FORMULA 1

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JIMMY JOHNSON: WHAT’S ALONSO DOING HERE?

NASCAR’s seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson strolled into the Charlotte Convention Center and did a double-take when he saw doublle two times Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso hanging out in a hallway.

“What’s he doing here?” Johnson wondered.

Alonso made the trip to North Carolina to make an appearance at NASCAR’s annual preseason media tour. No, a ride in NASCAR is not imminent, but the two-time Formula One champion is about to embark on his first major sports car race .

Alonso will race this weekend in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona for United Autosports, the sports car team owned by his McLaren F1 boss, Zak Brown. It was Brown who paved the way for Alonso to compete in last year’s Indianapolis 500, and he is helping the Spaniard knock prestigious races off his wish list.

Alonso spent about 10 minutes chatting with Johnson, and the duo was eventually joined by sports car aces Scott Pruett and Joey Hand, who were brought to the NASCAR event by IMSA to help promote the Rolex, and then Cup champion Kevin Harvick.

The meet-and-greet with Alonso was a thrill for Johnson. Alonso was equally impressed.

“The first time I heard his name it was probably 2003 on the NASCAR video game,” Alonso said Tuesday. “I used to choose him, not knowing him, just because of the car. I remember playing with another friend of mine, he likes a chocolate company I will not name now, and he was choosing that car and I was choosing Jimmie’s car.”

“But that was the first time I heard of him, and obviously the success that he has in the years in motor racing, he became a legend of our sport, and massive respect.”

Johnson said he’s always been a fan of Alonso’s and spent some time telling Alonso how well he ran in the Indianapolis 500 last May. Alonso led 27 laps and seemed to be in contention for the win until his engine expired 21 laps from the finish.

“He handled himself so well, really did a great job, and I think brought a lot to the table,” Johnson said. “He brought worldwide attention to motorsports and it was really good for us here stateside.”

While in NASCAR country, Alonso was asked about potentially trying a stock car someday. It’s not something that could happen soon, he said, but it is something he’d like to at least attempt.

“Right now, it looks quite far. The driving technique and the experience all those guys have, it’s difficult for me to achieve that level,” Alonso said. “I will never know until I try, so I would like one day to test a car and after that, driving the car, I will know how enjoyable it will be in racing.

“Outside (watching), the races are great because they are all in a group, it is not predictable at all and until the last lap, you don’t know what is going to happen. We love watching from the outside, but I don’t know from the inside.”

Alonso has so far only had three days of testing at Daytona in the sports car to adjust to a closed cockpit, as well as driving at night and in traffic. Trying different series has been a thrill for him, and he’s still eyeing a way to get Le Mans on his schedule.

“It’s one thing that I would like to do, I would like to compete in the best races in the world, and Le Mans and is one of the top races,” he said. “If that day will be this year or not is still to be discussed, but maybe yes.”

MIKA: I admire how Alonso attends different race categories, optimistic of his chances but also very respectful to the drivers of those categories outside of Formula 1. This appeals to me a great deal.

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FORCE INDIA NAME CHANGE MAY HAPPEN BEFORE TESTING

Force India could have a new name before Formula 1’s pre-season testing begins in Barcelona next month.

A spokesman for the British-based Formula One team said on Tuesday that plans had yet to be finalised, however. “A name change ahead of the new season remains a possibility. If it happens it would be announced ahead of the launch/testing or at the launch.”

Team name changes need the approval of Formula One’s governing body and commercial rights holder. The team has officially entered the championship as Sahara Force India F1.

Force India are run and co-owned by Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya, who is fighting an Indian government request to extradite him from Britain to face fraud charges related to the collapse of his Kingfisher Airlines.

Mallya, who has not left Britain since March 2016, has said a name change would make the team more attractive to potential sponsors.

“I was passionate about putting an Indian team on the grid. Now, things have changed. Force India is getting very limited in terms of potential,” he told Reuters at last year’s British Grand Prix.

”The Indian Grand Prix is gone, sadly. There are no Indian sponsors who’ve come to the table. They seem to be spending all their money on cricket. And I need for the continuing financial stability of this team to reach out to more international sponsors.”

A string of companies using the Force One name were registered by the team last year but that appears to have been dropped as an option.

“Anything to do with Force is probably, for the time being, on the back burner,” deputy principal Bob Fernley said last November. “I think that we may have to go to something completely different, if we’re going to go at all.”

Force India have finished fourth for the past two seasons, scoring more points than ever before last season.

The team launched their 2017 car at Silverstone, over the road from the factory, but this season’s presentation is likely to be at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya where testing starts on 26 February.

The season starts in Australia on 25 March.

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TUNISIA TURN TO CRYPTOCURRENCY IN BID TO HOST GRAND PRIX

Ambitious plans to build a grand prix track amid a purpose-built city in Tunisia have been revealed, with organisers targeting to host a race at the venue in 2021 with innovative cryptocurrency financing methods to raise the $500-million to make the dream come true.

Africa has not hosted a Formula 1 race since the 1993 South African Grand Prix.

The project in Tunisia is led by Bitrace Investments which reports on its website: “Bitrace Investments Limited is a British investment company based in London, UK, which is a member of KJ Holdings Corp. ”

“The company is in process of developing the Tunisia Racing F1 City project, this project consists in building an integrated sports compound including a Formula 1 Track surrounded by top-class hotel and recreational units: (Total Assigned Land: 300 Hectares) in Hammamet, Tunisia.”

