FORMULA 1 - 2016

[Baldy]

2 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

ECCLESTONE: MERCEDES SHOULD HAVE HELPED FERRARI A LITTLE MORE

 

 

MIKA: So...in the end Ecclestone is just contradicting himself. 

Of all teams, Ferrari should have been helped!? This is Ferrari, the team that gets the most amount of prize money regardless how they come in the pecking order at seasons end and Mercedes should have helped them? I seriously wish Bernie retires and a new fresh set of eyes runs the sport. It can't get any worse IMO.

Well said Mika and I 100% agree with you.  It will be a good day for F1 when Ecclestone leaves.

So why doesn't Mercedes help Renault and Honda?  Why don't RB give everyone their chasis?  If Bernie is serious about leveling the playing field start by giving every team an equal amount of prize money plus bonus incentives for position.  Maybe then we'll see smaller/independent teams have a fighting chance of getting on the podium on a consistent basis.  Might even attract more and diverse teams.  Maybe then F1 won't be so synonymous for Ferrari Championship.

[MIKA27]

20 minutes ago, Baldy said:

Well said Mika and I 100% agree with you.  It will be a good day for F1 when Ecclestone leaves.

So why doesn't Mercedes help Renault and Honda?  Why don't RB give everyone their chasis?  If Bernie is serious about leveling the playing field start by giving every team an equal amount of prize money plus bonus incentives for position.  Maybe then we'll see smaller/independent teams have a fighting chance of getting on the podium on a consistent basis.  Might even attract more and diverse teams.  Maybe then F1 won't be so synonymous for Ferrari Championship.

I would seriously love a "Mashup" car of sorts created just to see how competitive it would be.

Imagine, a chassis from Red Bull, Engine from Mercedes, Adrian Newey on the aero, McLaren applied electronics.

Then put that car into a race and see how well it goes..?

[MIKA27]

Renault to re-use Kevin Magnussen's F1 engine from Spa crash

Renault has confirmed the Formula 1 engine involved in Kevin Magnussen's accident during the Belgian Grand Prix will return to action.

Magnussen was involved in a heavy crash in the early stages of the race at Spa after losing control of his car at the top of Eau Rouge, before plouging into a barrier at Raidillon.

With the race in Italy the following weekend, Renault was forced to use a spare chassis on Magnussen's car, while sending out another to use as a back up.

The engine in the car from the crash was returned to Viry for checks to see if it had sustained any damage, and with none being discovered it can be re-used at a forthcoming event.

Chief technical officer Bob Bell said: "It's likely we'll run Kevin's Spa power unit on Friday in Singapore or Sepang as it looks like there was no serious damage to it in the accident."

Bell feels the performance and reliability of the engine this season has been a positive for the team in an otherwise difficult season on Renault's return to F1 as a works outfit.

"One of the real success stories of this year has been how strong the power unit has been," said Bell.

"That's not only through being able to exercise enhanced performance, but in the reliability we've seen. It's been a tremendous job from everyone in Viry."

With Renault's weaknesses exposed at Monza given the low-downforce, high-speed nature of the circuit, managing director Cyril Abiteboul feels the Singapore Grand Prix will prove to be more positive for his team.

"We are looking forward to the final part of the year and visiting tracks that should play to our strengths a lot more," said Abiteboul.

"In previous races, and particularly in Spa, we've shown the performance potential is there, but sadly we haven't had the opportunity to convert that into results through various incidents.

"Singapore's twists, turns and short bursts of acceleration should give us the platform we need to finally get onto form."

[MIKA27]

Felipe Massa says he nearly retired from F1 after his Ferrari stint

Felipe Massa says he considered quitting Formula 1 three years ago, when Ferrari chose to replace him with Kimi Raikkonen.

The Brazilian won all of his 11 grands prix with Ferrari and missed out on the world championship by a point in 2008 during an eight-year stint with the team.

Massa, who made his debut in 2002 with Sauber, will leave F1 at the end of this campaign having extending his stay with three seasons at Williams.

"I was thinking to do it myself three years ago," said Massa of his decision to quit F1.

"You need to be strong enough to decide things that are sometimes quite difficult. That is what I did.

"I'm relieved and happy with what I'm doing.

"I think this year was the time to do that."

I'M PROUD OF MY CAREER

Massa came within seconds of winning the 2008 world championship only for Lewis Hamilton to snatch it on the final lap of the season finale in Brazil.

The Brazilian pointed to Singapore and Hungary that year as key factors in his narrow title loss.

In Singapore, Massa led early on but failed to score after leaving the pits with the fuel hose still attached, while his engine failed with three laps to go in Hungary four races earlier

"I lost the championship by one point, but I was on pole position and won the race, so I did the best I could," he said of the Interlagos finale.

"It was not depending just on me, it was depending on so many things that happened before.

"I don't like to go there, but Singapore for me was something that was really sad.

"There were other races like Hungary where I had an engine problem but it's part of the sport.

"So many things happened and it would have been different at the end of the season, but anyway...

"As I've said I'm really, really proud of my career.

"In these moments, like I am now, you have to talk with your heart."

[MIKA27]

Williams signs ex-Raikkonen and Alonso F1 engineer from Ferrari

Williams has tapped into Formula 1 rival Ferrari for its latest engineering recruitment.

Antonio Spagnolo, the former head of Ferrari's tyre performance group, has joined the Williams Operations Group as competitor analysis and performance concept team leader.

Spagnolo spent 11 years with Ferrari in a number of roles, notably as race and performance engineer for Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.

Williams says Spagnolo will focus on "understanding our competitors' strengths and identifying areas of our performance which require prioritisation of resources".

The team is also keen to utilise experience gained with Pirelli's tyres at Ferrari.

Williams chief technical officer Pat Symonds said: "Williams is determined to continue the positive momentum it has had since 2014 and, with new additions to the team, hopes to become even stronger.

"We are constantly seeing ways to improve our performance and trackside operations and believe Antonio will make a valuable contribution to this process.

"As a team, we will do our utmost to achieve our on-track ambitions and secure strong positions in the constructors' championship this season, and beyond."

 

[MIKA27]

LIBERTY: WE WILL NOT BE AMERICANISING FORMULA 1

The United States can be a big growth area for Formula One but Liberty Media have no desire to ‘Americanise’ the sport after the U.S. company’s takeover, new F1 chairman Chase Carey said on Thursday.

“We didn’t make this move because of America,” he told Sky Sports News the day after Liberty announced a deal, valued at $8 billion including debt, that will give the American media and telecoms business effective control.

“America is an opportunity, I think we can do a lot more in America, it’s probably more long-term than short-term,” he added.

“Realistically it’s a global sport. We’re not trying to Americanise the sport. We have great respect for the European foundations of it. Europe is critically important to us.”

The United States currently has just one round of the 21 race championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, after a series of failed attempts to secure a permanent home over the years. However there has been talk of new races on the east and west coasts.

Meanwhile, races in the sport’s historic heartland like Britain’s Silverstone, Italy’s Monza and Spa in Belgium have faced uncertain futures as they struggle to pay hosting fees and make a profit.

Carey, who joined the sport’s 85-year-old commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in answering questions, said there was a more passionate fan base in America than people realised even if it took time to build the audience.

“Certainly the U.S. is a big opportunity long-term but this isn’t an American company Americanising the sport,” he said.

