FORMULA 1 - 2016

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Ricciardo brimming with confidence

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that his confidence is at an all time high at the moment, and not because of his latest win in Malaysia.

The Australian benefited from an engine blow-out from Lewis Hamilton two weekends ago in Sepang, which resulted in him claiming his first victory of 2016, while his team-mate Max Verstappen crossed the chequered flag P2.

However, at the recently concluded Japan Grand Prix, Ricciardo failed join Verstappen on the podium, but insisted that he is feeling good going into the last four races of the season.

"I've definitely felt 'on' lately, and that's not just because of Malaysia," he told Red Bull's official website.

“It's sometimes hard to get a handle on a driver's form in F1 – it's not like, say, tennis, where if someone's in a groove serving or nailing their passing shots, then that's pretty obvious for the people watching.

"As a driver, you can feel like you're in a good space and the car isn't up to it, or the other way around is also true. All this year, I've felt pretty good, and that's definitely ramped up lately. I'm in a good place out of the car, feel fit, and my confidence is up.

"The car has made some great progress, the momentum has risen and there's been a good run of podiums lately. Max has given the team a push too, there's no denying that."

However, despite sitting on third on the Drivers’ Championship table behind the two Silver Arrow drivers, Ricciardo reckons that his feet remain firm on the ground and he will not get too carried away with his win in Malaysia.

"Winning again after a long drought didn't change my confidence or self-belief – with both of those things, I think they're at a level where they needed to be even before the win," he said.

"You don't want those things to go too crazy – I think you can end up getting a bit complacent if that happens. But the win felt good and in a way, was a bit of a relief.

"My confidence has been at a solid level for a while now and that's helping me, so I won't change my approach just because of a win.

“It felt different (and pretty cool) coming to Suzuka as the guy who'd won the most recent race, but as soon as I got in the car in Japan, it was straight back to business."

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Haas progress genuine despite Japanese GP letdown - Steiner

Haas F1 boss Gunther Steiner believes the team's performance at Suzuka is clear evidence of progress, even if its success in qualifying translated to no points in the grand prix itself.

Haas, which has been in the points four times this season with Romain Grosjean - most recently in Austria - qualified eighth with Grosjean and 10th with Esteban Gutierrez at Suzuka, making it the first time both of its cars appeared in Q3.

But both drivers fell out of the points in the race, Grosjean recording Haas' seventh 11th-place finish of the campaign.

Speaking after the race, Steiner suggested the blow of leaving Suzuka without points was softened by the fact the team had shown progress leading up to and throughout the weekend.

"The encouraging thing is what we know what the car can do," Steiner said.

"Seven times 11th, it's not a great feeling, but the good thing is - we know we can do it. If you look at it, the five good teams were in front of us with two cars, nobody drops out, it [the outcome] is logical.

"We took the fight to the Williams, we couldn't pull it off because they had an advantage in picking their advantage with strategy.

"It's bittersweet, but the encouraging thing is, we're getting better. We're not stagnating - already, staying the same for us would be a good point to be, but we're getting better."

     

Malaysia recovery

The Suzuka race was a week on after the Malaysian Grand Prix, which had turned disastrous for Haas when Grosjean exited through brake disc failure and Gutierrez retired after a losing a wheel.

"Our plate was full after Malaysia, to sort out the problems we had and also try to make the car quicker, to get a better set-up," Steiner said.

"I think, everybody worked hard and we achieved a lot in a very short time. That shows, for me, how the team's getting better - and after Malaysia, [where] everything went wrong which could go wrong, we had so many broken parts, the guys here were well-prepared, we were ready to go again.

"We are getting more efficient in how we do things and better prepared. And you cannot have this without time - to make experience takes time and the only thing you cannot buy is time. So I think we've made great progress. As long as we make progress, we're happy."

Q3 pace legitimate

Haas' double appearance in Q3 at Suzuka was only the second time the American team was at all present in the final segment of qualifying.

And while Steiner conceded the track favoured the Haas VF-16, he said the qualifying result was a legitimate indicator of the team's pace at high-speed venues.

"I think [Q3 double] was our genuine potential with the new front wing," Steiner said.

"The track favoured us - in Spa, Monza we were pretty good, and this is pretty high-speed, we are not this good in slower tracks."

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Analysis: Turning a Formula 1 GP into a festival

With ever increasing entertainment options available, F1 GPs are having to offer fans more and more to keep up with customer expectations. The CEOs of COTA and Albert Park speak to Motorsport.com about the tricks they have up their sleeves.

While the paddock waits with bated breath to see what changes - if any - new owners Liberty Media will introduce for the 2017 season, for the moment the sense is one of cautious optimism.

There are no suggestions that the baby will be thrown out with the bathwater, but there is also widespread hope that some changes will be made.

Both Liberty Media and new sport sponsors Heineken have made much of improving fan access to the sport, and of a focus on social media, better activation, and widespread promotion of the sport outside of race weekends.

As things stand right now, however, F1's race promoters are treating 2017 as business as usual, with each promoter working on improving their individual offerings without a wider guiding ethos from the sport's new influencers.

     

COTA CEO Bobby Epstein has yet to sit down with the Liberty Media executives to talk about the options available to the United States' only purpose-built F1 circuit in future, but the American businessman is looking forward to having additional support when it comes to promoting Formula 1 around the US in years to come.

"Well, since we're right in their backyard here, we hope that we're doing things that [Liberty Media] would look at and say, 'these guys are doing some things that might be good for the sport all around the globe'.

"[The hope is that they will] try and apply the best of what we do here to the sport overall, but by the same token that they do the same with other races around the world and bring those experiences to us.

"One of the biggest areas that we do mention that could make a big difference [to COTA] is the marketing budget," Epstein continued. "Right now the way that it works is we are the marketing arm of F1 in the US, which is really taxing on a venue."

     

On the other side of the planet, Andrew Westacott, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, is focussing on making the Melbourne season opener the best it can be - a process that has been underway since the chequered flag fell on the 2016 race - and has yet to begin any dialogue with the new owners about the shape of the sport in future.

"At the moment for us, we're the first race of next season, first cab off the rank, so it's all business as usual. We read what's out there and we just put our heart and soul into doing what's best for the fan and for the sport. If that appears to be what it is in the direction of the new owners then we think that's fantastic as well, but for us it is business as usual.

"We're talking about what we do and wanting to enhance things like The Melbourne Walk and the Fan Forum," Westacott continued.

"If it can be broadened to get an [expansion] of social media use or a broadening of the footprint of Formula 1, then that is going to benefit the sport and the reason why Melbourne hosts it: to promote our city."

One thing that both Melbourne and Austin have in common is that the two cities are well-accustomed to hosting large-scale events. Melbourne is Australia's capital of sport, and plays host to not only the F1 grand prix but also the Australian Open and the Melbourne Cup, to name but a few.

Austin is synonymous with the South-By-Southwest (SXSW) Festival, which attracts tens of thousands of people per year, and regular collegiate sports games that draw similar figures.

     

In such a crowded market, Formula 1 needs to assert itself to stand out from the crowd, and both Austin and Australia have made a point of creating events beyond the racetrack, offering ticket-holders a festival experience to provide ultimate bang for buck.

"We know that people love coming along," Westacott said, but we also know that they are looking for "value for money in a very, very crowded events market in Melbourne, so we have got to do things to cater for [a range of] demographics.

"What families want is completely different to the young event-goer. So for families we have things like a Disney section, we have a Porsche kids driving school, and we have a sports activity zone.

"We have had BMX and we have had Tony Hawk and the Crusty Demons and Nitro Circus, and at the moment we're working around what we are going have in a similar style [for 2017]. We do that on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in a marquee two or three times a day to cater for it.

