Formula 1 - 2017

[Lotusguy]

Ferrari simply had no answer to Mercedes at this race - sad to see.

[MIKA27]

BRAWN: ENGINE PENALTIES ARE HARD FOR FANS TO SWALLOW

Formula 1 technical chief Ross Brawn intends to discuss the farcical engine penalty system with the FIA in an effort to address an aspect of the regulations which he believes fans of the sport are finding hard to accept.

In his post race column, in the wake of the Italian Grand Prix, Brawn said, “On the subject of penalties for changing components, once again there were many of them in Monza.”

“It’s an aspect of the regulations that needs looking at closely, because if it’s right in principle, its implementation is definitely difficult for fans to swallow. We’ve got some ideas about how to change it and we need to discuss it in detail with the FIA to see how to improve the situation.”

Brawn points to the fact that Red Bull drivers – Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen – were among the biggest losers when penalties were dished out for the race, after they qualified second and third respectively but had to start at the wrong end of the grid but went on to show good race pace.

Brawn said, “Daniel Ricciardo was one of the stars of the Italian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing were genuinely competitive at Monza and, if it hadn’t been for the grid penalties he and team-mate Max Verstappen took for changing various power unit elements, the pair might have taken the fight to Hamilton.”

“While Verstappen was ruled out of contention for major points by an early puncture Ricciardo staged a remarkable recovery from 16th on the grid. The best moves of the race were down to him, particularly on Kimi Raikkonen at the first chicane and Sergio Pérez at the second chicane, while his charge to try and catch Vettel in the closing stages, kept the interest alive right to the flag.”

“Setting the fastest race lap was scant reward, but it meant Daniel’s trademark smile was just a little broader come the end of the day,” added Brawn.

He also gave his assessment on the title battle which saw Mercedes comprehensively defeat Ferrari on their home turf. A one-two for the Silver Arrows further increased their lead in the constructors’ championship, while Lewis Hamilton wrested the drivers’ points lead from Sebastian Vettel who finished third on the day.

Brawn reflected, “Ferrari was no doubt hoping for a better way to celebrate the company’s 70th anniversary. However, at home the Prancing Horse wasn’t competitive in either the wet qualifying or the dry race. Vettel’s third place was a real case of damage limitation.”

But added that the Reds could bounce back, “In theory, the pendulum could swing back towards Ferrari in Singapore, at least based on how things went at two similar tracks in Monaco and Budapest, where Raikkonen and Vettel respectively took pole position and where the team took one-two finishes.”

“However, in this sport, things can change very quickly, especially between the two very well prepared and determined teams currently fighting it out for the titles,” added Brawn.

[MIKA27]

PORSCHE: F1 COULD BE ONE OF THE RIGHT PLACES

Porsche has not ruled out a return to Formula One as an engine supplier, the German car manufacturer’s financial chief said Tuesday.

“F1 could be one of the right places,” Lutz Meschke told Motorsport Network. “As you know Formula E is very important for us now, and F1 is always a good topic to think about. And I think we are in quite good discussions regarding the new engine.”

Asked if the current plans for a twin-turbo V6 with less technology could attract Porsche to F1, Meschke said: “Absolutely. We have to cut costs in F1, and it’s a good way to reach this target.”

Meschke also confirmed that “discussions are around being a supplier”, with no plans to form a works team.

Porsche already has a commitment to Formula E with a works-backed team from the 2019/20 season.

F1’s commercial boss Sean Bratches said the sport’s new owners Liberty Media would be delighted to have Porsche on board in 2021.

“Ultimately we’re trying to create a platform and environment where more engine manufacturers and brands and teams come into this sport and make it a compelling business proposition to do so,” Bratches told the website.

“As the individual who kind of runs marketing and branding at F1 the inclusion of Porsche, which is a heritage racing brand in our sport, would be highly valued.”

Porsche has not been involved in F1 since 1991. It was engine supplier for McLaren when Niki Lauda (1984) and Alain Prost (1985, 1986) were crowned world champions driving McLaren-TAG-Porsche cars.

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: I INTEND TO BE LOYAL TO THE TEAM

As a decision regarding the future of McLaren and their engine supplier looms, Fernando Alonso has declared his loyalty to the team and reveals that he is only waiting on the direction they take before committing to them beyond 2017.

Alonso is out of contract at the end of this season and has made his deep dissatisfaction with the current performance of Honda well known. As a result McLaren are enduring three years of hardship, with this season being by far the worst in their illustrious history.

Appearing on the Spanish TV show Hormiguero, Alonso said of the situation, “They have to make their decision before I do mine and I intend to be loyal to the team. We have to wait to see how the situation develops.”

“When they know the chassis and engine package they are going to have, I will make a decision. I will give them a chance, because we have spent very hard times together, I feel part of the team and because I think they deserve it.”

With Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull ruling out a place for the Spaniard – while Renault have indicated they are not ready for a driver of his calibre and most recently Williams denying that they are in talks with him – he has few, if any options to remain in Formula 1. Should he fail to agree to McLaren’s solution, whatever that may be, he is likely to pursue options in Indycar racing. 

“Three years of not being competitive are the limit for a team like McLaren, one of the two best in F1 history. I’m very optimistic,” added Alonso echoing what his boss Zak Brwon said after the Italian Grand Prix.

The McLaren team chief told reporters at Monza, “I think it’s very likely Fernando will stay. He loves the team, he’s passionate as ever to drive. He wants to be in Formula 1 and wants us to be more competitive.”

“I wouldn’t rule him out if it remains status quo. With the stuff that are seeing and we will further review this week. I wouldn’t say that it’s a foregone conclusion that if we do stay with Honda he won’t remain with us,” said Brown adding that a decision on their engine future would be made this week, with Renault emerging as their likely F1 engine supplier should they decide to ditch Honda.

MIKA: That's Alonso talk meaning: "No one else has a drive for me, so I better stick with a team that pays me $30 million to drive.

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WHY IS MCLAREN SO KEEN ON PROBLEMATIC RENAULT?

McLaren are reportedly on the verge of ditching Honda and sign up as a customer for Renault power units which they hope will propel them to the sharp end of the grid, after three year’s in no mans land and the worst period in their illustrious history.

I must say I am puzzled by this decision to pursue Renault so vigourously. Okay Mercedes and Ferrari have apparently closed the door to supplying the Woking outfit, so it must be that Renault is their last resort if ditching Honda is to happen. They obviously need an engine race.

Is Renault a much better alternative?

Granted Red Bull do a reasonable job with their TAG Heuer derivatives of the same power unit that Renault use for their works team.

But the relationship between Renault and Red Bull has been fraught with conflict, not long ago the energy drinks outfit wanted out of the agreement but also found themselves with no alternatives and sheepishly returned to the fold with, not one, but both their teams.

The facts on track are clear that Renault lag well behind Mercedes and Ferrari. Although its hard to estimate how far off the pace they are from the benchmark time, it is estimated that in qualy mode – with Mercedes fully dialed up – the Renault package lacks about 1.5 to 2 seconds on a 90 seconds lap. In race mode they are perhaps a tad closer but definitely not less than a second per lap.

