Formula 1 - 2017

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FORMULA 1 TO HAVE LOUDER AND SIMPLER ENGINE IN 2021

Formula 1 will have simpler, cheaper and noisier engines from 2021 as part of a “road map” for the future presented to teams on Tuesday that could entice new manufacturers to enter the sport.

The Paris presentation was the product of research by experts assembled by former team boss Ross Brawn, now Formula 1’s managing director for sporting matters.

“We’ve carefully listened to what the fans think about the current power unit and what they would like to see in the near future,” Brawn said in a statement.

He said the aim was to come up with regulations which, apart from making engines more affordable and louder, would also make it easier for new manufacturers to come in and for teams to be competitive.

Formula 1 changed owners in January when United States-based Liberty Media took over and ousted former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Liberty have already made a mark on the race weekend, with more of a show for fans, but long-term contracts mean more substantial changes will take time.

Formula One said it and the FIA had proposed an engine that would be the same 1.6 litre V6 turbo hybrid but without the MGU-H, one of the two motor generator units.

The sound would be improved by having a higher engine running speed of 3,000rpm.

Development costs would be restricted and extreme designs discouraged, there will be a single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits and a standard energy store and control electronics.

The MGU-K, the electric motor that recovers and supplies kinetic energy from braking, will be more powerful with a focus on manual deployment along with an option to save up energy over several laps and create a driver-controlled tactical element.

“Work will continue over the next 12 months to define certain elements of the Power Unit,” the Formula One statement said.

“But the design and development of the complete power unit will not be possible until all the information is released at the end of 2018. This aims to ensure that manufacturers continue to work on the current specification power unit.”

The current engine, introduced in 2014 and much quieter than the previous V8s and V10s, ushered in a period of Mercedes dominance with the German manufacturer winning both championships for the past four years.

Other engine makers – Ferrari, Renault and Honda – have been racing to catch up with varying degrees of success.

FIA Statement:

FIA and Formula 1 presented manufacturers with the roadmap and key features of future Power Units

In the presence of FIA President Jean Todt, representatives from the FIA, FIA Formula One World Championship Commercial Rights Holder (F1) and current and potential Formula One manufacturer representatives met today, 31 October, in Paris to discuss regulations for the 2021 Power Unit.

In line with the objectives outlined by the FIA for the future of these regulations, which include a reduction in cost, maintaining road relevance with hybrid technology and improving the sound of the cars and the appeal for the fans, manufacturer representatives were presented with a roadmap for the development of the next generation of regulations.

The proposals shared today have been developed jointly by the FIA and by F1 using data and input from teams, power unit suppliers and outside experts, and the overall framework for the 2021 power unit definition will be in place and published by the FIA at the end of 2017.

In order to uphold the objective of cost reduction, work will continue over the next 12 months to define certain elements of the Power Unit, but the design and development of the complete Power Unit will not be possible until all the information is released at the end of 2018. This aims to ensure that manufacturers continue to work on the current specification Power Unit.

During the remaining part of 2017 and 2018, the FIA and F1 will also work with the teams to establish power unit test and development restrictions as well as other cost containment measures.

Manufacturer representatives were presented with the vision for the key new features of the 2021 Power Unit proposed by the FIA and F1. These are as follows:

• 1.6 Litre, V6 Turbo Hybrid
• 3000rpm higher engine running speed range to improve the sound
• Prescriptive internal design parameters to restrict development costs and discourage extreme designs and running conditions
• Removal of the MGUH
• More powerful MGUK with focus on manual driver deployment in race together with option to save up energy over several laps to give a driver controlled tactical element to racing
• Single turbo with dimensional constraints and weight limits
• Standard energy store and control electronics
• High Level of external prescriptive design to give ‘Plug-And-Play’ engine/chassis/transmission swap capability
• Intention to investigate tighter fuel regulations and limits on number of fuels used

A series of meetings will now commence with all the interested parties to discuss and develop the proposal in the spirit of the widest possible cooperation.

FIA Secretary-General for Sport, Peter Bayer, said: “Today was a key step in the development of the Power Unit regulations for 2021. The FIA has been working with the Commercial Rights Holder to define a positive step forward for these regulations which maintain Formula One’s place at the pinnacle of motor sport technology whilst addressing the key issues facing the sport such as cost, road relevance and fan experience at the racetrack. We felt it was important to bring the teams into the discussions today and explain the direction we are taking and I’m pleased with the response we have received.”

Formula 1, Managing Director, Motorsports Ross Brawn said: “The 2021 power unit is an example of the future way the FIA as regulators, F1 as commercial right holders, the teams and the manufacturers as stakeholders will work together for the common good of the sport. The proposal presented today was the outcome of a series of meeting which took place during 2017 with the current teams participating in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and the manufacturers who showed their interest to be part of the pinnacle of motor sport. Also, we’ve carefully listened to what the fans think about the current PU and what they would like to see in the near future with the objective to define a set of regulations which will provide a powertrain that is simpler, cheaper and noisier and will create the conditions to facilitate new manufacturers to enter Formula 1 as powertrain suppliers and to reach a more levelled field in the sport. The new F1 has the target to be the world’s leading global sports competition married to state of the art technology. To excite, engage, and awe fans of all ages but to do so in a sustainable manner. We believe that the future power unit will achieve this.”

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HORNER: WE WANT RICCIARDO TO STAY BUT HAVE SAINZ OPTION

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says his team are prepared to wait for Daniel Ricciardo to decide his Formula 1 future but at the same time they know they have Carlos Sainz as a ‘safety net’ if the Australian opts to leave after 2018.

He told reporters at the Mexican Grand Prix that he wanted Ricciardo to stay alongside 20-year-old Max Verstappen, who recently resigned a long-term contract.

Ricciardo will be in the final season of a five-year deal in 2018 and has been linked to Mercedes and Ferrari in media speculation.

“The next move he makes at 28 years of age is a very important one for him. So of course I’m sure he’s going to take the time to make sure the decision is right for him,” said Horner.

“But he knows the intent very clearly, and I’ve discussed it with him, is that we want him in the team. If that takes another six months, then so be it.”

Verstappen won the race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, his second victory of the season, while Ricciardo celebrated victory in Azerbaijan in June.

The Australian’s race ended after barely a handful of laps on Sunday, however, with a turbo problem.

“I think he’s keen to see what engine performance looks like next year, which is understandable,” said Horner.

Red Bull used Renault engines, branded Tag Heuer. While the former champions have won three times this year and taken more points than Ferrari in recent races, they have also suffered frequent failures.

