FORMULA 1 - 2015

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The reluctance of Monza's Imola solution

It was the 14th September 1980 and the Formula One circus had just set up its big tent in Italy, for its twelfth and third-to-last race of the season. It would turn out to be a historic race for more reasons than one.

Reigning world champion Jody Scheckter announced his retirement from the sport, Ferrari would debut their first turbocar (the 126C) and Williams sealed its first constructors' championship. Above all, however, that was the first Grand Prix in Italy since 1948 to be held outside Monza, which was under refurbishment at the time.

The 50th edition of the Italian GP, in fact, marked the very first appearance in the F1 calendar for Imola: such a success that, from the following year, the championship would establish a brand new race, the San Marino GP, especially for that venue.

Thirty-five years later, history looks set to repeat itself. At least, that is the goal of Daniele Manca, mayor of Imola, who is trying to get the Grand Prix back, taking advantage of the endangered future of Monza. On the 15th June, Manca, together with Stefano Manara, president of ConAmi (the local multiservice company) and Uberto Selvatico Estense, president of Formula Imola (owner of the circuit) flew to London to meet with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

After failing its bid to extort the MotoGP race from Misano, the circuit named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari has again set its sights on Formula One, which has been missing from the banks of Santerno river since 2006. The plan is the same which was realized in 1980 and, more recently, in Germany with Nurburgring and Hockenheim: alternating Imola and Monza every other year.

"We wanted to inform Ecclestone of Imola's will to take Formula One back", Manca said, "but above all we wanted to do our part to keep a Grand Prix in Italy, even under an alternating perspective between different national circuits. We presented our project for the revamp of the track, the investments we already made and the ones we are going to make in the next few years. Ecclestone told us he would never have gone away from Imola: on the contrary, that it was Enzo Ferrari who asked him to hold a Grand Prix on our circuit".

A few days later, Bernie Ecclestone himself confirmed his attitude towards Imola in an interview to Gazzetta dello Sport: "How can I forget the city involvement, the fun linked to that race?" he stated. "Imola remains in my heart. That was a good experience, which could live again after the expiration of the current deal with Monza in 2016. We both have the good intentions and the basis and we could also go ahead with the alternation plan. I want Italy to stay in the F1 calendar, at all costs, but while Imola contacted me, I have had no news from Monza for a month".

The idea is on the table and the negotiations will resume in September-October, after this year's Monza GP. The project also benefits from the support of local institutions: "This would be a promotional opportunity for our territory", says Gian Carlo Muzzarelli, president of Modena province, "and for the excellence products which distinguish the motor valley.”

"If an opportunity arises," added Stefano Bonaccini, president of Emilia-Romagna region, "we will be alongside Imola to evaluate it".

Of course, in this unconventional civil war, the local politicians from Monza are as fierce as their Imola colleagues in defending their track. "The grand prix at Monza cannot be lost, and on this we are ready to go to war," explained Roberto Maroni, regional Lombardy president, "You cannot for purely economic reasons delete the history of F1 that goes with the grand prix at Monza. The right way is to apply pressure, involving public opinion, the Italian government and Ferrari".

That's why Maroni, during one of his latest visits to Expo 2015 in Milan, recently launched a petition which has already collected almost 2000 signatures in just the first couple of days.

The main problem, however, is the same for both circuits: the 22-25 million euros yearly fee that needs to be paid to host a Formula One race. That is to say, the "economic hurdle", as Daniele Manca describes it. Monza has no money left (apparently, they still have unpaid taxes) and the Lombardy region is ready to finance 20 million euros (provided that the national government removes the taxes from that sum), but only for the renovation works on the venue.

Also, the national automobile federation, Aci, on paper stands behind its Grand Prix ("For us there is only one place for the Italian GP, and that is Monza", president Angelo Sticchi Damiani was quoted by Speed Week), but can't contribute with any funds. The only other interested subject who could pay his chip in the Monza rescue could be Ferrari.

"I asked Marchionne to support our initiative and he told me he will do whatever needs to be done, as Ferrari, to keep the grand prix at Monza", Maroni said after meeting Maranello's president at the opening of the Alfa Romeo museum.

Either way, "whatever needs to be done" doesn't seem to include an economic engagement. "Let's leave Ecclestone to do his thing, and until then we will not intervene", Marchionne himself said to Autosprint.

So, despite all the reluctance by the top Italian motorsports executives, the alternating plan between Monza and Imola could end up being the only solution in order to share the unsustainable costs and so save the Italian Grand Prix.

"Our goal is to keep the GP in Monza," former driver and current president of Milan automobile club Ivan Capelli reaffirmed, "looking forward to the track centennial in 2022. At the moment we received no official communication about Imola's plans and I think the rotation is always a bad strategy. But if that should end up being our last resort, then I might take it into consideration".

Time will tell, but time is running out...

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McLaren praises ‘remarkable assets’ Alonso, Button

McLaren-Honda's Eric Boullier says Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have set an example of optimism amidst tough times as the team heads to the Hungarian Grand Prix looking to put its poor fortune behind it.

Despite scoring only its second top ten finish of the season last time out at Silverstone, McLaren remains considerably adrift of its initial expectations as the half-way point in the 2015 F1 season looms.

Beyond the car's troubled pace and reliability issues, Boullier says first lap accidents in Austria and Great Britain have also been a source of frustration as they have destroyed new components before they had a chance to be tested.

With this in mind, Boullier says the unrelenting optimism of Alonso and Button – whose future in the team remains undecided – has been a big boost for McLaren.

