Formula 1 - 2017

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NEW RENAULT F1 DRIVING SCHOOL AIMS TO MAKE RETURNING FRENCH GP “MORE THAN JUST A ONE-OFF EVENT”

France has had to wait a long time to get its Grand Prix and now it has the race from 2018 onwards, it plans to make the most of it.

Renault has today launched a partnership with the Winfield Racing School to offer motorsport fans and professional drivers the chance to drive Formula 1 machinery.

The new scheme will be based at the Paul Ricard circuit, which will host the French Grand Prix when the race returns to the F1 calendar in 2018, and has a stated aim of making motorsport more accessible to amateur enthusiasts as well help professional drivers to hone their skills.

The French Grand Prix for 2018 was officially rolled out on Monday at a ceremony at the circuit featuring the various local stakeholders. A bank guarantee underpins the event and the target is to welcome 65,000 spectators.

Participants in the one-day driving course will get to drive a V8 F1 car, a Formula Renault 2.0, an R.S.01, a Clio RS and a Megane RS Trophy car. A crew of 14 F1 mechanics and engineers will oversee the technical side of the programme and maintain the racing machines. A Renault spokesperson said it hoped to publish information on the cost of the driving programme “in the near future” when contacted by JA on F1.

Renault Sport Racing’s managing director, Cyril Abiteboul, described the new partnership with Winfield as part of the French manufacturer’s desire to make the return of the French Grand Prix “more than just a one-off event”.

He said: “The launch of this partnership with Winfield marks an important step in Renault’s determination to share its passion for its racing activities. Enthusiasts will discover Renault racing cars up to the ultimate level of motorsport, Formula 1 at one of the most beautiful circuits in the world.

“This ties in with our ambition to make the return of the Formula 1 French Grand Prix in 2018 more than just a one-off event.

“Professional drivers will have the opportunity to drive modern racing cars with tailor-made programmes developed and run by our F1 engineers. The state-of-the-art installation will also give us the opportunity to run events for our team partners.”

Frédéric Garcia, President of the Winfield Group that has run F1 drivers including Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jean Alesi and Olivier Panis in its racing school at the start of their careers, explained that the new driving programme would provide a unique experience for F1 fans.

He said: “Winfield’s promise is experience, emotion, engagement and exclusivity. The driving programme developed with Renault clearly adheres to these promises.

“Spectating at a Formula 1 Grand Prix is a very nice experience, however to be behind the wheel of a modern F1 car enhances greatly these emotions and offers the most exclusive of experiences.

“Participants will get a unique taste of the complexity of this fabulous sport as they experience the extreme physical and mental demands of the high tech environment of Formula 1. Thanks to Renault and Winfield, anyone participating in this programme will never again watch a Grand Prix in the same way as before.”

The Winfield Racing School is based at the 5.861-km Paul Ricard track near Le Castellet in Southern France. It was announced in late 2016 that the circuit would host the return of the French Grand Prix when a five-year deal to bring the event back onto the F1 calendar was confirmed, with the first race taking place in the summer of 2018.

The last French Grand Prix took place at the Magny-Cours track in 2008 and was won by Ferrari’s Felipe Massa. The most recent F1 race to take place at Paul Ricard was in 1990, when Prost triumphed for the Scuderia.

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SOON YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SING AT KIMI’S KARAOKE BAR

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen is reportedly on the verge of opening a karaoke bar in Helsinki.

Seitseman Paivaa claim that Raikkonen, known in Formula 1 as The Iceman but also a keen karaoke singer, is penning a deal to build the entertainment venue close to the marina where he has his yacht moored, in the Finnish captial.

In the video above he is shown singing karaoke during a night out with friends.

Raikkonen, who struggles to crack a smile even when ‘celebrating’ on the F1 podium, is quite the opposite outside of the grand prix paddocks and is famous for his party lifestyle, although massively toned down these days since his marriage to model Minttu Virtanen with whom he has had a son with.

Work on the bar is expected to start in April, with one of the name’s being touted for the establishment being: Kimi’s Place.

 

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CLARKSON: TELL THE RICH OLD MEN WHO RUN F1 THAT IT’S FOR THE FANS

The Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson has given some advice to the Formula 1’s new owners, while acknowledging that it is a good thing that the Bernie Ecclestone era is finally over.

In a video on his Drivetribe website, Clarkson said, “Formula One, the rich old men who run it, just need to be told that it’s for the fans. The only thing that will get the fans watching and therefore the sponsorship money rolling in again is excitement.”

“I think the Americans understand that so I’m hoping and praying that they bring it back, because Chase [Carey] is American, there’s no question that the Americans have a sense of theatre about them. Think whatever you do of NASCAR, they can fill 250,000-seater stadiums, which no other sport on Earth can do.”

As for deposed ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Clarkson said, “I had some time for Bernie in the end actually, but it’s probably a good thing that he’s gone and that’s it’s now going to be run as a show and not as just some tool for making already very rich men a little bit richer.”

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ALONSO: I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE COLOR, I WANT IT TO BE QUICK

The colour of McLaren’s 2017 car – designated MCL32 – is a much debated mystery, so much so that their superstar driver Fernando Alonso is in the dark regarding the livery of the car he will drive this season.

Alonso admitted, “I do not know what colour it will be. What I have read [in the media] is that it can be something orange, black and white.

“I even asked [Eric] Boullier about it, with the excuse that I want to include the colour in my helmet design… But he said: You will see at the presentation.”

“Color is not the most important thing and I hope, whatever it is, that it will be quick!” added the Spaniard who will be looking for a turnaround in fortunes after couple of below par seasons since he returned to McLaren in 2015.

