FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

MALAYSIA CONSIDERING DITCHING GRAND PRIX

Malaysia is considering halting the annual Formula One Grand Prix race after its contract ends in 2018 due to declining ticket sales and TV viewership.

The government and race organisers are expected to meet on Thursday to decide whether the country should continue to host the race, state news agency Bernama reported on Monday.

In a series of posts on his official Twitter account, the sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the costs of holding the race were too high, while the returns were limited.

“When we first hosted the F1 it was a big deal. First in Asia outside Japan. Now so many venues. No first mover advantage. Not a novelty.”

“F1 ticket sales declining, TV viewership down. Foreign visitors down b/c (because) can choose Singapore, China, Middle East. Returns are not as big,” he said.

State oil and gas firm Petronas are the title sponsors for the F1 race in Kuala Lumpur. The company has been hit hard in recent times by the tumble in oil prices.

The chief executive of the Sepang International Circuit (SIP), where the races are held, said ticket sales for the race had dropped since 2014 and initial reports showed this year’s TV viewership in Malaysia were the lowest in history.

Razlan Razali told state news agency Bernama that although the venue had a ‘watertight agreement’ with license holders until 2018, a “temporary withdrawal from F1 could be beneficial for the country to take a break”.

The Malaysian Grand Prix was last held earlier this month, when Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo claimed his maiden win of the season.

The event was marred by controversy after nine Australians were arrested at the circuit for stripping down to swim wear printed with the Malaysian flag, angering locals who called the act a sign of disrespect.

MIKA: One of the boring races of the season IMO

[MIKA27]

Haas F1's journey to the United States Grand Prix

Watch as Haas F1 drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez make several stops on their trip in the USA before the last Sunday's race at the Circuit of the Americas.

 

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Max Verstappen owns up to US GP pit stop 'misunderstanding'

Max Verstappen has admitted it was his own “misunderstanding” that caused him to pit during the United States Grand Prix when his Red Bull crew were not ready for him.

The Dutch driver arrived to his pit box on lap 26 just as his team were emerging from the garage, having been taken by surprise.

Verstappen had been running in fourth place before his unscheduled stop to replace his soft tyres for mediums.

He lost a considerable amount of time with the pit error but his Red Bull ground to a halt a few laps later with a gearbox issue.

“It was a very unfortunate way to end the race, especially as the first part was so positive,” he said.

“The start was OK, being on the harder compound means it is always going to be tricky but we managed to get away and stay in front of Seb [Vettel].

“I was happy with the pace and I felt good out there, it was a nice battle with Kimi [Raikkonen] who I was glad to pass.

“I’m sure there was the ability to race the Mercedes but it is just very hard to pass them due to the straight line speed. I backed off Nico [Rosberg] in the end to save my tyres and maintain the gap from the Ferrari.

“The pit stop issue was my misunderstanding, the team had asked me to push the lap before so I thought I was going to be coming in. I pitted and then realised they hadn’t actually made the call, luckily it didn’t affect the end result.

“Shortly after I had come back on track I heard a banging noise coming from the engine so I pulled the clutch, they then asked me to release it again and keep going so they could try and work out what it was, unfortunately we couldn’t solve it and it ended my race.

“At the end of the day the race pace was good and the setup felt strong so I am positive and looking forward to Mexico next week.”

[MIKA27]

Renault ‘can postpone’ second driver decision

With Nico Hulkenberg on the books for next season, Renault team boss Fred Vasseur has made it clear that he is in absolutely no rush to confirm the German’s team-mate.

Last week Renault announced that Hulkenberg would be joining the team in 2017, taking on the lead driver role.

The name of his team-mate, though, remains uncertain.

Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer are both still hoping that they will retain their race-seats while Esteban Ocon is also in the running.

All three may have to wait to learn whether they have landed the job as Vasseur says Renault “can postpone” the decision.

“We are in talks with many drivers,” he told the official F1 website.

“For sure, that we have secured the situation with Nico buys us time.

“Now we can postpone the decision for the second cockpit.

“Yes, we do have some young drivers and rookies in the loop, so it is important to see how they are improving.”

Speaking specifically about Magnussen claiming that he is “millimetres” from penning a new deal, Vasseur said: “His situation has not changed… Millimetres. But if you have the pen millimetres off the paper, what then?”

[MIKA27]

Why 40 years on from Fuji, Hunt's title success was a line in the sand for F1

Forty years ago yesterday, Briton James Hunt secured his place in Formula 1 legend with a gritty drive to third place in the rain-hit Japanese Grand Prix.

With his title rival Niki Lauda famously pulling out of the race because he was unhappy with the torrential conditions, Hunt’s recovery from a puncture was enough to secure him the World Championship title.

As time has passed the legend of both Hunt’s achievement and that epic 1976 season have grown – helped in no part by the movie ‘Rush’ which has taken the story of that campaign to a wider audience.

Yet perhaps what makes Hunt’s achievements stand out so much 40 years on is not only the manner in which he achieved title glory, but how his success that seasons has come to represents a totally different era – both for men like Hunt and teams like McLaren.

To celebrate the launch of a brilliant new biography on James Hunt, McLaren reunited three key figures from that 1976 campaign – Ray Grant who was production engineer at McLaren, Roy Reader who was the truckie and Dave Ryan, current Manor’s racing director who worked on the pit-crew at that Fuji event.

For all three men, the contrast between then and now is staggering – as they view Hunt’s time in F1 as the closing of a chapter.

Ryan says: “For me he was the last of an era. He was brilliant in our car that year. He had a lot of fun and did what you wanted to do – and you cannot do that now. For me was a line in the sand.”

And Hunt’s approach ultimately manifested itself not only to McLaren but to F1 itself.

As Reader explains: “What people saw at Hesketh, this playboy thing, he brought an element of that to us to McLaren - and I think that passed generally along the pitlane.

“A lot of teams were quite envious of us having James – there was this guy who was very liked in some respects and outrageous in some of the things he did.

“Afterwards, with other drivers, you never had that same feeling as you had with James. It is a sad loss. If you look at it he had a full life – certainly more than most. Modern drivers will never do the things he did...well, apart from maybe Kimi [Raikkonen].”

When asked what Hunt would make of the current very corporate F1, Ryan said: “He wouldn’t associate with it really. I don’t think he would deal with it at all.

“He turned into a very good commentator and he had very strong opinions – but the way it [F1] has developed, it is not even remotely like it was those days. It was a totally different game.”