"So dad wants to come along or it might be that two of the dads get to bring half a dozen kids and it's a bit of a mix and match. There are things to do for the kids, and there are things for the dad.

"For the young event-goers, Melbourne is synonymous with good coffee, laneways, music, street art, food vans, and some really good food. What we created [in 2016] was a thing called M Lane. M Lane was a recreation of Melbourne's laneways and street culture.

"That really showed the way we had to market to that segment, the young event-goers: it was completely different to the way our guys had to market to the motoring enthusiast."

Over in the northern hemisphere, Epstein has also found that changing the nature of the off-track offering has helped boost ticket sales by making the race a family affair, rather than an event designed purely for the die-hard petrolhead.

"Last year we had Elton John, which was fantastic, but he appealed somewhat to the existing audience," Epstein acknowledged.

"This year [with Taylor Swift and The Weeknd] we're seeing ... that it's not just the male F1 fan that's coming, it's the family, and the women have a reason to come, the kids have a great reason and hopefully it creates that family experience that I think a lot of people are looking for with their entertainment.

"One thing we'd like to see by the tenth year is an increase in what is already a growing number of people who make it an annual tradition to come to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, because we're starting to see that develop and we wanna see it pass on in the family.

"So, I think that to see that increase every year and see the same people coming back means that we're doing something right."

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Nico Hulkenberg agrees to a deal with Renault for 2017 & 2018 season's

Nico Hulkenberg has agreed a deal to drive for the Renault Formula 1 team from 2017.

It is understood Hulkenberg has signed a two-year contract to cover the 2017 and '18 seasons, with an option to extend the deal into a third season in '19.

There is a final hurdle that remains to be cleared, with Hulkenberg's current team Force India needing to agree to release the German.

That should be a formality as deputy team principal Bob Fernley has previously suggested he would not stand in Hulkenberg's way.

The move brings to an end Hulkenberg's second spell with Force India, with a season at Sauber in 2013 sandwiching a two-year stint in 2011 and '12 and his current three-season run from 2014.

It means Renault now has just one remaining seat available for 2017, with a number of names in the frame, including current drivers Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer.

Former reserve Esteban Ocon, currently with Manor, is also in the running, but it is believed the 20-year-old will also now become a target for Force India to replace Hulkenberg.

Force India would appear to have the upper hand bearing in mind Ocon is a Mercedes junior, and the Silverstone-based marque receives its engine supply from the German manufacturer.

Ocon joined Manor during the summer break from Renault, where he was serving as a reserve, with the backmarker team receiving a further discount on its engines from Mercedes having signed fellow Mercedes junior Pascal Wehrlein at the start of the year.

Another option for Renault is Valtteri Bottas, who has started discussions with the French manufacturer as a plan B should Williams fail to take up the option on his contract, although it is expected to do so in the coming weeks.

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Aerodynamic gains with F1's 2017 regulations proving 'staggering'

The aerodynamic gains being made through Formula 1's incoming 2017 technical regulations are "staggering", according to Williams chief technical officer Pat Symonds.

The revamped regulations are headlined by wider front and rear wings and tyres, with a view to making F1 cars three-to-five seconds per lap faster.

On paper, they also offer teams such as Williams, which has fallen from third to fifth in the constructors' championship, an opportunity to jump back up the order.

While encouraged by Williams's 2017 progress, Symonds acknowledges that there is no reference point, and he is also mindful of what its rivals could be doing.

Asked how the team is shaping up for 2017 by Autosport, Symonds said: "It's really hard to say because the gains we are making on aerodynamics on next year's car are just staggering.

"Every week in the windtunnel it's just pulling downforce onto the thing, but I can't believe we are alone on that.

"I'm sure that's happening in 11 windtunnels around the world, so you just never know.

"We normally have targets for what we're going to achieve in aerodynamics, but next year you can't say because you don't know what the target is.

"You can say it's an aspiration, a likelihood or whatever, but you just don't know what the targets are until we go testing and see where everyone else is."

Along with the rate of development, Symonds has been surprised by the fact gains have been ongoing, while other design changes have been prompted by Pirelli's resized tyres.

"That creative element is totally different," he said.

"I read the daily reports and I'm like, 'wow, how did we find that sort of amount?'

"You sort of think that is going to be tailing off. Right now, it's not really.

"Of course the slope isn't quite what it was in the first month or so but it's still remarkable.

"Don't forget that not all the focus is on the aero.

"One of the things we have to cope with is handling these new prescriptions from Pirelli.

"It's not easy. Like most teams, we've had to do suspension geometry changes, we have had to do totally different types of brake ducts."

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US GRAND PRIX ORGANISERS EXPECT SECOND LARGEST F1 CROWD – COTA COMMITTED TO F1 LONG TERM

The 2016 US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas is expected to attract its second largest crowd after organisers put guarantees in place to refund fans if the event is hit by severe weather as it was last year.

The 2015 race weekend at the 5.513-km track near Austin was badly disrupted by storms emanating from Hurricane Patricia, which caused the race’s second practice session to be abandoned and qualifying was eventually postponed to the morning of the Grand Prix.

Although the race took place as planned and Lewis Hamilton won for Mercedes to clinch his third world title, the facilities around the circuit struggled to cope with the heavy rainfall and the organisers lost millions in potential revenue as fans stayed away. As a result the race day crowd was the lowest since the event joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2012.

Ahead of this year’s US Grand Prix, the organisers implemented a bold strategy to entice back fans left dissatisfied with last year’s event. As well as heavily investing in infrastructure with 12,000 new parking spaces and solid walkways to fulfil a ‘no mud’ pledge for those attending the track during the weekend, a special ‘no rain guarantee’ was offered to fans that bought their tickets before 4 July.

This means that if there is over two inches of rain in the 24-hour period before the 2pm race start time, COTA will refund 105 per cent of ticket prices for anyone who bought a reserved seat on a three-day weekend pass or a Sunday-only reserved seat. Those fans will still allowed to attend the race if such a scenario comes to pass.

“They still get the race, plus they get all their money back plus they make a profit,” COTA CEO Bobby Epstein told JAonF1. “That was one of the more creative things we did and that was for people that bought tickets prior to July 4. So they had about three months to do that and a lot of people took advantage of it.”

Ticket prices have also been lowered by an average of 11.5 per cent and the infrastructure investment aims to make transportation to and from the track easier for fans.

“We lowered capacity for this year so we could ensure that we’d deliver a great experience for people and [provide] an easy transportation experience,” said Epstein.

“We’ve built an entire bus depot this year to move 25,000 people smoothly and we’ve promised them a less than 55-minute wait guarantee. They won’t wait longer than 55-minutes and we did that also because it’s our fifth year anniversary celebration.”

Music superstar Taylor Swift will perform at the circuit on the Saturday night – “as a reward for the people that did come and give them a little extra sweetener included in their ticket,” according to Epstein. There also will be additional entertainment and attractions laid on all around the vast COTA facility throughout the three-day F1 weekend.

“As a result of [all of] that, we saw a big spike in ticket sales and we expect to reach capacity,” said Epstein. “On the Taylor Swift day we hope to set a record for attendance for Saturday qualifying and so things look good. I think we’ll have our second best attendance, second to the first year [in 2012].”

COTA committed to USGP

The US Grand Prix’s future at the Circuit of the Americas was uncertain heading into this year after the Texas state government announced it would cut its contribution to the track’s hosting fee and the race was listed as provisional when the record 21-race 2016 calendar was first announced.

But this year’s USGP was established as going ahead shortly before the season got underway and when asked if COTA was committed to hosting the race in the long run, Epstein confirmed it was.

“I certainly think so,” he said. “The company itself is very healthy, it had a good year, we made some good internal changes and the company is looking good.”