“He knows how we go about our racing and how we treat the two drivers, which he’s extremely comfortable and happy with,” he said of Ricciardo.

”I think, as his character has developed and as his personality has come across, he sees the fit between Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull. “I think he sees the capability that we have within the team. And I think he’s very happy in the team.”

Asked what would happen if Ricciardo decided to leave, Horner said Red Bull were prepared for that.

“That’s why we kept Carlos Sainz on loan, that’s why we have options around us. We have a safety net but our number one objective is to retain the pairing that we have,” he said.

Sainz has been loaned from Toro Rosso to Renault as part of an engine deal that allowed the Red Bull-owned team to end a contract with the French manufacturer and partner Honda next season.

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HAMILTON: KNIGHTHOOD WOULD BE THE GREATEST HONOUR

Lewis Hamilton has already been installed as the bookmakers’ favourite for next year’s Formula 1 world championship, with the Mercedes driver also a 4/1 shot to be knighted in Britain’s New Year’s honours list.

Hamilton became Britain’s most successful Formula One driver after clinching his fourth title at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Bookmakers William Hill have Hamilton as 15/8 favourite for the 2018 drivers championship, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at 3/1 and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at 10/3.

Verstappen won Sunday’s race, the third triumph of the 20-year-old’s career.

Formula 1 has driver knights in Stirling Moss, generally regarded as the greatest never to win a championship, and triple world champion Jackie Stewart. Team principal Frank Williams and co-founder Patrick Head also have the honour.

Hamilton has the MBE, a lower rung of the multi-tiered British awards system, and went to Buckingham Palace to receive it from Queen Elizabeth.

When asked about the chances of a knighthood, the 32-year-old winner of 62 races said he had always wanted to go back to the palace.

“That would be the greatest honour, to firstly be invited back,” he said. “I try to represent England in the best way I can. If that at some stage is recognised by the Queen then I’d be incredibly honoured.”

Hamilton wrapped the British flag around him as he celebrated on Sunday and has made much of his journey against the odds from an under-privileged background in the commuter town of Stevenage, north of London.

His paternal grandfather was an immigrant from the Caribbean island of Grenada.

“I wonder what the people who were at my school are thinking. There’s a couple of teachers who said you’re never going to amount to anything so I wonder what they’re thinking now,” he had mused on Sunday.

“I wonder if they’re thinking: I helped that young lad. Or are they thinking: you know what, I regret what I said. And I’ve grown from it? I hope that’s really the case.”

Olympic athletics gold medallist Mo Farah and Wimbledon winner Andy Murray are also sporting Sirs but the Scot has emphasised he still wants to be called by his first name.

Hamilton joked he would be the opposite, if such a situation ever happened.

“I would enforce it. To everyone. To friends, everyone. I think it’s such an honour,” he laughed. “I’ve got friends who are Sirs and I call them Sir. When I get a text, I’m like: Yes Sir. It’s unique and why not live it in all its beauty?”

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INSIDE LINE: WHAT HAPPENED TO RENAULT IN MEXICO?

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix by a comfortable margin but he, and Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly, were the only two of the six Renault powered drivers to finish the race on a day that will no doubt have left the French team embarrassed.

As one-by-one they parked up with (predominantly) engine problems:

• First to go with a MGU-H failure was Daniel Ricciardo who was enjoying a storming run from 16th to seventh in the first few laps;
• then Nico Hulkenberg’s had an ERS isuue while he was up battling in fourth place;
• next Toro Rosso rookie Brendon Hartley had to park his car with an oil problem;
• a dozen laps from the end Carlos Sainz was out with a steering issue.

Add to the bag of problems the tough two days Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly endured managing only 12 laps of running in FP2 and FP3 after giving up his seat to Sean Galeal in FP1.

While Ricciardo and Hartley took engine related grid penalties for the race as they were forced to bolt on new components ahead of the race.

Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul summed up after the race, “The Mexican Grand prix was a difficult one for us with multiple incidents throughout the weekend. Both Nico’s retirement and one of our partner teams’ car is a reminder that reliability remains an issue and the consequences weigh heavily on us and our customer teams.”

“Being in high altitude, we recognise the inevitable challenges this circuit brings. It’s about finding performance without compromising reliability. This weekend, we had performance, qualifying was very good for many of the different Renault-powered cars. However, the balance between performance and reliability was not good.”

“Max Verstappen’s win confirms the engine’s potential and I want to congratulate him and his team for this great race. As a team, we need to stay motivated for the last two races and focus on our objectives,” added Abiteboul.

Renault’s technical chief Remi Taffin added, “Over the course of the season we have made good strides in performance and seen our Power Units on the podium. However, we have suffered from too many reliability issues and it is an area where our attention is strongly focused as we try to continually increase performance on other parameters too.”

In a nutshell the French lads are saying: We turned up the wick and things went poof! So have a problem…

Hulkenberg was not a happy after his sixth DNF and told German reporters, “Something like this must not happen to a manufacturer. It’s not acceptable. We are not good enough.”

“Everyone is angry, frustrated, disappointed. We somehow have to get it under control for next year. The damage has been done this year but reliability is our first homework task for 2018. Otherwise, even having the fastest car would not help us.”

It is also notable that despite opting to dial up performance for the race, at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, as mentioned by Abiteboul, Renault drivers’ top speeds were hardly earth shattering.

Gasly was fastest of the six Renault powered cars, trapped at 352 kph, seventh fastest of all the cars. Verstappen was 16th quickest on 345 kph and Sainz 12th on 248 kph. The Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel was trapped at 362 kph, the top speed on the day.

Clearly Red Bull turned down the power on Verstappen’s car as all around them similar engines popped.

Team chief Christian Horner said, “This circuit seems to have caught them out. No doubt they will do some serious analysis to why they managed to get themselves on the back foot so badly here. Fantastic that we managed to win the grand prix but there have been an awful lot of failures during the weekend.”

All-in-all an expensive afternoon because someone at Renault got the sums wrong when they calculated the balance between performance and reliability for their power unit.

Renault are now inexorably connected to McLaren, who they will power next year, and I am sure that Abiteboul’s words that Mexico provided a “reminder that reliability remains an issue” will have sent a chill down the spine of everyone at Woking.

While Renault powered cars parked, the two Honda powered McLaren’s of Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne soldiered on and finished the race despite engine related grid penalties demoting the orange cars to the wrong end of the grid.

Alonso was tenth and Vandoorne 12th – only Verstappen, of the Renault powered chaps, ahead of the them.

