FORMULA 1

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New Canadian Grand Prix pit building revealed in Montreal

Formula 1 officials and organisers of the Canadian Grand Prix today unveiled the new paddock building at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal.
All major works have been completed, and only the interior finishing remains to be completed, which will be achieved on time, according to the various executives.

The event was attended by Chase Carey, CEO of Liberty Media, Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal, and Francois Dumontier, President and CEO, F1 Grand Prix du Canada.

This new three-storey building has been built in just 10 months (including five months of tough winter weather) in conjunction with the renewal of the Candian Grand Prix contract, from 2015 to 2029, in which the Société du parc Jean Drapeau agreed to help with the renovation and expansion of the infrastructure at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

The objective of the project was to upgrade the equipment in the paddock, built in 1988, and bring it up to the standards required by the FIA and the Formula 1 World Championship. It increases the capacity of the capacity above the garages to 5,000 people, compared to 1,800 in the former building. The primary objective was also to replace the temporary facilities by a permanent building.

The new pit building and garages, which cost CDN$59m to build (US$44m) features some interesting sustainable solutions such as carbon-negative materials, energetic efficiency, photovoltaic energy and responsible lighting.

The new building, which is a mix of wood, concrete and steel, has already been recognised by the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada by winning the Canadian Architect Award of Excellence in December 2018.

Employees of the various construction companies involved in the project will start removing heavy equipment on Friday, then the finishing touch, plumbing and electrical work will be accelerated, and teams will clean up the site before the F1 teams arrive during the week leading up to the Grand Prix.

 

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Red Bull: Design strengths blunted by new F1 aero/tyres

Red Bull thinks its early 2019 performance has been hit by a double whammy of an aero rule overhaul and a change to tyres.

Although the Milton Keynes-based team is now making good progress with its car, and Max Verstappen is Mercedes’ closest challenger in the world championship, it has faced some struggles in getting on top of its RB15.

Horner thinks its situation was not helped by the thinner-tread tyres and the revamp to the front wing rules that was introduced to boost overtaking.

“It is probably a combination of the two,” he explained about the factors that have held Red Bull back so far.

“Obviously there’s 25% less rubber on these tyres and they’re stiffer, and we were very good on the tyre at the end of last year.

“I also think the concept of aerodynamics that we’ve evolved over the last few years was obviously very sensitive to the front wings, so we’re just having to rebalance that and refocus that.”

Horner thinks the key now is steady progress with both the Red Bull chassis and the Honda engine to keep pushing further forwards.

“It’s all about evolution and I think Honda are making good progress,” he said. “Their reliability compared to previous years has been fantastic. Performance is strong. But the others don’t stand still either.

“We can see Ferrari introduced another engine this weekend, and Renault introduced an upgrade this weekend. Mercedes no doubt will around Montreal introduce another engine. Of course your opponents don’t stand still but we’re very happy with the progress that’s being made.”

Asked if he felt that just five races in the title battle was over though, Horner said: “I think it’s very much a Mercedes championship. You can see that after five races that they’re three points off of maximum score. It’s still a long year and we take things race by race."

But while not dreaming of closing down on Mercedes, Horner has no doubts that at some point the German car manufacturer will be overhauled.

“Anybody can be beaten,” he said. “Formula 1 is all about teamwork, it’s about the biggest teams in the world.

“Mercedes, at the moment, are on the crest of a wave but that never lasts forever. Our job is to ensure we have all the tools and capabilities to take that challenge to them in the coming years.”

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Haas frustrated to be "playing games with a thermometer"

Formula 1 team boss Gene Haas has admitted his frustration at the significant role played by tyre management in 2019, saying his team is having to "play games with a thermometer".

The team has struggled all season to stay in the optimum tyre operating window in races, having often showed promise in qualifying.

But warmer conditions and the nature of the Barcelona track contributed to an improved performance in Spain, where Kevin Magnussen finished seventh and best of the rest, and Romain Grosjean was 10th.

“I think we had a miserable start to the season,” Haas told Motorsport.com. “We qualified really well, so it says that we can do one or two laps quick. But then we lose tyre temperature, and when you lose tyre temperature, the cars sometimes just go away.

“It was warmer today, and we didn’t have that problem, but even with Grosjean on the restart, his tyres were a little bit cooler, but a couple of laps later he was back up to speed. It’s very critical to keep on top of the tyres.

“It seems like it’s just luck if you get the tyre in that right temperature zone. It would be nice if Pirelli could make it so it wasn’t so sensitive to that. We’re playing games with a thermometer, not racing cars.”

Haas added that the team has to find some straightline performance: “That midfield is so tight. We were obviously slower on the straights than a lot of our competitors, but we were able to keep ahead of them in the turns. We’ve got high speed drag but the downforce makes us better in the turns.”

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner had expected Barcelona to be more favourable for the black and gold cars, and cautioned that there was still work to do to address the tyre problem on a long term basis.

“I mean coming here we knew from testing that we can get the tyre to work here,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com. “It is obviously a sign of progress from Baku, because Baku was pretty dull for us, you know, because before we always had the cars in the top 10 in qualifying.

“We know the speed of the car, we just can’t on certain tracks get the tyres to work, and here it’s working, we're on the limit here, we get it in.

“But what we need to do is we need to find a way to make them work everywhere, because it’s clear that the car is good. There’s no doubt about it, the speed of the car.”

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MONTOYA HIRED TO BE STROLL’S MENTAL COACH?

Reports putting Juan Pablo Montoya in the Barcelona paddock wearing Racing Point team wear this past weekend have prompted speculation that the former Formula 1 driver is on hand to provide mental coaching for Lance Stroll.

Lawrence Stroll saved the faltering Force India operation in the nick of time last year and immediately set to transform the struggling team, starting by investing plentifully into infrastructure and taking it to the next level in terms of bling with a $5-million motorhome which broke cover in Spain.

But on track his son Lance is struggling, not only have Racing Point produced a lemon of a car which even Sergio Perez struggles with and, as a result, Stroll is in the wilderness, accident-prone and struggling to match his teammate.

If anyone needs a mental coach it is the 20-year-old who was perhaps fast-tracked into F1 a tad too hastily. Nevertheless to a rock of a father who is clearly intent on throwing whatever it takes to make his son happiness a reality.

Step in Mr Montoya, the burly Colombian, a seven-time Grand Prix winner, is a no-nonsense bloke which has endeared him to fans. Furthermore, he was not shy to slug it out on track with the best, many times coming out tops. His credibility and vast experience in all levels of the sport makes him good mentor material.

Should this Juan-Pablo-to-coach-Lance tale be true, it will interesting to see how Stroll absorbs the coaching and evolves because it is clear that he has kept his seat in F1 only because of his father’s money.

If any other consortium had morphed from the Force India wreckage and sought a driver on merit, it is sure that Esteban Ocon would be in the car today and not Stroll junior.

However, there is a ( diminishing) school of thought, obviously headed by his billionaire father, that in a decent piece of kit the Canadian youngster can do the business in the top flight.

It is not known if coaching was happening between the pair in Spain, but what we do know is that Lance crashed twice during the course of the weekend, was two-tenths down on Perez in qualifying and before he crashed out he had spent the race behind his teammate.

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HAKKINEN: MERCEDES WILL NOT KEEP WINNING SO EASILY

Double Formula 1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen reviews the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix weekend, one in which the mighty Mercedes dominated by a comfortable margin in both qualifying and the race, scoring an unprecedented five one-two finishes in as many races.

