FORMULA 1 - 2014

[MIKA27]

Exclusive: Red Bull ditch Renault to use their own F1 V6 turbo engines from June onward

Red Bull Racing are soon to announce to the Formula 1 world that they have committed to building their very own V6 turbo engine, which will make it’s debut at the Austrian Grand Prix in June.

The directive, to build their own power unit, has reportedly come from Red Bull’s billionaire owner Dietrich Mateschitz in the wake of his team’s countless problems during testing at Jerez and Bahrain.

Earlier this year Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo suffered with the problematic all new Renault V6 turbo power unit – the catalyst being front page images of Vettel pushing his car up the pitlane, whereupon Mateschitz made the decision to break away from the engine supplier which helped the fizzy drinks team to eight world titles in four years.

The new power unit, said to be based on the Cosworth engine which was built and ready to run but no customers wanting to buy it. As result the project was shelved until Red Bull came knocking. After a short period of negotiations a deal was struck and the entire Cosworth F1 turbo project was airlifted to Milton Keynes and Cosworth agreeing to a no disclosure clause in the lock, stock and barrel buy out.

Since late February, when the deal was struck, Red Bull engineers in conjunction with Infiniti [Nissan] engineers have secretly put the final touches to the power unit which has been designated ‘Red Bull Wings DM-1′ – DM initials in honour of Dietrich Mateschitz.

A source close to the project revealed, “Red Bull have toyed with the idea of their own engine for some time now, even before the Renault crisis – where they were made to look like fools – and in the end was the catalyst for the decision to launch the project.”

“The emphasis is to create a power unit around the aggressive packaging of the original [Adrian] Newey designed Red Bull RB10, which has been compromised by the cooling requirements of the Renault PU.”

“When the boss [Mateschitz] set the goal of the engine making it’s debut at the Austrian Grand Prix, at the Red Bull Ring it was suggested this would be a tad ambitious. But he insisted telling us that his dream was to have a Red Bull car, with a Red Bull engine racing at the Red Bull Ring and simply said make it happen – money is not an issue,” divulged the source who opted not to be named.

Ominously for rivals the engine has been bench tested relentlessly, and subjected to intense Le Mans 24 Hours style evaluations which Nissan [infiniti owners] are very familiar with.

Furthermore the new Wings DM-1 unit is reportedly flirting with four figure horsepower figures at full capacity, and is said to weigh “substantially less” than rival power units, with a “hugely effective and revolutionary” Energy Recovery System (ERS).

Hence the insistance that the power unit be bolted on to the Red Bull RB10s sooner than later, as engineers are confident that the unit will be plug-and-play thanks to the challenges endured and experience gained during preseason testing

When asked recently by APA what the power unit options are for the world champion team, Matechitz replied, “Probably just to make an engine ourselves.”

The project has been kept secret from all but the key personnel at Red Bull, and Infiniti who have sponsored the team for some years. The Nissan owned brand have long lamented not having a technical role in Formula 1 with the world champions and seized the opportunity to be part of the project.

The Wings DM-1 engine features Red Bull badging, with the following specifications:

• Displacement: 1.6l
• Rev limit: 15,000 rpm
• Pressure charging: Single turbocharger unlimited boost
• Fuel flow limit: 100 kg/h (-40%)
• Permitted Fuel quantity per race: 100 kg
• Configuration: 90° V6
• Number of cylinders: 6
• Bore Max: 80mm
• Stroke: 53mm
• Crank height: 90mm
• Number of valves: 4 per cylinder, 24
• Exhausts: Single central exhaust outlet from turbine
• Fuel: Direct fuel injection

In typical Red Bull fashion the attention to detail has prevailed throughout the project, and the exercise has evolved into a marketing opportunity which will be maximised by the team. An example is the fact that the metal and alloys used to build the engine will be of a blue hue, in keeping with the brand.

Ironically the Renault powererd Red Bull performed well above expectations in Australia and Malaysia, where Daniel Ricciardo crossed the line in second, but was disqualified for a fuel flow issue hours later.

More recently Vettel scored third place in Malaysia and the Red Bull’s are best of the Renault brigade, in fact next best to the works Mercedes outfit. Truth is that the pace of the RB10 was not as woeful as many predicted it would be.

Although it appears that the project is now beyond the point of no return as the team’s F1 advisor Helmut Marko told media immediately after Sepang, “Yes, [with a better engine] we would be at the top again. But right now with a deficit of around 80 horse power that’s simply not possible.”

Our source confirmed, “It is too little too late, and it would be foolish to turn back now that the DM-1 project is so advanced, furthermore second best is not where the Red Bull big boss [Mateschitz] wants to be.”

This development effectively marginalises Renault who will still be paid by Red Bull as per contract, but does little to bolster the image of the French manufacturer who suffered bad publicity during the preseason. Renault have yet to respond or comment to this news, as they too are probably unaware of the Wings DM-1 PU project.

Thus the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix on 8 June will be the final race of the Red Bull Renault era, and two weeks later starts the Red Bull Wings DM-1 era for the team.

Together Red Bull and Renault won four F1 Constructors’ titles, four F1 Drivers’ titles, scored 47 victories, 57 pole positions and 41 fastest laps.

[MIKA27]

Alonso: I prefer to win, but as long as you are in front of your teammate you are doing something extra

A bright spot on Fernando Alonso’s 2014 Formula 1 season thus far is the fact that he is beating his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

The much vaunted rivalry between the two former champions was a big talking point of the pre-season, but Raikkonen emerged from the winter struggling with the handling of Ferrari’s new car.

But in Malaysia despite topping Alonso in all Free Practice sessions, the Finn was once again outqualified and outraced by his Spanish teammate.

“I would prefer to have won in Australia and Malaysia,” Alonso is quoted by Tuttosport. ”But as long as you are in front of your teammate, you are doing something extra compared to the expectations of people.”

Speaking to Turun Sanomat newspaper, Raikkonen did not want to compare his current situation to 2009, when he also struggled in a Ferrari and was ousted at the end of the season.

“I have no desire to make comparisons like that,” he said, “and it doesn’t change anything anyway.

“For sure it has not been an ideal start, but we improved the car for Malaysia and the weekend started well, even if it finished badly,” said Raikkonen, whose race was affected by a clash with Kevin Magnussen.

“Without the accident I see no reason why I shouldn’t have done the same as Alonso,” he insisted.

Raikkonen is hoping for another improvement in Bahrain.

“We’re getting some new parts that should help me, at least that is the plan,” he said. “The front end should feel better.”

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff says that he expects Ferrari to eventually join Red Bull in chasing down Mercedes’ current advantage.

“I very much fear their (Red Bull’s) recovery on a technical level, it has been impressive,” he told Italy’s La Repubblica. ”And I also fear Ferrari, of course.”

Told by the interviewer than he did well in delivering his final comment without laughing, Mercedes’ Wolff insisted: “I’m serious.”

