FORMULA 1 - 2016

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LAUDA: I DON’T THINK LEWIS WILL BE ABLE TO TURN IT AROUND AGAIN

Lewis Hamilton is unlikely to stop Mercedes teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg from claiming his first Formula 1 world title this season, this is the prediction of team chairman Niki Lauda.

While Hamilton, starting from pole position at Suzuka, fumbled the start of the Japanese Grand Prix and played catch-up all afternoon on his way to third place, Rosberg cruised to his ninth win of the season and a 33 points lead in the championship race, with four rounds remaining.

Speaking after the weekend in Japan, Lauda said, “Nico is doing everything right at the moment. If everything is going normal, the championship could be decided in the next few races, and Lewis won’t be able to catch Nico any more. This is perfectly clear to me.”

“It is only lost and won when the points are gathered, but if nothing happens to either car, I don’t think Lewis will be able to turn it around again. I made a mistake, and then just working my way up from there was tricky,” added Hamilton.

Immediately after the race Mercedes lodged a protest aggainst Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who they believe was overly robust in defending second place from Hamilton in the late stages of the race at uzuka.

This apparently infuriated Hamilton who wrote on his Twitter that no protest was happening, “One idiot said we have but it’s not true. Max drove well, end of. We move on.”

The Tweet was deleted shortly after, but according to FIA and Mercedes an official protest was lodged and then later dropped by the world champion team.”

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INSIDE LINE: VETTEL OR ARRIVABENE? ONE HAS TO GO

Strategy mistakes, bad luck, poor reliability and now internal strife between the team chief and their ace driver are all factors that are turning the 2016 Formula 1 season into an annus horribilis for the legendary Italian team.

After Malaysia, where Vettel crashed out on the first lap, in Turn 1, and was slammed by Italian media who (for the first time since his arrival at Maranello) are asking impolite questions of the German.

Then surprisingly, Maurizio Arrivabene whose position at the helm of the team is increasingly insecure, stuck in the knife by announcing to media that the four times F1 world champion is not guaranteed a seat beyond 2017 and he would have to prove himself worthy.

He also advised the German to stick to driving the car, sending him a clear message to not interfere with the running of the team.

That is a huge slap in the face of Vettel who apart from being the highest paid driver in Ferrari history, was brought in to galvanise the team and has been hampered by a seriously flawed race car.

Furthermore he has been an arch-supporter of Arrivabene even when the Marlboro Man came under big pressure from all quarters for some of his team’s dubiouos decisions,

Even after Japan, when Ferrari tactics were again questionable and Arrivabene had already attacked, Vettel sprung to the defence of his team.

It apparently had not sunk in that he was ambushed in the political gamesmanshhip that is currently enshrouding the team. When he realises the intentions of the boss his next move will be interesting.

Every driver who joins Ferrari are enamoured by the legend of the team and all instantly swear their undying allegiance to the team – “this is where I will end my career” they all inevitably trumpet. Ask Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen (Chapter 1 of his Ferrari adventure) and many before them.

Eventually the rot creeps in and the place becomes a cesspool off back stabbing and intrigue, unless you follow the Michael Schumacher blueprint and bring in all your own people and keep the Italians away from the big decisions. Then you go on and win tons of races and numerous titles.

Vettel is nowhere near exercising such control. Maybe he has tried to get those that are their to raise their game. They have not and now is the time to follow Schumie’s example and go recruit everyone he wants.

If I was Vettel I would pick Ross Brawn and Adrian Newey, get Ferrari and Fiat to throw all the money these two want to get them to don red, recruit James Key and whoever else is a big guru in this era. Thuss build a dream team, and after a couple of years when everything gels win tons of races and numerous titles – like Michael, Jean, Ross and Rory all did at the turn of the century

Right now, behind closed doors it is known that Vettel is dealing with the reality of life at Ferrari. Until now he has been a team man through and through while controling his obvious frustrations in public

Occasionally he lets slip the odd remark over the radio and for sure his body language and demeanour suggests a man dealing with some sort of turmoil.

Things could change now that Arrivabene has shown his true colours and has pitted himself with the Italian media, questioning Vettel’s worth to the team. Perhaps inadvertently, but maybe not…

On track Ferrari has been dismal and they are heading for a win-less season despite having the services of two very good drivers.

Here is a synopsis of some of their races so far this season:

• Australia: The race is stopped due to Alonso’s accident. Seb leads at the restart, but Mercedes strategy is spot on and the German driver has to settle for third place, while Kimi retires for a turbo failure.
• Bahrain: Seb cames to a halt on the formation lap with smoke billowing from the engine. Kimi finishes second.
• China: Seb touches Kimi at the start thanks the an incident with Kvyat. Both Ferrari drivers pit for new nosecones. They finish second and fifth respectively.
• Russia: Seb qualifies second, but drops to seventh place for a gearbox change. Retires on the opening lap after being punted twice by Kvyat. Kimi finishes third.
• Spain: Ferrari endure poor qualifying with Kimi fifth and Seb sixth. Mercedes pair collide on the first lap, as Verstappen seizes the moment, defends from Kimi who finishes second with Seb third.
• Europe (Baku): Seb and Kimi qualify fourth and fifth, then go on to finish the race in second and fourth respectively.
• Austria: Seb qualifies fourth fastest, but lines up ninth on the grid f=due to penalty for replaced gearbox. In the race he retires when his tyre explodes. Kimi finishes third.
• Belgium: Kimi and Seb are tagged by Verstappen on lap one as they dive into the hairpin. Seb finishes sixth despite a spin, Kimi continues despite damage to his car and crosses the line in ninth.
• Singapore: Tie rod on the anti-roll bar of Seb’s car breaks and he is forced him to start from the last position. In race will recover to fifth place.
• Malaysia: First lap crash for Vettel and three place grid penalty for causing the incident. KJapan  compromised as a result.
• Japan: Faster than Red Bull in practice long runs and in qualifying trim, but on race day fourth is their reward for Vettel, who may have been victim again of a bad tyre strategy call.