“This is a great global sport and great franchise and one we are just going to continue to build with the things Bernie’s built over the prior decades,” he said. “We want to make it (F1) everything it can be.”

Carey, the executive vice-chairman of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox and a director of Sky News owner Sky Plc, has been appointed chairman of the board of Formula One’s parent company with Ecclestone remaining as CEO.

Austrian Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, 71, had been chairman since 2012 but has recently recovered from cancer and is also due to step down as chairman of Nestle, the world’s largest food and drink company, in 2017.

Ecclestone is used to calling the shots, and has a famous dislike of delegating, but has indicated he can work with the new chairman.

Carey said he looked forward to the partnership.

“The best businesses are partnerships where people work together as a team,” he said. “We’ll work closely and as partners and we’ll figure it out.”

[MIKA27]

RAIKKONEN: WE WANT TO BE SECOND BECAUSE WE CANNOT WIN IT

Mercedes are cruising unchallenged to another season of double world titles, thus Ferrari are gunning to be best of the rest according to Kimi Raikkonen.

The Finn, who was the Scuderia’s last world champion, said ahead of the season’s next foray out of Europe, “We obviously want to be second because we cannot win it anymore. I mean, maybe there are chances if the other team doesn’t finish at all.

“We lost second place a few races ago. In the last two weekends we’ve been going in the right direction, improving, so hopefully that’s also the case in the upcoming races,” he added.

Raikkonen was referring to the pre-summer break drop in the pecking order, where Red Bull were taking the fight to Mercedes while Ferrari suffered a mysterious dip in form.

But at Monza the Reds appeared to overturn the deficit, although no match for Mercedes they certainly had the edge over Red Bull.

Ferrari have yet to win a race this season, but Raikkonen does not believe more podiums are impossible this season, “I’m sure we’ll have our chances.”

“The aim is always to finish higher up all the time and we’ll see. We have to keep doing our best and I’m sure we’ll get that podium,” said the veteran Ferrari driver who will contest his 246th grand prix when he lines up on the grid in Singapore.

[MIKA27]

VERSTAPPEN: WE ARE SECRETLY LOOKING TO WIN IN SINGAPORE

Max Verstappen is not ruling out a bid for victory under the Singapore lights this weekend.

Amid a strong run of form for Red Bull, the team faltered at Monza, with team figures admitting the improved Renault engine is still no match for Mercedes and Ferrari.

“Monza is our weakest circuit,” admitted boss Christian Horner, “but Singapore is one of our strongest.”

It has emerged that Red Bull, already planning to bring car improvements to the city-state, is also expecting Renault to bring a 15 horse power upgrade boost to Singapore.

“Yes, I expect that we will have a good weekend,” Verstappen is quoted by Speed Week. “Singapore rewards a car that has a lot of downforce, and there are not many straight lines.

“A podium must be our goal, but we are secretly looking to win,” the 18-year-old admitted.

Versatppen is the only driver, other than Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to win race so far this season. He did so when he powered to a historic and record breaking Spanish Grand Prix in May.

[MIKA27]

VANDOORNE SCORES MAIDEN SUPER FORMULA WIN

A week after being confirmed as McLaren driver for the 2017 F1 season, Stoffel Vandoorne celebrated in style by winning first Super Formula race in Japan.

The Belgian driver took the lead on the opening lap at Okayama and remained there until the chequered flag waved. Winning by 4.7 seconds from Yuji Kunimoto.

It was Vandoorne’s best result since joining Dandelion Racing when he failed to secure a permanent F1 drive this season.

He showed his potential in the highly competitive Japanese single seater category when he took pole position at Fuji Speedway in July.

During the Italian Grand Prix weekend Vandoorne it was confirmed that he would replace Jenson Button at McLaren, joining the team as Fernando Alonso’s teammate for next year.

[MIKA27]

RED BULL GET CREDIT FOR GOOD LOOKING 2017 CARS

According to Williams technical boss Pat Symonds, Red Bull can be credited for making the 2017 generation F1 cars look fast wile standing still.

Symonds told media, “I do think the [2017] cars look nice. When we first started talking about the 2017 cars, I was worried because there was this real drive for a retro look, which wouldn’t have done anything.”

“I really pat Red Bull on the back for doing a great job in styling the car. What they did was take away what the Strategy Group had asked for and they really styled it.”

“They started with this premise that we want the car to look like it’s going fast even when it’s stationary and I thought yeah, that’s a really nice way of expressing it.”

“They’ve come up with something that looks great. When you see the physical model in the windtunnel – and windtunnel cars never look particularly attractive – I think they are good-looking cars,” added Symonds.

[MIKA27]

Jenson Button predicts Lewis Hamilton will win 2016 title

McLaren’s Jenson Button has tipped his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton to claim the 2016 Formula 1 world championship.

Mercedes racer Hamilton and his team-mate Nico Rosberg are going head-to-head for the title for the third consecutive season.

Just two points separate the drivers after 14 races, with seven still to go. Button and Hamilton spent three seasons together at McLaren from 2010 to 2012 before the now triple world champion moved to Mercedes.

He believes Hamilton has the edge and has predicted his former team-mate will be crowned champion again this year.

“I personally feel that Lewis… Italy didn't go his way but I think he's going to win the world championship," Button said in an interview with Sky Sports.

"He's come from such a long way back, everyone forgets how far he was behind Rosberg, he closed that gap over three races.

"For me Lewis, when the car's working for him, the results are a lot more consistent, qualifying's impressive, and in a race he's in a very strong position.

"Mentally [Hamilton’s] a lot stronger than he used to be, he's got a really good chance and he probably is going to win a fourth world title."

Button recently confirmed that he will take a step back from F1 for the 2017 season, with Stoffel Vandoorne partnering Fernando Alonso at McLaren next year.

[MIKA27]

Time for Formula 1 to think beyond Bernie

As was the case with Mark Twain, reports of Bernie Ecclestone’s (F1) death were greatly exaggerated.

All to do with Liberty Media’s much-trumpeted acquisition of the sport’s commercial rights. Matters certainly moved quickly. From Bernie not even lasting as long as the next race in Singapore – as suggested in Monza by the quintessential ‘source close to Bernie’ Eddie Jordan – whisperings on the wind then had it that he might be around only until the year’s end. In the event of the deal he’s hanging on indefinitely.

But it is not it appears quite the Vicar of Bray-style survival for him. The smart money remains on Bernie being not long for F1’s earth. That this represents the beginning of his final act on the F1 stage. Some reckon it’ll be next year once Liberty completes its control of the F1 board that Bernie will finally be ushered towards the exit.

And you know what? It’s no bad thing. F1 really should have been planning for a post-Bernie world long ago, as there has for a while been little to recommend his continuation.

It makes sense to keep him on for the short term, to smooth the transition. That Bernie is even now so central to things the risks of suddenly removing him wholesale are obvious. Flux, bewilderment, perhaps even power struggles. “Bernie’s still Bernie and they’re frightened [of] ‘what will they do without him?’, as he solves problems” said Joe Saward to this end a few months ago in Canada. In recent days Maurice Hamilton added that “without his authority in his motorhome in the paddock, a lot of things wouldn’t happen”.

And of course Bernie’s contribution as key architect in making F1 is self-evident, going right back to him building it from the foundations of it being a ramshackle and amateur pursuit. Toto Wolff was correct to state in Monza when it was all kicking off that “Bernie’s done an awesome job for 50 years and has made F1 what it is.