Liberty Media “excellent for the sport” in the US

Last month, it was revealed that the US-based Liberty Media Corporation had begun the process of buying F1, which led to much speculation that it will try to grow the sport’s presence in America in the coming years.

Epstein reckons the sale will be a boost to F1’s impact on the US market and outlined his hopes that Liberty Media will be able to encourage continuous coverage for the championship in the country.

He said: “I think it’ll be excellent for the sport. My concern is as a promoter – are they going to promote the sport in the US – and think it will give it more year-round presence, which is what we need as a promoter.”

The Liberty takeover has raised the possibility of a second US-based Grand Prix taking place alongside the race in Austin. It’s CEO, Greg Maffei, has suggested adding events in Las Vegas and Miami.

The US Grand Prix first took place at the Circuit of the Americas following a four-year period where F1 did not visit the country after the deal to host the event at Indianapolis ended in 2007.

Epstein believes that if Liberty introduces another US race in the future it would cause a short term hit to COTA’s ticket sales as the sport’s fanbase in the country needs to be built up before there are enough supporters to attend two races. But he believes two races could eventually co-exit, and flourish, if the level of support for F1 was increased.

“Until you build a bigger fanbase in the US, it’s hard to think that there’s going to be a lot more tickets purchased for F1,” he said. “So at first, since you have a limited fanbase in the US, I’m sure you’re going to divide them up [by introducing another race], and in the first couple of years it would hurt as a promoter. But, in the long run, if having more races in the US and on TV in the US builds more fans, it’ll be a win.

“So I think in the short term it will be a little hurtful, but in the long run it could be a tremendous benefit.”

Only two drivers have triumphed at Austin since it joined the F1 calendar – Hamilton, who has won three times, and Sebastian Vettel.

The world champion will be trying to add a third consecutive COTA win at next weekend’s race, which Epstein hopes will take place in much better conditions than the washout experienced in 2015: “If it’s like [yesterday], people are going to be talking about how great the weather was, it’s that beautiful.”

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HULKENBERG SIGNS €18-MILLION RENAULT DEAL

Nico Hulkenberg is set to race for Renault in 2017 after his Force India team said on Friday he would be leaving at the end of the season “to pursue other opportunities within Formula One”.

The 2015 Le Mans 24-Hours winner, who had been previously announced as staying with the team, has been strongly linked to the French manufacturer and Force India sources indicated to Reuters that he was heading there.

There was no immediate confirmation from Renault, however.

“Everybody at Sahara Force India wishes Nico well as he embarks upon a different path in Formula One,” Force India team principal Vijay Mallya said in a statement.

“Having spent five years with us, Nico has become a great friend and contributed a huge amount to the team’s success. He’s an outstanding driver, who has scored more points for this team than anybody else.

“While it’s true we will miss Nico, we respect his decision to explore fresh opportunities and it would be wrong to stand in his way,” added the Indian.

Mercedes-powered Force India are currently fourth in the championship, ahead of Williams, and Hulkenberg’s departure will leave a coveted vacancy with the top three teams all having confirmed line-ups.

Renault are struggling in ninth place but, as a manufacturer-owned team and former champions with a race winning engine and strong resources, can be expected to become far more competitive.

Hulkenberg, 29 and a former GP2 champion, has yet to finish on the podium in seven seasons that include one with Williams and one with Sauber.

Mexican Sergio Perez, who has been on the podium four times for the team, is confirmed for 2017 at Force India.

Renault currently have Denmark’s Kevin Magnussen and Britain’s Jolyon Palmer but could have an all-new line-up next season, when the sport undergoes a major rule change with wider tyres and faster cars.

Palmer was signed by Renault when the British-based team was still Lotus and struggling to stay afloat while Magnussen was a late arrival following the departure of Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in February.

However, the paddock rumour speculation has also pointed to French rookie Esteban Ocon, currently with Manor, as a possible Renault or Force India driver as well as Pierre Gasly and Jean Eric Vergne.

Ocon’s current team mate Pascal Wehrlein, the Mercedes reserve driver, has also been tipped for a move up the ladder to Force India.

Renault’s option on Magnussen is set to run out, which may result in the Dane departing the team for alternative pastures.

If one of the current drivers is set to remain with the team, Magnussen looks more likely to stay than Palmer.

GMM report that Magnussen admitted, “I’m really bad at the political game,” said the 24-year-old, who also lost his McLaren seat after one season after making his grand prix debut in 2014.

“I’m a racing driver, not a politician, so I don’t try to go out and get voters on my side. I’m here to race and drive fast, which is what I enjoy and what I feel I’m good at.”

At the same time he questions his career choice, “Every time I leave my family I think ‘Is it worth it?’ It’s hard to be away so much.

“But when you are not winning, and things are not going as you would like, as is the case right now, you have those thoughts more often. But if one day I stand at the top of the podium, I will know it was all worth it,” he said.

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A TIMELY LANE SWITCH FOR THE HULK

Force India has been in F1 for eight seasons and they have made incredible progress as a private team. From their early years as back-markers to currently being the fourth-best team in the Constructors’ standings, Force India has made a patient, gritty ascent, mostly thanks to their consistency during the past three seasons, featuring the strongest driver pairing they have ever fielded: Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg.

In F1 however, a glass ceiling seems to exist that limits private teams with talented drivers from reaching the top of the pinnacle of motorsport, especially in the sport’s current era. Given the complexity of F1 power units, Race seats in full factory-backed teams like Mercedes and Ferrari are one’s best chances for attaining championship glory.

Chassis regulations are expected to change again next season, so as a driver, it’s definitely better to be in a team that (1) can build and develop a reliable power unit and (2) build an optimal package around that power unit.

It sounds like a simple formula for success but it still takes tremendous amounts of money and resources. Private teams these days barely keep themselves afloat. Realistically, a team on a budget provides no greener pastures for driving talent, which is why during the past month or two, there were talks about Perez’s uncertainty of his future with Force India.

The Mexican has since confirmed his continuation with the team at least up to next season but I couldn’t help but think that the time he took to make his decision may have masked his (and his sponsors’) doubts about the team’s competitiveness in revamped regulations next year. Then again, Perez surely did not want to make the same mistake he made when he moved to McLaren in 2013 and lasted only that one forgettable season with them.

What is now also certain is that Perez will be paired with a new teammate next year, following Hulkenberg’s departure to Renault. This is the major story coming out of the off-week leading
to the US Grand Prix, effectively starting the driver carousel. There is no doubting Hulkenberg’s phenomenal talent but he’s entering the prime of his career and it was getting obvious that Force India was going to be a perennial midfield team.

Hulkenberg driving for Force India has been a delight for the past three years. He would be leaving the team under good terms as team boss Vijay Mallya acknowledges that it would be a crime to prevent his young driver’s career progression.

The German has had his unlucky moments but other than those hiccups, his metronomic consistency from one grand prix to another, in both qualifying and race results, has made him such an appealing talent.

But underneath all the awe and praise, there was an almost collective feeling among fans and the F1 paddock that he was getting stuck and that his career may have been stagnating. The clock
was certainly ticking but his potential had not yet been fully realized. Everyone was curious and impatient: Exactly what is Hulkenberg capable of achieving?

There’s no question that he is a highly rated driver and even a few years back, he was linked to a possible move to Ferrari. He had his shining moments in Brazil in 2010, his rookie season, when he scored a pole position for Williams. Two years later in the same venue, he battled Lewis Hamilton for the race lead and could’ve won.

And then of course, there was Le Mans in 2015, when he became the first active F1 driver since 1991 to win the prestigious race. Despite having been on the top step of the podium at Le Mans, Hulkenberg has yet to finish on the podium in an F1 race. With more than a hundred grand prix starts within six seasons, he still has no podium finish. For a driver of his caliber, this is a baffling fact.