Much was expected at the start of the season, Ferrari capo dei capi Sergio Marchionne was full of naive bluster and expectations. Interestingly he has gone quiet of late.

But he will need to generate some noise again and to interfere with the civil war brewing between the top men in the team. Will peace between the two suffice?

To outsiders the answer is clear: Arrivabene has not delivered and his so called vision for the team, based around internal promotion of home grown engineering talent will simply not cut it. The man is way out of his depth for the role he is in.

The departure of James Allison should only have impacted Ferrari next season, if at all, but it appears that his absence has already damaged the team.

Marchionne needs to react and in the end he must decide to back Vettel or Arrivabene. There is no alternative… Watch this space!

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Eric Boullier admits poor McLaren showing at Suzuka 'hard to take'

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier says a disappointing 16th and 18th at the Japanese Grand Prix was “hard to take”.

Honda’s home race at Suzuka proved to be a tough one for McLaren, with both drivers struggling throughout practice and qualifying.

Jenson Button then dropped to the very back of the grid with a engine change penalty, recovering to 18th place.

Fernando Alonso admitted the race was a “nasty surprise” after going from 15th at the start to 16th by the flag.

“There’s no point denying that we’re thoroughly disappointed, because we are,” he said.

“Having scored points with both cars last weekend in Malaysia, to finish 16th and 18th here in Japan is hard to take, frankly.

“However, such is the esprit de corps and will to win that now characterise all who work for both McLaren and Honda, as one unified racing force, that we’ll put this forgettable weekend behind us straight away and refocus our attentions and ambitions on the next race: the United States Grand Prix at Austin.  

“But before we do so, I want to pay tribute to the Suzuka fans, who are amongst the most devoted and enthusiastic in the world.

“As ever, they came out in force – many of them in support of their home team, McLaren-Honda – and we would dearly love to have been able to give them something better to cheer about than in the end we did. Next year we will.”

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Top teams divided on US GP tyre compound choices

Formula 1’s top teams have opted for different tyre compound choices for the up-coming United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.

The two title rivals, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, have gone for the same number of super-softs but a different amount of soft and medium compound sets.

Ferrari’s drivers have gone for the same tyre choices, favouring the super-soft, while both Red Bulls have also opted for identical picks.

Elsewhere, Sergio Perez has opted for eight super-soft tyres, more than any other driver, while Jolyon Palmer has picked five medium sets of tyres.

Tyre picks for the US GP:

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Mexico City targets 120,000 sell-out F1 crowd

Organisers of this month’s Mexican Grand Prix have predicted the race-day crowd figure will increase this year, following its impressive return to the Formula 1 World Championship calendar in 2015.

Rodrigo Sanchez, the marketing director of the event, told Motorsport.com that he expects to build the audience this year, rather than have it contract as sometimes occurs with second-year races.

Extra seating capacity means that more fans than ever can watch the 2016 race on October 30.

“Last year we had more or less 110,000 people in the stands,” said Sanchez. “Now, we have grown almost 10 percent with different [grandstand] structures that we’ve made. If we were in the same position as last year, we would be sold-out at this moment. But now we will have nearly 120,000 people.

“To get this amount of people is not easy. At this moment there is a construction for a new baseball stadium near Turn 1, where last year there was a grandstand. So the organisation had the challenge of not losing those places for fans.

“The only stand that’s not there from last year is the one that was on the Moises Solana complex because of the baseball park. Based on that, we did some little changes elsewhere, we changed some structures. And now the number 5 stand has more capacity. And we did a change on the 9-10-11 stands as well.

“The response from the people has been incredible. We are nearly 95 percent sold already, so I’m sure we will have a full house.”

     

More options for tourists

The Mexican GP organisation has pledged to take the race experience outside the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, with special menus in the city’s centre.

“This year we have the flavour of F1,” Sanchez added. “We are working with more than 80 restaurants from Mexico City, and created menus inspired on Formula 1.

“We are going from the track to the table, so that the F1 gives the fans a different taste. We want to keep putting the party ambience, a celebration. That’s what people want.”

     

Great image for Mexico

Following the success of last year’s event on the global scale, Sanchez wishes to build on its international appeal.

“The response from the foreign audience has been great,” he said. “We want to keep showing the best from our country. We want to bring people to Mexico, to learn the wonders of this country.

“In Mexico when we do this type of big event there is always a great atmosphere – and thanks to F1 we can show the world of what Mexico is made of.

“Formula 1 is a country project – there has been a collaboration with the federal government, Mexico City’s government, CIE and private enterprises. This is a big project where everybody has been focused in planning, organization and promoting the event as it is.

“It’s important to show everyone that we are able to organise this type of event. When we work together we do incredible things.

“The expectations are to keep position Mexico as a modern country, and a country capable of doing things the right way, and we are all in the same boat. From this, there are a lot of things like tourism and good perception the world can take of Mexico.”

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Nasr eager to stay on at improving Sauber

Felipe Nasr has expressed his intentions to stay with Sauber for the 2017 Formula 1 season having watched the team 'step up' in recent races under new ownership. 

The Brazilian joined Sauber in 2015, securing two top six finishes en route to 13th in the overall standings, but has failed to crack the top ten this year in a season that has seen the cash-strapped team struggle to introduce new developments. 

However, with Longbow Finance purchasing the team in July, a series of new staff acquisitions and the implementation on much-delayed car updates have signalled a brighter future for the privateer team. 

As such, though Sauber still remains at risk of finishing the 2016 season without any points for the second time in three years, though Nasr admits he has 'nothing yet', he says he has seen enough progress in recent races to convince him that he should stay. 

“Oh yes [I want to stay], I see this team on the way up and I see a lot of positives happening,” he said. “A lot of good people have come on board and they are looking for more to the end of the year. It has really taken a step up here. 