“Bitrace Investments Ltd has succeeded to finalize a deal with BDSwiss Holding PLC, to allow its investors (Bitrace Buyers) to Trade Shares, Indices, FOREX, Commodities and Cryptocurrencies with CFDs, using Bitrace Tokens.”

Bitrace points to striking a deal with the FOM a grand prix at a modest price, pointing out that Monaco does not pay hosting fees while the likes of Abu Dhabi and Singapore pay over $60-million for the privilege.

But the organisers led by President & CEO, Khaled Akid are planning to negotiate a deal worth a quarter the amount with the commercial rights holders according to the Bitrace Whitepaper on the project.

Which states:”The negotiation of the Hosting Fee with the F1 Group is essential, in order to have a price that does not exceed the (US) $15-milliom and to be able to introduce F1 to the African continent and in the Maghreb region more specifically. Monaco does not pay hosting fees, Italy pays $7-million and Canada pays $18-million.”

MIKA: Is it just me but I found it quite funny to see on the lower video, that Bitrace investments are using outdated Formula 1 video game footage to promote/pitch their idea.

Alonso is still driving for Ferrari in the clip and Marussia and Lotus are still on the grid! 

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Getting Technical: A look at what's changing in 2018

Last year we saw huge changes to the technical regulations which brought us wider, quicker and more aggressive looking Formula 1 cars which broke lap records and cornering speeds in 2017.

Whilst the changes this season are far smaller and fewer, they will have an impact on the look of the cars and could even upset the pecking order.

The most visual change will of course be the introduction of the Halo head protection device. This striking and rather ugly looking contraption will hopefully save lives, but it’s won very few fans in the aesthetics department with many likening it to a flip-flop.

The idea behind this 6kg chunk of titanium, which looks as though it’s simply been plonked on top of the cars – because it quite literally has – is to deflect debris, particularly tyres and protect the drivers head in an accident.

McLaren tested the Halo with a small fairing in Abu Dhabi

The Halo’s we’ve seen in the wild aren’t quite the finished product we’ll see on the cars this year, as the rules dictate a development area. But don’t expect anything wild, that area is just 30mm in diameter. However the Halo can be painted to fit in with the cars livery and they can even be adorned with sponsor logos, so they’ll hopefully blend in a little better.

Whilst it’s hello to the Halo, it’s goodbye to Shark Fins and T-Wings! These two aerodynamic devices have been outlawed for the 2018 season, even though they proved popular and the former even allowed for larger driver numbers to be displayed.

These two devices were born out of regulation loopholes. Whilst the majority of teams debuted their 2017 cars with shark-finned engine covers – as these have been used in the past – only a handful had T-wings.

The T-wing was a new device which started out as a simple one-tier design, but as the season progressed every car on the grid grew one, each with a greater degree of complexity. One, two, three elements and so on, it seemed with each passing race weekend, the T-wing would sprout a new element. They’re gone this year, but the shark-fin will somewhat remain, albeit a much smaller version (see the illustration below).

Those are the two main changes for the upcoming season, but there will be some changes not visible to the naked eye as the FIA has moved to outlaw trick suspension. Teams were using steering angle to lower their cars in the corners – providing a major aerodynamic benefit.

This is likely the one change that will have a big impact on the pecking order, as it was only the big teams exploiting this area, therefore it could close the gap between the frontrunners and the midfield – at least we can hope!

And finally, we’ll see some different coloured tyres from supplier Pirelli. Although the pink tyre made an appearance in 2017, it was just a rebranded version of the Ultrasoft for a one-off event in aid of charity, but for fans of pink, rejoice, as it makes a full-time return. The hypersoft, as it will be known, is Pirelli’s softest tyre and will wear the pink band. Meanwhile a superhard compound takes over the orange band, meaning the hard tyre will now be coloured ‘ice blue’.

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Historic F1 machinery added to British GP support bill

Historic Formula 1 machinery will feature at this year’s British Grand Prix after it was added to the support bill.

Iconic 1970s and 1980s historic Formula 1 cars from the 3-litre era will feature in two support races, with Masters Historic Racing responsible for staging the races.

The series will join Formula 2, GP3 and the Porsche Supercup as support events for the Formula 1 Grand Prix across July 5 to 8.

“It’s great to know that British F1 fans will now have three opportunities to see our cars compete on British soil in 2018 – at the Silverstone Classic, at our own Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch at the end of May, and now too at the British Grand Prix”, says Masters Historic Racing founder Ron Maydon.

“The fact that we have been asked to organise a support race at the British Grand Prix certainly reflects the quality of the show we put on at Montreal, Austin and Mexico City last year.

“I’m sure that we will evoke many wonderful memories with the spectators that were also present at Silverstone and Brands in the seventies and eighties as well as fascinate the younger part of the crowd.”

It is the first time that Masters Historic Racing has supported a European Formula 1 event.

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Honda-powered Toro Rosso set for Misano shakedown

Toro Rosso's 2018 Formula 1 challenger - the STR13 - will hit the track for the first time on February 21 when it completes a filming day at Misano.
Teams are allowed to conduct two promotional events each season but no test may exceed 100km in length.

The regulations also insist only promotional tyres provided by Pirelli may be used.