The issue regarding the change of colour for McLaren, from the gray, white and black livery of recent years, comes in the wake of huge management changes at McLaren since Ron Dennis was ousted from the helm of the organisation last year.

In a clear step away from the Dennis-era, the team have dropped the MP4 nomenclature of their F1 cars which will now be be designated with the MCL prefix.

In the late sixties McLaren were painted orange for the Can-Am series after team manager Teddy Mayer was impressed by a rival’s orange car.

For the 1968 season, the team’s Can-Am and Formula 1 cars featured bright orange liveries which became their signature colour and indeed made the team visually unique, in the manner that Ferrari used red to distinguish their race cars.

The orange livery remained on works McLaren F1 cars until 1971 when perfume and toiletries company Yardley became the title sponsors upon which the cars were painted white.

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HULKENBERG: I’M NOT TOO FUSSED ABOUT THE LEADER THING

Nico Hulkenberg is playing down his status as Renault ‘team leader’, claiming that the term has little significance in modern Formula 1.

Hulkenberg, who was signed by Renault from Force India to spearhead their 2017 campaign, told Racer, “To be honest that’s not so important. I think that’s something that gets emphasized by the media, to lead the team.”

“What does it mean, to lead the team? You want to be in front, you want to beat your teammate. If you lead or not, it doesn’t matter.”

Hulkenberg’s teammate for 2017 is Jolyon Palmer whose rookie season was hardly stellar, but the Englishman obviously did enough to earn his place with the French team for another season.

Renault had a dismal 2016 season and Hulkenberg believes his role is to turn things around, to make the outfit a force again in Formula 1.

“It’s more important for me to help the team,” insisted the German. “To bring it forward, to develop it and then later on to develop for me. That also means I have to beat my teammate whoever that will be, both this year and beyond.”

“I’m not too fussed about the leader thing – I’m going to do my job and whoever is next to me is not really that important to me,” added Hulkenberg who will be seeking a first F1 career podium with his new team.

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GENE HAAS: WE SILENCED THE CRITICS

The Haas F1 Team made an impressive entry into Formula 1, defying their critics as they were on it from the moment they hit the track in testing, early last year, then followed that up with some awesome results in the early Grands Prix before they got a reality check midway through the season – team owner Gene Haas reflects on the ups-and-downs of 2016 and looks ahead to the new season.

Looking back on your first season in Formula One, how would you assess it?
Gene Haas: I think it was a very successful entrance into Formula One. We accomplished all of our major goals and, actually, surpassed what we expected at the beginning of the season.

Was your first year in Formula One similar to your first year in NASCAR, or were they two totally different experiences?
GH: Well, our first year in NASCAR was a really arduous task. We always ran at the back and we did it for like six years straight and we never had much luck. We started in NASCAR in 2002 and the competition for drivers and crew chiefs was intense and we just struggled.

Were there lessons learned from your NASCAR endeavor that were applied to Haas F1 Team’s inaugural season?
GH: Yes. Everything we learned that we did wrong in NASCAR we avoided in Formula One, and the most important thing was immediately seeing what works and what doesn’t work. We learned that the hard way in NASCAR, so when we went to Formula One our focus was not so much on how we did things, but who we did things with.

Was your inaugural Formula One season what you expected, or were there things that surprised you?
GH: I was a little bit surprised at the initial points scoring. In Melbourne we were sixth – almost unheard of in Formula One that in your first race out you would score that high.

What was your proudest moment?
GH: I certainly think Melbourne, because it was our inaugural race and actually scoring points was a record-breaking event. Melbourne certainly stands out above any other race during the whole season just because we scored points.

Was there ever a moment when you thought: What have I gotten myself into?
GH: There’s no doubt about that because when we first started in Formula One, the whole idea was that we were going to make everything ourselves. We were going to be the traditional constructor where we were going to make our own chassis, suspension, components and aero. But it was a massive undertaking, so we reversed course a bit and said, ‘Ok, who could we partner with?,’ because this is such a monumental task there’s no way that we can accomplish this in the eight or nine months we had to do it. So we had a complete change in strategy. That’s when we ended up partnering with Ferrari.

How do you think Haas F1 Team was perceived before the start of the year and what do you think its perception is today?
GH: There was a huge amount of skepticism at first. I think a lot of people certainly thought we’d run in the back the entire season. We did have a lot of support from NBC Sports and all the guys on the broadcast. I think by the end of the season we silenced the critics and, by now, most people see us as a serious competitor.

Beyond the sporting challenge of Formula One, there was a business case for your company, Haas Automation, to become involved in Formula One. You said you wanted Haas Automation to become a premium, global brand via Formula One. While brands aren’t built overnight, do you feel that growing Haas Automation globally is on track thanks to Haas F1 Team?
GH: Being a Formula One participant brings a level of credibility that you just won’t get through traditional advertising. People are kind of ‘show me’ people, like show me what you can do and then I’ll believe in you. It translates well into building machine tools where if we can race cars, we can build machine tools. That was the initial concept – to convince people of our ability to do things that others can’t, and I think that translates into being a machine tool builder. People see what we can do in Formula One, and people believe Haas Automation can build world-class machine tools.

It was a massive undertaking to prepare for your first year, but with a new car and a new set of regulations, is 2017 going to be just as challenging?
GH: I think it has pluses and minuses. On the plus side, we’re not trying to put the whole pit crew together. We don’t have to worry about getting trucks and other infrastructure. We have all that in place. The negative side is that there’s less time to do all these things again and there are a lot of rule changes, so you have to be prepared. On the other hand, we have stronger relationships with a lot of our suppliers, so that should make it easier. It’s kind of give and take. It’ll be just as challenging as it was last year, but I think with the knowledge we have, we should actually perform a little bit better this year.