“I see the team forming a structure behind and in terms of development it will be totally different to this year the way we have the car and performance. We are not precisely in time with the car for 2017 but we can see the team working on it, they are all going in the right direction.” 

Indeed, Nasr says much has changed behind the scene with the influx of investment from Longbow Finance and is certain it is on course to return to regular top ten finishes in 2017. 

“It is a different position to where we were at the beginning of the year. Since the takeover a lot has been happening, a lot has changed and this is all positive. We need time for things to fall into place and to see the development curve coming up. In terms of what I can see this year, you can see things progressing. 

“Next year, having a solid base and a solid structure, it won't stay like this Sauber has always been a point-scoring team. If we are back in the points next year in terms of in a more frequent way, that will be a good step forward.” 

 

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BALDISSERRI: FERRARI ARE WORKING IN A CLIMATE OF TERROR

Ferrari are under performing this year because the team is working in a climate of terror, according to Formula 1 engineer Luca Baldisserri who worked with the team during the Michael Schumacher golden era.

Baldisserri told Corriere dello Sport, “Unfortunately neither [Sergio] Marchionne nor [Maurizio] Arrivabene have experience of racing.”

“Ferrari are no longer a team, but a group of frightened people. Inside the team there is a climate of terror, the boys do not invent, do not make decisions for fear of being expelled in disgrace.”

“The chain of command in Formula 1 has to be more vertical – it must be military style. The managers are there to show the way, to motivate people, to make decisions, and if mistakes are made not to be sent packing. This is what happened to Allison – a great loss.”

Asked what it will take for Ferrari to win again, something they have not done all season, Baldisserri said, “When the team achieves efficient organization and stability, with good ideas and their drivers do not make mistakes.”

“The money is there, but you win with stability. Those who are working hard should not be rushed. I understand that Marchionne wants to win right away, but in Formula 1 it does not work that way. It’s difficult to make it happen in less than three years.”

In the wake of Allison’s departure Mattia Binotta was promoted to Chief Technical Officer, Baldisserri has worked extensively with him and said of the appointment, “Mattia knows how to motivate people and he has great experience but he is not a technical director.”

“He knows he cannot design a [F1] car and does not have the deep knowledge with regards to the chassis, aerodynamics and mechanical elements. But I can see him doing very well as a team principal.”

In Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari have a formidable driving line-up, but this season they are struggling although the Iceman appears to have upped his game while the four times world champion is slipping up.

Baldisserri explained, “Raikkonen is better than he was in 2015, but Vettel is much worse. It is important Ferrari recover and that the drivers hold tight at least for the short term. [Vettel] was caught up in the vortex of exaltation last year [when he joined the fabled team].”

“But the problem is not the drivers,” added the Italian.

With four races remaining, Ferrari have yet to register a win this season and lie third in the Formula 1 constructors’ championship, 50 points adrift of Red Bull.

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SAINZ: I WAS ANGRY WHEN RED BULL PROMOTED MAX

Carlos Sainz has been forced to complete a third season with Toro Rosso, as Red Bull blocked a move to Renault by the Spaniard who is still aggrieved that the team chose to promote Max Verstappen and not him to the senior team.

Sainz told James Allen, “When Max Verstappen was promoted to Red Bull, people tend to forget that was also a tough period for me, not only for Daniil Kvyat. For me it was difficult to understand not being the chosen one.

“And in some ways, the results I scored in Barcelona, Monaco, Canada consecutively was to say to Red Bull: you’ve got it, not wrong, but you could have also chosen me. I’m really angry about this and I also want to get to that position.”

“For me it was like telling me I’m not as good as Max when I believe I am as good or better, as every Formula 1 driver does. So it was a tough period for me but I said, ‘it’s my time to prove what I can do.’

“The next three events were the three best races of my life in Formula 1 straight after a bad moment, which was also important for me and since then I’ve built momentum and developed it into a situation that is helping me a lot.

“It’s a reference and when you see his results and what he is doing with a top car, it just tells me why can I not get the same?”

Sainz has warned that Red Bull should know his ambition is to win races and world titles, “I understand that the situation with Red Bull is completely difficult, they have two very good drivers and obviously it’s not an ideal situations.”

“I think Red Bull, my environment, everyone needs to understand that my target in the end is to be a world champion and to start fighting for those podiums and those wins – that is what I am really here for.”

“Maybe its optimistic, but it’s the nature of everyone Formula 1 driver – you just want to win, especially after this period of time that I’m going through now. I feel I am at the peak and I’m ready to take that next step,” declared Sainz.

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PROST TIPS ROSBERG TO BECOME 2016 F1 CHAMPION

Formula 1 legend Alain Prost is tipping Nico Rosberg to claim his first world championship title this year, as the German heads to the final four races with a 33 points gap to his Mercedes teammate and closest rival Lewis Hamilton.

Prost told Canal Plus, “A 33 points lead starts to be important. It’s much better to have that kind of lead with four races to go than the four wins he had at the start of the season.

“He will have to manage this lead now, and get into a psychological state that is not always easy. It’s never easy to manage such a big lead, especially against Lewis Hamilton, who thinks the whole world is against him now. But it could still turn, one retirement and Lewis is right back in the race.”

“How can you not be champion if you’ve won nine races? That is the question Nico Rosberg hopes he does not have to answer at the end of the season. But the German is doing everything he has to for his first world title,” added the man known in his heyday as the Professor.

Rosberg has scored nine wins this season. No driver has won that many and not gone on to win the title.

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ALLISON SET FOR RENAULT RETURN BELIEVES MARKO

Reports doing the rounds in the Suzuka paddock that engineering guru James Allison was set to join Red Bull have been rubbished by the team’s consultant Helmut Marko.

“This is total nonsense,” Marko told Auto Bild. “We’re not talking to him, but are of the opinion that he’s going back to Enstone with Renault.”