I would not be surprised if, in the aftermath of Mexico, McLaren chief Zak Brown did not pick up the phone and made the call: “Hi there Cyril, what happened in Mexico?”

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MEXICAN GRAND PRIX TECHNICAL REVIEW

A look at technical developments from Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix a week earlier.

Ferrari

Ferrari continued its aggressive 2017 development programme in Austin, bringing updates to multiple areas of its SF70H. These changes will not have been in response to poor recent results, but rather part of a scheduled upgrade package – it is also useful to test new ideas and concepts, given the regulatory similarity for 2018. The development we will focus on here is the floor slots in front of the rear tyre, which were revised for the fifth time this season, and their effect on diffuser performance.

The wider tyres for 2017 have made controlling the wheel wake more difficult than in previous years, and with the larger, higher downforce diffusers as well, the importance of clean flow around the rear of the car has never been more critical to performance.

This is why Ferrari has been optimising this area of the car at every opportunity, although it is interesting to note that Mercedes, barring a very minor change, has kept the same version of floor ahead of the rear tyre throughout the year.

While the rearmost slot is unchanged, Ferrari has altered the remainder, reducing their number by one to four, while also directing them further inboard, with a greater angle relative to the edge of the floor. As high pressure above the floor spills over to its underside, a series of vortices are produced parallel to the slots.

These are directed just inside the rear tyre, and as energetic flows, they will draw air into them which would otherwise collide with the wheels, while also sealing the diffuser from turbulent air emanating from the tyre. In this way, they reduce the extent and impact of ‘tyre squirt’.

The new design on the Ferrari will be looking to optimise the positioning of the vortices to minimise this issue, while also not being overly penal in terms of drag, since each of the rotating flows shed has resistance associated with it (vortex/induced drag).

In addition, the diffuser itself has been developed significantly, with a much more aggressive central section. A move in this direction was tested in Hungary, post-race, but subsequently discarded. The new edition has an even more aggressive design, with a completely level upper edge on the device. The result is a significantly greater expansion effect by the diffuser, raising the low pressure region behind the car.

This can only be achieved, however, if airflow remains attached to the more steeply inclined surface along the centre of the diffuser. This is aided by a series of vortex generators at the base of the diffuser, but these were also present previously on the SF70H. Therefore, it is interesting to note that, with the floor slots now directed further inboard, it is possible that the innermost vortex shed will, as a high energy flow, be used to assist these generators in energising the boundary layer beneath the centre of the diffuser.

McLaren

McLaren introduced a new front wing for the United States GP, which the team has hailed as an important step, not for this season, but for next year’s car development. We have reached the time of year when almost everything being put on the current cars is with a view to validating future concepts, and this is exactly what McLaren has done.

The most significant change concerns the inboard section of the front wing, where two slots have been added to the most rearward elements of the mainplane. Usually, when we refer to slots in a wing section, the purpose is to reduce airflow detachment for more consistent downforce and lower pressure drag. However, in this case, there were already multiple elements along this portion of wing, so this is probably not the primary reason for the development.

Instead, the team is focusing on improving the Y250 vortex, which is shed as a result of the step change in wing loading between the FIA-mandated neutral section (this section extends 250mm along the car’s y-axis/side-to-side axis), and the front wing’s mainplane.

Adding additional slots in the wing will actually reduce the pressure differential either side of the mainplane, as high pressure air from above one element will pass beneath the next element. Therefore, the Y250 vortex may well be weaker as a result.

The reader should note, however, that McLaren introduced new bargeboards in Malaysia, with an additional outwardly shaped mini-element, ahead of the main part. As a result of this, the greater outwash of the bargeboards could be used in tandem with a weaker Y250 vortex to achieve the same controlling of the front tyre wake.

Given that vortices are highly drag inducing flows, and that the Y250 rotating flow is a strong one thanks to the severity of the step change in wing loading, reducing its strength without harming rearward airflow would improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the MCL32.

Elsewhere, note the addition of a further slot in the inner footplate of the front wing, just inboard of the endplate. The slots in this area allow flow from above the wing to pass beneath it, into the path of the expanding front wing arch, a fundamental tool in directing air around the front tyre. McLaren’s decision to introduce more of them will enable the team to direct flow into the arch more precisely.

Finally, the trio of winglets behind the cascade have had their geometry revised, in order to attempt to direct air exiting the wing upwards as much as possible, lowering the area of tyre with which air collides, altering the footprint of the tyre wake for greater rear downforce.

Renault

Renault struggled in both Malaysia and Japan, with competitor teams introducing Aerodynamic updates, while few were brought to the R.S.17. In the last two races, however, it appears as if the team has made a step forward in performance, with Q3 being reached at both events.

New bargeboards were introduced for Austin, but not run competitively, before being put back on the car for the majority of the Mexican GP weekend, including qualifying and the race.

The difference between the new and old versions centres around the low height vertical elements attached to the bargeboard footplate. The new version features four outboard elements, with the single old one being doubled up, and two further mini-devices being introduced.

Each of these parts increases the ability of the bargeboards to direct their outwash into key areas that will provide the most benefit in terms of diverting the front tyre wake as far outboard as possible for improved rearward Aerodynamic performance.

Sauber

Having introduced a heavily upgraded front wing for the Japanese GP, Sauber brought a further development to this device for Mexico. The innermost vertical fin has been completely re-profiled, now being slightly resemblant of that on the Ferrari.

Most notably, the part’s orientation is now much more aggressive in the outboard direction, while a V-shaped cut-out has been introduced into the top edge of the fin.

The result of this will be the production of two vortices, one at the trailing edge, and the other at the step change in height of the device. These vortices will have differing degrees of outboard orientation, with the forward vortex appearing to be directed just inboard of the front tyre, as was the case with the single old vortex, while the secondary rotating flow will pass around the front wheel.

In this way, Sauber is drawing as much airflow as possible around the front tyre, in both directions, for lower turbulence further back. While the part was tested in practice, competitive sessions saw the return to the old version, suggesting that the development was not wholly successful, requires more set-up tuning, or was simply a development idea for 2018.

Williams

After introducing a new rear wing in Japan, Williams has been quiet on the development front in the last two races, although a new rear wing endplate was brought to Mexico. It concerned the louvres in the upper section of the part, which are aimed at equalising the pressure differential either side of the endplate (high pressure inboard, ambient pressure outboard) for lower vortex drag.

In order to optimise this concept, Williams has moved from an open-louvred to enclosed-louvred set-up, maintaining the same number of slots (five). This is the opposite direction in which the team went in Hungary this year, on their medium downforce wing, although it is not unusual for different wings to have different louvre concepts, with Ferrari being the best example.

