at Renault and McLaren because of the nature of his deals.

"It's nice just focusing on racing and coming in with a positive mind, having something to look forward to. I can actually look forward to next year and build on that and build some targets and some goals for the future rather than trying to overachieve.

"I can go into races and enjoy and do what I do best - I'm in a very good place."

 

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Force India admits it should have tried team order swap

Force India says it probably should have imposed team orders to switch Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon in the final stages of the Canadian Grand Prix, as it chased a potential F1 podium finish.

The team was embroiled in controversy in Montreal when Perez was reluctant to voluntarily move over for Ocon as the pair tried to find a way past Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.

In the end, Ricciardo held on for third and both Force Indias were overtaken by the charging Sebastian Vettel before the chequered flag.

While Force India never went as far as imposing a direct order on Perez to move aside for Ocon, who was on fresher tyres, the team's COO Otmar Szafnauer reckons that in hindsight it may have been better to have done so.

For once the team had finished discussing the matter with Perez, it had become too late to use team orders because Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was right on the tail of the pair.

Asked by Motorsport.com about whether or not the team would behave in the same if they did the race again, Szafnauer said: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing because you have more information.

"What I would have done is perhaps swap them earlier – just after the Ferraris pitted. Do it then and it is easy.

"You can get your tyres back up to temperature and there is no risk from behind. Then, if it doesn't happen, you still have time to swap back. We didn't do that, we started discussing it a bit late and then after it was too late."

Szafnauer said the debate on the pitwall at the time about what to do was incredibly complicated because of concerns about the drivers losing time in a swap – and also running the risk of losing tyre temperatures.

"We contemplated swapping them to give them a go, but there are a lot of things that happen when you swap," he said. "You lose time when you swap, but more importantly, you lose tyre temperature - and tyre temperature is really critical.

"So if you do that, you are not back up to speed straight away. We had the Ferraris charging, so there are ifs, ands and buts. Looking at it we, will analyse it. But had we swapped them I don't think Esteban would have got by him."

Pitting Perez

While Force India's thoughts were about swapping the position of drivers, Mercedes strategy chief James Vowles reckons the Silverstone-based team should have pursued a totally different option.

He reckons Force India would have been able to hold off Vettel at the end – as well as have a double opportunity to get past Ricciardo – if they had pitted Perez when Ocon came up behind him.

Speaking in a post-race Mercedes strategy video posted on the team's official website, Vowles said: "The team tried to invert the cars to give it the best chance of the podium but weren't successful in that action.

"However, the team should have then boxed Perez. If they had boxed Perez they would have come out ahead of Kimi [Raikkonen] just after he had stopped, and that would have then put them in the situation where they had removed the options for Ferrari (with Vettel).

"Ferrari now have a car that was on 60 laps tyres at the end of the race, a very compromised car. We saw [Romain] Grosjean make it [after stopping on lap one] but it is not the fastest race, and if Vettel boxes he now comes out behind Perez, which is a complicated decision.

"It leaves Esteban trying to attack Ricciardo for that P3 and if he is not successful, Perez would have caught up again and allowed him the chance to overtake with much fresher tyres. That would have generated a good opportunity for Force India."

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Malaysia open to F1 return if racing improves

The promoter of the Malaysian Grand Prix says he would consider a deal for Formula 1 to return in the future but the racing needs to be improved.

This year will mark Malaysia's 19th and final edition of the grand prix after the organisers came to an arrangement with new owners Liberty Media to terminate its deal a year early.

Last year, the Malaysian government asked the race promoter to begin talks to end the deal early as the poor economic return meant it was no longer prepared to fund the race.

When asked if he would welcome F1 back in the future, Sepang International Circuit chief executive Dato' Razlan Razali told Motorsport.com: "Of course - the circuit is there.

"If it ticks all the boxes, we will take it back. We want to see how exciting F1 is again. The new owners need to take back control of F1 and the racing.

"Bernie [Ecclestone] lost a bit of control with the FIA. The drastic regulation change for 2014, with the new V6 engines, was the beginning of the downward spiral of F1.

"Racing has become less exciting and that has had an impact on interest, both in terms of TV viewers and those coming to the track. They need to bring the excitement back, they need to sort it out.

"Let's see what the new management comes up with."

Despite tickets to the race being the cheapest on the calendar, Sepang has encountered declining audiences with just 45,000 attending last year's race at the 120,000-capacity venue.

Razali admitted the arrival of Singapore did impact his race, as it "lost out totally" to its rival with regards corporate clients.