The test will allow Toro Rosso a chance to shake down its new car, which will run Honda engines for the first time, before pre-season testing.

It will take place four days before it plans to formerly unveil the STR13 at an event at Barcelona.

The first four-day pre-season test kicks off the following day on Monday 26 February.

Earlier this month, Toro Rosso confirmed it had passed the FIA's crash tests, allowing the car build phase to accelerate.

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Vasseur cancelled Honda deal on first day at Sauber

Fred Vasseur's no-nonsense approach to being a motor racing team boss helped him carve out an ultra-successful career in the junior categories – and made him an obvious candidate when Sauber were after a new chief last year.

Yet there is no better proof for how intense, determined and focused he can be in his job than the speed with which he got on with plotting an all new direction for the Swiss team within minutes of getting his feet under the desk on his first day.

The boldest move of all – cancelling plans for Sauber to tie up with Honda – was top of his job list when he walked through the factory doors, and the wheels were set in motion within minutes of starting.

"I joined on July 17 at 9am, and the meeting was at 10am," he smiled, in an interview with Motorsport.com reflecting on his return to the front line in F1.

"For me it was important. It is never easy to change the engine supplier first, but Honda was not in a very good shape. Plus, and probably most important for me, was that we were linked to McLaren for the gearbox with absolutely no internal resources to do our own one.

"I was convinced, as I had some contacts at McLaren, that they would do their best to leave. So I could not be in a position to risk that. Imagine today if I had to request the Honda gearbox from McLaren. It would be an absolute nightmare.

"Being in the process of working on our 2018 car, we were not able to postpone the decision."

 

Unfinished business

Vasseur's move to Sauber last year came just a few months after he had walked away from a senior role at Renault, having felt that his long-term strategic vision was not in line with that of managing director Cyril Abiteboul.

Although having no regrets that things at Renault did not work out, there is a sense that there was some unfinished business and a point to prove about what he could do in F1.

"You know I spent the last 27 years of my life on track and for sure you want to succeed. You don't want to finish like this," he explains.

"But it is nothing to do with revenge or something like this. I was always looking for the good project for me in F1 and I think this one was perfect for me.

"I didn't want to say that Renault wasn't a good one. But I had some troubles to fit with the system, so it is much better for me to leave and to stop because I have some other projects in my life. And I stopped.

"I was quite happy to have a break – even if after six months, the break was a bit too long! My wife pushed me to find something else, and said: 'don't stay at home any more'.

Then we started to discuss with Sauber. The discussion was a good one, the project was a good one because it was much more fitting with my expectations and the projects I had at the beginning of my career."

 

Ferrari future

Vasseur's impact at Sauber in the six months he has been there has been clear, with the team's closer ties to Ferrari manifesting itself with a high profile tie-up that brings the Alfa Romeo name back to F1.

Well aware that money talks in F1, and that small outfits have little chance of success going it alone against the might of the manufacturers, getting that association with Alfa through closer ties to Ferrari was essential.

Yet Vasseur is clear that this is not about Sauber becoming a junior team, or a B team for Maranello – because he is adamant that Hinwil should not lose the great expertise it has at its disposal to create its own car.

"What people call us doesn't matter - nobody is taking care of whether we are a junior, or a customer," he says. "We just have to build up something with them [Ferrari], based on a common approach and mutual agreement.

"We need to have a close relationship but I don't want to buy the car of Ferrari because I want to keep the know-how.

"It we don't do that, I will be in exactly the same position as we could be in today with the gearbox, and I want to avoid this kind of decision."

 

Small steps

Ahead of a 2018 season where things should be better – thanks to the new alliance with Ferrari, the switch to a current engine after using a year-old unit in 2017, and the impact of staff who arrived over the course of last season – Vasseur remains realistic though about just what is possible in the short term.

"We were more or less far away from the guys in front of us, even if we closed the gap a little bit over the final races.

"The first target for me was to close the gap because we have to come back into the race. We have to be able to fight with the guys around us. I think we will be able to close the gap.

"Then it is difficult to know if we will fight for P8, P9 or P10. More will be difficult. But it will depend also on the other teams and what about their projects."

He adds: "We have to honest with ourselves. The biggest issue so far wasn't the engine, the engine was 2016, but the handicap was only a couple of tenths.

"If you compare with the other teams, the biggest issue was on the chassis side, and we have to be focused on this and push like hell on the aero. At least you will remove the engine from being a pre-occupation."

 

Long-term patience

In fact, rather than believe that a small team like Sauber can threaten the big boys for podiums, Vasseur takes inspiration from what Force India has been able to do – as well as understanding how long it took the Silverstone-based outfit to become so good.

"Force India is a good model because if you look at their team, they are working with Mercedes more or less, as we are working with Ferrari.

"They are working with drivers, they are working on collaborations, and working on the engine and some other parts, and it is more or less the same size as Sauber. It is a good example of what we could achieve and what could be the project.

"It took time for Force India to deliver, and you remember the old times when they were Spyker, they were struggling to be in the top ten. I think they had a long-term project, something serious, and year after year they came back onto the pace and now they are quite consistent. I think that we have to take things the same way.

"We have to be patient. It is a three to five year project. It is not that you will sign an engineer from Ferrari or Mercedes, that next week the car will be much better.

