FORMULA 1

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Gasly "improved massively" with tyre management in F1

Toro Rosso driver Pierre Gasly says his tyre management has “improved massively” compared to his stint in Formula 1 feeder series GP2.
Of Gasly's three standout F1 results in 2018, the latest two were made possible by lengthy yet very competitive opening stints on the softest tyre.

A mammoth 37-lap stint on the hypersoft, unmatched by anyone else in the race, helped Gasly to seventh in Monaco - while in Hungary he broke away from his midfield rivals during a 32-lap run on the ultrasoft, which ultimately enabled the Frenchman to finish sixth.

These performances were largely in contrast to Gasly's two-and-a-half-year stint in GP2, where struggles with the series' high-degradation tyres contributed to the series' eventual 2016 champion converting just two of his eight feature race poles to victories.

“I wasn't struggling as much as the others were,” Gasly said of his opening stint in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“I think in terms of tyre management I've just improved massively compared to my first season in GP2, where I was too aggressive with the tyres.

“I've learned a lot and now it's paying [off], so I'm really happy about it.”

And while he'd logged the longest stint on the softest compound in Hungary as well, Gasly insisted he could've gone further – even if he went “slightly longer” than planned.

“I did [the run] based on the strategy we had, and actually [the tyre drop-off] was even better than what we thought.

“I think I could've gone for five more laps probably, but then in terms of race time was better to pit that lap and put new tyres.”

The Honda-powered STR13 has been an inconsistent package, but Gasly stressed it was a formidable one of softer tyres when the balance was spot on.

He also said that the way the car handled in Hungary reminded him of the second round of the season in Bahrain, where the Frenchman scored a breakthrough fourth place.

“It seems that with soft compound we are pretty fast,” Gasly said. “Monaco was one of these races where we managed to keep the tyres alive for a really long time.

“You need to have a good balance as well, good stability, not too much snaps. And the balance [in Hungary], honestly, it reminded me a bit of Bahrain.

“I was really happy with the car, comfortable, I could attack without losing the rear or fighting with the rear or the front too much.

“I think we found the sweet spot [for Hungary] again and it's pretty hard for us to be in that window, but we managed to do it.

“And we know that when the balance is good we can make the tyres last pretty long.”

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BROWN: ONLY DANIEL KNOWS HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO GETTING HIM

McLaren F1 chief Zak Brown has revealed that he was close to signing Daniel Ricciardo before the Australian dropped a bombshell and opted to do a two-year deal with Renault.

Brown made no secret before the Renault announcement that he had been in talks with Red Bull driver, and confirmed as much in an interview with Racer, “We had a couple of meetings and we are big fans of Daniel. I think he’s a great guy, I think he’s a great race car driver.”

“How close we came to getting him, I think only Daniel knows the answer to that question. Had we been running more competitively I think that would have increased our odds. I think he had a strong desire to leave and I think it was probably pretty close between us and Renault.”

“Ultimately Daniel would be best to tell you how close. But he was certainly someone that we rate very highly and think he’s a great race car driver and a great guy.”

McLaren has yet to confirm its driver line-up for next season with Fernando Alonso’s future still up in the air. Brown believes Ricciardo’s surprise departure from Red Bull won’t affect his team’s or Alonso’s plans for 2019.

“I think it’s thrown a spanner in the works for some other teams but we’ve got a plan which we are executing against which Ricciardo’s move doesn’t impact.

“Red Bull is a great racing team but I think Fernando has got what he wants to do in the back of his mind. Never say never, but I don’t think it changes anything in Fernando’s world.”

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CAREY: MICK SCHUMACHER WOULD BE SPECIAL IN FORMULA 1

In the wake of Mick Schumacher winning his first race in Formula 3, talk of the 19-year-old son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher following in his father’s footsteps to the top flight has ramped up once again.

It was a poetic maiden F3 victory for young Schumacher as it was scored at Spa-Francorchamps, a venue that played an important role in Schumacher senior’s life.

The seven times F1 World Champion made his grand prix debut there for Jordan back in 1991 and a year later, as a Benetton driver scored his first of 91 victories at the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Formula 1 supremo Chase Carey indicated to Bild that he would be delighted to see the young Schumi progress into the top flight, “Of course that would be a great story, Michael Schumacher still plays a unique role in Formula 1 as a world champion.”

“He is and will remain an icon of our sport, regardless of whether we want to try or not young drivers will find their way to Formula 1. Of course, Michael’s son Mick would be special in Formula 1, he would touch the hearts of many fans in a very unique way.”

After winning at Spa in late July, Schumacher junior acknowledged the significance of the win at the iconic venue, where his father won the Belgian Grand Prix an unprecedented six times.

“It is a great feeling to win in Spa,” said Mick. “It seems, Spa is a good venue for the Schumacher family. I’m so happy about this victory, the only thing I can say is goosebumps. My father is my role model, he’s the best, my idol!”

When Mick was 17, Ferrari Driver Academy chief Massimo Rivola said, Massimo Rivola, “Obviously we follow him. About his future, I don’t know what Mick will decide to do. But if he would like to enter the FDA programme, he will find a red carpet.”

Although he is not a member of the FDA at this point, he does drive for Prema Theodore Racing whose junior programme is closely associated to Ferrari, where his father spent most of his glory years during his spell in Formula 1.

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RICCIARDO TO BANK $70-MILLION IN TWO-YEAR RENAULT DEAL

Fresh details are emerging regarding Daniel Ricciardo’s shock two-year deal with Renault which will see the big smiling Aussie bank an estimated $35-million per season (subject to confirmation) with the French outfit making him the highest earning athlete from Down Under and puts him in the Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel pay bracket.

Ricciardo did not only shock the Formula 1 world with his decision to quit Red Bull, it so surprised team chief Christian Horner that when he got the call from his driver he thought he was joking. But it was no joke as the driver they groomed since he was a kid through to becoming a Formula 1 winner is gone at the end of the season.

Red Bull have only themselves to blame for losing the highly rated driver that was the stable backbone of the team. In October last year, the team opted to extend their deal with Max Verstappen until the end of 2020, an issue that upset Ricciardo and was probably the catalyst for his seeking an alternative employer.

The message was clear, “Max is our guy.”

Ironically Ricciardo is said to have struck an agreement with Dieter Mateschitz before the Austrian Grand Prix, with Red Bull sweetening the deal by agreeing to a one year deal so that the driver of the #3 car so that he could evaluate the team’s first season with Honda power.

Red Bull had reportedly already prepared a video announcement to confirm Ricciardo’s extension, but that video will never be seen in the wake of the final development.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Zak Brown had tried to tempt Ricciardo to Woking with a $31-million offer but along came Cyril Abiteboul and Renault with the two-year deal which will see him bank $70-million.