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Drivers stock up on supersoft tyres for Brazilian GP

Pirelli has confirmed the tyre selections each driver has made for the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix – the penultimate round of the 2017 season.

Drivers have stocked up on Pirelli's red Supersoft tyre with champion Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas opting for eight sets each, four of the yellow Soft and just one of the white Medium.

That's a strategy reflected by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, Force India, Toro Rosso and Haas.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, as well as Max Verstappen, have an extra set of the Supersoft at nine apiece, and one less of the Soft.

No driver has more than one set of the Medium tyre as Brazil's Interlagos circuit is a particularly low degradation track.

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Lewis Hamilton hopes for more fights with 'tough mofo' Fernando Alonso

Newly-crowned World Champion Lewis Hamilton says he hopes former team-mate Fernando Alonso can fight higher up the grid in 2018, following their battle at the Mexican Grand Prix.

Hamilton, having been delayed by a first-lap clash with title rival Sebastian Vettel, made his way up the order, and capped his recovery to ninth via a tussle with Alonso in the closing stages.

Hamilton eventually sealed the overtake on Alonso around the outside of Turn 4, before holding the inside line for Turn 5, and ensuring his rival was unable to counter on the short burst to Turn 6.

Alonso has not claimed a victory in Formula 1 since 2013, having been lumbered with uncompetitive machinery in the V6 turbo era, firstly with Ferrari and most prominently with McLaren-Honda, amid the Japanese marque's ongoing problems.

McLaren will switch to using Renault power units next year and is confident of making gains, with the French manufacturer having taken three wins this season, courtesy of customer Red Bull.

Hamilton is hopeful that he can embark on more battles with Alonso in 2018.

“I've enjoyed racing against Sebastian and to race against a four-time World Champion,” he said.

“To have the battle with Fernando, I was like 'this is one tough mofo'.

“Back and forth, back and forth, I'm like… Formula 1, just wait 'til this guy gets a good engine, because the car was great through other sections.

“I really hope for McLaren, who I've already said has a special place in my heart, I really hope next year is a better year for them.

“I hope they have a stronger engine a stronger car, and Fernando's a tough bugger – a tough cookie, I prefer that word – and I enjoyed the little battle I had with him.

“I hope we get to have many more like that.”

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Brendon Hartley encouraged by progress despite engine setbacks

Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hartley says he is still encouraged by his personal progress at the Mexican Grand Prix, despite a weekend impacted by engine glitches.

Hartley raced to 13th place on his debut in the United States and remained in the STR12 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where he had triumphed in WEC a month previously.

Hartley made it through to Q2 for Toro Rosso but an engine failure meant he was unable to complete a lap in the session, and a penalty for taking on new elements dropped him to 17th place.

Hartley raced among the midfield group in race trim before an exhaust failure struck, forcing him onto the sidelines.

“It’s always disappointing not to finish a race, so I’m not the happiest man but I’m still smiling because I’ve made progress compared to last week in Austin,” he said.

“It’s just a shame that the race was cut short and it’s been quite a tough weekend: issues on Friday, I then couldn’t make progress in Q2 once the engine went.

“In the race I lost power at the end of the straight line, then saw the white smoke and was asked to stop…

“It would’ve been good to get to the end of the race because I was enjoying all the battles!

“I now look forward to the next couple of races, hopefully things will go smoother, I get to the end of the race and see where we end up!”

Team-mate Pierre Gasly finished 13th, concluding a weekend in which he was hampered by a lack of running.

“Unfortunately, the race wasn’t as good as we wanted it to be – it took me a couple of laps to get used to the track and the car,” he said.

“But at least I continued to gain experience in the car, which was very useful, and go to the end of the race.

“We will now need to work hard and keep on improving for the next race weekend in Brazil.”

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What a papaya orange 2018 McLaren F1 car could look like

McLaren could opt for a 'papaya orange' livery for its Renault-powered 2018 Formula 1 car, and to celebrate Halloween Motorsport.com has visualised the Renault-powered machine.

The F1 team moved away from its mostly black 2016 car with the introduction of an orange and black livery this year, but it was not in the famous papaya shade of orange.

McLaren executive director Zak Brown says the decision on its 2018 livery will be decided in the coming weeks, and that he recognises the fans want papaya orange to return.

"We are starting to look at car designs now," he said. "I think the fans want us to go to papaya orange.

"When we did the IndyCar we had an overwhelming amount of 'please make your F1 car like that', so we are waiting on a few sponsor decisions which can also dictate what a car looks like. [But] I wouldn't rule it out."

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Ericsson says Sauber has made a breakthrough

Marcus Ericsson says a breakthrough in the way his Sauber Formula 1 team manages its tyres is the key reason behind the upturn in form.

The Swiss team, running a year-old Ferrari engine, fell off the back off the pack after the summer break, but has turned a corner in the last three races.

In Mexico, Ericsson ran in the points for nearly half of the race before losing track position when the virtual safety car was deployed and then ultimately retired with what the team described "as technical issue around the rear inboard suspension".

"The tyres this year are more conservative, less peaky and do not degrade so much, but there is still a small window where they work the best and give the best available grip," he told Motorsport.com.

"My feeling is we've been wrong there for most of the year, we haven't been working on it in the best place.

"Now, we have found some stuff the last couple of weekends which has helped us a lot to improve that and it's all about the temperature and controlling the temperature of the tyres.

"We have worked the tyres a bit differently, a bit different temperature windows and that seems to be helping us quite a lot. It's been a big breakthrough for us."

Ericsson also felt reducing the weight of his car combined with the unlocking of more performance from its engine has contributed to the better pace.

"From my side, we've got 7kg out of the car since Malaysia," he said. "That's quite a lot of laptime every lap for me, two or three tenths depending on track.

"Also on the engine side, the Ferrari guys have managed to get a bit more out of it. We still have the same engine but they've been able to squeeze a bit more out of it."

Ericsson felt a point, which would have been the first of his season, was possible in Mexico.

"The start of the race was really good and the first stint was really competitive," he said. "To run inside the top 10 for the first 30 laps was really good. We timed the pitstop really well.

"Then the virtual safety car came at the worst possible moment for us and ruins our race.

"We lost out to both McLarens and [Felipe] Massa. Without that, I think we would have kept position and been fighting with Fernando [Alonso] for P10 towards the end of the race.

"It's a shame, but that's how it is sometimes. It felt like we did everything right today. But the luck was not on our side."