"When you are outside the business it is sometimes not easy to understand, and you may have the feeling that you can buy the performance. Without the budget you won't fight with Mercedes, but you need to have a long term project, you need to know where you need to go and how you have to do it."

That mantra is something Vasseur carried with him from the moment he walked into Hinwil, and laid out his plans from that very first meeting.

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MANSELL: DEPTH OF F1 COMPETITION NOT LIKE IN THE 80S AND 90S

Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell would like to see bigger grids as he laments that many drivers in the modern era do not get an opportunity to prove themselves because of the limited seats available and the longevity of drivers’ careers at the pinnacle of the sport.

Mansell said in a recent interview, “No disrespect to Formula 1 but the depth of competition is not there like it was in the 80s and 90s. We want to see 26 cars on the grid. There is an awful lot of worthy drivers who are backlogged and have nowhere to go.”

“Through the years, there were drivers being injured out of the sport and being replaced. There was always a new influx of blood every year, always cars to get into. That has dried up.”

“The FIA have done an incredible job with safety, the manufacturers have worked closely to make the cars safer. A driver almost has twice the career span, which is good for them, but the drivers waiting to break in will never get the opportunity,” lamented the 1992 F1 World Champion.

During his 15 years in Formula 1 – from his debut at the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix until his final race at the 1995 Spanish Grand Prix – six F1 drivers were killed either during a race weekend or while testing.

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BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX COULD BE NIGHT RACE THIS SEASON

The Bahrain Grand Prix could become the second night race on the Formula 1 world championship calendar this year following a number of proposed changes to the sport’s race weekend timetable.

The race, which takes place a fortnight after the season opener in Melbourne on 8 April, has been staged at twilight – starting at dusk and finishing under floodlights – in recent seasons.

But it is understood F1’s American owners Liberty Media want the grand prix to take place at 20h00 local time (17h00 CET) in the hope of attracting a wider TV audience.

Liberty, which is overseeing its second season at the helm of the sport following its takeover last January, has also proposed pushing a number of European races back by one hour in the hope of drawing in more fans.

For the first time ever, there will be three races on consecutive weekends – the returning French Grand Prix, and the Austrian and British Grands Prix – to avoid any major clashes with this summer’s World Cup.

The race in France could also start at 16h00, two hours later than traditional European events, to avoid going head-to-head with England’s World Cup group match against Panama on 24 June.

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ASSEN TAKES A STEP CLOSER TO HOSTING DUTCH GRAND PRIX

The advent of Max Verstappen as a shining star in Formula 1 has prompted a great deal of interest in hosting a grand prix in the Netherlands with Assen – the famous TT circuit – now a candidate to be part of the world championship calendar for the first time since 1985.

FIA appointed Formula 1 director Charlie Whiting gave the venue a thumbs up, subject to some tweaks and upgrades, which has the circuit owners cautiously positive about taking embarking on a grand prix project.

TT Circuit Assen chairman Arjan Bos revealed that it would take approximately €2-million to upgrade the circuit and facilities to Formula 1 level.

This mainly involves the application of kerbstones, crash barriers and Tecpro barriers, while widening the track in designated areas without impacting the original circuit layout. Assen has a rich history in MotoGP, having hosted the TT from 1949 to this day.

Bos was clearly enthused by Whiting’s visit, “The adjustments are actually doable. We are not there yet, but it is nice to hear that Whiting is so positive about the track, the modern facilities and the state of maintenance.”

“We have always said that we hope to bring the grand prix back to the Netherlands within three years. At the moment I estimate the chance of that happening is about 50/50,” added Bos.

The FIA inspection, requested by the Assen management team, was to begin the process of obtaining a Grade 1 license for the circuit to be about to host Formula 1 which would cost the around €20-million annually for the privilege.

Bos is confident that his team can race the finance for the race based on interest from various sectors, including municipal and corporate.

Assen circuit, which is a couple of hours up the road from Amsterdam, is well placed near the north German border and can cater for 110,000 spectators each day, as is the case during the MotoGP weekend each year.

Zandvoort circuit management is also keen for a return of the Formula 1 calendar but according to a feasibility study, in November last year, they would need to spend a great deal more to get the venue and track up to F1 standards.

MIKA: I wonder how the Dutch TT will appreciate their gravel traps being removed when making way for F1 as I'm sure Charlie will clearly have those removed to make way for massive run-offs.

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PROST: OCON WAS MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN MAX LAST YEAR

Esteban Ocon was at one time part of the Renault Sport driver development programme, but in 2016 Mercedes scooped the youngster and added him to their DTM programme before setting up with a seat with Manor for the final nine races of the season.

Last year the Frenchman moved to Force India and since then his shares in Formula 1 have sky-rocketed with a solid full first season in the sport at the highest level.

Invariably Ocon is compared to Red Bull sensation Max Verstappen. The duo raced in Formula 3 together in 2014, Ocon emerging champion that year.

This year the pair are teamed up with highly respected and more experienced drivers. Verstappen coming to terms with Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo, while Ocon did well to even out the balance of power within the team by keeping Sergio Perez honest.

Prost observed, “I was very impressed by Esteban Ocon last year. He was very consistent in a very good team, with a very good car and facing Sergio Pérez, who is a talented, respected and an established driver. He managed his season well.

“If you put aside the top drivers, obviously Max [Verstappen] was sometimes really impressive and sometimes unbeatable, but as a whole Esteban’s season was perhaps more impressive than Max’s,” added Prost.