This what Hakkinen had to say in his post-Barcelona column for Unibet:

“With Lewis Hamilton winning the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas, this was Mercedes’ fifth 1-2 finish of the 2019 season. No team has achieved this before, and the level of dominance is worrying for the competition as well as for fans of the sport.

“In pre-season testing in Barcelona, it was Ferrari which set the pace and Mercedes seemed to struggle, yet at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix everything was reversed. Mercedes was in a class of its own, dominating both qualifying and the race, while Ferrari had a difficult weekend and was beaten in the race by Red Bull Racing.

“We have seen a dominant start to the season before. Back in 2009 Jenson Button won six of the first seven Grands Prix for Brawn. Their car had a specific technical advantage and they made the most of it. Even though Button did not win another race that season, he still won the World Championship! This is the team which Mercedes then purchased…

“Barcelona is a very specific circuit. It requires a car with good downforce, traction and turn-in to corners. This is one of the reasons the circuit is used for testing – it has everything. Mercedes and Ferrari both brought upgrades, but only Mercedes really took a big step forward.

“It was fantastic to see Valtteri score his third consecutive pole position on Saturday, driving a perfect lap and getting the most out of his car. He has built so much confidence in the Mercedes, and when you watched the onboard camera in his car during that pole position lap you could see he knew exactly how hard he could push.

“Races are won on a Sunday, however, and when Valtteri had a small clutch problem at the start he was challenged both by Lewis Hamilton and the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel into Turn 1. This was a tense moment because Sebastian was really pushing for the overtake around the outside, and Lewis was on the inside, meaning that Valtteri had to back off and then suffer a big slide which he did well to catch.

“Unfortunately, by the exit of Turn 3 the race was settled, with Lewis running first and Valtteri dropping back in second as he defended from the Ferraris and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. The level of Mercedes’ performance was very impressive, and they ran a perfect race.

“Verstappen has matured as a driver over the last year, and it looked like he really got the best he could from the Red Bull in taking third place. He is now third in the World Championship for Drivers, ahead of Vettel, and that tells you a lot about Verstappen’s consistency this year, as well as Ferrari’s continued difficulties.

“Naturally, there is a lot of comment that Mercedes is never going to be beaten this year, and I understand why. They have the best car, very talented teammates who are pushing each other to new levels without fighting each other, and good management who make the right strategy calls during the race. It is the perfect combination.

“Ferrari once again had some confusion during the race, with both Vettel and teammate Charles Leclerc holding each other up as the team switched between strategies. At one point the two drivers were informed of different strategies, which added to feeling that the Ferrari has some human as well as technical challenges to overcome.

“Despite all of this I am optimistic that Mercedes will not keep winning so easily. The next race is Monaco, which is very different from Barcelona – a truly unique track. Red Bull won there last season, and Ferrari in 2017, and we know that both teams are looking forward to this race.

“Verstappen is a man on a mission, determined to be the first person to beat Mercedes this year, and I think the Red Bull Honda will be very quick around Monaco.

“Leclerc is another one who will challenge Mercedes around the streets of Monte Carlo. This is his home race, and while he has been very quick all season there have been a few small mistakes and problems which have stopped him from taking an early victory. He will be determined the bring Ferrari back up to the front of the grid.

And then we have Sebastian Vettel. He is a four times World Champion, has won in Monaco twice before, and remains an outstanding competitor. He has faced some criticism in recent months, but I personally believe he has the ability to deliver victories for Ferrari in 2019 and re-establish a championship challenge. There is still a long way to go.”

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ARRIVABENE: WE NEED TO BE PATIENT AND SUPPORT FERRARI

Former Ferrari team chief Maurizio Arrivabene has been notably quiet as the team he once led reels with the punches of five knockout one-twos inflicted by Mercedes in the first five races of the season.

Finally this week, he broke his silence to give his first soundbite regarding the plight of the Italian team and with it, he has called for patience and for Tifosi not to lose heart and remain committed to the cause.

In a well told episode that dragged on for the latter half of last year, Arrivabene was ejected in January to make way for his former technical chief Mattia Binotto to become boss of the F1 operation at Maranello.

Under the Arrivabene’s watch Ferrari were far better off than they are today and his axing is looking like a mistake as it is clear that the Reds are headless at the moment, as Binotto appears to not have the capacity to run the team and ensure they put out a competitive car.

From a media perspective, access to the Scuderia is vastly improved as an atmosphere of openness prevails in contrast to the besieged fortress mentality that prevailed not too long ago.

During the recent Mille Miglia event attended by Arrivabene, he was asked by Sky Italia for comment on the current fiasco at Ferrari, “The championship is still long and we need to have patience.”

“I have been voluntarily quiet on the matter but if I have to speak I can only say that we need to support the whole team. It’s easy to support the team when they are winning but I hope that all the fans support also in difficult moments.”

While Arrivabene would have every right to be aggrieved by the way he was treated at the end of his tenure, considering the fact that shortly before Monza last year he was assured by his bosses that he would continue at the helm only to be axed and replaced by Binotto in early January this year.

But the former team boss harbours no grudges, “Ferrari is a family that gave me so much, and I committed as much of myself to it as I could. And I will always be a part of it.”

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F1 COULD BE HEADING BACK TO MOROCCO AND KYALAMI

Formula 1 wants to go back to Africa, with the Moroccan city of Marrakesh and South Africa’s Kyalami circuit keen to host a race, commercial managing director Sean Bratches said on Thursday.

Rwanda and Nigeria have also expressed interest in fan festivals on their territory.

“It’s a marketplace in which we would like to race,” Bratches said at a Sport Industry Breakfast Club event, two days after F1 announced the return of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in 2020 after a 35-year absence.

Morocco and South Africa have hosted world championship grands prix in the past, Casablanca in 1958 and South Africa in East London in the 1960s and Kyalami 20 times between 1967 and 1993.

“We race on five continents now and the last habitable continent that we don´t race in is Africa,” said Bratches.

“We’ve been having very productive conversations in South Africa and to a lesser extent in Morocco about bringing a grand prix… we’re on it. It’s really important to us.”

Bratches said there was a “high degree of interest” from Morocco in a circuit race in Marrakesh, with the authorities seeing Formula One, owned by U.S.-based Liberty Media, as an economic engine for growth and tourism.

The all-electric Formula E series already holds an annual street race there.

“The vast majority of our grands prix are underpinned by government and it’s because it works. We shine a bright light on these cities,” said Bratches.

Yath Gangakumaran, Formula One’s director of Strategy and Business Development, told reporters that Rwanda and Nigeria were also keen to be involved in fan events.

“I think Rwanda in particular have seen the benefits of the Arsenal sponsorship deal,” he said. The Premier League club has had a ‘Visit Rwanda’ logo on players’ left shirt sleeves since last year.

“There’s a lot of interest not just for races but for actuations throughout the continent.”

Next season will see two new grands prix added to the calendar, with Zandvoort and the debut of Vietnam, but Mexico, Spain, Germany and Britain are out of contract at the end of 2019.

Mexico, Germany and Spain face particularly uncertain futures.

“We are optimistic about the prospect of a 21 grand prix schedule next year,” said Bratches. “I don’t think we are going to have more than that.”

Tne American said “productive conversations” were continuing with the Mexican promoter, whose race is set to lose essential government funding, and British GP hosts Silverstone, who say they cannot afford the current terms.

A second U.S. race in Miami remains on the cards, despite Formula One and local organisers giving up on plans for a race downtown and focusing now on land next to the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium.

“In an ideal circumstance we would be racing downtown Miami or downtown Las Vegas,” said Bratches. “Those are the two cities in the United States that best align with our brand and our aspirations.