Saved by an Acme whistle

What happened in the Fuji race has been well documented over the years – but there are two anecdotes that stand firm in the memories of those involved that day.

The first was before the race – as delays because of the rain meant that there was a very real risk of the grand prix not taking place. Such a scenario would have been ideal for Ferrari – because with Lauda leading the standings it would have made him champion.

Reader recalls: “It was getting so dark and we felt that if it doesn’t run soon it is not going to run at all. With the cloud cover, rain and the fact it was getting later and later in the day, it was getting so bad...”

But Ryan recalls a key moment when a staff member moved to rev up the crowd – and excite them so much that there was no way organisers could call off the race.

“Ferrari didn’t want the race to happen,” he said. “It was pretty horrendous. We obviously wanted the race to happen so we tried to get the crowd jeed up. The crowd was full, but they just sat there like the Japanese do.

“So one of our mechanics Lance Gibbs went out on the pit wall. He had this Acme Thunder whistle. And he started winding them up. And before long, the whole crowd was going.

“That, in my opinion, helped get the race underway because there was a good chance it wasn’t going to happen. It did start, and Ferrari weren’t happy about that. The rest is history.”

Pitstop drama

Lauda thought the conditions were too dangerous to race so he retired to the pits almost immediately, while Hunt continued on a track that began drying – before needing to come into the pits with a puncture.

It should have been straightforward to get Hunt back on his way, but McLaren hit trouble – on the corner of the car that Ryan was responsible for.

Ryan explains: “There has been a debate because nobody wanted the responsibility to bring James in. They wanted James to decide, so he was going around and around on a drying track and he was dropping back.

“He eventually came in but as he came in, he has a puncture on the left front which was unfortunately my corner. In those days you did pitstops, but you never really expected to do one, so that is why we had little cantilever jacks

“The idea was the jack would go under the wishbone and raise the wheel enough to get it changed. We practiced it many times but we never practiced it with a flat tyre. Which was kind of stupid!

“But eventually some crew lifted the entire front of the car, and the wheel was changed. James was off grabbing the third place he needed to become champion.”

Wild parties

The celebrations that night were clearly huge – as McLaren mechanics ended up swapping tools and other paraphernalia from their season for alcohol at the track.

But if you wanted a true representation of how different the times were, you actually had to rewind two weeks to the Watkins Glen event where stories from the infamous Seneca Lodge have long been etched in legend.

Ryan explains: “It was a magic place. It was like the hub of North American motorsport. Most of the teams stayed there and the hosts of the hotel were mega. Every night was party night and movie night! It was just a neat place.”

Reader added: “We used to stay in the motel directly underneath the main facility – it was one of those places that if you were there to help clear up and lay out for breakfast you would do so, then have a quick shower and go back up to the circuit.

“Whoever won the race, would always put X amount behind the bar of light beer to be consumed afterwards.”

But Grant recalls the night after the 1976 race things got slightly more out of hand.

“The booze wasn’t flowing quick enough, so I went to the bar and asked if they could do a bigger glass. I said a pitcher would be fine – so I asked for one of Gin of Tonic and one of a Bacardi and Coke...”

Hunt, sat in a corner with a girl on each arm wearing a hat with a flashing orange light on top, would definitely have approved.

McLaren has helped produce a brand-new large format 352-page James Hunt biography, which features previously unseen photographs and has been written by renowned F1 journalist Maurice Hamilton. More details:

[skalls]

So yesterday my brother and I were at COTA for the Grand Prix.  The circuit and the complex around it is amazing.  Literally amazing.  Getting there took longer than we though, and we left rather early (or so we thought).  We had probably a 3-4 mile walk from where our car was in Lot L to turn 4.  The TV doesn't do the elevation changes justice here.  Pat is by no means a race guy but he had just as fun of a time as I did.  The drive out of there though, the roads were sketch as hell.  Heading out the way we did your literally in bumfuck nowhere.  The road goes to shrubbery like 3 inches off the pavement.  Despite it being sketchy, it took us right to the main road to get back onto 45.

I was literally like a little kid in a candy shop as we pulled into the lot.

Theres 5 or 6 lots.  I wanted to get the paved lot (N or Q i think) which would've been a mile walk to our seats.  But I was an idiot and held off, leaving only L left.  Everyone and their mother was selling parking spots around the circuit.  I didn't take any pictures but there was plenty of hypercar porn around the area.

This is a bit out of order but those are the stands over by the horseshoe turn.  There was a sea of people here.  Not surprising since the weather was PERFECT.  

We got to our seats in time for a 14 lap 911 GT3R series going on.  Some poor bastard spun 3 times at turn 2.

After that we went to the merchandise tent to get a hat for me because I am an idiot.  Short hair cut + sunny weather = burnt head.  That's no good.  Wanted a Haas hat but it was a flat brim kind.  And those are stupid looking on someone as unfashionable as me.  Big complaint of the day, that hat, $50.  I didn't appreciate being bent over and violated but that was preferred to the sunburn I would get without it.  There were cheaper Pirelli hats but they were even god awful to look at (sunburn would be better).

 (also go Bison!)

Then we needed food.  And in Texas you need to eat brisket everywhere.  So Brisket, cheese, cheesy sauce, BBQ sauce and fritos.  It was fantastic.

Then we got a couple more adult beverages to wash that down (and also the last beers we had at the circuit).  Then it was time for the drivers introduction.

Then practice laps.

Then the race started.  Thanks some random guy standing in front of me >.<

I joked that next time we come here we go whole hog and get tickets to go up to the top.  Pat's terrified of heights.  An 8' ladder freaks him the hell out.  I think that is 350 feet up.  I want to go up there so bad.

Here's real Texas BBQ we had the night before at the Salt Lick.  Hands down the best BBQ i had.  Pat hated the coleslaw, but he admitted it was made way different than we normally get it back north.

So the trip was freaking amazing.  Today sucked all sorts of ass.  Got up at 4, hour driving around Dallas, wait to check our golf clubs, wait at the security line, and then wait in line for breakfast >.<  I had a 4 hour drive home after we landed in Minneapolis.  I am wiped out, and have to work tomorrow.  Totally worth it though.

My complaints?  These cars look amazing, and they were flying through turn 4.  The TV doesn't do a good enough job illustrating their speed and acceleration.  They sound so awful though.  I mean ridiculously bad.  It is loud, but not a pleasant loud.  The 911 race cars before them sounded way better (despite the turbo farting).  Indy Cars don't look the part but they are both loud and pleasantly loud.  F1 needs to fix that, I want to be there with v12 or v10 engines so the ground shakes.

