Formula 1 - 2017

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FORCE INDIA GET CASH ADVANCE AS HAAS WITHDRAW VETO

Ahead of the 2017 Formula 1 season Force India needed a cash advance of their 2016 Formula 1 prize money, due at end of this year, to help them ease into the forthcoming season, with most teams agreeing to the release of funds except Haas who declined.

Since then Auto Motor und Sport report that a flurry of negotiations have ensued which has resulted in Haas relenting, with certain conditions, and thus Force India will receive the crucial financial advance on their prize money.

There is history between with Haas and Force India. Vijay Mallya’s team were the American team’s biggest critics before they entered the sport – claiming that the Gene Haas owned squad was a mere Ferrari junior team and questioned their status as a constructor.

There is also well documented history regarding Force India and start of season cash flow…

Thus saga began when Force India requested that the rights holders pay an advance of $10-million in lieu of future prize-money payments, which thanks to fourth place in the 2016 F1 world championship for constructors amounts to $80-million for the Silverstone based team’s coffers.

Normally, the application – which has to be agreed by all the other teams – is a formality. Teams tend to agree as they may one day be in a financial pickle too. But this time newbies Haas vetoed the Force India request, thanks no doubt to the bad blood between the two teams but also because the American team wanted something in return.

Rewind to circa 2014 when Haas had to pay the FIA a $20-million deposit to enter Formula 1, fully refundable at the end of the second year of racing at the pinnacle of the sport.

But Haas want some cash now, so they requested an advance on their deposit, citing that their second year in the sport will obviously happen and a little extra early cash would be welcome.

Thus when the FIA World Council voted to release a chunk of the Haas deposit to the Kannapolis based outfit, before the start of this season and the rest at the end of the season, Haas lifted the veto on Force India’s advance from the rights holders.

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Lewis Hamilton 'won't have anything easy' in 2017 promises Daniel Ricciardo

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo insists Lewis Hamilton won't enjoy an "easy" ride to the title in 2017 and is confident that Red Bull will be a match for Mercedes.

Red Bull and engine partner Renault made massive strides across 2016, enabling Ricciardo to finish third in the standings, behind Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Hamilton, having taken victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

With Rosberg having retired, and Mercedes having signed Valtteri Bottas as his replacement, Hamilton has been widely tipped to take his fourth world title this year. Ricciardo, though, doesn't believe that the Briton will cruise to overall honours.

"2016 was really encouraging for the whole team," he told the official Formula 1 website. 

"We found ourselves fighting again for wins, podiums and pole positions. It was a great step closer to where we want to return to. And from what I hear about the new car, I would definitely risk a bet in our favour.

"I think we can challenge, yes. If we make the same improvements we did last year then he [Hamilton] won't have anything easy, believe me."

Ricciardo added that he now fully understands Rosberg's decision to retire and admitted he was briefly interested in the vacant seat, but reckons Red Bull will provide him with an opportunity to take the title.

"At first it was a surprise, but once I went through it in my head and put myself in his shoes I understood it a lot better," he said.

"He has a family now, he's been involved in the sport even before he was racing himself through his dad Keke, so it's a long career in that respect. It drains you with all the travel and commitments and he reached what he wanted, so now it's time for him to chill out. I get it mate!

"It was a crazy position it put Mercedes in. I'm sure every driver called, or thought about calling Toto [Wolff] and Niki [Lauda]. It's been interesting to see it evolve and now Bottas has his big chance. We'll see how he goes.," he added.

"[It was] tempting for sure, to have a feeling of how that car works. But 2017 is a new year and I'm hoping my car will now be the championship one! For me, I am best where I am: at Red Bull Racing."

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Why F1 might be about to, finally, get it right on overtaking

As a million memes these days have it: well, that escalated quickly.

Bernie Ecclestone’s F1 dominance was, after near enough half a century, ended in a stroke it seemed. Likely his days were numbered from the point that Liberty Media took over the sport’s commercial rights late last summer; perhaps you can trace it back further to various other things. Yet in the event BCE’s preponderance had concluded as Ernest Hemingway once wrote of bankruptcy: “gradually, then suddenly”.

And in the short time since it was confirmed the sport’s commentariat have been like kids in a sweet shop, constantly identifying the next F1 problem that we’ll now at last be free to solve. It reflects that, for all that what Bernie for the sport did cannot at all be underestimated, he left it also with a number of conspicuous avenues to proceed much further into.

But there is one jar of sweets that we need to gobble before all the others – that of the quality of the racing. That modern F1 racing cars very rarely actually race each other (without gimmickry at any stretch), due to the lingering matter of ‘dirty air’ not letting them follow closely through corners and therefore have a reasonable chance of passing on the following straight. One suspects that if that is got right then plenty of the other problems that are cited – real though they are – will likely seem less pressing.

Of course, F1 remains F1. Signed contracts remain signed contracts; many of them are long-term too. F1 governance remains slow and creaking, and self-interest among the protagonists will not disappear either. All this means things in any area are unlikely to change overnight. But that in itself may, in a way, not be such a bad thing.

This was outlined by no less a figure than Ross Brawn. The man who as part of the post-Bernie shake-up is F1’s new managing director for the sporting side. The man whose presence ensures that the sport’s leap into the new seems a lot less daunting than it might have otherwise.

Talking about the sport’s new aerodynamic regulations and tyre widths brought in for this season, and on any decisions taken in response to how these new regs go down in Melbourne in March, Brawn said: “I don’t want any of these things to happen in a knee jerk manner for the next year because that will disadvantage somebody and we don’t want to do that. We want to have changes planned over a long enough time that nobody feels they are disadvantaged and so they can join in the process and support it.”

Fortunately too Brawn eschewed the overtaking gimmickry we’ve mentioned in solving the problem. Such gimmickry was but sticking plaster, and while it allowed overtaking numbers to sky rocket its effect ultimately has become corrosive.

“I’m not a great fan of DRS if I’m honest” Brawn went on. “It artificially solved a problem that we didn’t want to tackle head on. It doesn’t have the quality or merit of a full-on overtaking manoeuvre, the fact that you can press a button and get past almost means we never see those full-on [overtaking manoeuvres]. We don’t know when something has been a really quality overtake because they are all button-induced now.”