What would you like to achieve in 2017?
GH: If we can do a little bit better because our business model in Formula One allows us to operate more efficiently, we might be able to move up a position or two.

You proved that standing still isn’t something you do when you made a driver change for 2017, as Kevin Magnussen joins the team to partner with Romain Grosjean. What is it that you like about Magnussen?
GH: Well, Magnussen was actually one of our original candidates. We talked to Magnussen and thoroughly went through his racing resume and we were very impressed. Near the end of the season, we asked Kevin if he might be available and he said he was. On the second to last race weekend of the season, we made our decision and brought him to Haas F1 Team.

You grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, attended college in southern California and started Haas Automation out of your garage. Haas Automation is now the largest machine tool builder in North America, your NASCAR team has won two championships and you built the first American Formula One team in 30 years. Looking back, are you able to appreciate the scope of your achievements or are you constantly looking forward?
GH: I don’t look back too much on it. The machine tool industry is a very tough business, and racing is a tough businesses too. Only the people who get to the top are ever remembered, and it’s a business of attrition just like the machine tool business. Racing is tough and machine tools are tough, but both have started a lot of other business, like Windshear, our full-size, rolling-road wind tunnel in North Carolina. I find that in machine tools and in racing it seems that the most successful attribute you can have is just stubbornness and the will to not give up. Going racing and working with machine tools is how I started, so the two have always gone hand-in-hand. It’s really the only thing I know that well. I’ve been successful at it even though it’s an incredibly competitive environment.

When did the racing bug bite, and when did you meld your passion for racing with machine tools?
GH: I was in high school when I went to work for LeGrand racecars. One of my starting jobs there was machining magnesium wheel for racecars. I was 16 years old when (Red) LeGrand said, ‘Here’s this lathe over here. I’ll show you how to make some wheels.’ So he showed me and gave me a couple of tips and I’d say a month later I was sitting there machining wheels out of magnesium by myself. I could set the machines up and run the machines, so I was the magnesium machine guy there and that’s what I did. It doesn’t take long until you get involved with the racers there. The highest form of racing at that time was Formula 5000. I actually went to the Long Beach Grand Prix in 1975 followed by the Formula One Grand Prix in 1976, which went on for almost 10 years. I saw some of that high-profile racing right after college.

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MAGNUSSEN: I ASSUME THE CARS WILL BE MASSIVELY HARD TO DRIVE

Haas ‘new boy’ Kevin Magnussen is expecting the new generation Formula 1 cars will be tougher to drive but relishes the fact that they will faster and have more grip.

Magnussen said in an interview, “I have to assume the cars will be massively hard to drive. The motivation to train hard is quite high because I feel like it might make a real difference.”

“The training is not just two hours on a bike or on a treadmill, it’s really tough, focused training, which I enjoy,” explained the Dane who swapped to the Haas team for 2017 after a year with Renault.

“I’m quite excited because having faster cars is good for us. We want to push and to go fast and be on the limit.”

“With the last generation of cars, the grip was so low and the power compared to the grip was very high. You were always on the limit from the moment you leave the pitlane.”

“So it will be good to drive a car that challenges you to find the limit instead of looking for a compromise – tyres, aero, balance and so on.”

“I hope it’s going to be more challenging to find the limit.”

Many are predicting that the wider tyres and more grip thanks to aero tweaks allowed by the new rules will negatively affect on-track racing, nut Magnussen is not sure this will be the case.

“When you open the DRS it should make a bigger difference to the car in front, so there are things that point to better racing. With more downforce, you would think it would be hard to stay close but we will have to wait and see,” added Magnussen.

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MCLAREN CONFIRM BP CASTROL PARTHERSHIP

Press Release: McLaren is pleased to confirm it has joined forces with BP and Castrol for the provision of Formula 1 fuels and lubricant technology as well as the supply of products for McLaren Automotive, the renowned British manufacturer of luxury sports and supercars.

BP is already working with McLaren Applied Technologies, the fast-growing technology arm of the McLaren Technology Group that works to improve lives and solve crucial business performance challenges.

In the fierce proving ground of Formula 1, BP is supplying a range of performance lubricants for Honda’s Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). The team will also benefit from Castrol’s high-performance lubricants and greases that will be used in the team’s Mazak-powered machine shop and dynamic chassis rig.

Jonathan Neale, chief operating officer, McLaren Technology Group, said: “This agreement between McLaren, BP and Castrol is between brands who both share a long-standing and well-recognised passion for innovation in all we do. Our McLaren-Honda team provides a global platform for Castrol to supply bespoke advanced lubricant technology.”

Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer, McLaren Automotive, said: “The partnership between McLaren Automotive and Castrol is an important step in our journey to deliver the highest levels of performance and efficiency from the engines in our Sports and Super car ranges. Not only will the lubricants provided by Castrol play a wide-ranging role in delivering the efficiencies across our existing cars, but our future engine generations as well.”

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Lewis Hamilton 'walked all over me' before title winning season - Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg says he had to learn to take a more aggressive approach against team-mate Lewis Hamilton during his championship winning season last year because in the past the Briton had "walked all over him".

The pair became team-mates at Mercedes in 2013 and Hamilton emerged on top for three years, before Rosberg prevailed in 2016, when he claimed his maiden and only title, before announcing his retirement just days after the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The German says he had to force himself to become more aggressive in order to defeat Hamilton, admitting he struggled to race wheel-to-wheel before changing his approach last year.

"The anger is bigger if that person you know so well does something that crosses the line. Lewis is very good at going to the edge without going outside the grey area, thanks to his skills in the car. He is smart, very, very smart. I found it harder to go wheel-to-wheel. For him, it comes naturally," Rosberg said in an interview with the Daily Mail.