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F1 teams want "clear direction" from crunch Liberty meetings

Formula 1's future direction will be shaped by two crucial meetings and team bosses are eager to see what the sport's new bosses have in mind.

New owners Liberty's concept for the 2021 engine will be presented at a gathering in Paris on Tuesday, which will be attended by teams and current and potential suppliers.

Next week, a regular Strategy Group meeting – where the top six teams can vote and the rest are present as observers – will cover other key issues such as reining in spending.

F1 team bosses have acknowledged that these meetings are important, but stress that there is a long way to go.

"It's just the beginning of a process," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Motorsport.com. "We haven't heard anything directly, and we're keen to hear that, and we'll take it from there. We'd like to have a sustainable business case for the teams."

"Liberty they own the show and they have to decide where they want to go," said McLaren's Eric Boullier.

"I think this is what we expect, these two meetings, to have a clear direction, a clear showing of what they want to achieve in the medium and long term future, and have something where we can move forward and not go backwards."

This week's meeting follows earlier gatherings where ideas were discussed with engine specialists.

Teams insist that they have yet to be given a definitive picture of the proposed engine regulations.

However, it's been made clear that the current hybrid V6 will be used as a starting point, with less technology, and a focus on reducing development costs and improving the sound.

"So far the teams haven't been invited to the engine meetings," said Williams technical chief Paddy Lowe.

"They've been conducted with the manufacturers and prospective manufacturers. So this is the first meeting to which the teams have been invited.

"So we're quite blind around it, we're hoping to be a lot more enlightened after Tuesday. So we don't really know what will be discussed. Nothing we've heard is very firm, it's all very loose, so we don't read too much into it."

"I have no idea what to expect," said Force India's Bob Fernley. "Everyone is completely in the dark until we get it presented.

"I hope it simplifies the engine and gets rid of things that are not really useful, because we are doing things which are not really useful for the automobile industry. Simplify it, get the costs down, and open the door up for other manufacturers to come in."

Red Bull's Christian Horner is not anticipating to hear full technical details, and expects the meeting to spark a debate that could last for a while.

"It is not really a technical discussion, it is a presentation as to what their plans are," he said. "The process after that presentation is probably a lot of filibustering. I think it is more 'This is our intention, this is what we want to do.'

"I don't think there will be details, because I don't think they want people to start committing development spend, but I think there will be a proposal of the direction that things are heading for 2021 and the parameters that they are looking at. So I think it will be a very interesting discussion."

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WOLFF: THIS IS THEIR VISION AND WE HAVEN’T ACCEPTED IT

Formula 1 world champions and engine suppliers Mercedes have cast doubt on the new engine regulations proposed for the pinnacle of the sport in 2021.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff says he has “strong scepticism” about whether the ideas are the right way forward.

An outline of potential rules has been published by governing body the FIA and commercial rights holder the F1 Group.

“This is their vision and proposal and we haven’t accepted it. The flaw of the concept is that it’s a completely new engine and new investment,” said Wolff.

The FIA and F1 have proposed keeping the current engine architecture of a 1.6-litre turbo V6 hybrid but removing one of the two hybrid elements, increasing the power of the other, introducing driver-controlled hybrid deployment and standardising some parts.

Their aim is to reduce costs, improve the quality of the racing and the sound created by the engines, and enable independent companies to come into F1 and compete with the car manufacturers as engine suppliers.

But Wolff said he was “surprised” that the FIA had published so much detail on the new engine when the manufacturers had been told in a meeting on the same day that the plans were “a proposal of a vision for 2021” that would be subject to further discussion and refinement at F1’s various rule-making entities.

He added: “It portrays it in a way of this is how we’re going forward and none of the current OEMs (car manufacturers in F1) was particularly impressed.”

Ferrari have declined to comment. Renault and Honda have not yet responded to BBC Sport’s inquiries.

He said the proposals as published would mean “developing a new engine concept that will trigger immense costs” for the car manufacturers in F1 – Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda – “just for the sake of having a new concept”.

He added: “The new concept needs to tackle the deficit that has been outlined – development costs and noise level – and all that needs to be linked with a global view of F1. We haven’t seen any of that.”

Wolff would not discuss the detail of the proposals but insiders say it is clear why the new engine as detailed would increase costs and lead to a fundamentally new design:

• increasing the revs used by engines, to improve the noise, would mean developing the engine to be able sustain the extra forces involved
• a more powerful MGU-K – the hybrid part that recovers energy from the rear axle – with driver deployment means a new MGU-K design and software to control it, as well as new forms of energy storage and deployment
• a turbo with dimensional constraints means a new turbo design; the same for the introduction of a standard energy store and fuel.

In addition, removal of the MGU-H, which recovers energy from the turbo, and raising the revs would decrease the efficiency of the engine, which would mean cars would need more fuel, which would make them heavier at a time when there are already criticisms that they are too heavy.

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HAMILTON: JUST WAIT UNTIL ALONSO GETS A GOOD ENGINE

Lewis Hamilton is hoping McLaren can rejoin the Formula 1 front-runners next season, after years in the doldrums, so he can enjoy more battles with former teammate Fernando Alonso.

The Mercedes driver, who became a four-times world champion at the Mexican Grand Prix, partnered the Spaniard during a tumultuous 2007 campaign that saw the more experienced Alonso leave at the end of the year.

The rookie and double world champion finished level on points, and one behind Ferrari’s title winner Kimi Raikkonen. While Hamilton has now won 62 races, Alonso’s last victory was in 2013 with Ferrari.

He has endured three difficult years at former champions McLaren, whose Honda engines have been beset with problems and are down on power compared to rivals.

The team are currently last but one in the F1 constructors’ championship and are switching to Renault power next year. Red Bull have won three races this season with the French manufacturer.

“Just wait until this guy [Alonso] gets a good engine,” Hamilton told reporters after enjoying a thrilling battle for ninth place with the determined Spaniard after fighting back from last.

”I really hope for McLaren, which has a special place in my heart, that next year is a better year for them. I hope they have a stronger engine and a stronger car. Fernando’s a tough cookie and I enjoyed the little battle that I had with him and I hope that we get to have many more like that,” said Hamilton.

The Briton said last week that Alonso was the best driver he had raced against as a team mate.

Alonso won his two titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, when Hamilton was still rising through the junior series, and the Spaniard is still rated as one of the top drivers on the grid.

McLaren have not won a race since Hamilton left the team for Mercedes at the end of 2012.

