FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

Sauber needs to adopt midfield mindset in F1 - Marcus Ericsson

Sauber stalwart Marcus Ericsson has emphasised that the team needs to shed its underdog mindset in Formula 1 and approach each Grand Prix with the aim of scoring points.

Sauber struggled through the first years of the hybrid era amid chassis and engine weaknesses that were accentuated by financial problems, prior to a mid-2016 takeover.

Its on-track struggles continued through last year as the team, under newly-installed boss Frederic Vasseur, set about implementing a long-term recovery plan – which included obtaining Alfa Romeo as a title sponsor – the results of which have begun to show fruition.

Ericsson ended a personal 50-race points drought in Bahrain by taking ninth, while Charles Leclerc followed up sixth in Azerbaijan with 10th in Spain, ensuring Sauber has scored in half of this year’s races.

Ericsson only narrowly missed out on adding to the tally in Monaco as he classified in 11th position, just a second behind Carlos Sainz Jr.

Sauber has already scored 11 points in 2018 – exceeding its combined 2016/17 total – and holds ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

Ericsson says the improved performances this year has altered his mindset approaching each event and has implored his Sauber team to do likewise.

“In Barcelona everyone was saying ‘oh this track shouldn’t suit us’ and within the team everyone was thinking ‘yeah it’s going to be tough’,” he explained.

“And I said ‘look guys we cannot go into the weekend thinking that, I think we can be here and mix it up’, that was my feeling going to Barcelona.

“Then coming [to Monaco] before the weekend started, we knew this track could be difficult for us but I said we should be in the mix, we’re in the midfield now, we score points on a quite regular basis.

“We need to have that mindset as well as if we have the mindset of ‘oh this will be a difficult track for us’, it doesn’t work like that.

“We need to go into the weekend with confidence that we can be in the fight and that’s how we should go forwards into every weekend.

“I will go into every weekend now and have the aim to score points and get to Q2 and that’s how we need to work as a team I think.”

Sauber confirmed earlier in the week that Simone Resta will join the team as its new Technical Director at the start of July.

Resta has been with Ferrari since 2001, occupying various R&D and technical management positions, most recently Head of Project Vehicle Co-Ordination – effectively Chief Designer.

[MIKA27]

The changes that helped Mercedes in Monaco

After a disastrous Monaco Grand Prix in 2017, Mercedes admitted before this year's race that it was "bloody worried" about its prospects again.
It's long been known that the longest car on the Formula 1 grid would deliver it a handicap around the tight and twisty street circuits, even though the team's calculations suggest the extra downforce from its concept outweighs the 0.1 seconds loss from its wheelbase.

The team clearly worked hard to improve its platform though, and there were a host of subtle changes introduced over the weekend that helped lift it into contention – even though Red Bull was ultimately too quick for everybody.

Aware of the challenges posed by visiting lower speed street circuits the designers arranged six-vortex generators atop the side pod in Monaco.

Having already tested the appendages in the post-race test at Barcelona it was confident they could add performance.

Angled out quite aggressively, these small flow-adjusting devices have been installed in order to improve the aerodynamic envelope of the sidepods, delaying flow separation and working the airflow over the sidepod harder.

The team made significant changes to the sidepods for 2018, altering internal components such as the exhausts and radiators as it tightened the external bodywork and chased even more performance.

Chasing internal flow performance sometimes comes at the cost of the overall aerodynamic achievement, meaning changes of this magnitude have often had the reverse effect for teams. Having completed six races it seems Mercedes may have suffered in this regard, with the vortex generators likely to be used again when it suits the prevailing circuit characteristics.

Cooling is also a factor at Monaco, as the low speeds of the circuit made it harder to get the normal amount of air flowing through the car.

That is why the team fitted a new engine cover, with a quite different shape which features a top-fin opening like it had in 2017.

The team also interestingly made a major front suspension change on Saturday morning after suffering vibration issues with the version it had been running up until that point.

[MIKA27]

Ground-effect era should inspire F1 2021 revamp - Rosberg

Formula 1’s overhaul for 2021 should take inspiration from its ground-effect era, according to 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg.
Liberty Media took control of F1’s commercial rights during Rosberg’s title-winning season, and the former Mercedes driver has watched from the outside since retiring from F1 at the end of that year.

F1 will introduce simpler front wings next year to try to make it easier for cars to follow ahead of a raft of changes planned for 2021 that are designed to improve racing and reduce the competitive spread of the field.

Rosberg said his demonstration run in Monaco last week alongside father Keke, who drove a 1982 Williams, gave him an idea of what F1 should pursue for the make-up of the cars.

“I was looking at my dad’s car and it’s all ground effect,” said Rosberg. “The aerodynamics are under the car. They could follow each other in the gearbox all the time.

“They [F1] have to go into that sort of direction. And hopefully they’ll manage [it by] 2021 at latest. Because that what’s we all need, for the fun.

“We need to see battles, fighting and touching wheels. That is one of the biggest problems because it’s as difficult as ever.

“Unfortunately at the moment it is not at the right place, and then the costs [need changing] to give more opportunities to the middle teams to have some success.”

  

Ground-effect aero was tabled as part of F1’s 2017 ruleset, but bigger, more powerful wings was the direction pursued instead.

F1 is going back on that decision slightly with its 2019 changes, which represent the philosophy it wants at the heart of the wider 2021 overhaul.

As well as cars that are easier to race with, F1 is pushing for cheaper, simpler engines, a cost cap and standardised parts to bring individual team budgets under control.

It wants to reduce the competitive spread of the grid and also review the way teams receive their cut of F1’s income to try to diminish the impact of special deals giving bigger teams another financial advantage.

