FORMULA 1


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TOST: YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE SMILING FACES

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Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost is relishing his team’s new era as a Formula 1 team using a works engine, in the form of Honda, and he revealed how different it is to being a customer-engine outfit as the Formula1 set’s up tent in the Melbourne paddock ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Tost said in an interview with Motorsport Network, “It is a big difference, believe me. This starts already with a design of the car. In the past, we just got a power unit and suppliers said: Look, this is the power unit, with the pipes, with all the aggregates, just put it into your car.”

“And now our designers are sitting together with the Honda engineers, they think ‘OK, how can we create the oil tank, for example, in front of the engine, how to put it in a best possible way into the chassis’.

“Or the exhaust system. This is a big impact to the aerodynamics on the side of the car. Also, when you get the hot air from radiators to the back, how, where do you get it out?

“In former times, we just had to find the way from our side, and now we are discussing it together with Honda.”

Toro Rosso and their previous engine supplier Renault had an acrimonious partnership which disintegrated beyond repair last year, but attitudes have changed at the Faenza factory.

Tost revealed, “You should have seen the smiling faces of the engineers when they came back from dyno run with the gearbox and the power unit. “They said: Hey, we could change the mappings during the running.”

“You know before we just got it, we got the mappings and everything was in a black box and we couldn’t do anything. Even if we said ‘well, maybe this is better” or ‘this is better’, they said ‘take it and that’s it’.

“And now we have an impact. And we can say ‘look, let’s try this and this way, maybe we can get a performance advantage’.

“And this helped a lot both sides, and therefore for Toro Rosso it was absolutely the best to decide [on] this cooperation with Honda.”

The first Honda-powered Toro Rosso, the STR13, impressed during recent testing in Barcelona as the Japanese giant set out to make amends for three woeful years since they returned to F1.

But Tost and Toro Rosso are already one step ahead with an eye on 2019, “I am expecting a lot from next year’s car. Since nearly one month we are working on next year’s car, and we get more and more better ideas how to place the different parts of the power unit in the best possible way for the chassis.”

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WOLFF: FERRARI REMAINS AN ATTRACTION FOR EVERY DRIVER

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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is confident that the ideal conditions are in place to keep out of contract Lewis Hamilton with the team beyond this year but he is also wary of the allure Ferrari has for Formula 1 drivers.

Wolff told the Daily Mail, “Lewis is the best driver of the modern generation. So of course, I’d like to keep him with us for as long as possible.”

“But I think he has at least one more contract in him after this next one and Ferrari remains an attraction for every driver.”

“He is happy. Our relationship has gone from strength to strength. But of course, during a season things can become tenser.”

Mercedes have dominated Formula 1 for the last four years – winning eight titles during that period – but it is clear that nothing is taken for granted by Wolff, “Even though I’m afraid to say it because I’m superstitious, I feel better now than last season.”

“We had a solid testing. Last year our car was a bit unpredictable but this year she did what we expected. She appears to be less of a diva. We wanted to keep the character traits of the beautiful lady but not have her as capricious.”

“It seems almost surreal to think what we’ve achieved in the last four years. But every year is like climbing Mount Everest and at the start of the season I feel myself in base camp,” added Wolff.

Hamilton, who has only ever driven with Mercedes power since he made his grand prix debut in 2007, is expected to ink a new deal with Mercedes said to be worth $50-million per year.

Although the reigning world champion has yet to put pen to paper, the paddock consensus is that he will sign a new two-year deal shortly with his team.

However, as Wolff says there is always Ferrari…

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HAMILTON: IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE THE START OF THE FINAL CHAPTER

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to reign supreme in Formula 1 for years to come as the world champion – embarking on his 12th season in the top flight – prepares for the start of the new world championship this weekend in Melbourne.

British star Hamilton is reportedly ready to sign a new contract with Mercedes, which could earn him up to $50-million per year and solidify his position as British sport’s highest earner.

That would be the ideal preparation for Sunday’s season opener in Melbourne as Hamilton eyes a fifth world championship.

Along with Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio, he would be only the third F1 driver to have won the title more than four times.

Even that historic feat wouldn’t be enough for Hamilton to walk away from the sport however. “It doesn’t feel like the start of the final chapter, and I don’t feel as though I am about to embark on my last contract.”

“I am not sure how I will feel in two or three years’ time but I am back here in March for my 12th season and I am so excited.”