"For me it is more rational. I have to work at standing my ground. I got more aggressive because too often in the past he had walked all over me."

In order to change his attitude, Rosberg studied books on philosophy and meditated and that not only made him a more aggressive driver, but helped him to manage the stress and anger which comes with being involved in an intense title fight.

"I had to watch the videos and make improvements," he added. "There was a good mind man up the road and I spoke to him. I read books on philosophy.

"You can learn from this why you are feeling jealous or angry or stressed. And if you understand it, you can address it and deal with it.

"I would spend 20 minutes each morning and evening meditating. I would sit down and just think of my thoughts, learning to relax my mind. After 20 times, your mind calms.

"When the fear crept in that I would lose the championship, you connect with the thought and have a discussion with it. Then the negative thought loses its strength."

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Valtteri Bottas takes a tour of the Mercedes power unit factory

New Mercedes recruit Valtteri Bottas paid his colleagues at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth a visit to get to know them a little better and see how the 2017 Mercedes-Benz Formula One engine is coming along...

 

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McLaren boss not targeting race wins in 2017

New McLaren boss Zak Brown says this season is still a year of recovery for McLaren and therefore he isn’t expecting the team to deliver any race wins in 2017.

Brown, who replaced Ron Dennis late last year following a number of poor seasons for the British team – with a winless streak stretching back to Brazil 2012 – has been tasked with rebuilding the team.

Although power unit supplier Honda has made progress and is expected to deliver greater performance this year, Brown isn’t raising the bar too high in terms of the team's targets.

"I think they [McLaren staff] are all frustrated, as you can imagine, and eager to get back to our winning ways,” he told the Marshall Pruett podcast.

“I don't think our results the last couple years are something that the team is accustomed to. They don't like it. And they want to turn things around.

"At the same time, one step at a time. So while we're doing all the right things I think for success, we need to keep moving up the grid. But I would caution we are not going to be winning any races [this year], I don't anticipate. 

“So we need to be measured on forward progress, as opposed to ultimate results in 2017.”

Brown is eyeing a return to glory the following year however when everything has fallen into place.

"We've got the enthusiasm to be winning races and the championship, but I don't think we're there yet with our overall package.

“I’m just eager to see us moving up the grid and in a position to start winning races in 2018.”

MIKA: Well that's disheartening to hear considering the season is yet to start!

I'm certain if McLaren don't get any more competative, Alonso will surely retire from F1 or move on to Mercedes or another team next season.

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Carlos Sainz has doubled his training to prepare for 2017 F1 cars

Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz has revealed that he has gained 4kg in weight ahead of the 2017 season and has been using a modified helmet to strengthen his neck in anticipation of the new rules.

With the new breed of Formula 1 cars expected to deliver lap times five seconds faster than in 2016, the cornering forces will rise, meaning drivers will have a harder time in the car.

Therefore more muscle mass is required and Sainz says he’s had to massively up his training regime to prepare.

“Indeed, they will be harder to drive, so the training we’ve been doing up to late last season won’t be useful. We now must go some extra miles so to speak,” he said.
“Instead of the usual 50 minutes [of crossfit sessions], we now do between 90 and 120 minutes, the same as a grand prix. Thus, I work out for longer times at around 180-190 beats per minute. 

“I also include boxing and cardio work in those sessions, which all in all means I work my physical endurance way more by doing stuff all the time.”

The Spaniard has found a novel way of exercising his neck to cope with the increased g-forces. Along with more traditional exercises, he wears a weighted helmet during go-karting sessions to experience what driving the new cars might be like.

“We work out the neck in two ways. Firstly, we pull and hold weights with it in the gym, which is very similar to what we will do on the track – resisting g-forces, that is – and secondly we are doing specific go-karting, which I do two or three times a week.

“The weights make my helmet around 1.5 to two kilos heavier, which translates into similar g-forces I’ll have to withstand in my F1 car. That is just one of a complete set of exercises I’m doing to work my neck fitness to the full.”

Sainz expects his young age to help him compared to some of the older drivers, however he concedes that they know what to expect, having already experienced cars which produce higher cornering speed.

“On the one hand, I believe you get to the best physical form of your life when you’re 21 or 22 years old, and that could be good. But on the other hand, some drivers like Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkonen have already experienced in 2005, 2006 and 2007 the kind of g-forces we will have this year.”

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Pit stop practice with Formula 1's new larger 2017 tyres

Perfect timing from new Silver Arrows signing Valtteri Bottas, who dropped by to catch up with his new team-mates just in time to catch a first look at pit stop practice with the new, wider, heavier Formula 1 tyres introduced for the 2017 Formula One season!

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How F1's most feared track has hit the big screen

The theatrical release of The Green Hell brings the Nurburgring Nordschleife, the most feared of Formula 1 tracks, back in the spotlight. Sam Smith looks at how the movie about the legendary circuit came about.

Green Hell: two short words to describe some very long miles. Miles that shoot a mainline of adrenaline into any racing heart. By their enunciation alone, they demand reverence to those that dare tame the feted Nurburgring Nordschleife.

The place has warranted a film for decades, and now one has been made to tell the histories, the legends, the triumphs and tragedies that pepper the place like the eminent pine trees which encircle it.

Thanks to prolific Austrian director and producer Hannes M. Schalle, (whose Lauda – The Untold Story documentary was released in 2015) you can see the film in all its evocative glory at selected cinemas this month.

  

"The Nordschleife typifies the danger that went hand-in-hand with racing in this iconic era of motorsport, and our movie very much places audiences at the heart of this," explains Schalle.

"By putting interviews with heroes from this death-defying era alongside never-before-seen footage, we believe we will have audiences on the edge of their seats."