Hamilton’s main battle this season was with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, an external challenge that he said was more satisfying than the recent ones against now-retired team mate and 2016 champion Nico Rosberg.

“Fighting the other teams is what we want to see, what Formula 1 wants to see. I remember growing up watching Formula 1 and that’s what I wanted to see,” he said.

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Haas call for shake-up after Alonso incident

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has said he would like to see a change in the FIA's stewarding structure after Fernando Alonso went unpunished for "destroying" Romain Grosjean's race in Mexico.

Grosjean's was first hindered by a five-second timed penalty for exceeding track limits at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, but a collision caused by Alonso went unpunished to bolster the argument that the stewards are not consistent in their decision-making process.

"I've spoken to Charlie and we've had some constructive discussions," said Steiner via Motorsport.com. "My biggest thing is the technicalities of what is wrong and what is right.

"That isn't easy to find out, and it's the consistency. You need to know what is happening and what is not happening with penalties, and that's my biggest thing – every time it's different.

"Romain gets five seconds for cutting the corner and then Fernando runs into him, hits his car, and destroys his race anyway and gets nothing. It's like… explain it!"

Steiner also wants to see the implementation of one head steward who is present at every race so he develop intimate knowledge of the incidents throughout the season, as opposed to just a revolving rota which is currently in place.

He added: "For me the only solution is to have permanent people there, who know what happens every week.

"I have no problem if they are then supplemented by additional people or whoever, but there needs to be somebody consistent who knows what happened a year ago, two years ago, last week.

"You need to be accountable for that job, there's too much at stake. This is a big sport.

"I'm not blaming the guys because it's not their job, but you cannot have one day one decision and another day another one and say 'yeah that's alright'!

"And for sure it's worse with the smaller teams on the grid because they care less about them."

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Sauber opt to drop Wehrlein for 2018 – report

Sauber have decided to drop Pascal Wehrlein at the end of the season so F2 champion and Ferrari reserve Charles Leclerc can join the team.

According to the well-respected Blick reporter Roger Benoit, Sauber will head into next season with Marcus Ericsson and Leclerc, meaning Wehrlein and another Ferrari hopeful in Antonio Giovinazzi would be left without a seat.

Ericcson has yet to score a World Championship point this season, but the Swede's backers are the same as those who pump cash into the Sauber F1 team and has reportedly been retained for predominantly that reason.

Sauber's renewed relationship with Ferrari, once the engine deal with Honda was cancelled, has allowed the opportunity for the Scuderia to use the Swiss team as a feeder to help blood their youngsters into Formula 1.

Leclerc has been given plenty of FP1 outings at Sauber in preparation for a full-time role with the team and Blick believe the announcement of Leclerc and Ericsson will be made in November.

Wehrlein is considered an outsider for a seat at Williams, who are also yet to reveal their 2018 line-up, but the German could be forced back into DTM with Mercedes before the Silver Arrows leave the series at the end of next year.

MIKA: And there lies Saubers greedy problem!

Ericsson hasn't scored a single point this season whereas Pascal has scored all the points thus far. 

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Whiting dismisses Hamilton’s Vettel accusation

FIA race director Charlie Whiting has said he has evidence to contrary Lewis Hamilton's claim of Sebastian Vettel exceeding track limits and gaining an advantage at the US Grand Prix.

When discussing the events of Austin in the latest drivers' briefing, Hamilton quizzed Whiting on how his lead was almost wiped away after the Brit made his pit-stop and said Mercedes had GPS data to show that Vettel did that by gaining a big advantage at Turn 19.

Hamilton: "I have a question. Just after my pitstop, Sebastian deliberately ran wide out of Turn 9 [Turn 19] and gained a lot of time on the GPS. But it had no penalty."

Whiting: "We didn't see that on the sector that I was just describing to Felipe [Massa]. We saw a 0.3s improvement in lap time, but obviously everyone saw it, it wasn't a secret."

Hamilton: "If you saw an improvement, that's an advantage…"

Whiting: "We saw a 0.3s improvement in his lap time."

Hamilton: "Which is an advantage, which is an improvement, so…"

Whiting: "It was an improvement in his lap time but he didn't gain a time in that corner where he went off. That's the point."

Hamilton: "Maybe we can send you the GPS because it's massively different. I think it's like 10k's[km/h] up all through that corner, knowingly."

Whiting: "If you look at the actual time it took to go through the light panel before turn 19 to the light panel before turn 20, it was the same. So he didn't gain anything there. That's what we were trying to use to judge those things."

While Vettel did not comment on the incident himself, he made a gesture which suggested his annoyance that Hamilton was wearing headphones throughout the briefing.

 

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BROWN: WE’VE CREATED A MONSTER – A RACING MONSTER!

Fernando Alonso has confirmed he will be racing at the iconic Daytona 24 Hours race in January, after which McLaren chief Zak Brown declared that they have created a “racing monster” with the Spaniard.

Speaking to Sky Sport, Brown explained how the Daytona project came to be, “We’d had some light conversations, we talk about different racing all the time, and I was with Fernando and Luis [Garcia Abad] his manager and he said: I want to do Daytona.”

“I’m kind of getting used to it after Indy! I turned around to Luis and said: he’s serious isn’t he? And he said: oh yeah. So I didn’t have to ask twice.”

Brown then said with a smile, “We’ve created a monster – a racing monster!”

Alonso makes no secret of the fact that he is chasing the elusive ‘Triple Crown’ which requires that a driver wins the Indianapolis 500, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix during the course of his career. Only the late Graham Hill has achieved this accolade to date.

Alonso has ticked one of the three boxes – he won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2006 and 2007 – and came close when leading the 2017 Indianapolis 500, as a rookie, before his engine expired. He intends to return to the Brickyard, at some point, to finish the business.

The Le Mans 24 Hours is also on his radar and many believe that the Daytona foray is a prelude to a debut at the legendary endurance race, for the Spaniard, with Toyota next year.

Brown explained, “Clearly he has got an interest in Le Mans and wants to go back to Indy.”

“I was a little surprised in how definitive it was [about Daytona] but the way Fernando works is he thinks things through quite a bit and then he makes a decision and it’s clear he had given a lot more thought to it than I anticipated.”

“When he said he wanted to do it he was very definitive,” added the McLaren team chief who also owns United Autosports which will field the Ligier JS P217 for whom Alonso will drive at the endurance race in Florida.

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VETTEL: AS A TEAM THERE IS A LOT WE CAN IMPROVE ON

Sebastian Vettel admits that the reality of not winning a Formula 1 World Championship since 2013 is tough to digest, but he also feels that his Ferrari team have, this year, laid the foundation for future success while acknowledging there is still scope for improvement.