“We are going to try and create the best experience in each market that (circumstances) will permit, not only from a racing standpoint but a fan engagement and economic standpoint… it’s still viable.”

The Miami race was originally scheduled for 2019 but pushed back due to until at least 2020 after local opposition to the proposed harbourside layout.

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F1 2021 changes can play to McLaren strengths - Zak Brown

McLaren can use the planned 2021 Formula 1 regulations to its advantage, according to CEO Zak Brown, in the wake of the organisation’s changes in the past few years.

McLaren has had a tumultuous few seasons behind-the-scenes with various managerial departures and recruitments.

The highest-profile signings have been Andreas Seidl, who joined as Team Principal at the start of the month, and technical boss James Key, who was able to start work at the Bahrain Grand Prix, following his protracted departure from Toro Rosso.

Formula 1 is set to overhaul its sporting and technical regulations for 2021 – though the exact rules have yet to be defined – and Brown believes McLaren’s recent changes will stand the team in good stead to profit from the new cycle.

“We in the short term are battling some teams with very large budgets,” said Brown.

“We all know the issues that sit in Formula 1 today, and that I think will be fixed from 2021 onwards.

“I think as Formula 1 moves into its next phase, I think that plays to McLaren’s strengths, and so we needed to start the rebuilding process, starting with Andreas and James Key and Gil [de Ferran] and all the other individuals and promoting within, and just generally working as a better team.

“And we need to build a better race car, which I think we’ve done this year.

“We’ve got started with two new drivers, which is the first time we’ve had two new drivers in quite some time, and I think they’ve done an excellent job.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time for that to all come together. I do think it will be in that window, hopefully somewhere more in the middle, but I have no doubt we’ll get back to winning races.”

In explaining McLaren’s new management set-up, in the wake of recent changes, Brown said: “Ultimately I’m the CEO of McLaren Racing, so everything and anything around racing, the buck stops with me. But it’s a team effort. So ultimately I’ve got total accountability.

“Andreas has total responsibility for the Formula 1 team, so the buck stops with Andreas when it comes to Formula 1.

“And then underneath and reporting to Andreas is James Key, etc.

“Then we’ve got the Indianapolis 500 that we’re doing, so we’ve got a separate team on that which ultimately Gil is responsible for our Indy 500 programme, but again, the buck stops with me ultimately in making sure that McLaren Racing is competitive and is a healthy business.”

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Renault refusing to "renegotiate" goals for F1 2019

Renault insists it is not open to "renegotiate" it targets for 2019 and beyond, despite its disappointing start to the Formula 1 season.

The French car manufacturer came into this season hoping to pull clear of the midfield battle and close the gap on the sport's top three teams.

But rather than move forward from the fourth place it finished last year, a run of non points-scoring finishes in Azerbaijan and Spain has left it languishing in eighth in the standings at the moment.

While it faces a mammoth effort to turn its campaign around, Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul says that there is no thought of it revising its ambitions – as he remains convinced it can still deliver.

"We want to come back to the performance level we need to have at this point of our journey – to stick to our target which frankly is absolutely not changing," Abiteboul told Motorsport.com. "We are not renegotiating our target at this point of time."

Renault's car has shown potential at times this year, but early season reliability woes – which included a double DNF in Bahrain – have proved exceptionally costly.

While Abiteboul is aware that delivering to its maximum should yield good results, he thinks the same is true of other midfield teams too.

"I am pretty sure everyone could be saying the same," he said. "I am sure if Haas does everything correctly, if Toro Rosso does everything correctly, if McLaren does everything correctly they could be doing the same.

"It is true that any small deviation can make the change more spectacular than it is in reality, but the target was to be clear ahead of the midfield, and so far we have not delivered.

"So the short term priority is to get back in line with that competitiveness level which, in my opinion, is completely accessible if we do things right and we bring what we are supposed to bring in the next couple of races to the car."

While Renault's eighth position in the standings is below expectation, Abiteboul says there is some encouragement in the fact that fourth placed McLaren is only 10 points ahead – a gap he thinks can be closed down over the remainder of the campaign.

"Frankly that is the only good news," he said about no team currently pulling clear in the midfield. "I think it is extremely open and I think until probably two-thirds of the season it will remain the situation.

"So that will give us the opportunity to regroup, do what we need to do, address the early season issues and P4 in the championship is completely achievable.

"But again that was not the only target this year. The target of this year was to reduce the gap to the top teams, but right now it is not happening and we need to take steps to make sure it happens."

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Gasly says his driving style is "too aggressive" for RB15

Pierre Gasly says his early season form at Red Bull has not been helped by his aggressive driving style not suiting his car or Formula 1's 2019 tyres.

The Frenchman has had a challenging start to the campaign but has been making progress in getting more comfortable with the RB15.

But he reckons one of the factors holding him back is how aggressive he is behind the wheel - especially with his use of the throttle.

"I'm not too far [off]," he said about how far he is from feeling totally happy in the Red Bull cockpit.

"I think that we've found something I am pretty happy with, but still there are a few things I'd like to change, so it's difficult to know exactly how far.

"But what I can feel is that there's more to come. At least with what we've found there is more consistency, more predictability and I think it's a better baseline to work from every weekend.

"We're pretty happy with the baseline we have but I think to really find the last few tenths there are a few things we need to change and also on my side to really suit the car as it is at the moment.

"Coming into the team with the package we had at the beginning, I think the performance on some tracks was good but still my driving style was too aggressive and it didn't suit the car so well.

"I think it's just the work progressively that starts to pay off. Of course, I want more and will keep working to find more."

One area that has been particularly tricky for Red Bull has been finding a consistent balance with its car through corners - with its handling changing on entry, mid-corner and exit.

This is something that has punished Gasly a bit more, especially when it comes to getting back on the power.

"I think it's clearly something that happened at the beginning of the year, something we tried to improve to get a more consistent balance and less shift through the corner," he explained.

"It is something we improved, which gives you a better feeling because you know what to expect.

"I think it's still an area we need to improve but we made a step compared to the beginning of the year. For me, at the moment, the traction we're trying to get it really clean and the fact I'm quite aggressive on the power sometimes pays off and sometimes makes the car quite snappy and overheats the tyres.

"We know what happens with these tyres so I think it's more in this area I can improve myself."

Although Gasly has been outpaced by Max Verstappen this year, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has faith that the Frenchman will improve.

"Pierre continues to get stronger," explained Horner. "His race [in Spain] was compromised in the second half because he picked up some debris in the front wing but he drove a strong race.

"Obviously we want to get him in that fight with the cars ahead now, so every weekend he's made progress this year."

Asked if he felt Gasly needed to step up his game, Horner said: "I think, in fairness to Pierre, it's starting to come.

"China was a turning point for him, he had a good weekend in Baku. He's followed that up with a very solid weekend in Spain. His race was compromised with a bit of debris in the front wing from not far off half distance so I think he actually managed that quite well."

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TURRINI: FERRARI LACKS A LEADER, A REAL CAPO, A POINT OF REFERENCE

Leo Turrini is one of Formula 1’s leading authorities on anything to do with Scuderia Ferrari, the veteran Italian journo is a legend in his country as he writes in a manner that simply gets lost in Google translation.

Turrini who writes the Profondo Rosso – Deep Red – blog, is privy to many sources deep within the Scuderia and is a Tifosi through and through with no axe to grind beyond wanting the best for his team and that of hundreds of millions of F1 fans like him.