“He has built an empire. We are all benefiting from that empire that generates dozens and dozens of millions of live views, full tracks like at Monza, 1.5billion [dollars] in profits every year.”

There have been plenty in and around F1 who have said similar, yet it might not always be what it appears on the surface. A good indicator was the most recent Martin Brundle’s regular Sky F1 online columns which looked at Bernie’s ways. As ever from Brundle it’s an illuminating insight, and intended seemingly as a favourable one. But as Richard Williams said in response it revealed something else too, perhaps unintentionally. “The subtext is how everyone, including the author, abases himself before Mr E...” Williams noted.

Indeed the relationship often seems a little more of the school bully and cowed class mates than anything else. It seems an odd way of running a $1.5bn industry.

We can but speculate as to why this persists; why it is put up with and even defended. Whether it’s fear of reprisals from doing otherwise, the F1 equivalent of the Stockholm Syndrome or, perhaps, as some US President of yore is supposed to have concluded of some repressive foreign dictator they were backing, “he may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch”. Perhaps it’s as simple as force of habit.

But to go back to our central premise of thinking of an F1 world beyond Bernie, the first point to make is that if nothing else he’s 85, and age is not to be defied, not even by him. Harsh? Yes, but this is a harsh business. Bernie’s lived by such a maxim more readily than just about anyone, and you’ll indeed struggle to find anyone in the paddock in an active role who is kept on out of sentimentality or heed of long past glories. And one can imagine also that it doesn’t speak favourably to those minded to invest in F1 long term to see one in charge – and apparently untouchably so – of that vintage.

Yet the case goes way beyond that base fact. We can cite specifics too. Scratch beneath the deference and habit described and really Bernie’s case for retention is meagre.

Think of all the excitement around Liberty’s arrival; the things that it is said it will focus on, most of them being much to our relief. It reads pretty much as a rap sheet of Bernie’s F1. Little wonder perhaps that the body language between him and the new chairman Chase Carey was awkward.

Here are some bullet points from Liberty’s slide deck outlining the deal and its plans:

- Increase promotion and marketing of F1 as a sport and brand
- Enhance distribution of content, especially in digital
- Establish broader range of commercial partners, including sponsorship
- Evolve race calendar
- Leverage Liberty’s expertise in live events and digital monetization

The ‘evolve race calendar’ point is likely loaded, as is to some extent ‘increase promotion and marketing’. We all know the way the F1 calendar has gone in the last decade or so – all ‘new markets’, each waving a vast hosting fee cheque – which became the core of the sport’s financial model – inspired as they are by some sort of national branding and promotion. Many of the governing regimes doing the waving are at best questionable and, judging by the numbers in attendance, local F1 enthusiasm can often be described in similar terms. Word is Liberty is to move away from this, that instead of relying on such quick bucks it wishes to grow the sport, its fanbase and numbers through the gates organically, as well as to invest and to promote the races properly.

One can point at previous owners CVC as making the sport highly minded of the bottom line, that it takes a lot of money out and that Bernie with all his ubiquity was in effect merely an employee of them, and one would be right (though it was Bernie’s manoeuvrings with the sport’s commercial rights that got them into CVC’s hands in the first place). But equally it only accelerated something Bernie was doing anyway. We can go all the way back to 1985 to find the classic Zandvoort circuit’s final F1 appearance (ironic that only now with the Max factor are we talking about bringing a Dutch race back), to be replaced by the Hungaroring which arguably was the first ever such event as described above (though that’s not to be down on the Hungary round specifically which has become a successful and popular event). The first round that really fitted the template was Malaysia’s which debuted in 1999, still some seven years before CVC arrived.

Meanwhile the sport’s core support, mainly in Europe, had its back turned on it rather. And this is something Liberty apparently wants to readdress. “We have great respect for the European foundations of Formula 1”, said Carey shortly after the deal. “Europe is critically important to us, and we will build on that.”

Had the shifts described been genuine and long-term efforts to expand the sport among new audiences then great, but that at best was a distant secondary consideration.

Instead it was a matter of parachuting in, churning the event out almost dispassionately, grabbing the vast hosting fee, then departing. There was little effort to promote the race or the sport, or to put local roots down, such as by demonstration runs in nearby cities, appearances on chat shows and the like.

And some of the new races did have massive potential for F1, potential that was almost entirely untapped. It remains of considerable regret to me that the sport departed India so rapidly, presumably on the over-riding grounds that its hosting fees didn’t add up. It is a vast country which mainly is sports mad, the IPL confirms that there are a few highly moneyed individuals in it willing to invest in sport, while chatting F1 on social media reveals quickly that there are plenty of knowledgeable and passionate Indian F1 fans already. Heck, this one wasn’t even the usual top-down imposition by a Government with its own priorities, rather it was a labour of love from genuine motorsport enthusiasts. The rewards to the sport there remain considerable, but were dashed out of wrong-headedness.

Even the Korean race falls into something like the same category. Yes of course it was dismissed as a joke when F1 departed (and for some good reasons), but it also was a populous and wealthy country – and one with a famous car industry. Its potential was there and the sport did little to seize it.

But at the broadest level too Bernie also appears a man out of time. In addition to the race hosting fees mentioned much of his financial model is based on selling a one-size-fits-all TV package to various broadcasters. As an excellent article by James Allen, which had consulted various experts, explained though most sports these days seek to tailor their content to fit the various different audiences that are out there, as well as offer considerable content between events. F1 does almost none of either.

Pressure on the TV buck has meant also an increasing disappearance of coverage behind pay walls with its implications for the size of the audience; the sport’s (in)ability to attract young people has reached rather frightening levels.

And of course the way we consume is changing rapidly. Bernie is one who self-admittedly doesn’t get the new age of the internet, seeing it mainly as something he cannot make money out of. “No. We’re commercial…If they find people to pay us [to do that] then I will be happy” he said of it a few years back. “I’m not interested in tweeting, Facebook or whatever this nonsense is,” he added a couple of years ago. In fairness F1 has started more recently to move into this area but still it feels almost literally a day late and a dollar short.

And while many successful sports offer extensive digital content – season passes, streaming on mobile devices and the like – F1 despite its vast potential remains on the starting grid.

“Give it all the credit for what’s been built, [but] there’s an opportunity to take F1 to another level,” said Carey, “[there is an] untapped digital market [that] F1 has only scratched the surface on.”

Even Bernie’s much-vaunted TV deals aren’t quite what they’re cracked up to be. I recall reading three years ago that F1’s TV money intake was roughly the same as that got by Turkish football’s top division. Rather remarkable considering we’re told constantly about F1’s global reach, only bettered by the World Cup and Olympics supposedly, and F1 of course has the conspicuous advantage over even them of taking place 20-odd times each and every year. Turkish football meanwhile to my knowledge isn’t watched much outside of Turkey.

Little wonder that the consensus around as Liberty takes the reins is that F1 is something considerable, but it could be much more so.

We can add many of the sport’s other most conspicuous problems – the financial skew among the teams and sport’s complex and dysfunctional governance structure. Both of these have Bernie’s fingerprints all over them too. It’s not clear if Liberty can solve either of these quickly, though perhaps it can with the latter if it establishes a good relationship with the FIA. In the former the obvious problem is that the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull are unlikely to welcome cuts to their lavish settlements, and even Liberty will have to protect its profit margin.