“It's been a source of great frustration to see new components and upgrades destroyed before they've had the chance to be race-proven, through a series of first-lap accidents.

“However, the unshakeable belief and optimism of Fernando and Jenson has set the example for the whole team: they are remarkable assets, and their commitment during these times is incredibly valuable.

“Honda, too, has shown a commitment that remains admirably undiminished. Together, we are showing the fighting spirit and resilience that will see us continue to improve our performance and reliability as we move back to the front.

“I hope that our performance in Hungary will scratch the surface on the performance and potential that lies within our organisation – it would be great to go into the break feeling re-energised about the races ahead.”

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BMW backing showed what Sauber can do

The backing brought by BMW was indicative of what Sauber can ultimately achieve in F1 if it had additional funding, believes current team principal Monisha Kaltenborn.

Having started out in F1 as an engine supplier, BMW entered the sport as a fully-fledged manufacturer via a collaboration with the existing privateer Sauber team between 2006 and 2009. It proved a successful partnership, with Robert Kubica claiming its sole win at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix and the team finishing second overall in the 2007 constructors' standings.

When BMW retreated from F1 at the end of 2009 season, Sauber reverted back to a privateer team and has remained as such since.

Looking back on that period, Kaltenborn says the influx of investment from BMW was a sign of what can be achieved with big budget manufacturer backing, but insists it was only made possible by the quality of the existing Sauber set up in the first place.

With this in mind, she feels Sauber would be an ideal candidate for any manufacturer pondering another collaboration.

“We've always been in the midfield and must have been a pretty good platform for BMW to come to us for the majority,” she said. “Then you see in hardly any time what a jump we made and that tells you what drives us to get the most out of the finances.

“The team stayed where it was in the BMW times, the team people stayed, obviously we had more people then, but the facilities were expanded and we have the same today. We didn't have many external staff coming in and all that is still there.

“That tells you if we have the right kind of funding we can make a big leap ahead, but of course if you want to get right to the top you need a bit more.

“There were not that many from BMW at the team before they left. You could count them on one hand. Today our operations director is a former BMW guy and he stayed on.”

Despite this, Kaltenborn says there is no discussion that BMW could consider a comeback, but would expect a similar partnership if they did.

“They know us really well personally and we still have good contacts with them. They know what they want and there is no point in trying to convince them to do something they might not want. We will wait and see. If certain things stay the same BMW think they might have to change a little bit [before returning] to the sport and then they will be open to that.”

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Bernie Ecclestone to decide between Pirelli/Michelin for F1 tyres

Pirelli and Michelin now face a battle to convince Bernie Ecclestone which of them deserves Formula 1's next tyre-supply contract.

After emerging as the only two manufacturers to submit tenders to the FIA, the two companies then had until July 17 to convince motorsport's world governing body their proposals complied with the technical and safety requirements.

Pirelli has confirmed to AUTOSPORT it has done so, and it is understood Michelin has also won through, so now it falls on commercial rights holder Ecclestone to weigh up the commercial aspects of each bid.

Ecclestone is due to hold discussions over the coming weeks with Paul Hembery and Pascal Couasnon, the motorsport directors of Pirelli and Michelin respectively, before announcing the winner of the 2017-19 deal in September.

Speaking to AUTOSPORT, Hembery said: "Obviously we have a history of 100 years of motorsport, and we've been in Formula 1 for five years.

"That's a basis for a lot of the validation, if you like, from the FIA's point of view.

"We're a known, established, high-quality provider to the motorsport world, and that's really the approval basis.

"In terms of the technical aspects, we've said we'll comply with the requirements of Formula 1.

"If they want to make changes to the regulations then we will give our maximum endeavours to follow them.

"We will follow the rules and comply with the decisions of the teams, promoter and the FIA.

"We obviously have no idea as to what proposals they [Michelin] have made, and what proposals they will make to Bernie. Ultimately it's a commercial decision now.

"The FIA has done its part, which is to qualify the supplier, and now it's down to the commercial rights holder to decide the most appropriate partner for the sport.

"We will, of course, enter into a phase of discussion with the promoter, looking at all aspects of the commercial agreement.

"I'm sure he'll do the same with the other party and then make an informed decision."

Couasnon admitted last month that winning over a sceptical Ecclestone would be the key to success.

Michelin is eager to introduce 18-inch rims into F1, in line with current road cars, and also produce a longer-lasting tyre that would allow drivers to push to the maximum more often during a grand prix.

In May, though, Ecclestone suggested Michelin's return to F1 after being away since 2006 would not be good, suggesting all it would do is "make a rock-hard tyre you could put on in January and take off in December because they don't want to be in a position where they can be criticised".

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Hungarian GP timetable

The Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place at the Hungaroring in Budapest, marks the 10th round of the 2015 season and it's also the last race before the summer break.

All times are local (Budapest is GMT 2)

Thursday June 23

15:00: FIA press conference

Friday June 24

10:00 - 11:30: First free practice

14:00 - 15:30: Second free practice

16:00: FIA press conference

Saturday June 25

11:00 - 12:00: Third free practice

14:00 - 15:00: Qualifying

15:00: FIA post-qualifying press conference

Sunday June 26

14:00 - 16:00: Hungarian GP

16:00: FIA post-race press conference

Hungarian GP Info

No of Laps: 70

Race Distance: 306.63

Lap Record: 1:19.071 - M Schumacher (2004)

2014 Winner: D Ricciardo (Red Bull)

The race is last month? We're going back in time!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

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The race is last month? We're going back in time!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

JULY, you know I meant JULY

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JULY, you know I meant JULY

Indeed!