As for talk that James Key is departing Toro Rosso for Williams, Marko said, “This speculation has more of a real background.”

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Pirelli's 2017 tyre testing continues with Nico Rosberg at Barcelona

Testing of Pirelli’s wider 2017 Formula 1 tyres continued at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain on Wednesday.

Nico Rosberg was at the wheel of a modified 2015 Mercedes in Spain, but cooler temperatures and a rain shower in the afternoon limited his running.

The current F1 championship leader still managed 60 laps, completing 46 on dry weather tyres in the morning and 14 on the wet 2017 tyres.

Pirelli’s tyres will increase in width by 60mm at the front (245 to 305mm) and 80mm at the rear (325 to 405mm) for next season.

Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull have already completed tests with Pirelli in preparation for 2017. The current Mercedes test at Barcelona will conclude on Thursday.

Meanwhile Red Bull will complete a two-day dry tyre test at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi from the 14-16 October.

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Video: Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen tour Tokyo in Kaido Racer

Watch Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen sample Japanese car culture with a cruise around Tokyo at the wheel of a Kaido Racer.

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Vandoorne welcomes Alonso challenge

Incoming McLaren-Honda driver Stoffel Vandoorne revealed he is not afraid of partnering with someone as prestigious as Fernando Alonso next year.

Following the announcement of Jenson Button’s sabbatical, at the same time it was also revealed that Vandoorne will replace him.

On pairing with Alonso next year, the young Belgian driver is looking at it as a positive learning experience rather than a daunting task.

“I think it’s something positive for me to race alongside Fernando,” said the GP2 Champion, who has already scored a point for McLaren.

“Everyone obviously knows his qualities, he’s a double world champion and a lot of people see him as one of the toughest drivers to beat. So I think it’s positive for me to come in and be his team-mate.

“Obviously we’ll try to beat each other, that’s normal because we’re racing drivers. But as well we have to make sure we push the team forward for next year.

“We’re making big progress now and hopefully next year we can make another big step.”

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On 11/10/2016 at 5:12 PM, RijkdeGooier said:

How about the Gary Conolly story? Any confirmation on the Autobild piece?

Just found a little more news on this and it's not really news but more of a statement on this little rumour.

As per Joe Saward, a prominent British Formula One journalist and noted on his blog;

Here is what he has to say;

There were the usual post-race “he-said-she-said” stuff, rehashed from press releases and a lot of tosh from the bottom-feeders about an FIA Steward allegedly inciting a Mercedes protest against Max Verstappen’s driving in Suzuka.

If one knows the procedures (which you can read in the regulations) you know that this story is complete hogwash. All investigations are announced by the FIA, none was. Thus stories of one steward being outvoted by the others lie somewhere between supposition and utter fantasy. I did look into the whole thing and it appears that the steward (Garry Connelly) met Paddy Lowe of Mercedes in the Paddock a couple of hours after the race was finished. Lowe seems to have expressed some frustration that Verstappen had not been penalised. Verstappen was spoken to by the stewards after the race, but in an unofficial manner. He then departed the track. Connelly seems to have told Lowe that if a team does not agree with a steward’s decision they have a right to protest (as long as the protest is made within a hour of the decision). The Provisional Race Result is deemed to be a stewards’ decision and it was decided by Mercedes Persons Unknown to embark on this process. When this was announced in the Media Centre there was a sense of disbelief because it was obvious that no hearing could take place because both of the drivers had already left. The hearing was announced for Austin, but then Mercedes withdrew the protest.

So what had happened? Inevitably, journalists began asking questions and a German publication, known for its close links with Mercedes top management, later ran the story about Connelly. Having looked into it, my conclusion is that this a case of a Chinese whisper passing from English to German and coming out rather differently than the discussion that actually took place. Telling someone that they have a right to protest is not at all the same as telling them to protest, but clearly this subtle distinction was, as they say in Japan, lost in translation.

 

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Massa column: Why F1 drivers are struggling with starts

In his latest column, Felipe Massa reflects on the Japanese Grand Prix and explains why F1 drivers are struggling to nail starts like before.

The Japanese Grand Prix weekend was one that at times seemed very difficult, but in the end Williams Martini Racing still managed to get some important points for the world championship.

Achieving that had been far from certain before the start of the race, considering that on Saturday we had not been able to make it through to the Q3 session.

After qualifying, though, we decided to focus on a one-stop strategy. From the data we had at our disposal, there were a few unknowns about making a one-stop work but in the end it was a key decision that helped us move forward in the race. There was a chance for it, and we exploited it to the full.

There were some downsides to the decision, because starting on the medium tyre meant we lost a couple of places at the start – because you do not get as good traction as you do with the soft. But immediately after that, the pace was good.

Of course, over the first stint we lost a little bit to the other cars who were running on the soft tyre, but once we switched to the hard then our pace was competitive. We were able to run consistently good lap times, and we were able to recover the ground we had lost earlier to get in to the top ten.

It was not easy managing the degradation, but we managed to contain the late assault from Romain Grosjean – who came up behind us with fresher tyres in the closing laps. However, both myself in ninth place and teammate Valtteri Bottas in 10th we able to hold out.

     

Final events

With four races remaining until the end of the world championship, I do not think we will see great variation in terms of the form of the teams.

Austin, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi are tracks that are not as radically different as say Monza or a street circuit – so I think the performance we saw in Sepang and Suzuka will carry through until the final race. That is especially true because I do not think there will be many technical developments either.

The differences will come from the weather, strategic choices of even incidents on track – so we need to be ready to take every opportunity until the end of the season if we are to win our battle with Force India for fourth place in the constructors' championship.

     

Start important

One area that continues to look really decisive is the race starts, and we have seen how important that is in the world championship battle between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

These days it is much easier to make mistakes – because in the past we had two clutch pedals and the ability to make adjustments on the formation lap. The engineers would be reading the value of the real-time traction from our practice getaway, and then would tell us over the radio what settings needed to be used.