In the short-term, Liberty has tried to invigorate fan interest by introducing several new concepts like live fans events, post-race broadcasts on social media and news ways to follow races trackside and at home.

“They are doing a good job because Liberty knows what entertainment is about,” said Rosberg. “They really try to bring all that in and try to bring the young people in in different ways and that’s a great approach.

“So, this is all good. But the problem is, what pours through everything, is the two things that they are working as well but are much more difficult.

“It’s the cost and the overtaking. The aerodynamics are just too much so it’s as hard as ever to follow and that is such a pity. Sometimes a guy is so much faster, but he just can’t get close.

“That’s the key, because that’s entertaining. If we see battles, that’s awesome.”

[MIKA27]

Red Bull might not get upgraded engine in Canada

Renault's upgraded Formula 1 engine is ready for the Canadian Grand Prix but the French manufacturer is not convinced it is best for every team, "in particular Red Bull", to use it in Montreal.
Although there are obvious advantages in upgrading for a power track like Montreal, the final choice will be influenced by the fact that some drivers have used different numbers of elements.

Even those who have only used one set thus far have run different total mileages, for example due to first-lap incidents.

Two Renault-powered drivers are on the cusp of grid penalties, including Monaco GP winner Daniel Ricciardo, who took a complete set of second elements at the Chinese GP, following a failure in Bahrain.

The Australian suffered an MGU-K failure in Monaco and will be guaranteed a 10-place penalty as soon as he uses a third.

A third energy store and third control electronics will also add five places apiece.

McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne is also on the bubble, having used two control electronics, and he'll get a penalty if he takes a third.

Of the other Renault users, Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg have used two MGU-Hs, and Fernando Alonso two turbos, but with those particular elements penalties won't kick in until they take a fourth.

  

"We've a new spec engine," Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

"We have yet to confirm the introduction, because the mileage is not the same across all cars, so we will see where and when exactly we will introduce that new spec.

"I think we have six engines available, subject to the last event on procurement in the supply chain.

"That's the plan, but not sure it's actually the best to introduce it in all six cars, in particular Red Bull. We need to look into that. We always work in partnership with teams, trying to do the best for the overall season result.

"It's a small gain in power, although we know we won't be the only one. It's mainly in the ICE that we can expect more power. This has to be the focus, and it will be the focus for all of this year, and maybe next year."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner suggested that any improvement from Renault is welcome.

"We're hoping for a reliable MGU-K," he said. "There is a small upgrade coming for Montreal – every bit we need at the moment, so that's hugely important for us."

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo in Monaco or Schumacher in Spain: Which drive was better?

Did Daniel Ricciardo's Monaco Grand Prix victory really eclipse one of Michael Schumacher's classic Formula 1 drives in Spain 24 years ago?

Autosport Grand Prix Editor Edd Straw's Monaco GP analysis into Ricciardo's victory despite suffering an MGU-K failure centred on the comparison Red Bull team boss Christian Horner made between that performance and Schumacher's in 1994.

But which is really better, winning in Monaco with no MGU-K or finished second at Barcelona using only fifth gear?

Autosport.com Editor Glenn Freeman and Autosport F1 Editor Ben Anderson take on Straw in this video to try to decide.

MIKA: Strange video IMO purely because the scenarios are incomparable. I thought I'd post it anyway for your thoughts.

Schumacher was stuck in a single gear [5th] around a power track (Spanish Grand Prix) which killed his top speed and destroyed his slow corner acceleration whilst Daniel had 6 full gears to use in Monaco where you barely even reach 8th gear. Not to take anything away from Daniel, he's an Aussie and I couldn't be happier for him, it was a great drive, but you can't even compare these 2 scenarios. Again... IMO.

[Baldy]

I agree Mika, 2 different scenarios.  I remembered Shumi's drive and thought it was an amazing drive.  Someone on a Moped should be able to retain track position in Monaco.  Between the narrow track, tire degradation and the fact that a car can't follow closely made it a boring race.  I'm a Ricciardo fan and I'm happy for him that he won Monaco.  But let's face it he won Monaco in qualifying.  

Very sad state of affairs for the British racing teams of McLaren and Williams.  Has been for a while and I don't see this improving anytime soon.  Both have no one to blame but themselves for being where they are.  Williams were short sighted and chose the quick money via paid drivers and now they are paying for it.  Even though I'm Canadian, I'm not a fan of Stroll who acts like the spoiled pestilent rich brat that he is.  The Strolls are far from being the Villeneuves. 

Ericsson is right, Sauber needs to start thinking like a mid-field team.  First thing they need to do with this new mindset is to ditch a driver like Ericsson.  

[MIKA27]

7 hours ago, Baldy said:

 Very sad state of affairs for the British racing teams of McLaren and Williams.  Has been for a while and I don't see this improving anytime soon.  Both have no one to blame but themselves for being where they are.  Williams were short sighted and chose the quick money via paid drivers and now they are paying for it.  Even though I'm Canadian, I'm not a fan of Stroll who acts like the spoiled pestilent rich brat that he is.  The Strolls are far from being the Villeneuves. 

Ericsson is right, Sauber needs to start thinking like a mid-field team.  First thing they need to do with this new mindset is to ditch a driver like Ericsson.  

McLaen and Williams need to really get an overhaul from top down. I don't see that so much with Frank and Claire Williams but it's their choices chasing money that have left them short sighted. Yes, F1 is expensive, but when the likes of Force india, one of the teams with the smallest budgets can bring a team up from virtually nothing, versus a top pedigree team such as Williams becoming less than a shadow of it's former self, one can not always defer excuses and blame "Formula 1".