Big credit to the Renault boss who played a fine hand of poker, bluffing his way through the Silly Season by publically countenancing the likes of Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez but in the end, he had the ace in his hand – Ricciardo!

No doubt Abiteboul had to convince Renault to break the bank for the 29-year old’s services, but at the same time the French outfit sent out a clear message with regards to their intent, which in turn was enough to lure Ricciardo away from Red Bull. The deal, arguably, Abiteboul’s finest moment at the helm of the team.

Ricciardo’s options were severely limited as Mercedes confirmed Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas before the summer break, while Ferrari look set to hang on to Kimi Raikkonen alongside Sebastian Vettel for at least another year.

Thus Red Bull appeared to be his best option, but how good will they be next year with Honda? A question that no doubt influenced the decision to stick with Renault power, albeit with the works team.

But the Verstappen factor was too much for Ricciardo to stomach and obviously made the big bucks deal a no-brainer for him. He will now earn almost twice the $20-million the Dutch youngster is pocketing per season from the energy drinks outfit.

Ricciardo, in terms of earnings, is now deservedly up there with the top three or four drivers of this generation while his skills are right up there too as most of the paddock well know.

For F1 fans this latest development will provide an intriguing sideshow to the big picture next season and only time will tell if Ricciardo made the right call. The certainty is that whatever happens in the next two years, he will bank enough money to live happily ever after.

Come the end of 2020, at 31, he will still be at an age where he will be able to continue in the top flight and if his Renault tenure does not pan out to be a winning combination, Mercedes and Ferrari will again be on his radar as much can and will change between now and then.

“It was probably one of the most difficult decisions to take in my career so far, but I thought that it was time for me to take on a fresh and new challenge,” explained Ricciardo.

“I realise that there is a lot ahead in order to allow Renault to reach their target of competing at the highest level but I have been impressed by their progression in only two years.”

“I know that each time Renault has been in the sport they eventually won. I hope to be able to help them in this journey and contribute on and off track,” added the man who intends to add to his seven F1 victories wearing the yellow and black of Renault.

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VERSTAPPEN: I’M HERE TO WIN 50 OR 60 F1 RACES

Max Verstappen suspects that Renault may favour their own works team in terms of power unit supply and believes that his Red Bull team are always a couple of races behind in the development war which simply does not make his aim of winning 50 or 60 Formula 1 races feasible at this stage.

Verstappen believes that being a customer team puts Red Bull a step or two behind Ferrari and Mercedes in the development war that prevails during the season. While he acknowledges that Renault will always be a step ahead with upgrades.

Verstappen pointed out, “If there are new parts they will, of course, go to the factory team first which is also logical but it’s a pity for us.”

You just know that at Ferrari and Mercedes these are immediately introduced and then they might have the advantage of that for one or two races before the rest takes a step. So, we are always two races behind. Especially now they have their own factory team, you’re always a little behind on things.”

“Now that it’s certain that you are making the switch to Honda, that will not work in your favour, let’s put it like that. But that’s how these things work.”

“We know that, so you just need to accept it,” added Verstappen, alluding to the fact that Red Bull have decided to ditch Honda for Renaut, but the ‘divorced couple’ still need to see out this season.

“I hope we will continue to develop the car well. We are better than [Ferrari and Mercedes] so car-wise they are the ones who need to catch up.”

Verstappen has endured a topsy-turvy season this year, DNFs, some waywardness of his own making and engine related niggles have combined to haunt him, but he did survive the Austrian Grand Prix to take a famous victory at his team’s home race track,

Th Dutchman rates the triumph on that day as one of the sweetest of his  career, up there with the stunning win in his debut for Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, “The victory in Austria, especially in front of so many fans but also with a Red Bull car at the Red Bull Ring was something really amazing.”

But he revealed on his website why he did not celebrate the achievement, “We were in a triple-header so you can’t really go partying. I was babysitting at home for my manager’s son, so pretty standard.”

Needless to say, the 20-year-old Dutchman wants more, “I’m not here to win four races. I’m here to win 50 or 60.”

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HULKENBERG: RICCIARDO IS A POSITIVE CHALLENGE FOR ME

Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg heard the news that Daniel Ricciardo will be his teammate while the German was holidaying in Mallorca last week and was one of the first to congratulate the man he will share a garage with next year.

Hulkenberg, who has yet to score a podium in Formula 1, is more experienced than Ricciardo who has 29 podiums to his credit, of which seven were grand prix victories.

But this does not faze the driver of car #27 who is relishing the prospect of being Ricciardo’s teammate, “Of course this is great. Daniel is a super driver but I do not have to hide and I accept the challenge.”

“I see this as absolutely positive. It shows how serious Renault are about attacking the Big Three: Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull,” added Hulkenberg.

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Lewis Hamilton insists Ferrari have the upper hand in 2018

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that Ferrari has the upper hand in terms of pace in 2018, but has praised Mercedes for doing a better job than its rivals.

Mercedes and Ferrari have battled for overall honours through the first half of the season, trading the lead of the Constructors’ Championship, with the situation replicated in the Drivers’ battle.

Mercedes has taken six poles to Ferrari’s five, with Hamilton and Vettel equal on acquiring a quintet of one-lap efforts, while Hamilton (and in turn Mercedes) edge the win charts five-four.

Hamilton holds a 24-point advantage over Vettel while Mercedes is just 10 clear of Ferrari in the Constructors’ battle, the situation finely poised heading towards the second half of the year.

“This year we all know that Ferrari really do have the upper hand pace-wise,” said Hamilton.

“But I think all around, performance-wise, in terms of strategy and… you know, because to win a championship is not just about speed.

“It’s about how you manage things, the strategy calls you make, mistakes, all these different things all weigh up. 

“I think, as a whole, we have hopefully done a slightly better job up until now. 

“So, we’ve got work to do, we’ve got things to improve, we’ve got performance to bring moving forwards. 

“We’ve got to try and catch them – but we’ve got to continue to keep rising with all the other elements, which allows us to beat the Ferraris when they don’t bring their A game.”

Where Mercedes stole a march on Ferrari…

On several occasions this year Mercedes has got the upper hand on rival Ferrari and turned around a potentially negative situation.

In Azerbaijan Vettel was poised for victory until Valtteri Bottas jumped him with a late pit stop, and still had an opportunity to triumph until a late lunge into Turn 1 backfired. A puncture robbed Bottas of a certain win but Hamilton picked up the pieces to take top spot.

In Germany an inspired drive and strategic call from Hamilton lifted him from 14th into first spot, aided by a sequence of mid-race showers and the Safety Car period caused by Vettel’s exit.

Ferrari was expected to triumph in Hungary but the wet weather in qualifying played into Hamilton’s hands, who ultimately controlled proceedings from the front as Vettel’s hopes of hunting him down were thwarted.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing…

Hamilton was set for a dominant win in Australia but Mercedes miscalculated his VSC window and a neutralisation phase enabled Vettel to in effect make a free stop to retain a lead that he did not relinquish. 