Since the technical regulations changed this year, the procedure has become more delicate, because it is the driver who needs to work out how to adjust the settings himself.

At Monza, for example, I made the classic burnout prior to lining up for the start and I knew that there was very low grip – judging by the great amount of smoke that had been generated by my rear tyres.

So because of that I decided to be very cautious in releasing the clutch, and when the lights went out it worked really well. I saw several of my opponents get wheelspin.

One of the other difficulties is that after doing so many practice starts at the exit of the pitlane over a race weekend, you find that the grip level is different on the asphalt on the grid.

It is why drivers still make mistakes, and I think this year every driver has got it wrong as least once. Rosberg has done well, and there are drivers who can manage and understand a little better the grip levels that are out there.

And as the start in Japan showed you, it is an element of the race weekend that can make all the difference.

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Opinion: How memories of Lauda joke show exactly what F1 is missing

While Lewis Hamilton's decision to go to war with the media at Suzuka appears extreme, some people argue that the world champion's antics showed F1 needs to change.

I hate to sound like a boring guy, but in this case it really was better back then.

Forget a world champion thinking that putting a rabbit or deer masks on to faces is the funniest thing in the world.

The one press conference moment that still makes me chuckle was at the French Grand Prix in 1993, where the assembled F1 drivers were asked to explain the worst practical joke that they had ever played.

There were the usual tales of knocking on hotel room doors and running away. Gerhard Berger recounted throwing Ayrton Senna's briefcase out of a helicopter, with the Brazilian laughing alongside him.

And then it was Ukyo Katayama's turn.

The then Tyrrell driver's quite limited English meant he had failed to fully understand what the question was, as he thought he had been asked to recount the worst joke.

"There is a snake and an elephant, and they bump into each other in the jungle," he began, with the eyes of his fellow panelists all lighting up as they realised where this was heading.

"They both stop and the elephant goes, 'Do you know who I am?' The snake replies - 'Yes. You have big ears and a big trunk, you are an elephant! But Mr. Elephant, do you know who I am?'

"'Yes,' replied the elephant. 'You have funny skin, you have no hair and you have no ears. You are Niki Lauda...'"

Cue lots and lots of laughter. Even Hamilton would have cracked up at that one.

     

Same format

Of course comparing these two different eras is always fraught with difficulties, but it says much that more than 20 years on the format for pre-event press conferences has not changed very much. And they have become a bit long in the tooth.

Nowadays, as Hamilton tried to point out with his Snapchat shenanigans that ultimately ended up triggering an unnecessary and bizarre war with the media, there is often very little to get excited about.

In fact, and ironically since they have now become a live television event, press conferences have become as annoying for drivers as they are unfulfilling for the media.

Of course, press conferences are not supposed to be a moment of entertainment. The whole point of them is to help give media access to drivers and team bosses so quotes and information can be gathered in a structured way. They are not occasions where pom poms and fireworks will make any difference.

But where once these quotes/info gathering events worked well, in more recent years they have gone rapidly downhill, through a combination of a rapidly changing media world and the thirst for television channels to show as much as possible.

As they are broadcast live on television to fans and media outlets, there is now very little incentive for journalists at events to attend press conferences and contribute questions, because they will ultimately be doing someone else's work for them.

Ask an insightful question that offers fresh knowledge, get a brilliant answer in return, and all you will have done is given away a story for someone else to get the glory from.

For by the time you have got back to your desk, your story will have been beamed out to the world, to many news organisations/websites covering events from home. In the end, making an effort in the press conference can mean getting scooped to your own story.

For a journalist who ultimately wants to deliver added value for his readers and editors, it's much better to wait to grab drivers/team people away from the television cameras, where not only will there be better answers in a more relaxed environment, but there will also be time and space to actually write the story in the right time.

The lack of value for the media from the FIA press conferences, allied to the fact drivers know they are live on television, has inevitably led to a vicious circle where drivers don't get the best questions, so there are no good answers. And the more there are no good answers, the less desire there is for good questions – and so it goes on.

     

Same questions

It has been a similar vicious circle process with the television crew access down in the paddock after the press conference too.

Where once there were a handful of broadcasters able to get what they wanted from drivers in the 'bull pen', now there can be more than a dozen different stations jostling for position, often having to ask the same question.

This has led to an echo chamber of the same quotes being churned out by increasingly bored drivers as they go from one crew to another, which isn't good for broadcasters either.

One driver told me earlier this year that he has learned his tactic for the television pen, answer the first question, tweak it to perfection it for the second crew and then repeat ad nauseam until it's done.

Hamilton had obviously reached a point where he had enough – perhaps in light of the huge media storm that had been caused by his Malaysian GP post-race remarks about 'something or someone' not wanting him to be champion this year.

He knew Suzuka Thursday would mean endless repeat questions on the topic: which may well have prompted him to try to do something a bit left-field.

Whether or not putting Bambi or rabbit cartoons onto faces and telling journalists to go read his social media instead was the right way to go about complaining is doubtful, but there is some merit to his claims that the format of the press conferences have got a bit stale.

     

Too long season

It also says a lot about the lack of much excitement and buzz in the F1 paddock that the biggest story of the weekend was effectively: man messes about in press conference, gets upset that some journalists got upset and then won't speak to those journalists any more.

It is symptomatic of a sport that is not delivering the entertainment or storylines that is demanded nowadays – where television channels, newspapers and internet sites demand content 24/7. The thirst for content – any content – is why the FIA press conference has got televised in the first place.

But when there is very little fluctuation of form between teams on track, very little controversy/friction between teams/drivers off it, very little motivation for saying anything sensational, then it's almost inevitable these things don't deliver.

There are only so many times that you can get excited about a Mercedes front row, tyre pressure settings, the battle for second between Ferrari/Red Bull, engine modes or the fight for fourth between Williams and Force India.