The analysis by our learned colleague is clearly from the soul of a man who lives and breathes the Scuderia and this is his take on what is wrong at Maranello. His first of what appears to be a trio of analysis’ is entitled “Journey into the Ferrari crisis: Power.”

And continues: “Ferrari lacks a leader, a real Capo, a point of reference. This is missing, it is not there. Who will Binotto report to tonight? To himself? to Elkann? Camilleri? (but then, who is Camilleri?). The truth is that .. there is no one.

“And with this mind we can already start to understand everything. The problem is that the car has technical shortcomings, of which after six years we cannot get on top of and come to terms with.

“Now my question is: how is it possible? I mean, how can it be that after six years Ferrari haven’t managed to solve two fundamental problems?

“Which are the following:

The PU needs more power… and with that we are almost there;
The ability to make the tyres work well, a problem that has been dragging on for years, the hallowed ‘tyre window’ that we keep missing.

I thus ask myself the rhetorical question, which is in short: You are Ferrari, you have all the resources of the world, the experience, the technical skills and… AND?

“And we are in the same place, the car we now know has understeer in slow corners. Is the car completely wrong? I’m not an engineer yet my reminiscences of karting drivers on Sunday suggest that it’s a problem of 1) set-up or 2) suspension.

“Of course, if it were a question of having to redo the front and/or rear suspension it would not be an easy task, but I don’t really see anything else that is more feasible.

“You are Ferrari!

“If you can’t make the tyres work, well find ways to make it happen. I have no idea what the solution is, but I like to believe that someone who earns hundreds of thousands of euros at Maranello, and has an engineering degree in his pocket, has an idea.”

“I will limit my field of observations and comparisons about the current Ferrari and I won’t mention Enzo Ferrari himself, as that was another world, but certainly Luca di Montezemolo and Sergio Marchionne were two ‘interventionist’ presidents worth noting.

“Montezemolo has a racing culture, at races he pushed for traditions with his typical passion. While Marchionne was seldom at Maranello, but he did oust his predecessor [Montezemolo] because F1 results were not forthcoming. Thus he was obsessed with results, and he was on it, hammering the team continuously for explanations and calls to action.

“But Elkann? How credible is the number one who goes to Baku and celebrates setting the fastest lap at the end of a bleak weekend?

“Neither Montezemolo nor Marchionne got their hands dirty with the day to day running but, on the other hand, if [Jean] Todt had a problem (with the FIA, with a tyre supplier, with a driver etc) he would call Luca knowing he would find an attentive interlocutor.

“And maybe Sergio was more fire and brimstone, but he listened to Arrivabene even if he mistreated him often and unjustly.

“Many know that I consider Montezemolo an extraordinary Ferrari president, for the results, emotion and passion he brought with him, even though the fact remains that even he made some very serious mistakes

“But Elkann? Someone will object me saying this: but for obvious reasons Elkann is a mere representative figure, the same thing with Camilleri who was chosen by shareholders.

“It must be understood that there is room for manoeuvre. [Camilleri] showed up at Monza [last year] declaring that Arrivabene was perfect and that everything worked divinely under the skies of Maranello when I knew that the crisis was of biblical proportions and four months later we know what happened.

“Meanwhile, back to who answers Binotto’s calls? Who is able to help him assess whether there is a need, for example, of human resources from outside?

“It is because of all the above that Ferrari are losing and losing badly, on the other hand, what is written above will not help Ferrari win.”

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STOREY: I KEEP ON GETTING LEGAL LETTERS FROM RED BULL

William Storey, whose Rich Energy company sponsors the Haas F1 team, talks about the recent legal battle surrounding the stag design in the logo after which the judge deemed the design was copied from the almost identical Whyte Bikes logo

During the interview with veteran F1-man-of-many-hats Peter Windsor, Storey belittled and accused Whyte Bikes of dirty tricks, “If when we were designing this we had been aware of a company with a very similar logo then, of course, we would have changed that design language.”

“Ultimately we did everything in good faith and that’s why we went through all the correct legal routes, and for this company, yesterday, to emerge out of the woodwork two and a half years later we felt was just an extortion attempt.”

Companies House records show that White Bikes Limited (Company number 07915352) was incorporated on 19 January 2012, while Rich Energy Limited (Company number 09791667) was formed on 23 September 2015.

He also suggested that unseen forces were making life difficult for his company which he insists is growing fast, so much so that he revealed how Red Bull are taking him to task over certain issues he failed to delve into despite Windsor interrupting him and promising to return to the matter but not doing so in

Storey said, “We certainly do have quite a few people trying to cause us problems. I mean Red Bull have threatened to sue me on four occasions now.”

Asked for what, he replied, “Well, I mean very good question, I mean that the lawyers have rebutted them and they’ve decided against it but, you know, I keep on getting legal letters from Red Bull.”

Cue the ‘messenger’ Windsor cutting Storey short before he could explain and then, for a veteran with this kind of access, he failed to ask the right questions and address the issues that cloud Rich Energy and their wannabe maverick owner.

The PR video made by Windsor is entertaining, it left me contemplating [in open-mouthed bewilderment] if Storey is to be taken seriously, is he an eccentric genius business-wiz yet to surprise us all, a totally deluded individual living in LaLaLand or a trickster hiding under the ZZ-Top mop?

Meanwhile ita appears that Rich Energy are appealing the verdict and will be in court again in late June.

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SEIDL: A LOT OF CHANGES ZAK MADE LAST YEAR ARE PAYING OFF

Andreas Seidl is McLaren’s first de facto team principal since Martin Whitmarsh filled the position at Woking, now into his role the highly rated German believes that changes made to the team by CEO Zak Brown are starting to pay dividends.

Brown has done well to lure the likes of Seidl and James Key to the team, giving them a certain autonomy but insisting that ultimately the buck stops with the American who last year outlined his five-year plan for the revival of the once mighty squad.

Speaking to Sky F1 during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, his first in charge, Seidl said, “The positive thing is that there is a lot of positive momentum and I think a lot of the changes Zak made last year are paying off already.”

“Now it’s down to me, together with the team, to keep going in that direction and, step by step, getting closer to the top guys.”

“Of course my personal ambitions are high but the case is the same for every single member of the team. At the same time, we need to be realistic. There is some hard work ahead of us at McLaren.”

Indeed there is as the sport’s second most successful team is going through a rough patch, the worst in their illustrious history amid many changes within the organisation over the past few years. The Ron Dennis era is done and dusted.

Seidl’s reality is that McLaren are on the wrong end of the pecking order at this stage of their revival and he is well aware of the challenges ahead. Nevertheless, he believes his team is well placed to benefit from the F1 new regulations which kick in in 2021.

He is optimistic of what lies ahead, “I think it’s important that changes are coming. I think the discussions we are having with Formula 1 and the FIA are very good.

“Of course there will be challenges ahead looking towards the new regulations in 2021, I think it’s a great opportunity to close this gap to the front.”

Brown also explained, “It’s going to be a journey. In the short term, we are battling some teams with some very large budgets and we know all of the problems in F1 today that I think are going to be fixed from 2021 onwards.”

“I think as that Formula 1 moves into its next phase, I think that plays to McLaren’s strengths so we needed to start the rebuilding the process,” he added.

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RACING POINT: WE HAVE AN ALMOST NEW CAR COMING

There is a saying in motorsport: if at first you don’t succeed throw lots of money at it… This appears to be the thinking at Racing Point as they strive to reverse a woeful start to their season – they were only better in the pecking order than beleaguered Williams after the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.