[MIKA27]

Williams sell hybrid element of business

Press Release: Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC is pleased to announce today the sale of Williams Hybrid Power Limited from Williams’ subsidiary, Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, to GKN Land Systems Limited in a multi-million pound transaction. This will see Williams Hybrid Power rebranded as GKN Hybrid Power.

GKN has agreed to purchase the whole of the issued share capital of Williams Hybrid Power Limited from Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited. Under the terms of the transaction, Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited will also receive additional consideration based on future sales and licences of the flywheel energy storage technology transferred with Williams Hybrid Power to GKN. Global financial advisory firm Lazard acted as advisor to Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC in relation to the transaction.

Williams Hybrid Power has been majority owned by Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited since 2010, and is a clean technology SME developing electric flywheel energy storage technology. The company was initially engaged in developing this technology for Williams’ 2009 Formula One car, but has since focused its attention on developing systems for the mass transit and automotive sectors. Successes to date include supplying the flywheel energy storage system for the Le Mans winning Audi R18 e-tron quattro, a partnership with Go-Ahead Group to develop a system for urban buses, and a partnership with Alstom to develop flywheel technology for tramway applications. The technology offers fuel savings and emissions reductions of up to 30% by harvesting the energy that is normally lost as heat when braking and turning it into additional power.

Speaking about the agreement with GKN Mike O’Driscoll, Group CEO of Williams, said; “The Williams Hybrid Power business has been developed very successfully over the last few years, and is now at the point of broader market commercialisation. GKN have the resources and expertise to fully realise the enormous potential of the motorsport proven flywheel technology, primarily within a variety of public transport applications.

“Williams Advanced Engineering continues to focus on delivering energy efficient solutions through incubating and developing new technologies that primarily originate within our Formula One operations, to a broad range of industry sectors including automotive, aerospace, and energy.”

Speaking about the acquisition of Williams Hybrid Power, Philip Swash, Chief Executive of GKN Land Systems said: “This acquisition is a great opportunity for GKN to take a unique technology to global markets, helping solve the emissions and efficiency challenges faced by mass transit companies around the world. It also provides GKN with a unique set of engineering skills that we believe will help bring new innovation and performance to our wider product portfolio.”

[MIKA27]

No diet for Hulkenberg who admits eating McDonald burgers

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg has denied being one of the Formula 1 drivers obsessed with extreme weight loss, in the new V6 turbo era where every gram is vital.

Amid reports of deliberate dehydration, when it emerged that a driver had passed out last week in Malaysia, eyes turned to racers like Nico Hulkenberg, who standing at over six foot is one of the very tallest on the grid.

But the German has revealed he actually ate McDonald’s in Kuala Lumpur!

“This was the exception rather than the rule,” Hulkenberg smiled to Germany’s Sky, “but this was an emergency – I was really hungry and needed to have something.

“There’s a McDonald’s on almost every corner,” he grinned.

Hulkenberg said that he is not obsessed with his weight in 2014 because, as a tall driver, he has worked hard throughout his career to be as light as possible.

“I think some of the other guys had some more weight in reserve that they had to lose now, but for me I’m more or less what I was at the end of last year. I couldn’t lose any more,” said the Force India driver.

One of the drivers who has lost weight is Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, despite the fact he is at least 6 centimetres shorter than Hulkenberg.

“I had to make the sacrifice if I want to balance the car perfectly,” he said.

“The diet alone is easy, but training with little food is hell,” Rosberg told Germany’s Bild am Sonntag.

“I have eaten no sugar since early December – for my dream I’m living like a monk,” he smiled.

[MIKA27]

Bahrain Grand Prix: McLaren preview Sakhir weekend

Formula 1 heads to the desert for round three of the 2014 world championship, but there won’t be any sunshine during this weekend’s Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. The event is the latest night race to be added to the calendar, starting under floodlights at 18:00 local time. It’s sure to be an incredible spectacle.

Bahrain International Circuit facts & stats:

The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) was the first Formula 1 venue to be built in the Middle East. It hosted its first grand prix in 2004, since when it has earned a reputation for fast and furious racing.

The 5.4 km (3.4-mile) layout is essentially made up of four long straights. The cars exceed 300 km/h (186 mph) along each, at the end of which are large 5 g braking events, where car stability and a faultless ERS (energy recovery system), which harvests energy under braking, will be essential. Good traction is another important handling characteristic at this track, because the cars accelerate out of first- or second-gear corners on four occasions around the lap.

The middle sector provides some of the most challenging corners. Turn 10 is a tricky downhill off-camber left-hander, into which it’s easy to lock a front wheel. Turns 11 and 12 are the circuit’s only long corners, through which good car balance is important because the drivers are hard on the power.

The asphalt at the BIC is abrasive, but the absence of any high-speed corners makes it relatively easy on tyres. For that reason Pirelli are bringing their Soft (Option) and Medium (Prime) compounds to the race, which are the same as those used at the season-opener in Melbourne. Bahrain is extremely hot during the daytime, but lower track temperatures in the cool of the night will help limit thermal degradation of the tyres.

Jenson Button celebrates his 250th grand prix this weekend. He was the first Formula 1 driver ever to visit the US$ 150 m track in 2003, while it was still under construction, and he has a good record in the event: he finished on the podium in 2004 and won the race in 2009.

Jenson’s team-mate Kevin Magnussen has never previously raced at the BIC, but he has plenty of experience there, following the recent winter test sessions in February.

Jenson Button: “It’s hard to believe that this weekend’s race will be the 10th Bahrain Grand Prix – I won this race back in 2009, I’ve had lots of good performances here, and I really enjoy the challenge that the circuit presents. You always feel like you can get a little bit more out of yourself, and the car, which makes it a difficult but rewarding track on which to drive.

“Sunday’s race will be my 250 th grand prix start. That’s crazy: it feels like only yesterday that I was celebrating my 200th, with a win for McLaren in Hungary back in 2011.

“Things never stand still in Formula 1, and we go to Bahrain facing another new challenge: the circuit’s first night race. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of race we have under the floodlights – racing at night always adds to the atmosphere and sense of occasion, and I think this weekend will be no different.

“We’ve scored some useful points in the first two races, which was always our objective for the opening quartet of fly-aways [ie, Australia, Malaysia, Bahrain and China], and I hope we can get some more points in the bag this weekend.”

Kevin Magnussen: “It’ll be a good experience to go racing at a circuit on which I’ve already driven a Formula 1 car – a first for me in fact because I already have four days’ running under my belt from the recent winter tests. While that doesn’t really make a massive difference, because you can learn a circuit relatively quickly, assisted by simulator experience, it does mean you can go straight into Friday’s practice sessions on the front foot. You don’t need to familiarise yourself with the track first.

“I really enjoyed the tests and filming days we did in Bahrain earlier this year actually – the track has a good mix of corners, and the high-speed stuff around the back of the circuit is really enjoyable when the car is working well.

“Although the Sakhir [bahrain] track has several high-speed corners, it’s not as fast as Sepang [Malaysia] so I’m hopeful that we’ll be slightly more competitive this weekend than we were there. I still think the track temperatures and our lack of downforce will make it hard to get the car into the sweet spot we found for it in Melbourne, but I’m hopeful we’ll be able to achieve a decent balance for the race.