All of these prove the immense talent that he possesses which unfortunately, has been on limited display in F1. Now, he has made a brave career choice of switching to the Renault factory team. For the German driver, a change of scenery seemed necessary perhaps because he was too consistent, but the middle of the field is not the ideal place to showcase that. It was about time for him to switch lanes but the question now is whether he has chosen a faster lane or not.

On impulse, it’s easy to imagine Hulkenberg dropping towards the back of the grid, driving a sub-par car, and not being competitive. However, it’s wise to remember that Renault, on their return year to the sport, have nothing more to gain this season, so they’ve smartly focused more on the development of their new car for next year. It’s actually best to just ignore their performance this season. Things are looking up now that the Enstone-based squad has regained factory backing.

Renault has always known what it takes to be a contender. During the previous decade, Fernando Alonso won his two world titles with this team. In 2010, Robert Kubica was in top form and delivered strong results. And then Kimi Raikkonen, making his F1 comeback in 2012, finished third in the drivers’ championship while racing for the then-Lotus Renault outfit.

Let’s also not forget that Michael Schumacher won his first two championships with the Enstone team. Undoubtedly, star drivers have shone in Renault machinery.

It has been a slow few seasons for the team but with the new regulations coming up and their proven history as a factory-backed outfit, there’s reason to believe that they’re back on their way towards the sharp end of the field.

Next year, Hulkenberg will race for the Renault F1 Team and he may well be the squad’s next star to shine.

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FERRARI AGAINST CALLS FOR UK BASE FOR F1 TEAM

Piero Ferrari says it was a big mistake for Ferrari to divide their Formula 1 operation between Maranello and the UK to cater for the needs of British designer Jon Barnard in the eighties, and says that the team should not consider a similar plan being suggested by pundits.

The son of Enzo Ferrari told respected journalist and Ferrari insider Leo Turrini, “You know what remains my biggest regret for the years in which I was in charge of the team?”

“It was to convince my father that there was still the need to rely on a great designer from the outside. But Barnard never interacted with our culture – it was a big mistake.”

“This is why I agree with Marchionne that we can return to winning whilst being consistent with the tradition of Ferrari,” he insisted.

 

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Hamilton says he will miss Button

Lewis Hamilton heaped praise on his former McLaren team-mate Jenson Button before he takes a sabbatical from Formula 1.

Button, who will be replaced by promising prospect Stoffel Vandoorne, announced earlier in the year that he will be taking a break during the 2017 season and will hopefully be in a race seat again in 2018.

The Mercedes driver reminisced on the years when he used to watch his compatriot race during his early years in the sport.

“He’s been a great driver for many, many years. A great asset to Formula One, he’s contributed a lot,” Hamilton said.

“I remember sitting at home watching him in his first grand prix, I was still in high school hoping one day that would be me and it’s kind of crazy now that we are both here.”

On the future, the triple World Champion has no doubt that there will definitely be life after Formula 1 for Button.

“I’m going to be living through him next year as he is on vacation, enjoying all there is to enjoy outside of the racing world for the whole year,” the 31-year-old continued.

“He will be missed but one day all you guys will be gone and somebody else will take your spot, same with me and life will move on.

“It’s just the way it is. He’ll move on to bigger and better things and continue to grow.”

 

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Manor hails Ocon

Stepping up to the race seat after Rio Haryanto had to pull out mid-season, rookie driver Esteban Ocon has garnered praise from the Manor garage.

Leading the praise, Racing director Dave Ryan reckons that the 20-year-old has a promising future in the sport, saying he has adapted swiftly into the Formula 1 frame.

Partnered with fellow youngster Pascal Wehrlein, the duo have been getting the best performances out of their Manor car and are constantly linked to drives at bigger teams.

Ryan explained that he is grateful he has both Wehrlein and Ocon at his disposal back at the team garage.

"To arrive part-way through the season into a team that has been developing along with Pascal is a big ask," he told Crash.net.

"We haven't helped the situation because he hasn't had the best of reliability up until now. But the kid's fantastic.

"He's got a fantastic attitude, he's got huge potential and together with him and Pascal it's a great driving line-up."

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Verstappen looking forward to Austin

As the Formula 1 paddock heads to Austin for the 18th round of the season, Spanish Grand Prix Champion Max Verstappen is looking forward to an exciting race.

Verstappen praised the Circuit of the Americas as an enjoyable track that’s surrounded with opportunities to overtake and compared to more prominent tracks on the Formula 1 calendar.

Finishing last week’s race second place, the young Dutchman is eager to continue his good form and end off the season on a high.

“The COTA track is very special, it’s a new track but with a lot of old school corners in it,” he said,

“[That] makes it really cool to drive. Turn 1 has such a big radius it gives a lot of overtaking opportunities, and then the whole of the first sector has the Esses, it’s a bit like Silverstone or Suzuka.

“It is a really fun circuit to race.

“I had a good look around Austin last year and really liked it. I love America in general, the people are so friendly and I always feel comfortable and relaxed there.”

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Raikkonen eager to show ‘true pace’ in Austin

Kimi Raikkonen has claimed that Ferrari did not show their true pace at the recently concluded Japan Grand Prix and is hoping to do so at the USA Grand Prix next weekend.

The Finn started P8 in Japan after suffering a five-place grid penalty for changing his gearbox, but was stuck in the midfield for most of the race battling the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez, securing P5 at the end.

With Austin up next on the F1 calendar, Raikkonen insisted performance can change a lot from race to race but is optimistic that they will show similar pace to Suzuka, where his team-mate Sebastian Vettel came close to a podium finish had it not been for a strategic error made by Ferrari.

“Obviously if you only take [the Japan] weekend, I think we had the speed, but the end result didn’t show that, the true pace that we had,” he revealed.

“We’ve seen things can change a lot, from race to race, between the teams, so where we’re going to be in the next races, I don’t know.

“[At Suzuka] everything worked well in the car and hopefully it’s the same case in the next race. But it’s a different circuit, we’ll have different conditions, so we have to wait and see. The aim is to be up there again and hopefully we’ll be able to do that.”

The 2007 World Champion also played down the Scuderia’s upgrades they implemented in Malaysia and Japan, saying that their pace was not solely based on the tweaks.

“Obviously we used them, like we did in the last race, but we cannot really compare it with the previous parts,” he continued.

“We would never put any parts in the car if we didn’t think they were better than the old ones, but it’s not a night and day difference. It’s a small difference but any gain is always welcome.

“We try to gain as much as we can, but I wouldn’t say it was because of the upgrades that we were more competitive [at Suzuka]. I don’t know the reason we were more competitive but, like I said, all these things helped.”

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How F1 has spurned the eSports digital revolution

As eSports moves into the professional sphere, with NBA investment in the USA, is there room for F1 to capitalise on a growing and profitable digital industry? 

History was made last month when the American NBA basketball team Philadelphia 76ers acquired two leading eSports teams, with a view to merging them to become a leading force in what is rapidly becoming a leading sporting industry that currently remains ripe for commercial exploitation.

Rather than following its traditional route of signing exceptionally tall men who are good at throwing a ball in a hoop, instead it has invested in talented gamers whose idea of taking a shot has an altogether different meaning in many of the games they play.

That an established sporting franchise in the form of a professional basketball team has seen potential value in an arena dismissed by many – largely those over 30 who do not see electronic gaming as a sport – is the first step in professionalising an industry that has grown in popularity and revenues among those younger consumers who have grown up as digital natives in an era when traditional forms of media are on the decline.

Speaking to the BBC, Michael O’Dell – known in the industry as Odee, and the owner of one of the two teams acquired by the 76ers – spoke of the rapid growth of eSports from a bedroom-based hobby to an international profit-making enterprise.

