FORMULA 1 - 2016

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Jolyon Palmer hoping to bounce back from 'challenging' Bahrain GP

Renault driver Jolyon Palmer is hoping to bounce back from a “challenging” Bahrain Grand Prix at this weekend’s race in China.

The British driver felt he could have had a “good crack at the top ten” had he not failed to make the start of the Bahrain GP due to a hydraulics issue.

"Australia was a really good way to kick off the year and we were a little bit ahead of where we thought we’d be so all the pre-season preparation had paid off well,” he said, ahead of the next round in Shanghai.

"Bahrain was more challenging as it was a weekend where nothing really clicked but overall the feeling within the team is great."

He is confident the Renault RS16 has a strong baseline and is pleased with the performance of the car, although he says small issues should be ironed out with future updates.

"There were a few minor issues, which meant we weren’t able to optimise performance but we should have it all addressed for China," he explained.

"The car has a well-balanced baseline and all we need is a little bit more performance. This is exactly what we have coming in the future, so everything’s good."

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Honda to switch its focus from reliability to power gains

McLaren engine supplier Honda says it will now switch its focus from reliability to gaining outright performance as it seeks to close the gap to the frontrunners, particularly on the straights where it lacks top speed.

The Japanese manufacturer split its time over the winter between finding power and improving reliability following a difficult return season which saw it far exceed the allowed number of power units between its drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button.

However much of their reliability woes look to have been resolved according to Honda's F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa.

"We concentrated on reliability first and I think we improved the reliability areas, although we had issues [in Bahrain]," he explained, referencing Button's ERS failure.

"Now [we will focus] on the internal combustion performance - power - as we know that the current power isn’t good enough to get a Q3 position. So that’s what I can tell… I think the current performance is reasonable."

When asked about which particular area the gains will come from, Hasegawa added: "Engine power and engine combustion, we have to improve that. Still we have a lack of end of straight speed, so it is everything [that needs improvement]."

Honda currently has 14 tokens remaining to spend this season and it's believed they may use some to introduce an upgrade at the first European race of the season in Spain in mid-May.

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Adding downforce in 2017 the 'wrong decision' for F1 - Wolff

Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff has spoken out against the proposed new Formula 1 technical rules set to come into effect for the 2017 season, believing the addition of more downforce is the "wrong decision".

The sport is set for an overhaul next year which will see greater mechanical grip through wider tyres, but also the addition of greater downforce thanks to wider wings front and rear.

Mercedes driver and three-time champion Lewis Hamilton has already voiced his concerns, believing there is a need to focus on mechanical grip so cars can follow more closely which will promote overtaking.

Wolff agrees with Hamilton's comments: "The cars will not be able to follow each other," he said of the proposed new rules.

"We have made a step towards more downforce which means the car following will have more disturbed air.

"At the moment when you follow a car closely you lose downforce – a great example was Lewis [Hamilton] and Max Verstappen in Melbourne; the same will happen next year but much more.

"Adding downforce was a mistake, we like a challenge, the guys in the aero [department] have taken the fight up but for Formula 1 and overtaking it was the wrong decision."

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BRDC votes in favour of Silverstone sale to Jaguar Land Rover

Members of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) have voted in favour of leasing the Silverstone circuit to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), meaning negotiations between the two parties can continue.

JLR expressed an interest in leasing the circuit last year with BRDC chairman John Grant confirming in February that a vote would take place later in the year to canvas the opinion of its circuit-owning members.

That vote took place on Thursday with just over half its members voting in favour of the £25 million deal, which would see JLR secure a 249-year lease of the circuit and surrounding land, allowing it to develop a hotel and heritage centre.

The BRDC meanwhile would retain control of Silverstone Circuits Limited, meaning it would remain in charge of events like the British Grand Prix.

"The potential deal, which will only be completed if the board can agree terms with JLR that it believes to be in the best interests of the BRDC, would align Silverstone with two premier British brands and put the BRDC on a stronger financial footing," a BRDC spokesperson said.

A second bid for the circuit has also emerged in recent days. Ginetta Cars boss Lawrence Tomlinson has made an offer to lease the circuit and the controlling company - unlike the JLR deal - which would see Tomlinson initially invest £5m and a further £1m each year whilst also taking on the BRDC's liabilities.

Although a 'yes' vote allows negotiations with JLR to continue, BRDC bosses cannot negotiate with Tomlinson due to an exclusivity deal with the British car company which holds until July.

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Hamilton hits back at critics

Lewis Hamilton has dismissed suggestions that his jet-setting lifestyle has had a negative impact on his performances on the track.