In China Mercedes did not pit Hamilton under the Safety Car, keeping him out on worn tyres, while a double whammy skewered its hopes in Austria as blunder of not stopping under the VSC was compounded by a double failure to finish as a rare bout of unreliability struck the W09s.

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Mid-season team review: Williams falls to last

This week begins our team-by-team mid-season reviews, starting with Williams, which has tumbled to the rear of the Formula 1 pack with its recalcitrant and unloved FW41.

Williams hoped to build on last year’s fifth place under the tutelage of Paddy Lowe as it overhauled its design philosophy – though such a lofty target was met with raised eyebrows pre-season, and the hesitancy of observers proved to be justified when the FW41’s weaknesses were put in full view. The FW40’s straight-line speed prowess had been lost but the expected downforce gains had not taken place, relegating the team to the rear of the pack. That lack of downforce has been accentuated by chronic instability, meaning that the team’s two young and inexperienced drivers are grappling with an unpredictable car. There have been minor gains – a new front wing introduced for Hockenheim helped – while at circuits with more consistent corner types, such as Baku, the car has been a midfielder. This has comfortably been Williams’ most disastrous season and the next events should surely be treated as a test session to avoid a repeat in 2019, for Sauber is too far in front. It is losing Martini, potentially losing Stroll’s money, and faces a sizeable dip in prize money. It is a sad state of affairs. 

Stroll was wildly inconsistent during a perplexing rookie campaign in which he sometimes thrived – Azerbaijan, Italy, Mexico – but frequently disappeared without a trace. Quantifying his progress in 2018 is therefore a challenge due to Williams’ plummeting fortunes and the exit of a benchmark in Felipe Massa. For his part, Stroll insists he is a much better driver year-on year (an obvious conclusion) and he has put up a fight where possible, grasping the opportunity when it fell on his lap in Azerbaijan – a year on from his podium – and occasionally proving his prowess at the start, before the regression kicks in. Stroll’s at-times surly off-track demeanour is a shame after proving to be a likeable character through 2017 but given the frustrations is partly understandable. No driver wants to spend a year existing on the potential promise of occasional points – but that is his lot, at the moment. 

Sirotkin is the only driver on the grid yet to score a point and has not even spent a single racing lap within the top 10 – but both statistics act as a disservice to an erudite driver who received unfair criticism in the early months due to his status as ‘not Robert Kubica’. Sirotkin assimilated well within Williams, spending several weeks in the factory, and his engineering background has assisted his progress. A thoughtful and articulate individual, Sirotkin has impressed many with his off-track conduct, incisively discussing Williams’ weaknesses without wishing to criticise the current situation. Sirotkin was impressive in Azerbaijan, until getting caught up in a first-lap clash, and displayed relatively strong pace in Monaco, his prospects there scuppered by the team’s tyre mix-up on the grid. The Russian has proven his worth to be on the grid of 20 – though further dissection of his potential and racecraft is impossible due to Williams’ frequent lone status at the rear.

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Insight: What next in Force India's fight for survival?

The process of finding a buyer for Force India is only the first challenge in a crucial few weeks for the Formula 1 team. 
Force India went into administration at the end of July with the administrators, from FRP Advisory LLP, now working to find a buyer. 

Motorsport.com understands that process should accelerate swiftly with a target deadline for interested parties to submit a bid passing on Monday afternoon (UK time).

What is happening now?

The process of finding a buyer is not expected to be a protracted period given the administrator is incurring the running costs at present and multiple parties are believed to be interested. 

Billionaire racing fathers Lawrence Stroll and Dmitry Mazepin and a brace of US consortiums have been linked to the team, with a British firm also claiming to be in the picture.

If a bid has been lodged, the administrator will need to assess its legitimacy and its value. A new buyer will need to convince the administrators that it is a credible option, and how it intends to finance both the deal and the team in the future.

Force India also has millions in outstanding debt, mostly to minority creditors like Mercedes (owed more than £9million), and this will need to be factored into any deal. 

Mercedes may need a commitment to their full debt being paid off to transfer its engine contract to the new company, or it could consider the survival of the team, and what it offers long-term, sufficient or partial compensation.

The cash value of any bid will be a key consideration. Offers to take on parts of Force India’s debt are not insignificant, but there are multiple creditors who must be treated fairly.

That means a higher cash offer, which can be split around multiple creditors, would likely be prioritised over a smaller cash offer that is complemented by a commitment to one specific creditor.

What happens next?

With a loose deadline of today applied to bids, the situation should progress quite quickly: either a credible bid will be lodged and the administrator will work on that, or it could pull the plug if it deems there is no sale in sight. 

The administrator will likely be using the company’s cash to cover costs at present so it will not want the process to linger. If interested in exploring a bid, the administrator will keep the team going at a minimum possible cost while the finer details are established. 

Force India is owed a considerable amount (up to $72m) from F1 for its results over the past two seasons. However, a team emerging from administration will be owned by a new entity and it can only obtain the commercial rights accrued by the original team if all other entrants agree.

It emerged last week that McLaren, Renault and Williams had presented a stumbling block to this in a bid to make a point to F1 bosses about what they perceive to be the increasing political power of Mercedes and Ferrari. 

So, if the administrator proceeds with a bid, securing consent for Force India to keep its eligibility for prize money, as well as approval from Mercedes to transfer the engine contract to the new company, and drawing up a sale contract will be the next courses of action. 

What will the impact be?

If Force India quickly emerges in business, it will be in a position to challenge for a top-five championship finish over the rest of 2018. 

However, a protracted negotiation carries two major short-term risks even if the team continues.

Force India has built a reputation of doing a lot with a little, but chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer and technical director Andrew Green need to ensure that effective, efficient team does not get split apart during this period of uncertainty. 

Linked to that is the design team has had updates ready for production for some time, but because of its financial squeeze it has been unable to introduce them to its car in recent weeks. 

This has been a recurring theme for Force India all season and it has escalated to a point where several tenths of performance are there on the design table but cannot be put into reality. 

The quicker the process is resolved, the quicker upgrades can be actioned: no development work will be carried out while it remains in administration given the need to keep running costs at a minimum. 

Nikita Mazepin

This will play a vital role in Force India’s season: it trails fifth-placed Haas by just seven points, while Renault is 23 points ahead in fourth, but McLaren is only six points behind. 

Force India will also be able to turn its attentions to firming up its 2019 driver line-up. 

Mercedes junior Esteban Ocon was expected to leave Force India for Renault, but Daniel Ricciardo’s surprise move has torpedoed that. 

This means Ocon could remain at Force India, but Lance Stroll has been linked with a move to the team – linked to his father’s possible investment – and Sergio Perez is also in the frame. 