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BROWN: NEWGARDEN AND DIXON READY FOR FORMULA 1

McLaren chief Zak Brown has weighed in on the debate regarding the state of readiness of American drivers for Formula 1 and picked a couple of drivers who he believes are talents that would not be put of place on the grid.

Earlier this month Guenther Steiner irked the Indycar community by claiming that no American driver is ready for Formula 1.

Brown thinks otherwise and told Racer, “The biggest challenge you have is the lack of testing. So until the rules change… We only get eight pre-season days of testing and even that is only with one car so you rotate drivers, so to take away a day from Fernando [Alonso]’s four or Stoffel [Vandoorne]’s four just doesn’t make sense.”

“So I think until that rule changes it will be difficult for a driver outside f the Formula 1 arena or Formula 2 to break into Formula 1 because they just have such a disadvantage. So the system does’t really allow you to bring someone in. I think it’s great that Toro Rosso took someone like Brendon Hartley because there’s risk with that decision, but he knows all of those tracks as well.”

“Specifically I think Josef Newgarden is an outstanding talent, and I think Scott Dixon is an outstanding talent. I also don’t subscribe that you’re old at a [certain age] – I mean, eventually you get old – but I think what happens with drivers is they ultimately lose motivation. That’s what catches up with them.

“If you look at someone like Michael Schumacher, he was very competitive into his forties. I think had he not taken those few years off, those last couple of tenths that he was off, I don’t think he would have been, and he was in his forties. Fernando has that same type of dedication. I think Fernando is driving as well as he’s ever driven and just because he’s going to turn 37 later this year I don’t think the stopwatch is going to get any slower.

“On the flip side, you’ve someone like Nico Rosberg who just for whatever reason said ‘I’m done.’ So someone like Scott Dixon reminds me of Fernando where he’s extremely fit, very dedicated and is as fast as ever. I think Scott Dixon would be competitive in a Formula 1 car today.”

This weekend Brown will wear his United Autosports hat at the Daytona 24 Hours where his team is fielding a car for Fernando Alonso and McLaren reserve Lando Norris as well as Phil Hanson.

Brown said of Alonso’s Daytona foray, “Most of the other Formula 1 drivers probably don’t have a race car this weekend, so I’m of the view that this is great for Fernando and Lando. I think experience helps you in all forms of motor racing. How can being in a race car be anything other than good for staying fit and staying focused?

“Fernando in particular, I think he literally wants to live in a race car. It puts him in a really good place. Race car drivers, like all athletes, it’s half physical and half mental. So these things are what he wants to do. He’s very happy in the environment.”

“I just remember the days of the Dan Gurneys and the Mario Andrettis and multiple disciplines. I don’t see why we can’t do that today,” added Brown.

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FORCE INDIA AND SAUBER DROP EU COMPLAINT

Force India and Sauber have given Formula 1’s new owners Liberty Media a massive vote of confidence by withdrawing a complaint to the European Commission about alleged anti-competitive practices in the sport.

The two privately-owned teams made their complaint in 2015, before U.S.-based Liberty took over and ousted former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

They had argued that the billion-dollar sport was in breach of articles prohibiting cartels and the abuse of dominant market positions.

Ecclestone dismissed talk of a cartel at the time of the complaint but has questioned the influence of dominant world champions Mercedes and Ferrari, Formula One’s oldest and most successful team.

The two teams said in a joint statement they were reassured by talks with Formula One’s new management under chairman Chase Carey and preferred to resolve the issues through dialogue rather than a legal dispute.

“Their approach has brought a new culture of transparency to the sport and illustrates willingness to debate fundamental issues such as the distribution of the prize fund monies, cost control and engine regulations,” Sauber and Force India said of Liberty.

”We are encouraged and reassured by the even-handed and fair negotiating approach taken by the new management of Formula One to all the teams and their issues.

“While the concerns leading to the compliant were fully justified, we believe this new approach provides the necessary degree of assurance that our concerns will be looked at objectively.”

A Formula One spokesman welcomed the decision as a positive step for the sport, which is facing tough talks over its future as contracts with teams expire at the end of 2020.

Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne has already said that Ferrari, who are Swiss-based Sauber’s engine suppliers, could walk away if the Italian manufacturer does not like the direction the sport is taking.

Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Red Bull receive special payments in recognition of past performance and sit permanently with the commercial rights holder and governing FIA on the sport’s ‘Strategy Group’.

Force India and Sauber had argued that that amounts to a “questionable cartel”, with the system favouring big teams that shape the rules and are guaranteed millions of dollars regardless of how they perform on the track.

Formula One’s new management has said it wants a more level playing field in future.

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Jenson Button celebrates his birthday ft. Daniel Ricciardo

Button: "I wanted to share with you a sneak peek of my Birthday weekend which kicked off with a lot of cake and laughter at Big Bear Lake in California. No skiing in the end but off road driving and fun in the snow with some of my buddies.

"Daniel Ricciardo then joined us for a crazy day of karting at CalSpeed, California Speedway in Fontana. An absolutely epic weekend to remember! Big thanks to Phil Giebler Racing for looking after us, Daniel Ricciardo for the Ricciardo Karts & Alpinestars for kitting me out!"