The three-time Formula 1 World Champion has not claimed a race victory since winning last season’s United States Grand Prix in October, a victory which secured the World Championship.

His Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg has since gone on to dominate, with the German winning the last three races of the 2015 campaign, and the opening two rounds of the current season.

There have been suggestions that Hamilton’s comparatively poor performances are the result of the Briton taking his focus off matters on the track, with the 31-year-old frequently posting accounts of his lavish, busy lifestyle and many off-track pursuits on social media.

Speaking to Auto Moto und Sport, Hamilton has rejected such notions, and has insisted that while he lives life to the fullest, he would never compromise his racing performance.

“I don’t know exactly how this opinion is formed,” he said. “Everyone has their own way of working, but I’m certainly not taking it easy at the track or driving the car.

“I haven’t got to be a triple World Champion just through luck. There’s a reason I can show that number of race wins. I prepare at home before in my room, or on the flight.

“Do I enjoy my life? Absolutely! You can call it as you want. All people are different. It’s good when a character is unique,” he continued.

“There are still far too many people who think that they have to adapt to be accepted. The more people who break out of this bubble and find themselves, the better.”

Hamilton added that he was certainly not at odds with his Mercedes team regarding his frequent posting on social media.

“No, this team is led by people who are young in spirit and understand my attitude,” he said. “They know that it’s a cool way of communicating. It brings the brand attention.

“We just have great people on this team. I don’t tell Toto that he should pull his shirt out of his pants. Even Niki is a super-cool part of this team … He believes that if you stay true to yourself then that delivers the best results. Toto, Niki, Dr Zetsche [Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars] – all think the same way here.”

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Grosjean: Career suicide claims proven wrong

With back-to-back points finishes, Romain Grosjean says those who thought he was committing "career suicide" by moving to Haas have been proven wrong.

Grosjean made an incredible start to Haas' debut campaign, racing from 19th on the grid to sixth at the chequered flag in Melbourne.

Two weeks later he showed that it was not a fluke result.

The Frenchman qualified P9 in Bahrain and under the lights on Sunday finished an impressive fifth, vindicating his decision to leave Lotus for newcomers Haas.

"Some people said it was career suicide. I think they were wrong. Sorry guys," he told Reuters.

"I made that choice because I believed in the project and I've seen enough to think that after a few years in Formula One it could be good."

He added: "I said in winter testing we could score points early in the season.

"I was thinking that we would be fighting between 10th and 14th. Scoring so many points at the beginning, I don't think anyone was expecting that."

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Horner: Haas’ success is not a bad thing

While some aren't too happy with Haas' F1 model, Christian Horner says he welcomes it as it shows team can enter the sport and do well on a limited budget.

Haas joined the Formula 1 ranks this season using a Dallara-designed chassis fitted with a Ferrari engine, suspension and other parts.

The team tasted immediate success as Romain Grosjean raced to P6 in Australia and then went one better at the next race in Bahrain.

But not everyone is celebrating Haas' success.

Williams' technical director Pat Symonds fears that the Haas model goes against the principle of being a constructor.

"The status of being a constructor has been gradually eroded," he said. "Some would like it completely eroded.

"What Haas has done is good for him, but I don't know if that is really the way F1 should be going.

"It's absolutely legal but is it really what F1 wants? I'm not sure."

However, Red Bull team boss Horner believes Haas' success is good for Formula 1 as what the sport really needs is strong teams racing one another.

"To be honest, I don't think it is a bad thing," the Brit told Motorsport.com.

"It demonstrates that you can be competitive without having to employ 600 people and spend 200 million Euros.

"When you look at the problem of some of the teams, while there will be all the arguments that it is not in the DNA of F1, it far better to have healthy racing, and giving drivers like Grosjean the chance, than being consigned to the back of the grid."

He did, however, have a quip about Haas' relationship with Ferrari after Daniel Ricciardo lost P5 to Grosjean in Bahrain.

"They were quick, their strategy worked well for them," Horner added.

"They were aggressive, soft tyred and three-stops. It is a solid car. Last year's Ferrari is still looking pretty good."

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Rosberg hints at Mercedes stay

Nico Rosberg says he will be at Mercedes for "some time to come" despite being out of contract at the end of this season.

The German is leading the 2016 championship race after just two rounds, both of which he won.

It has been an impressive start to the season for Rosberg, who suffered back-to-back defeats in the Drivers' Championship to team-mate Lewis Hamilton in 2014 and 2015.

This had led to some speculation that his days at Mercedes could be numbered, however, it appears Rosberg is determined to stay on.

Asked about his contract being up at the end of the season, he said: "First of all that is not necessarily the case.

"Secondly the contract is not something that is present in my mind at the moment. Why should it be?