Further down the line, development driver Nikita Mazepin may emerge as an option for a race driver, but he is not a contender for a 2019 seat as he will not have the necessary superlicence points.

 

 

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Vienna hospital says Lauda showing “continuous improvement”

The hospital treating three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda has released more details about his condition following a lung transplant. 

Lauda is making good progress in Austria’s AHK Vienna hospital after undergoing surgery on August 2. 

Minimal information has been released since then other than to confirm a positive start to Lauda’s recovery, and insist that this was not a legacy of the lung injuries sustained by Lauda in his fiery Nordschleife crash in 1976. 

On Monday a statement released by the Austrian general hospital and Medical University of Vienna said developments after the transplant were “very satisfactory”.

It detailed that 24 hours after the operation, Lauda was fully conscious and could be extubated and breathe independently.

The statement added: “Since then there has been a continuous improvement. All organs function well.

“The patient will continue to be cared for at AKH Wien until he recovers completely.”

  

The Austrian hospital performs around 120 lung transplants a year. 

Lauda’s surgery was conducted by Walter Klepetko, head of thoracic surgery, and Konrad Hotzenecker. Reports in Austria have suggested Lauda will be able to return to work if he makes a full recovery, which will take several weeks. 

Lauda is non-executive chairman of the Mercedes F1 team, and has been a regular presence in the paddock in that role.

Last week, after news of his surgery first emerged, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff had urged his colleague a fast but sensible recovery. 

"We have missed him by our side in Hockenheim and Hungary, and can't wait to have him back with us,” said Wolff.

"The recovery he faces is not a race. But I'm sure he will soon be telling every nurse and doctor that he has had enough of hospital.”

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Mercedes take conserative tyre choices for Spa and Monza

Mercedes has been the team to take conservative options ahead of the next two races when Formula 1 resumes after the summer break at the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit gives the tyres incredible punishment, similar to that of the Silverstone circuit due to the high-speed nature of the layout which flows through the Ardennes forest, the compounds available from Pirelli will the Medium, Soft and Supersoft.

Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas and championship leader Lewis Hamilton will take only six sets of the supersoft tyre while also taking four sets of softs and three of the white-marked medium tyres.

Nearest rival Ferrari will take one set more of the red-marked supersoft compound, however, they will split their strategies between the medium and soft with Sebastian Vettel taking one more set of mediums and Kimi Raikkonen one more set of softs.

Both Red Bull drivers will only load up with one set of mediums, however, Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo will take eight sets of supersofts in an aggressive strategy for the Australian, while team-mate Max Verstappen will put on more set of yellow-marked softs in his inventory.

Many of the midfield teams are trying a range of different strategies, but none more so than McLaren where both Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne will run four sets of mediums, five softs and only four sets of supersofts for the weekend.

This looks to be indicating they could be solely focused on race strategy and showing no concern for their qualifying efforts.

Italian Grand Prix

Pirelli has also announced the drivers' choices for the Italian Grand Prix around the famous high-speed Monza circuit with Mercedes once again taking a more cautious and conservative approach to the weekend.

The same compounds used at the Belgian Grand Prix will also be used in Monza given the higher average speeds around the circuit and heavy braking zones involved.

Hamilton and Bottas split their medium and soft tyre choices with the Finnish driver utilising one more soft tyre while his team-mate takes on one more set of mediums, both drivers will have in their arsenal only eight sets of supersoft tyres.

Ferrari has taken a much more aggressive approach their home event by loading up on 10 sets of the softest compound in order to maximise their chances to beat their German rivals, Vettel and Raikkonen also split their medium and soft tyre options.

Both Red Bull drivers have also been conservative on their supersoft compound options, however, Ricciardo and Verstappen have differed drastically when it comes to their individual choices.

The Dutchman has settled on using one set of mediums, five softs and seven supersofts while Ricciardo takes two mediums, three softs and eight supersofts.

In the midfield pack, Sauber and Force India have taken a similar approach to Ferrari with maximising their chances on the supersoft tyre by also taking ten sets, while Haas, Toro Rosso and Renault all take one set less to put in their soft range.

McLaren again breaks the mould by taking less of the softest compound to the Grand Prix with just seven sets of the red-marked supersoft.

 

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FORCE INDIA SAVED BY STROLL LED CONSORTIUM

As expected Force India has been saved by a consortium headed by Lance Stroll’s billionaire father Lawrence Stroll which guarantees the future of the beleaguered team formerly owned by Vijay Mallya.

Reuters report that administrators accepted the offer from Stroll’s fellow investors which include Canadian entrepreneur Andre Desmarais, Jonathan Dudman of Monaco Sports and Management, fashion business leader John Idol, telecommunications investor John McCaw Jr, financial expert Michael de Picciotto, and Stroll’s business partner Silas Chou.

Force India has been in administration since the Friday before the Hungarian Grand Prix in a bid to protect it against the threat of a winding-up order over mounting debts.

Force India’s chief operations officer Otmar Szafnauer confirmed, “This outcome secures the future of the Force India team in Formula 1 and will allow our team of racers to compete to our full potential.”

“I am delighted that we have the support of a consortium of investors who believe in us as a team and who see the considerable business potential that Force India has within F1 now and in the future.”

“At Force India, our expertise and commitment has meant that we have always punched above our weight and this new investment ensures that we have a bright future ahead of us.”

“I also would like to thank Vijay, the Sahara Group and the Mol family for all of their support and taking the team as far as their circumstances would allow,” concluded Szafnauer.

Joint administrator Geoff Rowley added, “It is rare that a company can be rescued and returned to a position of solvency.”

“The quality of the various interested parties has been impressive and required careful consideration as the administration has progressed.

“Having followed a robust process, in the end we were left with a highly-credible offer to save the company and restore solvency.

“Funding to support the team will be made available from today, and significantly more will be available once the company emerges from administration which we expect within the next two to three weeks.”

The latest development means that Lance Stroll will join the team next year, with the future of current drivers Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez now hanging in the balance.

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CAREY: WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE MOMENTUM OF THE BUSINESS

Taking over Formula 1 from dictator Bernie Ecclestone was never going to be an easy mission for Chase Carey who before being appointed executive chairman of the sport under the ownership of Liberty Media, nevertheless the American businessman is adamant that there has been progress but at the same time acknowledges there is still work to be done.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Carey said, “We feel pretty good about the momentum of the business. We’ve had good crowds. Recently they’ve all been up significantly. In Hungary they added stands, the same in Germany the week before.”

“Although it’s only anecdotal, it was nice in Germany that people were saying how much more exciting and enjoyable the racing was compared with two years before when it was last there. They said it had a different feel, a different energy, an openness and more of a fun atmosphere for the fans.”

“Do we need to make the action better, the competition closer? Yes. Do we have an issue on costs? Yes. Do we need to create healthier business models? Yes. Do we need to simplify elements of the rules? Yes.”