We can add also the damaged goods element. The stench of the Gerhard Gribkowsky case lingers around Bernie’s presence, particularly given its highly unsatisfactory conclusion. As do his public comments on women, homosexuality, Putin, Hitler. Again in most such instances you hear the odd ‘tsk, Bernie, what is he like?’ sort of defence. But really all it does is embarrass the sport, as well as likely puts off sponsors and other potential investors.

And for all that Bernie and his achievements are revered, flip the question around and ask what you woudl say if you were running a sport and he came in anew suggesting you let him do all of this stuff. You’d likely lose little time telling him where to get to.

But even ignoring everything said so far Bernie’s departure makes sense at the macro level too. The age of the ‘rogue’ – of which Bernie it can be said is one – generally has now passed and has been replaced by corporate squeaky-cleanliness and transparency. But also, as Saward further noted, this also is in absolute keeping with the point of its life cycle that F1 appears at anyway. Mavericks build something up, then the more sober sort consolidate. This is the point F1 has reached, indeed probably reached a while ago.

“It is, in truth, a pattern that has been repeated over and over” said Saward a few years back. “The trailblazers go in and create a colony, the entrepreneurs give it dynamic growth and then the administrators are required. There is no room after that for the buccaneers. A calmer future beckons.

“If other sports can make corporate management work, there is no reason why F1 cannot….Transparency is good. More sensible financial structures are essential and a new age can then begin.”

As George Harrison – himself a big F1 fan – once noted, all things must pass. Even the longest and most glittering reigns have to come to an end. Yet in Bernie’s case amid the cacophony of questions asked as to why should he go, we’ve neglected to ask the obvious one of why should he stay?

[MIKA27]

Red Bull chassis can compensate for power disadvantage next year

Red Bull believe it will be in a position to compete with and even beat Mercedes next season, even if they still lack outright power compared to the Mercedes power unit.

With major regulation changes coming for 2017, Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Mark believes the team's superior chassis can compensate for the small power deficit the Renault unit is likely to have, as aerodynamics - an area Red Bull excel in - will play a greater role.

When asked when Red Bull will be in a position to challenge Mercedes' dominance, he replied: "We think that we are ready next year.

"We’ve always done well when there is a regulation change that doesn’t only focus on the engine," he told the official Formula 1 website. "And the work on our engine is developing in the right direction, so in 2017 we should be within around 15 horsepower [of Mercedes] - and this we can compensate for [with better aero].

"Our aim is to challenge Mercedes next season," he added, confirming the RB13 is on course to deliver what is expected of it: "We are on schedule. The numbers that the engineers are finding look very good - of course the track will give the final answer. But as our clear objective is to beat Mercedes, next year the numbers better be good!"

[MIKA27]

Button could be racing next year

Jenson Button has revealed that he could be racing in another motorsport category next season, despite announcing his sabbatical from Formula 1 in 2017.

Last weekend in Italy the Brit confirmed that he will be stepping down from the race seat at McLaren in 2017, with reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne replacing him.

However, the 2009 World Champion still has hopes of returning to the Honda-powered outfit in the future as his contract only runs out at the end of 2018.

Whether he races or not next year, Button is looking forward to his break from Formula 1 after 16 years in the sport.

“There is a possibility of me racing next year but at the moment I am not thinking about anything over the firstly the end of this year,” said the 36-year-old, who will be taking up an Ambassadors role at McLaren next year.

“There are many things I want to try and do but trying to list them here is impossible really.

“I’m really excited about this and wherever it takes us in the future I don’t really know but it is exciting and gives me the opportunity to live my life like I haven’t as an adult, ever.

“My family is forever growing as well so it is nice to be able to spend time with them and not see them once a year and see they’ve grown. That is very important to me.

“Also I love my fitness, I love my triathlon, I love my cycling and of course I will love racing I always will for the rest of my life and F1 will always be close to my heart because it has been my life for so many years. There is a possibility I could race next year.”

[MIKA27]

Liberty should introduce “proper franchise system” in F1 – Force India

Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley says Formula 1's new owners Liberty Media should aim at a US-style franchise system in the championship.

Liberty confirmed its takeover of Formula 1 on Wednesday, leading to much speculation over what tweaks the American media giant would make to the sport.

“For me it’s an exciting development,” Fernley told Motorsport.com. “I think you could end up having the best of both worlds.

"You’ve got a unique product that has been created by Bernie [Ecclestone], which is F1, and which is very special, and cannot be replicated anywhere in the world.

"On top of that you can overlay an American media company which can bring in the best sports marketing in the world. To me it has very, very exciting potential."

Liberty has indicated that teams will be “given the opportunity to participate in the investment in F1,” but thus far there have been no conversations beyond the major manufacturer-backed teams.

Fernley insisted that a franchise system would be the way forward for Formula 1, as it would offer more stability to the teams that make up the grid.

“In my opinion, they’ve got to create a franchise-type of system,” said Fernley. “It takes years to build an F1 team. Owners can come and go.

"What you need is the ability to create these teams and for owners to come in, enjoy them for a period of time, add value to them, or if they don’t do a good job, take a loss. And then be able to transfer them on.

“It’s the teams that are critical, because it takes so long to build them.

"People buy teams because they are obviously fully functional, but it has to be formalised into a proper franchise system.”

     

Ecclestone exit would be "jumping the gun"

Liberty's takeover of F1 came hand in hand with speculation that Bernie Ecclestone would be departing the championship, which came to naught as he was retained as CEO.

Said Fernley: “I never had any doubts that Bernie would stay on as CEO, I think that was clear, anything else was jumping the gun.

"I think you need Bernie to create this unique blend of F1 and the American marketing ability.

“I think we’ve got to look at everything as it unfolds. We have to see where the new owners want to go and what they want to do with the product.

"Hopefully we can then add something to that for them, and support them in achieving what they want to achieve. Until we get more details it’s early days."

[MIKA27]

Force India helped by lack of "politics", says Perez

Sergio Perez believes Force India’s best-ever season in Formula 1 is being helped by a "lack of politics" at the outfit.

The upward trend for the Indian-owned outfit continues after it achieved its best constructors' result of fifth last year and it is currently locked in a fight with Williams for fourth overall.

For Perez, the explanation for the surprise form is simple – that the team is working in unity.

"It is the structure of the team. I think the people, technically, we have very good people," said Perez when asked by Motorsport.com to explain why Force India was able to punch about its weight. "There are no politics in the team so people are allowed to do their job.

"It makes a massive difference in the environment of the team. Everyone is working to be better as a team and that is a key to it.

"I think when you have big teams with a big amount of budget and a big amount of people, it is a nice thing to have. But it can very easily work against you.

"It is important to have a good structure with good people and we have very key people in each role, who do their job properly and that makes a massive difference in the team, having good team bosses."

     

Focus on weak areas

Having started the 2016 season with just 13 points from the first five races, the team since then has scored 95 points in nine races, including two podiums.

The key aspect for such a reversal in form was identifying the weak spots of the VJM09, one of which was massive tyre degradation.

"To look back and see the season we have had, the podiums with great racing, it has been a really, really strong year," Perez said.

"We knew we had a competitive car but we were suffering a lot with tyre degradation with some of the areas of the car that we identified early on.