Ericsson is a cat with way too many lives, I'm baffled how this guy remains in F1. Irrespective he is a nice guy, his lack of talent on the grid and being out done by team mates leaves me speechless. Lance Stroll, Brendan Hartley and lastly Romain Grosjean. Spring cleaning in F1 required.

[MIKA27]

VILLENEUVE: MAX IS NOT AS GOOD AS DANIEL SIMPLE AS THAT

Outspoken Formula 1 World Champion turned occasional pundit, Jacques Villeneuve believes that Daniel Ricciardo is a better driver than Max Verstappen, suggesting that the Dutchman has to try too hard to match his Red Bull teammate.

At the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday, the Dutchman was the proverbial bull in a China shop when he slammed the barriers with such force during FP3 that he had to miss qualifying as his team could not get his car repaired in time for the afternoon session.

Verstappen spent his Sunday afternoon in traffic with a race winning car at his disposal, but the 20-year-old kept out of trouble in the race to finish ninth. At the front, Ricciardo never put a foot wrong despite being forced to nurse home an ailing RB14 to claim a famous victory on a day when a rare one-two was very realistic for the Blues.

After the race at the principality, Villeneuve told Sky Italia, “Verstappen makes mistakes in every race and it happens all the time. That’s not a good sign.”

“In Baku, for example, Daniel Ricciardo was a passenger in the crash between the two teammates. He did nothing wrong. If a driver makes constant mistakes then he has to calm down and not drive so fast.”

“If to get to Ricciardo’s level Max has to take more risks and chances it can only mean one thing: Max is not as good as Daniel simple as that.”

“Had they both qualified on the front row maybe neither of them would have won,” declared the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, suggesting a clash may have been inevitable between the Red Bull drivers, in such close proximity, in the confines of the Monte-Carlo streets.

After six rounds the ‘tale of the tape’ reveals that Ricciardo has two wins to his credit, with 72 points scored thus far he has more than double the 35 points Verstappen has amassed in the same time and he has yet to win this season.

In qualifying, it is 3-3 between the teammates with Ricciardo having made six Q3 appearances to Verstappen’s four. Ricciardo started the Monaco Grand Prix from pole position.

[MIKA27]

ABITEBOUL: MAYBE VANDOORNE NEEDS A CHANGE OF SURROUNDINGS

McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne is having a troubled 2018 season as he is being soundly trounced by his teammate Fernando Alonso, prompting suggestions that his days might be numbered at Woking if he does not raise his game considerably in forthcoming races.

Vandoorne is 6-0 down in qualifying against his teammate, he has yet to make it into Q3 while Alonso has progressed on a couple of occasions and the Belgian, with eight points, trails the Spaniard by 24 in the championship.

Now with Renault power, after his first year spent struggling with Honda, Vandoorne has not been able to close the gap on his teammate and is regularly overshadowed by the veteran in the garage next to him.

Renault chief Cyril Abteboul is one to have noticed how, the once highly rated, Vandoorne has simply not delivered on promise and expectations, “Sometimes, a driver who needs to change his surroundings so they can get some oxygen and recover, maybe that’s what he needs.”

“He was quick, he had talent, he was consistent in all the lower categories and there is no reason for all this to disappear, but when you have Fernando Alonso on the other side it’s complicated,” Abiteboul explained in an interview with Dernière Heure.

But 26-year-old Vandoorne is not paying attention to his detractors and rather focusing on his job, “I’m not worried at all, I’m ready for the day when I can race with a competitive car. Now, I focus on my own performance which I think is more important and that is to extract everything from my car.”

Rumours of his demise have not fazed him, “I have a long-term agreement with McLaren, so I’m not worried about that. A Formula 1 contract is still a Formula 1 contract, even if you have to give up, but the team has full confidence in me.”

Next in line for a promotion at McLaren is 18-year-old Lando Norris, the highly rated Englishman is making his mark in Formula 2 and reportedly has a clause in his contract that guarantees him a Formula 1 drive should he win the championship this year, or he can walk.

Some go as far as to suggest Norris might even fast-tracked before the season ends should he wrap up the Formula 2 title before the Formula 1 season ends.

Meanwhile, Renault may have to release Carlos Sainz should Red Bull need to fill the seat that Daniel Ricciardo may vacate if the Australian departs for Ferrari or Mercedes at the end of this season.

On the upside for Vandoorne, Abiteboul did not rule him out of replacing Sainz should the need be, “Under the circumstances at McLaren in recent years, it’s a bit difficult for everyone, but he is a top-level driver. Maybe one we [Renault] can look into for the future, depending on how things evolve with our driver situation.”

[MIKA27]

Honda says it needs to be careful with F1 engine upgrades

Honda is remaining coy on its mooted Formula 1 engine upgrade for the Canadian Grand Prix but will be "careful" not to hurt reliability in the pursuit of performance.

The Japanese engine manufacturer is expected to bring updates to next week's race in Montreal, which is both a power-sensitive track and a logical time in the calendar to introduce fresh parts.

Honda changed the MGU-H and turbocharger on both Toro Rosso drivers' engines after the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and replaced Pierre Gasly's internal combustion engine at the same time.

That means the Frenchman's components have completed five GP weekends, but Brendon Hartley's have much less mileage after he took an entire fresh batch for the Spanish GP two races ago following a huge crash in final practice.

Honda technical director Toyoharu Tanabe told Autosport there was nothing official to communicate regarding Canadian GP upgrades.

Pressed on whether Honda had validated reliability and would now search for performance, Tanabe said: "So far it [reliability] looks stable but I think we need to be careful not push too hard on the performance. We need balance.