According to the numbers there was a sharp increase in overtaking in the 2016 season from the campaign before, resulting in one of the highest annual totals ever, but it demonstrates merely the importance of getting context to go with your stats. Few fans had their heartbeats quickened by what they were watching.

Brawn’s warning of the knee jerk also is apposite, as many fear that the mentioned changes for this year were made rather in haste. That they were framed a mere 18 months after F1 made likely its most radical shift in technical regs ever suggests this was so, as does that when it comes to the quality of the racing the consensus is that the change will be at best useless. Maybe it will be worse than useless.

The banner headline of the new way when it was conceptualised in 2015 was that F1 cars would be quicker – the figure of five seconds a lap was banded around liberally – with those framing things taking the odd view that this should be an aim in of itself for the rule-makers. They likely were panicked by complaints at the time about there not being a sufficient pace gap between F1 and GP2.

But as Martin Brundle outlined during this latest off-season, this is at best a secondary issue.

“A question I ask all over the world is, ‘How much slower than a top F1 driver is Valentino Rossi around Silverstone or Barcelona?’” said Brundle. “People say, ‘Three seconds? Five seconds? Ten? And you say no, half a minute! People can’t believe it, but it’s true.

“Half a minute a lap slower than F1 – but they [MotoGP bikes] look bloody amazing. Speed is not the issue…”

Worse though was how that fall in lap time for 2017 is to be achieved. “Significantly increased aerodynamic downforce” said the prospectus. That same aerodynamic downforce assumed invariably as the bête noire to wheel-to-wheel racing.

For many of the sport’s observers the means of getting cars to race each other seems glaring. Reduce the downforce and, perhaps while you’re at it, allow more grip to come from the car’s underside rather than the top surfaces. Simples.

It may not be simple though.  That we’ve gone so long without landing on a solution to the sport’s ‘dirty air’ problem – it’s been really pressing for upwards of two decades – should indicate that the answers aren’t easy, even allowing for the sport’s habitual dysfunction and vested interest.

More pointedly as Dario Franchitti noted not so long ago cars with tiny wings may struggle more in another’s turbulence, as they become highly dependent on the small amount of aero downforce they can muster.  

“I drove the Champ Car with the speedway wings on, I think it was 2001-2002,” he said, “and because they had limited downforce, if you were leading [and] had clear air, great. As soon as you got behind, running a second a lap quicker around a short oval, you just couldn’t get close because your car was so reliant on any fraction of downforce. So you have to be careful of that…Any car in the last 20, 30 years has had some [downforce], so when they say ‘take all the downforce away’ you’d have to take everything away.”

Paddy Lowe too has explained that when on the sport’s previous Overtaking Working Group (OWG), that fed into the 2009 regs, they discovered that of all of the possible changes that they looked at for the rear wing to reduce the negative impact of the wake on a car behind, removing the rear wing altogether was in fact was one the least effective solutions.

We can reflect in this ilk that at Monza (and before that at the old Hockenheim) where wing levels are shallow F1 races haven’t suddenly become overtaking-fests.

“The paddock is full of amateur aerodynamicists, amateur overtaking experts and car wake experts”, Lowe said, “and actually when you get into the experimentation you find that things were not actually as you expected.” Lowe added that the OWG’s work around ground effect also suggested that was far from the panacea that often is suggested.

Pat Symonds late last year got to the crux of this matter however. That F1 despite everything simply does a lot of these things blind, and doesn't take the time to investigate changes properly.

“It’s a true generalisation [that more aero means less overtaking],” he said. “[But] no one knows [whether the new regs will aid overtaking] and that’s one of the very unfortunate things about Formula One.

“We will move into new regulations without enough thought going into them. Sometimes it doesn’t need a great deal of thought, sometimes – for example with the safety regulations – a great deal of work goes in before they’re written. But many of the sporting and, shall we say, the holistic technical regulations are done, in my opinion, without enough research behind them.

“The trouble is there’s no mechanism for that so when you say ‘ok, is a 2017 car going to be easier to overtake with?’ well no one knows. It’s a shame because I think with a sport like we have, a global sport, a sport that has an awful lot of cash in it, we really should be setting up something that does research these things and gives us a much more long term view, particularly this year it’s been very knee jerk in a lot of regulation changes we’ve done.”

But judging by Brawn’s words after taking on his new role, it seems the sport is minded to change on this one.

“One of the things I want to do within FOM is to create the capacity to study those things,” Brawn said. “FOM’s never had that capacity and has always had to take the opinions given to it by other parties.

“The FIA do a little bit of that, but what I would like to do is create a small group of people within FOM that have the experience and the knowledge to look at those problems and those challenges so that we have our own opinion on what could be the solution.

“We would work with the teams and the FIA of course, but we would also have some knowledge ourselves.”

‘Yes, but we’ve been here before’, some of you may be stating at this point. And you’d be right. One indeed can go back and flick through the Autocourse annual from 1996 and find an item stating haughtily that some or other think-tank to get overtaking back into F1 was to be set up. Not sure what the fruits of that actually were.

Then we have not least those 2009 regulations based on the work of the OWG that we’ve cited, which going by that this article exists at all didn’t resolve the problem. Lowe has insisted though that those 2009 regs broadly achieved the OWG’s aims, albeit were scuppered somewhat by the double diffuser loophole being discovered and then were rather cloaked by the splurge of overtaking-but-not-as-nature intended brought about by DRS and gumball Pirelli tyres. In any case, Lowe recently added that “we are at that point in the aerodynamic cycle where it is time for a reset and to go back down to a fresh lower level of downforce, as we have done over the last 20 years.

"We have periodically reset the aero to stay within a certain window and at the moment we are at a historic highs of downforce, so it would be time to go lower and that would give a benefit in car following.”

And yes for the reasons given – that it hasn’t been resolved after decades of trying; that it’s not nearly as straightforward to solve as many suggest – the answers will not necessarily be simple as stated. But at least now it seems F1 is giving itself the best chance of finding them.

[MIKA27]

McLaren Applied Technologies wins FIA tender for F1 engine sensor supply

McLaren Applied Technologies has won the FIA tender to supply engine pressure and temperature sensors to all Formula 1 teams from 2018 to 2020.