Singapore was also "unbeatable" with its off-track entertainment through its ability to attract A-list artists to perform each night.

He added: "Having two F1 in south-east Asia is killing the sport. It would be much better if we could alternate."

When asked if alternating was financially viable, as it is believed several venues on the current calendar do not think it is, Razali said: "I believe Singapore offered us an option to alternate before they joined the calendar.

"It was before I took this job and apparently we refused. Would I consider it if it was an option again? Yes, I would."

Razali hinted at the possibility of Sepang acting as an F1 testing venue, but he is unsure there would be enough interest.

"I'm exploring the idea of testing," he said. But I'm not sure if fans will want to come and watch cars testing. It would also be an issue of cost.

"MotoGP pay us to test at the venue, so we have always made it free for fans. I'm not sure if that would be viable with F1."

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Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn says F1 has become 'too technical'

Formula 1 has become too technical and difficult to understand, according to Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn.

F1 has continued to push the boundaries of technology in recent years, replacing the V8 engines with V6 hybrid turbos.

"We have in some ways far too technical that even people within the sport do not understand it fully," said Kaltenborn.

"Do we really need that? No.

"We are not here in a technical world.

"Technical excellence is part of F1 but it needs to be balanced out with other interests as well."

However, in a survey conducted by Motorsport Network, fans said they have a desire for F1 to set the pace in terms of technology.

Since the last survey in 2015, there has been a 19.1% increase in the number of fans highlighting the importance of technology in F1.

When asked what is needed to maximise the appeal of F1, nearly 80% of fans said pioneering technology was key.

Kaltenborn was speaking when discussing the concept of NASCAR-style open car inspections - something that she supports.

During a NASCAR race weekend cars must pass through technical inspection prior to qualifying and the race, with the machines out in the open for rival teams and the public to see.

Post-event, a selection of cars, including the race-winning machine, are taken to NASCAR's R&D facility for scrutineering, which is streamed online for fans to watch.

F1's sporting chief Ross Brawn has suggested F1 could adopt the idea.

He believes removing some of the secrecy around details on each car could help make more teams competitive.

Kaltenborn said: "This kind of openness is good because you're giving insight into the sport, you're giving a connection to the people.

"Otherwise it's like you can watch from afar, you see either on TV or through a fence.

"This is what we should change.

"You look at how successful other sports are by opening up.

"You have to open up a little."

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HAAS PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Romain Grosjean calls it “two different circuits in one” and Kevin Magnussen says “it’s a mixture of Monza and Monaco”. It is Baku City Circuit, a 6.003-kilometer (3.730-mile), 20-turn street course that hosts the Azerbaijan Grand Prix June 25.

The two Haas F1 Team drivers and 18 of their counterparts blast down two enormously long straights in a dumbbell-shaped layout that runs counterclockwise. The Herman Tilke-designed track blends old and new amid fast straights and slow corners.

It winds through a modern, Eastern side where swank hotels and high-end shops reside, to a historic area where the streets are narrow and steep before returning to the main straight.

A sharp left turn greets drivers at the end of that straight, not too dissimilar from the Tilke-designed Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, home to the United States Grand Prix. It’s a unique and challenging layout that is augmented by Baku’s notorious winds, which are always prevalent. In fact, City of Winds is the unofficial, but literary, name for Baku.

Winds of change have been blowing all year in Formula One, with this new generation of higher-downforce racecar breaking track records at every circuit visited thus far in the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship. Baku could buck that trend, however, as the track hosted its first grand prix last year when the lower-downforce cars of the previous era produced significant straight-line speed.

The higher-downforce cars of today aren’t as quick in a straight line, but thanks to a wider front wing, larger barge boards, a lower and wider rear wing, a taller and wider diffuser and tires 25-percent wider than last year, these current-generation Formula One cars dart through corners at speeds never seen before this year.

With 20 turns built into Baku City Circuit, drivers will test the boundaries of the world’s fastest city circuit in an effort to make up the lost speed on the two main straights – the 2.2-kilometer (1.367-mile) main straight along the promenade and a 1-kilometer (.621-mile) stretch that takes drivers away from Azadliq Square. Grosjean’s “two different circuits in one” and Magnussen’s musing of Baku being “a mixture of Monza and Monaco” are apt.

Because Baku City Circuit is so new, there is still plenty of learning to be had. Grosjean finished 13th in last year’s race after a potential points-paying result was derailed by debris getting caught in his car’s radiator intake. Finishing right behind Grosjean was Magnussen, whose 14th-place drive came with his former Renault team.