“I don’t know where it comes from – this feeling of just wanting to excel – but I really, really, more than anything currently in my life, want to excel next weekend.”

“I want to arrive in Melbourne fit. I want to hit my target weight. I want to kill it through practice, get pole position and I want to win the race convincingly.”

“I don’t know how long this feeling is going to last when I go into a new season, but as long as I am still feeling like this I will keep going.”

Hamilton won last year’s championship with two races to spare, but he kept a low profile over the winter following criticism he received for comments he made in an Instagram video about his young nephew wearing a princess dress.

Hamilton embarked on a mass deleting spree across both his Instagram and Twitter accounts – of which he has a combined 12 million followers – in the wake of the backlash.

“Everyone has an opinion about everything,” Hamilton said. “The world is moving drastically and no-one is perfect. We have a pie chart of our brand, what it means and we are constantly evolving that.”

“I am working with my team to figure out how we get our message across of where we have come from. For example, what we have done as a working-class family is very different to a story of another racing driver.”

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Ricciardo to adopt ‘calculated but fearless approach’

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As Daniel Ricciardo gears up for what he hopes will be a title fight, the Aussie says he’d rather crash while trying to pass than stay put for 70 laps.

Although Ricciardo has been a race winner in three of the last four seasons, the Red Bull driver has yet to truly throw his hat into the ring for a Drivers’ Championship.

His best performance in the standings to date has been two P3s, however, in both seasons he was over a 100 points behind the World Champion.

“I still want to fight for that title,” he told The Guardian. “Wanting it is one thing but just being in the fight is the minimum I would ask.”

He added: “I am in a window now where I still feel young enough to have the fearless approach, but old enough in terms of experience so that over a championship if I had the car, I could win when I could and take points when I could.

“In a fight I believe I have the tools to win.

“I believe I can get it done with the right material.”

There are hopes that this year’s RB14 is that “right” material with Ricciardo finishing third fastest on the overall pre-season timesheet.

Red Bull also showed good long run pace with many pundits putting them right behind Mercedes in the pecking order.

And Ricciardo says he’s going to take his chances out on track to ensure he has the best shot possible.

“In the end you have to just pull the trigger,” he said. “Trust the car, trust the brakes, just go.

“It is a calculated but fearless approach – I am going to try and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.

“I will be happier if I crash by trying than not trying and running around behind the same guy for 70 laps.”

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The Australian Grand Prix timetable

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The 2018 F1 Championship gets underway this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit.

All times are local (Melbourne is GMT +11)

Thursday 22 March
15:00: FIA press conference

Friday 23 March
12:00 – 13:30: First free practice
16:00 – 17:30: Second free practice
18:30: FIA press conference

Saturday 24 March
14:00 – 15:00: Third free practice
17:00 – 18:00: Qualifying
18:00: FIA post qualifying press conference

Sunday 25 March
16:10 – 18:10: Australian GP
18:10: FIA post race press conference

Australian GP Info
No of Laps: 58
Race Distance: 307.574 km
Lap Record: 1:24.125 – M Schumacher (2004)
2017 Winner: Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) – 1:24:11.672

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Pirelli using new software to spice up F1 strategies

Pirelli using new software to spice up F1 strategies

Pirelli has developed new software to help it choose race-by-race F1 tyre compounds in order to encourage two pitstops per event, and give teams multiple strategy options.
The Italian company is using simulations to find the best combination of three compounds to achieve its goals, which in some cases could mean "jumping" a compound step, and for example nominating the medium, soft and ultrasoft, but not the supersoft.

Pirelli will update the software with data from the two Barcelona tests and subsequently race weekends.

"We have now a very good tool, software that we created this winter, to make all the combinations with three different compounds," said Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola.

"And the software is returning the number of strategies in a certain interval of race time.

"So we always pick up the three compounds that have the highest number of strategies. Usually of course the target is two stops, but it's not only two stops, we are taking the combination which on paper is giving us the higher number of strategies, to try to have more action on track.

"Software is a tool that is making a lot of comparisons in a quick way, but you need to put in the right numbers. If we collect good numbers from here, we can update the software in order to have new simulations and to decide the selection.

"We had a different system. We had one in the past, but now we have a new one that is considering more information. We have I feel a better, more representative output. The model is stronger, it's more solid.

The delta laptime between compounds will determine whether it is necessary to have a "jump", with a smaller gap likely to encourage Pirelli to make that choice.

