FORMULA 1


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I have said it many times over the years, the FIA need to appoint stewards that are the same people for EVERY race. I have always felt that some stewards are biased toward "some" drivers (Of cour

F1 needs a Friday program including testing or the race tracks are going to lose a lot of ticket sales.  As a TV viewer, I find the Friday practice sessions quite enjoyable.   On par with the rest of

WILLIAMS CONFIRM SIROTKIN TO RACE AND KUBICA RESERVE Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin will race for Williams this season after being chosen ahead of Polish rival Robert Kubica on Tuesday in wh

1 hour ago, Martin_F said:

They did, he is Williams' reserve and development driver now.

What Chandhok is saying, is that he had enough chance to prove himself to get the race seat.

In my opinion it's all BS though, because the gave Sirotkin the seat for financial reasons, not abilities.

Exactly! Williams will never be at the top tier as they once were if they keep taking pay driver money at the expense of talent and not fork out their own cash and invest in real talent.

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ZETSCHE: WE ARE 100% ALIGNED WITH FERRARI

Dieter Zetsche

Mercedes big boss Dieter Zetsche has backed his F1 team chief Toto Wolff and aligned the German manufacturer with Ferrari regarding the future direction of Formula 1 under Liberty Media.

In other words, Zetsche’s line of thinking is in tune with Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne’s expectations of the sport, but points out that the way they put forth their opinions is what differs.

Zetsche said of Marchionne, “We are the good cop and the bad cop. We beat each other like crazy on the track and try to get every tenth of a second of advantage but at the same time, we are 100% aligned on our thoughts in Formula 1 and our strategic actions in Formula 1. We are good friends.”

Marchionne warned last month, “Making cars all the same with simpler and cheaper engines is like NASCAR, it doesn’t interest us. We need to find a balanced solution for the future that satisfies everyone and I think we will do it in time. Otherwise, Ferrari will leave. If they think we are bluffing, they are playing with fire.”

Wolff was quick to come out in support of Marchionne’s views, which now have Zetsche’s backing too and clearly signals the emergence of two distinct camps as the powers that be attempt to plot the way forward fr F1 beyond 2020.

The Mercedes chief reaffirmed his company’s commitment to the sport at the highest level, “We are there to stay in Formula 1 but of course the platform itself has to stay meaningful and develop positively.”

His team has dominated Formula 1 winning eight titles in four years and remains the pace-setting outfit in the new turbo era, with little end in sight to the domination.

But Zetsche is adamant that it is up to their rivals to close the gap, “I have said many times the best outcome would be winning the championship by one point in the last race. Being on the track last half of last season I was not that sure of my statement!”

“To be clear, we want to be successful and we want the platform to be successful and when one is dominant that doesn’t help. We need stronger competitors and rule changes which give new cars to everybody and to some extent, this last season was that change.”

As for the future of Formula 1, Zetsche said, “I think it is a pretty good show and there is potential. I think on the digital side much more can be leveraged. There should be opportunities to engage fans, for example, you could sit in your living room and try out for a team on your screen, and try to beat the other teams virtually.”

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MERCEDES AND FERRARI TO LAUNCH 2018 F1 CARS ON SAME DAY

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Mercedes announced on Thursday that four-times world champion Lewis Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas would unveil the new W09 car at Silverstone, down the road from their factory, on 22 February.

Ferrari have already said they will reveal their new challenger that day, with that presentation expected to be online. Testing is due to start at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on 26 February.

Mercedes said they were working to ensure there were no significant clashes between their event and the Italian team’s launch, which would also be broadcast at Silverstone.

“We’ll be watching it just as closely as you,” they added in a note to media.

McLaren have a launch date of 23 February for their new car, their first with a Renault engine since they split from Honda, while Toro Rosso – Honda’s new partners – are planning a reveal at the Barcelona track on the 25th.

Some of the other teams will simply roll their cars out of the garage on the first morning of testing on the 26th of this month.

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TOST: I AM CONVINCED TORO ROSSO-HONDA WILL SUCCEED

Franz Tost

A new era beckons at Toro Rosso as they switch to Honda works power for 2018, team principal Franz Tost has provided interesting insight into the new partnership as it prepares to tackle pre-season testing in Spain next month.