Throw into that the fact that Renault reliability has been bad, admittedly not Honda-bad, but not at a level that inspires confidence and enthusiasm – ask Max Verstappen and Jolyon Palmer how they feel about the engines bolted on to their cars. Their replies would be unprintable.

Renault have not progressed with their power unit Vis–à–vis Mercedes and Ferrari. And their works team, which one would imagine would get the best bits, is actually a bit of a joke right now.

One could point to Red Bull and claim that their chassis is not terribly good this year (remember the windtunnel excuse?) and yet they can occasionally slug it out at the sharp end.

So the logic would suggest that if McLaren can produce a handy chassis the optimists out there could predict that they will be able to run with the energy drinks lads or even beat them, and thus challenge for podium positions. I am sure that is the thinking within the MTC at Woking for those lobbying for a Renault deal.

Unfortunately I just do not share the optimism or see the wisdom of shifting to Renault power.

It is not a proven race winner and, by their own admission, the timeline for Renault podiums will kick in after 2019. By then we will be one year away from the new engine formula and who knows what will happen then.

Throw into all this that Red Bull are again very unhappy about the engine supply they are getting from Renault. Big boss Dietrich Mateschitz and Christian Horner have recently told Renault to catch a wake up because the service they are getting is unacceptable and not worth the money spent.

And this despite a ‘no criticism clause’ in their current contract designed specifically to prevent the Red Bull crew from trash talking Renault. Just notice how quiet Helmut Marko has been amid smoking engines….

Doubt regarding the leadership of Cyril Abiteboul exists in the paddock. Many feel he is out of his depth to lead an operation such as Renault’s F1 efforts and galvanise the staff to the levels that Mercedes have done with their constantly delivering workforce.

Many in the paddock feel but are reluctant to say that Abiteboul lacks the experience and personality to be an effective leader, problem is he does not know it. He clashes with good people (Frederic Vasseur) and insiders say that he never admits when he is wrong. It’s his way or the highway.

That would be fine if he had a F1 CV that shows his methods actually work.

Abiteboul joined Renault in 2001 and worked in various roles until he was made Business Development Manager for the Renault F1 team in 2007 and rocketed to Executive Director of Renault Sport F1 by 2010.

Then in 2012 he was shunted sideways to Caterham, a Renault customer team, where he was made team principal. The team achieved little, even under his command, and shut down with Abiteboul at the helm. Despite this he was (inexplicably to many) appointed Managing Director of Renault Sport F1 in 2014 where he remains.

Abiteboul is arrogant and confrontational, thus it was no surprise that Jerome Stoll and Alain Prost, as brand ambassador, are there to steady the ship. But this triumvirate appears awkward at the best of times… watch this space!

Nevertheless, this is the management scenario that exists as McLaren seek a deal with Renault whose boss an insider describes as “a conflict waiting to happen.”

Hardly a situation that inspires confidence.

Furthermore and perhaps most importantly this deal does not guarantee results, far from it in fact, I would point to Toro Rosso and say that at best – in their first season with Renault power – that’s around where McLaren will be.

Also, perhaps not as important as being competitive, there is the issue of brand synergy. After all McLaren is in the sport to race first and foremost, but equally important is the McLaren Automotive sportscar brand.

The Renault connection – a good car to go shopping with – is hardly the image that is going to have well heeled sportscar aficionados flocking to showrooms. But maybe the same could be said of their Honda partnership…

Last, but by no means least, is the no small matter of the €90-million (and more to come) that Honda contribute to McLaren’s €450-million annual budget to race in Formula 1.

Whatever the case, the current crisis with Honda cannot continue, but it is very much a Catch-22 for the sport’s second most successful team. I do not envy Zak Brown and the guys that are leading the team right now and deciding on its future.

It’s a damned if you do and damned if you don’t quandry they find themselves in with no ideal escape route.

Career breaking decisions are on the line (this week?) with a Renault deal being the bookies’ favourite to happen, but sadly there is no guarantee that Renault is the holy grail of performance that McLaren so desire.

In closing, I venture to say that shifting to Renault is the absolutely wrong decision for McLaren, but at the same time I sincerely hope that if it happens I will be proved wrong, because as much as Formula 1 needs Ferrari to do well, it also needs a strong McLaren team.

[MIKA27]

Max Verstappen on the influence of his father in his path to F1

Max Verstappen’s swift rise through motorsport’s junior categories saw him promoted into Formula One faster than any driver before. And it has proved to be a risk worth taking for Red Bull, as Verstappen has since become the youngest driver ever to win a race or score points in the series. Mobil 1 The Grid spoke to the Dutch teenager to find out more about his path into F1, and why he is full of praise for the focus and dedication passed on to him by his father, Jos.

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Ultrasoft tyres favoured for Singapore Grand Prix

Pirelli has unveiled the tyre compounds each driver has selected for the next round of the 2017 Formula 1 season in Singapore.

The Italian tyre manufacturer has opted for the three softest compounds for the Singapore Grand Prix once again, with the Ultrasoft, Supersoft and Soft tyres being used.

As expected, the vast majority of the field have favoured the Ultrasoft compound, due to the unique characteristics of the race and the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

13 drivers have selected 10 sets of Ultrasofts for the weekend, including the Red Bull and Ferrari racers, while both Mercedes drivers have gone for nine sets.

The Haas pair have gone the most conservative with eight sets of Ultrasofts, instead picking four sets of Super Softs.

Title rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel have gone for similar selections, although Vettel has one extra set of Ultrasofts and Hamilton has one extra set of Softs.

Drivers are able to pick 10 of the 13 compounds, with one set of Ultrasofts being held for Q3 and a set of Supersofts and Softs being put aside for the race (one of which has to be used).

Here’s the rundown of the selections:

[MIKA27]

Tech Explained: Just what is Oil Burn?

Oil burn is the latest technical term to be tossed around in the paddock, and one that the FIA has been actively monitoring and clamping down on as the season goes on. But what exactly is it, and why do the teams want to burn oil?

Burning oil in the combustion process is not new. In fact it is simply part and parcel of using an oil lubrication system. The crankshaft sits in an oil bath at the bottom of the engine which, when rotating at speeds of around 13,000 rpm, inevitably results in some splashing up into the bottom of the cylinders. 

The piston rings then soak it up to reduce friction and maintain the temperature of the piston itself, and as such the oil slides up the cylinder wall and a thin layer lines the combustion chamber. This is normal practice.

However excessive oil burn can cause knocking and significant damage to the cylinder and/or piston head, as well as reducing performance, so at first it may seem curious as to why, particularly during the hybrid era, the power unit manufacturers have been deliberately trying to find ways of getting more oil into the chamber. 

The key differentiation between the power unit manufacturers is what they are doing with the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), as the hybrid system (MGU-K, MGU-H, energy store, the packaging and cooling of these devices) is virtually maxed out on performance now. 

While there are a few methods available when it comes to burning fuel as efficiently as possible within the rules, the teams will have heavily evaluated all of these concepts, so you could probably say that there isn’t much to choose between them in this area now that we are four years into the current powertrain regulations. 