The team that always over-delivered during the uncertain times of Vijay Mallya’s Force India, ironically, are now struggling to find the sweet spot as Lawrence Stroll invests further to make sure his son Lance has the best of the best. Right now the RP19 is even a handful for veteran Sergio Perez.

Motorsport Network report that a heavily revised car will break cover before Hungary, in an effort to halt the rot, quoting team principal Otmar Szafnauer who said, “This is a big one and the aerodynamic philosophy changes as well, so it’s a big thing. We have to try and get it in asap, hopefully before Hungary.”

The team boss explained away the problems that may arise with a midseason change of direction with their package, “It’s not a risk, no. I think other people are already doing what we’re trying to do. A lot of things will change – it’s a big mass flow rate of air change. Directionally it’s the right thing, and it’s something that will also continue to help improve the car forever.”

Technical director Andy Green confirmed, “We have some new parts coming, almost a new car coming, before the summer shutdown. Hopefully we’ll address some of the issues that we tend to have at this type of circuit.”

As for the problems he explained, “It’s just the length of the corners. A 180-degree corner, we tend to use too much of the tyres, we can’t keep a good balance for the whole of the corner.”

“You can have a good balance in the middle of the corner, or the beginning of the corner, or the end of the corner, but we can’t go from beginning to end with a good balance. That’s the part that we’re struggling with.”

“We are still playing catch up to a certain extent, but we’re not stopping, that’s the beauty. We’re not going to stop learning now and focus on something else, all the ideas we’ve got keep on developing.

“They’re all coming through, update after update. I don’t think we’ll catch up fully until the new car. Next year is a ground-up new car,” added Green.

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Hamilton: Teenage F1 aces prove cars "not hard enough to drive"

Lewis Hamilton believes that current Formula 1 is not physically challenging enough, and hopes that it will be made harder by rules changes for 2021.
Hamilton noted that an 18-year-old should not be able to jump in a modern F1 car without problems, a sentiment that was echoed last week by Martin Brundle in a column that the commentator and former driver wrote for Sky F1.

McLaren racer Lando Norris, at 19 years of age, has become the third-youngest driver to start an F1 grand prix this year, behind the likes of Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll, who both joined the grid within the last few years.

Hamilton made his comments in response to a question about how often F1 drivers are drug tested, pointing out that unlike participants in other sports, they would have little to gain by breaking the rules.

“Drug testing is random, it can be up to three times a year maybe, sometimes it’s less,” he said. “There used to be a point where there was potentially quite a bit out of season, away from the track, back home, hotels.

“This is not a sport where you need to do anything, it’s not like cyclists for example, that need more blood flowing through the heart, or more oxygen. We’re not fatiguing. Honestly, the cars are not hard enough to drive, they should be more physical.

“I think in 2021 they need to get rid of [certain driver aids] - not having as much power steering, for example. You should be physically, massively depleted afterwards. I think that’s how a sport should be.”

Hamilton pointed out that F1 should be as tough as other sports top-level sports, which require substantial physical exertions from competitors.

“Tennis players are finished at the end of a game, especially if they’ve been on four hours. Cyclists, they must be dead after the Tour de France, for example. I feel that’s what’s this should be about.

“But it’s less so about that physical side these days, that’s why we see an 18-year-old can come in, no problems. That should not be the case.

"The point is that none of us cheating, there’s no point in doing anything to enhance our bodies, it’s just training normally and being healthy.”

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F1 and teams just "tens of millions apart" over 2021 cost cap

Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei claims that F1 and the teams are now only “tens of millions apart” on agreeing details of the cost cap that will be a fundamental part of the sport’s future, and which the big players have been resisting.

Maffei also insists that “huge progress” has been made towards finalising a new Concorde Agreement that will start in 2021.

Both sides have been working towards a new Concorde for some months, although the process of tying down the future commercial arrangements, governance and the technical and sporting regulations in parallel is a complex one.

“I think that huge progress has been made,” Maffei told the audience at a media and communications conference in New York. “Sure there are issues to be debated. F1 has talked about putting cost caps in for 15 years or more, and when we first started out, Chase [Carey] and his team, about putting a cost cap in F1, people scoffed.

“I think if you go and speak, and many of you investors do, to other teams, on what the scuttlebutt is out there, the cost cap is pretty much accepted.

"We’re tens of millions apart, not hundreds. And how the splits will work, people are arguing.”

Maffei insisted that the F1’s goals for 2021 have now been accepted, but he admitted that it wasn’t yet apparent when the new Concorde would finally be signed off.

“In general, the theory is that we are trying to create more race competition, more on-track passing or overtaking, more balanced spending with cost caps, more balanced payouts, which are not quite as favourable for some of the traditional players, but instead more favourable for the winners, and we’re also not too far behind on those not in the top of the stack.

“All those things are generally accepted. We are moving towards some sort of a conclusion. What will be the catalytic event that brings it to a signing is perhaps less clear, but I think generally a good direction.”

Maffei stressed that he wants a better show: “Unfortunately Barcelona was not as exciting as we would like. Mercedes has done very well, credit is due to Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff. They’re doing too well – we’d like to see a lot more [competition] on any given Sunday.”

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McLaren's Barcelona S3 struggles a concern for Monaco

Carlos Sainz says McLaren’s struggles at the Spanish Grand Prix exposed a weakness in low speed corners that must be addressed for the next race in Monaco.

While the Spaniard managed to finish eighth in his home race, he says that things were far from straightforward, with his McLaren giving away too much laptime in the final sector of the Barcelona circuit.

"We suffered a lot," explained Sainz. "We had no pace. We were struggling a lot in the last sector. No rear end in the car.

"I had [Daniel] Ricciardo on my back and I was struggling in the final sector with the rear end and the wind. No feeling with the car at all, just complaining the whole race with the rear.

"Then, after the safety car came out, we executed a good strategy, profited from every opportunity we had to overtake the two Toro Rossos, a Haas and Ricciardo. "

With Ricciardo's Renault team running the same engine as McLaren, Sainz says the experience of battling the Australian has highlighted where his car is lacking.

"We learned we need to improve in the low-speed in the final sector," he explained. "We're not very strong there. Not much more.

"I think the balance was not right in the car, so we need to check something massively. We need to find out why the pace was not there."

The performance of cars in the tight and twisty sector three at Barcelona has always provided a good clue about Monaco form, but Sainz thinks that all is not lost because McLaren was competitive in the low-speed corners in Baku.

"I think we will have our chances like we did [in Spain]," he said. "We didn't find the right balance in the car for the last sector and basically that cost us in qualifying and race pace, but we will go back and analyse why.

"In Baku, low-speed wasn't a problem. It was only [in Spain]."

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How the French GP ranks for on-track action

The first French Grand Prix in 10 years thrilled last year, so Motorsport Live delves into the stats to explain why a Formula 1 race at Paul Ricard is simply unmissable and considers the key action areas on the track.

What’s a Grand Prix without action? Overtakes, crashes, safety cars and a lack of retirements all form the blueprint of a great grand prix, and Paul Ricard never disappoints in that regard. Lewis Hamilton took a dominant win in 2018, but mainly because of absolute chaos at the start. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel – perhaps characteristic of his season – threw his race away and smashed into Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at ‘S’ de la Verrerie (Turn 1). There might have been more crashes in other European races, but none as significant in the title battle, and in contributing to Bottas’s unlucky start to the season, as Paul Ricard.

Book your tickets to the French GP with Motorsport Live here

It also caused disagreement in the aftermath, with Max Verstappen blasting the media’s harshness in describing the incident, while Mercedes’ boss Niki Lauda slammed F1 stewards for its decisions, which he did not feel were stringent enough towards Vettel. It’s fair to say Paul Ricard creates drama that lasts well after the grand prix!