From a content point of view, Schalle and his team had rich pickings, of course. Classic 'Ring occasions such as Nuvolari's 'Impossible win' in 1935, Rosemeyer's 'master of the fog' miracle in 1936, Fangio's 1957 masterpiece and arguably Jackie Stewart's greatest ever grand prix win in 1968 are all illustrated with exceptional archive material.

This pantheon of greatness is described by multiple narrators, including Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft and, most memorably, Murray Walker.

"Murray was a joy, an absolute joy," says Schalle when Motorsport.com spoke with him last week ahead of the film's release.

"It was a perfect situation to have him introducing the Nurburgring and then to have him 'commentating' on Nuvolari, Carraciola, Seaman and Rosemeyer was very special. Murray insisted on standing up while doing it all of course!"

The film presents a chronological history of the fabled circuit, detailing the social rejuvenation that the original circuit brought to this historically down-at-heel Eifel mountain region of Germany.

Nurburgring is much more than a simple racing circuit. It brought a renewed identity to this scenic area of the country and subsequently a whole industry, one which thrives to this day.

     

Several 'contemporary witnesses' are used in the film, some detailing non-racing times such as the area's war history, which saw families use the spectator underpasses at the 'Ring as shelters, and in the case of one participant in the film, a family home during the intense bombing of the area!

We have the French to thank for the restoration of the circuit post-war after they recalled the bravery and skill of their own heroes – such as Rene Dreyfus, Jean-Pierre Wimille and Raymond Sommer – and were instrumental in rebuilding the damaged track and infrastructure.

There are several first-hand philosophical proclamations as to how the Nurburgring shaped, defined or finished careers and lives. Among them is a simple-yet-poetic tribute by one of its countrymen – Wolfgang Alexander Albert Eduard Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips, or 'Taffy' to his racing mates and contemporaries.

"There is something different here," says the Count as his words from a written ode to the track are read out. "You finally have the feeling of driving the right way at last."

Jackie Stewart, who first used the 'Green Hell' moniker for the Nordschleife, makes several typically candid descriptions on what it was like resisting submission to the 'Ring.

"I never did one lap extra at the Nurburgring than I needed to do," says a typically erudite Stewart. "The whole character of the racetrack was so demanding that even if I had had no mechanical failure there was always the risk that I would have an error of judgement."

     

Such was Stewart's class on the Nordschleife he conquered his fears and managed the risks. Others weren't so lucky. Three years after Stewart's imperious win, the final one of his career, Niki Lauda's accident at Bergwerk brought down a sombre curtain on grand prix racing at the venue.

International racing, particularly in sportscars, touring cars and Formula 2 went on. Few mirrored, in character at least, the rawness of the place more than the mercurial Stefan Bellof. The German's giddy reflexes briefly taunted the patience and temper of the Nordschleife in the early 1980s and his exploits have entered into awed legend.

The footage of Porsche 956s racing in the 1983 1000kms, particularly with Bellof setting the outrageous lap record of 6m11.13s, is breathtaking and unnerving in equal measure.

The Green Hell is an enjoyable film with fresh footage that has an interesting and informative social history background running through it. The archive is fantastic, with Schalle and his team unearthing much never previously seen footage.

The research and production is eye-catching and the grainy amateur movie footage of an agitated Stuck calling for medics to save Lauda from his Ferrari furnace in 1976 is chilling.

The story is brought up to date with a look at the 'Ring today, and the micro-industry niche which it has carved itself over the last two decades.

While this does have the unfortunate feel of a promotional bolt-on, it is nevertheless important to link the essence of how the place came to restore a poor area of Germany to now a famous and vibrant one.

The contributions from 'Ring veterans, particularly Sir Stirling Moss, Jochen Mass, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Lauda and Stewart is rewarding, but some others are slightly incongruous and crop up without an easy thread or link to the overall narrative.

These though are small niggles in an otherwise excellent film, which brings the authentic, atmospheric and downright spooky character of racing's greatest challenge to life. It is an evocative journey that only perhaps Monza and Indianapolis could relate to.

"You know, one thing I noticed when we interviewed all the personalities was how they always personalised the track," says Schalle. "It was never just a track but it was always 'the monster' or 'he enemy.' I think that really spoke a lot about what it meant to the drivers."

'The Stonehenge of Motor Racing' is a description which former McLaren F1 race winner Mass bestows upon the circuit. It's a good expression, one that weaves the mystical past and stoic present of a racing icon.

MIKA: You can view the trailer HERE

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Analysis: How a rally crash changed the destiny of F1

Robert Kubica’s promising F1 career was cut short following a vicious rally crash six years ago. But what might have been, asks Charles Bradley from Motorsport.com?

As with so many things, this idea sparked from some office banter – which in the ‘old’ days would have been across a few desks but now is between Miami, Madrid, Moscow and London, such is our virtual world.

The subject was: Who would replace Pascal Wehrlein should he be unfit to race for Sauber after his nasty Race Of Champions flip. Of course, sensible suggestions were soon cast aside for some fun ones from Sauber old boys…

“Get Felipe Massa out of retirement… oh,” was my opening gambit. We had Nick Heidfeld, Jacques Villeneuve, Jean Alesi – even Norberto Fontana and Pedro Diniz – all proposed, but when you think back to the best driver Sauber ever had in its all-time stable, with all due respect to Kimi Raikkonen, how about Robert Kubica?

This week it was confirmed that Kubica will make a full-time return to racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the ByKolles team, after a successful test in Bahrain at the end of last season.

I was there in Montreal when he scored his maiden Formula 1 win for the BMW-branded version of Sauber, and I was certain there’d be many to follow. Alas, not.

  

The day his world changed

That fearful rally crash in 2011, from which he was fortunate to escape with his life, brutally savaged his right arm and hand.