We are going again, but probably on the Friday session for FP1 and FP2.  Traffic will be easier to get in and around.  A bit cheaper on the wallet too.  I want to go next year but that may be a bit hard with a semi-planned golf trip with my brother to Alabama (Robert Trent Jones Trail).  I will be working on him to make that work

[MIKA27]

WOW Thanks for sharing the read and the pictures, COTA is on my bucket list, I love the circuit!

As for merchandise, F1 merchandise is always expensive but they always ask a hefty price as people tend to buy them anyway  

I recall back in 2004 I think, when Ralph Schumacher drove for Toyota, one of their long jackets cost $650.00! I mean seriously... who the hell will pay that much for a lousy jacket and then slog out another couple hundred on team Caps from Williams and McLaren?  It's F1, we get caught in the hype, but back then too, they were V12's and 10's.

I don't believe we will ever see such engines again Skalls, we can keep dreaming mate, but never again.... 

Again, seriously awesome pictures and information, thank you for sharing. Perhaps sometime we can all have a drink at COTA

[skalls]

I wasn't surprised at the cost.  Been to NFL, NHL, NBA and NCAA games and the stuff is crazy expensive.  I think the most expensive thing was around 250 for a pullover.

The first guy that noticed my shirt was a beer seller.  "Dude, the Bison rock!!!  You need a beer"  Yes beer guy, yes I do.

A man can dream about those old engines, but hybrid engines are here to stay.  Just wish someone would make a fun hybrid engine in a car that's fun to drive.

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MONTEZEMOLO: IN F1 YOU HAVE TO HAVE HUMILITY

With Ferrari enduring one of its worst seasons in history, Luca di Montezemolo is advising the team’s current bosses to be more humble humility while calling for respect for Sebastian Vettel who is keeping a positive attitude in very tough times for the Scuderia.

Montezemolo was unceremoniously deposed as president of Ferrari, in what can only be called a coup, by FIAT big boss Sergio Marchionne who took the role as Maranello chief in the process and also put Maurizio Arrivabene in charge of the team – two individuals with no experience of running a F1 operation in charge of the sport’s most popular and famous team.

Marchionne was full of noise and bluster when he took charge, expecting wins and demanding results as if the sport is an exact science; thinking that pumping in money, shuffling here and shuffling there, hiring, firing and instilling “an atmosphere of fear” would do the trick. But since he took leadership of Ferrari the silverware cabinet has been decidedly bare.

Only three of the all important winner’s trophies to show for since Marchionne’s arrival on the scene. All three won last year thanks to the fruits of the previous management and engineering team.

This year, the fruits of the new cabal have yet to produce a win. Their drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel – with five world titles between them – forced to toil around in a sub-standard pieces of kit, compromising their reputations as they over drive a car (and package) that is seriously flawed.

History shows that Montezemolo was part of Ferrari’s golden era of the seventies, team principal during the Niki Lauda heyday. He also assembled the most formidable dream team in the history of the sport – Michael Schumacher, Jean Todt and Ross Brawn – led the Reds during their most successful spell ever.

So when Montezemolo talks about the team, that is very close to his heart, it’s worth listening. Not just F1 fans and readers but also the guys trying to run the leaking ship that is Ferrari today.

In what was a clear swipe at Marchionne’s style of management, Montezemolo told RTL, “In F1 you have to have humility to know that you cannot win overnight. If you are unsure of being able to win, you should not say that you will win.”

“Be patient, help people to improve the situation. We have to have confidence in the team and put it in the best position to get the most out of it.”

It is no secret that former Ferrari team chief Stefano Domenicali was a big fan of Vettel and, along with Montezemolo, should be given credit for enticing the German away from Red Bull. The fact that the German arrived when the pair that courted him first were out the picture was just down to timing.

Marchionne signed the big cheques to get Vettel to the team, but the spade work was done long before he and the Marlboro Man were in the picture.

With Vettel coming under fire recently, not only from the Italian media but also from Arrivabene himself, Montezemolo warns, “It’s important to have a driver who is positive in difficult times. Vettel showed from the start that he is Ferrari in his heart.”

Indeed the Italian media are increasingly negative about the situation of the team that carries the nations sporting hopes and whose success or failure impact the country’s national psyche like no other racing team.

Corriere dello Sport pulled no punches as they reported on another frustrating weekend for the Reds, this time at the United States Grand Prix: “Red Disaster. Light at the end of the tunnel seems far away.”

MIKA: I say give Montezemolo the job back before Vettel does what Alonso did and jump ship. It is seriously clear that Marchionne is not a Formula 1 man.

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WOLFF: WAITING FOR THE VOLCANO TO ERUPT

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has revealed that both Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are both in a good mood as their title clash reaches a climax with only three races remaining, but at the same time the Austrian is wary of the volcano.

World champion team chief Wolff told Sky F1, “It’s interesting because we are not having any games anymore. There is no psychological warfare like we have seen in the past years.”

“They are both in a good mood, but I’m always sceptical. I kind of wait if this is a volcano to erupt or not, so let’s wait and see.”

Rosberg and Hamilton have been cool to one another for most of the season, their first lap collision at the Spanish Grand Prix fueled the feud even further.

Now with three rounds remaining in the championship fight, Eosberg heads to the Mexican Grand Prix with 1 26 points advantage. But the pendulum has swung back Hamilton’s way after a three month victory drought for the world champion.

The stakes are extremely high as Hamilton seeks to win his fourth world title, while Rosberg is targeting his first and write his name alongside his father Keke Rosberg as a F1 world champion.

Wolff pointed out, “It’s coming towards the end of the season, both of them have everything to win and everything to lose, and I think there will be things you say that next day you regret.”

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ALONSO: THE IDEA OF CHANGING TEAM DOES NOT MOTIVATE ME

After a performance at the United States Grand Prix which reminded everyone why Fernando Alonso is regarded, by many Formula 1 team bosses and senior engineers, as the best driver of the current era he told media that he remains committed to McLaren and Honda even if the big teams came calling.

When asked by a Turun Sanomat reporter if he would consider a move to Mercedes or Red Bull if they came calling, the McLaren replied, “I do not think they will because they have drivers for the next two years. I have a contract with McLaren-Honda in 2017 and the following year.”