“Within that there are differences on specifics; with 10 teams there are a range of views. So you have to wade in and find the compromises that nobody’s completely happy with but with everybody believing the logic. Nobody is going to get everything they want but together we’ll be in a better place.”

Last month Carey met with Jean Todt and the late Sergio Marchionne to iron out differences between the parties, the former Ferrari chairman had been particulalry vocal about the future of the sport and made it clear that Liberty Media risked losing the most famous Formula 1 team from the grid.

Carey shed light on the meeting, “I had dinner with him shortly before he went into hospital and we were largely in agreement on the major issues. We’d arrived at the place of ‘let’s get this done’. I have nothing but respect for him. He was a larger-than-life force. He’ll be missed.”

Inevitably conversations with Carey lead to his views on Ecclestone, the man he removed from the helm of Formula 1, “He knows more about the sport than I’ll ever learn.”

“I meant it when I said I give Bernie credit for the sport he built,” he says. “There’s nothing wrong or right about it. We’re different people and have different views on how you build and run a business. He didn’t believe in marketing, digital and event spectacles but I do.”

“We want the events to be unique while keeping his mystique and glamour but still make it exciting. Bernie said the sport needs a dictator and I said it requires leaders, not dictators; you need to try to bring people along rather than telling them what to do.”

Finally, particularly interesting is his view on how Formula 1 – often referred to as a ‘piranha pool’ – conducts bsuiness, “The sport likes to create noise, likes to negotiate through the media. It’s not the way I’ve done business. But the teams all agree with the need for the changes that we’re pushing forward with.”

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Mid-season team review: Revitalised Sauber back in the groove 

We continue our mid-season reviews and today we turn our attention to the much improved Sauber.

Sauber spent much of 2017 marooned at the back of the grid but regarded 2018 as an opportunity to re-join the midfield, with the mid-2016 takeover finally bearing fruit, aided by closer alignment with Ferrari, the tutelage of the sage Frederic Vasseur, and the driving talents of Charles Leclerc. Sauber’s C37 appeared so-so pre-season, and during the early races, but the philosophy of making regular minor updates, as opposed to major overhauls, has paid dividends. The C37 is also a well-balanced machine, responds well to set-up changes, while the team itself has profited from Ferrari’s climb to the front of the power battle. But to place the improvements on just the car and engine would be a disservice to the remainder of the team, under the steerage of Vasseur. Pit stop times and consistency have rapidly improved (Silverstone aside), strategic decisions in the ever-close midfield have been executed well, while there is an overall rejuvenated feel about the operation. Jorg Zander was let go and the capable Simone Resta hired in place – and he has been assigned to next year’s project, an astute call by Vasseur. Sauber has already achieved its goal in 2018 and reinstated an air of respectability – each step will now be tougher, but everything is in place to suggest the team is on the rise once more. 

Just how would the highly-rated Leclerc adapt to F1? Those drivers who have taken junior divisions by storm sometimes thrive, sometimes struggle. The early trio of events were a challenge as Leclerc became accustomed to the complex nuances of the championship, with more than one error and an acceptance that he had to delegate certain elements to the team. But since a set-up change, and approach, in Azerbaijan, the amiable youngster has thrived – and it is his consistency that has been hugely impressive. Some young hot shots are peaky, providing glimpses of potential, but Leclerc has been a regular midfielder this year, taking a string of Q2 appearances and converting a trio of them into Q3 berths. That he retains an admirable sense of humility and capacity to recognise he still has to improve – and that he is in effect the same person he was in junior formula – is a credit to his upbringing, and such an approach will aid in future environments, or if he encounters setbacks. The final two pre-summer events were messier, amid offs in the German rain and a misguided conservative approach during Hungarian qualifying, but that is the purpose of a rookie season with a squad such as Sauber: to learn. And he is learning very quickly. 

Qualifying. Qualifying. Qualifying. That has been Marcus Ericsson’s bête noir for much of the 2018 campaign. Ericsson was quietly impressive against the highly-rated Felipe Nasr and Pascal Wehrlein but has faced a different challenge against the hurricane-force of Leclerc. Ericsson expectedly held the upper hand early but once Leclerc got a grip on Formula 1 it has been the Monegasque who has thrived. Between China and Germany Ericsson on average started five positions behind his team-mate, effectively leaving him on the back foot in the very competitive midfield, and sometimes forced to adopt alternative strategies on account of his uphill task. His race pace is far stronger than his one-lap ability and his knack of preserving Pirelli’s delicate rubber is an oft-unheralded trait, one that assisted him in ending his lengthy points drought this year. There have been a few low moments, such as the DRS-instigated off at Silverstone, but Ericsson is continuing to develop as a driver – though as he now approaches the 100 GP mark that is of little surprise! Getting on top of the softer tyres on low fuel, as the track and pace ramps up on a Saturday afternoon, has to be his biggest target area across the next events. 

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Relieved Force India feared same fate as Caterham and Manor

Force India chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer has admitted the rescued Formula 1 team feared it would suffer the same demise as Caterham and Manor after falling into administration. 

The Silverstone-based Force India team’s salvation was revealed on Tuesday after its administrators agreed a deal with a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, father of current Williams F1 driver Lance. 

That means the team has been returned to solvency, with all 405 jobs saved and “significant” funding guaranteed, plus a commitment to pay its creditors in full.

When Caterham and Marussia went into administration at the end of 2014, only Marussia was able to continue, having gained fresh investment under the Manor name. 

However, it was placed in administration again at the end of 2016 before it collapsed for good. 

“Once we went into administration, there were a couple that have been there and didn’t come out,” Szafnauer told Motorsport.com. “So, there is a lot of trepidation amongst all the team members, and a lot of anxiety, because we didn’t know where it was going to go. 

“It’s a huge relief to know there’s a future for the team. We’ll be able to continue as a normal Formula 1 team.”

Szafnauer played a key role in helping the administrators find the investors, with Stroll’s consortium comprising Canadian entrepreneur Andre Desmarais, Jonathan Dudman of Monaco Sports and Management, fashion business leader John Idol, telecommunications investor John McCaw Jr, financial expert Michael de Picciotto, and Stroll's business partner Silas Chou.

  

The new owners’ plan regarding senior team personnel is unknown. 

Vijay Mallya, co-owner of the team for the last 11 years, has been its official team principal, with Bob Fernley acting as his deputy. Szafnauer said he did not know if he and Fernley would retain their positions. 

“It’s early days," he said. "I would hope they would keep the senior management on. 

“This just happened, I haven’t sat down with the new owners to say ‘what do you want to do?’.”

Stroll has been helping bankroll Williams for the past two years, as his son Lance made his grand prix debut with the team in 2017.

The younger Stroll is now expected to switch to Force India, which is likely to pursue a name change now it is not under Mallya’s control, for 2019. 

Szafnauer said the driver situation was the same as the one facing team personnel. 