Given that the turbocharged V6 is designed to use a third less fuel over a race distance (with a maximum fuel flow rate of 100 kg/hour even for qualifying) over the previous naturally aspirated V8, the engineers must’ve looked at each other and thought ‘this is going to be a bit underpowered’. So they got creative – lacing the oil lubricant with combustible substances which would essentially increase the fuel mixture’s richness – it’s also worth noting that the oil is heavily refined and far thinner than that used in today’s road cars.

Mercedes and their lubricant partner Petronas quickly latched onto the idea of providing a limited power boost in qualifying – the much talked about ‘qualifying mode’ (also available during the race if required) by increasing the oil burn rate to the maximum 1.2L/100 km as allowed in the regulations.

The blue cloud of smoke leaving the exhaust and distinctive smell trailing behind the car as it left the garage being the giveaway. 

To increase the oil passing into the chamber, Mercedes have made small channels in the piston crown, allowing a controlled amount of the oil substance to pass through to the chamber where It is ignited.

This is totally within the rules but it is difficult to achieve without destroying the engine in the long term, especially when considering that only four power units are available over the season. 

Ferrari are so far the only team that seem to have caught up to Mercedes, to the extent where they were subsidising the traditional lubrication system with an auxiliary oil tank – potentially with a different variant of the oil – just for combustion purposes. 

Mercedes discovered this and complained to the FIA, and after Azerbaijan this was removed from the SF17H at the request of the governing body. 

Over the first half of the campaign the two teams looked evenly matched for both power and reliability but it is clear that the Ferrari has been hampered in a straight line now as a result of the FIA’s clampdown – Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel’s battle in Belgium was enough to prove this, when the German was unable to pass Hamilton on the Kemmel straight during the start and restart.

After this issue was dealt with the FIA also saw a purpose in clamping down on oil burning in the future: any new power unit introduced from Italy onwards must only consume 0.9L of oil per 100 km, and in 2018 this is further reduced to 0.6L/100 km. 

So what did Mercedes do to ensure their fourth and final 2017 engine needn’t comply with the new ruling? They introduced their final spec power unit of the season for Spa, one race before the new guidelines kicked in! 

This action alone gives you a very clear understanding of just how important this oil burning technique is to the car’s overall performance. It also shows they are willing to cast aside reliability worries later on in the season to keep them ahead of the game and it could even factor in the championship outcome too.

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Felipe Massa says he'll race in Formula E after Formula 1

Williams driver Felipe Massa says he will race in Formula E when he eventually exits Formula 1.

The Brazilian retired from F1 at the end of the 2016 season, but was asked to come back for 2017 to replace Valtteri Bottas, who made a late switch to the Mercedes team to replace outgoing champion Nico Rosberg, who announced his shock retirement in December.

Massa agreed and has even suggested he could stay with Williams for another year, but admitted during the Monza weekend that a switch to the all-electric Formula E series is on the cards, when he does eventually call time on his F1 career.

"Yes, Formula E," he replied when asked if he had post-F1 plans. "But I don't know when."

Massa has already completed a test with the Jaguar FE team after approaching them about a drive for the 2016/17 season, before he agreed to rejoin Williams.

"I did a test with them. When I decided to stop F1, I was talking with some teams and with Formula E," he added. "I wanted to see the car, I wanted to drive the car and see how it is. I did a test with them just to see how it is.

"You cannot compare [it to F1]. It's completely different but it is still a competition.

"[There are] some great ideas for the future and the championship is growing. I think it's fantastic, and I see a big future in that category for a driver, especially after F1."

Massa has yet to decide when he will join the series, with that decision heavily dependent on how he feels about F1 and whether or not he is happy with his and the team's performance.

"I need to analyse everything and then decide what is my option for next year and if the options I have are making me happy," he explained.

"I feel that I am competitive. When you see you are competitive and are doing a good job in the car, that really motivates you. But it's true I don't want to be in F1 to be at the back, I want to have a proper job and this is part of my ideas for the future."

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Massa-Stroll Monza battle was "scary" to watch - Williams

Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll's last lap battle in the Italian Grand Prix was "scary" to watch, says deputy team principal Claire Williams.

Stroll, who started second on the grid, was running seventh when he picked up a flat spot, which allowed Massa and Sergio Perez to put pressure on him on the final lap.

The two Williams drivers touched as Massa attacked his teammate while simultaneously trying to defend from Perez, but they all ultimately held position.

"We absolutely let them race and that was probably more to make sure Perez didn't overtake Massa rather than put the pressure on Lance," Williams told Motorsport.com.

"It was a little bit scary the last lap, but we have total trust in Felipe. He's an old hand, he's an experienced drivers and he knows about taking teammates off and the rules around that.

"We had some issues with both cars at the end with some overheating, so I'm glad to get them finishing seventh and eighth."

Massa, who scored points for the eighth time in 13 races this season, felt he was very fair when battling his teammate.

"I had some fight with my teammate," said the Brazilian. "I braked on the left on the main straight. He just moved a little bit too much on my side and we touched wheels, but nothing happened which was good.

"It was a good race for both cars, points are always important."

Stroll's seventh was his fourth points finish of the year, helping him close the gap on his team-mate in the drivers standings to just seven points.

It came after a brilliant qualifying performance, where he was quick through all three segments of a wet session to end up fourth fastest and second on the grid after penalties for the two Red Bulls.

"With Lance qualifying where he did, it's testament to the performance he has," said Williams.

"When he drove the car for the first time in the wet [in qualifying] and did what he did - it was fantastic.

"To have the car to come home where it did, it's a happy way to end the weekend."

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Force India will do "anything" to retain Perez, Ocon

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley is confident that the Silverstone team will keep both Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon next year.

The Mexican is out of contract at the end of the year, and he and his sponsors are eyeing up other opportunities, but Fernley believes that a deal for him to stay will eventually be concluded.

Sources have suggested that Mercedes would be happy to see Ocon move to Renault next year, possibly freeing up the Force India seat for its other protege, Pascal Wehrlein.

Frenchman Ocon was contracted to the Enstone team when it was still Lotus, and his nationality makes him an obvious target for Renault.

However, Fernley is adamant that Ocon has a firm ongoing deal with Force India.

"We'll do everything in our power to maintain the driver line-up we have today," Fernley told Motorsport.com.

"We're in a very fortunate position in that like the top three teams we've got two super talented drivers, and we're going to need that in order to battle for fourth place in 2018, or hopefully even go higher.

"So the last thing we want to do is to lose talent."

He acknowledged that other teams are interested in Ocon, who has scored points in 11 of 12 races this year.

"There's also interest in Max Verstappen. There's a reason why! They're two very talented drivers. Esteban is contracted with us effectively for three years, but two of them are absolutely secure.

"From a contractual point of view it's clear, and I don't think Esteban has got any ideas of wishing to go anywhere else at this point.

"You've got to remember that we identified the potential of Esteban some time ago, and we obviously took the opportunity where others didn't, including Renault, to sign him last year.

"We've now got the benefit of that, and we want to make sure that we optimise that."

Regarding Perez, he said: "There's always alternatives for drivers who don't have contracts, but I believe Checo is happy here, and always has been. We still offer the best competitive seat for him."