“The most important factor for me is what kind of feelings I get from the cars with the new rules. At this time, the idea of having the best car or changing team does not motivate me.”

“I firmly believe that McLaren is the best team and the best working group I have ever worked with. We know that we are all on the same page and each gives the maximum in the same direction.”

“This gives me confidence that we have a complete team and the results will come, as long as all the technical problems have been eliminated. This should happen next season,” predicted the two times F1 world champion.

“I do not think my time in Formula 1 is finished. In fact, I think I am at a higher level as a driver and I am sure we will be competitive in 2017. The only question is whether I will like the new rules.”

“If I do not like next year’s cars I will then finish my career. If I am satisfied I will continue, if I do not I will stop. It’s that simple,” repeated the McLaren driver.

Ironically, in the aftermath of his gutsy performance at Circuit of the Amweicas, Italian media were clearly lamenting the absence of Alonso’s spirit in the Ferrari camp.

La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote: “We again saw the best from Fernando, who is limited by his McLaren. There are many at Maranello who still mourn his departure.”

While Corriere dello Sport were more scathing as they headlined another below par weekend for the Scuderia: “Red Disaster. Light at the end of the tunnel seems far away.”

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: I DIDN’T EXPECT IT

During a somewhat mundane United States Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso managed to inject some excitement with his pursuit, battle and overtake on Williams driver Felipe Massa and Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz late on in the race.

Alonso made up for McLaren’s disappointment at Suzuka, Honda’s home track, to finish an unexpected fifth at the Circuit of the Americas.

The Spaniard admits,”I didn’t expect it. Obviously it was a very good race, a very good result for us. We took advantage from Kimi and Verstappen DNFs.”

“The pace was not good all weekend long, and wasn’t good in the race, but enough to be close to the guys in front and then we differed the strategy with Toro Rosso

“They fit the soft, we fit the medium, so we had better tyre life at the end of the race and we took advantage from that.”

The differing tyre strategy allowed Alonso to close in on Massa and Sainz late in the race.

The Massa move was contentious, with Williams crying foul but the race stewards seeing it differently. With Massa dispatched, Alonso set his sights on fellow countryman Sainz who was doing a sterling job on aging tyres.

“Carlos was on a different strategy and different tyres to me and Felipe, which allowed us to close the gap. Our tyres were in better condition than the Toro Rosso’s and we took advantage of that.”

“The last couple of laps were very intense, as we had some extra speed so we tried hard to overtake. It was quite easy to overtake the Toro Rosso as they’re slow on the straights, so you just need to open the DRS.”

“I was following Carlos for 45 laps and he drove very well, very consistently, zero mistakes – so we had a great battle,” said Alonso.

“Our result today is nice for motivation, so I’m happy with fifth, but we gained a couple of positions because of other people going out, and our pace hasn’t been great all weekend here, so we need to understand the reasons for that,” concluded the two times F1 world champion.

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HORNER: WE HAVE DEFINITELY CLOSED THE GAP

Red Bull are definitely the team that have the capacity to upset the dominance of Mercedes should the opportunity arise, and team chief Christian Horner says his team will do all to take advantage of any slip-up that might occur as Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton battle intensely for the title.

Speaking ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, Horner said, “We have definitely closed the gap, if you look at the race here; there is not a huge divergence. One has to assume that they are not cruising after that last pit stop because they are racing for the world championship.”

“So it is encouraging that we are able to be running around then instead of just watching them go into the distance, it has been a massive step forwards for us this year.”

Indeed only Red Bull have managed to break the stranglehold that the Silver Arrows have had of the top step of the podium this season, with Max Verstappen sensationally victorious at the Spanish Grand Prix and Daniel Ricciardo’s popular triumph in Malaysia.

But Horner is convinced that more wins are still possible, “Now that we are at the business end of the championship, you can only imagine that it is going to intensify between the two of those guys, so we just want to be in a position to be able to capitalize on any moments they might have,” he said.

“Mercedes, having won all the races they have this year, why wouldn’t they have that pace at the final three? So we just need to make sure that we are the team in the position to be able to capitalize in the event that they trip up.

As for the title between their arch-rivals, Horner said, “It is Rosberg’s to lose, isn’t it? If he finishes second at the next three races then Lewis has run out of time. But anything can happen, a puncture, a DNF, and if Lewis puts in a win, then there is suddenly one point between them.”

“For Lewis it is simple, it is like three FA Cup finals. He has got to win all three races, and then what happens with the other car he can’t control,” added Horner.

[MIKA27]

Felipe Massa to compete at Race of Champions in Miami

Williams Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa has been confirmed as a competitor at next January's Race of Champions in Miami.

The Brazilian driver has won 11 races in his F1 career, but will retire from the series at the end of the 2016 season.

Massa debuted in F1 back in 2002 with Sauber, before a long stint at Ferrari - almost winning the 2008 title. He moved to Williams in 2014 and has remained at the team ever since.

Next year’s Race of Champions will take place in the United States at Miami’s Marlins Park from the 21-22 January.

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel, FIA World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg and Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen have already been confirmed for the event.

NASCAR champion Kurt Busch and Indianapolis 500 winners Juan-Pablo Montoya, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Massa’s countryman Tony Kanaan are also part of the line-up.

“It’s a fantastic pleasure for me to participate in the Race Of Champions for another year,” said Massa, who has competed at the event three times.

“I look forward to meeting up with my old friend and fellow countryman Tony Kanaan. In 2004 in Paris we made up a very good combination: he beat Sébastien Loeb and I beat Michael Schumacher until we were both given penalties for touching the guard rails too much…

“The atmosphere is special at the Race Of Champions too: you’re in the middle of the grandstands so you can hear all the fans and they can see all the corners. It’s a great feeling and great enjoyment for everyone.”

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McLaren-Honda feels they’re back on track after double points finish

With Fernando Alonso securing McLaren-Honda’s highest ever finish with his P5 result and Jenson Button placing ninth, Honda’s head of F1 Yusuke Hasegawa was delighted at their recovery after their nightmare in Suzuka.

At their home Grand Prix in Japan, Alonso and Button both placed out outside the top 15, as the team called for a vast improvement in Austin, to which they responded with a competitive double points finish on Sunday.

With three races remaining in 2016, the Japanese boss is hoping to continue their momentum and close the season off strongly.

"It was a good United States Grand Prix for us," Hasegawa said.

"Before the start it was extremely difficult for us to predict where we would be at the end of the race based on the qualifying results, but we knew that our race pace would be better and stable.