Teams too are so reluctant to explain interesting things that they are up to for fear of giving their rivals an advantage.

It is only when jeopardy is thrown into the mix – like the race starts, or bad weather, or collisions, or engine failure or driver swaps – that there finally gets to be something to talk about.

Having 21 races certainly does not help, because it is yet more race weekends where the same drivers are in the same positions doing the same things with ever diminishing returns.

It would be like the group stages of the World Cup having each team play each other three times. I can assure you - third time through, the lack of storylines or shock results would be pretty dull.

  

High emotions

As Hamilton pointed out, F1 really could do with a shake-up of the format to bring its characters to life.

There are moments for live broadcasts – like the slow-down lap or the green room – when television should be given everything to make the emotions of the contenders come through. The pre-podium room has become a real highlight just for this.

But there are moments of weekend too when television shouldn't be there, simply because some functions of written media do not work well for television.

What television needs (entertainment) and what written media need (information, quotes and background) can be completely different because they are providing for different markets.

So let's shake up the Thursday format: just have one or two drivers there in a more relaxed atmosphere where there is a real focus to the discussion.

Why not have some opening questions thrown in from fans, who can be as controversial as they like! And keep the cameras out so the drivers don't feel they have to be on display.

Plus, why not give host broadcasters better access – even through a FOM-controlled camera crew that is shared between them – for more behind-the-scenes moments when emotions are running high or for better prepared interviews that don't have to be a bun fight.

That Hamilton has chosen to go to war with the media – not wanting to sit down for questions any more, labelling anyone who reported on the Mercedes appeal an 'idiot', blocking journalists on Twitter over what happened – seems a bit extreme, but to each their own.

But if his bizarre weekend in Japan serves as a catalyst for F1 to think better about how the sport and its media can drive forward to embrace modern media demands, then some good will at least have come out of it.

[MIKA27]

Sauber will be "two steps behind" with old Ferrari engine - Sainz

Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz says he expects Sauber to have a tough time in 2017 after the team announced it will continue to use 2016-spec Ferrari engines.

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn confirmed at Suzuka that the Swiss squad will opt for the latest spec of the 2016 Ferrari power unit in 2017, explaining that the team had decided to "focus on chassis development and performance development" instead of adapting to any potential off-season changes to the engine.

Sainz's current team Toro Rosso has wound up using year-old Ferrari units this year and has, as a result, dropped down the competitive order as the season went on and upgrades for current-spec engines were introduced.

Asked about Sauber's engine decision for 2017, Sainz said: "Well, I wish them good luck.

"Normally they're one step behind, and if they have a fixed engine for the rest of the year, they will end up being two steps behind.

"Not an easy one for sure, but we want them behind so it's better for us."

     

Speed deficit "very frustrating"

Toro Rosso, which scored just two points in the last six races, could not seriously challenge for the top 10 in the most recent grand prix at Suzuka.

And, after he finished only 17th, Sainz lamented the straightline speed deficit caused by the year-old engine, saying it restricted the team's strategy options by making it "impossible" to overtake and very difficult to defend position.

"It's very frustrating, I must say," Sainz conceded after the Japanese GP. "I tried everything I could, everything - you cannot imagine. With the DRS, with the lines - I even passed [Esteban] Gutierrez one time round the outside of Turn 6, because it was the only place I could pass today.

"It's very frustrating, because you know when you go into a race also, your strategy is fixed, because you cannot overtake. It's a shame.

"It's frustrating, but it's what we have at the moment. We need to adapt, we need to correct it.

"[At Suzuka] we chose to run our standard downforce, without any compromise for our top speed - and it shows that our qualy performance improved compared to Malaysia, but our race was probably worse, so we'll need to analyse."

[MIKA27]

8 F1 careers ruined by injury

Rallying accidents, helicopter crashes, freak incidents... here are 8 F1 careers cruelly ruined by unfortunate injuries.

ROBERT KUBICA

A relative unknown before BMW picked him up as a test driver and ultimately promoted him to a race seat later in the year, Robert Kubica quickly established himself as a potential champion-in-waiting during his time with the German manufacturer. Winning his first (and only) race in Canada in 2008, though Kubica’s career stuttered when the sudden exit of BMW forced him to the less competitive Renault team, his stock remained high amongst F1’s leading teams and it is understood Ferrari was preparing a bid for his services for 2012. However, his F1 career would come to an abrupt halt ahead of the 2011 season when he crashed heavily during a rallying event in Andorra. With the barrier penetrating the cockpit of his Skoda and partially severing his forearm, Kubica was trapped in the car for an hour before he could be extricated. Following lengthy operations, rehabilitation took several months – ruling him out of the 2011 season -, but it soon became clear the forces of an F1 car would forever be too much for Kubica to manage with his impaired arm and he was forced to call time on his F1 dreams. He returned to motorsport with a more professional stint in rallying, but he struggled to find consistency and has spent much of the 2016 season on the sidelines.

DIDIER PIRONI

 

One of the most tragic tales to befall the sport, for many, the friendship-turned-rivalry between Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi robbed F1 of two of its most talented drivers. Firm friends initially during their time at Ferrari, Villeneuve died in a ferocious accident at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix just two weeks on from declaring he would never speak to Pironi again after feeling the Frenchman cheated him by winning at Imola against the team's direction. Whilst Pironi was now heading towards the title, Villeneuve’s death nonetheless took its mental toll on him and many noted that his demeanour changed amidst an undercurrent of feeling the he bore responsibility for the tragic outcome. However, Pironi’s F1 story would also end in horrific circumstances when he crashed heavily during the German Grand Prix later that year. Pironi suffered severe leg injuries that would end his racing career, with Keke Rosberg surpassing him in his absence to take the 1982 title. Four years later Pironi almost returned to F1 only to be prevented for insurance reasons (his pay out was based on the assumption he wouldn’t race again) and instead turned to offshore boat racing. He was killed in a boating accident in 1987.