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

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MERCEDES: WE EXPECT OUR DRIVERS TO RESPECT RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

A piece of paper helped to calm the situation between warring Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Alone with their dominance in 2014, the pair’s title battle spiralled out of control. But although they are still fighting head-to-head in a close championship contest again in 2015, the waters have appeared much calmer so far this season.

German Rosberg has now suggested a ‘document’ is the reason for the change.

“There is this document that both of us had to sign,” he is quoted as saying by Roger Benoit, the highly-experienced correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick.

Asked about the content of the agreement, Rosberg answered: “About how we have to conduct ourselves on the track. At the start, when overtaking, etc.”

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has also referred to an agreed set of ‘rules of engagement’ to better handle the inter-team battle in 2015.

“We as a team don’t expect them to be nice,” he said. “Or, let’s say, to play friends for the media. What we ask them is to be respectful of each other, to respect the rules of engagement.”

Notwithstanding that, Rosberg says his relationship with Hamilton goes up and down.

“It changes,” he said. “It is a complicated battle because we have to think about the team at the same time as we think about beating each other.

“It is always going to be complicated as both of us want to win, so there’s ups and downs and there is always going to be another down. At the moment, it is ok,” Rosberg added.

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KVYAT: EARLY SEASON WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME

Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat has admitted to some relief that his difficulties of early 2015 season are now behind him, but reveals that they were taxing times.

After stepping up from his rookie season with Toro Rosso to the energy drinks’ senior team for 2015, the young Russian initially struggled to match Daniel Ricciardo. It triggered speculation the energy drink stable might oust Kvyat for 2016.

“It is not pleasant to hear criticism especially from people who don’t know what’s going on,” the 21-year-old told Brazil’s Globo.

Red Bull-Renault’s performance issues aside, what was ‘going on’ – he argues – was that reliability dramas were badly affecting Kvyat’s race weekends, just as he was trying to settle into a new team.

At the same time, the notoriously brutal Helmut Marko did not hide his concerns.

“It was very difficult for me, no doubt,” Kvyat admitted. “Not everyone took into account that we couldn’t do what we needed on Fridays. We couldn’t practice. The power unit didn’t allow it. I was sitting out entire sessions.”

“Things began to change when the power unit improved in reliability and allowed us to be on track on Fridays. And the results started coming from that.

“I had not forgotten from one year to the next how to drive, and honestly I don’t need someone to tell me what I need to do to be faster,” Kvyat insisted.

Indeed, both Marko and team boss Christian Horner now agree that Kvyat is back on track.

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F1 DRIVERS TO CARRY SPECIAL BIANCHI MESSAGE

Mourning F1 drivers will carry on their cars the ‘CiaoJules’ hashtag tribute to their fallen rival Jules Bianchi this weekend in Hungary.

The collective tribute comes in the wake of the talented Frenchman’s tragic death last Friday, nine months after falling into a coma following his 2014 Suzuka crash.

No less than 36 of Bianchi’s race driver colleagues, including many from the feeder category GP2, flocked to the late 25-year-old’s native Nice on Tuesday for the funeral.

F1 stars including Sebastian Vettel, Pastor Maldonado, Felipe Massa, Romain Grosjean and Jean-Eric Vergne were even pallbearers, while others including Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo also paid their respects in Nice.

“It was extremely emotional,” Nico Rosberg told Bild newspaper.

Nico Hulkenberg added: “It was the first funeral I have been to. Incredibly emotional and peaceful.”

Also there was Grand Prix Drivers’ Association president Alex Wurz, but he denied that he had pushed hard for his colleagues to travel to Nice.

“The presence of the drivers came from the heart,” said the Austrian. “No one had to be convinced to come. Every one of us knows that the life of a friend and a colleague is far more important than any podium.”

Another reason for the large turnout, suggested Bianchi’s manager Nicholas Todt, was the former Marussia driver’s personality.

“He was so natural, humble,” said Todt. “F1 is a complicated profession, often you can lose touch with reality, but he always knew how to remain humble and nice with everybody and that made him different from the others.”

Another great tragedy is that Bianchi died before his full potential could be displayed, as he was apparently destined for a future Ferrari race seat.

And Roberto Merhi, his successor at Manor Marussia, said the Bianchi tragedy as well as that of late test driver Maria de Villota, has been hard on the team.

“They did not deserve it. They are a great team who have had bad luck with this and with Maria,” he told the Spanish sports daily Marca. “And I’m sorry for the boss, John Booth, who is an excellent manager, one of the best in F1.

“For me, Bianchi was the most complete of my generation,” said Spaniard Merhi, 24. “I remember he arrived for a kart race in 2002 in Vendrell, in Spain, without knowing the circuit, which in this age is crucial, but he was like a bullet immediately.”

“In 2009 he won the F3 euro series with a car that was very good, but he crushed everybody,” recalled Merhi, “including Bottas and Ricciardo.”

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LOPEZ SAYS BATTLING BIG TEAMS IS UNACCEPTABLY RISKY

Williams finds itself in the same predicament as Lotus, when the Enstone team tried to push towards the very top of Formula 1, claims Gerard Lopez.