“It's gone from playing in our bedrooms, earning twenty quid in a tournament – and we were happy – to now where we could be earning a million dollars in a tournament, and that's not just one a year, there are a lot of tournaments with a lot of prize money," Odee said.

In the two years since that interview, O’Dell’s Dignitas team has amassed a number of sponsorship and merchandising deals which have combined to drive the financial growth of the team.

How computer gamers have turned pro

Historically, gaming has been dismissed by those born before the ’80s as a trivial pastime or diversion, and the suggestion that those perceived as keyboard or console warriors could be described as athletes would have been laughable.

But in 2013 the U.S. government awarded Canadian gamer Danny “Shiphtur” Le with a P1-A visa, a visa class designated for “Internationally Recognized Athletes”.

Earlier this year, the French government announced that it would incorporate eSports into its “projet de loi pour une République numérique”, a wide-ranging digital law (yet to be officially passed) that will see the regulation of eSports from a state perspective. This will allow ‘e-thletes’ an official ‘social status’ that provides access to state benefits including unemployment, access to national health insurance, and pension plans, while simplifying France’s notoriously complicated tax system for players.

Given that France has an estimated 850,000 amateur and professional eSports players, with a national audience approaching four million people, the government’s decision to embrace eSports has widely been viewed as an attempt at an early land grab in a rapidly-growing industry.

And France is far from alone. Thirty-six million people worldwide watched the League of Legends World Finals, while eSports events have already sold out both Madison Square Gardens and LA’s Staples Centre, two venues with a combined capacity of 36,400. That’s nearly 40,000 people willing to pay to watch people playing computer games.

What does this mean for F1?

So far, so good. But what does the rise of eSports mean for Formula 1, especially in light of Liberty Media’s stated desire to increase F1’s digital footprint? Thus far, F1 has been somewhat hostile to eSports, with the commercial rights holder going so far as to begin legal action against gamers applying accurate skins to their race cars on digital platforms, citing copyright violation of liveries and sponsorship logos.

Looking ahead, that sort of proprietary attitude is going to have to change. Any theoretical losses in trademark income recouped by going after individual e-thletes and graphic designers sharing source code for new skins could be more than offset by immediate and substantial investment in creating and exploiting the Formula 1 eWorld Championship.

The main downside to an advance in eSports from a Formula 1 point of view? Formula E boss Alejandro Agag has already secured the monopoly when it comes to the concept of an ePrix…

Has F1 already missed the boat?

There is a risk that F1 may be too late to the party: eSports is already a burgeoning industry with interest from several established F1 players and sporting brands.

Global sports broadcaster ESPN’s U.S. website now contains an eSports subcategory, listed alongside the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAAF, Soccer, and NHL subcategories, with its listing appearing ahead of that of NASCAR. Formula 1 doesn’t get a mention on said list.

Envelope-pushers Red Bull (the energy drinks company, not the race team) also have an interest eSports, and their eSports website contains a mix of features, news reports, and interactive content all focused on this latest digital revolution. As history has shown, where Red Bull leads in alternative concepts, others are sure to follow.

From an F1 perspective, the eSports target audience is exactly those individuals our sport has been failing to attract and retain in recent years. According to an interview the BBC conducted with Steve O’Neil, chief executive of the 76ers, the eSports fanbase is “75% male, 18 to 34, highly engaged but not [listening to or] watching traditional radio and TV”.

Conclusion

F1 can either try and play these people at their own game [pardon the pun – Ed.], giving them the option to race alongside ‘our’ drivers live to secure their custom and interest, or continue to ignore this burgeoning market and risk losing an entire generation of potential fans to eSports, an arena that allows for continuous fan engagement and direct involvement.

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Stroll's Williams confirmation on hold for Martini

Williams is almost certain to wait a few more weeks to confirm that youngster Lance Stroll is making the step up to Formula 1 with the Grove-based outfit next year, in a bid to avoid problems with sponsors Martini.

While further pieces of F1's driver market are falling in to place, with Renault confirming on Friday that it has lured Nico Hulkenberg away from Force India, Williams has kept silent about its plans for 2017.

However, sources have revealed that it wants to wait a few more weeks to confirm that Stroll will be replacing Felipe Massa as Valtteri Bottas' teammate next year.

That is because Stroll, who clinched the European Formula 3 championship this year, is still just 17 – and confirmation of his association with the Martini-backed Williams team could have led to complications because he is under 18.

So in a bid to ensure that Martini can maximise the arrival of Stroll, an announcement of the team's line-up is likely to only come after the Canadian turns 18 on October 29 – which is the Saturday of the Mexican Grand Prix.

Williams may then choose to announce it in Mexico or wait until the following week.

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Renault: Winning F1 world titles in five years ‘realistic’

Renault's chief technical officer Bob Bell says the target of challenging for F1 world titles by 2021 set by the company's President is a 'realistic objective', while he explained why Jolyon Palmer's maiden championship point at Sepang meant more than most. 

When Renault confirmed its return as a full factory effort for 2016, the group outlined its goals of returning to the top of the standings having enjoyed an all-conquering stint in 2005-06 with back-to-back world titles. 

Bell confirmed Renault group President Carlos Ghosn has given the team a five-year plan for the French manufacturer to challenge for world championships and has drawn comparisons to Mercedes's and Red Bull's recent rise to success. 

“Mr Ghosn is very clear in his objectives for the team,” Bell said. “He's not here to make up the numbers, he's here to see the team succeed. He also, of course, has been through this cycle before and he knows what it takes and how long it takes to achieve that and he's set us realistic objectives that are in line with that. 

“Next year the obvious step forward for us is to move into the midfield and be competitive there. 2018 to be looking at podiums and so on, and then out beyond that, four, five years hence, looking at a proper championship-winning campaign. No rocket science in that. 

“If you look at what it took when Red Bull bought Jaguar, when Renault previously bought Benetton or when Mercedes bought Brawn it took five years in each instance for them to win a championship. That's the sort of timescale, the sort of road map we've set ourselves. I think it's realistic and it's in line with corporate expectation.” 

Renault has endured a relatively underwhelming return to F1 in 2016 and currently sit ninth in the world constructors' championship with just three top ten results. 

Palmer recorded his first F1 championship point at Sepang and despite 10th place on producing a small return Bell says it had a galvanising effect on the team. 

“Of course corporately we're not satisfied running around in tenth place and scoring single points,” he said. “Actually that single point meant a lot to us. 

“I've won a lot of points in Formula One over the years and that point meant more to me than perhaps any other. It's a great motivator and it really lifted team moral so actually it was quite an important achievement.” 

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Massa to stay in F1 paddock after retirement

Felipe Massa says he wouldn't be able to enjoy returning to the F1 paddock after retiring from racing without having work lined up from next season. 

After the Brazilian driver confirmed he will retire from racing in F1 at the end of the season with Williams, speculation has been rife surrounding Massa's future with a potential move to the World Endurance Championship. 

While Massa hasn't ruled out the possibility of turning his attention to WEC, Massa says he will return to the F1 paddock in 2017 to do media work while also continuing to work with sponsors inside the sport. 

The Williams driver has confirmed he will 'definitely' stay in motorsport in some capacity but isn't yet able to confirm his full plans for 2017. 

“I think I will come to some races with some work with some companies using my image,” Massa said. “If I do some television it will be maybe five races during the season, not really a proper job. 

“I have so many things that I'm working with, I'm still planning to come to maybe five or six races during the season and be part of this that I enjoy. For sure it will be a different feeling when you arrive not as a driver and doing different things, but I think there's a lot to do and I'm ready for this.” 