"If we discover for example that soft, supersoft and ultrasoft are too close, we can nominate, as we did for China, where we did medium, soft and ultrasoft. It's important that we collect the delta laptimes between compounds to decide the selection.

"If we confirm the numbers that we have seen in Abu Dhabi [testing in November] – between soft and supersoft we had 0.6s, and supersoft to ultrasoft was 0.4 s – depending on that, we can fine tune the selection and try to choose the best combination."

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Two-time F1 champion Alonso a 'different' driver in 2018 - McLaren

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Fernando Alonso is a "different" Formula 1 driver heading into the start of the 2018 season, according to McLaren racing director Eric Boullier.

McLaren has switched to Renault engines this year after three dismal seasons with Honda, and Boullier said Alonso has been revitalised by the change.

The two-time champion has scored just 82 points in the last three seasons, with a pair of fifths his best results since returning to McLaren.

Boullier told Autosport that "the drivers, especially Fernando, will not miss any opportunity to tell us where we are wrong".

He said: "Watch him, it's a different Fernando here this year.

"You can see he's here [at the track in pre-season testing] before lunchtime when it's not his day to run.

"I remember last year he was coming at 7pm. [This year] he's in before lunch."

Boullier added: "He's happy, yes. He's a competitor, so he wants the best of the best and he wants more, always.

"Alonso is in a different mindset this year. He's spending a lot of time here even when he's not driving the car, so he's quite interested and supportive of what we are doing."

McLaren caused five red flags during pre-season testing and its lap count, 599, was lower than any other team.

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It left Barcelona on a positive note after Alonso the third-fastest time in testing on the final day, and despite the difficulties McLaren still completed more laps across a weather-affected two weeks than last year with Honda.

Boullier said the "massive boost" in morale has been evident throughout the winter.

"You know you have a race-winning engine in the back of the car," he said.

"So, you might not be the best in the pitlane but it's still good enough to fight for podiums and race wins.

"Clearly there is a big boost in terms of morale for the team, a bit of excitement.

"I have to say I was impressed in the last three years, McLaren keeping the motivation, trying to be the best race car and the change is a massive boost.

"We had to reset a little bit the mindset to move into finding performance in the car, in the race team, in the operation of the team, which we had lost a little bit."

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ENGINEERED INSANITY – F1 LAUNCHES ITS FIRST EVER GLOBAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN

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Yes you read that correctly.

You may think that over the years you’ve seen some great marketing campaigns with F1 at the heart and you would be right. It’s an exciting, vibrant world full of amazing characters and extreme imagery.

But it was always the brands, manufacturers and promoters in F1 who were driving it. You could say that it was genius on Bernie Ecclestone’s part to encourage so much great marketing without spending a dime of F1 Management’s own money on developing it. His contribution was to stoke the fires of controversy in the media, not always with positive reflections on F1. But it kept the overheads low.

But Liberty Media, the new owners of F1, certainly do not feel that and a glance around the landscape of Tier 1 sports globally (F1’s peer group) shows that all of them have a significant marketing department. So one of the first things Liberty did on taking over was set up F1’s first marketing department. This is now headed by Ellie Norman.

Today they launched Engineered Insanity ahead of the new F1 season which kicks off next week. Following through on their mission to put the fans at the heart of the proposition, they have centred this campaign on F1 through the eyes of six superfans.

“We want to create a perceptible shift in how people perceive F1,” said Ellie Norman.

“This campaign switches the focus away from our own echo chamber, instead spotlighting why our fans love this sport. Our brief to Wieden+Kennedy London was to translate its raw, exhilarating thrill into something that will transcend its appeal across the entire spectrum of sports fans.

“Last season, we made a promise to our fans to bring them closer and to reshape the sport into something that resembles what they want to see, the gladiatorial conflict at its heart. Nothing we came up with creatively delivered this better than seeing it through the eyes of our most passionate fans. Across the next year and beyond, we will be creating further fan-centred activations at the races, at fan festivals and across F1 social platforms. Watch this space. We are here to excite.”

F1 is hoping the wider F1 fan community will play their part by amplifying the campaign through a series of GIFs and interactive Insta stories.

F1 is visceral and raw – although I have to say that the impression created by a 2018 F1 car with its enormous weight and the bulky new cage over the driver’s head looks markedly less visceral than before – but anyway, F1 is trying to tap into that.