The low-profile-in-2015 Lotus team owner, who is currently in the midst of Renault buyout rumours and legal trouble with unpaid suppliers insists Lotus is actually back on track, having learned from 2012 and 2013, when Kimi Raikkonen even won a couple of races in a black and gold car.

“What I would not do again, perhaps, is that when you are fourth or fifth, try to gamble in going for first place,” he said recently to Auto Motor und Sport.

Now, he sees the independent British team Williams in the same sort of situation.

“Williams is in the same position now as we were two years ago. To try to be third, you need to put yourself in a position of unacceptable risk,” he is quoted by the German magazine.

After the performance and budget collapse of 2014, Lotus has re-set its objectives in 2015, and Lopez – highly-critical of the income distribution system in F1 – says the fight to be fifth is now the right one.

So while the earlier media coverage was about Lotus stretching itself with debt, now the reports are about the supposed cusp of liquidation.

“Before, we couldn’t count. Now it’s said that we’re broke, just because we only spend as much as we have,” said Lopez.

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MERCEDES PREVIEW THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

The 2015 Formula 1 World Championship season continues with Round 10, the Hungarian Grand Prix, from Budapest

Lewis Hamilton: “Saying goodbye to Jules was incredibly hard for everyone. For myself, I wished I had known him better. But from what I knew of him, he was a kind heart with a great spirit and a bright future. Now our sport embarks on a tough road ahead. We have been shown once more the dangers of our sport, that these should be respected and that we drivers commit ourselves to the chance that those dangers are there when we step into the car. We have made great progress for safety thus far and I know that the FIA will continue to make steps forward to improve even further. Hungary is a beautiful place, one of my favourites. I will be carrying Jules with me in my prayers and thoughts, not only this race but for the rest of my driving days. I know he’d want us to race hard as he did, and so I will.”

Nico Rosberg: “It has been a very emotional week. The drivers paid our final respects to Jules and said farewell. He was a very talented driver and a good guy. My thoughts in these days are with his family and close friends. Everyone will be sharing the same feelings in the paddock this week – but we must race on and race hard for Jules as he would have wanted to be doing himself. It’s the final race before the team gets a well-earned break and I’ll be pushing as always to give everyone something positive to take into their holidays. It’s a tough track on the driver – narrow, very twisty and usually very hot. It’s one of those circuits where you can really show your skill and that makes it a good challenge. The race here last year wasn’t ideal for me in the end – but it’s a proper circuit, in a beautiful city, with big crowds always filling the grandstands, so I’m looking forward to it and hoping bring home a stronger result this time around.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “It has been a difficult week for the motorsport family. My first thoughts go to the family and friends of Jules – the loss of a child is something for which there are no words, and on behalf of the team I send them strength for the days and weeks ahead. I personally remember the first time I heard of an incredibly talented young French guy with an Italian name back in 2007 – how he performed in his F3 rookie season in 2008, then dominated the following year to become Champion. That is how we will remember Jules: as an extraordinary Champion. And we will honour his memory by continuing to improve the safety of the drivers, team members, circuit workers and spectators under the leadership of the FIA. Now we look forward to Hungary and the final race before the mid-season break. A strong result will give us positive momentum to carry through the summer.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “We approach Hungary determined to get a good result and to head into the summer break on a positive note. The Hungaroring is an interesting circuit – predominantly low and medium speed with a short straight, plenty of challenging corners and a lot of elevation changes. It can be tricky to find the right compromise on suspension and it’s also tough on brakes. Mostly though, it’s about cornering ability, with teams running maximum downforce. Overtaking is tough but not impossible, so when passing manoeuvres do occur they’re usually pretty special – there have been some bold, race-defining moves at the Hungaroring across the years. Through the weekend, we will also have Jules Bianchi and his family uppermost in our thoughts. Important lessons have been learned from his tragic accident last year and changes implemented to prevent that kind of accident recurring. Motorsport can never be free of risk – but these moments remind us all of the responsibility we bear to continuously improve safety in motorsport for all of its participants.”

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F1 IN-SEASON TESTING SCRAPPED FOR 2016

Formula 1 has scrapped in-season testing for 2016, according to a report in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

And in June, the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport revealed that Jerez had been dropped as a venue for winter testing next year.

It said the pre-season schedule for 2016 has been trimmed for cost reasons from three to just two four-day tests, to both take place in Barcelona next March.

And La Gazzetta dello Sport now claims: “The (two) tests during the season will also be absent for the first time since 2011.”

However, official tyre supplier Pirelli is still pushing for more testing, with Auto Motor und Sport saying in June that the marque wants one post-season outing at a warm location, and one wet-weather test probably at Paul Ricard.

The Italian supplier’s Paul Hembery admitted Pirelli had missed its target of two or three-stop races in 2015, “but then we have no testing ability.

“We have zero testing ability so it is ok to sometimes ask us to do things,” he told Sky, “but we also need the ability to do our job.”

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RED BULL PREVIEW THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship, at Hungaroring near Budapest.