As part of the FIA's drive to cut costs in F1, engine sensors will be standardised throughout the grid from next season. McLaren has supplied all teams with engine control units (ECU) since 2008.

"McLaren Applied Technologies will provide a range of quality components to all competitors in the series, offering a cost-effective solution while retaining the high precision and reliability required by the demanding environment of Formula 1," a statement reads.

"This latest announcement is a further demonstration of McLaren Applied Technologies’ commitment to improving motorsport for teams and fans."

"We’re delighted McLaren Applied Technologies has been chosen by the FIA to be the trusted sole provider of engine pressure and temperature sensors for the 2018 to 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championships," McLaren Applied Technologies motorsport director Rodi Basso added.

"From the ECU technology in every Formula 1 car to the engineers supporting teams at the track, McLaren Applied Technologies continues to be at the heart of motorsport.

"Our mission is to provide an unrivalled service, ensuring the world's premier race teams and series can continue to grow and delight fans around the world."

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Jenson Button tries out British Airways flight simulator

Watch 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button try out life as a pilot in the British Airways Airbus A380 flight simulator.

 

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Don't expect McLaren to be at the front this year - Zak Brown

New McLaren CEO Zak Brown is aware of the challenge that his team faces this season, on the back of two years of disappointing results, and although confident it will make the most of the rule changes, he doesn't expect the squad to be at the front of the grid.

McLaren has struggled since reuniting with Honda in 2015, finishing a lowly ninth with just 27 points on the board, but made progress last year, tripling its points tally to emerge sixth overall.

That came about through both chassis and power unit improvements, but while both McLaren and Honda are confident of making big steps forward this year, Brown is keeping his expectations in check.

"I’m in constant touch with both Jonathan [Neale] and Eric [Boullier], and our senior engineers too, and I think our 2017 chassis will be a decent one," he told the official Formula 1 website.

"I’m not going to make any precise predictions – I’m not that dumb – but all the indications are that, relative to the targets we thought were realistically attainable under the new regs, our guys have done a very good job.

"Also, let’s not forget, Honda is a fantastic power-unit partner. No company in the world manufactures more engines than Honda does – absolutely none – and the Honda engineers have a tonne of knowledge about turbocharging."

With Honda planning to introduce an almost entirely new power unit based on the Mercedes split turbo concept and major aero rule changes, some have tipped McLaren to re-emerge as a championship challenger, but for now Brown is only eyeing progress.

"We all know that 2015 and 2016 were learning years, and we won’t be at the front of the grid in 2017 either," he added. "But we’re working incredibly hard, together, as one team, and the progress is clear to see.

"We know we’ll win together in the end – we don’t know when so don’t ask me to make that prediction – but as I say we’re making progress and that’s the important thing."

[OZCUBAN]

Welcome back from what I presume was your holidays mate good to see you back on board won't be long now 

cheers steve 

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Alonso: Aero, not engine, the "big question mark" for McLaren

Fernando Alonso is convinced Honda will get its Formula 1 engine right this year, but admits McLaren's aerodynamics remain a "question mark".

Though McLaren's performance has been largely determined in recent years by Honda's struggle to get on terms with rival engine manufacturers, Alonso believes it will be how well his team masters the new aerodynamics that decides 2017 form rather than power output.

"Let's say that Mercedes, the top power, will be difficult to reach, we know that - not for us, but for everyone," Alonso said.

"But I think we can be close enough that we can fight.

"I'm 100 percent confident we will reach the power that we want to reach, on aerodynamics I think it is more of a question mark."

After three years of rules stability, the overhaul of the aerodynamic regulations for the coming season has the potential to shuffle the order, and Alonso suspects some teams will quickly realise others have found better interpretations of the new designs.

"When there are new rules you can be lucky or unlucky," said the McLaren driver. "It depends on how every team interprets the rules, how the philosophy of the car goes.

"Maybe you choose to go right and someone in the paddock chooses to go left and you find in race four or five that your package aerodynamically goes to the left because you started wrongly.

"Hopefully we are one of those who does the job from the beginning."

     

More motivated

Alonso said the possibility of a major shake-up this year combined with McLaren and Honda's improvement from 2015 to '16 meant his motivation was "high" going into the new season.

"The motivation last year was just to arrive to the Monday after Abu Dhabi and forget about 2015," he admitted. "This year is different, the motivation is higher because there are expectations for next year.

"The rules change which will mix things a little bit. There is the progress that Honda made this year which I think is very positive and gives me confidence for next year as well.

"I'm really looking forward to Australia in March. Last year it was 'OK, hopefully in Australia everything will change', but there are so many things that had to change that you have hope, but it's a big hope.

"This year we just have to fix a few things so the hope is more real. You are more motivated because of that."

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Analysis: Teams split as F1 2017 braking forces go up by 25 percent

Formula 1’s new rules for 2017 may have revolved around aerodynamic and tyre changes – but their impact means that many aspects of the car are going to be pushed to extremes in the season ahead.

One area where the change is going to be really felt is under braking – with torque forces predicted to be around 25 percent higher this year than they were in 2016.

This has meant a jump in the size of the brake discs being used for 2017 – with the maximum thickness going up from 28mm to 32mm. The change can be seen in the image below.

But the changes are not just about stamping harder on the brakes, for the increased car grip coming for 2017 could drastically change the nature of some circuits – and turn what were once easy braking circuits into tough ones.

Furthermore, the complexity of modern braking systems – especially with the way brakes and ducts have been used for tyre temperature management and aerodynamic performance – has meant that teams are divided about how best to approach the campaign ahead.

Why the 25 percent leap?

The increase in brake force is not something you would automatically expect from the way in which F1 cars are getting quicker this year.

For it sounds logical to suggest that a car that goes slower in a straightline and takes corners quicker would actually need less braking – not more.

It would surely only make sense for braking force to go up if the cars were faster on the straights and slower in the corners; so needed to scrub off more speed.

But car dynamics can be quite complicated, and it is the increase in grip this year – through both wider tyres and downforce – that is key here. For it means drivers will be able to brake harder and later.

Brembo's Mauro Piccoli told Motorsport.com: "The level of grip is higher so you can basically transmit more force in a shorter time under braking. That results in the peak of braking torque – and we are predicting a 25 percent jump."