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Formula 1 races could start at 15:10 in 2018

Formula 1 races could start 70 minutes later than they traditionally have, with new owners Liberty Media looking at bringing in a 15:10 start time for the majority of races in 2018.

Currently the bulk of the races on the calendar start at 14:00 local time, but Liberty believes pushing that back an hour could boost television audiences, whilst an additional 10-minute delay could be added to appease commercial broadcasters.

Such a move is likely to prove particularly beneficial in the United States, where advert breaks are more common, and could allow for an extended race build-up.

The change would also mean European races are broadcast at a more favourable time in the US – currently they start at 08:00 on the East coast and 05:00 on the West coast, which would shift to 09:10 and 06:10 respectively under these plans.

Races run at dusk/night, such as Bahrain, Singapore and Abu Dhabi are expected to retain their current schedules.

The proposal has already been presented to broadcasters and discussed with the teams, with a final decision expected in the coming weeks.

The shift could also apply to the entire race weekend, with practice sessions and qualifying starting an hour later too; the tweaks could also have an influence on support acts Formula 2 and GP3, with their respective formats having been altered through 2017.

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Williams confirms launch date for 2018 challenger

Williams has become the latest team to confirm the launch date of its 2018 car, the FW41, which will be revealed during an event in London.

The covers will be pulled off the car on February 15, making it the earliest confirmed launch so far, with Mercedes and Ferrari launching on February 22, followed by McLaren and Toro Rosso.

The FW41 will be the first Williams car developed by chief technical officer Paddy Lowe, following his arrival from Mercedes last March.

The Grove-based outfit will feature the grid's youngest driver pairing in 19-year-old Lance Stroll and 22-year-old Sergey Sirotkin, who makes his debut this season, replacing the retired Felipe Massa.

Williams finished in fifth position in last year's Constructors' Championship, with Stroll scoring a podium finish in Azerbaijan.

The FW41 is set to make its on-track debut on February 26 when pre-season testing begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Stroll and Sirotkin will both be in action, with newly-signed reserve driver Robert Kubica also set to partake in pre-season running.

Confirmed Launch Dates:

Williams - February 15
Ferrari - February 22
Mercedes - February 22
McLaren - February 23
Toro Rosso - February 25

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Fernando Alonso one step behind in triple crown challenge claims Juan Pablo Montoya

Former Williams and McLaren driver Juan Pablo Montoya has been keen to point out his former F1 rival Fernando Alonso is still one step behind him in securing motorsports prestigious 'triple crown'.

The Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans are the three events that make up the 'triple crown', with Graham Hill being the only driver in history to have won all three.

Speaking ahead of the 2018 Daytona 24 hours, Montoya spoke about how he admired the Spaniard's ambition: "He certainly has the ability to achieve it, but it's not easy,"

Alonso impressed during his first oval outing at Indianapolis last year, running competitively before retiring due to an engine failure, and will compete at this weekend's Daytona 24 Hours, with a view to making his Le Mans debut later in 2018.

During the Colombian's career, he won the Monaco Grand Prix (in 2003) and claimed two victories at the Indy 500, in 2000 and 2015 respectively.

Montoya has yet to attempt the Le Mans 24 Hours, though tested Porsche's 919 at the 2015 rookie gathering in Bahrain, though has remained open to the possibility of competing at the Le Sarthe circuit should the right opportunity arise.

"The truth is that I am closer than him. For me, I don't know about Le Mans," he added. "We will have to see what happens with the Le Mans regulations and if there is any chance that Penske can do it in the future. I think it would be quite fun to try."

"I think we are two drivers who are not afraid to try new things. I don't see any other F1 drivers trying to do that. When you're young and in Formula 1, you believe there is nothing beyond that."

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How new Barcelona surface will affect F1 testing

Pirelli racing manager Mario Isola expects there to be a lot of track evolution across the first two days of Formula 1 pre-season testing following a resurfacing project.
The Barcelona circuit agreed to carry out resurfacing and track modifications in order to ensure it remains on the 2018 MotoGP calendar, after its place had been under threat.

Earlier this month, work began with the entire circuit set to be resurfaced and the run-off area at Turn 13 extended.

With the first pre-season test at Barcelona set to start on February 26, Pirelli plans to send a couple of engineers to the venue next week, once work is completed, so the tyre supplier can gather data.

"They [circuit officials] told me that the target is to make a Tarmac that is similar in terms of roughness to the old one," Isola told Motorsport.com.

"It is clear that it is not possible to have a new Tarmac that is exactly the same, but that was the target.

"Usually we measure the Tarmac roughness on Wednesday before each event. The idea is that next week we send a couple of engineers to measure the Tarmac to compare the old one with the new one.

"I know the circuit is planning to run many cars between when they finish the work and the start of the pre-season test to try to stabilise it as you have a lot of track evolution at the beginning because you have some oil, some bitumen and so on.

"There are some treatments you can do, like high-pressure water, and there are some machines that you can clean a little bit the first layer that is greasy.

"It is probably true that the first day of testing, or maybe couple of days, there will be a lot of evolution but then we should have consistent conditions."

Pirelli has yet to announce the three compounds that will be available for this year's Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place on May 13, with Isola suggesting the new asphalt will make that decision trickier.

"The problem is that maybe we need to reconsider the allocation because we select three compounds on each event depending on the Tarmac roughness, layout and the energy that's going through," he said.