"Both of our drivers proved why they’re worthy world champions.

"It was good to see such strong driving, and undying racing spirit from both. Fernando pushed hard until the last lap, enabling him to finish in P5 behind the Ferrari, and a brilliant push from Jenson saw him gain 10 places to finish in P9.

"A double points finish is a great result to bring momentum back to the team."

[MIKA27]

Haas considers brake manufacturer switch

Haas is considering a switch of brake disc suppliers following its latest failure during the United States Grand Prix.

In the wake of a number of recent brake problems, Haas faced further misery at Austin as Esteban Gutierrez was forced to retire with another failure.

Current brake supplier Brembo has promised a full investigation into what happened in a bid to help it get on top of things.

A statement issued by the Italian brake company said: "After a first analysis of our technicians present at Austin, it would seem that in correspondence with the front left wheel a problem in the dragging area of the disc has been identified.

"It will be Brembo's responsibility to carefully investigate, in collaboration with the team, the causes that led to the technical issue."

But while that investigation goes on, Haas has revealed that it is ready to test Carbone Industrie discs as early as it can to see if that can help it overcome the problems.

Team principal Gunther Steiner said: "We will test different materials. We need to do something, as we cannot keep breaking them.

"Esteban was in a good position as well, and it is the brakes. So Brembo is trying to do the utmost to help us find out, but we need to do for ourselves what we need to do."

Steiner said that his team was struggling to find an explanation as to why his outfit had faced such difficulties with its brakes.

"I don't know, otherwise we wouldn't have it," he said, when asked what the specific problems was. "Brembo is investigating and seeing if they find what is wrong with it. We don't know what is going on, we don't know."

Steiner said that a test of CI discs would not be possible until after the Mexican GP.

[MIKA27]

Palmer feels Renault should have used team orders in Austin

Jolyon Palmer admitted he was left frustrated that his Renault team did not use team orders to get teammate Kevin Magnussen to give up his position in the United States Grand Prix.

Palmer was on a two-stop strategy while Magnussen opted for three stops, and it meant the Briton got stuck behind the Dane for several laps while he was faster than his teammate.

In the end, Palmer got ahead when Magnussen pitted, only for the Dane to pass him again thanks to his newer tyres.

Palmer believes the time he lost behind Magnussen probably cost Renault a better result.

"Basically for us to get a result we need to be in a really good position, we need a really good strategy," said Palmer, who finished 13th.

"Of course I don't want that to be the case, I want to be able to pass.

"But I spent, I don't know, 30 laps tucked up right behind him. I knew I was a lot quicker, and I could see that with the guys in front we could really make some inroads. But I couldn't follow him close enough.

"I feel like if I got in front, I could have moved on and caught some of the guys ahead. But I was stuck behind.

"As much as the strategy and I would have liked to have been let past. I started ahead anyway. We need to look at the whole race."

Palmer, whose future at the team remains uncertain, said there were time when he could have tried to pass Magnussen, but did not want to cause an accident.

"I mean, a couple of times I could have had a lunge, but I think it's quite silly to do that, especially to try and get ahead," he added.

"And in the end I overheated my tyres trying to pass him and fell back a little bit. He did an extra stop and came through at the end, it's a bit frustrating.

"I was asking them, it's a frustrating situation when you're stuck behind your teammate because you don't want to try and do something stupid."

MIKA: IMO, if you're faster then why not overtake your team mate and stop bitching about it? There's more to racing that having a faster car, how about race craft? Good example (Amongst many) was Michael Schumachers last year with Mercedes, can't recall the race, but I do remember Jenson Button in a much faster McLaren couldn't overtake the then infant and struggling Mercedes as Schumacher kept closing the door on him. That went on for 49 laps! 

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Mexican Grand Prix preview - Not what it says on the tin

It was new. But of course it was far from new. It also was far from the usual sort of round that parachutes onto the modern F1 calendar.

Not only has Mexico considerable F1 heritage. Not only either did it have already a considerable F1 presence both in drivers and investment. Last year at the start of its latest run as an F1 host it confirmed too that it bows to few when it comes to both the number and the passion of its fans.

Yes - 12 months ago the sport returned to Mexico for the first time since 1992 and indeed to the same, albeit revised, venue in Mexico City. And it was not just for these reasons that it shared little with the typical new-fangled round.

Some 335,850 came through the gates across the three days with 134,850 there on race day - including 40,000 packing out the astonishing baseball stadium section, which hosted the podium ceremony too - and provided a football crowd-type atmosphere. It moved even Niki Lauda to describe it as the best F1 event he had attended.

Sadly though what happened on track didn't live up to it all, with that part being tepid. As was anticipated the altitude - at some 2,250m the highest on the itinerary - suited those with Mercedes power. Cars with the grunty unit in the back flew through the thin air, related to spinning the turbo harder to make up for the internal combustion shortfall.

That the tweaked layout of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was rather dominated by two long straights - particularly a 1.2 km start-finish stretch - added to that advantage.

The layout tweaks meant the old track suddenly was one thing here that did have a 'typical Tilke' air about it - long straights book-ended by slow turns, with a bit of twisty quicker stuff elsewhere. Inevitably but sadly the old Peraltada was neutered by the intricate baseball stadium detour mentioned.

And sure enough in last season's Mexican result eight of the first 11 home had Merc power. And the works team toured around impressively at the front for a one-two finish.

That might be an over-simplification though, as a less anticipated consequence of the altitude was that it appeared to close the field up - presumably a consequence of the chief discriminator of downforce being harder to put into effect here. In the first part of qualifying indeed first to 17th was separated by just 1.3 seconds. This of course has implications not least for the number of runs and the compounds used in the quali hour.

Red Bull put in a strong showing last year here and Daniil Kvyat looked well on for a podium finish until a late safety car appearance scuppered him. There had even been speculation based on practice running that the Bulls could get among the Mercs, though this wasn't borne out. Whatever is the case though Red Bull usually can be counted on to find grip no one else can. The team has been threatening to finish among or ahead of Merc in recent times, and this one might just be its best chance.

Twelve months ago too Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari qualified third within four tenths of the pole time, before putting in by his own admission a "shit" showing in the race.

The big question in Mexico this weekend for the title chase of which Merc will emerge on top is about as hard to read, given we have but the one reference point of last year's visit. And then although Nico Rosberg was ahead in both qualifying and the race it was but a week after Lewis Hamilton clinched his latest world title, which some reckoned meant it was rather 'after the Lord Mayor's show'.