There could be further knock-on consequences too from the faster cars – because now with some corners flat-out, drivers will be arriving at subsequent turns much faster than they were before.

Piccoli explains: "We have seen on the simulation that some corners where cars were slowing down a bit – like in a sequence where you had a first turn and then a second one (such as Turns 2/3 at Silverstone) – the car used to slow down in the first corner so have reduced speed when it entered the second one.

"We are expecting that at some tracks, where the first corner is not too tight, that it will be taken at full throttle, so overall speed entering the second one will be a lot higher than in 2016.

"So what we think is that at some tracks like Silverstone, or Interlagos – the real number of stops is going to decrease but the energy of the stops is going to increase. This is translating as a higher braking torque. What were low duty tracks in 2016 could become heavier in 2017.

"And if you are loading the disk with more energy in a shorter time you have to dissipate the heat more quickly – which is why we need more cooling."

Technical changes

The increase in forces means that the rules around brakes have changed – so that the maximum width of discs goes up to 32mm for this season.

The larger size has meant that there will be greater flexibility for cooling holes, with the number set to increase from the 1200 that Brembo were drilling before to 1500 this year.

"The thicker disc will allow us to have more cooling, as there will be more space for cooling holes," adds Piccoli. "It also allows us to design a stronger fixing to the brake valve, because for 2017 we are predicting a huge increase in the braking torque. So we need a disc that can be designed accordingly to this braking force."

Piccoli expects braking G-forces to exceed 6G this year.

Overtaking impact

One of the big fears about the 2017 regulations is that, while cars will be more spectacular and faster, the racing may not be any better.

Higher aerodynamic sensitivity may make it more difficult for drivers to follow each other closely, and the shorter braking distances will make things even tougher when it comes to finding a way past your rivals.

But Piccoli suggests that things may not all be bad – and the phenomenon of some corners being heavier on brakes this year because cars are arriving at them much quicker could actually lengthen up some braking zones.

"Certainly some braking distances will be shorter, but we still have to understand if the braking is comparable to before," he said. "If you arrive at a corner having not slowed down the car for an earlier turn, then the second one is becoming heavier. So the speed will be a lot higher than before, and in the end the braking distance could be a lot higher and the power going on the brakes will be higher.

"We have our simulations, but it is hard to make an average value considering all the different tracks. But before making any guess, I think we have to see on the cars. Barcelona [testing] will give us a good indication – and right after the first test we can be more precise."

Teams divided

One interesting aspect that has emerged about brakes ahead of the campaign is that there is not a consensus among teams about the maximum dimension of discs they will run at the rear.

The arrival of Brake-by-Wire systems in 2014, where the kinetic Energy Recovery System helped in slowing the car, meant that rear brake discs and calipers got smaller. The discs shrunk in diameter from 278mm to as low as 268mm – although all Brembo's teams retained the 28mm thickness last year.

For 2017, despite the predicted increase in forces, some teams have elected not to make the jump up to 32mm – feeling that the extra 150 grammes of weight that comes with the larger disc is not worth it.

It was interesting that towards the end of last year, Mercedes ran a lot of brake experiments in free practice sessions with a view to 2017 design.

Piccoli explains: "Right now, we have teams that have decided to go ahead with the 28mm disc, and teams that decided to move to the 32mm at the rear. It is certainly related to the brakes and braking performance, but that is not the only reason.

"In the past years, brakes have also been used to control the temperature of the tyres, so I think these two choices lead also a different way of controlling the temperature on the rear. We will see.

"It is now a choice that has been done in terms of caliper design. Anyone that decided to go to the 32mm can move down to the 28mm if needed, you can always run a thinner disc. But it will be more difficult for whoever decided to stay on a 28mm to move to a 32mm without changing the caliper."

At the moment, a small majority have opted to stay with the 28mm [the current split is 60/40] – and the answer about which direction is the best may only come once testing gets underway and teams better understand the 2017 Pirelli tyres.

"We clearly have to understand what will be the real load on the brakes, and what will be the real need from the driver. The driver is not thinking about braking torque or pressure in the brake line – he only cares about pedal travel versus retardation. His expectation is of how the car slows down compared to a certain pedal position or certain force on the pedal.

"We now have to understand with these changes, what is the load compared to the feeling of the driver? Then we can adjust the brake system accordingly.

"We have done a lot of work in simulation, but every team has its own brake system, and we can see different approaches in brake systems for this year. We need to see who has got it right."

Barcelona testing then will not just be able how well the new generation of cars go. There is going to be a lot of intrigue about how well they stop too.

 

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Hamilton asks fans to design 2017 F1 helmet

Lewis Hamilton will run an all-new helmet design in 2017, with the livery being picked from a fan competition that he has opened.

The three-time world champion wants fans to create a new helmet for him, and will race with the design during the next F1 season.

Fans wishing to take part in the competition have been asked to download a template design and then log their designs on Instagram. Details of the competition can be found here.

As well as Hamilton using the fan design during the next F1 season, the winner will also pick up a full-sized replica that has been signed by the Mercedes driver.

F1's regulations mean that once Hamilton starts the season with the helmet design he must keep it for the entire campaign, although is allowed to run a one-off special at a race of his choosing.

While drivers in the past have run fan-designed helmets at single grands prix, this is the first time that a driver has elected to race one for an entire season.

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Smedley set for Williams role change

Rob Smedley’s role at the Williams Formula 1 team will evolve this season, with the performance chief set to also focus on medium- to long-term development.

Smedley attends all grands prix and has been responsible for running the Williams cars at the track, and that will continue to be a part of his role.

But Smedley admitted Williams, which finished fifth in the constructors' championship last year, needs to focus on planning further ahead if it is to become a frontrunner and that will now be part of his remit.

“I’ll still straddle between design and aero,” he told Motorsport.com's sister publication Autosport.

“But I will not only look after at the short-term - making sure the car runs and maximises its potential at the track and that we have a slick operation in terms of what we’re doing with the racing team.

“I’ll start to look at the more medium- to long-term development. It’s important that we start to concentrate a bit harder on that, in order that we’re making steps into higher-performance fields and not always trying to work at the same level.

“That will be a key part of what I’m doing.”

There were rumours of a change of position for Smedley late last year, with some suggestions hinting that he was spending more time at the factory.