"We have a lot of things to do and not many short-term solutions, most are long-term.

"[If] we develop something and then apply it to the engine, we need to have a reliability test.

"Any tiny thing to improve the performance, we need time."

Honda has tried to avoid public statements about performance this season as it seeks to rebuild after being harshly criticised at times during a damaging three-year spell with McLaren.

The Toro Rosso drivers have confirmed they expect an engine upgrade in Canada and though they stopped short of setting specific expectations Gasly admitted he was "really excited".

"I'll wait until FP1 to see exactly what the difference is on the computer," said Gasly.

"I've learned that in Formula 1 it's better to wait and see once you put the new parts on because sometimes it doesn't work as well as you expect, sometimes it works better.

"But it can only go in the right direction, I think, so I'm really excited about this upgrade."

Gasly finished seventh in Monaco, the third time in six races that Toro Rosso and Honda have scored points together.

Their pace looks particularly strong on circuits where the emphasis on the engine is at low-speed, and Honda is satisfied with the 2018 unit's driveability and how it is operating its energy recovery systems.

"The key point [in Monaco] is low-RPM, and on-off throttle application," said Tanabe.

"That's one of the key parameters to set energy management.

"We have worked on the driveability very much to help the chassis behaviour through the corner and [the driver] accelerate earlier.

"Reliability, power and driveability are key points for the engine.

"Of course power is important for lap time but the driveability has a big effect as well.

"Our engineers always communicate with the team and driver to improve their confidence for throttle application."

[MIKA27]

The new F1 front wing McLaren didn't risk racing in Monaco

The McLaren Formula 1 team's much anticipated Barcelona update resulted in a notable step forward as the team finally had the car it had hoped to start the season with.

McLaren worked on further revisions to its new front wing before last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, although in the end it elected not to race with it.

The upper cascade elements (1) have been extended in length and reshaped, and now the inner one is actually part of the main structure with the others mounted to it.

On the old version, the outer turning vane was an add on component too. On the inside of the endplate, McLaren has removed the uppermost canard (inset, 2) and replaced it with a Mercedes-esque turning vane, which has been christened a 'flipper' (2).

This again will improve the turning moment on the airflow, helping it go around the tyre as opposed to over the top of it.

Both of these modifications are intended to turn more mass airflow around the outside of the front tyre and this will improve the performance of the downforce making parts of the wing.

[shlomo]

Anybody coming up next weekend?

[LLC]

Anybody coming up next weekend?

Wish I was. One year I have to come.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lotusguy]

Anybody coming up next weekend?

Not until they change to some decent engines...

[ayepatz]

On 01/06/2018 at 4:35 AM, MIKA27 said:

Ricciardo in Monaco or Schumacher in Spain: Which drive was better?

Did Daniel Ricciardo's Monaco Grand Prix victory really eclipse one of Michael Schumacher's classic Formula 1 drives in Spain 24 years ago?

Autosport Grand Prix Editor Edd Straw's Monaco GP analysis into Ricciardo's victory despite suffering an MGU-K failure centred on the comparison Red Bull team boss Christian Horner made between that performance and Schumacher's in 1994.

But which is really better, winning in Monaco with no MGU-K or finished second at Barcelona using only fifth gear?

Autosport.com Editor Glenn Freeman and Autosport F1 Editor Ben Anderson take on Straw in this video to try to decide.

MIKA: Strange video IMO purely because the scenarios are incomparable. I thought I'd post it anyway for your thoughts.

Schumacher was stuck in a single gear [5th] around a power track (Spanish Grand Prix) which killed his top speed and destroyed his slow corner acceleration whilst Daniel had 6 full gears to use in Monaco where you barely even reach 8th gear. Not to take anything away from Daniel, he's an Aussie and I couldn't be happier for him, it was a great drive, but you can't even compare these 2 scenarios. Again... IMO.

No comparison. That Schumacher drive proved how good he was, and shut up those who claimed it was car not driver. I remember watching in awe. 

[shlomo]

3 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

Not until they change to some decent engines...

I don' like F1 either, but it brings a lot of money to the city. A lot of money that disappears in corrupt politician's pockets and scumbags in the "hospitality" industry.

Still, some fellow cigar lovers do occasionally make the trip

[LLC]

I don' like F1 either, but it brings a lot of money to the city. A lot of money that disappears in corrupt politician's pockets and scumbags in the "hospitality" industry.
Still, some fellow cigar lovers do occasionally make the trip

Do you normally go to the race?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shlomo]

11 hours ago, LLC said:

 

Do you normally go to the race?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I have been a few times, not in the past couple of years however. I do enjoy walking the streets, finding a bistro and people watching though. Making fun of tourists is one of the great joys in life.

[MIKA27]

BROWN: NOW, THAT BUCK STOPS WITH ME!

In a wide-ranging interview with the official Formula 1 website Zak Brown has revealed that McLaren had a fuzzy order of command where responsibilities lay in limbo until the recent restructure that has clearly defined the leadership roles and he is the Woking outfit’s motorsport boss.

Asked to explain the reshuffle at Woking, Brown said, “It’s not radically different, it’s just clarified. Jonathan [Neale] and I were kind of co-CEOs, for a lack of better term, and now with the simplification we’ve got a racing business, a motor business and a technology business. The McLaren Technology Group no longer exists, where Jonathan and I were co-heads of racing and applied technologies.

“When it was us kind of sharing roles, I think it was not very clear for the team. You know, who does the buck stop with? So now, where racing is concerned, I’m the CEO – so now, that buck stops with me!