Speaking of Renault, Haas F1 Team comes into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix locked in a tight battle with the factory-backed squad. Renault is seventh in the constructors standings, only three points ahead of Haas F1 Team.

But with point-paying results in five of the seven races run this season, Grosjean and Magnussen are eyeing another points-paying effort in Baku to not only bolster their respective 12th- and 13th-place positions in the driver standings, but to also take hold of seventh in the constructors standings and potentially fight with sixth-place Williams, which currently enjoys a seven-point margin over Haas F1 Team.

In 2016, Haas F1 Team scored points in just five races. With that tally already having been equaled in 2017 with still 13 races remaining, the American outfit believes Baku can be the scene of another points-scoring effort that can surpass its 2016 mark and keep the midfield battle as tight as the corners around Baku’s historic Sabayil Castle.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

We’re now a third of the way through Haas F1 Team’s second year. How would you assess the season and the team’s development to date?
GS: “We’ve had our ups and downs, but we scored points in five of the seven races. And in one of those races, we were well on our way to score points, but then we had a mechanical failure. The midfield is very tough, and to score points five out of seven times is not bad. Sure, we need to score more points, not just one-point scores, but in general the team is maturing and I’m very confident that we’ll keep maturing.”

Where are the areas where Haas F1 Team can improve?
GS: “In the short term, it’s very difficult to make improvements. You always try to get some aerodynamic updates on the car, but otherwise, it’s more mid-term improvements, which we are making and the team is developing. It’s also gaining experience – that is one of the improvements we will make one way or the other. I think we’re on a good track.”

You’ve scored points in five of the seven races this season, when last year you scored points in five total races. Even though your point tally isn’t as high as last year, are you happy with being in the points on a more consistent basis?
GS: “Absolutely, because that gives our people to go home with something – you don’t have to wait four or five races until you get the next points. Sure, we would like to score more points each event, not just one or two points, but that will come. If you are consistently in the lower-ranking points, we will get to the better positions where there are more points.”

Baku became the fastest street circuit in Formula One when it debuted last year and speeds have only increased this year. What do you expect with this newer, faster and wider car on a circuit that’s only a year old?
GS: “Like all the circuits, we have to see where our time will be. The times improve more on a slower circuit with the new car than on the fast circuits because the top speeds are not much higher than last year. So, I don’t know how the surface looks this year in Baku. Last year it was pretty slippery, and I don’t know if the asphalt is still slippery. We’ll really only know until after FP1.”

Was there anything from last year’s race at Baku that’s applicable to this year’s race, or is it all out the window because the cars are so different?
GS: “You can use all the data again because now, having done seven races, we can translate the data from last year’s car to this year’s car pretty easily. It all helps, and we’re able to come in to this race as well prepared as we can.”

Most first-year events have some growing pains. But last year’s race seemed to come off incredibly well. What did you think of Baku’s first race?
GS: “It’s a fantastic place. Everybody did a good job there last year. The organizers were good and the racetrack was good. They knew what to do and they were well prepared.”

There’s a lot of talk regarding future Formula One schedules. What would you like to see, both in terms of the amount of races and how the races are laid out?
GS: “I’m not opposed to a few more races. What I wish is that the races are more bundled – that we stay in one region and are not going back and forth to Asia, where you go back for one week and then back the next. How big the area you group together, I don’t really know. It needs to be studied of how many F1 races an area can take. For instance, I think it would be difficult to have a race in Abu Dhabi and then another one the next week in Bahrain because we are very close together there. But a few more races, if it is well organized, will not be that much more time away for the teams. In general, I have nothing against getting up to 25 races.”

If the schedule does expand beyond 21 races, what would you need to do to ensure personnel can handle the added workload?
GS: “We just need to plan and maybe relieve some people. Maybe not all the people will want to do 25 events, but I think it can all be managed, and if we do it cleverly, it is not so much more. For sure, there is more cost involved because you travel more. You need more car parts because you run more. But, in general, if we’ve got enough time to get prepared properly, we always find a way to make things work.”

Is there a part of the world where you’d like to see Formula One race?
GS: “A race in South Africa would be nice.”

Romain Grosjean

We’re now a third of the way through Haas F1 Team’s second year. How would you assess the season and the team’s development to date?
RG: “It’s been a pretty good start. I think from last year we’ve made some big steps forward in all places. We’re more consistent. We’ve been able to score points more times than last year, which is good. There are still a lot of areas where we want to improve and we can improve. Generally, I’m very pleased with the way the team has been moving forward.”