Smedley admitted the plans remain fluid, especially given the changes to the outfit’s technical department.

Chief technical officer Pat Symonds parted company with the team last month, with Paddy Lowe expected to re-join the team in a senior position.

When asked about how he will split his time between the track and the factory, Smedley said: “It’s not entirely defined.

“That’s not because we’re disorganised but because we’re trying to see how best the structure is going to fall out and where best to use everyone’s talents.

“It will become clear, especially when the new car comes out, as a lot will depend where the biggest need is.

“I work for Williams, I’m passionate about this team, as I have been since I was a kid. I’m happy to be part of the on-going rejuvenation of Williams and I want to see it through in whatever role that is in.

“It’s important for me to see it through to the end. I’ve made a commitment to the team.

“It was a lean year [in 2016], but people who don’t show resolve and walk away during the lean times for a more comfortable warmer environment to be in are perhaps not the people Williams want to employ anyway.”

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McLaren's Alonso sure some F1 teams will get new rules wrong

Formula 1 teams face a high chance of getting the 2017 rules wrong, believes Fernando Alonso.

After three years of rules stability, the overhaul of the aerodynamic regulations for the coming season has the potential to shuffle the order as well as achieving its stated goal of significantly-faster lap times.

Alonso suspects some teams will quickly realise others have found better interpretations of the new designs.

"When there are new rules you can be lucky or unlucky," said the McLaren driver.

"It depends on how every team interprets the rules, how the philosophy of the car goes.

"Maybe you choose to go right and someone in the paddock chooses to go left and you find in race four or five that your package aerodynamically goes to the left because you started wrongly.

"Hopefully we are one of those who does the job from the beginning."

Though McLaren's performance has been largely determined in recent years by Honda's struggle to get on terms with rival engine manufacturers, Alonso believes it will be how well his team masters the new aerodynamics that decides 2017 form rather than power output.

"Let's say that Mercedes, the top power, will be difficult to reach, we know that - not for us, but for everyone," he said.

"But I think we can be close enough that we can fight.

"I'm 100% confident we will reach the power that we want to reach, on aerodynamics I think it is more of a question mark."

Alonso admitted his focus in 2015 "was just to arrive to the Monday after Abu Dhabi and forget about" the year, but that McLaren and Honda's joint improvement last year was encouraging.

Coupled with the possibility of a major shake-up, the 35-year-old said his motivation was "high" going into the new season.

"The rules change which will mix things a little bit," he said.

"There is the progress that Honda made, which I think is very positive and gives me confidence for 2017 as well.

"I'm really looking forward to Australia in March."

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Toro Rosso took risks in 2016 F1 season to counter engine deficit

Toro Rosso took risks during the 2016 Formula 1 season to counter the deficit of running a year-old Ferrari engine, according to team principal Franz Tost.

The Italian team had a stopgap year with Ferrari's end-of-2015 power unit, while its rivals ran new specification engines that were developed throughout the campaign.

While it matched its 2015 constructors' championship result of seventh, Toro Rosso went from its drivers qualifying fifth and seventh for the season opener in Australia to 14th and 15th in the penultimate round in Brazil, before its puncture- finale.

In a bid to offset that slide, Toro Rosso introduced a new aero package in Germany, but spent several races trying to understand if it was a step forward relative to its rivals.

"We risked a lot," Tost told Autosport. "We had to risk a lot and we came up with a completely new aero package.

"We had already a very good car on the aerodynamic side.

"With a new aero package we got more downforce and the car was better, but of course if you have more downforce sometimes there's a little more drag.

"The others made some progress with the power unit and everything together meant that we simply didn't have any more of a chance to be permanently close to them.

"We couldn't catch up any more, it was too much.

"There was no way to develop the chassis to a level that we successfully could compete against the other teams where the power unit as well was developed."

Despite the struggles, Tost praised Ferrari for the job it did ahead of the team's return to current-spec Renault engines this year for Carlos Sainz Jr and Daniil Kvyat.

"It had nothing to do directly with Ferrari's power unit as it didn't drop off," said Tost.

"It was always the question mark from me because you must see that the output from the power unit was always the same, all over the season.

"Ferrari did a fantastic job, was always the same."

[MIKA27]

PROST: TO WIN FERRARI NEED LESS MOOD SWINGS

Alain Prost knows a thing or two about working at Ferrari when times are good and also when times are bad, and he suggests that the legendary Italian team need stability and composure to succeed again in Formula 1.

In the aftermath of the Maranello revolution at the end of 2014, which resulted in Sergio Marchionne taking over as president, Maurizio Arrivabene thrust into the role of team principal and Sebastian Vettel slotting into the garage alongside Kimi Raikkonen, results have hardly been stellar.

Granted in 2015 Vettel delivered three victories and 12 podiums, but in 2016 the team went without a win and fell to third in the F1 world championship pecking order when the scores were tallied up at the end of the season.

In the light of this, Prost told Repubblica, “I spent two years in Italy [with Ferrari]. One year was beautiful, the other terrible. This is due to the specific character of the Italians.”

“I say that in order to win a series as competitive as the Formula 1 World Championship, you have to work in a more linear and stable manner, with less mood swings. And every word should be chosen wisely,” ventured Prost who was a Ferrari driver in 1990 and 1991.

“One thing is clear: if the title is promised at the beginning of a season, then later when things go badly it becomes very difficult to keep the calm,” added the four times F1 World Champion in clear condemnation of Marchionne whose 2016 preseason expectations which put the entire team under huge pressure before a wheel had turned in anger.

Invariably the Reds wobbled during the course of last season, not helped by reports of internal strife and instability coupled to Marchionne’s lack of understanding of the sport. Although it is fair to say he has been a fast learner, appearing far more contrite and modest in his expectations ahead of 2017, so far.

Prost added, “It is not easy to achieve a real stability at Ferrari. You can see that nervousness prevails there, and this is not a racing team that knows how to deal with it.”

“This is a team that needs composure to come to the fore and play a leading role again as it did at the time of Todt, Brawn and Schumacher. This is the only way to do it,” predicted Prost.

[MIKA27]

TODT: DO NOT PUT MICK UNDER TOO MUCH PRESSURE

FIA president Jean Todt has known Mick Schumacher since he was a toddler, thanks to his close relationship with his father Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, and is asking that media and fans to not put too much pressure on the youngster.