Last season was a torrid one for the Red Bull junior team. Late in the season they mysteriously lost competitiveness and reliability which had them targeting sixth place in the final championship standings, instead engine woes conspired against them, but in the end, they had to settle for seventh losing out to Renault in the final race of the year.

They also lost both the drivers that they started the season with as Daniil Kvyat was given the axe, while Carlos Sainz was part of an elaborate swap deal with Red Bull which also involved the switch to Honda. As a result, they finished 2017 with two rookies – Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly.

In the wake of their new car passing the FIA crash tests last week, Tost said in an interview with Speedweek, “For the first time in the history of Toro Rosso, we will work exclusively with an engine partner. This offers a completely new approach and starts with the design of the new chassis.”

“For example, we were able to design the placement of the power unit in accordance with the designers’ ideas. This is something quite different from the earlier ‘eat or die’ attitude we faced.”

“Toro Rosso is also much more involved in the whole development process. We have already completed countless test bench trials with the transmission in order to optimize various elements. Of course, the season is a tough challenge, but we accept it gladly.”

Honda has hardly inspired since their return to Formula 1 and their divorce from McLaren was largely because the Japanese manufacturer could not produce an adequate engine.

Tost acknowledges, “Nobody will disagree when I say: Honda offers a fantastic infrastructure. They also have very clever and highly motivated technicians. The shortcomings of the past are recognized and everyone is about to eliminate them.”

One of the problems that the McLaren-Honda relationship is said to have stumbled is the integration of the corporate work cultures of the two organisations.

Tost explained how the Faenza based team are dealing with the influx of Honda engineers, “For a better understanding of Japanese culture, we organise special seminars for our employees, which are attended with great interest.”

“We all know that Japan has its own culture and it is one of the really exciting challenges to synchronize theirs and our culture. But if we were not convinced that this could succeed, we would never have embarked on this project.”

“Sometimes there are quite unexpected benefits. You’re talking about the time difference – which has so far proven to be primarily positive. If our technicians have questions, send them to Japan in the afternoon, and they’ll have the answers the next morning. What more do you want?”

The Toro Rosso and Honda deal was finalised in September, thereafter the two organisations began the process of integrating their respective F1 projects, “We rarely had a decision so early. I recall that two years ago the decision to change to the Ferrari was not made until December, yet we managed the timely completion of our cars for the following season. The use of our own gearbox has simplified the process.”

After the McLaren failure, Honda are keen to get it right with Toro Rosso and one thing that will not be scarce while they toil on their power unit is resources.

For Tost, the new project is a step up for the Red Bull junior team, “Collaboration with such a reputed company will increase the visibility and the number of fans of Toro Rosso. I am convinced that this will help with sponsorship search.”

“The structure of the team remains the same. The number of employees also provides a healthy basis for a successful future,” added Tost.

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Cosworth keen on Aston Martin F1 engine partnership

Cosworth keen on Aston Martin F1 engine partnership

Cosworth says it would like to work with Aston Martin on a potential Formula 1 engine project and has had discussions with the British manufacturer about joining forces.
Aston is keeping a close eye on developments with F1's 2021 engine rules, and is keen on re-entering grand prix racing as an engine supplier should the new rules substantially reduce costs.

Red Bull says it would be open to running an engine supplied by its new title sponsor in future, and Aston says it has entered discussions with potential partners about developing an engine to the future regulations.

Cosworth powertrains boss Bruce Wood says his firm would like to be one of those partners.

"We would like to work with that partnership," Wood told Motorsport.com. "We've done a lot of work with Aston for many years, we're working very closely with Red Bull and the team for the Valkyrie [hypercar], so there's a certain logic to it.

"Aston have been very clear that they want to be doing something more than just badging someone else's engine.

"They also don't aspire to designing it all themselves, so there's a natural fit there and certainly that's where some of those discussions are happening.

"Aston and Red Bull have a very strong relationship, so there's definitely a desire to do something together there."

Wood has said Cosworth is unlikely to return to F1 as a sole supplier, but that partnering with other interested parties, such as Aston and Ilmor, was a more "realistic" proposition.

"Obviously Cosworth is completely independent and we need to be profitable as our number one tenant," Wood added.

"It isn't like when we were owned by Ford as a cost centre to put Jaguar on the F1 grid. Anything has to be profitable and certainly that is easier to do if you're sharing those costs with someone else.