Vettel spoke in the wake of conceding the 2017 title to Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton at the recent Mexican Grand Prix.

From 2010 to 2013, Vettel was the king of Formula 1, winning four consecutive world titles as a Red Bull driver, but since then pickings have been slim. His move to Ferrari, in 2015, has yet to deliver a championship.

The Reds have not won a F1 world championship since 2007 when Kimi Raikkonen bagged their last title.

Asked how he deals with the title ‘drought’ the German replied, “You never know what happens. Maybe I fall off the bus next week and break my leg. I don’t hope that but… I don’t know. It’s not the way I look at it – I don’t count the days.”

“I want to win the world championship with Ferrari. That’s my goal. Having to realize it didn’t work out this year is tough. What the next years bring, I don’t know. I think we still have a lot in us as a team and a lot we can improve on. That should make it easier to fight for it again.”

Vettel, led the championship by 14 points at the summer break, but did not win a race thereafeter and had a particularly dismal Asian leg, while Hamilton powered to five decisive victories during that period.

“In the end, you have 20 races; we’ve had 18 so far. You add the points up and it’s not enough. What does it matter in the end? I’m not a big fan of pointing fingers in one race. We had two races that we didn’t finish and Lewis won both of them. They were the most costly.”

“But it’s normal you have the feeling here and there that you could have got a bit more. Whether it’s realistic or not, I don’t know. As I said, it doesn’t change anything now,” mused Vettel.

As for 2018 he added, “You never know what will happen in the future. But next season I will do my utmost to keep Lewis from getting the fifth title. 2017 was his year, 2018 is another story… everything starts again at zero. We are on the right path and I firmly believe that we can be at the front in 2018. ”

[MIKA27]

ARRIVABENE: A SUPPLIER COST US THE CHAMPIONSHIP

In the first half of the 2017 Formula 1 season Ferrari looked set to take the championship battle all the way to the final race but the team’s challenge collapsed spectacularly, prompting the team’s chief Maurizio Arrivabene to point to a supplier’s failing for the ultimate downfall of his team’s campaign.

A host of issues – the spark plug failure springs to mind – conspired to scupper Ferrari’s challenge in the latter half of the season.

After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 11 of the season, Sebastian Vettel led title rival Lewis Hamilton by 14 points. But after the summer break title rival Lewis Hamilton found a vein of form that saw him win five races while Ferrari floundered and since the race in Budapest did not win a race.

Vettel’s non-scoring in Singapore, due to a start-line melee, and then the spark-plug failure in Japan proved to be a fatal blow to his championship campaign.

Arrivabene acknowledged in an interview with Sky, “We lost the Constructors’ Championship and some races for a small detail that was related to a supplier.”

“It was not funny at all but it’s a learning process. We need to put even more attention on all these elements to be sure that we can confirm next year the car is really strong as it was this year.”

“Sometimes the devil is in the detail. It’s another lesson learned and we’re looking forward to the future to do better and better and better,” he added in the team principals’ press conference.

“It’s a question sometimes of adjustment rather than revolution. This year we paid a heavy fee for detail and I said we need to be a bit more focused on the processes.

“We need to be more focused in other areas but the positive is this is a team that is not giving up, is learning from mistakes and is a team that is fully committed not just for next year but for the next three races.

“We would like to fight until the last turn on the last lap of the last race. We have a lot of positives. I saw quite a young team working very, very well on the car here and in Maranello.”

“The guys are very united, they are exchanging information and are very focused. No one was expecting the performance that we had this year,” added Arrivabene.

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VIDEO: FRANK WILLIAMS A FORMULA 1 LEGEND

Sir Frank Williams is the legendary founder and engineering pioneer behind Williams Racing which, since its foundation in 1977, has gone on to become one of the most famous teams in world racing.

Speaking exclusively to Mobil 1 The Grid, Brazilian driver Felipe Massa is joined by long-time friend and colleague of Sir Frank, Dickie Stanford, as well as Pat Symonds, the team’s former Chief Technical Officer, to pay tribute to a British racing genius.

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Ferrari threatens to quit F1 over 'Global NASCAR' vision

Ferrari has upped the ante in manufacturers’ opposition to Liberty Media’s plans for Formula 1 by warning it is prepared to walk away from grand prix racing after 2020.

Just 24 hours after Mercedes and Renault expressed concern that engine proposals being put forward for 2021 would open up a needless arms race that could damage the sport, Ferrari has said it will quit F1 completely if it was not happy.

In a conference call with analysts on Thursday to discuss Ferrari’s latest financial results, president Sergio Marchionne said he was unimpressed with certain directions that Liberty was taking the sport – including on the engine front.

And he defiantly said that if F1 did not deliver a platform that was beneficial to Ferrari’s brand and its marketplace, then it ‘will not play’.

Marchionne said: “Liberty has got a couple of good intentions in all of this, one of which is to reduce the cost of execution for the team, which I think is good

“There are a couple of things we don’t necessarily agree with. One of which is the fact that somehow powertrain uniqueness is not going to be one of the drivers of distinctiveness of the participants’ line-up. I would not countenance this going forward.

“The fact that we now appear to be at odds in terms of the strategic development of this thing, and we see the sport in 2021 taking on a different air, is going to force some decisions on the part of Ferrari.

“I understand that Liberty may have taken these into account in coming up with their views, but I think it needs to be absolutely clear that unless we find a set of circumstances, the results of which are beneficial to the maintenance of the brand, and the marketplace, and to the strengthening of the unique position for Ferrari, Ferrari will not play.”

Under bilateral agreements that Ferrari signed with F1, it is currently committed to the sport until the end of 2020 – but anything beyond that date has not been agreed.

Teams and manufacturers met with F1 chiefs and the FIA earlier this week to discuss the controversial engine proposals for 2021, and another crunch meeting is due to take place next Tuesday when the Strategy Group gathers.

At that meeting, Liberty is expected to unveil more details about wider plans for F1 – including a potential budget cap, a new governance structure and an overhaul of the sporting and commercial system to help level the playing field.

Marchionne added: “I don’t want to prejudge any of this. We’re walking into this meeting next Tuesday with the best of intentions, we’ll see where it takes us.”

  

Global NASCAR

Ferrari is no stranger to making quit threats, but this is the first time under the Marchionne era that such a bold declaration has been made.

And Marchionne even suggested that walking away from F1 would be a good thing for Ferrari’s shareholders, as it would help boost the balance sheet.