Speaking during a session at SPOBIS, Todt told delegates, “Mick is a wonderful boy, I can only ask everyone to go easy on him and not put the kid under so much pressure.”

“Mick is supposed to go his own way, he loves racing, and he has shown in Formula 4 what he can do. But we should be allowed to work it out in peace,” added Todt.

17 year old Mick Schumacher, who was one year old when his father claimed his first F1 world championship title as a Ferrari driver, will drive in Formula 3 this year with the Prema Powerteam after a string showing in Formula 4 last year.

Recently Ferrari indicated that the red carpet to the Ferrari Driver Academy is ready whenever Mick decides to follow in his father’s footsteps to Maranello.

Schumacher senior won five F1 world drivers’ titles and 72 Grands Prix for the Italian team.

[MIKA27]

ROSBERG: SCHUMACHER INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED ME

Nico Rosberg has credited Michael Schumacher as an essential element in the success of Mercedes in Formula 1 over the past three years, while admitting that Formula 1’s greatest driver was inspirational in his own championship winning year.

Speaking during a television interview, Rosberg recalled the 2010 to 2012 when he was Schumacher’s teammate at Mercedes, “It was an exciting time and a big challenge. This is an enormous effort to have such a strong team-mate. You can see why he is seven times world champion.”

Rosberg and Schumacher spear-headed the Silver Arrows return to Formula 1 as a works team in 2010, with the seven times F1 World Champion ending a three year sabbatical from the sport.

The period coincided with Red Bull’s dominant streak at the pinnacle of the sport. In 56 races Schumacher scored only one podium, but laid the foundation for the success that followed in the wake of his departure.

Rosberg acknowledged that Schumacher had a “significant part in the fact that I am a Formula 1 World Champion.”

“His attitude, his keep-fighting spirit as he took the whole team forward with him, inspired and motivated me,” added the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion.

Ross Brawn, who was Mercedes team principal at the time recalled, “We no longer had the success of earlier years [at Ferrari], but his dedication was the same.

“Winning was still a part of his DNA. No one should underestimate how much Michael did for the success that the Mercedes team now enjoys,” added Brawn

[MIKA27]

MAGNUSSEN: NEW F1 CARS WILL SUIT MY STYLE

New Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to the the 2017 Formula 1 cars which will have more grip and more power while relishing the prospect of teaming up with Romain Grosjean.

Magnussen said in an interview, “I’m a driver that, if I have a problem, it’s most of the time because I’m over-driving. I naturally tend to overdrive the car. And these new cars will probably suit that better than less downforce. So, I’m looking forward to it.”

“It’s going to be fun to try. If our expectations are true, then they’re going to be the fastest Formula 1 cars ever, probably, so that would be exciting.”

Magnussen spent 2016 as teammate to rookie Jolyon Palmer at Renault, and while praising the Briton he admitted that he is looking forward to partnering Grosjean.

The Dane said, “I learned from Jolyon last year, but from Romain I’m sure I’ll learn more, because he’s an extremely fast racing driver. Jolyon is fast as well, but Romain is also very experienced.”

“I prefer to have an experienced team-mate. It’s good for the team but it’s also good for me as a driver to have someone that I can really learn from,” added Magnussen.

MIKA: Magnussen will be awesome at HAAS

[MIKA27]

HÜLKENBERG: THE NEW CAR FEELS BRUTALLY FAST

Renault’s new signing Nico Hülkenberg is expecting exceptionally fast Formula 1 cars in 2017 after sampling exactly what he can expect during a series of simulator runs which he has been doing regularly.

Hulkenberg has revealed that he is astonished at the increase in speed and told Auto Motor und Sport, “The new car feels brutally fast.”

No doubt Hulkenberg is not the only 2017 driver to have sampled what to expect in 2017, as Ferrari, Red Bull McLaren and Mercedes also have sophisticated simulators for their drivers to train with. They will also know what is in the bag ahead of testing in Barcelona next month.

Engineers expect 20 to 30 percent more downforce. Depending on the track this could equate to cars being anything between two and five seconds per lap quicker than their predecessors.

Venues with high speed sectors such as Barcelona, Silverstone, Spa and Suzuka are expected to be a daunting challenge.

High speed corners become flat-out sections of track, while medium speed corners become the new ‘ballsy’ corners.

Hulkenberg said of his simulator experience around Circuit de Catalunya, venue for the two preseason tests and the Spanish Grand Prix, “Turn 3 and Turn 9 are absolutely full throttle. Previously only Red Bull or Mercedes could have managed that.”

Force India technical chief Andy Green said, “You can see that the cars are faster even without looking at the lap times. Not only in the curves, but also braking distances are even shorter thanks to the downforce and wider tires.”

Some are predicting that overtaking will be a lot more difficult in 2017, pointing at increased downforce and greater traction as the ‘culprits’ for this.

But Hulkenberg predicted, “The DRS effect is much more pronounced than in the 2016 cars.”

However he did concede, “In Monte Carlo you will no longer be able to overtake. You just drive in the middle of the road with the wide cars and that’s it.”

[MIKA27]

Kaltenborn: Ecclestone’s departure signals a turning point in F1

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has suggested that it could be a good thing that Bernie Ecclestone will have a significantly lesser role in the sport.

Sauber is a team considered to be small compared to the rest of the franchises on the grid, with Kaltenborn hoping for the problem to be rectified with Liberty Media taking over.

"The exit of Bernie Ecclestone is a turning point for the whole of Formula 1," Kaltenborn  told the Sport am Sonntag programme.

"I see this less as a relief and more as an opportunity for the whole of Formula 1. It is a big change when the person who made the final decision on everything is no longer there.”

Kaltenborn also gave an example of Ecclestone’s confined approach with regards to broadcasting rights affected the Swiss outfit.

"As a team, we cannot use the moving images from the race of our own car, for example — on any medium,” she said.

"The most important thing is that, as a sport, we can get closer to the fan and be able to communicate."

"I see this as all fundamentally positive.

"But I am also not so naive as to believe that everything will now be right.

"I think there is a long way to go. But we now have a promising environment, thanks to the new owners.”