Despite having work lined up outside of driving Massa says he won't take the same enjoyment as competing in F1 as he prepares to end his 14-season racing career in the sport next month. 

“I'm not so sure you can really enjoy the paddock, I think you need to have some things to do,” he said. “Just coming here to watching I don't think that's enjoyment for me. 

“I think I'm planning to come and to do some work, and be linked with some sponsors or some companies that I can help, talking with the fans, with the people, clients, so you need to have a job.” 

Looking ahead to his final four races in F1, including his last home GP which hosts the penultimate round, Massa is determined to help Williams overcome Force India in the battle for fourth in the F1 world constructors' championship. Massa's squad currently trails the Silverstone-based team by 10 points. 

“I just want to do everything I can in every race, I know how important it is for the team the fight with Force India, how important it is for me to get some good results,” he said. “I think maybe there's a bit less pressure, I think you put pressure on yourself because you want to finish well.” 

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DENNIS: WE’RE JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Ron Dennis has given his McLaren-Honda F1 team a five out of ten grade for the 2016, admitting that the team is simply not up to it this season.

When asked by Sky Sport to grade McLaren’s performance this season out of ten, Dennis replied, “About a five. We’re just not good enough. We are here to win races and we’re not winning races. But we are going in the right direction.”

The Woking based team has made big strides and have risen to the mid-pack but, last time out, in Japan the team was handed a cruel reality check (at Honda owned Suzuka) as their two world champion drivers – Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button – toiled to finish 16th and 18th respectively.

Dennis admits the team is firmly focused on 2017, “Our new engine is running on the dyno now and that’s several months earlier than our engine last year. We are well advanced on the car and making really good steps.”

As everyone will have been telling you, the cars will be four, maybe five to six seconds faster, and I think that’s when the great drivers will start to excel,” predicted Dennis who, as McLaren chief, has seen his team notch up seven F1 world constructors’ world titles and ten drivers’ championships.

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SYMONDS: I DIDN’T EXPECT THE FIGHT FROM FORCE INDIA THAT WE GOT

Williams technical chief Pat Symonds has admitted that his team did not do enough to improve ahead of this season and as a result they are fighting Force India in the championship standings.

Symonds told F1i, “I didn’t expect the fight from Force India that we got, I’ll be honest, but I don’t think we actually improved our car enough over the winter.

“Of course this year we haven’t put as much development on it as normal [with radical regulation changes planned for 2017] but I suspect that’s true of others as well.

“But perhaps the one that’s caught us is Force India and their major upgrade that they did – irrespective of their little ones – was pretty damn impressive. I was surprised by that.”

“So we made the decision to switch to the 2017 car quite early but I don’t think that’s really reflected in our position now. I think that’s much more the fact that Force India did a very good upgrade and we didn’t do a good enough job over the winter. I think they’re the two things combined to put us where we are now.”

In 2014 and 2015 Williams were among the best of the rest behind dominant Mercedes, finishing third in the constructors’ championship on both occasions with far less funding than the ‘big three’ teams.

However this year they have dropped down the pecking order and are currently fifth in the standings ten point adrift of Force India and way off the top three teams.

Symonds said, “If I’m completely honest last year I said to the board that I believed we would be fourth in the championship, so finishing third last year was quite a surprise to me. I think this year I still felt fourth was the position that we would be.”

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VASSEUR: WHY WOULDN’T WE HAVE TWO TEAM LEADERS?

With Nico Hulkenberg signed by Renault for the next two years, maybe three, the team is now looking to fill the second seat and team chief Frederic Vasseur does not see the harm in having two number one drivers in the team.

It is well known that the French outfit are courting Williams driver Valtteri Bottas to partner Hulkenberg, the Finn has yet to announce his plans for next season.

Vasseur told L’Equipe, “Why wouldn’t we have two team leaders as drivers? At Mercedes, there it works perfectly.”

“I don’t like the idea of having a number one driver and another one left in the shadow. Performance comes from emulation.”

“Just look at Mercedes: the duel [between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg] has pushed the team forward. The idea would be to have two equally talented drivers.”

A Bottas-Hulkenberg fits the criteria, and Vasseur admits, “I know Valtteri very well. I rate him very much and keep a close eye on what he is doing.”

“He is obviously among the drivers we have an interest in. But I think he is under contract with Williams. And when a driver is contracted to a team that does not want to let him go, it becomes very complicated indeed.”

Should the Bottas deal falter, the team are then expected to focus on filling the seat with a French driver, the likes of Esteban Ocon, Jean Eric Vergne, Pierre Gasly and even Romain Grosjean in the frame.

Vasseur acknowledged, “[Ocon] is on our short-list. It’s not a secret. We give ourselves a few races to monitor every candidate for our second seat before making the decision.”

“Each race brings more valuable information. Ocon’s performance in Suzuka last weekend was very rewarding for him compared to his team-mate. He had an excellent Japanese Grand Prix.”

Jolyon Palmer is unlikely to be retained by the team while Kevin Magnussen remains an option, although the team’s option on extending the deal ran out last week.

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GUTIERREZ: LIFE IS SO SIMPLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD IT’S COMPLICATED

Esteban Gutierrez has hardly set the world alight in his first season with with the all new Haas F1 team, and seems slightly confused (or maybe not) about his plans for 2017.

Haas have not indicated what their driver plans are for next season, although the smart money is on Romain Grosjean remaining with the team, but Gutierrez is not a certainty. The Frenchman has scored all of the team’s 28 points while the Mexican’s name on the table has a zero beside it.

As for his plans beyond 2016, Gutierrez tried to explain to F1i, “How can I put it in just a few words? It’s a matter of coordination basically.”

“It’s very simple, very straightforward, but something very simple is made very complicated so it takes time. Very often as humans we are that way, when life is so simple and straightforward it’s complicated.

“We complicate ourselves but now we are focusing on simplifying it and that’s what takes a bit of time. There are so many parties involved that need to be on the same line, it takes a bit of time,” added Gutierrez in a gallant effort to clarify his situation without really knowing.

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RICCIARDO: MY CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN AT A SOLID LEVEL

After going a year without a victory in Formula 1, Daniel Ricciardo was back on the top step of the podium at the recent Malaysian Grand Prix which has given his confidence a huge boost and seen the return of the trademark big smile.

Writing in his Red Bull column, Ricciardo said, “I’ve definitely felt ‘on’ lately, and that’s not just because of Malaysia. Winning again after a long drought didn’t change my confidence or self-belief – with both of those things, I think they’re at a level where they needed to be even before the win.”

“You don’t want those things to go too crazy — I think you can end up getting a bit complacent if that happens. But the win felt good and in a way, was a bit of a relief. My confidence has been at a solid level for a while now and that’s helping me.”

“I won’t change my approach just because of a win. It felt different (and pretty cool) coming to Suzuka as the guy who’d won the most recent race, but as soon as I got in the car in Japan, it was straight back to business.”

“It’s sometimes hard to get a handle on a driver’s form in F1 – it’s not like, say, tennis, where if someone’s in a groove serving or nailing their passing shots, then that’s pretty obvious for the people watching. As a driver, you can feel like you’re in a good space and the car isn’t up to it, or the other way around is also true.”

“All this year, I’ve felt pretty good, and that’s definitely ramped up lately. I’m in a good place out of the car, feel fit, and my confidence is up. The car has made some great progress, the momentum has risen and there’s been a good run of podiums lately. Max has given the team a push too, there’s no denying that,” acknowledged Ricciardo.

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WEHRLEIN CONFIRMS TALKS ONGOING WITH FORCE INDIA

Manor rookie Pascal Wehrlein has revealed that he is in talks with Force India to fill the seat vacated by his compatriot Nico Hulkenberg.