[MIKA27]

James Allen on F1: UBS Race Strategy Report - Monza

The Italian Grand Prix is never the most interesting race of the season from a strategy point of view, being a certain one stop race. But in terms of strategic gamesmanship between Mercedes and Ferrari it was utterly fascinating. 

It was clear from Friday practice that Mercedes had the faster package for Monza, which was not unexpected. But Ferrari didn’t get on top of the set up of the car on Friday and couldn’t fix it on Saturday because it rained.

After performing poorly in the wet qualifying, Ferrari found itself not only behind both Mercedes, but also two cars from Mercedes’ customer teams Williams and Force India.

Here we will analyse what went on from that point, which so unsettled Ferrari and how the tactic behind it may have as much to do with the next race in Singapore as with Monza. 

We will also look at how Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull picked a counter strategy right out of Sergio Perez’ Monza playbook to secure a magnificent fourth place, beating the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen. 

But curiously Perez didn’t ‘do a Perez’ on this occasion.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 W08, passes Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF70H, in the Parabolica

Pre-race expectations

Monza has traditionally been a one-stop race, as the relative pace of the cars out on track at 360km/h compared to those travelling at 80km/h in the pit lane, makes it less attractive to do more stops.

This year once again Pirelli brought the supersoft tyre in addition to the soft and mediums. As so often this season with these harder tyres, the teams used only the two softer compounds in the race.

Both were good for 30 laps in the race and there wasn’t a significant pace deficit from the supersoft to the soft. The stop laps were fairly clear however the degradation was lower on race day than on Friday, as expected, so there was room to play with.

The race was unusual in several ways; as it rained in qualifying the teams had a free choice of starting tyre, rather than the usual constraints on the Top 10 runners of using their qualifying set. Most opted for supersoft, for better grip off the line. And it was also a race without a single yellow flag, which happens extremely rarely.

The grid had the two works Mercedes in the top four split by the customer Mercedes engined Williams of Stroll and Force India of Ocon. The Ferraris lined up fifth and sixth with Raikkonen ahead of Vettel. 

Further back Verstappen and Ricciardo, with engine penalties, opted to start on the soft tyre; the early phase of the race, when they were being held up by slower cars, was the best time to use the slower tyre, then benefit from the faster tyre later in clear air.

If you do this, the rule is don’t have a collision which requires an early stop as the supersoft won’t make the finish and you have to stop again (as the rules say two tyre compounds must be used in a dry race)

This is what happened to Verstappen after contact with Massa and it wrecked his race.

Alonso and Grosjean, starting at the back used the same counter strategy as Red Bull. This was unusual for Alonso, who likes to start on the same tyre as the front-runners, however lowly his grid slot.

Ricciardo – from 16th to 4th and ahead of Raikkonen

One of the standout drives of the day was Daniel Ricciardo, who came within four seconds of a podium finish after starting the race in 16th place, due to an engine penalty. He used the same counter-strategy he had employed in 2015 to go from P15 to P8 and which Sergio Perez had used to great effect for Sauber in 2012, where he rose from P12 on the grid to P2. 

The idea is to start on the harder tyre, run a longer first stint and then attack on the softer tyre at the end. It works very well at Monza because it is possible to overtake.

Ricciardo’s target was the Ferraris. The Red Bull had looked a match for Ferrari on race pace in Friday practice. But he had many cars to clear and time would be lost relative to the Ferraris, unless they were held up by Ocon and Stroll. 

Vettel cleared them, but Raikkonen struggled and this sowed the seeds of his undoing. 

Force India and Williams are in a battle of their own for fourth in the constructor’s championship and so were focussed on each other strategically in this race. When Ocon passed Stroll at the start, the teenager stayed with him and Raikkonen trailed the pair.

The thing to do in a situation like Ferrari were in is to let them undercut each other and stay out past that point, using the superior Ferrari pace, then clear them at your own stop.

That did not happen in this case because Raikkonen was calling for new tyres insistently, before Ferrari pitted him on Lap 15. The problem with that move is the undercut only works when the new tyres in your garage are significantly faster than the ones on your car. In this situation, at the end of Lap 14 with low degradation, this was not the case.

Raikkonen got Stroll, because the Canadian had a slow stop, but Ocon was easily able to cover off both and retain position. 

All of this played into the hands of Ricciardo and Red Bull. He ran a long first stint, and then picked Raikkonen off when his new supersofts were superior to Raikkonen’s used softs. 

He almost caught Vettel for third place at the end, but the Ferrari driver held him off.

Esteban Ocon, Sahara Force India F1 VJM10, Lance Stroll, Williams FW40

Force India and Williams further ahead of midfield pace than normal

So let’s go one step back and consider the role of the two outliers in this race situation. The race history graph (below) is quite telling this week; the Force India and Williams cars enjoyed a larger performance margin over the other midfield runners than normal and more than they had in Canada, another low downforce circuit. So why was that?

Well one theory has to do with the way Mercedes may have chosen to run the engines in Ocon and Stroll’s cars on Sunday (as well as in the works cars)

Finding themselves in a position where they had Stroll and Ocon as a buffer between themselves and Ferrari, there was an opportunity not only to maximise the points gained over their rivals, but also to embarrass them on home soil, which would inevitably have consequences.

These hybrid F1 engines have various modes in which they can be run and it relates to the ‘damage’ that the supplier will allow the drivers to do to the engine by running at the maximum regime. You normally run the maximum for the start of the race and after a Safety Car but apart from that you turn it down to try to minimise the damage and hence increase the reliability and longevity of the engines.

Force India and Williams are usually strong cars in straight line speed anyway.  However close analysis of the data on end of the straight speeds at Monza on Sunday indicates that Mercedes allowed Hamilton and Bottas as well as their two customers Ocon and Stroll, to have more damage on the engine in this race than normal.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W08

For example, through the speed trap into Turn 1 the Mercedes engined cars were doing between 328-330km/h without a tow (with a tow it was up to 350km/h). Interestingly there is no real distinction between the works cars using the series 4 engine and the customers using series 3 here. This went on for much of the race. 

Meanwhile the Ferrari was doing 316-318km/h consistently, a deficit of over 10km/h every lap on the straight. 

Vettel finished 36 seconds behind the winner Hamilton after 53 laps and the customers spoiled Raikkonen’s day. On the podium Hamilton even said, “Mercedes power is better than Ferrari power” just to rub it in.

Afterwards, Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne called it ‘embarrassing’.

It is tempting to read this race in such a way that Mercedes knew that they were going to win Monza anyway, but the race presented an opportunity to inflict some pain on Ferrari at their home Grand Prix, when the red team is always on edge anyway. And by maximising all their assets to try to unsettle Ferrari, it might have a knock on effect on their preparations for the next race, one that Ferrari is expected to win, in Singapore. 

Back at Maranello, Ferrari has to be really strong now to quickly forget Monza and be sure to bring their A game to Singapore. Vettel was right after the race to focus on the positives, rather than to let rip on the negatives, as the chairman Sergio Marchionne did. 