“The grand prix itself will take place in the evening, so the track will be slightly cooler than it’s been for any previous Bahrain Grand Prix. I guess that’ll help all the teams, but I think we can still benefit from it.

“It’s always fascinating to try new things, and I really hope this weekend’s event, the 10th Bahrain Grand Prix, is a great success.”

Eric Boullier, Racing Director, McLaren Mercedes: “Although we didn’t enjoy the same level of competitiveness in Malaysia as we had in Australia, we nonetheless took home 10 valuable world championship points That’s not enough, but it’s better than some of our competitors managed.

“At the moment, we concede that we don’t quite have the performance to take the fight to the front-runners, but the considerable in-cockpit abilities of Jenson and Kevin, and the ever-impressive resource, motivation and competitiveness of our race team, mean that we can expect to be in the mix on Sunday.

“Since the Bahrain Grand Prix will be taking place just a week after the Malaysian race, we don’t expect to see a significant change in the competitive order, so our main aim will be to ensure that we have a faultless weekend from a reliability and operational standpoint. Despite the short interval between the two races, we’ll be incorporating a small number of design tweaks, nonetheless.

“For our Mumtalakat shareholders, this 10th Bahrain Grand Prix should be a very special event: the prospect of a night-time race in Bahrain is truly tantalising. Although we already race in the dark in both Singapore and Abu Dhabi, the Sakhir track sits in the Bahraini desert and should look wonderfully spectacular when its illuminated asphalt is contrasted against the dark expanses of unlit sand and rock. More important, it should add a further dimension to the scope and spectacle of modern Formula 1.”

[MIKA27]

Bahrain podium Williams' objective

Despite recording two disappointing results in the first two races of the season, Williams are confident of securing a podium in Bahrain this week.

Williams were near the top of the time sheets throughout preseason, but after struggling in the wet qualifying in Australia and Malaysia, they struggled to convert their testing form to the race track.

Nevertheless, Williams engineer Rod Nelson believes they are capable of achieving their goal of finishing on the podium at Sakhir.

"Absolutely, [finishing on the podium] that's definitely our target," he told ESPN.

"I think it's going to be circuit dependent [this year]. I'm quite optimistic for Bahrain, we obviously did a lot of running there and we have a very good idea of where we are in the pecking order in Bahrain, although Red Bull, for example, are looking a lot stronger than they were then.

"This weekend [in Malaysia] I would say we had the legs on McLaren and Ferrari are looking stronger than they have been through winter testing as well.

"If qualifying in Malaysia had been dry we probably would have been third or fourth.

The Williams FW36 are among the fastest in a straight line on the circuit and are economical with its fuel usage, according to the FIA's fuel usage figures.

"It's not down to a lack of downforce, it's a lack of drag. You've got to look at the weekend holistically and you've got to look at where you want to put your car.

"You've got to look at whether you want to be quick in quali on a certain type of track or do you want to be quick in the race at another type of track. You have to look at the whole year and the circuits we go to and the level of drag we are prepared to take," Nelson added.

"Part of that equation is the amount of fuel you want to carry. If you take the rear wing off the car then you'll use three quarters of the amount of fuel, but it's about finding a balance and maybe we found that balance slightly differently to some other teams. Sometimes it benefits us and other times it detracts."

[MIKA27]

Lotus: We can rival McLaren

Lotus Operations Director Alan Permane insists that the Enstone team has the potential to rival top 10 regulars like McLaren and score points consistently.

Lotus have struggled throughout the initial parts of the season, but were given a bit of a boost when Romain Grosjean ended in 11th place in Malaysia, their first finish of the season.

"Racing for tenth is not what we want to do, but when you look at where teams like McLaren are, they certainly look very catchable," Permane told Autosport.

"We don't need to stick a great deal [of performance] in to do that.

"We know we have an awful lot coming power unit wise, so we know we can certainly react to them and although we are far back, it won't take a lot.

"To catch Mercedes or Red Bull is very difficult, but I'm pretty sure that we can be regularly going into Q3 and scoring good points."

Because of the problems Lotus have had throughout preseason and the Australian Grand Prix, there is a lot of room for their E22 to be improved upon: set-up work over the next three races can deliver big returns while the problems with the Renault power unit seem to be less debilitating after each race.

"We know what we can do to improve things with the power unit and we are working hard with Renault to do that," Permane added in his interview with Autosport.

"We will make a step next race, we will make another step in China and we will make another step in Barcelona, so things are happening.

"And it's not just the power unit, as we have got problems with our braking [by wire] system because we haven't used it much and are now discovering it.

"We have got some tests going on back at Enstone and we hope to learn a lot more about that.

"All the engineers and the mechanics here are doing incredibly long hours and for everybody back at Enstone it's soul-destroying not to see the car on track after all the work that's gone in.

"The work only gets harder when it's bad, but that's why we have a good bunch of people who keep their heads down and get on with it.

"There's no magic button. There is only one way out when you are in trouble and that's to put your head down and work."

[MIKA27]

Wolff: Merc battle just a matter of time

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff believes it is only a matter of time before Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are engaged in a tough battle on the track.

The Mercedes pair have won a race each so far this year, but after following up his win in Australia with a second place in Malaysia, Rosberg is currently leading the Drivers' Championship by 18 points from Hamilton.

During an interview with ESPN, Wolff admitted that the team has spent a significant of time in discussing what sort of team orders would be best in such a scenario, before adding that it seems inevitable that the pair will have a fall-out at some point.

"We are spending quite some time discussing those things, discussing scenarios and discussing situations," Wolff told ESPN.

"It's Mercedes and it's the team that comes first, but one day it will be rubbish. It's all academic and we will run into situations where we have to manage - they are still very competitive creatures.

"The intra-team rivalry has been there since the beginning. It's been there since last January. What makes a difference is that these guys have known each other for such a long time and they have a fair relationship with each other, but it doesn't mean that they are not extremely competitive and that they will try to use every advantage they can.

"What is important is that we try to make it very clear from the beginning that the team has come from very far off, we have been fifth [in 2012], and you saw it last year in Malaysia that we ran into a situation that we didn't manage in the way we should have managed because we were surprised how competitive we were, compared to our own feeling."

Even though Mercedes set the pace throughout the most of preseason and the first two races of the year, Wolff remains wary of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel, who finished third in Malaysia.

"You cannot be complacent because we have seen a Red Bull right up our arse here," Wolff added.

"If you consider they have missed out on two thirds of the testing it was a necessary wake-up call for us.

"In this digital world it is so easy to forget so quickly what happened yesterday. We are still speaking about four-time World Champions and here is us winning two races. We have a package that seems to be very good this season, but it is not consolidated yet and not sustainable yet.

"Nevertheless, I don't want to diminish the work that has been done back in Stuttgart, Brackley, Brixworth and Kuala Lumpur for our fuels. But let's keep quiet because they are bouncing back from what looked to be horrific testing."