"I am very comfortable anyway here. We have a great relationship and I will be here for some time to come for sure. And that is it.

"It is not something that is on my mind."

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Perez: Increase racing, not speeds

Sergio Perez says it does not matter if the cars are five seconds quicker season, if they are not able to get closer the racing will still suffer.

Next season Formula 1 bosses intend bringing in a host of new regulations aimed at making the cars quicker.

F1 bosses have targeted an increase of "five seconds" per lap which they hope to bring about through measures to increase mechanical grip and therefore downforce.

Perez, however, says the issue is not the speed of the cars, rather it is the racing they produce.

“I want to see better racing,” the Force India driver told F1i.com.

“I want to see teams being able to fight closer together. I think we need to improve mainly the racing, more interaction between the cars.

“I don’t think the solution is just to go faster by five or ten seconds, it’s to actually let the cars get closer and give the teams more opportunity to challenge others.

“So I want to see it more mixed in the future.”

This is a sentiment echoed by Championship leader Nico Rosberg, who fears more downforce will create less overtaking.

“I'm concerned about the fact that we are trying to make the racing more exciting and so I am worried that it is the wrong direction," he told Sky Sports F1.

“We know that to go quicker we need more downforce which is what we are aiming for and with more downforce it is more difficult to follow other cars. We know that, that is a fact.

“So I'm worried that it is not the right direction.”

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Magnussen optimistic of scoring points

Renault driver Kevin Magnussen is confident of securing his first points of the season once he has a trouble-free race.

Magnussen’s Formula 1 season has been riddled with problems and he has subsequently failed to pick up any points.

During the season opener in Melbourne, the Dane suffered a first lap puncture, but managed to recover and finish 12th.

In the next race in Bahrain, Magnussen was made to start from the pitlane after he missed a weight check during free practice.

Despite his disadvantageous position, the 23-year-old still managed to finish 11th, but it was not enough to secure him any points as he didn’t end the race in the top 10.

“It is pretty frustrating,” he said. “That’s how it is in racing sometimes, but we are very close so that does give motivation.

“The car feels really good. Of course, we want more downforce and more power, but show me a race driver who doesn’t ask for that!

However, despite the setbacks he has occurred thus far, Magnussen is optimistic that he will clinch his first points of the season sooner rather than later.

“Naturally I’m enjoying being back behind the wheel, pushing hard and overtaking, but you have so much work to do from the back that you can have a very strong race yet still finish in 11th,” he said.

“If we start further up the order and don’t have a first lap incident good things can happen.”

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Should Formula 1 be plotting a Twitter future?

It was the week that Twitter turned broadcaster, as the news broke that the micro-blogging platform had secured the rights to stream 10 NFL games following a social media bidding war with rivals including Facebook.

It was the sort of news F1 fans can only hope for - a sport actively embracing social media, reaching out to its fans, and making a tidy profit in the process.

The cost of the Twitter deal has yet to be revealed, but CBS and NBC both recently paid $225 million each for five-game deals with the NFL.

Cruelly, the NFL’s online push came only days after it was announced that free-to-air F1 access was all but ending in one of the sport’s key markets, with the news that Sky had bought up the exclusive UK rights from 2019. The contrast between the two sports’ approaches is stark.

One key area in which F1 differs from the NFL is the way the broadcasting is managed within the two sports. In the United States, it is not unusual for different broadcasters to share coverage of a sport, with ESPN and NBC Sports (say) each airing half a season.

But when broadcasters buy into F1, they buy the season. Short-lived FTA sharing deals aside, the Formula One Group is not in the habit of splitting its deals between multiple broadcasters in the same region.

As an organisation, the NFL has long been active on social media, and is one of popular sport’s innovators when it comes to serving their fans across a range of platforms.

In addition to broadcasting games, the NFL deal will see special Periscope content filmed behind the scenes by teams and players, and embeddable highlights packages for fans to share.

In F1, on the other hand, drivers and teams have recently been reminded that Snapchatting and Periscoping inside the paddock violates the sport’s broadcasting deals.

Like F1, the NFL is currently seeking to expand its global fanbase. Unlike F1, however, the American sport can see wisdom in aligning with social media platforms.

Not only do the likes of Twitter already have a global user base (and, by implication, a potential new fan base), but social networks can also offer tentative expanders the ability to target expansion into areas where the data we willingly scatter across the internet demonstrates greater interest and potential profitability.

Twitter’s specific appeal can be found in the way the site has already changed the active viewing experience. Twitter’s use of hashtags has turned viewing into a shareable experience, one in which spectators become actors through involvement in online commentary.