“The applied technologies was never my thing anyways, and Jonathan’s really good in that space, he’s an awesome Chief Operating Officer. So now what you have is Mike Flewitt, CEO of automotive, me CEO of racing, a CEO to be decided of applied technologies because our other one’s gone, and Jonathan is group COO, and the four of us are all peers.”

“We all report in to the executive committee, Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa and Mansour Ojjeh. None of that’s actually changed. What’s changed is racing. So now, like the others, I answer to the executive committee, rather than to Jonathan.”

“[Simon Roberts] is automatically responsible for everything that happens to the factory, and Eric [Boullier, Racing Director] and Simon are the two top guys in racing ultimately responsible for the competitiveness.”

“So there is me, Eric, Simon, John Albert [marketing] plus the three partnership development guys, the finance guys and HR, that’s what my structure looks like. So the buck stops with me on the professional racing side, and the customer GT side of the racing programme sits within the automotive group.”

McLaren have slid to the lowest level in their illustrious history, once a mighty team with TAG, Honda and Mercedes works power, they are now a Renault customer outfit who, in a nutshell, have got their sums wrong in a year of an expected renaissance for the team.

Bullish preseason ambitions have been reduced to the reality of midfield mediocrity, from this point Brown is now firmly in the spotlight as the man the team are banking on to lift them out of the doldrums.

But he is aware of the challenges, “I think there’s a lot of jealousy in this sport. I recognise, especially now in this role, that I’m not going to please everyone all the time and the court of public opinion is always just on the favour of us.

“I know I’m going to have 10%, 15%, 20% – pick a number – of people that are not Zak fans, but I think I’ve just got to do what I think’s right for McLaren and let the chips fall.

“I know we’re under pressure, I know I’m under pressure. Probably, if there’s a frustrating thing – and you know because you know racing – it’s that people don’t understand just how long these things take.”

Brown has now firmly put the pressure on himself to deliver, “When I was brought in, I was kind of responsible for the non-technical side, business affairs and sponsorship, commercial stuff and media, but not for how fast the car goes. Now I am.”

[MIKA27]

GASLY’S EYE-VIEW OF MONACO

Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly tested an eye-view camera during the Grand Prix weekend, producing a very interesting video of a lap of Monaco from his perspective in the cockpit and then a more light-hearted video of the Frenchman’s adventures at the principality.

 

 

[MIKA27]

Renault yet to decide who will run B-spec in Montreal

While Renault will introduce a B-spec engine at next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, the French manufacturer has yet to decide which teams will run the update.

“There’s a B-spec engine for Canada and we’re looking forward to that, as it should bring a bit more performance,” revealed Renault’s technical director Nick Chester.

There is a great deal riding on this upgrade, not only for this season but also the next.

Red Bull have already stated that they will decide their 2019 engine supplier based on the upgrades that Renault and Honda bring to the track in Montreal.

However, it is not yet known if Red Bull will actually run the power unit next weekend.

Both Monaco GP winner Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne are already on the penalty bubble this season after earlier engine issues.

While Ricciardo is one more change away from the limit on engines, turbochargers and MGU-Hs, he has already used the permitted two MGU-Ks, control electronics and the energy stores.

As such Renault Sport F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul says it is yet to decide who among its works drivers and customer teams gets the new unit.

“We have a new spec engine,” he told Motorsport.com.

“We have yet to confirm the introduction, because the mileage is not the same across all cars, so we will see where and when exactly we will introduce that new spec.

“I think we have six engines available, subject to the last event on procurement in the supply chain.

“That’s the plan, but not sure it’s actually the best to introduce it in all six cars, in particular Red Bull.

“We need to look into that. We always work in partnership with teams, trying to do the best for the overall season result.”

[MIKA27]

Leclerc will "try not to listen" to champions' praise

Charles Leclerc says he will "try not to listen" too much to the “amazing” praise he has received by multiple Formula 1 world champions.
Four-time champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton said the hype around the Formula 2 champion was justified in the build-up to the Monaco Grand Prix.

Retired drivers Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, and Felipe Massa also heaped praise on the Sauber rookie before his home race. 

“It feels amazing,” Leclerc said when asked by Motorsport.com how it felt to hear such comments. 

“To have these four drivers speak of me that way, saying positive things, is crazy. It’s always very special to hear these positive things.

“On the other hand I try to not listen to it too much, focus on the job. I still have a lot I can improve on. 

“When I’m out of the car, I have very big respect for them and it’s an honour to hear that. 

“When I’m in the car, when I have the helmet on, I don’t think about anyone. These things disappear and the drivers that are there are just any drivers.”

Leclerc retired from the Monaco GP after a front-left brake disc failure caused him to rear-end Brendon Hartley’s Toro Rosso. 

He had scored back-to-back points finishes before that, including a sixth place in Azerbaijan. 

Hamilton said Leclerc could do “great things” in F1 and Vettel tipped him as a future Ferrari driver, while Rosberg went even further. 

“He has the potential to win the championship one day,” said Rosberg.  “The very special drivers, even when they don’t have a good car, they manage to bring across the magic. 

“And that’s what Charles has now been doing. One, two races where you just see: ‘OK, this is special’.”

Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur has been keen to avoid putting too much expectation on Leclerc this season. 

“He is doing a very good start of the season, but it is very difficult also to compare from 2018 to 2007 [when Vettel and Hamilton made their F1 debuts] and you don’t have to do this kind of exercise," he said. 

“He is very focused on the next events and he avoids being focused on the future, and that is a good thing.”

[MIKA27]

CANADIAN GRAND PRIX: RENAULT PREVIEW MONTREAL

Renault team and rivers preview the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 7 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz share their thoughts on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while our management and technical staff give the latest on the team and on the Renault R.S.18-R.E.18 package.

Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport Racing: “We look forward to Canada with optimism; we have the next stage of our power unit development scheduled and a number of aero and mechanical upgrades. Canada is a tough race, but we need to pull together to make the most of every opportunity.”

Nico Hülkenberg: “Canada is a fantastic weekend. The city, the atmosphere and the circuit itself all make it an enjoyable Grand Prix. The track has a nice flow to it, despite being slightly green and dirty when we arrive as it’s part street, part race track. There are big walls on the exit of corners, as well as some kerbs to ride. It’s an enjoyable lap to drive.”

Carlos Sainz: “It’s certainly a different circuit, quite similar to Melbourne in a way, as it’s a mix of a street and a permanent track. The circuit is usually dirty with leaves and even wildlife during the early parts of the weekend and that makes it a bit of a challenge to get up to speed. I quite like the section between turns four, five, six and seven. The walls are close and you have to find the rhythm through there to get it right and ride over the kerbs.”

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CANADIAN GRAND PRIX: HAAS PREVIEW MONTREAL

If the Haas VF-18s of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen could sport a bumper sticker in the Canadian Grand Prix June 10 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, it might read “Happiness is Monaco in my rearview mirror.”

Grosjean and Magnussen struggled to find grip and pace at the historic street circuit on the shore of the French Riviera, starting 18th and 19th, respectively, before Magnussen finished 13th and Grosjean placed 15th. The performance bucked the trend Haas F1 Team has displayed this season, with the American outfit consistently showing speed and vying for best-of-the-rest status behind the Big Three teams of Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.

Magnussen appropriately summed up the team’s feeling after Monaco, succinctly saying, “I’m just glad we’re out of here, and I can’t wait to go to Montreal and get back into the fight.”

As Monaco became ever smaller as drivers and crew members jetted out of the principality, Montreal quickly loomed larger.

With many of its Formula One counterparts having brought updates to its racecars in the round before Monaco – the Spanish Grand Prix – Haas F1 Team instead opted for Montreal. Its Haas VF-18s had proven quick all year, and they remained that way in Spain in spite of a developmental arms race that saw new noses, wings, bargeboards and various other appendages on cars up and down the pit lane. Magnussen delivered a strong sixth-place drive in his unaltered VF-18 to top the midfield as Mercedes, Red Bull and Scuderia Ferrari comprised the top-five.

“We proved that the car is quick,” said team principal Guenther Steiner. “It’s very satisfying to have shown up in Barcelona and continued to have the pace we did when we were there for winter testing.”

And when Steiner was asked in Barcelona when Haas F1 Team’s updates would come, he said, “Sometimes just getting everything out of what you’ve got is better than to keep on upgrading. And sometimes with the upgrades, you need a little bit of time to make them work. Our upgrades will be coming, so we’re in a good spot.”

Haas F1 Team expects a return to form in Montreal, with Circuit Gilles Villeneuve being the debut of the organization’s first round of major updates. A new front wing and floor will join a revised bargeboard area on the Haas VF-18s of Grosjean and Magnussen, and both drivers were already eyeing the potential these parts could have before they turned a single lap at Monaco.

Said Magnussen, “We’re all looking forward to Canada and to putting some new parts on the car, getting back into our normal shape, and getting back in the fight for points.” Grosjean echoed his teammate’s opinion in the post-race media bullpen in Monaco by adding, “I think we should have a good car in Canada.”

In addition to having a positive outlook on their cars’ performance in the Canadian Grand Prix, both drivers genuinely like the 4.361-kilometer (2.710-mile), 14-turn semi-street circuit.

In six career Formula One starts at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Grosjean has three top-10 finishes, including a career-best second-place effort earned in 2012, which was his first Canadian Grand Prix. Magnussen also owns a top-10 in Montreal. He finished ninth as a rookie in 2014.

Despite wanting to forget about Monaco, there is one significant carryover from the Monaco Grand Prix that is applicable for the Canadian Grand Prix – tires. The same tire lineup from supplier Pirelli that was used in Monaco will be used in Montreal – Red supersoft, Purple ultrasoft and Pink hypersoft.

Tight corners and unforgiving walls are a hallmark of both tracks, but Montreal is quite a bit quicker than Monaco, making those tight corners even harder to navigate and placing an additional premium on brake performance. While both tracks have a stop-and-go nature, the speeds achieved on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve stress the brakes on two fronts – harder usage and less time between corners for the brakes to cool. And one section of particular renown – the Wall of Champions on the track’s final chicane – has made many a world champion feel like a world chump.

It’s a challenging layout offset by Montreal’s charm, a juxtaposition highlighted by the wheel-to-wheel racing amid the remnants of Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics. Where medals were earned by Olympians from around the globe more than 40 years ago, Grosjean and Magnussen will put the pedal to the metal in an effort to further distance themselves from Monaco.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

The Canadian Grand Prix marks the first race where Haas F1 Team is bringing significant updates to its racecars. Where have you chosen to develop and what are you looking to achieve with these updates?
GS: “We’ve got quite significant changes – front wing, floor, and all the bargeboard area – we’ve made those updates. Obviously, their aim is to go faster, to gain us speed. A lot of people brought their upgrades to Spain. We decided to bring them to Canada to have a little bit more time, because we’re still a small team and cannot react as quickly as the big ones.”

In addition to new updates to the car in Canada, you have a relatively new engine from Ferrari. You trialed this engine in Monaco – did it do what you wanted it to as you prepare for a more power-sensitive track in Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?
GS: “The upgrades in the engines are small because they are so highly developed. To find big gains is very difficult but, for sure, every time Ferrari gives us an upgrade, it is for a good reason, as it has more power.”