[MIKA27]

ALONSO VS HULKENBERG & OTHER TALES FROM MALAYSIAN GP

Only two races into the new hybrid turbo formula, the intense heat of Malaysia was always going to be a stiff challenge for the teams, but once again an impressive 15 cars from the 22 starters made it to the end.

Pace was the ultimate decider of this race, with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton simply too fast for the rest, leading home a Mercedes 1-2, but behind him there were some good battles in which strategy played a key part in the outcome.

Alonso vs Hulkenberg: Different strategies at play

Before the race one of the key decisions was whether to go for two or three stops. In the end only Hulkenberg, starting seventh and Kobayashi, starting 20th went for it.

It was much hotter on race day than it had been in practice, despite the fact that the race started at 16-00hrs local time on Sunday while practice had been held at 14-00hrs on Friday. On top of that heavy rain on Saturday night had washed the rubber away and the track was very dirty on race day, which meant that the cars were sliding around more and overheating the tyres.

The pace of the race was therefore lower than expected – a second a lap slower than Friday practice in fact.

Most teams went for a three stop plan, Magnussen was forced into an early stop on lap 9 with a damaged front wing from the collision with Raikkonen, while Alonso was being very aggressive by taking his first stop on lap 11, a lap or two earlier than the optimum. He was locked once again into a fascinating battle with Hulkenberg’s Force India.

Ferrari went for the aggressive route to let Alonso really attack the German, while Force India decided to try something different; they went for a two stopper. There were several reasons for this; although their pace was similar, as Melbourne had showed, they didn’t believe that they could overtake Alonso on the same strategy.

Also there was a threat of rain and having a more flexible strategy meant that they could potentially luck into a stop as the rain arrived and catch out Ferrari who would be multi stopping and might have just been in when the rain came.

Ferrari was also mindful of tyre degradation. In Friday practice Alonso’s car did a long run on hard tyres, which didn’t look great from the tyre degradation perspective. In the race his degradation was as high as anyone’s, this will be a concern to Ferrari moving forward and must be addressed if they are to be competitive.

A two stopper puts you ahead of the three stopper you are racing against after his final stop. So Hulkenberg found himself 14 seconds ahead after Alonso’s last stop, with 13 laps to go. Anything could happen. Force India had lost nothing and it was well worth a go. In the end it did not work out, Alonso made the most of his aggressive plan and used the new medium tyres in the final stint to catch and pass the German for fourth place.

Alonso had taken the hard tyre in his third stint, rather than at the end because he knew he would need the extra performance to pass Hulkenberg.

The Alonso Hulkenberg battle gave the race an interesting strategic case study and was another heroic performance from Hulkenberg and Force India.

Keeping cool on track.. and on the pit wall

Cooling strategies were also a significant player in the outcome in Malaysia. All teams knew that they would have to compensate for the high temperatures by opening up the bodywork for cooling in some way and that this would cost them aerodynamic performance.

This was a factor in Ferrari having stronger performance in Malaysia than McLaren, despite McLaren’s upgrade package with a new front wing. It had been the other way around in Australia.

It also played a role in the “team orders” controversy at Williams, as Massa’s car was running hotter than Bottas’, according to Williams’ senior engineer Rod Nelson. Bottas had been instructed to stay behind Massa early in the race, despite believing he was faster. The pair was behind Button – Bottas felt he had the pace to pass the McLaren.

Bottas’ strategy involved him pitting two laps later each time than Massa and four laps later than Button at the final stop. So he had a car with no cooling issue and much fresher tyres for an attack on Button in the final stint.

Williams say that the plan was for Massa to let Bottas have three or four laps to attack Button and then if he were unsuccessful, Bottas would drop back behind Massa again for the finish. Massa refused to co-operate and they finished in that order.

There is a fine line between team orders and strategic plays and this was a strategic play by Williams; the trouble is Massa has been on the wrong end of team orders many times in his career and it definitely affected his self-esteem and his trust in the team.

It was extremely unfortunate that Williams chose similar wording here to the infamous “Fernando is faster than you” coded message from Ferrari in Germany 2010 to let Alonso through to win the race. And psychologically this may well have contributed to Massa refusing to collaborate, making it look more like a team orders situation than a strategic play.

Would Bottas have passed Button for sixth place if allowed to try? Well in Australia he was the driver who made the most significant overtakes and in Malaysia he had made up six places on the opening lap after being hit with a grid penalty. So he certainly looked racy. Pace wise it would have been difficult, but his fresher tyres would have given him a chance, perhaps. Williams are mindful that although they have 20 pouts on the board and lie fourth in the constructors’ table, they need to maximise their results in these early races with a very quick car. They probably feel that they haven’t really been able to do that.

In terms of strategy the question here is, was it worth the risk of damaging Massa psychologically and potentially undermining his trust in the team at this early stage for the sake of an extra two points?

The team clearly felt he would understand the strategic side of their intentions and they will be working with him now to understand. It is important for fans also to understand the difference between a team order and a strategic play.

Reliable pit stops count for more

It is noticeable this season that many teams are not chasing the ultimate speed in pit stops, preferring to be consistent and eliminate the risk of something going wrong.

Rather than go for the sub 2 seconds stops we saw last season, many teams prefer now to take half a second longer and avoid foul-ups. It is noticeable, for example, how Mercedes has slipped down the table of fastest stops, but its stops are consistent. Red Bull showed in Malaysia how time lost in a botched stop can ruin a driver’s race and take away all chance of points.

Daniel Ricciardo’s front left wheel was not properly fixed on after his third stop and it cost him fourth place. Ferrari remains the benchmark team for pit stops this season.

Race History Graph, Courtesy of Williams Martini Racing

[Click on graph to enlarge] The zero line is an imaginary car setting the winner’s average lap speed every lap.

Note the Button, Massa, Bottas battle and the way Bottas had set himself up for an attack in the final stint by staggering his stops so his tyres would be fresher for the final stint. Note also the pace of Hamilton in the opening stint and the way he eases off to control the race after that. It is very reminiscent of a trace from Vettel in the second half of last year.

[MIKA27]

Sauber hope to gain sixth tenths with new chassis

Sauber are working on a new lightweight chassis which they hope to debut at the Spanish Grand Prix, in the hope of meeting the minimum weight allowance.

The team have been struggling to meet F1's new 692kg weight limit this year due to a new heavier power unit, heavier tyres and a heavier safety structure.

The C33 is believed to be about 20kg overweight and the team are hopeful of losing that amount, which it estimates is costing them about six tenths a lap.

The revised chassis should be ready in time for the first European race in May, according to team principal Monisha Kaltenborn.

"We are planning a big upgrade for Barcelona introducing measures on the weight side," she told Autosport.

[MIKA27]

Button joins elite club when in Bahrain he celebrates his 250th grand prix

McLaren’s Jenson Button is the most experienced driver on the 2014 grid – at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix he will celebrate his 250th race – 80 of which have been with McLaren-Mercedes. Here, talking exclusively to McLaren.com, Jenson reflects on 15 consecutive seasons in the top echelon.

You’re only the fifth driver in history to reach this milestone. What does it mean to you?