MARTIN DONNELLY

Regarded as one of Britain’s brightest hopes when he got his full-time F1 break in 1990, Martin Donnelly sadly never had the chance to properly demonstrate the form that had him winning races in the Formula 3000 feeder series. Paired with the uncompetitive and unreliable Lamborghini-powered Lotus for 1990, Donnelly was almost killed in a horrendous accident during the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Crashing at the fast right-hander leading onto the back straight, the Lotus split in two and Donnelly – still strapped into his seat – was flung from the car and left lying on the track. Knocked unconscious, the 26 year-old Donnelly almost faced having his leg amputated but it would be saved by the swift work of F1 doctors. However, the severity of the accident would all but end his racing career save for the odd low key domestic appearances in recent years.

ALESSANDRO NANNINI

Could Alessandro Nannini have become an F1 champion with Ferrari? Many feel the Italian would have at least been destined for success with the 'Prancing Horse' had a helicopter crash towards the end of the 1990 season not severed his forearm. The Italian was in the midst of his third season with Benetton at the time, during which he had matched more experienced team-mates and delivered some eye-catching results, not least his one and only win in Japan in 1989. The results had also caught the attention of Ferrari who were reportedly planning to offer him a contract for 1991 when the accident at his own vineyard brought an abrupt halt to a flourishing F1 career. Despite this, Nannini did return to motorsport and enjoyed race winning success in the demanding DTM/ITC touring car series with Alfa Romeo.' However, save for a couple of tests, he never returned to F1 racing.

JJ LEHTO

 

Jyrki Juhani Järvilehto, better known as JJ Lehto, had injury to blame for a slow decline in form that ultimately ended his F1 career in 1994. Eye-catching drives with Scuderia Italia and Sauber had earned Lehto a plum seat in the competitive Benetton for 1994 but a pre-season testing crash left him nursing a serious neck injury that forced him to miss the opening two rounds. On his return to action in the ill-fated 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, Lehto stalled on the grid and was struck from behind by Pedro Lamy, who in turn suffered serious leg injuries he struggled to recover from too. Lehto made sporadic attempts to return over the course of the season but he would eventually be dropped by Benetton and picked up by Sauber, itself seeking a replacement for Karl Wendlinger after his own struggles to return from injury. Lehto turned his back on F1 after 1994 having never been able to fulfil the promise he showed pre-injury and turned his attention to sportscars, becoming a three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner.

HELMUT MARKO

Better known now for his advisory role to Red Bull, Helmut Marko has been responsible for discovering some of F1’s brightest talents, including Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen… but it is easy to forget he was once an F1 driver himself, one who had his career ended by a freak incident. Making his F1 debut with BRM at the end of the 1971 season, Marko continued into 1972 only to be permanently blinded in the left eye when a stone kicked up by Emerson Fittipaldi’s Lotus pierced his helmet visor. The incident ended his racing career, but he would go on to enjoy success as a team and driver manager until his current high-profile role within the Red Bull fold.

STIRLING MOSS

World renowned for his remarkable skill behind the wheel of almost any racing car he could get his hands on, Stirling Moss raced for the pure thrill of racing. From F1, to the Mille Miglia, to the Le Mans 24 Hours, Moss raced a broad range of cars in different competitions – at times more than 50 races a year – and for a variety of manufacturers during his active years of 1948 and 1962. A four-time F1 runner-up, Moss might have won that elusive title but for a crash during the Glover Trophy at Goodwood, which left him in a coma for a month, while the left-hand side of his body remained paralysed for six months. He attempted a comeback but felt he had lost his edge behind the wheel and instead opted to retire from professional racing aged 33.

CLAY REGAZZONI

Considered one of the best F1 drivers never to win a Formula 1 World Championship title, Clay Regazzoni was a five-time race winner and visited the podium on 28 occasions in a career spanning 10 years before his life changed dramatically during the 1980 United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach. Suffering a catastrophic brake failure on his Ensign around the street circuit, Regazzoni struck the back of Ricardo Zunino’s Brabham that had been parked in the escape road following his DNF on lap one. The Swiss was knocked unconscious and though he survived, he was paralysed from the waist down. He did, however, continue racing in the gruelling Paris-Dakar Rally and even the Sebring 12 Hours sportscar race.

 

[MIKA27]

Toro Rosso F1 driver Kvyat feels he's outperforming the team's car

Daniil Kvyat feels he is currently outperforming his Toro Rosso Formula 1 car and demonstrating he deserves a seat with the team next season.

The Russian lost his Red Bull drive to Max Verstappen earlier this year, moving back to Toro Rosso from the Spanish Grand Prix.

Since then, he has scored four points, compared to new team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr's 26.

However, in two of the last three races, Kvyat has finished ahead of the Spaniard as Toro Rosso finds itself at a growing disadvantage with its year-old Ferrari engine.

Kvyat conceded he felt pressure while struggling to get comfortable with the car on his return to the team, but in recent races the 22-year-old feels he has turned a corner.

"I think I am outperforming the car at the moment, to be honest, so if this is not enough then I don't know what is," Kvyat said, when asked by Autosport if he was proving he deserved a seat in 2017.

"I'm feeling a lot more comfortable than a couple of months ago, that's for sure.

"I have to create my own comfort and it feels quite good.

"The start of every weekend is more enjoyable.

"Sometimes we know before coming to the race that it won't be easy but we keep fighting and I enjoy doing my work regardless of my position. Every day is a joy.

"A few months ago, of course I had a few doubts but now everything is clear to me.

"I love what I do and I want to do this as long as I can."

Kvyat said he was no closer to finding out whether he will be retained alongside Sainz in 2017.

Red Bull protege and GP2 title contender Pierre Gasly is waiting in the wings, but Kvyat hopes he will not have to wait too much longer.

"Whenever the time comes, it comes. It will be very soon but before it happens, I don't want to talk about it," he said.

"At the moment, my career is in Red Bull's hands.