Be it the World Cup or the season finale of the latest HBO must-watch, Twitter has become an essential part of the TV experience for the younger viewer. The logical next step was to turn broadcaster.

“Twitter was one that rose to the top when you think about the global scale, breadth and reach and their strength in mobile,” Hans Schroeder, NFL senior vice-president, told the Financial Times.

“As the world continues to change, we're going to continue to evolve how we distribute our content with it. Increasingly our fans are on second screens or on their phones during games.

"There is also a population of younger fans who are looking to alternative screens to get their primary video experience.”

Twitter is not the only social network moving into broadcasting. Since its launch at the end of 2015, Facebook’s Live platform has been building relationships with broadcasters including Fox Sports, ESPN, the BBC, and Sky.

“Facebook Live has brought another dimension to the way we engage with our audience,” said Sky Sports’ digital director, Dave Gibbs.

“It’s allowed us to connect with sports fans it in a variety of ways, from behind-the-scenes reporting on Transfer Deadline Day to previewing the weekend’s footballing action on our Soccer AM page.

"2016 is going to be another big year of sport for us, so we’re looking forward to seeing how we can continue to use Facebook Live to support this and bring new and exciting content to our audience."

The BBC have also had social media success with their Live efforts surrounding football, but the current broadcasting deals in F1 have prevented either broadcaster from using Live to any effect in the paddock.

In much the same way that F1 is currently waiting for the next round of Concorde Agreement negotiations to start before fixing the regulatory process, so too must the sport wait for individual broadcasting deals to expire before much can be done to improve the sport’s online accessibility.

But if the NFL can demonstrate that there’s money to be made on the wilds of the internet, perhaps the sport’s stakeholders will see the wisdom in modifying the approach to broadcasting contracts in future, embracing media both old and new in the pursuit of a dedicated fanbase.

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F1 considering introducing a Saturday race in 2017

Bernie Ecclestone has revealed a Saturday race is being considered to replace qualifying in 2017.

Ecclestone and the FIA had to bow to collective pressure from F1's teams to back the reinstatement of 2015's qualifying format, scrapping the unpopular live elimination system. Given the dominance of Mercedes since the introduction of V6 turbo engines in 2014 Ecclestone and the sport's governing body are keen to find a way of mixing up the grid and shuffling faster cars towards the back.

Thursday's announcement that F1 would revert back to 2015's qualifying format also came with the promise of a "global assessment" of F1's weekend format ahead of next season. Ecclestone has revealed one option on the table would be a race on Saturday to set the order of the grid for the grand prix on the following day, though he is cautious of pushing this too hard after the debacle around qualifying this year.

"We've been looking," he told Sky Sports F1. "Basically more the qualifying than anything. Maybe having a race on the Saturday which would count instead of qualifying, for example. We're looking at all these things, which would be for next year obviously. We've made a big enough muck up to do that for this year so must not do that again."

The idea of a Saturday race is likely to sit well with race promoters, who were a major reason for the switch to the live elimination format in the first place. Ecclestone has complained the current format does not provide value for money over the first two days of a race weekend.

The current format comprises two practice sessions on Friday, with another on Saturday before qualifying, followed by the grand prix on Sunday. Monaco is the only exception, with the opening practice sessions held on Thursday before a public holiday on the Friday.

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There are subs... and then there are super subs

It's been a while since F1 has so keenly witnessed the debut of a driver, but Stoffel Vandoorne's maiden grand prix saw the spotlight of anticipation trained on the Belgian all weekend.

A top ten finish in Bahrain signalled a satisfying return from tricky circumstances, but with Fernando Alonso expected to return to the seat kept suitably warm by the 2015 GP2 champion, barring any other medical dramas for one of McLaren's drivers, it looks like Vandoorne will return to the sidelines for the time being in the hope it earns him a proper shot in 2017.

So while Vandoorne's F1 endeavour – for the time being at least – is on pause, he could well prove to be just the latest in a long line of drivers who took their chance to prove they are worthy of more than just five minutes of fame.

(To clarify: This list compiles 'substitutes', not 'replacements'… definition being they returned their seats. For instance, Mika Hakkinen and Robert Kubica are not eligible as they retained drives with the team after their debut)

Michael Schumacher may have not even completed a lap of his F1 race debut, but his one weekend with Jordan caught the eye of Benetton… and the rest is history

Michael Schumacher

Jordan Grand Prix

1 race

Highlight: 1991 Belgian Grand Prix

The most famous 'super-sub' of them all, the then-little known Michael Schumacher made his one and only – yet remarkably memorable - appearance for the 'rookie' Jordan team at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix in place of local hero Bertrand Gachot, sacked after being handed a two-month prison sentence for using CS spray against a taxi driver.