 

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HORNER: MAX AND DANIEL MOST EXCITING PAIRING IN F1

Verstappen, Ricciardo

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner is convinced that in Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo he has the best driver pairing in Formula 1 right now and believes the hard racing duo will take the fight to Mercedes and Ferrari this year.

Speaking to the Telegraph ahead of the Australian Grand Prix season opener this weekend, Horner declared, “We have two great drivers and are not afraid of taking risks. It is the most exciting driver pairing in Formula 1.”

It is not the first time Horner has said this about his drivers, but this time he is probably more on the button than he was back then as both Red Bull drivers have evolved and are now considered among the top five or six drivers of this current generation.

Horner pointed out, “You have the emerging, enormous talent of Max… and Daniel who is approaching his peak. It is a great contest between the two of them and that is what gets the most out of them.”

Verstappen is signed up with the team until the end of this decade, while Ricciardo is pondering extending beyond his current deal which runs out at the end of this year.

Verstappen, a rough diamond who broke into Formula 1 with Toro Rosso, is now one of the brightest stars in the sport and last year the 20-year-old Dutchman grew in stature amid adversity, “Max stepped it up a gear last year, he really came of age. What he went through will stand him in good stead for the future. Of course, frustration boiled over but largely he kept it in check and coped well.”

By all accounts, the ‘real’ RB14 will break cover in Melbourne during the course of the weekend and is expected to be a handy piece of kit if the version of their 2018 challenger they tested in Barcelona recently is anything to go by.

Whatever the case the team have two drivers at the top of their game, both ruthless overtakers who are not afraid to go toe-to-toe with their rivals, and with a strong car Horner is optimistic they will deliver, “We are going into this season in a much better position compared to the last three or four years. Our target is to compete with Ferrari and Mercedes.”

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FORMULA 1 TO HAVE MOST POWERFUL PACE CAR OF ALL TIME

Mercedes-AMG GT R neues Führungsfahrzeug in der Formel 1-Saison 2018: Das stärkste Official FIA F1 Safety Car aller Zeiten

Mercedes-AMG will use the most powerful Official FIA #F1 Safety Car of all time in the 2018 Formula 1 season: the 430 kW (585 bhp) AMG GT R will have its debut as the Official FIA #F1 Safety Car of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship at the Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia from 25 to 27 March 2018.

The top-of-the-line model of the AMG GT series will ensure maximum safety for the Formula 1 field on all 20 race weekends. The performance and sports car brand from Affalterbach has supplied the pace car in the premier #racing series of international motorsports since 1996.

Mercedes-AMG GT R neues Führungsfahrzeug in der Formel 1-Saison 2018: Das stärkste Official FIA F1 Safety Car aller Zeiten

With an output of 430 kW (585 hp) and a top speed of 318 km/h, the AMG GT R is the most powerful and fastest Official FIA F1 Safety Car of all time: In this, the 23rd consecutive year, #mercedesamg will safely lead the Formula 1 field around the track when bad weather or accidents require its deployment.

The AMG GT R is the ideal Official FIA #F1 Safety Car, with the driving dynamics of the AMG GT3 #racing car, and having spent a large part of its development time in the “Green Hell” of the Nürburgring.

Mercedes-AMG GT R neues Führungsfahrzeug in der Formel 1-Saison 2018: Das stärkste Official FIA F1 Safety Car aller Zeiten

“I am very much looking forward to my new company car. It is an absolute highlight in terms of driving dynamics and is one level higher up still than the AMG GT S of recent years. Of course, ideally the safety car should be deployed as rarely as possible – but when we have to safely bunch up the Formula 1 field and lead it around the track, we will be superbly equipped with the AMG GT R”, says Bernd Mayländer, who will again be the driver of the Official FIA #F1 Safety Car in the new season.

Never before has #mercedesamg packed so much motorsport technology into a production vehicle as into the AMG GT R. The front-mid-engine concept with transaxle, the powerful 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, the elaborately designed chassis, the sophisticated active aerodynamics and the intelligent lightweight construction lay the foundations for an especially dynamic driving experience.

Mercedes-AMG GT R neues Führungsfahrzeug in der Formel 1-Saison 2018: Das stärkste Official FIA F1 Safety Car aller Zeiten

Wide front and rear wings allow an increased track width for optimum grip and even higher cornering speeds. The front apron with AIRPANEL active air control system and the active aerodynamics profile in the underbody, the large rear aerofoil and the rear apron with double diffuser increase the aerodynamic efficiency and help ensure optimum grip.