“In the near future, we’ll have all those conversations,” he said. “But that’s looking forwards, not looking backwards.”

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Sainz: Partnering Alonso would be "biggest ask"

Being Fernando Alonso's teammate is probably “the biggest ask” in Formula 1, according to Carlos Sainz.

Sainz grew up watching two-time world champion Alonso, who is weighing up whether to continue in F1 after this season.

They have been linked as possible teammates next season, with Alonso understood to be keen on McLaren bringing Sainz into the fold.

In the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix before the summer break, Sainz – who has since been called an attractive option by McLaren – was pressed about the prospect of partnering Alonso.

Asked if he was ready to beat Alonso, Sainz said: “I don’t know, because I haven’t even though about it, as still it’s not happening.

“I’m ready to beat anyone in the field. My racing spirit and my competitiveness and my self-confidence tells me that I can take over anyone.

“Probably Fernando would be the biggest ask that you could have on the grid, that’s for sure.

“But yeah, I would feel ready for anything.”

Sainz had jokingly responded to a preceding question about whether speculation linking him to a McLaren drive alongside Alonso was true.

“You’re going for the headline here, right,” said Sainz. “No, I cannot comment on it.”

Sainz said nothing would change until the situation became clearer at Red Bull but could be affected by Ricciardo failing to sign a new deal.

That is exactly what emerged one week after Hungary, which means Sainz has been forced out of Renault and must seek refuge either back at Red Bull or somewhere new.

The prospect of driving alongside, or replacing, Alonso at McLaren is a romantic notion given the closeness of the two Spaniards.

Sainz told Motorsport.com earlier this year that fighting Alonso on track was something he could never have imagined when he started his career, and believes it has furthered his racing education.

“I think since I arrived in F1 I have started next to him in nearly every race, which is quite strange,” he said.

“It’s something I didn’t expect, because you would expect Fernando to be fighting for world championships instead of fighting with me in the midfield at the beginning of my career.

“But what I feel particularly proud of and particularly happy is that these few years I’ve been taught by the best. I don’t feel I’ve been driving in the midfield.

“I feel like I’ve been driving for world titles, because simply to be up against Fernando in every race, also Jenson [Button], when he was in McLaren, it’s been a great feeling.

“That is what it makes me feel ready for whatever comes.”

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RICCIARDO ON EPIC AMERICAN ROAD TRIP

This summer the open road is calling and Red Bull went the extra mile, enjoying the sights and sounds of America on a truly epic road trip! From crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to speeding down the Strip enjoy this awesome slice of Americana.

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MARKO: VERSTAPPEN VETOING SAINZ IS BULLSH!T

Reports that Max Verstappen has vetoed any chance of Carlos Sainz replacing Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull are way off the mark according to team consultant Helmut Marko, suggesting that the Spaniard is still in the running to replace Renault bound Daniel Ricciardo.

In the wake of Ricciardo’s surprise move to Renault for 2019, Red Bull have available one of the most coveted seats on the grid available. Sainz, with his Toro Rosso and Red Bull background, was expected to slot into the team alongside Verstappen.

However, reports since emerged suggesting that Red Bull would want to avoid pairing the two who endured a fractious relationship when they shared a garage with Toro Rosso.

The Austrian doctor told El Confidencial, “Daniel called me on Thursday to inform me about the decision to leave the team at the end of the season. He spent most of his career at Red Bull and told me he wanted a change.”

“Now we will have to think about who will be Max’s teammate. The rumours that point to the veto of Verstappen of Sainz, are bullshit. Red Bull is the only one that decides on its driver pairing,” added Marko in typical no-nonsense style.

Thus it would be fair to assume that Sainz, on loan to Renault, is still high on the list to get Ricciardo’s vacated drive.

Toro Rosso team chief Franz Tost, who managed the pair during their time at Toro Rosso rates Sainz highly, “Carlos has a speed similar or equal to Max.”

In the end, Red Bull put their money on Verstappen rather than Sainz when the young Dutchman was promoted to the senior team to replace wayward Daniil Kvyat at the time.

Verstappen seized the opportunity to win his first grand prix for the team – the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Pierre Gasly is also in line to be promoted, showing well in his first full season with Toro Rosso in the top flight.

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BROWN: INDYCAR DECISION DOES NOT DEPEND ON ALONSO

Fernando Alonso’s future in Formula 1 is still up in the air as the Spaniard is still considering an Indycar campaign, his McLaren team chief Zak Brown confirming that a Stateside move is still on the cards despite suggestions that such an option had gone cold.

Brown told Marca, “Fernando is very interested in IndyCar, he likes the series, but he has not decided what he wants to do yet.”

Last year, after Brown orchestrated Alonso’s Indianapolis 500 foray, McLaren were considering an Indycar programme and although this may be on the back-burner the team chief insisted that such a programme is not dependent on the double F1 world champion’s plans.

Brown said of his team’s Indycar ambitions, “The decision does not depend on him. Fernando is not only interested in the triple crown (winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indy 500) I think he is also targeting the three titles: Formula 1, Indycar and WEC.”

Andretti Autosport ran a car in McLaren colours for Alonso in last year’s Indy 500. Although the Spaniard retired from the race when his Honda-powered Dallara stopped late in the race after he had led a few laps.

During the month of May, Alonso charmed the American racing scene with his enthusiasm, commitment and obvious talent.

Team chief Michael Andretti is keen to run Alonso for McLaren but has said he would ideally like a decision by the middle of this month.

However Brown says he is not aware of the deadline while revealing that there are other Indycar options on the table which the team is studying.

The McLaren chief explained, “I have not heard him put a date, that’s Michael’s date, that’s assuming we’re going to go with Michael and we could, but they’re not our only option. We know we have to make a decision soon or we’re going to run out of time to be properly prepared.”

“We are in the process of deciding when to enter IndyCar and when we do it will be the beginning of a long commitment to the category.”

“Formula 1 is our priority and we believe that to compete in IndyCar it has to be in a situation where we can be competitive. We think we can do that. It has to allow our brand to grow, but we have to be sure that it does not distract us from our goals in F1.”

“Right now we are focused on F1, we have to make decisions about the drivers and we have just signed a new technical director [James Key] but while saying that we still have time to make a decision about IndyCar by 2019.”

“We have several options for drivers and the announcement of our drivers will have an element of surprise,” added Brown.

Indeed there are a myriad of options. One of these – signing Daniel Ricciardo – came to nought as Renault scooped the Australian on a two-year deal.

The option of Alonso remaining with the team is still very much a possibility, although his current teammate Stoffel Vandoorne’s future is hanging in the balance as the team also has Carlos Sainz on their radar as well as their own junior drivers Lando Norris and Nyck de Vries.