With Mercedes sweetening the deal with a financial contribution having honed his skills through its sportscar programme, Schumacher arrived in Belgium having driven the Jordan 191 just once at a Silverstone test, while he had never sampled the Spa-Francorchamps circuit that would go on to become his most famous haunt.

A reminder that you can impress on the back of qualifying alone, Schumacher started an exceptional seventh – ahead of experienced team-mate Andrea de Cesaris –, only for his race to last just one lap when the clutch failed. Regardless, it was enough to make Benetton to sit up and take notice.

Quickly swooping to grab the German with a better deal than F1-absent Mercedes could possibly counter with, the rest is very much history in this case, Schumacher becoming champion within three years to win the first of seven world titles that would establish him the greatest F1 driver in history… and this without completing a single race lap!

Alex Wurz

Benetton-Renault

3 races

Highlight: 1997 British Grand Prix

Little known when he made his F1 debut back in 1997, the then 23 year-old Alex Wurz hit the big time when he was called up to replace the unwell and grieving Gerhard Berger in the Benetton-Renault team for three races. Prior to F1, Wurz had already become the youngest ever Le Mans winner and was racing in International Touring Cars, but his single-seater credentials were limited to respectable performances in German F3 only.

Nevertheless, he settled in with aplomb and whilst his first two outings yielded DNFs, Wurz – receiving an extended stay after Berger's father was killed in a plane crash - hooked it up in his final attempt with a measured drive to third place at Silverstone just behind his team-mate Jean Alesi, a performance that also briefly saw him lead between pit-stops.

Though Berger was back in the B197 for the next race in Germany – which he went on to famously win -, Wurz had convinced Benetton to sign him full-time for 1998, even if the declining team never enjoyed the same competitiveness thereafter.

Beyond Benetton, Wurz went on to become a prolific test driver amidst his total 69 starts between 1997 and his final race in 2007, one such stint with McLaren seeing him make a single race appearance for the team where he once again proved a substitute star, finishing third in the 2005 San Marino Grand Prix.

Another Le Mans title came in 2009 with Peugeot and, now retired, Wurz has been established as the President of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association… quite the journey from humble beginnings.

Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver to score an F1 point on his one and only showing for BMW before Red Bull snapped him up

Sebastian Vettel

BMW Sauber

1 race

Highlight: 2007 United States Grand Prix

Would BMW have stayed in F1 had it not allowed Sebastian Vettel to slip through its grasp… how different could F1 history be? Red Bull-endorsed but BMW backed having convinced the company he was potentially 'the next Schumacher' after dominating its own junior series, Vettel seemed very much destined for the BMW stable when he earned Friday practice outings in 2006 aged just 19 before getting his unexpected debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix.

Replacing Robert Kubica, recovering from a massive shunt in the preceding Canadian Grand Prix, a fresh-faced Vettel wasted no time in showing his mettle on his first visit to the Indianapolis circuit, qualifying seventh and finishing eighth, ironically nabbing the final point after his team-mate Nick Heidfeld hit technical problems late on. At 20 years-old, he became the youngest driver to score an F1 point, an accolade he retained until 2014 when Daniil Kvyat scored on his debut in Australia

With Vettel's stock rocketing and a bidding war brewing, Red Bull took advantage of its more favourable seat availability by signing him to its sister Toro Rosso outfit before the year was out, in doing forging a relationship that would keep him in the Red Bull fold for seven seasons, four of which yielded titles.

Nicola Larini

Scuderia Ferrari

2 races

Highlight: 1994 San Marino Grand Prix

A result to normally celebrate on a dark weekend otherwise etched in tragedy, Nicola Larini may have made 49 F1 starts but he wouldn't get close to the second place finish he achieved in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.

After four fairly fruitless seasons in F1 that fluctuated between failures to qualify and point-less campaigns, Larini was signed by Ferrari to spearhead its active suspension development, starting two races towards the end of the year to put the fruits of his labour into competitive action.

Staying on board for 1994 alongside his DTM duties with Alfa Romeo, Larini received another unexpected call up early on in the season to deputise for the injured Jean Alesi for two races, the second of which being the ill-fated Imola race.

Positioned fourth at the restart in the wake of what would later be learned as Ayrton Senna's fatal accident, Larini benefited from team-mate Gerhard Berger retiring and Mika Hakkinen slipping back to ascend to second behind race winner Michael Schumacher. A remarkable achievement in isolation for a driver that would score just one more top five finish in his stop-start F1 career, it is a shame it is one he can only take tempered pleasure in.