Lewis of course won out in the Austin weekend just passed with Nico following him in, though both Merc pilots seemed at pains afterwards to state that it didn't tell us much in itself. Lewis insisted that there's nothing different just for Austin in terms of his approach, while Nico reiterated he wasn't planning on winning the title by finishing second everywhere - which still would get him the title - and in Mexico will still be chasing the win.

Another aspect of the low air density though is that cooling of things such as the brakes becomes more marginal; we know the Mercs often run these things more marginally than most, and Rosberg's brakes were briefly on fire in last year's practice. Of course a DNF for either Merc will considerably re-fame the championship fight.

As for the rest, as noted those with Merc power will likely show up well, which means Sergio Perez - often near or at the front of the Mercedes customer class - should have a good chance of a strong result at home. The Force India tends to be quick in a straight line at the best of times, while Perez alone stopped just once in last year's race to finish eighth.

On the flipside to these considerations though for McLaren with its Honda power unit the Mexico weekend is likely to be something to be got through. Whatever though it almost cannot be worse than the team's nightmarish visit in 2015, replete with grid penalties, woeful pace and unreliability.

For much of the weekend last year it looked a typical debut event in another way - a new and therefore glass-like track surface with bitumen still near the top they thought would result in easy one-stoppers all round with minimal degradation. However degradation proved higher than expected in the race, related in part to higher ambient temperatures than earlier in the weekend, and most had to make an extra stop. It caused a minor intra Merc rumpus as well, with Lewis wanting to stay out instead.

This year adding to the fun Pirelli's brought the supersoft as its additional compound, one softer than the soft and medium brought last year as this. In Austin the supersoft didn't last all that long though starting on it didn't result in huge strategy variation from those starting on the soft, with most still stopping twice and having similar lengths of first stints. While there is rather a lot of hedging bets about the compound selections for this weekend, with most going for a fairly even distribution of the three tyre types available.

As noted the track temperature can matter a lot here, and indeed last year it was damp for the first part of practice while the opening runs in Q3 set much of the top 10 of the grid as a subsequent drop in temperature lost the track some pace. Forecasts currently have it dry and warm all weekend this time though.

While in an auxiliary consideration the lengthy straight combined with the altitude meant the modern F1 power unit set stunning marks in the speed trap last season. The race day needle touched 366km/h, blowing away anything from the V8 era and getting close to the sport's all-time speed record of 370.1km/h (229.97mph) set by Kimi Raikkonen in the 2005 Italian Grand Prix, when all had V10s. It could be beaten this time.

But it's one of the few things about the Mexico visit that can be beaten.

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Latin America - Jenson Button and Tom Stallard On The Mexican GP

Speaking ahead of the Mexico GP, McLaren-Honda’s Jenson Button and his race engineer Tom Stallard share their thoughts on Mexico City’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez – a track famed for it’s high altitude, hot temperatures and passionate fan-base.

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

A racetrack was first built at the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City in 1962. It hosted its first F1 race the following year, but lost the grand prix after the 1970 event, when fans broke ranks and sat on the edge of the track. The race returned from 1986 to ’92, on the renamed Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, before making another return in 2015.

What makes it unique

The altitude. Situated at 2,200m (7,218ft), the circuit is the highest on the F1 calendar and that has implications on car performance. There is only 78 per cent of the oxygen available at sea level, which means the internal combustion element of the power unit produces less power and the brakes are harder to cool in the thin air.

Grip levels

Low. The asphalt was new prior to last year’s race, which meant it was oily and very slippery. Twelve months on, the tar will have cured and grip levels will improve as a result.

Run-off

Good. Designer Hermann Tilke has included ample run-off on the re-profiled track. Where the barriers couldn’t be pushed back due to the topography of the surrounding area, at the Esses, for example, the corners have been tightened.

Watch out for…

The end-of-straight speeds. The 1.2km (0.746-mile) pit straight is the longest in F1 and last year’s top speed of 366km/h (227mph), set by Sebastian Vettel, exceeded expectations. Given the amount of progress made with the power units in the last 12 months, could we see the fastest straight-line speeds in F1 history?

Event facts

First Mexican Grand Prix
1963.

Official slogan

The race has no official slogan, but the government is quick to promote Mexico’s national values of liberty, work and culture.

Mexico’s F1 heritage

The Rodríguez brothers, after whom the track is named, were the godfathers of F1 in Mexico. Both of them raced in F1, Pedro winning a couple of races, and both of them perished in racing cars. In total there have been six Mexican drivers, two of which – Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez – are on the current grid.

Smallest winning margin

1.366s, in 1991. This was the race weekend in which Ayrton Senna flipped his McLaren-Honda during practice at the fearsome Peraltada corner. However, the race was an all-Williams affair, with Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell locking out the front row of the grid. Mansell led the early laps, until cooling issues forced him to slow and that allowed Patrese to take a narrow victory, ahead of Ayrton in third place.

Sporting legacy

The buzz surrounding last year’s grand prix proved the unflinching popularity of F1 in Mexico. But the country has played host to many big sporting occasions over the years: the 1968 Olympic Games were staged in Mexico City, as were the World Cups of 1970 and ’86.

Did you know?

Honda scored its first F1 victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix.

Don’t forget

McLaren has taken three victories at the Mexican Grand Prix, in 1969, ’88 and ’89.

Fan zone

Valeria, aged 17, from Mexico City, asks: “Does the altitude force you to do anything different with car set-up?”

McLaren’s answer: “The engineers aren’t forced to do anything different, but they need to be mindful of several factors at 2,200m (7,218ft). First, the internal combustion engine produces less power and the turbo spins faster to compensate. Second, the brakes are harder to cool and the size of the brake ducts needs to be carefully analysed. Third, the thinner air generates less aerodynamic drag, which has an impact on the amount of wing the cars can run”.

Fernando Alonso: “Last year we went to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with a lot of unknowns and relatively little information about how the cars would perform on the reconfigured circuit. It poses a very different set of challenges to many other circuits because of the compromise you need between good downforce on the fast straights and also strong balance in the twisty stadium section – and then there’s the altitude, which affects performance in itself. It will be difficult to bring all of the elements together to get the best out of a lap, but I’m looking forward to seeing where our package compares to last year.”