Jenson Button : It means I’ve been around for a long time! I’m very happy with my career, even though there have been highs and lows. One of the things I’m most proud of is the way I’ve stacked up against my team-mates. I’ve had 10 of them in 15 seasons, so I’ve needed to prove myself to the new guy sat beside me virtually every year. It’s a very funny sport in that respect because even after everything you’ve achieved, you’ve still got to prove yourself time and again.

Which of your 15 victories to date would you rate as your best?

JB: The first one – Hungary 2006 – was pretty special because the conditions were tricky and it meant a lot to win my first race. Canada 2011, when I went from last to first and overtook Sebastian [Vettel] for the lead on the final lap, was another special one, as were my wins at Spa in 2012 and Suzuka in ’11. If I had to pick one victory as my best, I’d say Japan. Suzuka is such a special racetrack and the year in which I won, in ’11, just after the tsunami, made it particularly special.

Can you name your best Qualifying lap to date?

JB: My pole lap at Monaco in 2009 was pretty awesome, as was my lap at Spa in 2012 when I was 0.4s quicker than everybody else – and I didn’t have a bad team-mate at the time (Lewis Hamilton). There’s also my first pole position, at Imola in 2004. To drive a V10-engined F1 car around that track was amazing because you were on the ragged edge all the time and you couldn’t afford to make a mistake. If I had to pick one lap, it would be that one at Imola.

What’s the best track you’ve driven on?

JB: That has to be Imola – a proper circuit. It has a great flow to it and I like the way you clamber over the kerbs. You use all of the circuit because it’s narrow, but you don’t go over the track limits because it’s unforgiving. When you get a lap out of the car there, it means a lot because you know you’ve really had to push the limits.

What’s been your best overtaking manoeuvre?

JB: There have been a lot of them because I’ve been around for 15 years! But a few stand out: in 2006 I overtook two people around the outside of Turn 6 at Interlagos, which was pretty exciting because it’s a quick corner. I also went around the outside of Adrian Sutil and Felipe Massa at Austin last year. That’s been my move: going around the outside of two people! There was also Fernando Alonso at Hockenheim a couple of years ago. We had a 10-lap battle and it was real wheel-to-wheel stuff. That was probably the best battle I’ve had during my career. There was respect, but we were pushing the boundaries.

Can you think of a race where you deserved more recognition than you got at the time?

JB: Spa 2013 was a very good race for me. I finished sixth, but managed to hang onto the cars in front and was only 13 seconds behind third place at the chequered flag. I don’t think our car deserved to be that competitive, so that was a very special race. There was also Brazil 2009, the race at which I won the World Championship. I finished fifth, but got everything out of the car because the Brawn wasn’t quick in the dry and I battled through the field from 14th. All anyone focused on at the end of the race was the championship, but that was one of my best races.”

What’s been your most embarrassing moment in an F1 car?

JB: Probably China 2011, when I drove into the wrong pitbox. Even when I was stationary in the Red Bull box and the mechanics were waving me through, I still thought I was in the right place! I remember asking myself, “what’s the matter with these guys?”, and then I realised what was going on.

What’s your favourite corner?

JB: Piratella at Imola. It’s a very quick left-hander, just before the circuit drops down to Acque Minerali. It’s such a rush when you go through there and get it right. But corners don’t make circuits; it’s sections of track that make circuits special. The Esses at Suzuka is one such place. When you exit them at the top of the hill and breathe for the first time, you ask yourself what happened. Becketts at Silverstone is another classic section. Then there’s Spa, which is just one big flowing corner.

Who’s been your best team-mate?

JB: The most interesting and exciting team-mate has been Lewis. He was very up and down emotionally, but always super-fast. He’s very talented and it was great having him alongside me. He was very quick in Qualifying and there were days when I’d look at his lap time and say, “I don’t know how he did that”. But there were days when I beat him and they felt very special. In terms of race pace there wasn’t much between us and we both had to do the perfect job to beat each other.

Who’s been your best rival?

JB: The best ones are those who I’ve been racing the longest. That means Fernando [Alonso] and Kimi [Raikkonen], and [Mark] Webber was one of them too. And of course Lewis. With all of those guys it’s tough racing; you push the limit, but you always know that the fight will be fair. It’s not the same with a lot of the new drivers.

Can you name the best McLaren that you’ve raced?

JB: That has to be the MP4-26 from 2011. It wasn’t the prettiest car, with its u-shaped sidepods, but once you’d got used to the blown diffuser it was a bloody quick car. The 2010 car was also special, with its F-duct, but the best has to be the MP4-26.

What advice would 250-race Jenson give to first-race Jenson?

JB: To take the rough with the smooth. Like most F1 drivers, I didn’t experience much rough en route to F1 and it was only when I got here that I had to learn to deal with it. You’re going to have frustrating days, but it can turn around tomorrow and you’ve got to be ready for that moment.

Tell us one lesson that you’ve learned over the years?

JB: It’s not a lesson, but the nicest thing anyone ever said to me came from my dad. He said: ‘You might not be the quickest driver in the world…but you’re the best.’ Those words meant a lot, and they still do.

When you eventually retire from F1, is there anything in F1 that you’ll miss?

JB: That moment when I close my visor and head out of the garage. The driving’s the bit that I love. When Dave [Robson, race engineer] comes on the radio and says, “Bite point find, three burn-outs and launch”, that’s what it’s about. It’s just you and the circuit. I’ll miss that.

[MIKA27]

Tech Talk: McLaren MP4-29 new nosecone explained and analysed

McLaren arrived in Malaysia buoyed by their result in Melbourne with Ron Dennis claiming ahead of the event they had updates that would lead to a further gain of 0.5 secs per lap.

The most obvious of these changes comes in the form of a new nosecone, taking a more extreme approach to this year’s regulations in order to facilitate the passage of more airflow under the nose of the car.

The controversy of Fuelgate and a clear disdain by many for the new sound of F1 was a distraction from the pre-season dissatisfaction of the nose shapings seen up and down the grid. McLaren’s nose is one such bone of contention for many but aesthetics rarely come into a design team’s ethos, which relentlessy chases performance.

With this in mind the new nosecone is not a massive departure from its predecessor but pushes the limits of the design further.

The gently downward curving upper surface of the nosecone is replaced by a flatter profile to meet with the curvature regulations, allowing for the increased height for which the airflow can pass underneath. The height differential also means the ‘finger’ extension has increased in length and droops more rapidly whilst the team have also worked hard to reduce its width.

The mounting pylons have of course been increased in height to accommodate the changes to the nosecone but you’ll note that their length and shape has also changed in order to better manipulate the airflow in the region. This of course comes off the back of the team’s change to new under chassis turning vanes in Melbourne.

[MIKA27]

Santander want Alonso to stay in F1 for another ten years

Ferrari’s major sponsor Santander is going nowhere, according to Emilio Botin, the Spanish banking group’s chief.

Botin said, “We want to continue in Formula 1 for at least ten more years,” Marca sports newspaper quoted him.

And Botin said that Santander want to remain hand-in-hand with Fernando Alonso for the same time period.