“In other sports, like football, if you kick the ball wrong, to the side or over the bar, nothing bad happens,” he once mused to me. “In rallies, if you make a small mistake, you can learn a big lesson.”

And how. I went to see him compete in a European Rally Championship round in the Azores, where he’d been rehabilitating himself in the very sphere of the sport that had injured him.

“I have been through a difficult period,” he understated then. “And I’d say it’s an easier period now, I am enjoying myself, but it is still not a totally easy period for me, because I’d definitely prefer to be in F1 driving, 100 per cent fit. The reality is different.”

     

Getting back on track

Now, six years on from his career-changing crash, the great news is that he’s feeling ready – not only for a full-time race return but to test a Formula 1 car, if the chance arises.

“Three years ago they offered me the chance to test an F1 car, but at that moment I didn't have the confidence to do well," he told Motorsport.com this week.

“I know that often some chances only come one time, but I always wanted to be sure about my condition and what I can do. And if I was not sure, I always said to myself – forget it.

“Today I would answer differently – I would like to try a Formula 1 car.

“It has been a while [since I drove one], so I would have to prove myself – but I think I could do it well.

“I would like to relive the thrill of the Formula 1 experience. I have tried many simulators, and I am convinced that I would drive at 80 percent of the F1 tracks – but not all of them.”

The permanent injuries restrict movement in his right arm, so it’s the dexterity required for somewhere like Monaco or Singapore that make any hopes of a full-time F1 race return sadly a pipedream.

Which, of course, is a huge shame. I was fortunate enough to see a lot of Kubica in F1 from trackside and he seemed one of those rare drivers who could make a car bend to his will, even if it didn’t seem keen on following his demands.

Of course, over time it’s easy to get a distorted view of how good someone was, or what their potential could have been, but Kubica did stand out as being right in the Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Rosberg and Vettel mix.

And having seen Kubica’s determination on track, you can only imagine the lengths he’s gone to in trying to make his rehabilitation process happen as fast as it possibly could.

     

So what might have been?

The alternative history for Kubica’s career is intriguing to ponder.

With Lotus (aka Team Enstone) on the rise to a race-winning level again, and his stock in the paddock high, would his career have simply followed that of his (effective) replacement, Raikkonen – which led to Ferrari? Team boss of that era, Stefano Domenicali, confirmed the interest, according to our sister title Autosport.

Or might the stars have aligned perfectly for him to jump ship and take a Mercedes seat? Might it have been him, not Lewis Hamilton, replacing Michael Schumacher alongside Nico Rosberg in 2013? There had even been speculation about this move when Michael’s comeback got off to a stuttering start in 2010.

How about unravelling that thread further: with Kubica at Mercedes and with no Raikkonen in the picture, what if Hamilton had teamed up again with Fernando Alonso (a subject very much in vogue at the moment) at a success-hungry Ferrari in 2014?

Might Red Bull have come calling for Kubica as a Mark Webber replacement for ’14? Unlikely, but not totally out of the question if it hadn’t been quite convinced of Daniel Ricciardo’s promise. 

All ifs, buts and maybes. The one certainty is that Kubica’s reputation as one of the very best of his generation – rated by his peers as well as learned pundits – was of the highest order before his rally crash.

Had it not been for one moment’s misjudgement on a tricky stretch of Italian asphalt, recent F1 history could have been so very, very different. 

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BOTTAS: I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE MY TEAMMATE EITHER

Amid warnings that he is facing huge challenges teaming up with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes ‘new boy’ Valtteri Bottas is pulling no punches as he declares his intent to become Formula World Champion with his new team.

Speaking on MTV, Bottas said, “My goal is the F1 world championship, I really have the opportunity to get it. We expect to be able to rack up many kilometers during the winter tests and, if all goes well, we will have a reliable and fast car to challenge for the title.”

Bottas also admitted that he was in touch with the man he replaced at Mercedes – Nico Rosberg – to get the World Champion’s point of view about driving for the Silver Arrows,

“It was good to talk to Nico,” said Bottas. “He has been with [Mercedes] for a long time and knows perfectly how things work from the driver’s point of view.”

“It’s hard to explain, but F1 has many different areas of work, especially during a grand prix weekend. The most important thing is to know how the team operates and how to collaborate with them to get the most out of the car, ” he added.

Last week Hamilton’s father, Anthony Hamilton, warned that he did not envy any driver who cam up against his son at Mercedes – a jibe clearly directed at Bottas.

Hamilton senior said, “Anybody who goes up against Lewis needs to have planned their career correctly because it could be a career-ending move when you go up against Lewis.”

The Finn  responded to the comments with his own quip, “Well, I would not want to be my teammate either… I am not afraid to take on Hamilton. We have to wait, the season starts soon so we’ll see how it goes.”

Bottas career facts:

• Born: Nastola, Finland on Aug. 28, 1989 (27 years old).
• Bottas started racing go-karts at six years old and moved into single-seater car racing in 2007, when he finished third overall in the Formula Renault 2.0 series with three wins.
• The Finn was Formula Renault champion in 2008, with 12 wins, and competed in the Formula Three Euroseries in 2009 and 2010, finishing third overall in both seasons and becoming the first double winner of the Zandvoort Masters. In 2011 he won the GP3 championship.
• Joined Williams as a test driver in 2010 and appointed reserve driver in 2012, making his Formula One race debut for the team in 2013 alongside team mate Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela.
• Bottas made his first F1 podium appearance in Austria in 2014. He has nine career top-three finishes but has yet to win a grand prix in 77 starts. He is also yet to be beaten by a team mate in the overall standings.