Subbing for Michael Schumacher, Mika Salo was denied what would have been his one and only F1 win in the 1999 German Grand Prix by team orders

Mika Salo

Scuderia Ferrari

6 races

Highlight: 1999 German Grand Prix

Up there with some of the more heart-breaking 'what could have been' moments in F1, Mika Salo came so very close to becoming a race winner during his brief, albeit career peaking, stint with Ferrari in 1999.

Having made his F1 debut in 1994, Salo had established himself as a solid midfield runner during periods with Tyrrell and Arrows until 1999 when he was left without a drive at all. Returning to action with three outings at newcomers BAR in place of the injured Ricardo Zonta (and getting closer than Jacques Villeneuve to scoring team's only points of the year), it was his call up by Ferrari to replace Michael Schumacher after he broke his leg at the British Grand Prix that presented an unexpected golden opportunity to shine.

A chance to show his capabilities in his first ever competitive F1 machine, Salo should have won in only his second outing at Hockenheim having established a lead over team-mate Eddie Irvine. However, with his team-mate in the title reckoning – and rival Mika Hakkinen out of the race -, he was ordered to move over and cede the win. Admitting later that he regretted agreeing to the team order, though his efforts earned him a return to F1 with Sauber in 2000, it was indeed the closest Salo would ever get to the top step before his retirement in 2002.

Roberto Moreno

AGS

2 races

Highlight: 1987 Australian Grand Prix

Super-sub, podium winner, perennial back-marker, part of F1 folklore… Roberto Moreno possibly enjoyed (or is that endured?) one of F1's most unusual careers. Making 42 starts from 77 entries across a vast span of 13 years, Moreno may be well known for propping up the DN(P)Q timesheets for the likes of Forti, Coloni, Andrea Moda and EuroBrun, but It's easy to forget he had not one, but two impressive deputy highlights.

Stung by an inauspicious F1 debut in 1982 so poor – he failed to qualify by two seconds in a Lotus car that had been on the podium that year – he was ignored by F1 for the next five years, Moreno was finally called up by the AGS team having re-established his reputation with successful turns in American open-wheel, F3 and F3000.

Replacing Pascal Fabre for the final two races, though he very nearly didn't start in Japan when a late withdrawal saw him go from DNQ to last on the grid, he went a long way to redeeming himself by surviving a brutal Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide to finish sixth. The result marked his first point and one of only two top six finishes AGS would score between 1986 and 1991.

Though he went on to win the F3000 title in 1988, two desperate seasons in 1989 and 1990 with Coloni and EuroBrun saw just a single race finish in 30 starts, which is why Moreno was the surprise choice for Benetton to replace Alessandro Nannini for the final two rounds of 1990 after the Italian lost his hand in a helicopter accident. A race of high attrition it may have been, but a second place finish on his debut with the team showed F1 exactly what he could do with the right package.

Unfortunately, his time at Benetton was curtailed in 1991 by the emergence of Michael Schumacher and he went back to the back of the grid – perhaps most famously with the farcical Andrea Moda team - until his final start at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix.

arno Trulli proved a worthy temporary replacement for the injured Olivier Panis in the competitive 1997 Prost-Mugen, leading a portion of the 1997 Austrian Grand Prix

Jarno Trulli

Prost Grand Prix

7 race

Highlight: 1997 Austrian Grand Prix

One of a few drivers to progress through F1 through the unofficial 'Minardi development programme', Jarno Trulli made his debut in 1997 with the minnow team and proved immediately more capable than his more experienced team-mate Ukyo Katayama.

His efforts were enough to catch the eye of Alain Prost, needing a suitable replacement for the injured Olivier Panis, one that could make the most of the team's surprisingly rapid JS45. The Italian duly delivered scoring a fourth place finish in only his third race before coming remarkably close to a podium in Austria, a race he qualified third for and led initially, only for an expired Mugen-Honda engine to deny him.

Reluctantly forced to spend the final three rounds on the sidelines as Panis made his eventual return, Trulli at least had a full deal for 1998 in his back pocket, not that the car would allow him to get close to that result. In fact, it would take until 2003 for Trulli to seal that elusive podium, the first of 11 in a long career of 252 starts.

Stephane Sarrazin

Fondmetal Minardi

1 race

Highlight: 1999 Brazilian Grand Prix

Though you would perhaps be hard-pressed to remember Stephane Sarrazin's one and only appearance in F1 at the 1999 Brazilian Grand Prix, there is more of a story to the Frenchman's fleeting career in the top flight than meets the eye.

A promising junior at a time when France wasn't bristling with upcoming talent, Sarrazin was priming to compete in F3000 alongside his role as Prost Grand Prix test driver when he was tapped by Minardi to replace the injured Luca Badoer to compete in round two of the season at Interlagos.