“I am convinced that, in ten years, Fernando Alonso will be as good as he is today,” he insisted.

Also present for Botin’s speech was Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, who said: “I agree.”

Botin also revealed why he allowed Santander’s sponsorship with McLaren to lapse.

“There is only one Ferrari team, period,” he said. “We were interested in being with McLaren still because we have a bank in England, but it was a small sponsorship.

“When [Lewis] Hamilton was there it was justified. [Jenson] Button is a great driver, but it’s another matter,” Botin explained.

He suggested that a difficult start to the 2014 season for Ferrari is not swaying Santander’s loyalty.

“The partnership with Ferrari is the best we have had throughout our history,” said Botin. “It is the key for Santander being known around the world.”

Botin did, however, ask Domenicali when real improvements for Ferrari’s 2014 car will arrive.

“China,” the Italian answered. “Good, good,” Botin replied.

[MIKA27]

Stricter rules have slowed down Formula 1 pitstops

Stricter rules this season have forced teams to slow down Formula 1′s impressive pitstops.

Last year in Malaysia, Mark Webber entered the pitlane, had all four wheels changed and reached the pit exit in the space of 20 seconds.

But according to Auto Motor und Sport, the best total pitstop time – pit entry to pit exit – at Sepang last weekend was Fernando Alonso’s 24 seconds.

The main change since 2013 is that pitstop incidents are now penalised more severely. A near tragic incident during the 2013 German Grand Prix, when a cameraman was struck by a wheel which flew of Mark Webber’s Red Bull, was the catalyst to tighten up on safety in the pits.

In Malaysia this year, for instance, when Red Bull released Daniel Ricciardo with a wheel not attached securely, the Australian had to serve a ten-second stop and go penalty.

He will also start ten places down the Bahrain grid this weekend.

“I think it’s unfair to be punished twice,” Helmut Marko is quoted as saying.

But an FIA source hit back: “The new rule was introduced at the request of the teams.”

Ron Meadows, the Mercedes team manager, said the rule has had the effect of slowing down the pitstops because a mistake “hurts you for two races”.

“In a situation like ours, it is better to be on the safe side and do a pitstop that’s one second slower,” he explained.

[MIKA27]

Frentzen has fix for processional new era Formula 1

A dash of more fuel and a power drill – that is how former Formula 1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen would spice up the 2014 spectacle.

“I saw the first part of the race,” recently-retired Red Bull driver Mark Webber told Talksport radio when recalling the Malaysian Grand Prix.

“I didn’t watch it all – it got a little bit processional,” said the Australian.

Frentzen thinks part of the problem is all the fuel-saving, now that drivers can only use 100 litres from the start of the race to the end.

“I would give them ten more litres in the tank,” he told Austrian television Servus TV. “Then they could drive fast for the whole race.

“And I’d drill a hole in the exhaust,” Frentzen smiled, referring to the quieter sound of the turbo V6 engines.

However, he said he is supportive of the move to more relevant ‘hybrid’ technology.

“Rather than spending all the money on a front wing, now they’re investing in sustainable technology,” said Frentzen.

Daniil Kvyat, a teenage rookie on the 2014 grid, said he is proud to be a part of the ‘new’ Formula 1.

“I remember seeing cars going 330 [km/h] on the Monza straight when I was a kid, but this year we will be going 360 or even more.

“With each revolution, something is lost and something is gained,” the Russian told La Repubblica newspaper.

[MIKA27]

Tight security measures in place for Bahrain GP weekend

Bahrain is tightening up security measures for this weekend’s Formula 1 race in the island kingdom

“The plans will be implemented based on our studies and the experience gained during the events of previous years,” said the Sakhir circuit’s head of security, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Security in Bahrain has always been a relevant topic, particularly since the civil uprisings of 2011.

Again ahead of the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix, opposition groups are reportedly organising disruptive anti-Formula 1 protests.

According to Arabian Business, the opposition is urging Bahrainis to burn race tickets and sabotage Formula 1-themed billboards.

“There are conflicts all around the world, but that does not mean banning or stopping sports activities as it has nothing to do with those issues,” argues parliamentarian Ahmed Al Sa’ati.

[MIKA27]

F1 legend Moss backs Massa over Williams team orders

Formula 1 legend Sir Stirling Moss says he would have reacted to team orders just as Felipe Massa did during the Malaysian Grand Prix.

While some sided with the Brazilian in the wake of his tenure as Ferrari ‘number 2′, others referred to the long history of ‘team orders’ in Formula 1.

But although cited as a player and proponent of Formula 1′s ‘team orders’ history, 84-year-old Briton Moss said he too would have refused to let Valtteri Bottas past at Sepang.

Told by Motorsport Magazine that he surely would have given up the position, Moss answered: “Not a chance, boy.

“If it’s not written into the contract that you must let your teammate through, you’re racing him as much as anyone else on the track – and if it were in the contract I wouldn’t sign it,” he added.

“I only made an exception for one person and that was for [Juan Manuel] Fangio and out of respect.”

Moss said that Williams were not justified in telling Massa to give up a position so early in a world championship campaign.

“There might be other grounds, later in the season if only one of you has a shot at the title – but this was race two!” he exclaimed.

“In his shoes I’d have done exactly the same as Massa.”

[MIKA27]

Tight security measures in place for Bahrain GP weekend

Bahrain is tightening up security measures for this weekend’s Formula 1 race in the island kingdom

“The plans will be implemented based on our studies and the experience gained during the events of previous years,” said the Sakhir circuit’s head of security, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Security in Bahrain has always been a relevant topic, particularly since the civil uprisings of 2011.

Again ahead of the 2014 Bahrain Grand Prix, opposition groups are reportedly organising disruptive anti-Formula 1 protests.

According to Arabian Business, the opposition is urging Bahrainis to burn race tickets and sabotage Formula 1-themed billboards.

“There are conflicts all around the world, but that does not mean banning or stopping sports activities as it has nothing to do with those issues,” argues parliamentarian Ahmed Al Sa’ati.

[MIKA27]

Tech Talk: Exactly what did Mercedes have in their bag of tricks for Malaysia?

The development war rages behind the scenes of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship – perhaps more so than ever before, as the quest for downforce utopia is top priority with the all new regulations for this season, tech guru Matthew Somerfield takes a good look at what Mercedes had bolted on to the race winning W05 during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend.

Front wing

Mercedes took two different front wings to Melbourne but raced the older version and whilst both were run during the Free Practice sessions in Malaysia it was once again the older configuration that the drivers preferred.

That’s not to say it’s still the same wing as they used in Melbourne, with the team still chasing performance they added 3 Vortex Generators on the second tier of the mainplane.

These disturb the airflow, as they are placed ahead of the strakes that extrude from the back of the wing, breaking up the airflow before the strakes and increasing their efficiency.