With teams only allowed to use three engines throughout the course of this 21-race season, can you explain how you’re cycling these engines so that you get the most out of them without wearing them out too quickly?
GS: “You introduce your first replacement engine, basically engine number two, at about this point in the season. You use engine number one for FP1 and FP2, but not for FP3, as you put the newest engine in on Saturday morning for FP3, then for qualifying and the race. Right now, we are up to plan with our engine. If it all goes well, we should get to the end of the season without having to use a fourth engine and get a grid penalty.”

Last year, teams could use four engines in a season and, on top of that, there were only 20 races compared to this year’s slate of 21 races. How has the reduced number of engines you can use and the increase in races affected your preparation when it comes to engine management?
GS: “The engine management is done by Ferrari. They’ve worked hard on it so the car can do the mileage, and so that we can do the mileage with three engines over the year.”

Another relatively new wrinkle for Canada is the Pink hypersoft tire. You got a lot of experience with it at its debut in Monaco. Did it perform as you expected it, or did it present some new challenges you hadn’t seen before?
GS: “It performs like it should. It’s a proper qualifying tire, and it seems to do ok in the race for a reduced amount of laps.”

It was warm in Monaco, but that’s not always the case in Montreal. How does the outside temperature affect the Pink hypersoft?
GS: “In theory, the hypersoft should last longer because of the reduced temperature, but we need to see how abrasive the track is and what we can get out of the tire.”

We’ve talked tires and engines this year, but one thing we haven’t talked much about this year is brakes. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? After the team’s travails with brakes the last two years, what allowed you to find the right package for this year?
GS: “Brakes have not been a talking point. I think our guys did a good job introducing a different supplier for our brakes this year. We haven’t had issues yet, and I hope it remains like this.”

Canada is known as the hardest-braking grand prix of the year. What do you need to make the most of your car’s braking capability, and how do your drivers manage their brakes for the entire, 70-lap race?
GS: “You use a brake which has longer life. Maybe the braking is not as good as it is normally, but you need the additional life on it so you can finish the race. You also have to work on the cooling so you don’t overheat them. If you overheat them, then you cannot get to the end.”

A good brake package gives a driver confidence. Has getting a handle on the team’s brake package allowed Grosjean and Magnussen to push this year’s car harder, allowing for the speed the team has shown this season?
GS: “Absolutely. More confidence means more speed. A good brake package is a consistent one – you always know what it’s going to do. We have that this year, and I’m sure if you ask the drivers, they’re happy with it because they know what they’ve got when they’re braking for a corner.”

Cooling the brakes is key, but where do you find that balance between forcing air into the brake ducts to keep them cool and massaging the airflow over the car to create downforce?
GS: “That is the juggling act, but we have quite a few options in the cooling package of the brakes to achieve that balance.”

It won’t be until mid-October when Haas F1 Team has a home race with the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. But considering the geographic proximity of Montreal to the U.S., do you view the Canadian Grand Prix as a quasi-home race?
GS: “Absolutely. Montreal is actually a little bit closer than Austin to our headquarters in Kannapolis. It’s our shortest travel to a race, and I love that.”

Romain Grosjean

You’ll have some updates on your racecar for the Canadian Grand Prix. When new parts and pieces are added to your car, how important is that FP1 session to understand how they affect the car in an actual race setting?
RG: “FP1 is normally about tires and aero, and with having updates on the car, we need to make sure in FP1 that it’s working as expected.”

Another relatively new wrinkle for Canada is the Pink hypersoft tire. You got a lot of experience with it at its debut in Monaco. Did it perform as you expected it, or did it present some new challenges you hadn’t seen before?
RG: “I think it worked as expected in qualifying, even though I don’t think we got the best of them. We’ve got to get a bit more understanding of them before heading to Canada. In the race, I’ve got to be honest, the three different compounds just didn’t work for us. We were just cruising around, not driving, not pushing as hard as we wanted.”

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a semi-street circuit. Is there anything you can take from Monaco and apply to Montreal, especially considering Pirelli is bringing the same tire compounds from Monaco?
RG: “Tire compounds are going to be the number one priority for us to understand with the new package. The circuit is very different. It is much more high speed with much more curb riding, so the setups are quite different.”

It was warm in Monaco, but that’s not always the case in Montreal. How does the outside temperature affect the Pink hypersoft?
RG: “Temperature affects all tires, and we’ve got a little bit less understanding of the hypersoft right now. We’ll see how it goes in Montreal. It can be very warm or very cold there. Hopefully, it’s going to be a nice sunny weekend.”

We’ve talked tires and engines this year, but one thing we haven’t talked much about this year is brakes. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? After the team’s travails with brakes the last two years, is it safe to say you’ve found the right package for this year?
RG: “Absolutely. I’m loving the brakes we’re running. I haven’t had an issue with them, and the feeling has been perfect. That box is ticked.”

Canada is known as the hardest-braking grand prix of the year. What do you need to make the most of your car’s braking capability, and how do you manage your brakes for the entire, 70-lap race?
RG: “Canada is very hard on the brakes, but our cooling should be better. Sometimes you can do some lift-and-coast, especially when the car is full of fuel at the beginning of the race. You want to try to save the brakes a bit and not overheat them, so they’re good by the end of the race when you’re trying to push them, or by pit stop time.”

A good brake package gives a driver confidence. Has getting a handle on the team’s brake package allowed you to push this year’s car harder, allowing for the speed you’ve shown this season?
RG: “I think it’s a part of it, definitely. Braking is key, especially at races like Baku or Monaco. I’ve been very happy, and it allows me to get the best of the car.”