"That was a massive key, that we focused so much on weak areas of the car early in the year and that has helped us massively."

[MIKA27]

F1 Singapore GP: Palmer ‘in the zone’ headed to happy hunting ground

Jolyon Palmer believes that he is driving as well as at any time in his debut F1 season, and is hoping to revisit a little history in a bid to open his points account on the streets of Singapore next weekend. 

While Renault team-mate Kevin Magnussen holds a place in the lower reaches of the championship table thanks to a rare top ten finish in Sochi, Palmer is optimistic that the tighter confines of the Marina Bay circuit will play more towards the RS16's strengths than the recent visits to Spa and Monza. 

“Spa and Monza were not the easiest tracks for us but Singapore offers more of an opportunity I think,” the Briton confirmed, “It's a totally different challenge from Monza, a street race with close walls taking place at night, so it's a unique event on the calendar.” 

Renault F1 managing director Cyril Abiteboul shares Palmer's optimism heading to Singapore, which is possibly the venue offering the regie the greatest hope for the remainder of the year. 

“We are looking forward to the final part of the year and visiting tracks that should play to our strengths a lot more,” the Frenchman noted, “In previous races - and particularly in Spa - we've shown that the performance potential is there, but sadly we haven't had the opportunity to convert into results through various incidents. Singapore's twists, turns and short bursts of acceleration should give us the platform we need to finally get onto form.” 

Palmer will carry a good vibe to the first of the end-of-season 'flyaways', having always seemed to go well when GP2 visited Marina Bay. After the annoyance of tangling with former junior series rival Felipe Nasr last time out in Italy, the 2014 GP2 champion is hoping for a change of luck as a circuit he clearly enjoys. 

“I've raced and won there in the GP2 Series and it was one of my best wins,” Palmer admitted, “In fact, I raced there two years running and both years were very good. It's definitely a better opportunity for a stronger result [in F1], and I'm really looking forward to it. 

“The summer break allowed me to recharge my batteries completely and now I'm fully in the zone. I'm driving better than ever and I'm exceptionally keen to have a strong result after the frustration of Monza.” 

Racing at night not only necessitates a change of timetable, however, but also requires the drivers to get to grips with different conditions to what they are used to. 

“It's not a conventional weekend!” Palmer laughs, “We see the circuit change a lot over the weekend as the surface rubbers in, then the climatic conditions are reasonably different between FP1 and FP2, and then FP3 and qualifying, so getting a good handle on the balance of the car gives us plenty of work as, generally, it's cooler later in the night. 

“It's a cool feeling driving at night though, as you can see the circuit very clearly from the lights, but your vision is channelled as the background is in darkness. You need your wits about you and stringing a perfect lap together is a real challenge! [Overtaking is] certainly is a challenge...”

 

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

Renault preview the Singapore Grand Prix, Round 15 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, at Marina Bay Circuit.

Cyril Abiteboul, managing director: “We are looking forward to the final part of the year and visiting tracks that should play to our strengths a lot more. In previous races and particularly in Spa we’ve shown that the performance potential is there, but sadly we haven’t had the opportunity to convert into results through various incidents. Singapore’s twists, turns and short bursts of acceleration should give us the platform we need to finally get onto form. Other than working hard on finishing the end of the 2016 season on a high, we are entering an interesting phase in development for the 2017 car. We will also inaugurate new facilities and welcome new faces so it’s a very busy time, but we are all very motivated to keep moving forward and make the most of the opportunities we have.”

You light me up

Fred Vasseur looks forward to getting going in the buzz of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Fred, we leave Europe after a tricky last Grand Prix in Monza. What are your conclusions for that race?
The last two races have been challenging and character-building for the team in terms of results. Our global performance was good in Spa and we achieved our best qualifying results of the season so far, but unfortunately in the race we had Kevin’s accident and we couldn’t convert our qualifying pace into a deserved good result in the end.

We expected Monza to be a tricky weekend and we are now fully concentrated on Singapore and beyond.
What are our hopes for Singapore and is it a circuit that should suit us?
Singapore is a type of circuit that should suit us better than the ones visited recently. We can hope for results that are more in line with those achieved at circuits such as Budapest or Spa.

What are our objectives for these coming races?
We are all very much focused on 2017 and yet we must continue to strive for the best results possible in the upcoming races. It is tough for the team of course but we can clearly see progression in areas that are not always visible externally. This is all part of the building of this team. We must concentrate on this and work on areas that can make a difference in the longer term: for example tyre management, how we manage our race weekends and improving the car’s regular performance. Any good work and improvements made on track are useful for 2017 and beyond. We must keep this motivation – we have a great team of mechanics and engineers and we are doing positive work in areas such as pitstops – we did the fastest pitstop in Monza with 2.1s! For me this is proof of the hard work done by all in the team, their commitment and resilience in tough times.

Spotlights are on

After a challenging race weekend in Monza Kevin Magnussen is looking forward to be racing under the spotlights of Singapore.

How would you summarise the race in Monza?
Kevin Magnussen: The beginning of the race wasn’t ideal as I was running very close to both Jo and Felipe Nasr when the incident happened. It was a shame for Jo but also for me as it blocked my way as well. In the end it didn’t change much for me as when I got racing again I was at the back of the field and I didn’t have many cars to race against. It was a pretty frustrating Sunday afternoon, even more so after Spa where we qualified 12th and points had been a real possibility. It’s frustrating for the team but we are now looking forward to racing in Singapore next.

What are your thoughts on Singapore?
It’s a really cool circuit and being a night race in Singapore, it makes Formula 1 look even more spectacular. The cars look super shiny under the lights – for television viewers as well as for the spectators in the grandstands it adds to the beauty of the race. The entire city lives and breathes F1 during that week and you can feel it in the atmosphere everywhere when you are downtown.

Do you enjoy the layout of Marina Bay?
The track itself is fun and I always enjoy driving on street circuits. That said, it’s also a pretty tricky circuit to get right with a lot of corners where a mistake can be easily made. Grip levels evolve throughout the weekend so the key is set up and getting the balance right. Hopefully it’s a track where we can better our performance a little bit after a disappointing last European race.

Are you a night person?
Although it’s a night race, we all stay on European time – we get up late in the day and come to the track from around four o’clock in the afternoon, which means that it’s morning in Europe. This also means that we don’t struggle with jet lag in Singapore. Even though we race at night it gets very hot in Singapore and that’s a challenge in itself, but it should be fine.

You raced in Singapore in 2014, how did it go for you?
It didn’t go very well as I had an overheating issue in the car – on top of hot conditions! A radiator seal had broken and there was hot air coming into the cockpit. It was extremely hot! This year I’m hoping for a solid race where we can fight in the pack. I really look forward to being in Singapore.

Formula 1 is now heading to Far East Asia and then to the Americas…
Yes the European season has gone by very quickly as it always does and I’m looking forward to visiting all the venues on the calendar. Every country and every track we visit has its own personality. Bring it on.

If Only for the Night

After a highly frustrating early exit from the Italian Grand Prix Jolyon Palmer is hoping for a Singapore slingshot on the streets of Marina Bay.

What are your thoughts on Singapore?
Jolyon Palmer: I love Singapore and it’s a totally different challenge from Monza. It’s a street race with close walls taking place at night so it’s a unique event on the calendar. I’ve raced and won there in the GP2 Series and it was one of my best wins. In fact, I raced there two years running and both years were very good. It’s a better opportunity for a stronger result.