Engine cover & radiator cooling outlets

Mercedes enjoyed the luxury of assessing a plethora of cooling options during pre-season testing owing to the mileage they completed, compared with their rivals. One of several options trialled for warmer climates was utilised in Malaysia with the WO5 sporting a much larger engine cover exit. More in-keeping with the McLaren MP4-29′s regular cover it features both the usual central outlet through which the exhaust extrudes with a larger outlet either side.

The additional bodywork is great in terms of cooling but it comes at the expense of additional drag, the slower moving hot air now exits in a crucial zone and so the engine cover’s surfaces will have been carefully crafted in order to mitigate the losses.

The team also had tried and tested revisions (tested throughout pre-season in various conditions) on the radiator cooling outlets just behind the cockpit. These allow hot radiator air to exit from the sidepod and are carefully managed by the teams in terms of size, dependent on conditions. This is because the airflow dispatched by them has had it’s energy utilsed by the radiators and will therefore be slower than the airflow passing over the sidepod.

Y100 winglets & diffuser gurney extensions

Although Mercedes are currently the class of the field they are producing minor updates to enhance their superior package. In Malaysia the team added two small winglets in the Y100 region (The central 200mm or 100 from the centreline (Y100) is design free space allowing the teams to proliferate the area with bodywork) these small winglets may not seem like much but they help to frame the flow structures that are already in place, enhancing them.

The team are already taking advantage of the area under the crash structure with the placement of a winglet and longitudinal triangular vanes, whilst beneath it they have shaped the both the diffuser and floor to create a U Bend, both getting around the new starter motor hole regulations and increasing the flow from the upper floors surface into the diffuser.

Sitting on the periphery of the floor’s U bend the new winglets act like a perforated gurney, upwashing the airflow, aiding the structures already in place, including pulling airflow through the diffuser.

[MIKA27]

The Big Preview: Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir

Just a few short days after the Malaysian Grand Prix, where Mercedes stormed to its first one-two finish since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix, Formula 1 arrives in Bahrain for round three of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship.

And as the Bahrain International Circuit celebrates the tenth anniversary of its arrival onto the F1 calendar it presents teams and drivers with a new challenge

- a race under floodlights.

This year sees the circuit join Singapore and Abu Dhabi in staging race staged fully or partially at night and the 6pm start will change how the race is approached.

For instance, the cooler temperatures of the evening will lead to changes in balance and grip levels. Teams do, however, have some data on these conditions with the two pre-season tests held at this circuit running into the cooler early evening hours on a number of occasions.

The bonus, too, is that the lower temperatures will place less stress on the cooling capabilities of the new power units, a particular issue for some in the run-up to the start of this season.

Elsewhere, the Bahrain track features a mix of slow-speed corners at the end of straights which means that the BIC is one of the most severe on brakes all season. However, while this also means that tyres take some punishment, especially in terms of longitudinal energy going into the tyres, Pirelli is bringing its medium and soft compound tyres this weekend.

This race always presents an intriguing set of challenges but this year a whole new set of variables has been thrown into the mix via the sport’s new regulations and the first F1 night-race in Bahrain’s history. Mercedes have dominated so far this season, but under the BIC floodlights anything could happen.

Bahrain International Circuit Data

• Length of lap: 5.412 km
• Lap record 1:31.447 (Pedro De la Rosa, McLaren, 2005)
• Start line/finish line offset: 0.246 km
• Total number of race laps: 57
• Total race distance: 308.238 km
• Pitlane speed limits: 80km/h in practice, qualifying and the race
• The DRS sectors at the Bahrain International Circuit will be as last year. The detection point of the first zone is 10m before Turn Nine and the activation point is 50m after Turn 10. The second zone’s detection point is 108 m before Turn 14, with activation occurring 270 m after Turn 15.

Bahrain Grand Prix Fast Facts

• This year marks the 10th anniversary of the inaugural race here in Bahrain. The first grand prix took place on 04/04/04 and was won by Michael Schumacher. This year’s race will be the 10th running of the grand prix as well, the 2011 event having been cancelled.
• This year’s race will also be the first Bahrain Grand Prix to be staged under lights. The Bahrain International Circuit has installed 495 lighting poles around the circuit, ranging in height from 10-45 metres. Over 500 km of cabling was installed to power the system and it features 5,000 luminaries. The entire lighting project at the circuit took just six months to complete.
• This will be F1’s third race under lights. Singapore has hosted a full night race since 2008 and Abu Dhabi’s race begins in twilight and ends in darkness.
• The first corner at the BIC was earlier this year named in honour of Michael Schumacher. As well winning the first race here, the seven-times champion advised the grand prix organisers during construction phase of the circuit. After retiring from F1 at the end of 2006, Schumacher made his return to the sport at the 2010 Bahrain GP.
• Fernando Alonso has the most victories here, with three. He won for Renault in 2005 and 2006 and then for Ferrari in 2010. Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa have two wins each at the track. Massa won back-to-back events in 2007-’08 for Ferrari, while Red Bull Racing’s Vettel has won the last two races here.
• The only other man to have won the Bahrain GP is Jenson Button. The Briton won for Brawn in his championship year of 2009.
• Vettel and Schumacher are the only multiple pole position winners here. Schumacher was on pole at the first race and again in 2006, while Vettel started from the front in 2010 and 2011. The other pole position men are: Massa (’07), Robert Kubica (’08), Jarno Trulli (’09) and Nico Rosberg (2013). Kubica’s pole was the only one of his F1 career to date.
• The race has never been won from further back than fourth on the grid. Alonso won in 2006 from the back of the second row, as did Button in ’09.
• Victories for Schumacher, Massa (2) and Alonso mean that Ferrari is the most successful constructor here with four wins. Renault (2005 and 2006). Red Bull Racing (2012, 2013) are the next closest challengers.
• The 2010 race was the opening race of that season. Three teams, Lotus (now Caterham), HRT and Virgin (now Marussia) made their debut. Only one of the teams’ six cars finished the race, Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen finishing in 15th place.
• The 2010 race also gave an F1 debut to five drivers – Nico Hülkenberg (Williams), Karun Chandhok (HRT), Lucas Di Grassi (Virgin), Bruno Senna (Hispania) and Vitaly Petrov (Renault). Of the five, only Hülkenberg will feature this year.

Bahrain Grand Prix Race Stewards

• Lars Österlind is a highly experienced FIA steward who has officiated at more than 100 grands prix and a similar number of World Rally Championship rounds. A social sciences graduate and lifelong motor sport enthusiast, Österlind was President of the Swedish Rally Commission from 1978-1982, then President of the Swedish Automobile Sport Federation from 1982-1996. He became Honorary President in 1996 and has been a member of the FIA World Council since 1984. Outside motor sport Österlind has specialised in management, working as a consultant and pursuing his own business interests. He is also experienced in local government at city council level.
• Italian-born Vincenzo Spano grew up in Venezuela, where he went on to study at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, becoming an attorney-at-law. Spano has wide-ranging experience in motor sport, from national to international level. He has worked for the Touring y Automóvil Club de Venezuela since 1991, and served as President of the Sporting Commission since 2001. He was president for two terms and now sits as a member of the Board of the Nacam-FIA zone. Since 1995 Spano has been a licenced steward and obtained his FIA steward superlicence in 2003.Spano has been involved with the FIA and FIA Institute in various roles since 2001: a member of the World Motor Sport Council, the FIA Committee, and the executive committee of the FIA Institute.
• Derek Warwick raced in 146 grands prix from 1981 to 1993, appearing for Toleman, Renault, Brabham, Arrows and Lotus. He scored 71 points and achieved four podium finishes, with two fastest laps. He was World Sportscar Champion in 1992, driving for Peugeot. He also won Le Mans in the same year. He raced Jaguar sportscars in 1986 and 1991 and competed in the British Touring Car Championship between 1995 and 1998, as well as a futher appearance at the Le Mans in 1996, driving for the Courage Competition team. Warwick is a frequent FIA Driver Steward and is President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.