Esteban Ocon of Force India and Pierre Gasly’s Red Bull also clashed at Virage de L’Hotel (Turn 3) on the opening laps, with Gasly claiming Ocon hadn’t seen him. Both drivers were reprimanded.

One area Paul Ricard dominated in terms of stats against the other European grand prix last year was in overtaking. And that’s without an excessively long straight down which DRS passing can take place. 

Vettel and Bottas’s thrilling drives back through the field contributed to that excitement. In total there were 48 overtakes, the second most of the European grand prix season and 42 more than a certain other grand prix in the same region, naming no names (ahem, Monaco). The stats don’t lie.

The only European F1 race that pipped Paul Ricard in the overtaking stats last year was Hockenheim with its changeable weather – and even then, there were only two more passes in Germany than in France. The rest trailed a long way behind, with Monza next up behind Paul Ricard on 37 overtakes and even Spa-Francorchamps only producing 21 passes. Last year those passing moves were further down the field at Paul Ricard, with Hamilton only headed for a single lap when he pitted, but his two main rivals being delayed on lap one surely played a part. Who knows how much wheel to wheel racing might ensue in 2019 if the frontrunners are all in contention on a track so conducive to passing?

Safety cars and retirements play contrasting roles in a great grand prix – a few safety cars to bunch up the field never hurt, but the fewer retirements the better as more cars on track for longer means more action for spectators. Paul Ricard was in the upper echelon for both statistics in 2018 with two safety cars, and just three retirements.

Even the support races thrilled last year. Wet weather ensured an excellent Formula 2 race, while Frenchman Dorian Boccolacci was disqualified from a first victory in GP3 for a tyre infringement, handing the race win to fellow Frenchman Anthoine Hubert. Les Bleus – with their brilliant World Cup campaign happening alongside the grand prix – could do no wrong last year! 

Whether it’s F1, its support series or the drama following the race, those attending will never forget the 2018 French Grand Prix. And 2019 promises to be even better.

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Hockenheim: German GP a must if Schumacher gets F1 seat

Formula 1 must have a German Grand Prix if Mick Schumacher follows in the footsteps of his seven-time world champion father Michael, according to Hockenheim.

The German GP’s future remains under threat as it continues to negotiate an extension to the one-year reprieve it earned for 2019. 

Hockenheim is seeking a multi-year agreement at a lower cost than it was held to before its late 2019 reprieve, and its managing director believes current Formula 2 racer Schumacher’s future could make the race vital for F1.  

“The problem will be if we no longer have a Formula 1 contract today, it will be difficult to get a Formula 1 contract in the future as well,” circuit boss Georg Seiler told Motorsport.com. “Because then the basis is different. The demands are certainly even higher than if you have a current contract. 

“If Mick Schumacher drives in Formula 1, Formula 1 must come to Germany. That is our conviction. 

“Contracts are possible. But we will not conclude a contract that could mean a loss.”

Ticket sales for this year’s are currently slightly down compared to the same stage in 2018.

Seiler says that “we are working” on a possible demonstration involving Schumacher - whose F2 season does not include a Hockenheim round - but stresses nothing is agreed yet. 

Jorn Teske, Hockenheim’s marketing boss, told Motorsport.com that “there could maybe be a test, or a demonstration run in an old Ferrari from his father, or whatever”.

“We would like to see him on the track in an F1 car,” he added. “That’s important.”

Teske added that he was “quite disappointed” not to have Schumacher racing in F2 on the grand prix weekend. 

He said that it was the “big chance” to get Schumacher on track especially as it meant fans could have seen the family name winning again. 

“We made the decision makers aware very early that this is important for the German race,” Teske said of F2 racing at Hockenheim. “We told them when Mick won the F3 championship at our race in Hockenheim, we told them when it was announced that he’s racing for Prema in F2. We tried to convince them and made a lot of pressure. 

“When the F2 calendar was published, we were really disappointed. I know there were efforts afterwards from Liberty Media, that’s good. I think they realised lately the importance of Mick for Germany, the big enthusiasm Mick is bringing to the sport and to Germany. Maybe at that time it was too late.”

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Brazil government wants Petrobras' McLaren deal terminated

Petrobras is seeking to end its partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 team at the request of Brazil's national government, the country's new president has claimed.
McLaren announced a new technology tie-up with Petrobras at the start of 2018, to begin from 2019. 

As well as branding on the car, the Brazilian company is responsible for developing fuel and lubricants for McLaren to use.

McLaren was using Petrobras transmission lubricant at the start of the 2019 and indicated other products would be ready “soon”.  

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has claimed that on his order, Petrobras – which is 64% owned by the government through direct and indirect means  – will seek to end the deal. 

He claimed that Petrobras’s five-year deal with McLaren was worth 782million Brazilian Real, which today is worth roughly £150m.

“In 2018 Petrobras signed an advertising contract of R$782m with McLaren, valid for five years,” Bolsonaro tweeted from his official account. 

“At the moment, the company, by decision of my government, seeks a way to terminate the contract.”

When approached for a comment on the situation, a McLaren spokesman said: “Such matters are commercially confidential and therefore we are not able to comment further.”

Petrobras has already cancelled one motorsport initiative by choosing to end its support of the national Seletiva de Kart competition it has backed for 20 years. 

Bolsonaro, a right-wing politician, assumed the Brazilian presidency at the start of 2019 and has targeted major reform economically and politically.

His statement regarding McLaren and Petrobras is the second time this month he has become involved in F1 affairs. 

Last week he announced that the Brazilian Grand Prix would move from Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit to a new purpose-built venue in Rio de Janeiro, where he lives and held political positions prior to his presidency bid.

 

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Pirelli puzzled by complaints over new F1 tyres' working range

Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli says it does not understand complaints from some teams and drivers that its 2019-spec tyres are more difficult to work with.
The fluctuating form of Haas, which has seen its fast car hampered in races by it not being able to get its tyres into the right operating window, has put a focus on the challenge of the new 2019 rubber.

Haas team boss Gunther Steiner said the influence of the tyres was too much, as he suggested the thinner tread introduced this year made it more difficult for drivers to keep heat.

“We spend millions and millions to develop these cars and then they are out of the [tyre] window and really cannot get going,” he said.

"I'm not blaming it purely on Pirelli. I'm blaming it on us as well because some [teams] get [the tyres] to work. But in general, this is not the right thing. We shouldn't be talking after the race, 'did your tyre work or not?' "

Lewis Hamilton said ahead of the season that he reckoned no team was fully on top of how to get the most out of tyres, and claimed they were more difficult to understand.

“What do you want to know, if the tyres are any good? I don’t really have a lot of good things to say on that, so best I probably don’t say anything,” he said.

“As we get into the year, it is going to be a challenge. They are more challenging this year than they were last."

But Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola is baffled about why teams think this year’s tyres are harder to work with, as he dismissed suggestions the operating window was narrower than last year.

“If we talk about the width of the working window, and I heard some comments that this year it is narrower, it is difficult to confirm that,” explained Isola.

“What we call the C3 and C4 are two compounds that are the same soft and ultrasoft that we had last year. Obviously the working range is a function of the compound, so with the same compound we have the same working range.

“I don’t want to say it is wider, but what I will say is that they can use it at a higher temperature because of a reduction of thickness [of the tread], but we cannot say that it is narrower.

“The C1 and C2 are two compounds that are softer than last year so are more suitable, and the C5 in terms of hardness is the same as a hyper soft, so in terms of mechanical resistance it is better.