“Last year the support we received in Mexico City made it one of the best crowds all season, so the whole team is looking forward to going back there for the second time at this famous circuit. The buzz from the fans really makes a difference to the drivers, and, although we didn’t have a smooth weekend there last year, I still remember it as one of the highlight events because the whole experience was really enjoyable. Given how tough the race is on our cars, I hope we can achieve good reliability and enjoy a better result on track this time, and make the most of the incredible support.”

Jenson Button: “I really enjoyed driving on this circuit last year. It wasn’t an easy track for us, but it’s a really rewarding layout for a driver. Although the famous banked Peraltada wasn’t included in the re-profiled design, the mixture of the very high-speed straights and the infield section at the end of the lap does give you a bit of everything and it really puts a smile on your face. We were definitely strongest in the final sector around the stadium so we’ll need to put those strengths to good use if we’re to give ourselves a fighting chance next weekend.”

“We’re very lucky that we have huge support from fans at all the circuits we go to around the world, but I can honestly say that the reception we got from the Mexican crowd last year was a feeling like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. Every time you drove around the stadium section you could actually feel the roar from the fans from inside the car, it was unbelievable. I hope we put on a great show again this year and recreate that incredible atmosphere.”

Eric Boullier, McLaren-Honda Racing Director: “We head to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez buoyed by a positive result at the Circuit of The Americas. Like in Texas, we’re looking forward to the incredibly warm welcome from the fans, who rocked the stadium section and downtown Mexico City over what was a very memorable weekend for fans, teams and drivers alike last year.

“Achieving a similar result to Austin at this circuit will be no mean feat. It’s a tough track for the chassis due to the high average speeds and big braking zones, and it makes the power unit – particularly the turbocharger – work harder than normal because of the high altitude.

“It will be interesting to see how our improving package fares on this challenging configuration, and I hope we can bring all of the elements together to see a more promising performance there than we managed last year. Saturday will be the most crucial day for us, as we need to give ourselves the biggest chance in the race, and we can only do that by maximising everything in qualifying. With the incredible support from the fans, we’ll work hard to give them a great weekend of racing.”

Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda R&D Co Ltd Head of F1 Project & Executive Chief Engineer: “Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is located at the high altitude of 2,200m (7,218ft), which means that the oxygen in the air is very lean, and therefore the turbocharger must work extra hard to force air into the power unit. As a result, the quality and the efficiency of the turbo will be the key factor in the Mexican Grand Prix.

“At the same time, this track has a very long straight, so we need to consider the power effect while matching the power unit to the chassis. We had a very difficult race here last year, but we would like to maintain the good momentum gained in Austin, and also show our technological progress throughout this season. We are hopeful that we can once again target points in the race.”

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

Force India preview the Mexican Grand Prix, Round 19 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, in Mexico City

Team Principal, Vijay Mallya, looks ahead to the next race in Mexico.

VJM: “We are really looking forward to the weekend in Mexico, a race that has already become a favourite for everyone in Formula One. Last year, the event felt like a huge celebration of our sport and we are looking forward to experiencing the same incredible levels of passion again.

“Off track, this is one of the most important races of our season. We have a large number of Mexican team partners and we are keen to get a special result in their home race. Of course, we also have the Checo-factor: we saw all the fans cheering for him in Austin and we know of the huge following he has in his home country, so we expect the majority of the people in the stands to be supporting us. It will feel like having a home advantage and we hope to contribute to a very enjoyable race.

“On track, however, this is a race like any other: we need to focus on our job and do it right to move one step closer to our objective of finishing fourth in the championship. The characteristics of the track should suit us and I expect us to be fighting for points.”

Sergio Perez on Mexico

Sergio: “Mexico City may be quite far from my city of Guadalajara, but I go there very often for professional reasons. It’s a city I love and there’s so much going on: the best restaurants, so many sights and so many things to do. It is a huge city and sometimes traffic makes going from one side of town to the other feel like an adventure! It is, not surprisingly, one of my favourite moments in the season and last year’s was special not just for me, but for my team and for anyone who came to the race.

“I have no doubt this year’s event will be even better than last year – expectations are huge following the success of 2015. For me, the biggest surprise was the passion of the fans: all the affection I received, all the messages and all the incredible moments I experienced are what really made an impression on me. I am so happy to go back there.

“The track itself is brilliant: my two favourite parts are the fast esses and the Foro Sol. It’s a very technical circuit, with some tricky corners: at the speeds we are doing, managing the car is very complicated and it’s important not to lose your rhythm. There is no key place where you can make or break your lap, except perhaps the slow section inside the stadium: you have to nail the combinations of corners to be able to string together a good lap. I am really looking forward to trying the track surface – last year, the asphalt was completely new, so this year it should be a big improvement.”

Nico Hülkenberg on Mexico

Nico: “I am looking forward to going back to Mexico. Last year the whole race week was a huge thrill and you could feel all the excitement from the Mexican people as Formula One was coming back after more than 20 years. The happiness and enthusiasm were incredible, and the vibe we could feel was great – I had goosebumps the first time I got to the track and saw all the fans. I hope this year we’ll have a similar experience: I know what we had in 2015 will be hard to match, but I trust the locals!

“The circuit facilities are nice, even though the track is perhaps not one of the most challenging. The first sector, though, is fun to drive – turns one to three make up a good combination: it’s a triple corner, quite slow in the race but exciting in qualifying, as it gets quicker with lots of grip and low fuel.

“The altitude makes our set-up choice interesting: we have a high-downforce package on the car, but the thin air results in a downforce level similar to what we have in Monza. The car feels loose and very floaty, and massively quick in a straight line: last year we went over 360kph on the main straight. We had a good result last year and hopefully we can go even better this year.”

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WILLIAMS PREVIEW THE MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

For seven years from 1986-‘92, Mexico hosted one of Formula One’s great power races. Three long straights, broken up by a demanding Esses section and the infamous Peraltada final corner, gave the track a distinctly Monza-like character which was tremendously popular among drivers, despite the punishing bumps.

The altitude of 7500ft also ensures both man and machine are tested to and beyond their limit. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez returned for the 2015 season, with circuit reprofiling by Hermann Tilke complete with new pit and paddock facilities. Williams has scored three wins in Mexico, with Nigel Mansell in 1987 and 1992 and Riccardo Patrese in 1991. Valtteri secured his sixth Formula One podium at the track in 2015.