[MIKA27]

Bahrain Grand Prix: Toro Rosso preview Sakhir weekend

Toro Rosso preview the forthcoming Bahrain Grand Prix, Round 3 of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship, at Bahrain International Circuit:

Daniil Kvyat: “It’s a nice circuit, good for testing and racing with its long straights and hard braking, as well as a mix of corners and challenging ones, like Turn 10. I am looking forward to racing there, as it will be the first track I will drive on this year where I have already tested. But really, that doesn’t make much difference to my approach, because whatever track we go to, I should learn it quickly enough.”

Jean Eric Vergne: “Sakhir will be the first track this year where we have already driven the latest car, as we had the two test sessions there. Regarding the new cars, from the cockpit, despite all the technical changes, they are not so different to drive, when compared to the 2013 models. You still have a steering wheel, a throttle and a brake! There are a few aspects of your driving that you have to adapt, but the real changes are on the Power Unit side, in terms of when and how you will work to save fuel during the race, compared to going flat out on a qualifying lap. I think this year’s grand prix here will be quite special, as it is the first time we will drive this circuit at night under lights. I think that will be cool, and it will bring a special atmosphere to this race, looking a bit like Qatar for the MotoGP race. The track itself presents nothing out of the ordinary, with the usual aero compromise so that the car is quick down the straight, but still has enough downforce for all the corners.”

Chief Engineer Phil Charles talks us through the Sakhir Circuit: “There are a few tricky sections such as braking for T10 (while still cornering in T9!) and the section comprising Turns 5 to 7 where it is often difficult for the drivers to know whether to push or not. It is quite hard on brakes and rear tyres and this often becomes a focus of our setup work across the weekend. On top of all of this, Mother Nature also makes it a bit more tricky, with very high and gusting winds, a possibility which can affect car balance in the high speed corners. The high winds also mean that sand is blown on to the track, however the cleaning machines currently used do a fantastic job of cleaning it up. Running the race at night for the first time should add interest. The drop in track temperatures at the end of the days during winter testing made for big balance and grip level changes, so it will be interesting to see how this unfolds later into the night at the race.

[MIKA27]

Fuel sensor issues undeniable - Red Bull

Christian Horner says the FIA cannot claim that no problems with Formula One's fuel sensors exist after Red Bull suffered another failure at the Malaysia Grand Prix last week.

Two weeks after Daniel Ricciardo, in his Red Bull debut in Australia, was excluded from the race after he breached the sport's fuel flow limit, the sensor on his RB10 broke completely during last week's race at Sepang.

With the sensor that relays fuel flow data to the FIA broken on Ricciardo's Red Bull, the Milton Keynes team used their owns data to illustrate that they are complying with regulations.

Unlike in Australia, where Red Bull's readings differed from those recorded by the fuel flow sensors, the FIA accepted that the reigning Constructors' Champions had no other course of action to take.

"It failed prior to the race," Horner told Autosport ahead of this week's Bahrain Grand Prix.

"We informed the FIA about it and we asked the FIA if we could revive it on the grid by effectively power cycling the car.

"We did that at the start of the race but it didn't come back to life. So, the sensor didn't work the whole race.

"I think it clearly demonstrates that there are issues with these sensors."

Horner added that he has no idea why Red Bull are the only ones that struggled with the sensors to such an extent.

"I've no idea why," he continued.

"Obviously we have a lot of data here to go away and look at.

"Theoretically there should not be a reason, but we need to look and understand it. Everyone else is happy with the sensor apparently.

"But Toro Rosso had two failures earlier in the weekend, and there have been other issues up and down the pitlane.

"They are the only ones we know about. But it certainly isn't unique to Red Bull."

[stargazer14]

Wow. You know your life is wizzing by when Button is at 250 GP's.

I saw the headline and was like -

"wait, isn't he the new young kid on the block?"

20 years since Senna gone is a reality check also.

Speaking of - here is a photo I took at the 1987 USGP in Detriot.

Had a seat on the Lotus pits, Senna won.

[MIKA27]

Hamilton targets back-to-back wins

After failing to finish in Australia, Lewis Hamilton believes his victory in Malaysia last week will 'kick-start' his season.

Although Mercedes were in dominant form throughout pre-season testing and the season-opener in Australia, where Hamilton qualified on pole, he was forced to retire early in the race and watched on as his team-mate Nico Rosberg claimed the victory at Albert Park.

Hamilton responded well to that setback and led the Malaysian Grand Prix last week from start to finish, while Rosberg finished a distant second.

Speaking to crash.net ahead of this week's Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton noted that his victory last week had given him the confident he needed, even though he is already 18 points behind Rosberg in the Drivers' Championship.

"It was great to kick-start my season with a win in Malaysia," Hamilton told crash.net.

"Taking a one-two was also a fantastic result for the team and I can't wait to see what we can do in Bahrain.

"I've finished on the podium here a couple of times here but, for one reason or another, I've never managed to get the win. Until last week it was the same story for me with Malaysia, so fingers crossed this can be the year of breaking those cycles!"

Even though the races at Sepang and Sakhir take place only a week apart, Hamilton added that he is expecting tougher opposition in Bahrain.

"Malaysia was a really busy event for the team and we have a test coming up straight after this weekend's race, so it would be great to give the crew another good result to head home with after a long road trip," Hamilton added.

"We know it's going to be tough to maintain our current form, particularly at a circuit where every team has had so much running time over the winter, but I'll be pushing hard to keep those results coming."

[MIKA27]

Wow. You know your life is wizzing by when Button is at 250 GP's.

I saw the headline and was like -

"wait, isn't he the new young kid on the block?"

20 years since Senna gone is a reality check also.

Speaking of - here is a photo I took at the 1987 USGP in Detriot.

Had a seat on the Lotus pits, Senna won.

Yep... The years are flying by mate! I still recall going to the F1 in Adelaide, the Melbourne GP still feels as if it's a new circuit yet it really isn't in the scheme of things so that's my benchmark in counting the years.

So many drivers have come and gone, some greats, others not so but the years are certainly ticking along!

My first ever GP was 1985 Adelaide GP, Senna was on pole but was ultimately won by Keke Rosberg.

Even posting on this forum, 5 years now, how time is flying by! No sooner I start an F1 thread, I'm closing it and creating the next seasons.