"For a driver who has already won a few races, it's much easier.

"It didn't happen [for me], I have a few podiums which makes it easier of course but it's still not a win.

"At the moment, it's having myself and Red Bull discussing my future."

[Bohn007]

Is this the @MIKA27 thread? 

[Baldy]

3 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

Is this the @MIKA27 thread? 

No but it's started and generally maintained by @MIKA27.  Myself and many others posts here at times but mostly this site is our source of great F1 news thanks to the hard work of Mika.  If you search back it bit you'll notice that this type of thread have been going on for years.  It's a great service to many of us.

[MIKA27]

16 hours ago, Baldy said:

No but it's started and generally maintained by @MIKA27.  Myself and many others posts here at times but mostly this site is our source of great F1 news thanks to the hard work of Mika.  If you search back it bit you'll notice that this type of thread have been going on for years.  It's a great service to many of us.

Since joining this forum back in 2009, I started the Formula 1 thread each and every year @Bohn007

Being a fan of the sport, I always wanted one place to go to for all the relevant news by way of sifting out all the rubbish many publications tend to have. It's not an exact science

Over the last few years, a bunch of regular members such as @Baldy contribute and provide their own insight where possible which is always welcome and from my perspective, I also enjoy reading others opinions and thoughts. For me, it's not always easy to post as I'm also juggling work and family life but here lies the problem, when you commit to something that is often a daily posting thread, you got to keep it up.  I do enjoy it though. 

Unsure about posting for next season, still lamenting on it..? We shall see.

[MIKA27]

RENAULT TARGET BOTTAS ALONGSIDE HULKENBERG

With Nico Hulkenberg all but confirmed to join Renault for a two or three year deal starting in 2017, it has now emerged that the French outfit is working hard to secure the services of Valtteri Bottas from Williams.

Although Bottas is tipped to stay at Williams, the Grove outfit want a long term contrcat while Bottas wants a one year deal and this sticking point may trigger his move to Renault who are desperate to sign two experienced drivers to spearhead their programme next season.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Renault have presented Bottas with a long term deal which as a works team is an attractive proposition.

Bottas and Hulkenberg are the most effective and experienced pairing still available, although neither has won a grand prix as yet.

While Force India are publicly claiming that Hulkenberg would be foolish to leavethe Silvberstone based team, behind closed doors they are already shopping for a replacement to partner Sergio Perez next year.

Candidates with money include the likes of Felipe Nasr, Esteban Gutierrez, Jolyon Palmer as well as  the Mercedes-backed duo of Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon.

Sporting boss Otmar Szafnauer told Auto Motor und Sport, “It would be foolish to force a driver to drive for us if he doesn’t want to,But I think Nico would be ill advised to go. We are fourth in the championship — and where is Renault?”

For Hulkenberg a move to a works team is a no brainer, despite the fact that Renault are rebuilding. They have pedigree and a to be part of a two or three year plan with a factory outfit is a step up for the German whose career at Force India has stagnated.

Bottas on the other hand is keen for a one year deal as he is said to have an option to join Ferrari when fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen departs at the end of 2017.

However if he is forced to choose between Williams and Renault, he too may opt for the latter for the same reasons Hulkenberg has chosen to do so.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON CALLS IN SICK WITH SORE FOOT

Triple Formula 1  world champion Lewis Hamilton has pulled out of a tyre test in Barcelona to rest a sore foot ahead of next week’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, his Mercedes team said on Thursday.

The Briton had been due originally to test the 2017 Pirelli tyres with a modified 2015 ‘mule’ car on Wednesday but team mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg took on those duties instead.

A team spokesman said German reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein, who races for Manor, would stand in for Hamilton on Thursday.

“Lewis had some discomfort in his foot after training on Tuesday,” he said. “It was agreed he wouldn’t test so he could rest it and get physio to be in good shape for Austin, which he will be. No concerns on that front.”

Hamilton is 33 points behind Rosberg in the world championship with four races remaining, meaning that even if he wins every one it will still not be enough if Rosberg finishes second each time.

The Briton won his third title, and second with Mercedes, at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas last year when Rosberg started on pole but made a mistake that gifted his team mate the victory.

Rosberg, who is now heading for his first title, then went on to win the three races after that in Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi before starting the new season with four successive victories.

Both Hamilton and Rosberg were at the team’s Brackley headquarters and Brixworth high performance engine facility on Tuesday, with the Briton seen to be limping slightly later in the afternoon.

Hamilton triggered a media spat at the last race in Japan when he was criticised for playing around with Snapchat during a news conference, taking pictures of fellow drivers and complaining of the boring format of the event.

He then walked out of a media briefing on Saturday and hurriedly left the circuit after the race, flying back to Europe with non-executive chairman Niki Lauda and Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff.

The team said then that Hamilton had to be back in Europe as soon as possible to be ready for Wednesday testing.

[MIKA27]

Mark Webber announces retirement from racing at end of 2016

Mark Webber will retire from racing at the end of the 2016 season, Porsche has officially announced.

The Australian driver won nine Formula 1 races during his 12-year stint in the series, before making the switch to the FIA World Endurance Championship with Porsche.

Together with his team-mates Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley, Webber won the 2015 WEC championship and the trio have won seven races in the series since 2014.

Webber’s final race will be the 6 Hours of Bahrain next month, before he retires from racing and will become a Porsche representative.

“I have arrived where I belong,” he said. “Porsche is the brand I always loved most and the one that suits me the best.  

"I will miss the sheer speed, downforce and competition, but I want to leave on a high and I’m very much looking forward to my new tasks.

“It was a big change from Formula 1 to LMP1 and an entirely new experience. But it came at the right time for me.

“I found I liked sharing a car and the chemistry between Timo, Brendon and me is special and something I’ll always remember.

“It will be strange getting into the race car for the very last time in Bahrain but for now I will thoroughly enjoy every moment of the remaining races.”