Vettel knew that Monza was not going to be Ferrari’s weekend before he arrived in the paddock on Thursday, but he doesn’t want to let the team lose focus before a race they now simply must win, in Singapore. 

Winner Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W08, second place Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 W08

RACE HISTORY GRAPH, Kindly Supplied by Williams Martini Racing

Showing the gaps in seconds between cars and therefore the performance difference. An upward curve indicates good relative pace, downward curve the opposite. Sharp drop indicates a pit stop. 

Look at the pace of Ocon and Stroll in the first stint compared to the rest of the midfield runners (eg Toro Rosso, Renault) with whom they are normally closely matched. It is greater than normal. This is partly due to the unusual situation of the Mercedes engine being run at a high regime. 

Look at the difference in stop lap between Raikkonen (L15) and Vettel (L31) Raikkonen could have waited for Stroll to attempt an undercut on Ocon and then pitted later to overcut them both.

Also note the progress of Ricciardo once he managed to get some clear air. He didn’t panic when his tyres were getting hot in traffic but drove through it and got his rewards at the end of the race with fourth place.

 

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STROLL: LEWIS MUST HAVE BEEN NERVOUS STARTING NEXT TO ME

Williams rookie Lance Stroll was the revelation of the Italian Grand Prix weekend, a veritable coming of age for the 18 year old, who admitted after the race that he felt for pole sitter Lewis Hamilton starting beside him on the front row.

Speaking to reporters after starting second and finishing in seventh at Monza, Stroll said, “I felt for Lewis, it must have felt really nervous starting next to me on the grid, a guy with no experience!” 

“Lewis and I are cool, he knows I won’t do anything stupid and that’s good there’s that respect there. He definitively trusted me, I was talking to him before the start of the race and he didn’t worry about me smashing into him at the first corner.”

Stroll impressed in the rain affected, marathon qualifying on Saturday. He was constantly at the sharp end of the timing screens driving in wet and tricky conditions he had never experienced before in a Formula 1 car. He qualified fourth fastest, behind Hamilton and the Red Bull duo. But Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen served engine penalties which promoted the Canadian teenager to second place on the grid.

Stroll reflected on the feat, “Qualifying was the highlight of the weekend, to be able to do what I did in tricky conditions, when the car doesn’t matter so much and it comes down to the driver. To capitalize on those moments is very special.”

It was a big moment in the youngster’s short career, a day where he earned the respect of the Formula 1 world – drivers, teams and fans alike.

He acknowledged, “For sure this was a real opportunity. Being in the positions where I was, under pressure, pit stops being important, attacking, defending, using the best engine modes at the right time, knowing when is the best time to push the overtake button, when is the best time to use the deployment, to overtake the car in front of me…”

“Those are things I learn every time I jump in the car, and I take every opportunity to race in the way I raced. Races like Italy, Baku, even Austria where I finished in 10th place, they were all in pretty similar circumstances to the ones I had, so I just feel I’m getting better and better when I have the chance to race like I did [at Monza],” added Stroll.

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WILLIAMS SHUFFLE AND BOLSTER MANAGEMENT TEAM

Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC announced that after six years, Eddie Charlton is stepping down from his position as the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director on the company’s Board of Directors.

As announced in July, Doug Lafferty has joined Williams this week in the position of Chief Financial Officer, and will now take up his position on the company’s Board of Directors.

Doug joins Mike O’Driscoll, Claire Williams, Mark Biddle and Paddy Lowe on the Board, alongside the company’s Non-Executive Chairman Nick Rose and Non-Executive Director Brad Hollinger.

Eddie joined the Williams Board in 2011, after a very successful career in banking with Hambros Bank, Banque Paribas, and HSBC, having served on the Board of a number of companies.

Eddie chaired the Remuneration and Nomination Committee, and retires from the Board on completion of his second three-year term, which is normal practice for a Non-Executive Director, and in line with the UK Corporate Governance Code.

Doug has joined Williams from British American Tobacco, where he was Head of Finance for the Americas region. Doug joined BAT in 2001 and has held positions of increasing responsibility during a very successful career with the company.

After a number of international assignments, Doug returned to the UK in 2013, as Finance Director for BAT’s Next Generation Products business, where he played a key role in the development of the group’s strategy.

Nick Rose, Non-Executive Chairman, Williams, commented; “I would like to thank Eddie for his invaluable contribution to Williams over the last six years. Eddie will remain a great friend of the team. I am delighted to welcome Doug to our Board.

His appointment adds to what is a very strong team of Board members who provide the company and our shareholders with the highest standards of leadership and governance.”

Mike O’Driscoll, Group Chief Executive Officer, added; “On behalf of all of us at Williams, our huge thanks to Eddie for his service over the last six years. I know his passion and enthusiasm will be missed by all at the team.

I would also like to welcome Doug, who has taken up the position of CFO at Williams this week. Doug is a highly respected financial professional, and I look forward to working alongside him.

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BAD BOY KVYAT LEADS DRIVERS IN PENALTY POINTS

Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat is currently Formula 1’s bad-boy as he has now accumulated 10 penalty points on his superlicence and is two away from serving a one race ban.

The Russian has more often than not been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, his on track behaviour has done him no favours as he seeks to end speculation that his career may be over come the end of this season.

A race ban, which would be mandatory when he hits 12 penalty points within a calendar year, will no doubt add to his woes. However he will get a reprieve if he manages to stay out of trouble until the United States Grand Prix, whereupon he will drop two points which were incurred during his race in Texas last year.

World championship title contender Sebastian Vettel is tied in second place with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen on the bad-boy list, with seven penalty points – three of which the Ferrari driver earned for his Baku antics.

Vettel’s title rival Lewis Hamilton is one of the best behaved of the drivers, with only two points on his licence for driving his Mercedes too slow in the Bahrain pitlane earlier this year.

Only one penalty was dished out during the recent Italian Grand Prix weekend, this was incurred by Renault’s Jolyon Palmer who was hit with one penalty point by race stewards for cutting the track and gaining an advantage during his battle with McLaren’s Fernando Alonso at Monza.

List of penalty points incurred by drivers so far:

Daniil Kvyat: 10 points in total

1. 2016 United States GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
2. 2016 Mexican GP: Gained advantage going off track – 1 points
3. 2017 Canadian GP: Failed to re-establish starting order – 2 points
4. 2017 Austrian GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
5. 2017 British GP: Rejoined track in unsafe manner – 2 points
6. 2017 Hungarian GP: Blocking a rival competitor – 1 point

Sebastian Vettel: 7 points in total

1. 2016 Malaysian GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
2. 2016 Mexican GP: Driving dangerously – 2 points
3. 2017 Azerbaijan GP: Causing a collision – 3 points

Kevin Magnussen: 7 points in total

1. 2016 United States GP: Gained advantage going off track – 2 points
2. 2017 Russian GP: Left track and rejoined outside requirements – 1 point
3. 2017 Canadian GP: Overtaking under SC – 2 points
4. 2017 Hungarian GP: Forcing driver off track – 2 points

Sergio Perez: 6 points in total

1. 2016 Singapore GP: Ignoring yellow flags – 3 points
2. 2017 Monaco GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
3. 2017 Belgian GP: Gained advantage going off track – 1 point