[MIKA27]

Ferrari eyes innovative piston solution thanks to 3D printing

Ferrari is looking towards 3D printing technology in a bid to introduce an innovative piston design that could deliver a big step forward for its 2017 Formula 1 engine.

While Ferrari has maintained, under the orders of president Sergio Marchionne, a strict code of silence about its hopes for the season ahead, work is progressing hard at Maranello on ensuring a much-needed step forward.

Having put pressure on itself at the start of 2016 with bold declarations about winning the first race of the season, this year Ferrari's efforts are taking place under a shroud of secrecy.

Development of the 668 project is well advanced, and it is on schedule to make its public debut at Fiorano for a filming day on February 24 – with the car set to be unveiled on the internet as has been the case in recent years.

It is possible that the power unit that will be fitted to the car for the testing phase will be just a first step though, because back in the engine department, chief designer Sassi Lorenzo and Enrico Gualteri, who is responsible for assembly, are hoping to finalise bold changes that could deliver a big step forward in performance.

Technical director Mattia Binotto, who got transferred from the engine department, is expecting a breakthrough in the engine thanks to a final design that may have very little in common with the 2016 version.

The talk is that the main focus of change will be in combustion, with the chamber set for a considerable increase in pressure thanks to the latest work on the Turbulent Jet Ignition System that has been used in recent years.

It is suggested that there is a new micro-injector design from Magneti Marelli – which helps ensure the perfect flame for the ignition chamber to increase performance, but also minimises fuel use to reduce consumption.

The changes will put the engine under tremendous forces – with 400 bar pressure possible – plus a big increase in temperature that can be a threat to reliability.

To meet its targets, Ferrari is having to revolutionise its approach to engine design, and has decided to focus on innovation. Tests are now ongoing about a novel piston design concept that use a new steel alloy.

Although manufacturers are limited by the FIA in terms of the materials they can use, Ferrari is looking to move away from aluminium that is commonly used.

The reason is it wants to find something that is more resilient to the higher stresses (and thermal expansion) so does not compromise reliability.

Aluminium alloys are lighter than steel allows, but they have less ability to resist deformation and not break in extreme temperatures. Extra weight in moving parts like pistons is a big issue, so the focus has been on finding a solution that performs better and has more reliability.

To help its quest in finding the right alloy, Maranello engineers are evaluating the latest 3D printing technologies (known in the industry as Additive Manufacturing).

Using this technique allows engineers to build up thin layers on material one at a time, so it is possible to create complex shapes that have not been possible before using traditional casting and machining methods.

The degree of freedom that comes from 3D Printing, allied to the speed of production, has opened up a new frontier of design development for something that was once limited to prototyping plastic parts for wind tunnel models.

The use of materials like steel alloys – which in normal casting processes would be unsuitable for the production of an F1 piston – can now be considered because you no longer have to manufacture full surfaces. Honeycomb designs are possible.

Such honeycomb concepts bring the advantage of strength without the drawback of weight.

While Ferrari is unlikely to be alone in looking at this technology, Binotto is hoping to get the performance improvements on track as soon as possible – and it could be as early as the start of the season.

[MIKA27]

Analysis: Manor F1 2017 design offers clues to new cars

The demise of the Manor team on the eve of the 2017 Formula 1 season was a blow to Formula 1 and reduces the grid down to 20 cars - something that has not been the norm for nearly a decade.

The end of the road for Manor also came at a time when the outfit should have been close to the sign-off of its 2017 F1 car, with numerous images of its wind tunnel models emerging on the internet over the past few days.

Chassis shape

Both of the chassis designated for use during 2017 had already been constructed, and were positioned in their respective race bays at the factory.

But although the chassis were ready, little else was. For as the flow of money diminished, Manor's suppliers were put on hold in order to limit the financial damage of the team going into administration.

The design at the rear of the chassis indicates that, like the works Mercedes team has done for the last three years, F1's minnows had too decided to run a liquid-air cooler sandwiched between the fuel cell and front face of the power unit.

It is also understood that it had decided to move some of the electronics from within the sidepods to this crevice, in order to maximise aerodynamic performance from the cars flanks.

Stillborn racer?

The MRT07 has been the focus of Manor's designers for some time now, and although all we have are some images of the lonely chassis and the wind tunnel model, there are still plenty of interesting design features.

The deltoid shaping of the front wing is a requirement of the new regulations, with the addition of a wedge shape forming the leading edge of the neutral centre section.

Just above it, the designers have set the wide shallow nose as far back over the neutral section as they can, rather than perched out over it like its predecessor.

The position of the nose, and perhaps more importantly the tip, has been a focus of the teams since the neutral section was introduced in 2009.

Their proximity and shape changes how the neutral section behaves, using it to generate downforce and improve performance downstream.

The front wing has been subject to numerous changes, taking into account the increased width of it and the tyre located behind.

A more aggressive out wash tunnel is complemented by numerous upper elements, with an outward turning 'r' cascade sat slightly inboard of a three element open-ended cascade, with lower surfaces curved to match those of the flaps below.

This is a design feature we've seen employed by both Williams and Caterham on the FW36 and CT05 respectively, and has likely been revived by a need to break up airflow across the face of the tyre and push it out around it, given the new wider dimensions.

The outwardly curved end plate is also furnished with an up wash canard, assisting in this redirection of airflow around the tyre and improving the shape of the wake shed by the tyre.

The main plane is separated into two main elements and supplemented by additional slots above the curvature of the out wash tunnel.

Meanwhile, the upper flaps have been redesigned when compared with their 2016 counterparts - their tips meeting as the lower of the two is upturned to meet the other.

A similar design has been run by Renault in the past, and will have an effect on the Y250 vortex they're in close proximity to. The inverted L-shaped canards placed ahead of the flaps are also being used to manipulate the ferocity, shape, rotation and placement of the vortex as it moves downstream too.

The wheels, now wider to meet the regulations, will be an area of development for the teams that will likely be a point of interest over the season.

Although there are still restrictions in place in terms of what can be done, there will probably be moves to employ more complex structural designs to improve aerodynamic impact.

The delta shape of the sidepod has expanded the role of the bargeboards for 2017. The ones on the Manor windtunnel model wrap around the sidepod's front face, and meet with an extended axe head section on the corner of the floor.