“We had a back-to-back comparison in Baku with some teams using the hyper versus the C5, and it is clear that the hyper had graining and the C5 had much reduced graining, so I don’t understand where we can say that it is a narrower window.”

Isola said he would always listen to the views of teams if they felt improvements could be made. He thus suggested Pirelli may look at making a wider working window in the future.

“Obviously I take any comments coming from the teams on board because narrower or not, they are asking for a wider working range,” he said. “The result is that they say it is narrow.

“What is clear is that we have to work in the future to have a wider working range. Obviously we are designing new tyres for 2020 and also for 2021 considering the plan to remove blankets, so we are changing the approach in how we design the compounds.

“We are testing new ingredients and new materials to try to achieve this target, and we will evaluate if we want to introduce something new for 2020 to test also for 2021.”

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Bottas: Every opportunity key to beating Hamilton in 2019

Valterri Bottas got to witness both the plusses and minuses of being Lewis Hamilton’s team mate at the Spanish Grand Prix, winning plaudits for his awesome pole lap that saw him trounce Hamilton by a full 0.634s on Saturday, before being forced to play second best to a stunning race drive from Hamilton on Sunday.

A problem with his clutch at the start of the race, Bottas suggested, effectively handed victory to Hamilton, as the Finn had to slot into a second place that he’d never relinquish after the first three corners, as Hamilton pounded off into the distance.

And with the chance of the 2019 drivers’ title being fought out exclusively between Bottas and Hamilton looking increasingly likely, after the pair’s fifth straight one-two of the year in Spain, Bottas was all too aware that, upon such things as poor getaways, championships can turn.

“For now, [the title battle is] between me and Lewis, but it's massively long season,” said Bottas, when asked whether he expected an all-Mercedes scrap for the drivers’ championship in 2019. “There’s many teams that, especially at some tracks, are very close and it's going to be a big development race between teams all through the season.

“But if it's going to be me and Lewis, every single opportunity is going to be key. That's why [the race in Spain] for me was annoying. I felt I worked hard for this weekend and for the qualifying… to be on pole, on this circuit where it means a lot and I lost it at the start. But that’s life and there's 16 opportunities to go. That's plenty. I look forward to it, Monaco next and we'll see.”

As Bottas mentions, Formula 1’s next stop will be in the famous Principality. Mercedes, with their long-wheelbase, low-rake philosophy, have tended to struggle at Monaco in recent years relative to rivals Red Bull and Ferrari. But with the team having shown devastating pace through Barcelona’s corner-heavy Sector 3 complex, Bottas is hopeful that the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix will give him an immediate chance to hit back at Hamilton – and secure at the very least his first podium appearance in Monte Carlo.

“I feel I've never in my Formula 1 career I've never had a good car in Monaco,” said Bottas. “It's such a unique track, you need a very special car in terms of how it works mechanically in Monaco, with all the warps and bumps, so it's a question mark how we're going to perform there.

“But obviously from Barcelona here, Sector 3 with slow corners, it's promising… I would just hope that we have a good car there because it would be such a unique race to be fighting for the win, or win it. I've actually never been on the podium there so it's something I really look forward to. I'll definitely focus 100% of the weekend for the qualifying performance and being absolutely on it in Qualifying 3, like here.

“I live just next to the start-finish line,” he added, “so it would be nice to have a good car there…”

Hamilton’s victory in Spain means that he now sits seven points clear of Bottas in the drivers’ standings, with Bottas himself a full 39 up on third-placed Max Verstappen.

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THE DEBATE: Are Mercedes the greatest team in Formula 1 history?

Mercedes have begun the 2019 Formula 1 campaign in breathtakingly brilliant fashion. Not only have they won all five races, but they've backed each of those victories up with a second place, too. It's an extraordinary feat which has not only led to many asking if they can go the entire season unbeaten, but also whether this Silver Arrows operation is the best ever. F1 digital presenter Will Buxton and F1 senior writer Lawrence Barretto discuss...

WILL BUXTON - YES

We always say it is a folly to try and compare racers from rival eras, so vastly different were the circumstances under which they raced. So to try and do so with the teams which have competed in the many and varied eras of Formula 1 may also prove to be equally as difficult.

And yet I cannot think of another outfit which has not only so utterly dominated their opposition, but which have consistently raised the level of what we accept to be the norm in the history of Formula 1. Since the start of the hybrid era in 2014, Mercedes have won (post Barcelona 2019) 75% of the races contested.

They have won every drivers’ and constructors’ title, matching Ferrari and Michael Schumacher’s run from 2000 to 2004. Should they win the constructors’ crown again this season they will match Ferrari’s six titles in a row. If either of their drivers wins the crown they will do what has never been done and take six doubles in a row.

Ferrari may have been so dominant that they won the 2002 world championship at the French Grand Prix in July, but even they only managed a win rate of 66% in their five-year run of doubles. McLaren’s four-year run of doubles from ‘88-‘91 saw a 59% win ratio. Red Bull’s four doubles? 53%.

But it’s not just about win percentages. Under the hybrid regulations, Mercedes have been at the forefront and never bettered in their development of the power unit. As far back as 2017 their engine hit over 50% thermal efficiency on the bench, reflecting one of the largest steps in one of the shortest periods in the history of the internal combustion engine. One of the defining pieces of technology of our lifetime has been evolved faster and further than at any time in its history thanks to the path this team have taken.

But they have struggled at times with aero, tyres, strategy and even engine reliability. Yet they have used those moments as inspiration to better themselves, their creativity, their ingenuity and their workload. If they have found themselves a step behind they have not stopped until they are two ahead. And even then to focus on making it three steps.

They are relentless. Seemingly unstoppable. A well-oiled machine created with just one purpose – winning. “The best, or nothing” is the company’s mantra and it seems to have permeated every level of the operation. And yet it remains human and warm. The team is not perfect. It makes mistakes. And when it does so it puts up its hands and finds out why.

If success breeds confidence and confidence breeds success, Mercedes have found the perfect harmony to place themselves in a whirlwind of brilliance. Even a deep-seated animosity between their lead drivers to rival any of the rivalries seen in this sport could not halt their trajectory. As with everything, it was dealt with calmly, fairly and swiftly.

Should we decry their achievements or their passion to continually better themselves? Or should we applaud the level of excellence their workmanship has created not only within the walls of their own team, but in every garage the length of the pit lane whose stated purpose and very existence is focused on toppling them from their throne?

Take a step back and appreciate the greatest team in Formula 1 history while you still can. You’re watching them make history.

LAWRENCE BARRETTO - NOT JUST YET

What Mercedes have achieved since the start of the V6 hybrid era is astonishing. Five seasons, 10 championships. In the last five years, they won nearly 75% of the races. In 2019, they are unbeaten having scored five successive one-two finishes. Those are some killer stats.

They are undoubtedly one of the greatest teams in the history of the championship - operationally, they are the best ever - but they are not the greatest yet. That accolade, in my opinion, lies with Ferrari, following their brilliant run of five successive championship doubles from 2000 to 2004.

I rate that performance higher simply because they had stronger competition. Mercedes have essentially had it their own way during their period of dominance. Sure, Ferrari offered a threat in the last two seasons, but it was never sustained and always tailed off when the flyaways started in the second half of the campaign. Not once have we had a title decider between two different teams during that period.

For Ferrari, it’s true that they were utterly dominant in 2002 and 2004, Michael Schumacher wrapping up the title as early as the French Grand Prix in July in the latter with his ninth win in 10 races. But 2000 and 2003 were competitive. In 2003, for example, Schumacher clinched the title by just two points.