"As companies, we've all grown up competing with one another in many respects, but I think we all recognise it's probably in everyone's interests and probably no single individual is going to be able to do it on their own."

With F1 stakeholders still finalising details of the 2021 rules, Wood says it is unlikely an independent engine would be ready until 2022 at the earliest.

"We would have to take on a lot of additional staff and there would be infrastructure that we'd need to increase and that in itself is a year's work, so the reality is 2021 could become 2022," Wood explained.

"It might not be what everyone wanted, but it's still better than not having the discussions at all.

"Our view is it would be a huge investment for whoever was going to do it and it probably isn't realistic to get everything in place for 2021.

"But that doesn't make us think we should forget it. It just makes us think about how 2022 would work."

Aston Martin has been approached for comment, but has yet to respond.

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Red Bull F1 boss reassured Ricciardo over Verstappen favouritism

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Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner reassured him he will have a fair fight with Max Verstappen in the 2018 Formula 1 season after favouritism concerns.

Shortly before Verstappen penned a new deal to remain at Red Bull until the end of 2020, Horner had urged him to stay long term and build the team around him.

Verstappen also received an upgraded Renault engine earlier than Ricciardo in the final part of the season.

Ricciardo, whose current contract expires this year, said Horner took him aside to explain his remarks.

"That is not what you want to hear," Ricciardo told Autosport about what Horner had said.

"I didn't see it in the press but afterwards I found out about Christian's comment.

"It was because he actually came up to me and cleared it up.

"He said 'look, if you've seen the comments, it's not out of context but I didn't want it to come across that way'.

"He said 'please I don't want you to think anything like that. We're fighting for both of you'.

"Max got the updated engine in the last few races, that was the only thing that has ever been different.

"But I don't have any concern with it. If I did, I would have spoken up about it already."

Asked if he felt he would have everything around him to win the 2018 title if Red Bull built a quick enough car, Ricciardo replied: "I do. That's 100% honest."

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Ricciardo said he accepted the explanation provided by Horner and is focused on doing the best job he can regardless of Verstappen.

"Even if the engine is a tenth quicker, the person in me says I've just got to drive two tenths better," he said.

"If I'm good enough, I'll beat him anyway! I'm confident.

"I acknowledge that I have to be perfect more often than not if I want to stay in front.

"My Sundays [in 2017] were as good as they've ever been for the most part. The racer in me is very confident and determined."

Ricciardo has said he will take time to make a decision on his future, with potential seats on offer at Mercedes and Ferrari in 2019.

Horner accepted that position, and made clear Red Bull wants to keep Ricciardo for the long term as well as Verstappen.

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F1 TO DISAPPEAR FROM RAI FREE TO AIR TV IN ITALY, A FORETASTE OF UK SITUATION?

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It’s not been announced but serious outlets in Italy are reporting that the state broadcaster RAI will no longer carry F1 in 2018, leaving SKY as the primary platform for the series.

RAI will show only the Italian GP from Monza live.

In the late ’90s and early 2000s heyday of Schumacher and Ferrari, the audience on RAI was usually between 10 and 12 million for each race, similar to RTL in Germany.

While RTL soldiers on with live rights in Germany, at least for a couple more years, RAI’s deal for 9 live races and the rest of the rounds in highlights appears to have lapsed. Motorport.com Italy is reporting that the free to air platform TV8, which is part of the Sky family, will show some packages, yet to be defined.

The RAI deal was worth €23million a year to F1, roughly similar to the fee paid by the UK’s Channel 4, which is in its final year of a tree year deal to host F1.

In the UK there is much speculation about the intentions of SKY bosses regarding their obligations under the exclusive deal they have from 2019-24. This requires them to show the British GP live and race highlights on a free to air channel.

That deal, worth almost $1 billion to F1, has an unusual clause in it whereby SKY gets to decide who gets the free to air component, not F1 itself. So Liberty has no control over the situation.

The example of Italy shows that it is possible for that free to air channel to be one of SKY’s own, rather than ITV, BBC or Channel 4. Many in the F1 broadcast industry believe we could see a repeat in the UK.

Rupert Murdoch has announced that he is selling his interest in SKY to Disney, which owns ESPN in the USA.

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4 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Exactly! Williams will never be at the top tier as they once were if they keep taking pay driver money at the expense of talent and not fork out their own cash and invest in real talent.