The lightweight forged wheels are likewise designed for maximum driving dynamics. The same applies to the active rear-wheel steering, the nine-way adjustable traction control system and the adjustable coil-over suspension with additional electronic control.

Mercedes-AMG GT R neues Führungsfahrzeug in der Formel 1-Saison 2018: Das stärkste Official FIA F1 Safety Car aller Zeiten

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OFFICIAL FORMULA 1 MUSIC THEME RELEASED

Formula 1’s new official music theme composed by Hollywood’s Brian Tyler, a longstanding F1 fan, has been made public through various social media channels.

Tyler whose musical work includes themes for Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, The Expendables and the Fast & Furious series, and now Formula 1’s new main theme.

The award-winning composer revealed in an interview, “By sheer luck and coincidence, I live and breathe F1. The sport fits me perfectly.”

“I was engrossed in the drama of Formula 1. The season, teams, strategies and rivalries. With F1, it’s something that I didn’t need to go through a process of research for. I didn’t live Iron Man at the weekend for the last 20 years. But [with F1], I was already there.”

“I went back and watched Lewis Hamilton winning the championship for the first time again. That emotional journey in Lewis’ stomach, the fact that the year before he had lost it by 1 point as well, and seeing his reaction when he won…”

“That all of a sudden hit me. It shouldn’t just be a rock song. The emotion of what happened needed more. It needed emotion, and voices and a choir, and that larger-than-life feel,” added Tyler.

 

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VERSTAPPEN: WHAT DO YOU MEAN MENTALLY?

Max Verstappen

Red Bull’s 20-year-old star Max Verstappen says his remarkable success in a short pace of time on the Formula 1 scene is not down to being stronger mentally than others, but simply because he enjoys driving fast.

The Dutchman, who is gearing up for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend, told The Guardian, “I never even think of the mental side of things because I never had any issues. If you are a bit weak in your head maybe you can train your mind but it will never be your strong point.”

“Many people ask: What do you need mentally to succeed in F1? I say: What do you mean mentally? I just enjoy it and drive as fast I can. But so many people think your psychology is such a massive thing. For me, it’s not necessary.”

Verstappen had an incredible record in karting racing of 68 wins in his first 70 races which was massive for his confidence at a young age, “You always have to believe in yourself and I had that from karting.”

“I was never one of those kids saying: Is it all going to be all right? If you start doubting yourself like that, thinking: Am I good enough? – maybe there is a reason you’re thinking that.”

Verstappen, who finished sixth in last year’s championship with 168 points, says he is pleased with what he has seen of this year’s car and even dares to hope it is better than the one which saw him finish last season with two victories in the last six races.

“I hope it will be better than that,” said Verstappen. “I’m very happy with the progress but we have to wait until Melbourne to see where we are.”

As for whether he will one day be crowned world champion, he is more circumspect, “I always think if I have the right car, the fastest car, then I can become world champion. But you need to have that car and so far I haven’t had the fastest package.”

Verstappen, son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, also revealed that growing up he had no racing idols, “I didn’t look up to any drivers. I had no pictures in my room. I was not admiring anyone. Of course with my dad being a driver I had a lot of respect for him. But I didn’t see my dad as an idol. He’s my dad.”

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WOLFF: BREAKAWAY F1 COULD HAPPEN IF WE DON’T ALIGN OUR VISION

Toto Wolff

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has dropped a bombshell ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, in a deliberate or inadvertent warning to Liberty Media by suggesting that the prospect of a breakaway championship is very real as is Ferrari’s threat to depart at the end of 2020.

The timing of Wolff’s statements coincides with Liberty Media’s second season in charge of the sport, on the eve of the first round in Melbourne and at a time when uncertainty over the future direction of the sport threatens to tear it apart.

In what could be the beginning of a power struggle, two camps have emerged: Ferrari led by their feisty president Sergio Marchionne and allies in one corner with Liberty Media led by Chase Carey and his crew as well as their supporters in the other corner.

In an interview with Press Association Sport, Wolff makes it clear where his loyalties lie, “The perspective of doing something else is a realistic one, and it could happen if we don’t achieve to align our vision.”