Jolyon Palmer: 6 points in total

1. 2016 Abu Dhabi GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
2. 2017 Chinese GP: Driving too fast through double yellows – 3 points
3. 2017 Italian GP: Gained advantage going off track – 1 point

Carlos Sainz: 5 points in total

1. 2016 Mexican GP: Gained advantage going off track – 1 point
2. 2017 Bahrain GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
3. 2017 Canadian GP: Causing a collision – 2 points

Stoffel Vandoorne: 5 points in total

1. 2017 Russian GP: Left track and rejoined outside requirements – 1 point
2. 2017 Spanish GP: Causing a collision – 2 points
3. 2017 Austrian GP: Ignoring blue flags – 2 points

Nico Hulkenberg: 4 points in total

1. 2017 Chinese GP: Overtaking under VSC – 2 points
2. 2017 Chinese GP: Overtaking under SC – 2 points

Esteban Ocon: 4 points in total

1. 2016 Singapore GP: Overtaking under SC – 2 points
2. 2016 Brazilian GP: Blocking a rival competitor – 2 points

Romain Grosjean: 3 points in total

1. 2017 Chinese GP: Driving too fast through double yellows – 3 points

Max Verstappen: 3 points in total

1. 2016 Mexican GP: Gained advantage going off track – 1 point
2. 2017 Hungarian GP: Causing a collision – 2 points

Felipe Massa: 3 points in total

1. 2017 Belgian GP: Driving too fast through double yellows – 3 points

Kimi Raikkonen: 3 points in total

1. 2017 Belgian GP: Driving too fast through double yellows – 3 points

Pascal Wehrlein: 2 points in total

1. 2017 Spanish GP: Did not keep to the right of pit entry bollard – 2 points

Felipe Massa: 2 points in total

1. 2016 Brazilian GP: Overtaking before SC Line – 2 points

Lewis Hamilton: 2 points in total

1. 2017 Bahrain GP: Too slow in pit lane – 2 points

Jenson Button: 2 points in total

2017 Monaco GP: Causing a collision – 2 points

MIKA: Great to see the scud is leading something

[MIKA27]

GILLES SIMON DITCHES HONDA ROLE FOR RETURN TO FIA

Gilles Simon, who joined Honda’s F1 programme as a consultant, has parted ways with Japanese manufacturer to take up the role at the FIA as Head of Technical.

In 2011, Simon departed his FIA role to join Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d’Energie (PURE), a new F1 engine supplier which aimed to enter the sport in 2014. PURE suspended its engine programme due to a lack of funding and later ceased operations.

In 2013 Simon was hired as a consultant by Honda to work on their Formula 1 engine project, but departed earlier this year.

The FIA announced in a statement, “Reporting to the Secretary General for Sport, Gilles Simon will be acting as FIA Technical Director.”

“As such, he will contribute to the development of the FIA championships, proposing ambitious and pragmatic technical solutions in line with the FIA’s strategic and sporting vision for its championships.”

“To that end, he will work in close cooperation with the FIA departments responsible for the global management of the championships, as well as with the safety department.”

Simon, who has worked in the racing divisions of Ferrari, Renault and Peugeot, is considered as to be a Formula 1 ‘engine guru’ and for this reason was hired by Honda to be part of their programme.

But, according to insiders, Simon was not used to maximum effect by the Japanese F1 engine supplier and departed the team early this year when the 2017 power unit proved to be a flop.

In his return to the FIA, Simon will oversee the technical development and evolution of the various racing series’ that are part of the federation’s portfolio.

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HAMILTON: I’M NOT A TESTER BUT WILL TEST THIS WEEK

It is well known that Lewis Hamilton is not keen to do test duty for his team, but he has made a u-turn by accepting to spend Thursday at Paul Ricard to test Pirelli tyres on his Mercedes.

Much was made of the fact that Hamilton opted not to test for Pirelli last year, while current title rival Sebastian Vettel always made himself available to help the Italian tyre company develop their 2017 Formula 1 tyres. This prompted speculation that Ferrari gained an advantage this season because of this.

Hamilton confirmed a day after winning the Italian Grand Prix, “I’ll be doing a test later this week, which is very rare for me, I’m not a tester. I’m looking forward to it, I offered to do it, so I’m looking forward to that… kind of.”

The test, at next year’s French Grand Prix venue, will take place on Thursday and Friday with Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas taking over the cockpit on day two. Bottas has previously been part of a one day 2018 tyre test, after the Hungarian Grand Prix, before the summer break.

Last year Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull tested for Pirelli exclusively, but this year all ten teams have been co-opted to provide feedback on the 2018 tyres.

This will be the seventh Pirelli test of the season, with Sauber and Force India set to test after the the Mexican Grand Prix, while McLaren are scheduled to be on test duty after the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Interestingly Hamilton shares a reluctance to test with his hero Ayrton Senna. The late great Brazilian seldom tested for McLaren in the late eighties and early nineties.

Often his team was unsure when Senna would emerge from his Angra dos Reis retreat, in Brazil, to test ahead of each season.

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Sauber "starting from scratch" with 2018 F1 car

Sauber team principal Fred Vasseur says the outfit's 2018 Formula 1 challenger will be "completely different" to its current package.

The Swiss team is bottom in the constructors' championship with five points and has increasingly found itself cut off from the midfield as the season has gone on.

Sauber has been hampered by running a 2016-spec Ferrari engine, while question marks over its future last term meant the design programme for 2017 was compromised.

After he'd taken over from Monisha Kaltenborn midway through this season, Vasseur's first job involved ending a deal with Honda and securing the latest-spec Ferrari engine for 2018.

Sauber is still working out the exact nature of its partnership with Ferrari, which could involve it taking non-listed parts in an arrangement similar to that of rival Haas does.

"It's a completely new car," said Vasseur. "The car is already in the windtunnel and I think we are doing a decent job. We are still discussing the parameters of the Ferrari collaboration, but [the carry over will] probably less than 20 percent.

"The current one [car] is 2016 so to try and carry over to 2018… We have to start from scratch. It's also the reason the car [has] long [been] in the windtunnel. The global picture of the car will be completely different."

This will be the first Sauber that has been led by technical director Jorg Zander since he did not join the team until ahead of the season.

Vasseur understands the vast scale of the challenge ahead of Sauber, but feels if the team can boost its workforce, it can close the gap to the midfield.

"It's always difficult to have a target because it will depend on the guys around us on the grid," he said.

"It will be difficult to come back into the midfield. It's one step and there is no big change in the regulations for next year. All the other teams will have much better carryover than us.

"For me, the biggest challenge will be to increase the size of the company, to increase the performance of each department.

"If we're able to do this, we will improve on the grid. The group in front of us is very close.

"I want to come back into the fight. I want to come back in each event, to be able to be in the group in front of us."

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F1 has no "serious offers" from new teams - Todt

FIA president Jean Todt says he has not had any offers he deems serious from interested parties wishing to enter Formula 1 in the future.

Earlier this year, Zoran Stefanovic revealed plans for a second attempt to enter a team for 2019, having previously tried to enter as Stefan GP.