This could change in the next couple of seasons.  They have progressed at a solid rate and with the right partner could be a top team again.  
 

I'd love to see Tata throw their hat into the game.   They'd be a great partner with Williams and Jaguar-Williams branded sports cars would be well received in the global market..

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SIR STIRLING MOSS RETIRES FROM PUBLIC LIFE AT 88

Stirling Moss

British Formula 1 legend Sir Stirling Moss is retiring from public life at the age of 88 to rest and spend more time with his family, his son Elliot announced to the media.

“Following his severe infections at the end of 2016 and his subsequent slow and arduous recovery, the decision has been made that…the indefatigable man will finally retire,” he said in a statement on Moss’s website, which is also closing.

Moss, winner of 16 grands prix and widely regarded as the greatest driver never to win the championship, retired from all forms of racing only in 2011 when he was 81.

He continued to maintain an active public life, however, attending some races and functions.

Four times a Formula One world championship runner-up, the Briton ended his professional career after an accident at Goodwood in 1962 but had continued racing historic cars for his own pleasure.

Moss was taken ill in Singapore in late 2016 and spent 134 days in hospital battling a chest infection.

He also survived a three-storey plunge down a lift shaft at his London home in March 2010, breaking both ankles and four bones in his feet.

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PROST: F1 ENGINES TODAY CHEAPER THAN WHEN I RAN MY TEAM

Alain Prost

Renault brand ambassador and Formula 1 legend Alain Prost has spoken up in support of the current hybrid turbo engines claiming they are not as expensive as people suggest while comparing engine costs today to when he ran his own team at the pinnacle of the sport.

Prost Grand Prix was an F1 team started by the four times world champion in 1997, they competed in 83 grands prix before the project went bankrupt in 2002.

Speaking to Auto Plus, Prost said, “Back in 2001 my engines cost $28-million and they would have cost $31-million in 2002 had the team survived.”

“Today, we’re between $15 and $17 million per engine. Engine manufacturers have therefore brought the costs down and for highly more complex engines.”

Prost has set views on how the sport should progress beyond the current engine formula but admits that he wants more clarity from Liberty Media’s current proposals for the future of the sport at the highest level.

Prost said, “It’s fine to simplify the engines, take out the MGU-H and reduce costs. But if we’re talking about a budget cap, than we need to visit other areas of the technical rules, like aerodynamics. It’s not all clear.”

Meanwhile, with regards to Prost’s claims that his engine budget in 2001 was $28-million, former Cosworth chief Mark Gallagher tweeted: “Not sure why the great Alain is comparing today’s engine costs with 2001-2002.”

“Until 2013 you could have a V8 engine supply for $6.8-million at today’s exchange rate. Unless of course, you are pushing a manufacturer’s agenda to sustain the cost of engines to customers eg. Red Bull and McLaren.”

“He had the Peugeot deal after we kicked it into touch at Jordan and went with the race-winning Mugen Honda engines. In 2001 he used the Acer badged Ferraris and naturally, Ferrari charged full whack.”

“I know what Jordan actually paid during the same time period Alain had his team going. Being charged $28-million for Acer engines in 2001 was nuts. My point is, he is comparing now with 17 years ago, when in reality you only need to go back five years to reflect on costs,” he added.

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HAKKINEN: I TOLD AYRTON I HAD BIGGER BALLS THAN HIM

Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen

Mika Hakkinen looked back on his first race as Ayrton Senna’s teammate back in 1993 and recalled how he told the Formula 1 legend that he had bigger balls than him which in turn infuriated the Brazilian and as result, the pair were never close after that.

In 1993, after a hugely successful partnership with Honda, McLaren were running Ford customer engines and Senna had waited until the eve of the season-opening South African Grand Prix before signing for the team.

It was a race-by-race deal apparently worth a million dollars per grand prix to the Brazilian whose teammate was Michael Andretti. But the American did not deliver and after the Italian Grand Prix, 13 races into his F1 campaign, he departed and made way in the team for Hakkinen.

At the next race, during the first qualifying session for the Portuguese Grand Prix, Senna was third quickest behind the pace-setting Williams duo of Alain Prost and Damon Hill.

Notably, McLaren’s promoted reserve, Hakkinen, was only a couple of thousandths shy of his illustrious teammate. Senna a master qualifier was expected to turn up the wick and put the youngster in his place in the second qualifying, but the Finn went one better and out-qualified the Brazilian that weekend.