What’s special about driving at night?
It’s a cool feeling driving at night as you can see the circuit very clearly from the lights but your vision is channelled as the background is in darkness.

Where are the challenges of the Marina Bay circuit?
The final sector is a real challenge with the section under the grandstand. It’s tight over the bridge too so you need your wits about you. Stringing a perfect lap together is a real challenge! Over the bridge and the middle of the lap are pretty tough to get right as you’re braking as you turn so it’s easy to lock a wheel, and the last sector is very tight and twisty.

As a street course is it tough to overtake?
It certainly is a challenge but turn six at the end of the first sector / beginning of the second sector where the DRS comes in is the main overtaking opportunity and then braking into turn seven. The track is pretty tight in other places and it’s always pretty slippery when you do go offline.

Do you have a different approach to the weekend?
We see the circuit change a lot over the weekend as the surface rubbers in then the climatic conditions are reasonably different between FP1 and FP2, then FP3 and qualifying so getting a good handle on the balance of the car gives us plenty of work as generally it’s cooler later in the night. It’s not a conventional weekend!

What do you think of Singapore itself?
The great thing about the race is that it’s right in the centre of the city so you’re surrounded by everything you could want. You don’t have to go far for a good restaurant. It’s great to sample the local culture.

It’s a pretty relentless end to the season, how well are you prepared?
I’m really looking forward to it. The summer break allowed me to recharge my batteries completely and now I’m fully in the zone. Spa and Monza were not the easiest tracks for us but Singapore offers more of an opportunity I think. I’m driving better than ever and I’m exceptionally keen to have a strong result after the frustration of Monza.

Night Fever

After the misery of Monza the streets of Singapore could offer some solace for Renault Sport Formula One Team, as Chief Technical Officer Bob Bell explains.

What’s your preview synopsis of the Singapore Grand Prix?
Bob Bell: Singapore’s a night race on a street course with 23 corners surrounded by a lot of barriers. It’s a race where drivers really have to be on their mettle. It’s tough for everyone as it’s hot and humid. For the drivers, it’s a long race on a bumpy circuit.

What are the engineering challenges of the event?
It’s tough on brakes and requires high downforce but that said, there’s nothing to say that we shouldn’t put on a reasonable show. Over the course of the weekend one of our biggest challenges is understanding the car with the moving target of track surface evolution. This is the same with any street course and you can find yourself chasing your tail somewhat as it’s difficult to ascertain if any lap time improvement is from a change made to the car or just from the track surface improvement. For this reason you don’t want to change too much of the car set-up over the practice sessions. To have a strong Grand Prix you need to arrive with a good set-up out of the box so the drivers can gain pace through both their confidence and circuit evolution.

What kind of base set-up do you use as a starting point?
Most of the corners are low speed so that’s what we target with the set-up. It’s quite bumpy so you need to get a good set-up for ride then it’s fine tuning around that. If you have a solid base set-up the pace will come to you over the sessions as the grip from the surface improves and driver confidence grows.

A topic of conversation has been cumulative penalties for replacing parts of the car. Where does the team lie in this regard, are there any potential hits to be had later in the year?
We’re actually looking pretty strong in that regard. One of the real success stories of this year has been how strong the power unit has been, not only though being able to exercise enhanced performance but in the reliability we’ve seen. It’s been a tremendous job from everyone in Viry. It’s likely we’ll run Kevin’s Spa power unit on Friday in Singapore or Sepang as it looks like there was no serious damage to it in the accident.

How’s everything looking on the build-up for 2017?
Everything’s on course with chassis patterns released for manufacture and the schedule for the impact testing campaign starting soon. As we get into the next couple of months everything starts intensifying. There’s a lot of heart and soul going into next year’s car as we all are hungry to take a strong step forward in performance.

Circuit notes

• T1: The second fastest part of the track, with speeds of around 290kph reached before Sheares corner. This is followed by hard braking to around 90kph at Turn 3.
• T6: The fastest part of the track, with speeds of around 298kph reached before the sharp left hander of Memorial Corner.
• T10: Revised section for last year’s race, including the widening of the T13 hairpin, potentially adding more overtaking. T13 is still one of the slowest parts of the track.
• T14: The ‘hotel’ section through the grandstands, from Turn 14 to 23, features eight right-angled turns that are each preceded by a straight. The K will be able to recover enough energy through this section to keep the battery at a relatively high level of charge.
• The Marina Bay circuit has two short straights: the 500m pit straight and then the curved straight between turns five and seven, which shoots down Raffles Boulevard. This 700m straight is the only time the driver will get over the 300kph mark.Although kerbs are used extensively here, the majority are relatively flat.
• The long lap and the high chance of a safety car makes Singapore one of the longest races on the calendar. The 2009 was the shortest so far, at one hour and 56 minutes.
• Fuel consumption in Singapore is high due to the stop-start nature of the track layout. Using the ICE alone, the engine would consume around 150kg of fuel over the race, but energy harvesting and employment has brought this down to under 100kg.
• The drivers can lose up to 3kg of fluid during the race in the hot and humid atmosphere. This needs to be taken into account when setting the car weight before the race.

Power Unit notes

• Singapore is one of the slowest circuits on the calendar, rating just above Monaco and Hungary in terms of the lowest average speed. With 23 corners, the average speed is around 165kph.
• There are 82 gear changes per lap as opposed to just 52 in Monaco and just 44 in Monza. Due to the short bursts of power, eighth gear will only be engaged two times per lap. Only Monaco has a lower usage.
• In Singapore the ambient humidity can be well over 80%. In the past these conditions would have had a big impact on the power output, which decreases as less oxygen is available to burn. With the turbo engines, however, the turbo compensates for the lack of oxygen by spinning at a higher rate. In fact it will spin at around considerably faster than a comparable race run in dry conditions.
• The big stops on the lap are Turn 7 and 14 where the driver will brake from 300 to 110kph.
• There are few long straights and lots of opportunities to recover energy on braking via the MGU-K. The K may actually be used to propel the car to a higher torque level than usual allowing us to save fuel at this circuit, which is notoriously difficult on fuel consumption.
• Singapore has a notoriously humid climate and the water content in the air can be an oppressive 90%. Luckily, running in the evening will see the relative humidity reduce as the sun goes down. The electrical components of the PU will therefore be insulated against moisture and, in case of rain, the water will be diverted away using special ducts.