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WOLFF: ARRIVABENE WILL BRING HIS NEW BOSSES UP TO SPEED

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has given insight into the influence of late Ferrari chief Sergio Marchionne’s in recent negotiations with Liberty Media regarding the future path of Formula 1.

Wolff describes the Italo-Canadian executive as a larger than life character who gave a great deal to Maranello during his spell at the helm of the Italian marque.

In an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Wolff said,”Marchionne gave a lot to Maranello. His death is a big loss. He has the most powerful voice in meetings, in the strategy group and in negotiations. It is impossible to replace him.”

But it did not take long for Ferrari to replace Marchionne, with Agnelli heir John Elkann taking the helm as chairman and new CEO Louis Camilleri.

But Wolff believes the transition of power will be smooth not only for the team but also for future talks with regards to the path forward for Formula 1 in the Liberty Media era, “Maurizio [Arrivabene] remains our sparring partner.”

“Maurizio and Mattia [Binotto] and the whole group want to make sure that the Formula 1 team is guaranteed to continue as in the past.”

“Maurizio was in most of the talks and represents the team in the strategy group, therefore, he will be up to speed quickly. But of course, there was only one Sergio Marchionne.”

“Maurizio will provide the new man with a lot of knowledge and information, so I think he will catch up very quickly,” concluded Wolff.

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VILLENEUVE: IT’S GREAT RICCIARDO IS GOING TO RENAULT

Jacques Villeneuve has hailed Daniel Ricciardo’s move away from Red Bull to Renault, a surprise decision which the Australian said was the most difficult decision he made.

Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, told Journal de Montreal, “I’ve talked about this for a month but no one believed me. Everyone thought he’d stay with Red Bull but it’s great that he’s going to Renault which is a factory team with great resources.”

“Next year Red Bull will be partnered with Honda in 2019, which is not really reassuring. In addition, Red Bull is also focusing everything on Max Verstappen,” added Villeneuve.

The big question now is who will Red Bull hire to partner Verstappen, with the likes of Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly and even Brendon Hartley all promotable from within the energy drinks organisation’s pool of contracted drivers.

When asked who he believes will be the best replacement for the Australian, Villeneuve replied, “Who to succeed him at Red Bull? I think Sainz and Gasly are in the best position to replace Ricciardo.”

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Mid-season review: Patchy STR making gains 

Yet again we continue our team-by-team mid-season review with Toro Rosso, which took up McLaren’s abandoned supply of Honda power units, and has consequently had a mixed season.

Toro Rosso entered a new era in 2018 with Honda and the early signs were encouraging, running reliably during testing, and forging close ties with the Japanese marque through cultural and language lessons – small, but important steps. Lofty ambitions of fighting for fifth place, or above, in the standings have expectedly been unfulfilled, but it has been a promising campaign, with several standout results, achieved courtesy of Pierre Gasly. Frequently the STR13 has been on the fringes of points, a statistic that reflects on the domination of the top three and the speed of Renault/Haas – and sometimes Force India – as opposed to any deficiencies for Toro Rosso. For its part, Honda has made gains in the second year of its current power unit concept, with an update in Canada delivering encouraging progress, and most engine-related penalties taken for tactical purposes. 

Gasly was forced to wait for his Formula 1 opportunity but has grasped it with both hands this year, complementing his on-track displays with a relaxed and personable off-track demeanour, an attitude that has not gone unnoticed at Red Bull. When the opportunities have presented themselves to Gasly – on the few occasions where Toro Rosso’s STR13 has truly thrived – he has taken the points. Gasly’s 26 points this year have come at just three Grands Prix: his starring drive to fourth in Bahrain (prompting the ‘now we can fight’ radio message, a less-than-subtle dig at McLaren), and mature performances to take seventh in Monaco and sixth in Hungary, the latter largely down to his calmness and pace in the preceding wet qualifying session. There have been low moments – a scruffy qualifying lap in Australia, and clashes in Azerbaijan (not his fault), Spain (not his fault) and France (partly his fault), but overall this has been a very promising season. Gasly used to struggle with tyre management but some of his stints this year have been noteworthy, and he has added that skillset to his armoury without sacrificing the natural speed. 

Hartley’s unexpected F1 chance was one of the feel-good stories of 2017 but 2018 has been less rosy, with Red Bull’s ruthless attitude already having come to the fore, preparing the conveyer belt for the next generation. Whereas Gasly grabbed the chances, Hartley did not, either through misfortune or his own mistakes. He could not get near Gasly in Bahrain, then had a first-lap collision, and was unable to convert his strong pace in Monaco when it mattered, owing to a tardy Q1 opener and traffic. Strategy then skewered him in Hungary. The first chunk of the season was largely terrible, amid sizeable crashes in Spain and Canada, and his near-hit with Gasly during qualifying in Azerbaijan. But the last few events have been more encouraging, even if his Silverstone weekend was wrecked by mechanical failures, while he faces a tough benchmark in Gasly. Highly articulate and thoughtful, Hartley will swiftly find employment elsewhere should Toro Rosso deem him surplus to requirements for 2019.

 

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Carey aims to sort 2021 F1 plans “in the coming months”

Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey believes that the key elements of the sport’s 2021 regulatory and commercial package can be finalised “in the coming months”.

The 2021 engine regulations, which have already been delayed after the four manufacturers rejected what was originally proposed by the FIA and F1, remain the priority, and are expected to be confirmed soon.

After pushing through the front wing changes to improve overtaking in 2019, Carey remains confident that he can make further progress on longer term plans. But he acknowledged that it will require compromises to be made as discussions continue with the 10 teams.

“We’ve introduced some recent regulation changes for next season,” said Carey. “And we’ll introduce a larger list of sporting regulation changes in the coming weeks to further improve the sport.

“Most importantly we continue to move forward with a broader set of changes to cost structures, revenue distribution, regulations and governance – the so-called Concorde Agreement. We’ve made good progress with the teams, agreed on the goals and objectives, and now need to work through the details to find the right compromises as we finalise these agreements in the coming months for the 2021 season.

“I feel good about the discussions. The devil is always in the details, and we have details to work through. But I think people agree with the goals, people agree with the direction, and I think the overall points of what we’re trying to achieve, and the vision for the sport.

“We need to find the right compromises as we get into the details. Nobody is going to get everything they want, but I think everybody recognises that. You’re not done until you’re done, but I feel good about the discussions, good about where we’re going, and good about the engagement with the teams.”

New commercial agreements
Along with the 2021 engine regs, Carey hopes that the sport can make further steps in the near future towards finalising other areas of the rules, along with the new commercial arrangements that will replace the current Concorde Agreement.

“In terms of what we’re finalising, certainly we are looking to finalise the major components,”he said. “There will always be components that are moving, it’s not like you are done, particular with issues like regulations. They are a living, breathing process, and will continue to evolve.