Though the Ford-engined M01 was far from competitive, Sarrazin stepped into unfamiliar territory and immediately out-qualified team-mate Marc Gene by seven tenths of a second, as well as both Arrows. Come race day, Sarrazin was well ahead of Gene only to suffer a frightening accident when the throttle stuck open and pitched him into the wall at the uphill final high-speed left hander.

Despite this, Sarrazin had done enough to persuade Minardi-backers Fondmetal he deserved the full-time seat over Badoer. However, Alain Prost persuaded Sarrazin not to commit as he would have a race seat in his team waiting for him for the 2000… Prost duly reneged, signing Nick Heidfeld in return for Mercedes engines from the 2001 season.

Gallingly, Mercedes also went back on its word, so Prost never received the engines he wanted and Sarrazin never got another chance to compete in F1.

Despite stepping into the car mid-weekend, Timo Glock out-raced team-mate Nick Heidfeld and scored the best result of Jordan's swansong season

Timo Glock

Jordan Grand Prix

4 races

Highlight: 2004 Canadian Grand Prix

Though there was certainly an element of fortune in Timo Glock's point-scoring debut in 2004 Canadian Grand Prix – he finished 11th only to have four cars disqualified ahead of him to lift him to seventh -, it was a performance that showed he was better than the ensuing three year wait he'd endure before he got his full-time F1 shot.

An F3 standout, Glock was on Jordan's books as its test driver in 2004 and had a knowledge of the Ford-engined EJ14 from FP1 outings, but he was given a surprise mid-weekend race call up in Canada when Giorgio Pantano was blocked from driving owing to sponsorship payments.

Despite the lack of preparation, Glock drove an inspired race in a desperately uncompetitive car, beating Nick Heidfeld on the road and being the big beneficiary of the post-race DQs ahead. Despite scoring what would be the team's best result of its swansong season, Pantano paid up to return to the car at the next race though Glock was back for the fina three races.

With Jordan selling up to Midland, there was no room for Glock in its pay-driver line-up, he didn't get the chance to race in F1 again until 2008 when he was finally picked up by Toyota in 2008..

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Haas hopes it has opened door for more new Formula 1 teams

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner believes his squad's success in the first two Formula 1 grands prix of the season will encourage more new teams to join the series.

The American outfit sits fifth in the constructors' championship after Romain Grosjean scored points on Haas's debut in Australia with sixth and followed it up with fifth in Bahrain.

When asked by Autosport if he felt Haas's form would entice new teams to join F1 in the future, he said "Absolutely.

"We hope this project is successful so we get more teams joining F1 which is what we need."

Haas has all components teams do not have to design themselves supplied by Ferrari plus access to the Scuderia's windtunnel and latest specification of engine.

It is the first team to use this 'non-listed parts' model and Steiner believes the results so far have vindicated that approach.

"We always said we didn't want to do more of the same because it's just so difficult to do," he said.

"It's so difficult, we wouldn't do that and Gene Haas wouldn't do it.

"If you give yourself no chance to succeed, why would you do it? We're very happy with the approach we took."

Williams technical director Pat Symonds has said he is unsure whether the rules that allowed Haas to join the grid in partnership with Ferrari are healthy for F1 because they diminish the importance of teams being constructors.

When asked if Haas will prompt discussions about the future shape of F1 if it keeps doing well, Steiner said: "I don't know that because I will not bring it up.

"I don't know what others are thinking. Everyone has to look at themselves and ask why they are where they are before critiquing other people.

"The regulations are the same for everybody. We didn't do anything different to what anyone else can do.

"I feel at peace with ourselves. A lot of people didn't expect that and now they are 'wow, that really happened'. Sometimes you have to get over things."

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Analysis: How Mexican GP plans to avert F1's second-year slump

New Formula 1 races invariably start well but things get tougher as the novelty wears off.

The success of any new grand prix in year one is virtually a given as intrigue in the location often overtakes genuine interest in Formula 1 itself.

Comes years two, three, four and beyond, however, that is an entirely different matter as to sustain that initial success can be incredibly problematic.

You only have to look at the difficulties encountered by events such as Turkey, India and Korea to recognise F1 shelf-life is dependent on a sustainable business model that, in part, ensures fans are lured back year after year.

Last year Mexico became the latest edition to the calendar and proved to be a resounding triumph as it attracted 336,174 attendees over the three days, second only to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Fans, drivers and teams all loved the event, with the financial figures something promoters behind other venues can only dream about.

Two independent studies showed the Mexican Grand Prix contributed $232.8million to the Mexican economy, added to which was $277.8m worth of global media exposure.