Tyre choice

• Soft: A good all round choice, like one of Singapore’s most well-loved street foods, char kway teoh.
• Supersoft: Wanton Mee: can be as spicy or mild as you want.
• Ultrasoft: Like Singapore’s famous delicacy, chilli crab, saved for only very special occasions

Memory Lane

On his third attempt with Red Bull Racing-Renault’s Sebastian Vettel scored his and the team’s first Singapore GP victory in 2011. He may have made it look easy, but the victory was earned the hard way. Vettel blasted into the lead from pole and extended his lead over the first 10 laps. Indeed it was up to 18.4s at the point when Michael Schumacher crashed into Sergio Perez and the safety car emerged. Vettel lost his lead, but it was Red Bull’s good fortune that once the pit stops had shaken out and the queue formed up, he had the lapped cars of Jarno Trulli, Tonio Liuzzi and Kamui Kobayashi between himself and Button. After a last stop, and with 11 laps to go, Seb was 9.5s clear of Jenson. The Brit closed the gap but Seb had it under control. He left Singapore without a title but he wouldn’t have long to wait…

Quirky facts

• During the event, 108,423 metres of power cables, 240 steel pylons and around 1,600 light projectors with a total power requirement of 3,180,000 watts will be used. With an illumination measurement of around 3,000 lux, the lighting will be four times brighter than that of most sports stadiums.
• Buildings in Singapore cannot be higher than 280 metres. This is partly because of busy air traffic arriving and departing Singapore’s Changi airport: around one every 90 seconds. Buildings that scale this height include One Raffles Place, OUB Centre, UOB Plaza and Republic Plaza.
• Majulah Singapura (Onward Singapore) is the national anthem of Singapore. Composed by Zubir Said in 1958, the song was selected in 1959 as the island’s anthem when it attained self-government. Upon full independence in 1965, Majulah Singapura was formally adopted as Singapore’s national anthem. By law the anthem may only be sung with its original Malay lyrics. If you want to join in, the entire lyrics of the national anthem are printed in microtext on the back of the $1,000 note.
• The designation of Vanda Miss Joaquim var. Agnes as Singapore’s national flower in 15 April 1981 was part of an overall effort to foster national pride and identity. Among the several varieties of Vanda Miss Joaquim, the variety “Agnes” was chosen particularly for its vibrant colours, hardiness and resilience – qualities which reflect the Singapore spirit. It is also a hybrid flower, reflecting the diversity of Singapore’s population.
• Singapore’s land size was 581,5 km in the 1960’s and has since grown to an impressive 710km, an increase of 22%.
• Nearly 50% of the city-island is greenery. Singapore has impressive greenery in high-rise buildings – a total of 50ha are rooftops and roof gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Singapore Grand Prix, Round 15 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, at Marina Bay Circuit.

Max Verstappen: “Singapore is definitely one of my favourites. It’s very challenging, not easy to understand and also the heat makes it even harder. Being a night race means it’s a bit different, you have to adapt your braking zone as the light changes from the earlier session to the late ones. I enjoyed it a lot last year so I’m excited to go out there again. The local food looks and smells great but I haven’t got around to trying it yet. In 2015 I ate pretty basic food, I don’t really like fish so I kept it simple with some plain meat. This year I am going to try and sample some local dishes. Luckily the time difference isn’t a problem because we are always driving so late, this means we keep our body clocks on the European time zone. It’s funny because we go for dinner in the middle of the night, there are people partying while you sit eating.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “Singapore is great, a real night race. Being able to drive through a massive city at night with all the lights flashing between buildings as you go past is an awesome feeling. It’s weird, I think it actually feels like you are going faster at night.
“It’s really hot and humid out there, I would say it is probably the most physical race of the year but I enjoy the challenge. One main highlight for me is the food, It’s amazing in Singapore. You can get everything and anything but Chilli mud crabs are pretty mega so I love having them a lot. It seems like a really fun city and I’m really fortunate to get a lot of people coming over from Australia and especially Perth, this means I get a lot of love in Singapore.”

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LIBERTY’S DARTH VADER STANDS UP TO ECCLESTONE AND MARCHIONNE

Bernie Ecclestone’s future at the helm of Formula 1 might not be as secure as it was earlier reported.

US media tycoon John Malone, whose ‘Darth Vader’ nickname was coined by Al Gore, was understood to have signed the F1 supremo to a new three-year deal as he moved to take over the sport’s commercial rights from CVC.

But Auto Bild claims that Ecclestone, 85, and 75-year-old Malone may already have clashed, with the current F1 chief executive now set to vacate his role after November’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The same report said Malone and Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne are also clashing, with the former wanting to end the fabled Italian team’s special annual bonus payments.

“Sue me!” Malone is quoted as having told Marchionne during recent negotiations. “I have the time and the money.”

But not everyone is unhappy with the deal. Auto Bild said Mercedes chairman Dieter Zetsche is interested in Malone’s offer that teams be able to buy into the commercial rights.

Mercedes is said to want 10 per cent, ahead of a forthcoming meeting between Zetsche and his Renault and Ferrari counterparts Carlos Ghosn and Marchionne. But another top team, Red Bull, is reportedly hesitating.

“We have to think about the price-performance ratio,” an official is quoted as saying. “If it is too expensive and with little influence, an engagement would not make sense.”

Meanwhile, Bild newspaper reports that Malone’s Liberty Media wants race ticket prices to drop dramatically for a grand prix weekend pass, whilst seeking to add more European races to the calendar.

Malone has legendary status in cable and television industry, apart from the Darth Vader moniker, he has also been portrayed by on a Wired magazine as Mad Max from The Road Warrior movie, while Wall Street traders, impressed with his cut-throat tactics, refer to him as the “swamp alligator”.

[MIKA27]

KALTENBORN EXPECTS EU COMMISSION DECISION SOON

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn has tipped the European Commission to rule on the fairness of the governance and income distribution in formula one “soon”.

At Sauber and Force India’s behest, the anti-competition authorities are investigating whether the way the big teams receive the lion’s share of the annual prize money, and wield the most decision-making power, is fair.

The Swiss team Sauber, led by boss Kaltenborn, almost collapsed in 2016 but has been rescued by a mysterious Swiss-based investment group.

Some Swiss newspapers, however, had already written off the Hinwil based team.

“Of course you can always criticise,” Kaltenborn told Auto Bild, “but they should also consider if they have the expertise to do so.

“I find it presumptuous to have written us off, because for 40 years we were great partners for formula one from Switzerland, which is not known for its motor sports industry,” she added.

Asked if the rescue deal means Sauber is still pushing for fairer revenue distribution, Kaltenborn insisted: “Absolutely!

“All this changes nothing with respect to our position with the EU Competition Commission,” she added.

As for when the Commissioner might rule, Kaltenborn answered: “We are confident that it will be soon.

“We are not in any way doing this to get more money. The distribution of money and the way the decision making is done simply gives some teams a privileged position and therefore a competitive advantage.”

So with Sauber secure for now, Kaltenborn said the team’s ambition is to “stabilise”.

“What we will not do, as was the case with BMW, is to increase everything. If we expand selectively and specifically, we can get back to working on our efficiency, which has always been our strength,” she added.

[MIKA27]

MERCEDES PREVIEW THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

The 2016 Formula One World Championship season continues this weekend with Round 15, the Singapore Grand Prix, from the Marina Bay Street Circuit

Lewis Hamilton: “Monza didn’t quite go to plan. But when you look at how far we’ve come as a team this season, from the position we were in, then I realise I’m in a phenomenal position. We’re still leading both World Championships and there are still so many great things to achieve together, even before this season is through. Next up it’s Singapore, which is always a great event. The race is a challenge with the heat and humidity – but it’s a street circuit, which I love. We didn’t have the greatest weekend there last year, so hopefully we’re on top of that now. I guess we’ll find out in a few days’ time! Either way, it’s not going to be an easy breezy drive. Even when we won there back in 2014, it wasn’t straightforward. Ferrari and Red Bull will be on it I’m sure, so we’ve got a big fight on our hands if we are up at the front. I love a battle, so I’m excited to see how it plays out.”