Hakkinen recalled, “When I started at McLaren Ayrton did not respect me at all. Sure we did have conversations but you could tell he didn’t appreciate me one bit.”

“I was fine with it. A young boy from Martinlaakso would carry on doing his job and going forward. I could only carry on doing my job.”

“In Estoril, at the Portuguese Grand Prix, when I drove faster than him he came to ask me how on earth I was faster than him. I showed him [with my hands] and said: I have bigger balls!”

“That made him totally mad. He got really angry and went on to tell me about his whole career, about the world championships he had won. He put me against the wall and said: Don’t even try…”

“After that our relationship would never be good again. Ayrton had noticed that I am a threat to him and that he would lose his status as the best driver in the world and there is this young guy coming who’s going to overtake him,” added Hakkinen who went on to win back-to-back world titles with McLaren in 1998 and 1999.

Senna was killed while leading 1994 San Marino Grand Prix at Imola driving for Williams.

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HORNER: PEOPLE DON’T LIKE CHANGE

Christian Horner, Maurizio Arrivabene, Toto Wolff

As Liberty Media and Formula 1’s big teams square off for the battle of the future of the sport, Red Bull F1 chief Christian Horner says he expected there to be a stand-off of sorts regarding the exact road-map beyond 2020.

Horner said in an interview, “People don’t like change. Bernie ran this show for so many years, so tremendously successfully, but it’s a different management, different style and different objectives. Each team has to decide whether those objectives fit their vision of being a grand prix team.”

First to threaten a pullout, because of diverging views for the future of F1, were Ferrari who appear to have support from Mercedes and perhaps even Renault. The latter two less militant, but still enough for there two be two powerful camps at each end of the negotiating table.

Horner explained, “It’s inevitable as soon as you start talking about money. There’s a little bit of positioning and blustering going on at the moment, but I think everything that Liberty have done so far in their [tenure] has been positive. Hopefully, that will continue.”

While the three manufacturers involved currently in Formula 1 are at odds with what Liberty Media are proposing, Horner believes that Red Bull and F1’s new owners share similar objectives.

He pointed out, “Red Bull’s interests are all about putting on a great show, engaging with the fan and the consumer, allowing the drivers’ personalities to come through and that Formula 1 should be sport and entertainment rather than an engineering and technical challenge.”

“Of course technology has a place there but it used to be within reason, and I think those values are shared reasonably closely by Liberty,” confirmed the Red Bull team chief.

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TODT: IF FERRARI OR MERCEDES LEAVE F1 IT IS THEIR CHOICE

Jean Todt

Ferrari have signalled that they will depart Formula 1 if the sport changes too much for their liking as Liberty Media, FIA and stakeholders grapple to agree on a roadmap for the future, a reality that FIA president Jean Todt is prepared to live with albeit reluctantly.

It is no secret that over the years Ferrari have had special treatment from former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and to a certain extent the FIA just because they are Ferrari. Benefits have included greater payout from the F1 income pool and also a unique right to veto rules that they disagree with.

FIA president Jean Todt told media in Abu Dhabi, “It is decades that Ferrari has what is called this veto right. When we are going to discuss about the renewal of the agreement, it is part of the things which will be discussed.”

In 2015 Ferrari used their power to veto by blocking a plan to set a cost cap on customer F1 engines, but this type of power could well be severely curtailed in the future.

This, in turn, could trigger dissent from the Reds and their president Sergio Marchionne who is adamant that pulling the iconic team out of Formula 1 is not an empty threat but a real possibility.

Todt mused, “Am I afraid to see Mercedes or Ferrari leave? That’s their choice. What is sure, we don’t want anybody to leave. But of course Ferrari is one of the iconic brands. It’s a company, a team, which has been participating in every single Formula 1 championship since its creation.”

“So I don’t want to see Ferrari leaving, I’m not sure if it would be a good thing for Ferrari to leave Formula 1, because why it is a unique brand is because it’s such combined between racing and road cars. I think it will be also painful for Ferrari not to be in Formula 1, but that’s not my responsibility anymore,” added Todt.

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Leclerc: New engine a big boost for Sauber

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Charles Leclerc believes Sauber will be handed a “big boost” this season as they switch to a current-spec Ferrari engine.

Last season Sauber ran a year-old power unit and it was evident in their results.