There are believed to several parties, including a group from China, that are evaluating entering F1.

But though Todt has had contact from interested candidates, he has seen nothing serious enough to warrant the FIA opening a tender for an additional slot on the grid.

"Not something I will comment as a very serious offer," said Todt when asked if he had had any reasonable offers.

"When we will see there is some serious offer, as we did, when Haas came to Formula 1, we understood there was some serious interest so we created a tender."

Previously, F1 had a maximum 26-car grid capacity and has not featured that many cars in its field since the middle of the 1995 season.

Todt said the current agreement is to have a grid of 24 cars but  commented "never say never" regarding the possibility of welcoming a 13th team if the situation presents itself.

"At the moment, we have 10 teams competing in F1," said Todt, who was speaking at an FIA Action for Road Safety press conference at Monza.

"We have a good championship. The maximum number of teams we would accept is 12 so I'm happy to listen to any good proposals.

"We are working to have an even better championship, but the agreements we have is for a maximum for 12 teams."

Given there are only five-and-a-half months left until pre-season testing for the 2018 season begins, should a new team be given the go-ahead, it be looking at an entry for 2019 at the earliest.

 

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The low-drag 'Monza specials' that helped decide Italian GP

Monza is always something of an aerodynamic upset, with teams producing specialised rear wings solely for use around the 'Temple of Speed'.

This year, especially with the wholesale aerodynamic changes that have drastically boosted downforce, a concerted effort was made by all of the teams to reduce drag.

Ferrari's home race was always going to be one that stirred unwanted emotions for the tifosi, as the SF70H's characteristics make it weaker than the W08 on high-speed circuits.

It must also be noted that it is now significantly out of sync with Mercedes in terms of their power unit usage, with the scarlet team still able to introduce an updated, more powerful iteration later in the season.

This also means that from a tolerance and performance point of view it may well have already taken the best out of the parts currently in its allocation, giving it a stronger run-in on the circuits that are better suited to the SF70H when the new parts are introduced.

Knowing the challenge it faced at Monza, the team prepared an all-new wing for the event, making a concerted effort to reduce the amount of drag being generated.

Having previously used a spoon-shaped rear wing in both Baku and Spa to generate enough downforce when needed in the corners and counter the drag produced on the straights, the team switched to a more conventional-shaped wing for Monza.

The mainplane and top flap featured a singular, centralised slot gap separator and V groove, whereas two had previously been preferred (black arrows). The open-end style endplate louvres were dispensed, with and conventional ones used instead (highlighted in yellow).

The smaller of the two monkey seats that had found a home above the exhaust (red arrow) was also removed, as at lower speeds the rear wing, without the spoon shaping, didn't need the aerodynamic support it offers.

Mercedes, while dominant around the famed Italian circuit, did not bring a super slender or less complicated rear wing, instead favouring a similar design to the one it ran when drag reduction has been important elsewhere, such as Azerbaijan and Spa.

However, the wing did feature a less pronounced angle of attack and a revision to the chord length of both the mainplane and top flap, the latter of which was furnished with a more diminutive gurney flap.

The spoon-shaped rear wing already provides a significant trade-off between downforce and drag reduction, with the shorter chord outer extremities not only producing less downforce but also having a significant effect on the drag-inducing vortices created at the wing tips - often illustrated by contrails in damp conditions.

The design and number of endplate louvres often tally with the overall design, shape and angle of attack of the rear wing in order that they help to reshape and displace the aforementioned tip vortex.

As such, Mercedes ordinarily runs with four open-end style louvres and a fifth shorter louvre (inset, highlighted in yellow) but the set-up used in Monza, Spa and Baku dictated just the three open-end style louvres be employed (yellow highlights).

Having already asked Daniel Ricciardo to give its Monza specification rear wing a run-out at Spa, the Red Bull team knew it could provide its drivers with the aerodynamic gains they'd need to challenge at the front in Monza.

The wing, which features an extremely low angle of attack, follows the same trend the team have employed at Monza since 2013 (below), whereby the angle dictates that no louvres be needed in the endplates (see left inset for comparison, where the louvres have been highlighted in yellow).

You'll also note that due to the shallow angle of the mainplane the DRS actuator pod sits entirely on it, rather than above the surface.

There can be no doubt that Williams has been struggling to meet expectations this season, as the FW40 has failed to deliver the kind of performance its predecessors offered.

The Italian GP was a kind one to Williams, with an out-of-character showing in a wet weather qualifying session and demotion of several challengers around them on the grid seeing Lance Stroll and Felipe Massa start the race in P2 and P7 respectively.

The drivers made different set-up choices too, which could be one of the primary catalysts for Stroll's better showing in qualifying than his seasoned teammate.

Williams FW40, rear wing comparison

The Canadian opted for the 'Monza special', whilst the Brazilian opted for a higher-downforce rear wing.

The lower downforce version featured a much gentler spoon shaping, with the curved leading edge of the mainplane both flatter (upper image, highlighted in yellow) and more sinuous, as the outer section curved rearward (lower image, yellow line).

The top flap's shape was also demonstrably different, as the angle was significantly reduced and bowed inward toward the centreline (green dotted line).

You'll also note that the endplate louvres were reduced from four to three on the lower-downforce configuration (circled).

Williams FW40, rear wing comparison

[MIKA27]

Ricciardo Kart

Red Bull Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo rounded out the European phase of the Formula 1 season with a day trying out his own 'Ricciardo Kart'.

[MIKA27]

Kubica linked with Williams seat – report

Robert Kubica is rumoured to be a possible candidate for Williams next season as Renault are set to look elsewhere for Jolyon Palmer's replacement.

According to Motorsport Italia, Renault are planning to end Carlos Sainz's misery at Toro Rosso before he enters into a fourth season with the Red Bull junior team.

That would close the door on Kubica to return to Renault, but his dream of returning to Formula 1 is still being kept alive with a potential move to Williams instead.

Williams have been delaying their 2018 driver announcement and the cause of that delay is Felipe Massa.

The Brazilian, who came out of a short-lived retirement to return to his Williams seat this season once Valtteri Bottas left for Mercedes, still feels he is competitive enough to stay in Formula 1 for another year.

But, he has also admitted that he is very interested in joining Formula E after his Formula 1 career comes to an end.

Due to Williams' agreement with sponsors Martini, they need at least one driver over the age of 25 to support teenage rookie Lance Stroll.

Kubica fits that criteria, but it is believed that Force India's Sergio is another target for Williams should Massa depart at the end of the season.

However, with contract talks at an advanced stage between Perez and Force India, it does not appear to be a move that will appeal too much to the Mexican after missing out on a dream move to Ferrari.

Kubica was spotted in the paddock at Monza last weekend, with his racing manager revealing that he does have other options away from Renault both in and away from Formula 1.

[MIKA27]

Steiner: Formula 1 cannot go back to V8s

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has said Formula 1 must keep "its high-tech momentum" and not be tempted to re-introduce something like a V8 engine.

One of the biggest challenges facing Formula 1 chiefs is deciding in which direction to take engine regulations from 2020 and beyond.

Many are critical about the noise that the current engines produce and the overall cost to produce them.