Daniel Ricciardo: “The Hungarian Grand Prix has a lot going for it. Personally, I love these races in the European summer when you have the high temperatures and – usually – the great weather, plus it’s the final race before the summer break and that tends to put everyone in a good mood. There’s usually a really good party on Sunday night and, because of the break everyone tends to stay and have fun. Budapest is a cool city, really good restaurants and bars, really nice, really loyal fans and basically a great place to have a grand prix. That’s the short version. It’s a great, great track for a qualifying lap, one of the best of the year. It’s tight, twisty and bumpy, and you have to use a lot of kerb – so getting in a low fuel, new tyre lap right on the limit it’s lots and lots of fun. But, for the same reasons the race tends to be quite tight with not a lot of overtaking. Last year was a great race for me! Of the three wins last year, it was the one where I was definitely most excited during the race. It’s tough for me to judge but probably it was the best performance of the three, purely because of the people I passed to finish in the lead. I had tyres in better condition – excellent strategy from our guys – but Fernando and Lewis don’t let you have the places for free – I had to really work for it! Winning the race was awesome but the fact I had half a dozen mates over for the race made it even better. What I said about Hungary being the final race before the break? We had a really good Sunday night.”

Daniil Kvyat: I really used to enjoy [Hungaroring] in Formula Renault 2.0 but it’s probably a little bit too narrow for modern Formula One cars. But still, in qualifying it really makes you push to the limit. You’re right on the edge and you never get a rest during the lap. I think that’s the biggest characteristic of the circuit. I was on pole and won there in Formula Renault 2.0 in 2012 and was on the podium in GP3 in the feature race, so I’ve got pretty good memories of racing here. It is pretty challenging, yes. You need to hit every apex right, don’t make any mistakes in your line selection, it’s quite a difficult one to get right but I do find it to be a lot of fun. Budapest is one of the best cities we go to during the whole championship. Budapest is very cool. We don’t go crazy, obviously, but there are a few really nice restaurants along the river – particularly one Italian where I go quite often when I have time. I really like it along the river, it’s cool.”

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

Force India drivers preview the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship, at Hungaroring near Budapest.

Nico Hulkenberg: “I’ve always had good memories of racing in Hungary, ever since I first raced there in 2009 in GP2. It’s an unusual track with a tight and twisty layout. You have to find your rhythm because all the corners flow into each other and it’s easy to lose your momentum with just a small mistake. Away from the track it’s always a popular race with everyone in the paddock. The weather is usually hot and sunny, and the city is beautiful with lots of cool places to explore. The last race at Silverstone was a lot of fun. I’m very pleased with the b-spec update and happy with our performance across the whole weekend. After the first couple of laps in the new car I knew we had made a step in the right direction and I had a smile on my face. We obviously need to keep exploring our package, but it was satisfying to get a good result at the team’s home race. The engineers have spent the last couple of weeks digging deep into the data because we can’t afford to stand still. We need to keep pushing in this direction and getting more performance from the car. There’s a good feeling in the team and I think we can be competitive again this weekend. The low and medium-speed corners should suit us and the tyre choices are a bit softer than Silverstone, which should help us.”

Sergio Perez: “The Hungarian Grand Prix is always a cool event. The fans are very enthusiastic and they show lots of support for all the drivers. It’s definitely an enjoyable weekend in a very historic city. The track itself is very technical: you need good traction to exit the low-speed corners and you have to be very accurate and precise. Because it’s so twisty, it feels like you are always in a corner and it’s not easy to follow other cars or overtake, so a good qualifying result becomes even more important. It’s also quite demanding on the tyres, so it’s important to look after them when you can. It’s the last race before the summer holidays and getting a strong result in Hungary is always a nice boost. I’m feeling optimistic that we can go there and race for some good points, especially with the performance step we made at Silverstone. We are still learning about the new car, but I feel there is great potential to get some special results before the end of the year.”

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

After the fast sweeps of Silverstone, Formula 1 heads to the slowest permanent circuit on the calendar next weekend. The Hungaroring is tortuously twisting and narrow, and has few fast corners. To be competitive, a car needs to have aerodynamic stability and good traction.

The Hungaroring was the first circuit in the world to be built specifically for F1. It was completed in just nine months ahead of its first grand prix in August 1986 and it’s been a permanent fixture ever since. Only six tracks on this year’s schedule have staged more grands prix than this 4.381km/2.722-mile track.

With an average speed of just 190km/h (118mph), the Hungaroring rewards low-speed traction. However, grip levels are poor early in the weekend because the asphalt is usually very dusty and slippery. This makes life very difficult for the drivers during Friday’s practice sessions, until some rubber has been laid down on the racing line.

As you’d expect on a track where overtaking is difficult, the start of the race is crucial. It’s advantageous to line up on the clean side of the grid, and the run to the first corner is 610 metres – the fourth longest of the year – so there’s a lot of jostling for position on the approach to Turn One.

The combination of old and abrasive asphalt, and high track temperatures, provides a hostile working environment for the tyres. For this reason, Pirelli are taking their Soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) tyre compounds to the race. It’s the first time this combination has been used since the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.

McLaren is the most successful constructor at the Hungaroring. The team has won there 11 times, which is more than one-third of the races staged at the track. It was also in Hungary that the team’s 2015 race drivers scored their maiden F1 wins, Fernando Alonso in 2003 and Jenson Button in 2006.

Hungary facts & stats

• It’s all about: The Race
  Start time: 1400 (local) / 1200 (GMT)
• Race distance: 70 laps (full world championship points awarded after 75% distance/53 laps)
• 2014 winner: Daniel Ricciardo
• 2014 pole position: Nico Rosberg 1m22.715s (190.674km/h)
• 2014 fastest lap: Nico Rosberg 1m25.724s (183.981km/h)
• Chances of a Safety Car: Low. There were two Safety Car periods last year, but, statistically, there’s
  still only a 10 per cent chance of a Safety Car

Don’t put the kettle on… The Hungaroring has a short pitlane; it takes only 16s to complete a pitstop and
that opens up a lot of strategy options. For the last two years the race has been won with three pitstops,
so stay tuned on laps 9-12; 30-33 and 50-55.