For Mexico, Pirelli have made available the super soft, soft and medium tyres

Pat Symonds: We still regard Mexico as a new venue as our rate of learning last year was rapid, but undoubtedly unfinished. That said, we were able to put one car on the podium here. Of course, the primary feature of the circuit is its altitude which tests the turbo charger of the power unit, as well as the vehicle’s cooling systems. The altitude is not only a test for the car, but indeed the drivers and the whole pit crew. Of particular note is the brake duty cycle, with this circuit now being one of the highest benchmarks we need to achieve. For the second time in a row, the teams also have to handle back-to-back race events as we continue through the busy final stint of the season.

Valtteri Bottas: Mexico was the best podium in my career so far when I finished third there last year. It was incredible to look out on the stadium and see how many people there were after the Mexican Grand Prix hadn’t been on since 1992, and the place was completely full. The atmosphere was amazing. It’s a big city with plenty of traffic on the way to the circuit – that’s the only negative I can think of, but at least the traffic is there and not on the track! The race is very challenging because of the high altitude. The top speeds are high, and we have less downforce. This thin air also means there is less oxygen, so as a driver it’s slightly more physical. It’s a very cool race track and I’m really looking forward to going back to such a unique location for a grand prix.

Felipe Massa: Mexico has some of the most amazing fans. In the last sector you really enjoy every lap you’re doing. You also have one of the longest straights in Formula One, where we achieved the record speed last year. In Mexico people really love Formula One, it’s fantastic to go to races like that. The city is very similar to São Paulo so I really feel at home there. I would say the Mexican people are very similar to the Brazilian people as well. It’s a great place to visit and to race.

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The Mexican GP timetable

The Mexican Grand Prix, which takes place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, returns as the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg continues.

All times are local (Mexico City is GMT -6)

Thursday 27 October
11:00 – 12:00: FIA press conference

Friday 28 October
10:00 – 11:30: First free practice
14:00 – 15:30: Second free practice
16:00 – 17:00: FIA press conference

Saturday 29 October
10:00 – 11:00: Third free practice
13:00 – 14:00: Qualifying
14:00: FIA post-qualifying press conference

Sunday 30 October
13:00 – 15:00: Mexican Grand Prix
15:00: FIA post-race press conference

Mexican GP Info
No of Laps: 71
Race Distance: 305.354
Lap Record: Nico Rosberg – 1:20.521
2015 Winner: Nico Rosberg

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AUDI QUITS WEC AND OPTS FOR FORMULA E NOT FORMULA 1

Audi will end its involvement in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the prestigious Le Mans sports car race next year after almost two decades to focus on racing electric cars, symbolising a shift in strategy as parent company Volkswagen battles to recover from an emissions scandal.

Annually, over the past few years, there have been reports linking Audi to a Formula 1 programme, which have always been categorically denied by the manufacturer, even when former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali joined the group.

Instead Audi, which is seeking to boost the share of zero-emission vehicles to at least a quarter of its global sales by 2025, said it will start competing next year in the Formula E electric-car racing championship.

“We will conduct the race for the future electronically,” Chief Executive Rupert Stadler told workers at Audi’s sports car division, according to a statement from the company, citing the biggest transformation in the brand’s history.

“As our production cars are becoming increasingly electric, our motorsport cars, as Audi’s technological spearheads, have to even more so,” the CEO said.

As it grapples with the costs of the emissions scandal, the German carmaker is cutting spending to fund its shift to electric cars and autonomous driving, mirroring plans by parent VW.

Audi denied a report in Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper that savings from pulling out of Le Mans and the WEC would amount to an annual 300 million euros. A source at Audi said the move would save Audi nearly 100 million euros per year.

VW’s flagship luxury division has set aside more than half a billion euros to cover costs for the diesel emissions scandal and possible recalls of cars fitted with Takata Corp airbags. Third-quarter financial results are due on Friday.

Le Mans, one of the greatest tests of endurance for cars and drivers, has been a source of prestige for Audi which has won the race 13 times in 18 years.

The decision to exit the WEC means Audi will be left with no diesel engines in motorsports, a spokesman said.

It also leaves the WEC with just two manufacturers competing for the championship: Audi’s VW stablemate Porsche, which has won for the past two years with hybrid models, and Toyota.

Toyota said in a statement that it noted Audi’s decision “with regret” but it would have no effect on the company’s plans.

“We are preparing for 2017 when we will return with the target of winning the Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Championship,” a spokesman for the Japanese company said.

A Porsche spokesman said it also had no plans to quit.

More than a year after VW admitted to rigging emissions tests, Audi’s move is another setback for diesel which analysts have said faces higher costs amid tougher standards and testing methods.

But Audi said its exit from top-level sportscar racing does not imply diesel technology will disappear in its road cars.

“If we are serious about achieving carbon dioxide (CO2) emission targets, then there is no alternative to diesel because they are the most efficient engines,” the spokesman said.

Audi will continue to compete in Germany’s DTM touring car championship where it will switch from an 8-cylinder to a 4-cylinder petrol-drive car in 2018.

Separately, Audi is looking at the possibility of expanding its engagement in the RX World Rallycross championship where it may replace its 4-cylinder petrol model with an electric model, a spokesman said.

Audi’s decision is also a boost for Formula E, which has attracted interest from other manufacturers including German rivals BMW and Mercedes as well as Renault, Jaguar, Citroen and India’s Mahindra.

“I was as surprised as anyone, probably,” Formula E Chief Executive Alejandro Agag told Reuters. “It is confirmation that Formula E is going in the right direction.”

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VERSTAPPEN: I AM NOT HERE TO FINISH FOURTH!

Max Verstappen grabbing post-race headlines is becoming his trademark and in the wake of the United States Grand Prix the precocious teenager is again in the spotlight, this time his Red Bull team questioning his driving style and tactics.

The Dutch teenager made a rookie error when he decided to pit when his team was not ready for him, but pundits claim that Verstappen’s eagerness to beat teammate Daniel Ricciardo ultimately cost the team a possible second place.

At one point, when told to conserve his tyres, Verstappen shouted into the radio: “I am not here to finish fourth!”

The growing consensus among pundits is that the youngster took matters into his own hands at the expense of his team and, according to Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko is not impressed.

“You can’t demand too much of the tyres. He must learn this,” said Marko after the race in Austin. “If you don’t, you don’t win any races, any championships. He needs to find the right balance between attacking and patience.”

Marko pointed out that “in comparison to Daniel, Max induces substantially higher tyre wear, but it doesn’t necessarily make him faster.”