Their forward most section draws alongside the car's splitter, and the serrations help to improve the relatively larger surfaces efficiency - whilst the leading serration curves over to form both a support and a horizontal aero surface.

The sidepods, which have grown in width to suit the car's overall girth, allowing the team to play around with the orientation of the radiators and intercoolers to improve internal airflow efficiency.

They are still flanked by an upper leading edge slat, stretching from the cockpit and mounted astride a single vortex generator, before curving around the sidepod's shoulder and finishing several inches above the floor, in a similar fashion to the appendages used circa 2005-08.

You may also note how much further the slat and conditioner sit away from the sidepod's surface in comparison with the trend that has been applied in the last few years.

Having reached their maximum width at the front, the sidepods swiftly taper around the internal structures toward the cooling outlets, which are raised to improve the undercut and expose the floor.

The tyre squirt deck ahead of the rear tyre has two large L-shaped cut-outs, in order to shape the airflow as it is pushed laterally off the tyre into the diffuser, which starts 175mm ahead of the rear wheel centre line rather than on it like its predecessor.

The first thing you'll note toward the rear of the car is that 'shark fins' are back on the agenda, abandoned by teams after their connection with the taller wings that permitted the F-Duct was ruled out, as they could no longer fulfil the same purpose.

The shorter, slanted wings of 2017 once again suit their needs as they'll protect the rear wing from turbulent airflow generated upstream that could be problematic to the lower assembly, especially in yaw.

The lower, wider, slanted rear wing still has leading edge slots to take airflow inboard even with the regulated curvature of the new endplate surfaces.

Twin pylons support the rear wing, adding rigidity to the assembly that may have been lost due to the new geometry in place of the singular pylon sported by most teams last season.

Plus the open-ended louvres pioneered by Toro Rosso and subsequently used by several teams last season to displace the vortex generated at the wings tips also found their way onto the Manor challenger.

Halfway house

With the team's difficult financial position clear in early January, the team had begun work on the possibility of running an interim solution.

It would have required modifying the 2016 car – and work was underway on an interim solution that was going to be designated the MRT05B.

It is understood that the changes being made to the car included extending the bodywork to meet the new regulations – which meant a revised underbelly and wing pillars for the nose, a revised splitter and plank installation, bargeboards, sidepod upper covers, a new floor, rear wing and revisions to the height of the diffuser.

But in the end the work stopped when a buyer could not be found – bringing the curtain down on the team.

With a limited budget, Manor's planned MRT07 may well have been the car with the fewest details on the grid anyway – but it shows us just how complex aero development is likely to be in 2017 as we await launches next month.

And as our artists' impression above show, basing the 2017 plans on the 2016 colour scheme, we can only imagine what the car would have looked like.

[MIKA27]

Daniel Ricciardo RB7 F1 showrun at Houston

Daniel Ricciardo brings the F1 show to our new partners ExxonMobil as he takes the RB7 for a spin around their Houston campus.

[Baldy]

Welcome back @MIKA27, hope you had a great vacation.

Looking forward to the new F1 season.  I'm excited and optimistic with the new management.  I hope McLaren are finally able to get their act together this year.

Finally, I have always believe and continue to believe that the biggest obstacles to passing and exciting racing in F1 is the tracks.  Until tracks are designed/modified to allow racing and passing, racing is not going to get more exciting.  With to many tracks, the racing is over after the start.  After that you're just waiting for a mechanical problem or driver's error.

[MIKA27]

2 minutes ago, Baldy said:

Welcome back @MIKA27, hope you had a great vacation.

Looking forward to the new F1 season.  I'm excited and optimistic with the new management.  I hope McLaren are finally able to get their act together this year.

Finally, I have always believe and continue to believe that the biggest obstacles to passing and exciting racing in F1 is the tracks.  Until tracks are designed/modified to allow racing and passing, racing is not going to get more exciting.  With to many tracks, the racing is over after the start.  After that you're just waiting for a mechanical problem or driver's error.

Thank you @Baldy

I completely agree about the tracks, for me, Herman Tilke designed tracks are horrible and I believe like most things in construction, ideas and designs should be put out to tender and not just be exclusive to one designer who time and time again demonstrates that the tracks designed hold back the spectacle of F1. COTA is the only exception IMO.

The tracks may be wider but the overtaking still lacks and I hope this season will be better as far as spectacle and I hope teams like Williams, McLaren, Renault, Force India and HAAS can be alot closer for some great battles up there alongside RBR and Mercedes. I'd even love to see Sauber succeed such as they were several years ago when Perez was there.

[MIKA27]

Expect teams to sandbag in testing – Hembery

Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery has hinted the true form of this year's F1 contenders won't be witnessed until the opening rounds as teams attempt not to give too much away to rivals in pre-season testing. 

F1 will undergo a major technical overhaul in 2017 in an effort to readdress the balance between engine and chassis superiority, with aerodynamic tweaks and an increase in tyre size destined to raise corner speeds and improve lap times by upwards of five seconds. 

Though teams will continue to keep their technical details well-guarded until launch dates loom towards the end of February, Hembery doesn't believe the ensuing eight days of pre-season testing will give everything away either as packages are honed up to the first race in Australia. 

“I think we will get an idea in Barcelona, but I think there will be a lot of sandbagging and hiding in Barcelona,” he told Crash.net. “I don't think anyone will show their hand because the aero package is so different that I am sure there will be a few dummy runs for the teams that feel confident in their simulations. They don't want to give any team a one month head up to what rolls out of the garage in Melbourne.” 

Indeed, with only limited testing available to teams prior to the Australian Grand Prix, Hembery admits Pirelli will also need to conduct some real-time tweaking once the season is underway as Barcelona in February and March won't provide the data it ideally needs. 

“We have managed to perform a lot of development work on the mule cars but of course those cars are four or five seconds slower than the cars we are going to see in Melbourne,” he continued. “So there is some verification work to do, some of that we will do in Barcelona but the reality is – due to weather conditions – it will be the first races of the season where we truly understand the compounds. 

“We have working off the assumption of the data we have been given and in terms of performance of the cars we need to know if the cars match the data we have been given. Maybe less, maybe more but we won't know until we get the data for the race cars. I am quite sure the brilliance of F1 engineers someone has come up with something that nobody had thought about and we will discover new things along the way.”