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Red Bull to unveil RB13 on February 26

Red Bull will unveil its 2017 challenger, the RB13, on Sunday 26 February, the day before official pre-season testing begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Red Bull placed second in last year’s constructors’ championship, with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen taking a victory apiece, in Malaysia and Spain respectively.

Red Bull has retained Ricciardo and Verstappen – for what will be the Dutchman’s first full season with the squad – and confirmed on Monday that the RB13 will be unveiled in the build-up to the opening test.

Sister team Toro Rosso will also launch its 2017 Formula 1 car on the same day, in the pit lane at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but Red Bull did not confirm a location for its unveiling.

Pre-season testing will then begin at the home of the Spanish Grand Prix on Monday (27 February).

Next week is set to be a busy period of unveilings in Formula 1 with Sauber (20 February), Renault (21 February), Force India (22 February), Mercedes (23 February), McLaren and Ferrari (both 24 February) all having confirmed launch dates.

Only Williams and Haas have yet to determine when their 2017 challengers will be unveiled.

Confirmed 2017 Launch Dates

Sauber - February 20
Renault - February 21
Force India - February 22
Mercedes - February 23
Ferrari - February 24
McLaren - February 24
Toro Rosso - February 26
Red Bull - February 26

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Nico Rosberg: Mercedes should look at Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso for 2018

Reigning Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg believes Mercedes would be wise to evaluate both Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso for a seat with the team in 2018.

Rosberg was set to remain with Mercedes in Formula 1 for the next two years, but his surprise retirement as world champion opened a vacancy alongside Lewis Hamilton, which for 2017 has been filled by former Williams racer Valtteri Bottas.

When asked about comments suggesting that Vettel would have been a good replacement for him, Rosberg clarified the situation, and explained that the German would be wise to look at Mercedes for 2018, following the end of his initial three-year deal with Ferrari.

“What I said was is that it would definitely make sense for Sebastian to have a look at that Mercedes seat for 2018 and for Mercedes to have a look at him and to consider him,” he said ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards.

“For 2018, that’s obvious, he’s one of the best drivers out there and he doesn’t have a contract for 2018.

“So they [Mercedes] should explore the possibility and who knows, let’s see what happens, it could be a good thing.”

Rosberg, who continues to act as an ambassador for Mercedes, reckons Alonso, entering the final season of a three-year deal with McLaren, could be an option for 2018.

“Of course, Alonso, they [Mercedes] need to keep him in mind even though he’s not the youngest out there anymore he’s still driving at his best, I think, it looks like from what we have seen,” he said.

“So he should be considered as well and I’m sure he will [be].”

Rosberg has been nominated for 'Breakthrough of the Year' at the Laureus Awards, with the ceremony set to take place in Monaco on Tuesday.

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Lauda: Nobody will hold back in testing

Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda has said there will be no smoke and mirrors between teams when they test their new cars in Barcelona.

The first winter four-day test will take place between February 27 and March 2, but Lauda believes the second test between March 7 and March 10 will be the time when everyone's true colours are shown once teams are comfortable with the new regulations.

“The Barcelona tests will be used to get to know the new rules during the first four days,” Lauda told Swiss newspaper Blick.

“The four days between the testing sessions will be used to develop updates. Then, from March 7 to March 10, we will do business.

“This time nobody will hold back and only show their cards at Melbourne. This time we want to know where we are on track.”

Lauda also revealed that he was thrilled with how the new Mercedes car looks and that it is sure to be a big hit with the fans.

“I saw it when it was still under basic construction,” he added.

“I was delighted from the start. The broader car with its bigger tyres looks awesome. The fans will like it for sure.”

The Mercedes W08 will be officially unveiled at Silverstone on February 23.

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Smedley predicts change in ‘pecking order’

Williams performance chief Rob Smedley believes the new regulations will bring some change to the grid over the course of the 2017 season.

An aerodynamic overhaul to the rules has been ushered in with the hope that lap times will be reduced by over three seconds.

And as teams continue to get to grips with the new era, Smedley reckons that the car which is quickest in the season opener in Australia will not be the quickest in Abu Dhabi come the end of the season.

"We've developed our car, we've done reasonable amount of development in the windtunnel," Smedley told Autosport.

"Over and above that, the key thing for 2017 is that we've got a good base in which to develop.

"I don't expect the fastest car in Australia to be the fastest car in Abu Dhabi.

"What that allows is some change in the pecking order through the season.

"If that happens, the rules have ultimately been successful."

While Smedley hopes that the new rules will inspire change, he also stated that the budgets and resources available to each team will still play a major factor.

"I hope it's going to shake things up a bit but I don't think we'll have a complete change in pecking order," he added.

"In F1, no one ever won a world championship without a substantial budget.

"Money does count, at least in this era of F1.

"But that is not to say the intra groups – the front, midfield and back – are not going to get shaken up a bit and you're not going to have more people in that top group.

"It's really important you get more people up in that top group and we're starting weekend with it not being entirely clear who is going to win the race – that is what turns the fans off.

"If you go into it thinking four or five drivers can win here, that's really exciting and I hope that's what the new regulations do for us."

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Formula 1 teams fail to reach consensus on trick suspension systems

Formula 1 teams have failed to reach an agreement on the legality of trick suspension systems, with a ruling now expected from the FIA before the start of pre-season testing.

Debate about pre-loaded suspension systems has been ongoing since Ferrari designer Simone Resta wrote to F1 race director Charlie Whiting about the devices helping aerodynamic performance.

Ferrari was believed to be seeking guidance on whether concepts used by rival teams were legal rather than seeking to develop its own.

Whiting's response at the time was clear in that he felt any suspension system that improved performance through better ride-height and aerodynamics would be in breach of the rules.

It is understood further discussions took place in a meeting of technical directors with the FIA last week, but there was no consensus between the competitors about what should and should not be allowed.