"We have a database and we can select compounds based on all this information.

"Obviously if you have a complete change of Tarmac, like Sepang [in 2016] - they resurfaced the circuit and it was completely different from the past.

"Sepang was one of the most aggressive circuits and we had the opportunity to go one step softer after resurfacing.

"Jerez was the same, last year they resurfaced in October and we went there in October with F2 and GP3.

"Before the race we sent the engineers to measure the roughness, completely different, much smoother.

"We moved the allocation one step softer and it was not enough. Tarmac can make a big difference."

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Renault admits 2018 F1 customers will be "high-maintenance"

Renault admits it expects to face challenges managing the expectations of high-profile customer Formula 1 teams in 2018.
Renault has endured a tempestuous relationship with Red Bull during the V6 era, and publicly fell out with Toro Rosso in 2017.

McLaren has joined Renault after three difficult seasons with Honda, during which time it was often publicly critical of its struggling engine partner.

Renault Formula 1 advisor Alain Prost reckons McLaren will put "positive pressure" on the French manufacturer to lift its game in 2018, while Renault F1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com the prospect of managing expectations for two former championship-winning teams would be "challenging".

"Actually, I think there is more positives than there is some negative in those relationships, even though I accept it's going to be high maintenance and going to be an interesting season to manage," Abiteboul said.

"I think it's interesting because it's challenging - but at the same time it's providing motivation to everyone.

"There is clearly pride to be supplying engines to other great teams and their fantastic drivers.

"Also, I believe McLaren has a wealth of experience and can show us the way to push our engine, but also new ways of making sure we have a winning package.

"Frankly I'm looking forward to it. It's good to be in a competitive environment, but it's also good to be challenged."

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How T-wings could still return on F1's 2018 cars

Formula 1 teams are set to engage in a new design battleground over low T-wings in 2018, as part of their push to regain downforce lost at the rear of cars.
A loophole in last year's technical regulations opened the door for teams to run high T-wings on the shark fin engine covers in a bid to improve performance.

But their addition to the cars caused an outcry among fans and teams because they were ugly, and this led to an outright ban being introduced for this year.

However, with F1 teams well aware of the benefits that the small wings delivered in terms of managing airflow and increasing downforce, it is almost certain that this concept will not have been ignored completely when it comes to finalising the 2018 challengers.

As teams claw to recover the loss of downforce caused by the high T-wing ban, plus the outlawing of monkey seats, it is looking almost certain that T-wing development will open up in a new area of the car instead.

That is because the wording of the 2018 regulations that outlawed shark fins and high T-wings still leaves room for another area to be exploited.

Article 3.5.1 of F1's technical regulations outlawed high T-wings by making it clear that no bodywork could appear in a specified triangular area above the defined engine cover. 

2018 T-wing rules

 

It stated: "When viewed from the side, no bodywork forward of the rear wheel centre line may lie above a line parallel to the diagonal boundary defined in a) [a rule that defines the dimension of the engine cover] and intersecting the rear wheel centre line 650mm above the reference plane."

However, there remains a small area below this triangle that is still available for teams to exploit – and importantly this was exactly where Williams ran elaborate T-wing concepts last year.

Williams FW40 lower T-wing

For as well as developing a high T-wing like other teams, the FW40 featured a second lower down T-wing element to help manage airflow in this area.

As well as channelling air to the lower element of the rear wing, this airflow can also prove important in helping maximise the efficiency of the diffuser.

F1 teams are expecting big gains in downforce this year thanks to a much better understanding of the performance aspects of the new aero rules that were introduced last year.

McLaren technical director Tim Goss told Motorsport.com: "You would expect there to be a step, and given the cars are relatively immature, you would expect it to be a bigger step than in previous seasons."

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MARKO: ALONSO DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE HONDA ENGINE LOOK BAD

Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko is still enjoying the honeymoon with Honda, who will power the organisation’s junior Toro Rosso team in 2018 after a troubled year with Renault engines, and suggests that maybe McLaren were to blame for the lack of success on track during their woeful three-year partnership with the Japanese manufacturer.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Marko said, “Honda is very active and have already found something. Maybe they manage to be on the level of Renault with the second engine.”

“Honda had to compromise because of the McLaren chassis specifications. They could not develop freely and were pretty limited and Alonso did everything to make the engine look bad.”

Ahead of pre-season testing in Barcelona, a month from now, Marko is confident that the Red Bull RB14 will be ready to roll unlike in previous years where delays in production hampered their testing programme despite being unable to resist a swipe at the team’s ace designer Adrian Newey.

Marko continued, “Toro Rosso is a bit ahead with the production of their car compared to Red Bull. When Toro Rosso starts producing, Red Bull has not even finished the design phase!”

But he insists that last season’s RB13 was a good chassis, “We were still good, it was Renault who had to reduce performance because of problems with the reliability”

“Now from Paris (Renault F1 factory) come signs that reliability is under control. Combined with the hope that Renault can now develop properly to close the gap.”

“I hope we can surprise,” added Marko who also revealed that Newey’s involvement with the design of the RB14 was “not 100 percent, but substantial.”

It is well known in the paddock that Red Bull have been seeking alternative engine partners over the past three years. They have been linked with Audi, Porsche and VW while Aston Martin is the title sponsor and they themselves harbour F1 ambitions.