Nico Rosberg: “Standing on top of that Monza podium was an awesome experience. I’ll definitely remember that one for a long time! But now my focus is on Singapore – a race that’s been up and down for me. I got my second ever podium there way back in 2008 but haven’t been up there again since, so the target is to change that on Sunday. Of course, it won’t be easy. This is a Red Bull track and we weren’t so strong there last year. But I have faith in the team and my belief in myself is as high as ever. I approach each weekend aiming to win the race. The points gap has gone up and down but I’ve taken it one race at a time – and that’s the best way for me, as you can see by how the gap is now. Singapore is a cool city and a great place for Formula One. The track looks spectacular under the lights and it’s always buzzing in town around the race weekend, so I’m really looking forward to getting out there.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “After a strong showing in Italy, we go to Singapore with a big challenge ahead of us. No team has ever scored a 1-2 finish there – and with good reason. As we have seen before, it’s a race where a single problem can cascade into many more as the weekend progresses. We have to optimise everything to get a solid result. We didn’t manage it last year and, although we believe we now understand why, only performance on the racetrack can prove our conclusions right. We are curious and excited to see how it goes. Ferrari were mighty around this circuit last year and it will suit the high downforce design philosophy followed by Red Bull, so we must not make the mistake of thinking we are favourites this weekend. It’s an exciting time for the sport and the future is looking bright. For us, we now have to get the ball over the line in both Championships while remaining conscious that next year is a very different challenge. For the drivers, I think their battle will go to the end and our challenge is to ensure they both have the equal opportunity to fight in terms of equipment and operations. It’s going to be great to watch.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “Singapore is a unique race. With all sessions run at night under floodlights, everybody stays on European time throughout the weekend. This makes it a strange few days, getting up at lunch time in the local time zone and going to bed at breakfast. There seems to be a common feeling that there are more than 24 hours in the day when we’re in Singapore – but nobody is quite sure why! This was not a good race for us last year and a lot of work has been done during the intervening 12 months to understand why that was. It’s a matter of great interest for us as a team to see if we can come back and get it right this time around. Of course, we haven’t been able to test on the circuit, so all of our theories are just theories at this stage. We’ve got a lot more work ahead to get ourselves in a good position during practice, to qualify well and then to have a strong race. But we love a challenge and are looking forward to it. It’s an atmospheric venue with plenty of fans turning out, so we’re aiming to put on a good show and compete strongly.”

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WILLIAMS PREVIEW THE SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

A modern-day classic despite its unusual timings as a night race, Singapore has become a popular stop for the Formula One paddock.

Due to the high humidity the drivers lose up to three kilos in sweat during the race, so preparation is vital to maintain concentration amidst the looming street circuit barriers.

The race’s susceptibility for safety cars makes it one of the longest of the season, and it often finishes close to the FIA’s two-hour time limit.

Traction and car stability are vital for a good lap time due to the bumpy nature of the circuit but unlike other street circuits, overtaking is possible.

For Singapore, Pirelli have made available the soft, supersoft and ultrasoft tyres.

Pat Symonds: “The move from Monza to Singapore is one of extremes, going from the lowest downforce and drag circuit of the season to a street circuit where emphasis is on high downforce and good mechanical grip. Singapore presents many unique challenges, not least of which being that it is a night race. It does however, also bring some advantages; being so close to the equator we can quite accurately predict the ambient and track temperatures. The circuit puts a premium on low-speed grip and traction. It also has a high braking demand with certain areas requiring good ride to maintain mechanical grip. It’s a circuit we have performed reasonably well on in recent years, so we look forward to collecting some strong points as we continue our championship battle.”

Valtteri Bottas: “We’re back into the flyaways with Singapore, one of the most challenging race weekends on the calendar. That track has so many corners, so as a driver to complete the perfect lap in Singapore it’s quite tricky. But it’s really rewarding when you do. Personally, I do like the challenge. It’s a night race and in terms of how much you need to focus, it’s probably the most difficult track after Monaco. There’s no room for mistakes. It’s extremely hot, which makes it much more physical for the driver and hard on the car. It’s a very unique and cool looking grand prix.”

Felipe Massa: “Singapore is one of the few night races that we have, together with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. It’s a very difficult race. It’s very humid and so hot; a tricky race for everybody and one of the hardest on the calendar. That said, I really enjoy racing there and it’s a very rewarding track. It’s always a good feeling racing in Singapore.”

[MIKA27]

Haas to introduce final upgrades of 2016 in Singapore

The Haas F1 Team will introduce its final set of upgrades for the season at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, as it looks to fully focus its efforts on next year.

The American outfit has finished 11th on five occasions since the Spanish GP, just missing out on points, and believes their latest developments will be enough to boost them toward the head of the midfield for the remaining seven races.

"We are bringing updates to the car in Singapore which, hopefully, will help us go faster," confirmed team principal Guenther Steiner. "The midfield is so close and we are just at the end of it. I think it’s all about execution. Just a little bit more and we will get in the points.

"I would say we are the sixth-or-seventh-best team. I think we opened up a gap to the people behind us in the competition speed-wise, but Force India and Williams are still going strong in front of us and we are battling with McLaren, so it’s just a very tight midfield."

Pushed on what developments will be introduced this weekend, Steiner added: "Front wing, modifications to the floor and the brake ducts. We’re aiming to reduce corner sensitivity so the car is more consistent, and enhance aerodynamic performance and overall efficiency."

The team have already switched focus to 2017, with Steiner confirming work on the current car ended more than two months ago.

"We finished developing this year’s car completely more than two months ago. These changes came from wind tunnel data and it took a little bit of time to develop the parts.

We took our time so we are better prepared for next year. This is the last update for the 2016 car.

"We’ve been using a 60-percent scale model car in the wind tunnel since February, but from February to June we developed both cars (2016 and 2017) simultaneously. In the past two-and-a-half months, it’s been all hands on deck developing the 2017 car."

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Singapore will allow McLaren to show its true potential - Eric Boullier

McLaren believe the Singapore Grand Prix will allow them to show their true potential as the circuit relies heavily on a good chassis and aerodynamics, rather than outright power.

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have both performed well at similar circuits this season, scoring the majority of the teams points at slower 'stop-go' style circuits like Russia, Monaco and Hungary.

With a recently upgraded Honda engine in use for this weekend's race as well as further upgrades to the chassis, Eric Boullier expects the team to score well.

"As we begin the final set of fly-aways before the end of the season, we go to territories where we race at circuits that require a more technical car set-up, with less reliance on pure power," he explained.

"Despite spending the next few weeks far away from the UK, our development push is still ongoing and we’re still working hard on achieving performance improvements right up to the end of the season.

"Although we weren’t in a points-paying position in Monza, we did see some promising performances throughout the weekend, so we’re hopeful of a greater chance to show what our package is truly capable of at the Singapore Grand Prix."

Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa is similarily confident and believes Alonso and Button can "shine" this weekend.

"The car set-up will need to change drastically to adjust the package from the fast-paced circuits of Spa and Monza, to Singapore’s twistier city circuit, so the team is already busy in preparation. Our car has good balance under braking, so the nature of the track should suit us more than the previous circuits," he added.

"Honda will work to match the driveability of the power unit to suit the needs of the stop-and-go nature of the circuit, so that our drivers’ skills can shine throughout the weekend. We hope to be in a good position to score points and have a good race."