Various ideas were proposed - including a return to conventional suspension, a switch to active suspension or no restriction on the current hydraulic concepts - but teams' opinions were split.

It is understood that a fresh Technical Directive from Whiting giving his opinion on the situation is expected in the next fortnight.

However, it is unclear whether this will impose restrictions on devices that have been developed by teams - forcing a major rework ahead of the 2017 campaign - or will state that complex systems are within the regulations.

It is hoped the ruling will deliver clear guidelines on what is and is not allowed, and doing so before testing begins at Barcelona on February 27 would at least give teams time to adjust before the season opener next month.

Should there be ongoing disagreements about the situation, it is possible the matter could result in a showdown at the Australian Grand Prix.

Teams understand that opinions from Whiting are only advisory in nature, and binding interpretations of the regulations can only be laid down by race stewards at events or ultimately the FIA International Court of Appeal.

The means that if a team is unhappy with what a rival is doing, then it can challenge it with an official protest at a grand prix.

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EURO MPS PAVE WAY FOR INVESTIGATION INTO F1 ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES

Members of the European Parliament have supported a motion to open an investigation into “anti-competitive practices” in Formula 1.

Labour MEP Anneliese Dodds called for an investigation in an amendment to the parliament’s annual competition report, which passed by 467 votes to 156, with 86 abstentions. The European Commission may now launch an inquiry.

Dodds claims smaller teams are “unfairly punished” because of the way F1 is run, while recently questioning the sport’s takeover by Liberty Media and the resulting UK tax arrangements.

Dodds cited the collapse of Manor as an example of how small F1 teams struggle while the big teams get richer, “Smaller teams are unfairly punished by an uncompetitive allocation of prize money that will always give the biggest teams more money, even if they finish last in every race.”

In 2015 Force India and Sauber, called on the EU’s Competition Commission to investigate the unfairness over the way F1 revenues were divided and how rules were decided without consultation with smaller teams.

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DALLARA: IT WILL BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERTAKE

Gian Paolo Dallara, whose company has an illustrious history in motorsports, producing everything from Formula 3 cars, to Formula 1 and Indycars, is mystified by the new Formula 1 rules which he believes will make overtaking scarce in 2017.

Speaking to F1 insider Leo Turrini, Dallara said, “As an engineer I do not understand why [in F1] they have decided to focus on higher downforce.”

“Technically it will be almost impossible to overtake because no one will be able to follow the car in front of him. We complain about the lack of a show in Formula 1, then they go in the opposite direction.”

Dallara is another voice added to the chorus of F1 experts and pundits who are warning fans that overtaking will be at a premium in 2017, and boring races a distinct possibility.

He is also well aware of the difference in the racing ethos that prevails in the United States scene compared to Formula 1.

“As you know, [Dallara] are very present in America, where there is an obsession to level the competition in every way. But F1 follows a different philosophy… ”

“They even invented the virtual safety car to maintain the gaps between the cars. It’s almost a cultural clash.”

“Do not ask me what is better, I would be partisan,” added Dallara cryptically.

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ALONSO: IT’S A BRUTAL GAP AND WE MUST BE CAUTIOUS

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso played down his team’s chances of victories in 2017 and believes Mercedes still hold the upper hand despite the new rules for the new Formula 1 season.

Alonso told fans in an Instagram interview, “Victories? I think we have to be cautious. I have read that Zak [Brown] said this year that it will be difficult to win… who knows? I keep positive.

“We have to be careful in the races at the end of last year we were a second or a second and a half off Mercedes. It’s a brutal gap and we must be cautious. We will see the result at the end. It is too early to make predictions.”

“Surely Mercedes are on a trajectory to lead having won the last three world championship as they have done. Then Red Bull will adapt well to the new rules, but we will have to see how we all adapt.”

“We really do not know still. F1 is always an unknown, but this year that is even more so,” added the two times F1 World Champion.

He believes that he is in the top form of his career, claiming that he drove better than ever in 2016 despite the lack of results thanks to an uncompetitive package at his disposal.

“I’m better than ever,” said Alonso. “I’m preparing as never before and I’m going to go for it. Who knows what will really happen, I’m going to do it all.”

The 35 year old, who has also made no secret in the past that he is expecting a wow-factor from the new cars, and replied when asked if 2017 would be his final year in F1, “We’ll see. We’ll go step by step.”

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Daniel Ricciardo: Track time crucial in F1 pre-season testing

Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo says establishing a reliable base with the new RB13 will be key during the initial phase of pre-season testing, which gets underway in Spain in a fortnight.

Red Bull emerged as Mercedes’ primary challenger in 2016, with Ricciardo finishing third in the standings, behind only Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, taking victory in Malaysia.

Each team is permitted only eight days of running across the two tests at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, prior to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and Ricciardo reckons maximising the available time will be crucial.

“The first thing you're looking for is reliability,” Ricciardo said in an interview with Red Bull’s website.

“There are so few test days available. You know track time is important for the car, for development, but it's also important for us physically.

“I know that my pre-season has been the best I've had in terms of physical preparation but it's still not driving a race car.

“I'll arrive fit and conditioned but the first day in the car is still going to hurt because your body is going through different things, things it hasn't been through in a long time.

“You want to do the laps for yourself, so that you get that race fitness.”

Ricciardo is also hopeful that he will enjoy an initially strong feeling with the Renault-powered RB13, which will be unveiled on February 26, the day before the start of testing.

“After the reliability is settled you want to go through a corner and feel it in your bottom that it's a fast car,” he said.

“Once you do one flying lap, you get an idea. It's just the way it brakes and turns – you just know. Hopefully, it's a good feeling, that first timed lap.”