Renault have to supply Red Bull until the end of 2019. What happens thereafter is pure speculation, but one scenario is that Renault do pull the plug and force Red Bull to find an alternative, hence the importance for them of the Honda project with Toro Rosso.

Marko explained, “[With Renault] there is no fixed deadline and there are also ways to delay that.”

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VERSTAPPEN: I TRUST MY DAD BUT I MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has revealed that Helmut Marko is like his second father while explaining how Dad – Jos Verstappen – has less and less involvement in the young Dutchman’s decision making process in Formula 1.

It is well known that Jos Verstappen groomed his son to Formula 1 by preparing his karts and handling his progress through the junior single seater series’ that his son competed in and even had a presence during young Verstappen’s early day at Toro Rosso.

That presence is still there in the background, but the extent of the influence father has over son has now diminished as the sport’s youngest grand prix winner is expected to make his own calls when it matters.

During an interview with Ziggo Sport, Verstappen shed light on Jos’ role, “I wouldn’t say we’ve grown apart now that I’m in F1. Of course, I must do more my own thing. People expect me to be my own man, instead of my Dad doing things for me. But I think it’s important to have people like him to advise me and for them to have my back.”

“Of course we had different opinions, but ultimately he was right, nine out of ten times. So, I trust his opinion. We both have strong egos, but that is in our blood and has gotten us this far and into F1. If we didn’t have that drive, we’d still be in go-karts.”

Verstappen senior plotted his son’s career from a very early age and was a hard taskmaster by all accounts. Their partnership in karting is that of legend however it was Jos funding and running the show, thus it was always his way or the highway.

Now that his son is an established Formula 1 superstar, things have as Verstappen junior explained, “I trust him but that doesn’t mean I don’t make my own choices. A good example is Malaysia last year. We had some new parts on the car.”

“They didn’t really work for Daniel, but I was convinced they would be beneficial, despite set-up difficulties. I decided to keep using them. During the practice sessions, we just couldn’t make it work but I was adamant we should use them in qualifying.”

“Dad came up to me and told me I shouldn’t use the new parts. I stuck to my guns. In the end, we managed to make them work and I qualified in third, a really good result for the car at the time. Afterwards, I walked up to Dad and said: told you so. Of course, he laughed, he was happy with the choice!”

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Renault confirms RS18 unveiling date

Renault has become the seventh team to confirm the launch date for its 2018 Formula 1 challenger, which will be revealed on February 20.

The RS18 will be the third Renault works car since the French manufacturer took over Lotus prior to 2016, as it strives to re-emerge as a title challenger long-term, with 2018 outlined as the season in which it should contend for podium finishes.

The team finished ninth in the standings in 2016 before rising to sixth last season after an intense battle with Toro Rosso and Haas.

The RS18 will be driven by Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr., who joined the team late last year after Toro Rosso agreed to release the Spaniard on loan as part of an engine deal between McLaren/Renault and Honda.

Renault's launch clashes with Sauber as both outfits will reveal their respective cars to the public on February 20, five days after Williams and just six before pre-season testing begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

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Kimi Raikkonen unveils helmet scheme for 2018 F1 season

Ferrari veteran Kimi Raikkonen has unveiled the helmet design which he will sport in Formula 1 this season.

Raikkonen took to his recently-new Instagram account to post renders of an updated design, which features additional elements of blue and black compared to his 2017 scheme.

His usual white-and-red approach remains the predominant theme, along with his ‘Iceman’ nickname emblazoned along the rear.

Raikkonen will again line up alongside Sebastian Vettel, having placed fourth in last year’s standings, taking pole position in Monaco and seven podium finishes.

The Finn is again entering a campaign on a one-year deal, leaving Ferrari open to assess its options for 2019.

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Ferrari defeat not down to Marchionne's management style - Wolff

Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff says it would be "oversimplification" to suggest Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne's strict approach contributed to the Italian outfit's defeat in 2017.
Marchionne was outspoken about Ferrari at times during its ultimately unsuccessful 2017 F1 title battle with Mercedes, including criticising the team during its reliability troubles and calling Kimi Raikkonen a "laggard".

Asked if he felt Mercedes benefited from the Ferrari president's bluntness towards his employees, Wolff acknowledged the differences in team management styles but played down their effect.

"Pressure can make a diamond, but pressure can also make a pipe burst," Wolff told Motorsport.com.

"Sergio Marchionne is one of the most successful businessmen that I have ever met, and somebody that has one of the sharpest minds I have ever seen operating.

"So far it [Ferrari's style] works for him and I don't think you can reduce Ferrari's 2017 season, or the end of the 2017 season campaign, to pressure that was applied. I think this is oversimplification."

  

But Wolff acknowledged that Mercedes made strenuous efforts to avoid a blame culture in its team.

"We encourage everybody in the organisation to speak up," he said.

"We have a motto that is 'see it, say it, fix it' which means that you have to create a safe environment for everybody to speak up. You need to be able to improve as a part of the team.

"What we try to do from the very senior leadership is to blame the problem and not the individual.

"It is easy to say 'well, that is what we do'. As a matter of fact, it is in human nature to try to identify a guilty person, it is easy because it is a pressure release - his fault.

"We're working really hard on not doing that because the moment you do that people close up like a shell and you won't see any innovation, you won't see any risk-taking.

"This is what we want - we are in a risk-taking business, an innovation business."