Weather forecast: Usually, it’s very warm at this time of year – 25-30 degrees. It’s unusual to see rain, but that’s what happened last year (and in 2011 and ’06).

Did you know? With 11 victories, McLaren has won more than a third of all the races staged at the Hungaroring. Williams are second with seven wins and Ferrari third with five

Technical words of wisdom from Tim Goss, technical director: “The Hungaroring is a great little racetrack. It has lots of corners and very few straights, which puts the focus on aerodynamics. You run the car in maximum downforce trim, but many of the corners are in fact medium-speed, not slow-speed, so you need a car that delivers very consistent downforce. If you can achieve good levels of downforce from corner entry through to corner exit, you can achieve a good balance and that’s more important than the amount of drag the car produces.”

McLaren at the Hungarian Grand Prix

• Wins: 11 (1988, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)
• Poles: 8 (1988, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012)
• Fastest laps: 5 (1988, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005)

Fernando Alonso: “It’s funny to think that both Jenson and I won our first grand prix in Hungary. That, of course, makes it a special place for me, and a venue that’ll always hold good memories for me. I really like this place; it’s a track that you really have to attack to get a good laptime, and, although it’s often thought of as a slow circuit, the sweeps around the back of the circuit are all really satisfying, and require a lot of commitment. The left-hander at Turn Six, in particular, is a really great corner – approached blind over a crest, and really hard to nail perfectly. I think the team is looking forward to this race: the track will offer us a reasonable opportunity to showcase our steady progress, and I’d like to think that, if everything runs smoothly, we could have a less difficult weekend.”

Jenson Button: “It’s going to be a nice feeling to return to the Hungaroring with Honda power behind me, having last won a race for Honda at this very track back in 2006. Obviously, I have a place in my heart for this place – any driver’s first grand prix victory is a special event – but, that aside, it’s a place I’ve always enjoyed. Although my race at Silverstone was extremely disappointing, Fernando’s points finish was well deserved. There’s been absolutely no let-up on the technical side – having personally seen the effort that’s been going on at MTC, and heard about the work that’s being done at Sakura, I know we’re slowly but surely getting there. Of course, that’s difficult to substantiate without decent results, but let’s hope we can go into the summer break feeling confident about the second half of the season.”

Eric Boullier, Racing director, McLaren-Honda: “Last weekend’s sad news about Jules Bianchi means that the grand prix circus heads to Budapest with heavy hearts. We’ll all remember his life in our own personal way, but Formula 1 will come together on Sunday to silently and respectfully mark his passing. The weekend’s news has firmly put things into perspective, but we head to Hungary keen to shake off the poor luck we’ve encountered in recent races. It’s been a source of great frustration to see new components and upgrades destroyed before they’ve had the chance to be race-proven, through a series of first-lap accidents. However, the unshakeable belief and optimism of Fernando and Jenson has set the example for the whole team: they are remarkable assets, and their commitment during these times is incredibly valuable. Honda, too, has shown a commitment that remains admirably undiminished. Together, we are showing the fighting spirit and resilience that will see us continue to improve our performance and reliability as we move back to the front. I hope that our performance in Hungary will scratch the surface on the performance and potential that lies within our organisation – it would be great to go into the break feeling re-energised about the races ahead.”

Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer – chief officer of motorsport: “The Hungaroring is a twisty track that’s mostly made up of continuous slow- to mid-speed corners and various elevation changes that makes it very difficult to overtake. Each corner is technical and tight, but there is a certain flow to it that makes it different from a stop-and-go circuit. Due to its lack of long straights and full-throttle sectors, this track is less strenuous for the power unit compared to most circuits.However, the frequent undulation requires more precise energy management and deployment at lower gears and corner exits.Getting our energy management settings right will be crucial throughout the weekend. Our goal is to end the first half of the season with precise energy management and full use of the ERS to enable the drivers’ skills to shine through at this circuit.”

Our most memorable Hungarian Grand Prix: 2005

The Hungaroring has been a happy hunting ground for McLaren. The team has enjoyed many great wins at the track, but none greater than in 2005. This was the era of one-lap qualifying, with the running order decided by the finishing positions of the previous race. Kimi Raikkonen was the first retirement at the preceding German Grand Prix, which forced him to be first out during qualifying in Hungary. He opted for a light fuel load and managed to qualify fourth, with his main rival Michael Schumacher lining up on pole.

Kimi made a great start to jump up to second and pressured Schumacher for the lead until his first pitstop on lap 11. Kimi continued to play second fiddle to Schumacher after the first round of pitstops, but a blinding in-lap ahead of his second stop saw him emerge in the lead. To emphasise his dominance, he put 25s on the German during the next 11 laps. By the chequered flag, Kimi was 35s up the road and took his first win in Hungary.

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TORO ROSSO DRIVERS PREVIEW THE HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

Toro Rosso drivers preview the Hungarian Grand Prix, Round 12 of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship, at Hungaroring near Budapest.

Carlos Sainz: “I enjoy racing at the Hungaroring. It’s a circuit that I know pretty well as I’ve raced there many times in the junior categories, finishing on the podium a few times. It’s definitely one of the historic European tracks that everyone loves going to! I think it could also be a circuit that suits the Toro Rosso car well, so I’m looking forward to the weekend. The very high air and track temperatures also mean it could be a challenge physically, so I’ve been training ha​rd in warm conditions. It’s a very enjoyable layout to drive and its narrow and twisty nature means there’s little time to relax on a lap because there are no real straights. I’ve spent a bit of time in the centre of Budapest and I can say it is a really beautiful city, especially the parts close to the river Danube. It’s truly special.”