The Mercedes backed driver told media during the DTM finale at Hockenheim, “There is a seat with Force India, and of course we are in talks with them for next season.”

“We will see how it will develop. Right now, I am focused on doing the best job I can do with Manor. We want to end this season on a high.”

With regards to the vacancy that arose when it seemed that Force India had settled on Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez for 2017, Wehrlein admitted, “It wasn’t a surprise for me to see that there would be an open seat at Force India.”

“First there were rumours about Sergio, just after he had signed it focused on Nico. There’s no smoke without a fire,” added the German who tested with Force India at Silverstone in 2015.

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MERCEDES PREVIEW THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

The 2016 Formula One World Championship season continues this weekend with Round 18, the United States Grand Prix, from Austin, Texas.

Nico Rosberg: “It was a great week, heading back to the U.K. with the Constructors’ Championship in the bag and celebrating with all our colleagues at Brackley and Brixworth. They’ve worked so hard and really deserve this moment. It’s job done in that battle for this year – but I know they’re already focused on 2017. We’ve got four more races left of this season for everyone to hopefully enjoy some great action on track – starting of course in Austin this weekend. It’s a great circuit, with some really challenging sections and a few good opportunities for overtaking. The city itself is awesome and I’m sure everyone in the paddock looks forward to this one. Last year this race obviously didn’t work out so great for me, so I’m looking forward to getting back out there and doing my best to get it right this time. Hopefully we won’t have the same weather as last year – that was pretty crazy! Mostly I hope it stays dry for the fans: they were amazing waiting out in the rain last time, so they’re owed a nice dry weekend I think! They give us such great hospitality that they deserve an exciting show, so we’ll do our best to provide that.”

Lewis Hamilton: “Seeing all the guys and girls at the factory last week really brought home just what we’ve achieved together this year. They’ve worked so damned hard to give Nico and me this great car and you can see how much it means to them. We’ve got four races left to make the most of it and that’s exactly what I plan to do. It’s just about hitting every race weekend as hard as I can, going all out for every win and seeing what happens from there. I’ll be holding nothing back out there. First up, we’re back in the States – which is like a second home race for me these days. I love the country, the culture, the people and the track, so I can’t wait to get started. I’ve got some great memories from Austin, with three wins from four races and, of course, the title win last year. That was one of the highlights of my career, no doubt. It’s almost like the American fans have adopted me as their own, so I’ll try to channel all of that positive energy into this weekend.”

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “Last week was a fitting way to mark a great achievement by the hundreds of men and women who made this triple Championship a reality. But that was last week. We now look only forwards and our priority over the coming weeks is to give both our boys the best possible chance of winning the remaining four races. The title is purely between them, which is fantastic news for the team as we can be happy whatever the final outcome. However, the pressure is on to ensure that their battle is decided man-to-man, and hopefully wheel-to-wheel, on the race track. We may already have celebrated our Championship success as a team – but we have a responsibility to the drivers and will not let anything distract us from the job at hand. Likewise, we have an entirely new challenge to prepare for in 2017. While we savour these moments, it’s going to be a long, hard winter ahead. There is much work to be done in the coming weeks and months – but also plenty of excitement on the way I’m sure.”

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “Looking ahead to Austin, we’ll be hoping for some drier weather than last year – which won’t be difficult, given the torrential rain which simply didn’t stop until Sunday last time around! The weather conditions in 2015 have also had a knock-on effect in that we actually have very little up-to-date data from which to establish the performance of the car and the tyres at this circuit. Teams will therefore have to work on the basis of records from 2014, which is an unusual challenge heading into a race weekend. We have the Medium, Soft and SuperSoft tyre compounds available this weekend, which will likely produce some quicker lap times than those previously seen at this circuit. It’s a great track, with interesting elevation changes, tricky sequences of corners providing a good all-round test of power and cornering, with some prime overtaking opportunities too. In its short history to date, this track has always produced exciting races – not least last year, which saw multiple changes of the lead. There are plenty of enthusiastic fans who come from all across Northern and Central America, which is great to see. We know how dedicated they are, having seen them standing out in the rain last year waiting until the bitter end for the show to continue. We look forward to going back to Austin and putting on another great event in this very welcoming city.”

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

Cyril Abiteboul, managing director, “We might not have scored points in the Japanese Grand Prix, but our upward trajectory continued. On pure pace alone we were able to overtake and out-race Toro Rosso and McLaren while we were fighting with Williams for the race duration. It’s very positive to see we can genuinely mix it in the midfield and that we are there, ready to take advantage of any opportunity.

We are now entering the final four races of the year in a positive frame of mind. Things are moving in the right direction on track and off track our plans are beginning to take shape as well. We are starting our extension of Enstone very shortly and the new recruits are coming in steadily after our recruitment drive at the start of the year.

We also announced the first of our drivers for 2017, Nico Hülkenberg. We are delighted to welcome Nico – he’s experienced, yet still hungry for success and should complement our plans perfectly. Certainly we’re looking forward to working with him in 2017 and beyond. It’s an exciting time for the team all round.”

Sweeter than Fiction

Fred Vasseur debriefs on a solid Japanese Grand Prix and looks forward to the ever-popular USA Grand Prix.

The Japanese Grand Prix didn’t yield any points but it was a strong performance from the team. How would you review the weekend as a whole?
FV: It was our best weekend in terms of performance even though we didn’t score points unfortunately. We had a very strong FP3 on Saturday morning and even though we missed out a little in qualifying, in the race we were able to overtake Toro Rosso and McLaren and not be too far away from the Williams. In terms of pure performance it was certainly our best weekend so far this season. It confirms the progression we have made since June and how we have been able to maintain it.

Would you say that those teams are our closest competition at this point in the year?
FV: In Japan we overtook Toro Rosso and McLaren and were much closer to Williams than we have been in the past, so we have raised our level in the race. What is clear is that we need to improve in qualifying to have a stronger baseline with which to start the race, and then hopefully the results will follow.

Are the drivers responding well to the improved performance?
FV: Jo did a very good race. We had quite an aggressive strategy in that he only made one stop and had to look after his tyres. Kevin was also able to make up positions and fight, so they both have confidence in the car and are able to use it effectively now.

How is the team morale now with four races remaining of a very long season?
FV: The last results, independent of the points scored by Jo or Kevin, have energised the team. It confirms we are moving forward, which is always very positive. Even if tenth place is not where we want to end up long-term, it is progress and that is always encouraging for everyone. The last four races are physically tough, but we’re up for the fight.

Last week the team announced the first of the 2017 drivers. What made you go for Nico?
FV: Nico is one of the drivers that has really made his mark, with in particular a GP2 title in his first year in the series. Only three drivers have done this so far: Nico, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. He has succeeded in everything in his career to date, including Le Mans. He is also a real leader and able to motivate a team and take the troops with him. He has a lot of experience and is very fast; that is very important for us in this stage of our development. From a technical perspective, an experienced and conscientious driver can give precious feedback as well as knowing exactly what they want from the car. This allows the team to work fast and efficiently. We are really happy to have him with us.

Shake it Off

Our Kev’s a big fan of the US so heads there wanting to make the most of the Circuit of The Americas.

What are your thoughts on the US Grand Prix?
KM: I do love the United States and I know it well from visiting many times. The race in Austin is a great event and the circuit is really good. The fans really get behind you and I’m sure they’ll be out in force as the weather looks like it will be a lot better than all the rain we saw last year!

What are your thoughts on the circuit layout?
KM: The start-finish with the big climb at the end is pretty notable then there’s a fast and flowing section that follows – and that’s pretty fun. It’s a good layout that has quite a few different challenges and we have seen some decent racing there. Overtaking is possible and there can be a variety of tyre strategies too, so I think we could have a fun race.