“Marchionne has a clear vision of what Formula 1 should represent for Ferrari, which is a purist sport that isn’t a shopping channel. I would strongly encourage all of the sport’s stakeholders not to try and provoke him.”

“I agree with most of the things Sergio says because Formula 1 has a certain DNA and it is a sport that needs to stick to its roots. So, don’t mess with Sergio Marchionne. Formula 1 needs Ferrari much more than Ferrari needs Formula 1,” warned Wolff in what could be perceived as another message (direct or indirect) to Liberty Media.

This is not the first time that Wolff has publically supported Marchionne, but at the same time the Mercedes boss is keen to avert a split, “I will give it everything to align the vision among us by seeking consensus and accepting compromise.”

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Hamilton wants to "hurt" rivals at their best

Hamilton wants to "hurt" rivals at their best

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton wants his rivals to be at their best in 2018 because he relishes the prospect of making their defeat "hurt so much".
Hamilton clinched his fourth title last season after seeing off Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari as Mercedes was regularly challenged for the first time in F1's V6 turbo-hybrid engine era.

Mercedes has talked up Ferrari and Red Bull ahead of the 2018 campaign and Hamilton said his preference would be to take on his rivals in a straight fight.

Asked whether his rivalry with Vettel would become psychological after a couple of on-track scrapes in 2017, Hamilton said: "I don't play psychological war. Never, ever, ever have.

"My psychological war is I arrive fit and ready and I'm there to kill, and others know I'm good at what I do.

"I don't think the best athletes want to put the others off so they perform worse. They want to perform at their best so they can prove they are better than them.

"Beating someone when they are weak doesn't mean you're the best. That sucks. If you ever believe you are the best because you beat someone when they are down, that's the worst.

"I want to beat these guys at their best, when they are physically in the best shape, because then it's going to hurt so much. And that's what I love."

Hamilton is expected to sign a new contract that would likely extend his relationship with Mercedes to at least the end of the 2020 season.

Asked what he thinks when he imagines life after F1, Hamilton joked it would be "very long".

He revealed he has multiple projects he is already working on that he would like to devote more time to when his F1 career ends.

Hamilton said: "You're a long time retired. It's never going to be the same. It's an adrenaline rush, a rollercoaster ride.

"If you've been to a theme park – racing F1 for a season is a hundred times better than that.

"There's lots and lots to do afterwards. I'm not standing still. I'm not just focusing on racing.

"I focus so I'm 100 percent prepared and do the job to the best of my ability, but also I have lots of spare energy.

"I'm trying to build foundations so when I stop I can say 'thank you so much, I appreciate everything' and I move the next day onto a new project that I'm excited and passionate about."

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Sainz ready to trade penalty hits for engine performance

Sainz ready to trade penalty hits for engine performance

Carlos Sainz says he will have no problem taking engine grid penalties in 2018 if the sacrifice helps his Renault F1 team make long-term progress.
Team boss Cyril Abiteboul has said the French manufacturer is considering factoring in grid penalties by deliberately using more than this year's reduced limit of three elements per season.

That strategy would allow Renault to extract more performance more consistently, because of reduced mileage requirements, and it will also create extra opportunities to introduce planned upgrades later in the season.

"For me this is a minor thing in the whole year," Sainz told Motorsport.com.

"When there's a rule that you can use only three engines for the whole season, and you are a team that is not worried about 2018, you are worried about being world champions in 2020, you need to make progress.

"And to make progress you need to put engines on the track and test them, and try to put the performance on them.

"It's a reminder that this is a team that's using 2018 as a development year, and in a development year you need to bring new things into the pool, and start testing.

Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team RS18 Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault Sport F1 Team

"It might not be ideal, but we're not fighting for the world championship, so it's not like starting last one race is going to change things."

Sainz acknowledged that while Renault closed the gap in 2017, it is a moving target, as Mercedes and Ferrari have continued to develop their engine packages.

"With three engines through the year, it's very difficult to cover that gap," he said.

"This way, you get more upgrade opportunities [by using more engines], so that's precisely why they are doing it.

"I didn't expect it to be announced so early, but I already heard the rumours.

"I'm happy, because it means the team really wants to progress. They are not worried about reliability, it's just about performance."

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Late contract talks could "disturb" Bottas

Late contract talks could "disturb" Bottas

Valtteri Bottas believes he and Mercedes must avoid dragging out contact renewal talks to avoid the process becoming "a bit disturbing" during the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Bottas is preparing for his second year with Mercedes since replacing 2016 champion Nico Rosberg alongside Lewis Hamilton.