The Canadian Grand Prix was another example of how tight the midfield is this year, where teams are separated by just tenths of a second. Everyone is talking about the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes, but how would you characterize the midfield battle between Force India, Toro Rosso, Williams, Renault and Haas?
RG: “It’s actually very exciting. If you were removing the three big teams at the front and only leaving the midfield, there would be a different race winner almost every grand prix. The difference between pole position and P2 in Canada was much bigger than from P10 to around P17 or P18. That shows how tight it is in the midfield and how much we have to be getting 100 percent from the car every time.”

With last year being the first race at Baku City Circuit, time in the simulator was the only way to prepare for the race. How did your time in the simulator compare with the reality of your first lap around the track? And if there was no simulator time, how did you prepare yourself to compete at an unknown venue?
RG: “Simulators are a great help, but it’s never going to be as good as driving the track for the first time. Especially when it’s a new grand prix, the track’s layout is never 100 percent correct in a simulator. I guess the best way is just to walk the track, see how it goes, then take it steady on the first few laps and build your pace from there.”

Baku became the fastest street circuit in Formula One when it debuted last year and speeds have only increased this year. What do you expect with this newer, faster and wider car on a circuit that’s only a year old?
RG: “It’s going to be pretty exciting. I think some parts of the circuit are going to be very tight for the wider cars, but some other corners are going to be really nice to drive. Straight-line speed is going to be a bit down. I think it’s going to be a really cool track to drive with these cars – braking late and carrying a lot of speed in the corners, and playing around with some pretty fast corners through the walls.”

Was there anything from last year’s race at Baku that’s applicable to this year’s race, or is it all out the window because the cars are so different?
RG: “I believe there’s always a lot of things you can bring from the past, even when the cars are different. We’ll look at what we did last year, what our setup was like, and what we could’ve done better in the race. I think we’ve got some ideas and we’ll apply that with the deltas of this year. There are always things we can learn and improve.”

Most first-year events have some growing pains. But last year’s race seemed to come off incredibly well. What did you think of Baku’s first race?
RG: “It was a really good race. It’s a beautiful city and a beautiful track. The only downside we noticed was the plastic bags flying around – they actually cost us points in the race as one got caught in the radiator intake. Hopefully, that’s improved. For me, that was the only downside of what was a really good weekend.”

What was the most challenging part of the Baku City Circuit and why?
“I would say it was the back end – going around the castle, up the hills, then going back down and the two last corners, which were actually pretty tricky.”

What is your favorite part of the Baku City Circuit and why?
RG: “Actually the same part. It’s the most challenging one. It’s pretty high speed and you’ve got to get the right balance in those corners as well as the braking. It’s pretty exciting when you get it right.”

Describe a lap around Baku City Circuit.
RG: “You’ve got the first part of the circuit – big straight lines and then big braking into 90-degree corners. It’s not the most exciting, but it’s good for overtaking. Then later the track changes a lot. There are very tight corners, but flowing ones. Around the castle it’s uphill and very fast. The two last corners are downhill with a lot of camber before the long back straight. It’s really two different circuits in one.”

Kevin Magnussen

We’re now a third of the way through Haas F1 Team’s second year. How would you assess the season and the team’s development to date?
KM: “I think it’s been very good. The first season for the team was very impressive. They delivered some good results. The second season was always going to be difficult to improve on, but actually I think we’re on our way to doing that. We’ve been in the points in the same number of races this year than all of last year, so it’s already going well in terms of taking a step forward. That was our main target – to at least improve on last year and make a step forward.”

The Canadian Grand Prix was another example of how tight the midfield is this year, where teams are separated by just tenths of a second. Everyone is talking about the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes, but how would you characterize the midfield battle between Force India, Toro Rosso, Williams, Renault and Haas?
KM: “It’s just that it’s so close, even the smallest mistake can cost you a lot. That’s how racing should be. It’s how it’s always been before Formula One in all the other categories I’ve done. It’s kind of really cool that it’s back to real racing again.”

With last year being the first race at Baku City Circuit, time in the simulator was the only way to prepare for the race. How did your time in the simulator compare with the reality of your first lap around the track? And if there was no simulator time, how did you prepare yourself to compete at an unknown venue?
KM: “I never tried the Baku City Circuit in a simulator before actually racing there. It was a cool experience to just go on a track you don’t even have 100 percent idea which way the corners are going. I really had to learn the circuit from scratch. It was a cool experience and the track was really cool. I’m looking forward to going back again.”