You raced there in 2014; what are your memories of that race?
KM: I can remember holding on to the car when we were getting a lot of tyre degradation at the end of the race and I finished in the points. That would be good this time too.

How was your race in Japan?
KM: We all worked hard over the weekend but the car wasn’t quite 100% to my liking in the race. There are a few areas we’re looking at for Austin and I also get a new floor, which usually helps with the overall balance. There were no big issues; it’s just that we knew we could have performed better if everything was perfect.

Sparks Fly

After a point-score in Malaysia and a strong race in Suzuka, Jolyon Palmer is feeling confident heading to the United States.

What do you reckon to the Circuit of The Americas…
JP: It looks like a great track and it looks like one of the best modern layouts so I’m looking forward to getting out there. In the sim it seems quite tricky with a nice bit of undulation, some blind corners and some good meaty fast corners so it should be a good challenge to drive. I’ve never driven it before so it’s going to be another occasion when I learn it on the Friday.

You seemed to learn Suzuka pretty quickly? What’s the trick?
JP: Obviously we do a lot of simulator work and I watch a lot of on board laps. Suzuka really gelled as it’s a fantastic circuit so it was certainly a rewarding weekend. I thought it would be difficult but the circuit really came to me. If I’m honest I did expect it to be a bit more of a challenge but I’m in a good place with the car and that confidence always helps as you can focus on learning the track rather than fighting with handling or set-up that doesn’t give you what you want.

You were pretty happy with your P12 in Japan?
JP: I think it was a very good performance and we’re almost in the top half of the field on pure race performance now. We had a good strategy and strong pace; everything is progressing a lot really. Had we had the same amount of people retiring from the race as there has been in previous outings, we would have been scoring some strong points in Japan.

Where do you think the pace improvement is coming from?
JP: We know a lot more about the car and something the team has done really well this year is develop every aspect of how we utilise the car on track. This includes how we use the tyres, how we look at strategy and so on. From myself, I feel stronger and more confident with every race and that’s what you expect in a first season. It’s a good place to be. If you look at the race our pace was pretty comparable to Felipe [Massa] in the Williams and if you’d said that at the beginning of the season there would have been some raised eyebrows. It wasn’t a perfect race – I did get caught-up in traffic quite a lot – but everything else was quite smooth. We had good pace, good strategy, kept the tyres alive and that’s what we’ve been doing quite well the last two races. We’ve managed to jump into the midfield..

What are your thoughts on the good ol’ US of A?
I love it! Austin itself is a fantastic city, the countryside in Texas is superb and the people are so welcoming. There is a lot more Formula 1 knowledge than I expected as you always think NASCAR or Indycar when you think of motorsport in the US. My problem with the US is the food; there are too many temptations! This is tough as I have to watch my weight so closely. I’d love to be tucking into ribs and burgers all the time! Aside from trying to keep away from the food, it really is a nice place to go racing. It’s something different, especially to be in Texas, there’s a great atmosphere there. Last year we had huge downpours, which was a shame so I’m hoping for some good weather this year and a big crowd!

Blank Space

Despite most of Enstone’s attention on next year’s car there’s still scope to progress on track with the R.S.16 as Technical Director Nick Chester explains.

What’s the technical approach to the US Grand Prix?
NC: It’s all about maximising what we have. There are a few minor aero bits we will have on the car that are just the final elements of the R.S.16 development programme. In addition we are making progress on set-up and tyre management, especially tyre management for qualifying.

Should the Circuit of The Americas show us some good ol’ fashioned US hospitality?
NC: There’s nothing about the layout to cause alarm for our car so looking at the simulations we could have a decent race. It’s a nice smooth circuit with a high-speed first sector incorporating a lot of fast-flowing corners – the type of which have turned out okay for our car of late. If you look at the rest of the circuit too we are predicting a Sepang / Suzuka level of performance from the R.S.16.

How was the debrief from Japan?
NC: Japan was a slightly unusual one as we were competitive in a lot of the sessions but not in qualifying, which is something we’ve been analysing. FP3 was particularly decent, our qualifying was sub-par, then the race pace was pretty respectable. Race pace was encouraging once more and if we can improve qualifying – as we have seen at certain races this year – and maintain the race pace we should be fighting for points for the remaining races.

What are the targets for the final four races of the season?
NC: Points and progress. In terms of programmes we have different set-up evaluations to conduct and we are always looking at aspects relevant to our 2017 project, but we’re still focused on obtaining the best results possible at every remaining race.

Circuit notes

• T1: The run from pole is 500m but the track goes steeply uphill, with the turn-in point for the corner at the crest. There is around 40m in height difference from the end of the straight to the apex of turn 1.
• T3: The start of the Esses. Turns 3 to 6 are flat out with the average speed around 210kph in fifth or sixth gear.
• T11: Turn 11 is a potential overtaking opportunity as drivers come out of the third gear turn 9 into the flat out turn 10 then into a heavy braking for the hairpin at 11. Revs will drop to 9,500rpm and the car speed to just 80kph.
• T12: Turn 12 comes after the 1km straight. Brakes need to be set-up so they are not too cool at the end of the straight so the driver can make the corner.
• T13: 13, 14 and 15 are fairly low speed, with the line determined by the kerbs; all second gear corners.
• T16: Front wing levels are tailored to counter understeer in this continuous double apex.

Power Unit notes

• Just under 60% of the lap is taken at wide open throttle, rising to over 60% in qualifying. The average speed will be a touch under 200kph with top speed peaking at over 320kph.
• Since gradient changes a lot over one lap engine speeds and turbo rotation vary constantly, and settings must be constantly adjusted to give optimal performance.
• After the first corner the driver goes back up through the gears to reach seventh for turns 2, 3 and 4, which are taken flat out with an average speed of 280kph. Similar to Maggots and Becketts at Silverstone and the Esses at Suzuka, the driver needs to be precise on the throttle and carry the speed all the way through rather than brake and accelerate. The power unit needs to be correspondingly smooth throughout the turns, delivering constant levels of torque.
• The low ambient humidity of the Texan grasslands has a big effect on the power units. The air will contain more oxygen and the ICE will generate more power, but the aridity is very taxing on the internals. We will watch ignition timing very closely.
• Similar to Abu Dhabi and Korea, the longest straight is not the pit straight. In Austin it is the burst between turns 11 and 12, which is 1,016m. The car will be at full throttle for almost 20secs. It will also spend over two seconds at maximum velocity at the end of the straight. The driver will brake heavily at the end of the straight for the hairpin so rear-end stability and stability under braking will be crucial.

Tyre choice

• Medium: Like Austin resident and Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock, adaptable to any kinds of conditions.
• Soft: Renée Zellweger. Often used for great dramatic effect.
• Supersoft: The Farrah Fawcett of the range. Often effective, but peaks quickly and then falls off.

Memory Lane

Although it was regularly successful elsewhere, by some strange quirk of fortune Renault scored just a single victory in the USA in Detroit in 1986 until Austin returned to the calendar in 2012.

Ayrton Senna triumphed for Team Lotus. He started from pole but lost the lead at the start to Nigel Mansell. Senna repassed the Brit on lap 8 when the Brit had brake problems, although Senna soon slowed himself with a puncture and dived into the pits. That left the Ligier-Renaults of Arnoux and Laffite running first and second, but in the middle of the race both Ligiers dropped back when they made slow pit stops. That put Nelson Piquet into the lead.

When Piquet made his single stop on lap 40 a stuck wheel saw him lose 10s. Senna made his final stop a lap later and emerged in front. Piquet’s challenge ended almost immediately when he crashed into the concrete wall and fortunately for Senna the remainder of the race passed without drama. He eventually crossed the line and Renault duly celebrated a one-two, with Laffite second.