Mercedes have also made the most of the major engine regulation change ahead of 2014, which gave them a huge advantage over the rest of the pack. Of course, the job they did to achieve such a feat was mightly impressive, but it reduced the competition on track.

While the rest of the pack have closed, they have upped their game consistently – making the most of having that advantage and allowing them to enhance an already strong product while also giving them scope to put resources into forward planning while others were throwing everything into simply catching up.

That said, if Mercedes continue on their current trajectory, with the team operating at such a high level and producing a car, which this year Lewis Hamilton says is the team’s best ever, it’s hard to see how they won’t become the greatest ever in the very near future.

If they keep winning at this rate, and wrap up a sixth consecutive double – something no team in F1 history has ever achieved – it starts to become very hard to deny them the accolade…

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Why we love... the Monaco Grand Prix

We’ve visited some great tracks already this season, but there’s always something a little bit special about the Monaco Grand Prix. Here's why we love going racing in Monte Carlo…

1.    It looks incredible
Even just one Formula 1 car making its way around the streets of Monaco is a sight to behold. From sweeping past the Hotel de Paris and the Casino, to blasting through the tunnel and then following the line of the spectacular harbour, it really is a stunning location for a race.

When you put 20 cars on track at once, it gets even better. Everywhere around the circuit, fans can get so close to the cars, while the cameras can similarly be inches away from the action as the drivers thread their way between the barriers.

An F1 car might not be able to hit top speeds or corner at its absolute fastest in Monaco, but the close vicinity of the walls and narrow width of the track just heighten the sense of speed and offer up a relentless challenge for the drivers, with no time to rest.

And it’s all set against some backdrop, with the Principality stretching up above the circuit and a harbour that is filled with luxury yachts. It’s fantasy stuff that feels like it would never be approved now, which just makes it all the more special.

2. The driver makes a difference
It’s true that the difficulty overtaking in Monaco can often lead to processional races, but to call it boring would do a disservice to the driver skill on show just to keep the car out of the barriers.

Even more so with the wide cars we currently have, there is so little room for error. So much of the circuit requires commitment, and in certain areas that even means the drivers pointing the car at the barrier on the inside of the track in the belief that it will understeer and miss the Armco.

Confidence is essential around Monaco, and without it you’re going to find yourself off the pace. While car performance still plays a role, this is one of those venues where a driver can still make a significant difference. Especially in qualifying, if a driver is committed, comfortable with their car and willing to take a few risks, the potential is there to exceed where the machinery would usually be on other circuits.

The flipside of that is it only takes a second to make a mistake. No matter how quick you are, and even if your car is performing well, if you make the slightest error it’s likely to result in damage, or at least contact with a barrier that will cost significant lap time. And if you’re out of position in Monte Carlo, it’s so hard to make up for it.

3. So many of the greats have won here
Another reason Monaco is so iconic is because so many of the greatest names have successfully risen to the test. When you think of past Monaco races, you think of Ayrton Senna’s record of six wins, of his sublime qualifying performance in 1988 (even though that didn’t result in another victory), and of Michael Schumacher matching Graham Hill with five victories.

Alain Prost, Jackie Stewart, Juan Manuel Fangio, Niki Lauda, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel – they are all multiple world champions who were multiple winners on the street circuit.

The records of so many greats – both past and present – in Monaco just add to the prestige of winning the race.

But that doesn’t mean it cannot throw up surprises from time to time. Jim Clark was one of the greatest in the sport’s history but never won around Monaco, while 1996 saw Olivier Panis take a shock win in a Ligier as just four cars were still running at the chequered flag.

4. It starts a day early
Now, don’t forget to set yourself a reminder, because if you’re on autopilot and tune in on Friday to watch free practice, you’re going to be disappointed. That’s because the Monaco Grand Prix weekend starts a day earlier than any other event, with media day on Wednesday and the first two free practice sessions on Thursday.

Friday is a day off when it comes to Formula 1 track action, which adds suspense in terms of trying to get everything right for qualifying, as the drivers have to wait an extra 24 hours to see if their changes after FP2 have had the desired effect. But then they do get some more time to attend some of the glamorous events taking place around the Principality, so I’m sure they’re delighted about that…

It does take the pressure off the teams somewhat in terms of preparing for Saturday’s running, but racing is still going on as the Formula 2 feature race takes centre stage on Friday.

One of the backstories to the Thursday practice centres around a local market taking place on the Friday in the past, but however the tradition originated it’s simply an extra day to see cars running on track, so what’s not to love?

5. It’s the place people want to be seen
We’ve already referenced some of the spectacular yachts that are moored in the harbour during the race weekend, and quite often they will house some of the biggest celebrities.

As a race that features numerous high-end events around it, the Monaco Grand Prix is the place to be seen for A-listers. The grid is always packed with elite athletes, film stars, artists, models, designers and so many more, all keen to be part of one of the most glamorous weekends on the sporting calendar.

But it’s not only an event that caters to the rich and famous. Sure, if you attend as a fan you probably wouldn’t mind a bit of extra spending money, but the track itself opens up on every single evening during the race weekend, with the final sector closed to traffic as it essentially becomes one big dance floor for all of the bars that line the circuit from the Swimming Pool to Rascasse.

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN: MONACO PRESENTS US WITH A UNIQUE CHALLENGE

Monaco is Formula 1’s original street circuit. It featured on the inaugural World Championship calendar in 1950, since then the track layout has stayed largely unchanged. It’s the shortest track of the year, yet it remains one of the greatest driving challenges in the world.

Many of the race’s traditions from 70 years ago remain in place today, such as the first two practice sessions happening on the Thursday, not the Friday, and the race winner having dinner in the Grimaldi Palace with Prince Albert on Sunday evening.

Carlos Sainz: “Monaco is such a special race on the F1 calendar. The history, the track and the atmosphere the whole week makes it something absolutely unique. Obviously, it can be very tricky to overtake here, so setting the car up on Thursday and Saturday morning is more crucial here than anywhere else for a strong result in quali and hopefully the race. My focus this weekend is on consistency and finding the limit with patience and confidence in the car. I’ve always been in Q3 and scored points here in the past, so the target is to keep that record going for this year and improve as much as possible.”

Lando Norris: “I’m looking forward to heading back to Monaco, it’s a really cool circuit and I managed to get on the podium there last year in F2. This track requires all your concentration and there’s never really a break anywhere around the lap.”

“There’s a lot of focus on getting it right on Saturday – it can really make or break your weekend as there aren’t many overtaking opportunities there come Sunday. My target is to put in a good performance in quali and place ourselves in a position to take advantage of any mid-race drama. The key to scoring points here is to ensure we have a clean race.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “Monaco presents us with a unique challenge within the F1 season. The importance of qualifying is even higher there than at other tracks and it will be especially important that our trackside processes and operations work as they should. Points are on offer, but only if we ensure that the weekend runs smoothly.

“We’ve also been working hard since the test in Spain to analyse the information gathered and understand more about the characteristics of our car and the upgrades we brought there, and apply that learning this weekend.”

“Given the nature of the Monaco circuit and the scenarios that regularly play out there, pit-stops and the right strategy calls can often play a pivotal role in the outcome of the race. In Spain, we proved that we can execute the fastest pit-stops on the grid and that we have a strategy team which excels in making the right calls in the heat of the moment. Maintaining and improving this high standard is one of our priorities for this weekend.”

MIKA: I sure hope they know what McLaren are doing here because they sure f**ked up at Indy 500