The team struggled to score points and finished last in the championship with just five points on the board.

This season, though, new signing Leclerc reckons they will benefit hugely from racing an up-to-date engine.

“Having the new 2018-spec Ferrari engine in place will be a big boost for the team,” said the Frenchman.

“The newly formed partnership with Alfa Romeo is also exciting news.

“As for my personal expectations – my primary goal is to continue developing my skills as a driver, and to gain as much experience in Formula One as I can.

“In terms of my expectations and goals, I will work hard to support the team in developing the car during the season, so that we are able to obtain the best possible results in the 2018 season.”

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Vandoorne: The pressure on McLaren is big

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Racing the same engine as Red Bull and Renault this season, Stoffel Vandoorne says the pressure on McLaren to perform is “big.”

This season McLaren’s claims that they have one, if not the best, chassis in Formula 1 will be tested.

Swapping from Honda to Renault power, the Woking team will run the same engines as race winners Red Bull and works team Renault.

But while racing director Eric Boullier has downplayed the pressure, Vandoorne believe it will be “big.”

“In 2018 the pressure on the team is big because we have big points of comparison next to us, like Red Bull who won races last season,” the 25-year-old told Belgian broadcaster RTBF.

“Renault has also done well, so the pressure is there. But it is also positive and we need it to progress.”

Although testing does not begin until February 26, Vandoorne’s pre-season preparations are already in full swing.

He headed to Woking last week where he spent time in the simulator, getting a “first feeling” for the 2018 car.

He added: “The change will be big for us, everyone is very motivated to start testing and see what it’s going to give on the track.

“In Barcelona we’ll know a little more about how the season will unfold.”

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Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo crazy cart the factory

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are going a little stir crazy waiting for Formula One to return, so to keep their racing senses sharp, the pair took to some crazy carts for a Red Bull factory grand prix. Who won, check out the video to find out!

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Formula 1 set for minimum driver weight in 2019

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Formula 1 is set to introduce a minimum driver weight in 2019 as part of a plan to avoid penalising heavier drivers.

During a meeting of the F1 Strategy Group this week, the proposal was tabled that car and driver weight should once again be split, like it was prior to 1995, with a minimum car and driver weight specified in the regulations.

Driver weight has become an issue again, with the FIA raising the overall minimum weight for 2018 to 734kg, taking into account the Halo. However estimates have actually put the overall Halo weight at between 12-14kg with mounting points and changes to the chassis, thus reducing the scope for performance ballast and therefore penalising heavier drivers.

For 2019, it's believed an 80kg weight will be specified for the driver, meaning any driver weighing under that limit will have to run ballast equal to their deficit – to avoid teams using that ballast unfairly, i.e. by placing it strategically to balance the car, it will have to be positioned under the seat in a pre-determined location.

Although drivers weighing more than 80kg will still be penalised slightly, the system should make it fairer overall and avoid drivers having to drastically lose weight which led to some health concerns in recent seasons, including drivers racing without water bottles to avoid carrying excess weight.

The weight of the car, which will again rise by 6kg in 2019, will be 660kg without the driver and seat, therefore giving engineers a specific target to aim for, rather than having to take into account the weight of their two drivers – which could fluctuate during the off-season.

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Ford rules out Formula 1 entry until costs are reduced

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Ford's Motorsport boss, Mark Rushbrook, has ruled out another foray into Formula 1 for the forseeable future for the American car giant, with costs of competing being far too high to consider an entry.

Ford last competed in Formula 1 in 2004 as an engine manufacturer with Jaguar Racing before leaving the sport for the 2005 season and selling their Cosworth branch. 

Despite the high cost of competing in the premier single seater series, Rushbrook explained to Autocar that F1 is more attractive than other alternatives such as Formula E, due to its use of hybrid power units.

“Hybrid power will be relevant for a long time for Ford, especially if it introduces budgets,” he told Autocar, later explaining that controlled spending in the series would be needed for Ford to consider an entry as, at present, “cost reduction in F1 is all relative. If you cap in one area, [manufacturers] will spend in another”.

In racing, Ford's primary focus is on the World Endurance Championship and the WRC in which Ford will increase its involvement with M-Sport who won both the Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championships last season.

“Specifically for WRC, there’s now more financial commitment but also more technical support from us. For 2018, we can help with more technical analysis of the car’s engine and look at its flow and combustion to improve performance,” Rushbrook added.