Max Verstappen: “I’ve raced at the Hungaroring in Formula 3 and it’s a bit of a Mickey Mouse track. I’m looking forward to racing there with an F1 car; I think the circuit will suit our car and I’m optimistic we can fight for a good result. This could be one of our best races of the season. Qualifying will be a key part of the weekend as in Hungary it is very difficult to overtake during the race, but, as always, I will do my best and try to overtake every time the opportunity arises. I have seen the city a bit and it’s one of the nicest we visit. After this race, we have our summer break, but I’m not really looking forward to it: I’d prefer to have another three races in the three weeks off!”

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'Honda's sixth engine will be freeeee!'

There is finally some good news for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button with a report revealing Honda won't get a grid penalty when it uses its next power unit.

Regulations at the start of the 2015 campaign stated that each driver is allowed four power units per season, but the World Motor Sport Council decided to tweak the rules earlier this month and allow Honda an extra engine as this is their first season back in F1.

It was a welcome move for Alonso and Button as the two have already had a raft of penalties this season as Honda has struggled to produce reliable engines.

However, not many people were sure how exactly things would transpire as the McLaren duo used a fifth engine at the Austrian Grand Prix with both receiving multiple penalties as a result.

The issue has now been clarified as their next power unit change, their sixth of the campaign, will be "free".

Motorsport.com reveals "that the FIA has agreed there will be 'special dispensation' granted for Honda to take its free engine from now on, even though it has already used its fifth power unit".

A McLaren spokesperson told the website: "We do not know the details of how we gain back the Austrian penalties, etc. We have to confirm the details going forward, now that the FIA has made its decision."

MIKA: Sorry, I can't help myself...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0y9DkJcxH4

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Ferrari's Allison denies exit rumours

Ferrari technical director James Allison insists that he is not on the verge of leaving Scuderia.

After a disappointing 2014 campaign, the Italian team began the current season looking a much improved outfit, with Sebastian Vettel securing a race win in Malaysia that was Ferrari's first since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix.

However, while Vettel has consistently been on the podium, Ferrari have struggled to go toe-to-toe with Mercedes, with race victories appearing unlikely.

Speculation has been rife that the dip in Ferrari's form could prove costly for Allison, particularly as some reports have maintained that his current contract expires at the end of the season and that a new deal has not been tabelled.

However, the Briton insists that this is not the case at all.

“First, I have a contract that binds me to this company for several years," he has been quoted as saying in Autosprint magazine.

“Second, I came back to this team to repeat the experience of winning, because it is an unique feeling. I experienced it as a young engineer, and it was amazing to win five world championships.

“And the prospect of being able to relive those moments in the role that I occupy today is something that I really wanted to do, as a matter of the heart.

“I want to stay here until I finish my work and if Ferrari feels the same then I will be very happy,” he added.

The former Lotus chief conceded that Vettel's early success made matters difficult for the team, with expectations rising. However, he expects that Ferrari will soon be hot on the heels of Mercedes once more.

“In the first part of the season updates came much faster than the competition and we reduced the gap," the 47-year-old explained.

“Then we saw that the Mercedes teams took a huge leap forward in Montreal, and the gap widened again.

“But if I had to bet on what will happen in the second half of the season, I think we will return to reducing the gap to Mercedes and staying ahead of Williams."

Allison, who worked at Maranello as an engineer prior to making his name with Lotus, is mindful that winning is part of Ferrari's DNA, but believes that the great expectations that come with the team are one of the things that make working for the Italian squad so special.

“We are a team with very good drivers, a significant budget, cutting-edge tools — we have no excuses. We have to fight for victory," he said.

“And when it does not work it is a disappointment for everyone. Those who work for Ferrari know that if you don’t win it is very likely that there will be problems.

“At Maranello everyone knows that — that when you decide to work for Ferrari, you take the responsibility of having to build a winning car. And I think that will always be so."

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Renault will receive bonus if it returns to team ownership - Ecclestone

Renault will be given "historic team" status if it chooses to return to team ownership, providing it with a huge financial incentive which could sway its decision.

The French manufacturer is currently debating whether it should continue as an engine supplier only, quit the sport or return to team ownership - though the latter would come at great cost.

However that cost would likely be eased significantly with Bernie Ecclestone confirming the manufacturer would be eligible for "historic team" status, awarding it a financial bonus regardless of performance.

At present, 15 per cent of the prize money pot is reserved for five qualifying teams. Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and Williams each receive a varying amount based on their history.

With Renault involved in all but five seasons since 1977, it would join the aforementioned teams and receive a financial boost, easing its concerns.

If they take over Lotus and do exactly what Mercedes and Red Bull did, that would be it [to qualify for the payment], so yeah, sure," Ecclestone told Autosport.

"They have talked about perhaps taking over Lotus, so there is a way in for them, and we'd love to have them on board."

When asked if reports a current historic team, including engine customer Red Bull, could veto the move, he added: "If they [Renault] do what they have to do to be in line with those people I don't think we would need anybody to agree. I think we could deal with it easily enough."

Renault are due to make a decision toward the end of August following careful consideration of all three options.