He won three grands prix in 2017 to earn a single-year extension by mid-September, and Bottas hopes he will not have to wait too long before getting an answer this season.

"For sure there will be a deadline to get to know what the future is going to hold," he said. "Whether it is going to be earlier or later this year we'll see.

"There's no point to drag things too late because as a driver you have a lot of things to think about and to focus on, so contract talks can be a bit disturbing.

"The team knows [that] as well, so when the time is right we'll try to make the decision."

Bottas added that he did not see the "first three or four races as anything more special than the first half of the season" but acknowledged that the better he performs early on the more chance of an early decision.

He said that he he feels "zero pressure and a lot of support" from Mercedes heading into the new season.

"I learned so much with the team last year and now it's been a much smoother start of the year, being able to focus on the things that matter," Bottas said. "It's a different feeling.

"I need to perform, use everything I learned last year and in my five years in Formula 1 [to challenge for the title]."

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-AMG F1 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 W09

Hamilton hopes for 'at least' two more years

While Bottas's future with Mercedes will be determined this season, a contract renewal for teammate Hamilton remains a formality.

Asked if he wanted "a couple" of years more with the team that has run him to three of the past four drivers' titles, Hamilton replied: "I'm hoping so. At least, yeah.

"Every year you never know how you're going to feel in two, three years' time.

"It's such a long year and a lot can happen in your life. Your opinions change.

"I'm definitely in the mid-to-end of my F1 career but I'm loving it. I'm really enjoying it. I really love this job, I'm so grateful, I have to count my blessings."

Hamilton said that, ahead of his sixth year with Mercedes, he was finding it "a better work environment than it's ever been".

He added: "It's even more fun to work there than it was in the past.

"I really hope that if I can keep performing and improving and enjoying it, then I'll try to keep going."

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Honda can match Renault by end of year, says Red Bull

Honda can match Renault by end of year, says Red Bull

Red Bull believes Honda's Formula 1 engine has the potential to be at Renault's level by the end of this year, heightening speculation that the team could switch power units in 2019.
Sister team Toro Rosso has enjoyed an encouraging start to its new relationship with Honda, having enjoyed a trouble-free pre-season testing programme at Barcelona.

And while Honda is still behind in the power stakes with its current specification engine, sources have suggested that the gap to Renault could be as little as 15bhp heading into the year.

With further development in the pipeline over the course of 2018, the door is open for Honda to close up even more, with Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko suggesting there will be little to choose between the two power units by the end of the season.

"The Honda package is technically interesting," Marko told Motorsport.com. "The engine is very light and now the reliability is there. They speak of continuous performance improvements.

"The engine should be at Renault level by the end of this year."

Red Bull's current contract with Renault runs out at the end of this season, and that means the Milton Keynes-based team will have a choice of which engine it wants to race with in 2019.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said that the final decision on which engine its takes will be driven not by emotion but by pure performance.

"The situation varies with Renault almost monthly," said Horner. "But we are used to that. We've known them a long time.

"We have got a respect for what they do: and the most important thing for us is having the most competitive package going forward.

Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing Team Principal Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB14 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso STR13

"We want to be in a position to continue to close the gap to the teams ahead and get onto the front foot.

"Obviously we are in a position for the first time in probably the last 10 years that we have a choice moving forwards.

"And that is a position that we have not been in for a long, long time. There has either been a veto or a block or a non desire from supplier to supply."

Pushed on what Honda would have to do to convince Red Bull it was a viable solution for next year, Horner said: "I think they have made very good grounds over the winter.

"We have got a front row seat to see how that product is developing that performing with Toro Rosso. And it will all come down to performance. We want the most performant engine in the back of the car."

Marko said he was impressed with what Honda has done this winter to get things back on track, and how it plans to move forward throughout the season.

"We are aware about the scheduled spec steps," he said. "I think that collaboration between Toro Rosso and Honda is very good, because we didn't just tell the Japanese what the engine should look like.

"Immediately after signing the contract there was an exchange of technicians between Faenza, Sakura in Japan and Milton Keynes, where Honda also has a small factory.

"That's where the current car and the engine installation were discussed and actually done. And I believe this partner-like approach has contributed a great deal to the result we have now."

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