“A lot of the hardware we use in the WRC we can also use on road cars, so by testing them in this hard competition environment [in which it faces stiff opposition from Citroen, Hyundai and Toyota], it stresses them to far greater levels than on a road car. It’s very useful data.”

F1 is planning to dramatically reduce costs from 2021 onwards, with a simplified hybrid engine, whilst a budget cap is also under consideration.

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Sergey Sirotkin requests 35 as permanent F1 race number

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Williams youngster Sergey Sirotkin is set to use 35 as his official race number through his Formula 1 career, as he prepares to make his debut in 2018.

Sirotkin, who finished third in GP2 in both 2015 and 2016, spent two years in test and reserve roles with Renault, receiving practice runs, having previously held a similar position at Sauber in 2014.

With Renault having opted to recruit Carlos Sainz Jr. to partner Nico Hulkenberg, Sirotkin turned his attentions to Williams, and tested for the team during post-race tyre running in Abu Dhabi last November.

Williams gave Sirotkin the nod for the race seat vacated by the retired Felipe Massa for 2018 and the Russian will partner Lance Stroll this season.

Under regulations introduced in 2014, each driver selects a number between 2 and 99 to carry through their careers, with 1 reserved for the reigning champion and 17 retired in honour of the late Jules Bianchi.

Sirotkin has requested 35, though this has yet to be formally approved, with the number currently allocated to one of Force India’s test cars; George Russell carried it during practice in Brazil and Abu Dhabi last year.

The last time 35 was used in race trim was at the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix, where Eric van der Poele classified ninth for the Lamborghini-affiliated Modena team.

Sirotkin's fellow 2018 rookie, Sauber's Charles Leclerc, has selected 16 as his permanent number.

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Haas shifted focus to 2018 too early, says Steiner

Haas shifted focus to 2018 too early, says Steiner

Haas probably hurt itself in the 2017 Formula 1 season by switching focus to its 2018 car too early, team principal Gunther Steiner has admitted.
At the championship's halfway point, Haas sat seventh in the constructors' standings, four points behind Toro Rosso.

By the end of the year, Renault had leapfrogged both teams and Haas ended up six points off Toro Rosso, occupying the same eighth place it achieved in its debut season in 2016.

Haas made no secret of the fact it abandoned its 2016 car development very early to prioritise preparing for this year's major aerodynamic rules changes and working on its current car for longer in '17. But Steiner admitted it may still have mistimed its focus switch.

"It was a little bit less up and down [compared to 2016], but it was still a rollercoaster particularly in the second half of the season," said Steiner.

"With the developments, I think we expected more but then again, we were fully aware that we had changed over early to next year's car.

"With hindsight, would we do something different? Maybe we would develop a little bit longer with this year's car but you cannot go back.

"It's something in between and there is no clear answer.We had to focus on next year's car because the last thing we want to do is to have a big drop in performance next year.

"So I am pretty confident that this year's car will be better otherwise we wouldn't have done that."

Steiner is sure Haas will benefit from having rules stability for the first time in its very short F1 history.

"I wouldn't say easier, but it makes the challenge a little bit different," he added. "You have to focus on developing instead of reinventing, so we will see how we are with that one, but it's a new chapter and I hope it's a good one.

"We have been pretty good in the two years as a new team to produce new cars - we have never been complete failures. So we need to see now how good we are at developing a car with stable rules. I am positive about that."

He admitted Haas still needed more consistency in performance, noting occasions when it had "two races of nothing, and then all of a sudden we came back into the window again", and that it still let points slip with problems.

"Our foundation was there but we still had a rollercoaster, I would say less the first part of the season because we scored points in a lot of events," Steiner said.

"We scored points in more events this year than last, which means that we have improved on the up and down. But it wasn't good enough to consistently be in the points and you need to be consistently in the points to move up in the standings.

"The three or four events where we missed out because of failures cost us dearly."

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Gary Anderson: F1 can do more to solve driver weight issue

Gary Anderson: F1 can do more to solve driver weight issue

The Formula 1 Strategy Group has at last come up with a sensible solution to the problem of a driver’s weight with a ballasted minimum weight of 80kg.
This is something I have been advocating for years because it just isn’t correct for someone who would healthily weigh 75kg to go on a diet just because the car is overweight. 