“It would be totally beneficial to the P&L [profits and losses],” he said. “We would be celebrating here until the cows come home.”

He added: “What I do know is that it [F1] has been part of our DNA since the day we were born. It’s not as though we can define ourselves differently.

“But if we change the sandbox to the point where it becomes an unrecognisable sandbox, I don’t want to play any more. I don’t want to play NASCAR globally, I just don’t.”

When asked how he would feel about being the chief who took Ferrari out of F1, Marchionne said: “Like a million bucks, because I’d be working on an alternative strategy to try and replace it. A more rational one, too.”

  

Not alone

Ferrari is not alone in expressing concern about the engine proposals – and the issue of having more standard parts in the power unit is something that Renault in particular is worried about.

Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com: “On standardisation and prescriptive regulations, some of it can be good.

“But we know the devil will be in the detail and it does create some concern about fundamentally what does being an engine manufacturer mean?

“We’ve been in F1 for 40 years, in particular being an engine manufacturer, and that [the proposal] is for us creating some question marks.

“We not saying that we don’t want to discuss it – but we can’t accept to be presented that set of regulations as a fait accompli.”

Mercedes and Renault have also suggested that they would find it hard to swallow the huge development budgets being called upon for the new engines that Liberty and the FIA has proposed for 2021.

When asked if such costs could be justified, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Motorsport.com: “I think some areas need to be tackled – one is development costs and quality of sounds – others are not justified.”

Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul said his company could only consider spending hundreds of millions on new powerunits if there were dramatic savings made elsewhere to the sport.

This is why next Tuesday’s Strategy Group meeting is important for outlining where the engine proposals sit alongside other new aspects being planned.

Asked if the expense of new engines would be too much for Renault, Abiteboul added: “Let’s say it is difficult to answer right now to that question which is a fundamental question without having a broader understanding of the other parameters.

“If we were to save massively on the chassis or we were to have much more favourable commercial deals with FOM, everything is possible.

“But it is very difficult to accept to commit to such a large new investment and writing off existing investment without indications on the other parameters.”

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McLaren says upgrade delivering "more than expected"

McLaren believes its latest upgrade package may be delivering even more than originally predicted, on the back of its surprisingly good form in Formula 1's Mexican GP last weekend.

The Woking-based team introduced a new front wing on Fernando Alonso's car from the United States Grand Prix, which is based around a concept that it wants to carry forward into its 2018 design.

Fernando Alonso hailed the step in Austin as ‘great’, and its potential was made clear in qualifying in Mexico last weekend when the Spaniard managed to set the fastest overall middle sector time in Q1.

Racing director Eric Boullier admitted that the pace had come as a bit of a surprise, but reckoned that it was proof the update was bringing more speed to the car than had been anticipated.

“Let’s say it is a little bit better than we were expecting,” Boullier told Motorsport.com about the speed shown in Mexico.

“It was a surprise. We were not expecting to be that competitive, but if you put everything relative apart, the new full package that we introduced on Fernando’s car last weekend looks like it delivers a little more than expected – which is good news. Hopefully Stoffel [Vandoorne] will have it in Brazil as well.

“It is good as a reference as well, because it is part of next year’s car, and it is good to know where we are and what we can do.”

  

Best car

Alonso’s speed in qualifying in Mexico left him claiming that McLaren had the best chassis in F1 at the moment.

Boullier was reluctant to back such a bold claim, as he suggested that different characteristics of the McLaren and the Red Bull meant it impossible to rank them overall.

Asked about Alonso’s comment, Boullier said: “It is nice to hear, because this is obviously the best reward a team can have.

“When you are a driver of Fernando’s calibre and he is complimentary of the chassis, then it makes me proud of the team and obviously I am proud of what we achieved.

“But I think every race is a bit different. The car characteristics are different between our car and the Red Bull car for example, so we know what is our weakness versus the Red Bull car, and I am sure they know the inverse.

“That means we still have to work. But it is good. And after we reset the car concept three years ago, to have caught up with the top teams is quite an achievement, I would say.”

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Perez: Force India has to drop team orders now

Sergio Perez thinks it important that Force India lets him and Esteban Ocon race each other again before the end of the season, so they can show they be trusted to not mess it up.

Ever since the pair collided at the Belgian Grand Prix, Perez and Ocon have been under team orders not to fight with each other.

But Force India chiefs have been clear that once fourth place in the constructors' championship was secured, then the situation would be reviewed.

For Perez, he thinks it is important that the pair get their racing freedom back for Brazil and Abu Dhabi so that trust can be regained.

Asked by Motorsport.com about the situation, Perez said: "They have told us that they have let us race once we secure the fourth place.

"And I think it is important for Esteban and myself to show good trust, and that we can do good races between us."

Force India COO Otmar Szafnauer said a decision would be taken at the factory before Interlagos – and that just finishing fourth in the title chase was not reason enough yet to let the pair off the leash.

"That we have got to discuss internally," he said. "We've got a couple of weeks to decide. You know it's better for the fans if they are allowed to race, but at the same time car parts aren't cheap.

"You crash into each other and maybe have to buy some more for the last race. You have a test after in Abu Dhabi. So all those considerations have to come in to play as well."

[MIKA27]

Mika Häkkinen coming to India

After creating history with passionate fans at Silverstone, Johnnie Walker The Journey and #JOINTHEPACT are coming to India with Mika Häkkinen.

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Watching A Non-F1 Driver Wheel An F1 Car Is Incredible

It's hard to tell exactly what is so entrancing about watching a non-Formula One driver in an F1 car. Maybe it's the Woah, can a person who's never driven one of these things do it well? Without wrecking? thought, or the fact that the closest most of the human population gets to this view is an online racing simulator.

But the off-limits vibe of F1 cars be damned, because Renault's F1 program has been letting slightly more normal people get behind the wheel of their race cars lately. Rosemary Smith, a rally driver who was 79 at the time, tore it up in one earlier this year, and recently it was automotive YouTuber Mr JWW's turn.

Of course, both of them had prior experience in fast cars. Mr JWW's YouTube account is full of supercars and track outings, but nothing quite like an F1 car. Watching his acclimation to the car and the onboard camera, which starts at around six minutes into the video, is kind of incredible:

Just listen to the scream of that 2012 V8 Renault let him drive. Hopefully some of that sound will be back in F1 soon.

Mr JWW wrote in the YouTube description that driving this thing was "a bucket list moment [he] never even dreamed could make it to the list," and, um, yeah. That sounds about right.