Montreal is home to one of your best finishes in Formula One – a second-place effort in 2012. What do you remember about that race and how did you achieve that result?
RG: “That was a great race. I started P7. I had a one-stop strategy while everyone else was on a two-stop strategy. Initially, I thought I would finish fifth or sixth as I was stuck behind the Mercedes of (Nico) Rosberg. I couldn’t overtake. Then, everyone pitted. The ones who didn’t were really struggling with grip, so I could overtake them. I didn’t quite have the pace to chase Lewis (Hamilton) and take the win.”

How important was that second-place finish at Montreal in 2012 during the early portion of your Formula One career?
RG: “It was a great race and, obviously, a great result. I always try to do my best. It was a good race. I enjoyed it. It’s always important to strive for the highest finish you can and be as high on the podium as possible.”

What is your favourite part of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?
RG: “The whole track. I absolutely love it. I really enjoy racing there. It’s always a great feeling.”

Is there a specific portion of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve that is more challenging than other aspects of the track?
RG: “I think it’s turns one, two, three, four, five, six and seven – they’re all quite challenging. That first part of the circuit – it’s a bit more low speed, and it’s a bit more close to the walls – that’s the part that’s the most challenging.”

Explain a lap around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, especially now after competing there with the faster, current-generation car.
RG: “Turn one – you carry much more entry speed – and it’s the same into five, six, seven. You carry more entry speed and you go hard on the throttle. Those are the big differences from the past.”

Kevin Magnussen

You’ll have some updates on your racecar for the Canadian Grand Prix. When new parts and pieces are added to your car, how important is that FP1 session to understand how they affect the car in an actual race setting?
KM: “In FP1 we’re going to do some aero running to get numbers on the aero sensors, and get a correlation check from the real car and the CFD and wind tunnel model. I don’t think we’re going to do anything unusual. I think we’re just going to do the normal thing, as we always do in FP1.”

Another relatively new wrinkle for Canada is the Pink hypersoft tire. You got a lot of experience with it at its debut in Monaco. Did it perform as you expected it, or did it present some new challenges you hadn’t seen before?
KM: “I think the hypersoft tire is a good tire, though in Monaco I think it was still too hard – it was difficult to switch on. Hopefully, in Canada it will be a little bit easier. You’ve got longer straights to put load on the tires at high speed to switch them on.”

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a semi-street circuit. Is there anything you can take from Monaco and apply to Montreal, especially considering Pirelli is bringing the same tire compounds from Monaco?
KM: “Of course, we learned a bit about the hypersoft tire in Monaco. We’re going to try and work with that information and get the best out of the tire in Canada.”

It was warm in Monaco, but that’s not always the case in Montreal. How does the outside temperature affect the Pink hypersoft?
KM: “It wasn’t particularly warm in Monaco, it was actually quite normal. I think that tarmac was about 40 degrees. I think sometimes it can be the same in Montreal. I don’t think it’s going to be too big a factor.”

We’ve talked tires and engines this year, but one thing we haven’t talked much about this year is brakes. That’s a good thing, isn’t it? After the team’s travails with brakes the last two years, is it safe to say you’ve found the right package for this year?
KM: “Yes, no problems with brakes.”

What is your favourite part of Circuit Gilles Villeneuve?
KM: “There’s lots of great places around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. The most famous one is the last chicane, and it’s a really challenging part of the track, as well. It’s probably the most difficult corner on the track, and it’s the last corner, so there’s a lot of pressure when you get to the chicane. You’ve done almost the whole lap, and if you’re on a good lap, there’s lots of pressure to get this part right, as well. It’s always a corner where if you haven’t got a perfect lap, you can try and make it up in that last chicane. If you’re on a good lap, you might not want to take as much risk in that last chicane. So, it’s a really interesting part of the track. I think turns three and four – that chicane’s really technical. You’ve got some places on the track where you’re riding curbs a lot – that’s technical as well. There are some good places for overtaking with long straights. It usually offers up a very interesting race.”

Explain a lap around Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, especially now after competing there with the faster, current-generation car.
KM: “It’s kind of a low-speed track with a lot of chicanes and big braking zones. It’s a bit bumpy in places, but there are good opportunities for overtaking.”

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ALONSO: I’LL BE CELEBRATING MY 300TH GRAND PRIX

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso will be contesting his 300th grand prix weekend when he drives out of the pitlane for FP1, this Friday, on the occasion of the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

In those 300 appearances, the Spaniard has made 297 starts but did not make the grid on three occasions: the 2005 United States Grand Prix, the 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix and the 2017 Russian Grand Prix.

Ahead of the milestone weekend, Alonso said, “I’ve always enjoyed racing in Montreal. It has the best combination of a great track, challenging street circuit characteristics, and it’s a fun city to visit”

“I’ve enjoyed some great races in Canada and I won there in 2006, so it’s a special place for me. Even more so this weekend, when I’ll be celebrating my 300th grand prix.”

Alonso will be looking for a strong result after his DNF in Monaco but knows it will be another tough race as McLaren continue to play catch-up.

But the double F1 World Champion cautioned, “This will certainly be a tough circuit for us, but we’re making progress with our package race-by-race.”

“A little bit of the drama or changeable weather conditions we’ve seen in Canada so many times in the past could offer us some opportunities – it’s up to us to take advantage of every possibility.”

Alonso is fourth on the list of all-time grand prix races contested with Rubens Barrichello on 323 starts, Michael Schumacher 307 and Jenson Button third with 306 – the latter two he should usurp when he contests the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September.

Of the current grid Alonso is the most experienced in terms of grand prix starts, with Kimi Raikkonen next on 277 starts followed by Lewis Hamilton on 214 amd Sebastian Vettel on 204.