In the 1980s and ‘90s, the weight of the driver was not part of the overall car weight and there were no minimum cockpit length dimensions, so small and light drivers were the order of the day.

But that all changed, and for the better, but there is still more that needs to be done.

If the planned changes are brought in for 2019 then I hope the rules take into account all the factors related to the driver fitment and weight. 

The cockpit length is still a little too short for drivers of the size of Nico Hulkenberg, and because normally the taller you are the heavier you are a small increase of, say, five centimetres, would make a big difference to how a tall driver sits in the car.

If they are going to use a driver weight of 80kg, than if you have a 65kg driver you will need 15kg of ballast.

If that can be mounted low down (i.e. below the seat) then there is still an advantage for the small, light driver as this will lower the centre of gravity.

This ballast needs to be mounted on the seat back bulkhead and spread out over a certain area that is relative to the centre of gravity of the driver. That way, smaller and lighter drivers will not get any advantage.

If the minimum cockpit dimensions for seat back to front bulkhead were increased by this 5cm, this could be checked before fitting any driver ballast.

The fact that lighter drivers are normally shorter means the seat back to seat bulkhead gap will increase, meaning there will be room for the extra ballast.

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Renault F1 team was 'almost 10 years' behind rivals after takeover

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Renault was nearly a decade behind its Formula 1 rivals when it resumed its works team project, says its managing director Cyril Abiteboul.

The former Benetton and Lotus team was Renault-owned from 2001-09 and then reacquired ahead of the 2016 season.

Although Renault won the 2005 and '06 F1 world championships in the first of those eras and won grands prix as late as '08, Abiteboul says by that time the Enstone facility was already suffering from a lack of investment that would escalate under its subsequent Genii ownership.

"There was clearly a lack of investment under previous ownerships," Abiteboul told Autosport.

"But also at the end of Renault ownership, in the previous cycle, we really lost opportunities to modernise the place.

"If you go back into this sort of 2007/2008/2009 period, it was far from being great and it was the start of the lack of investment in Enstone.

"So we almost need to play catch up since 2007/2008, so that is almost 10 years where F1 has changed completely the universe."

Despite the scale of the task Abiteboul says Renault faced, he believes it is "really not far" from having comparable resources to its rivals again.

"We have a big job to accomplish and as far as I can see we are aligned with that," said Abiteboul.

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"The infrastructure is coming up, people are coming up, the commercial side - I know it is not super exciting, but it is also important to be able to finance that.

"We have had a very successful campaign of acquisition of new partners and they believe in the project, they can see the improvement at the factory but also at the track."

Renault began a recruitment drive during 2016 that took its F1 staff from an initial 400 to past the 500 mark, with its chassis technical director Nick Chester telling Autosport the tally would "probably" reach 700 by the end of '18.

"You certainly have to keep a good eye on it to make sure that the departments are communicating well," Chester added.

"But actually, I have to say the growth we have had since the end of 2015 has actually worked pretty well.

"We haven't really had any big problems of departments not communicating, we have just been able to do more.

"Some of it is just making sure that the levels in the departments are balanced, so the drawing office can keep up with aero and production can been up with drawing office.

"Trying to get the resource splits right is a little bit tricky, but given the amount of people we've increased by it's been quite painless."

Asked if the Enstone facility was now on a par with rival teams', Chester replied: "Not just yet. But it is well under way.

"A lot of the building work is heading into its final stages, and that should be finished off February time.

"A lot of other infrastructure work is already complete so it is probably 70% there."

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I have been to several US GP (all at Indy) but only one in Europe (Magny Cours).  I have always considered Spa as a bucket list event and am considering the planning for 2019.  Anyone who has attended that venue have any thoughts? If recommended, any advice (seat locations, travel in/out, lodging, etc.)?  Thanks in advance.

Mike

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I have been to several US GP (all at Indy) but only one in Europe (Magny Cours).  I have always considered Spa as a bucket list event and am considering the planning for 2019.  Anyone who has attended that venue have any thoughts? If recommended, any advice (seat locations, travel in/out, lodging, etc.)?  Thanks in advance.
Mike

I was there for the 2001 Grand Prix - it blew my mind . I remember we stayed in Maastricht just over the Dutch Border. I hear there’s a La Casa del Habano there nowadays.....


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk
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