“So you’ll have a set of regulations in place, and whenever you put sporting regulations or others, some change less frequently – obviously an engine doesn’t change that often – but other regulations will clearly change. And I think with the things we’ll put in place we’ll probably continue to find ways hopefully to make whatever we put in place better.

“What I’m talking about is more than just the engine regulations, I’m talking more holistically, probably not completely, but getting the major components in place.”

Carey would not be drawn on the new commercial arrangements, which will clearly have a huge impact on the future profitability of the F1 business.

“What the revenue distribution is, both amongst the teams and between us and the teams, is part of those longer term discussions for 2021,” he said. “I think those are discussions at this point we’re best having with the teams in private, and when we get to the place and we finalise that we’ll be happy to discuss where we’re at and what we think the opportunity is under that revised structure.

“But since those are live discussions with the teams I’m not going to comment on that. Those are still best had in a private room between us and the teams.”

No rigid deadline
Carey admitted that one of the biggest problems is that there is no pressing deadline, with 2021 appearing to still some way down the road to the participants in the discussions.

“I don’t want to put out a specific deadline for it,” he said. “One of the challenges of bringing it to a completion is that the effect of many of these things is 2021, so there isn’t a natural deadline – usually it’s made easier by having a deadline that you have to get it done by.

“I think we and the teams all recognise and know that it would be good to get these things stabilised so we can all plan for the future. I think there’s a shared objective to get it done, but there isn’t an external forcing mechanism, but I think our goal is to move this forward and try and get it done in the coming months.”

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Lauda was only days away from death, say doctors

Doctors who carried out Niki Lauda’s lung transplant say his life expectancy without the operation was mere days or weeks.

Three-time F1 world champion Lauda is now expected to make a full recovery following the surgery in Vienna’s General Hospital in Austria last week.

A total of seven specialists today provided detailed information on the circumstances that led to his emergency operation.

Marco Idzko, head of the hospital’s division of pulmonology, explained: “Mr Lauda suffered from a so-called haemorrhagic alveolitis. This is an inflammation of the alveoli [the air sacs inside the lungs], which has been accompanied by bleeding into the pulmonary tissue and respiratory tract.”

After he was taken ill, Lauda received immunosuppressive therapy, which led to “a significant improvement in the respiratory situation”.

However, acute lung disease then occurred in the 69-year-old, meaning that immune cells in the blood migrated into his lungs and attacked the tissue there.

“This ultimately leads to the destruction and loss of functional lung tissue – and the patient is no longer able to absorb enough oxygen through his lungs,” added Idzko, who said this scenario carries a high mortality rate.

With further drug therapy options limited, Lauda had to be given mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit.

“Unfortunately, after 10 days in intensive care, because of a critical oxygen supply, therapy escalated,” says cardiologist Gottfried Heinz. “We had to perform a mechanical lung replacement, an ECMO – an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.”

At this point,they said Lauda had a life expectancy of only a few days, which resulted in him being listed for transplant and assigned a high LAS (Lung Allocation Score) that measures the urgency rating according to objective criteria.

“We could assume that he would be assigned an suitable organ within the next few days,” said thoracic surgeon Konrad Hotzenecker, who performed the transplant last Thursday together with Walter Klepetko and his team.

“The average waiting time in this case is five days.”

Recovery process begins
Lauda was fitted with a new donor lung that his physicians say has settled well into his body.

“The lung has an excellent primary function, so that we were able to remove the circulatory support, the ECMO, in the operating theatre,” explained Hotzenecker. “The graft lung has taken over its function well.”

Cardiology director Christian Hengstenberg added: “We can state that the patient survived it excellently and could already be extubated after 24 hours. That means, the tube in the lung could be removed and the patient could breathe spontaneously.

“This is extremely important for us and for the entire healing process as well. We can see that he is fully conscious and that all the institutions are functioning properly. Everything is completely in order. It's a very, very gratifying development.”

The doctors reported that patients can leave the hospital after two or three weeks after this operation, although in Lauda’s case this could take a little longer due to the situation in the intensive care unit.

He is receiving an intensive physiotherapeutic and respiratory programme, and numerous drugs.

The physicians have given Lauda a good prognosis for recovery: “Our survival rates are over 90 percent after one year, and around 75 percent after five years," said thoracic surgeon Peter Jaksch, who emphasized that patients usually have a good quality of life afterwards.

Klepetko said it would not reduce Lauda’s ability to return to work.

“Future activities should not differ significantly from previous activities – if all goes well,” said Klepetko.

“The situation is such that we really expect him to be able to return to a life that is normal for him. Time will tell whether we will reach our goal.”

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Teams take $23m income hit as F1 revenues drop

The Formula One Group's revenue fell in the second quarter of 2018 compared to the previous year – and once again the 10 teams will share a drop in their income as a result.
Overall revenue for the F1 Group fell 5% in April-June compared with the same period last year, from $616m to $588m. The slice of the pie shared by the 10 teams fell 7% from $330m to $307m – in other words, between them they earned $23m less over that quarter. F1’s operating income was down 69% from $45m to $14m.

There was no change in the number of races held in the quarter, with both 2017 and 2018 featuring seven grands prix. However, Liberty says that one reason for the revenue fall is that last year the quarter’s share of broadcasting fees represented a 7/20 share of the annual total, while this year, with an extra race, it is 7/21.

In addition, last year the second quarter included one extra flyaway race, Russia, and such events are typically more lucrative than races reaches by road. However, that was “partially offset by fee inflation in underlying contracts.”

Liberty says income was boosted by a change in the way revenues from official partners and suppliers is recorded.

It noted that “these fee elements were previously recognized pro-rata with the race calendar, but the majority are now being recognised evenly over the calendar year, and others over a smaller number of specific events. This change provided a modest tailwind to advertising and sponsorship revenue in the second quarter of 2018 but will be neutral on a full calendar year basis.”

Sales of parts for the new generation of F2 cars also provided a boost to revenues.

Liberty added that “cost of F1 revenue decreased modestly, driven by reduced team payments due to the pro rata recognition of such payments during the season, partially offset by increased costs associated with providing component parts to F2 teams and costs associated with increased fan engagement activities, freight, technical activities and digital media.

“Selling, general and administrative expense increased primarily as a result of increased marketing and research costs and foreign exchange movements.”

F1 also repaid $125m of debt: “Total debt attributed to Formula One Group decreased $354m during the quarter primarily as a result of debt repayment. During the second quarter, F1 repaid $125 under its revolving credit facility.”

Summing up the results, F1 boss Chase Carey said that an extended contract for the Belgian GP, and a new deal with Amazon Web Services, were among the highlights of the period.

“We successfully returned to France, at the Paul Ricard circuit, for the first time since 1990, and hosted our second fan festival for 2018,” said Carey.

“We made progress across many fronts as we entered into an exciting global sponsorship agreement with AWS, renewed global sponsorship deals, renewed the Belgian GP and continued to expand on our digital content offerings.”