But Steiner wants to see a commitment to racing with hybrid technology and not a decision being reached for nostalgic reasons.

"Formula 1 has to keep its high-tech momentum," Steiner told the official Formula 1 website.

"We cannot go back to something like a V8. Those times are gone.

"We can look back, but should not go back. We need to work with some kind of hybrid.

"How to make that hybrid work best for F1’s needs? The engine manufacturers are challenged with coming up with the best ideas – having a firm eye on where the road car market is going.

"From the side of a private team, it would be great if the costs were under control."

Steiner believes that cheaper engine costs would then have a part to play in leading the field in Formula 1 to being closer together and more teams potentially in contention for World Championships.

"Well, of course this has to do with the engines, but I would say it mostly has to do with the aero side, the size of the team and the budget involved," he added.

"Liberty Media is working on it, to make it a more even playing field, I was told. Can you imagine if we were to have five or six teams that were able to win races? Wouldn’t that be awesome?

"Right now the battle is in the midfield – and we are very honoured to play that crucial part right now – but can you imagine a whole championship with fights that you right now basically see only in the midfield? The fans would love it."

[MIKA27]

Force India: Rivals caught napping on Ocon

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley has said the team are reaping the benefits for swooping in on Esteban Ocon and are doing everything to keep him and Sergio Perez together.

Although Perez and Ocon have been in regular squabbles with each other this season, Force India are 58 points clear as the fourth-best team in the Constructors' Championship thanks to regular points finishes from both drivers.

The duo have both been linked with moves to Renault, but Fernley has said Force India will be fighting to keep both drivers for next season.

"We'll do everything in our power to maintain the driver line-up we have today," Fernley told Autosport.

"We're in a very fortunate position in that, like the top three teams, we've got two super-talented drivers, and we're going to need that in order to battle for fourth place in 2018, or hopefully even go higher.

"The last thing we want to do is to lose talent.

"Esteban is contracted with us effectively for three years, but two of them are absolutely secure.

"From a contractual point of view it's clear, and I don't think Esteban has got any ideas of wishing to go anywhere else at this point.

"You've got to remember that we identified the potential of Esteban some time ago, and we obviously took the opportunity where others didn't, including Renault, to sign him last year.

"We've now got the benefit of that, and we want to make sure that we optimise that."

[MIKA27]

Pure speculation?

This is the season of pure speculation in Formula 1, if one looks at some of the stories to be found on the internet. It reads sometimes as if the bottom-feeders, committed to providing x number of news stories a day, are simply linking every driver with every seat that is available…

In reality, the silly season is largely hot air, with few major changes expected between now and next year. It looks like Sergio Perez will end up at Renault, Pascal Wehrlein at Force India, if the team can be convinced to take him, and Charles Leclerc at Sauber. Williams will likely remain unchanged unless the team can find someone over 25 who is better than Felipe Massa – and who hasn’t already been and gone from F1. Hence the recent Kubica stories.

Fernando Alonso will stay at McLaren if Honda leaves. We do not expect to see Fernando opening any Honda dealerships any time soon and the Japanese are unlikely to welcome him into one of its Indycars any time soon. The fact that Takuma Sato last week announced he was leaving Andretti Autosport for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, suggests that’s Michael Andretti’s recent negotiations with Chevrolet did not go down well in Japan, even if Michael has now re-upped with Honda. The Japanese are big on loyalty…

The big question in F1 is what happens at Honda and I have a theory about this. Honda is a listed company. There are rules it must follow and keeping decisions quiet is frowned upon by stock market regulators. Honda was due to have a board meeting on Monday night to discuss F1 and the fact it is now Wednesday, heading towards Thursday in Japan, would seem to suggest that the board has made a decision which did not need to be announced. Logically, that would that it will stay in F1, rather than quit. That may not be the case, but listed companies tend to make announcements quickly. The board was keen on reviving the McLaren-Honda legend of 1988-1992 to give itself more appeal in the car markets, but it seems that this choice is no longer available, as McLaren is intent on termination and a switch to Renault for 2018, 2019 and 2020. After that it is expected that the team will build its own engines for the new F1 rules in 2021. This may seem tough on Honda, but it is fair to say that the Honda engines have been a massive disappointment.

McLaren feels it must make the change just as back in 2008 Honda felt it must quit the sport. As it turned out that was not a great decision as the team was sold to its management, with sufficient money to avoid all the termination costs that would otherwise have been incurred. Honda then had to watch as Brawn GP won the world title, using a Honda chassis and Mercedes engines.

No announcement suggests no pullout and one might assume that work is now ongoing to complete a deal with Red Bull to supply Toro Rosso in 2018 and Red Bull Racing in 2019 – if things go well in the first year. The deal would be financially advantageous to the teams – in other words they would save Red Bull a ton of money. You might ask, why would Red Bull care about cash? Well, there is a school of thought in F1 that is arguing that Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has had his fill of F1 and wants to move on to new dangerous activities to keep Red Bull edgy for the next generation of adrenaline freaks. He is contractually committed to F1 until the end of 2020, with massive penalty clauses if he pulls Red Bull Racing out before then. This could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and so the best strategy is to stay involved, take the prize money on offer (which is why there are penalty clauses) and reduce costs as much as possible by doing deals for the remaining years. The TAG-Heuer engine branding deal is just such as arrangement, while the Aston Martin sponsorship deal looks more like an exit strategy, with the team becoming Aston Martin-owned in the long term. Obviously Aston Martin is short of cash, but royalty deals on the (Red Bull-designed) Valkyrie supercar project justify the signage on the F1 cars and a Red Bull fade-out, with the Austrian firm remaining the title sponsor for three years, but paying nothing in 2021, 2022 and 2023, means that the purchase price can be made much more manageable.

This probably explains why Christian Horner has become such a convert to cost-cutting and cheaper engines in the future, in expectation that he will lead (and be a shareholder in) an Aston Martin F1 team, securing Adrian Newey’s services with shares, as well. Thus if the Honda engine is decent and there’s money behind it, that would get Red Bull Racing through 2019 and 2020, at much reduced cost.

If one looks at Red Bull’s sister squad, Scuderia Toro Rosso, it is already known that the team is for sale. Almost half the operation now works in the U.K. And the team recently re-signed James Key, to maintain the value in the business. Getting Hondas in 2018, 2019 and 2020, would get the team to the end of the current commercial agreements and ready for the new era of F1 in 2021. The relationship with Honda would be good for whoever owns the team by then and would add value to the team if the Honda engines become competitive. A similar Red Bull fade out sponsorship in 2018, 2019 and 2020 would mean that the price could be reasonable for any buyer out there and while moving the whole team to England might not be desirable for the folks in Faenza, it does make sense, although these days teams can be a little more multinational, as we see with Haas, which has designers and manufacturing in Italy, research and development and marketing in the US, and the race team in the U.K.

The key to these moves is a sensible set of cost-effective rules for 2021 and beyond, but these seems to be in the pipeline. If the costs can be brought down and the revenues pushed up then more manufacturers will come to F1, which explains the Porsche and Alfa Romeo stories of late. Others may follow…