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Raikkonen is just as quick as Vettel - Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen has less points than team-mate Sebastian Vettel because he makes more mistakes, not because he is slower, according to Ferrari technical director James Allison.

The Finn's future at the Italian outfit has come under scrutiny thanks to his points deficit of 59 to Vettel, whilst the German has secured six podiums to Raikkonen's one.

However it isn't his pace that's the problem, but the number of mistakes he is making, particularly during qualifying, says Allison.

"Sometimes Kimi is quicker, other times it's Seb," he told Autosprint.

"The difference is Sebastian never, or almost never, makes mistakes.

"This year only in Bahrain have we seen after all, that he can make mistakes.

"But besides that weekend, he has practically never made any errors. Kimi instead, especially in qualifying, has had a few more slip-ups.

"I'd say the same thing if Kimi was here, and I think he would accept it.

"Sometimes you just need a small mistake to ruin a weekend, but the speed is there. Kimi knows that too."

It's rumoured that Ferrari are ready to drop Raikkonen in favour of Valtteri Bottas for 2016, though the team have yet to confirm their driver line-up.

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Hungarian GP - A lap of the track with Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari has found itself the ideal guide to describe a perfect lap of the Hungaroring.

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FIA extends new team deadline

The FIA has extended the deadline for those teams interested in applying to join the Formula 1 grid, Motorsport.com has learned.

Motor racing's governing body announced in May that it wanted expressions of interest from teams that were eager to join the F1 field in either 2016 or 2017.

It said at the time: "Having due regard for the sustainability and future success of the Formula 1 world championship, the FIA has opened a new selection process to identify a candidate team to participate in the championship from the start of the 2016 or the 2017 season.

"The overall long-term interests of the championship will determine which candidate is selected."

Original June deadline

The FIA initially stated that the criteria for selecting those teams interested would be given to all those who had expressed an interest by June 30.

However, Motorsport.com has learned that this deadline has now been pushed back to July 23.

No reason for the delay has been given, but it could have been to give some teams considering applying more time to decide if they definitely wanted to do it or not.

The FIA hopes to be able to confirm which team, if any, it believes should be granted a place on the grid on September 30.

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Hungarian GP - Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen's preview of upcoming racing weekend at Hungary.

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Kimi Raikkonen interview: Leave him alone, he knows what he is doing

Kimi Raikkonen is a man under pressure, but not that you'd notice talking to him. Speaking in the privacy of Shell's trackside laboratory at the Austrian Grand Prix, ESPN sat down briefly with the 2007 world champion to discuss both F1's future and his own.

Kimi, you've driven V10 F1 cars, V8s and now these V6 turbos. Which of those was the most fun and why did it appeal to you?

Obviously the cars are a bit slower now and as a driver you always want to go faster and obviously in the past the cars were faster, the tyres were better, softer ... they were different, but they were faster. Obviously we changed tyres [when Pirelli arrived in 2011], but I think the old tyres were more fun to drive because you could push all the time, but now you have to save fuel, save tyres, save this, save that. It feels much more strict now, it's still on the edge at times, but it's not pure pushing on the limits.

So it's not like it used to be, the grip is less, you cannot attack certain corners, so I prefer the cars from the early 2000s to late 2000s. They were probably the nicest cars. The whole package and the rules dictate a lot what happens, so the rule changes have been the biggest hit that has been taken.

But does F1 need to make more rule changes to get back to where it was in the 2000s?

The rules themselves have changed a lot [since the 2000s] and they have tried to make it more of a show and more entertaining, but let's be honest, we also got a lot of overtaking done in those years without any devices. It was more of a show in some respects, because there were more faster cars and obviously the rules have changed, but they need to do something to bring it back to what is really F1. It's supposed to be the fastest thing on a race circuit and when you ask people now they probably don't think it.

Is it not also a problem for the spectacle that one team is running away with it all the time?

But that happens - not always, but often. When I started it was Ferrari all the time, then it was the Red Bulls and now it is Mercedes. One team gets things perfectly fine then obviously the gap is much bigger and then when they keep making rule changes there is always a bigger chance that one team gets it right and other teams have to start to catch up.

If you keep the rules for many years then at some point it will close up. You will never avoid a dominant team with the rules, one team will always win. People complain when it's not them, but then in one year or two years it might have changed.

Ferrari has made progress towards closing the gap to Mercedes this year, how confident are you that you will be part of that progress going forward into next year?

You have to ask the team, it's not really in my hands. Obviously they want more all the time and it hasn't been an ideal start to the year, but we make progress all the time. As a team we have made a big, big step from where we were last year to where we are now. I'm sure we have made a bigger step than all the other teams, but obviously it is still not enough to be where we want to be, but it's not easy and we need time.

We keep going in the right direction and the people in the team are obviously still not enjoying to finish third and second, we want to be consistently able to win races at every race. But as long as we continue to do the same thing and go in the same direction, I'm sure we will get there. But we cannot make miracles in the next few months.

Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene says all he needs is "good performances" from you in order to be persuaded to keep you next year, so what do you need to do to meet his expectations?

I'll do my best and if it's not enough then it's not enough. We are not far away from where we can be maximum happy with where we finish, but obviously that is still not enough for us.

We want to win races, but unfortunately we are not exactly in that position even if we have a straightforward race. Obviously we will just keep working. I'm not worried about next year too much, if it happens it happens and if not then you can say that I'm happy and the team is going the right way and everybody is enjoying much more. But still there is a lot of work to be done to be 100% happy as a team and for me as well. Time will tell.