Baku became the fastest street circuit in Formula One when it debuted last year and speeds have only increased this year. What do you expect with this newer, faster and wider car on a circuit that’s only a year old?
KM: “It’s going to be fun. The corners are going to be faster this year because of the increased downforce. We’re going to be a bit slower on the straights, so I suspect Baku might be one of the tracks where we’re not going to be that much faster than the old cars, but it’s still going to be massively fun and challenging in the corners.”

Was there anything from last year’s race at Baku that’s applicable to this year’s race, or is it all out the window because the cars are so different?
KM: “Now I know the track, and I learned which way the corners are going, coming back this year will be easier to adjust to the track. A couple of corners might be easy flat now, maybe even turn 13 will be flat now, which it wasn’t last year. That will be a cool experience.”

Most first-year events have some growing pains. But last year’s race seemed to come off incredibly well. What did you think of Baku’s first race?
KM: “It was a pretty cool race. Baku offers good opportunities to overtake. There’s a lot of action in the race – that’s always good.”

What was the most challenging part of the Baku City Circuit and why?
KM: “The most challenging part was sector two. It’s very low speed, very narrow. It’s easy to make a mistake.”

What is your favorite part of the Baku City Circuit and why?
KM: “I would say sector two, in all the narrow bits. It’s good fun and you have to be very precise.”

Describe a lap around Baku City Circuit.
KM: “I guess it’s a mixture of Monza and Monaco – which is pretty unusual. I’m looking forward to it.”

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Round 8 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at the Baku City Circuit.

Daniel Ricciardo: “Baku in my opinion is quite a special street circuit, it’s really unique in terms of having quite wide sections but also some of the tightest parts of track on the calendar. Sector 2 is tighter than parts of Monaco which has always been regarded as really narrow and challenging. When you drive up into the old town and past the castle it is fun and tricky but also amazing to watch as a spectator. That section of the track is my favourite, the straight is quick but seems to go on for a long time and gives you a chance to relax a bit.”

“As the hotel is really nice and new as well as being situated right next to the paddock I didn’t manage to get out and have a look around last year. The old town is fun to drive so I think I should try and get up there one evening this year and see what else it has in store.”

Max Verstappen: “This year I want to try and see the city more and get out to explore. Our hotel is so convenient being basically on the circuit but it means you don’t go out of that area too much and become a bit complacent. The view from the top of our hotel was awesome, from the gym you could see the entire city and track which is pretty unique.

“The track was fun so I’m looking forward to having another go on it. Another street circuit is exciting for me as I really enjoy those types of tracks, it doesn’t suit our car that much but there are a lot of opportunities for things to happen. I think the circuit is definitely as tight as it looks and has a lot of corners unlike any others on the calendar.”

“There are a few interesting lines past the castle which adds to the toughness and is definitely a section of track like no other. The straight is so long that it gives you time to think, which is nice as the corners are technical and you really need to concentrate.”

Last year Ricciardo qualified third for the inaugural grand prix at the venue, going on to finish seventh in the race, ahead of Verstappen in eighth. The race was won by Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg.

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FIAT FACE MONUMENTAL TASK TO REPLACE MARCHIONNE

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is widening the search for a successor to Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne, now a group of second-tier managers joining company veterans on a growing list of candidates, according to sources close to the discussions.

While Marchionne’s closest aides, including Europe chief Alfredo Altavilla and Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer, are under consideration to replace the CEO, the search has broadened to some younger candidates as the board casts a wide net, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. Executives from outside the company are not under consideration, the people said.

While Marchionne, who turns 65 on Saturday, is set to stick around for about two years, succession has become a top priority for the board. It’s a particularly complex issue as the long-time CEO holds unusually broad authority, directly involving himself in almost all strategic, operational and financing activities.

His approach isn’t likely to be replicated, with Fiat also considering overhauling its management structure to delegate powers to more executives, the people said. Fiat and Exor NV, the holding company that controls the carmaker, declined to comment.

“Replacing Marchionne is a monumental task for every internal heir,” said Giuseppe Berta, a professor of economic history at Milan’s Bocconi University and former head of Fiat’s archive. “The only way to succeed is to avoid imitating his strong leadership’s style.”

Under Marchionne’s watch the Ferrari have been transformed, and despite a lacklustre 2016, have bounced back in 2017 as Formula 1 championship contenders.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Council for the United States and Italy this past weekend, Marchionne said, “I believe that our results in Formula 1 have impacted positively on brand perception by customers and potentially also on margins.”

“The important thing is to finish the season and win. The team is fine, although after the last race … in any case, the accounts of Ferrari are certainly in line with expectations,” added Marchionne, who is also the Ferrari president.