Throw in - for 2015 only - a further $242.7m contribution following the construction and remodelling of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and you have an eye-watering total economic impact of $753.3m.

Now comes the hard part this year in trying to live up to such lofty standards.

As Rodrigo Sanchez, director of marketing and media relations, told Autosport: "The race had the biggest economic impact on the country since maybe the World Cup [in 1986], or maybe the last time Formula 1 was here [in 1992].

"The government is obviously happy, but the essential learning here is that when there is equal co-operation between a private entity [CIE that runs the event] and the government you can do a lot of good things.

"It's about having the right people, the commitment and the tools to be able to put this together, so it was something we were very proud of, and something that was really good for Mexico.

"But since the very beginning we've been working on a five-year plan, not a race-by-race basis on how to promote the event."

While there will naturally be many returnees, with their experience from last year's grand prix ensuring positive word-of-mouth exposure, as Sanchez points out it is about "taking F1 to the common people".

He adds: "It's getting them to understand some of the very basic elements of F1, that the drivers are athletes, that driving a car for two hours is not the same as going on a Sunday drive to San Antonio for the same period."

To that end, and in terms of generating promotion within Mexico City, the event's stakeholders will be producing a freesheet newspaper to be distributed on subways, major crossroads, in bus stations and offices, to initially run monthly, and then bi-weekly later in the year.

"The good thing about it is that it is a very simple, small newspaper with quality information," added Sanchez.

"It will include a poster in the middle so the kids can paste it on their wall. It will include a lot of infographics into maybe how a pitstop works, or a diagram of an entire Formula 1 car.

"We appreciate people don't tend to read as much as they did maybe five years back, so we need to create something really visual so the people can get the message really, really fast.

"We need to teach people about F1, and then hope they become interested."

Furthermore, when it comes to the purchasing of tickets, certain grandstands will be aligned with a particular type of fan.

It means any petrolhead wanting to mingle with fans of a similar persuasion will be able to do so, avoiding those who simply want to party and have fun and who use F1 as a backdrop.

"We understand we only have one chance to please a fan, so if they buy the wrong ticket for what they are looking for, then they may never come back," said Sanchez.

"So the more information we provide, then that is a good way to retain the fan base."

If nothing else, Mexico is taking positive, proactive steps to ensure it remains a success, something many other circuits could learn a lesson or two from.

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GUTIERREZ: I FEEL THE GOOD TIMES ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER

While one side of the Haas F1 Team garage is basking in glory, the other side is enduring a much more torrid time as Esteban Gutierrez has attracted all the bad luck since the team made it’s celebrated debut in Formula 1, despite this the Mexican is upbeat and confident things will improve for him. He spoke ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.

You had much more running time at Bahrain in the lead up to the race compared to Australia, where rain hampered practice. How beneficial was the consistent running time you had in Bahrain on Friday and Saturday?

Esteban Gutierrez: “It has been a great benefit because we had the opportunity to explore and learn more from the car setup-wise. From Barcelona and Australia, we didn’t really have time or the chance to experiment a lot. Running consistently in practice in Bahrain helped us to develop the car and develop the setup of the car, so it will be very helpful for the next grand prix.”

For the first time in Haas F1 Team’s young history, both you and your teammate advanced to the second round of qualifying. How important was that for the team, but also for you?

EG: “For the team it’s a huge boost of moral, because we can show our true speed in qualifying and also in the race, which is the best combination to have. We still have a lot of work to do in order to extract the maximum from our performance, but we are on the way to develop that. It’s a huge boost to my motivation because learning that I can be comfortable driving the car on the limit means a lot. I can really enjoy and push the limits quite a lot.”

Your race in Bahrain was cut short due to a mechanical problem. While disappointing, how do you shake off that disappointment and prepare for the next opportunity in China?

EG: “I have the feeling that good times are just around the corner for us to get underway with scoring points consistently. We’ve had a good pace and a good car at two different tracks. I’m just going to keep preparing, keep pushing and keep fighting the same way because soon, the results will be there.”

During each grand prix race weekend, you learn more about the car. But what are you learning about tire strategy and how the different tire compounds affect the car in different ways?

EG: “The different compounds are directly affecting the car’s balance, and our tire selection seems to be quite good. I feel very confident in our strategy, and I’m involved in the planning and execution. We are working in a very good way, and we’re able to react quickly to any circumstances that might come during the race.”

Haas F1 Team has begun its debut season by surpassing expectations. But how hard is it to stay ahead of the curve in Formula One, as everyone is constantly developing their car?

EG: “It is true that we have surprised many people. It’s a situation that probably we didn’t expect – to be that good. We still need to manage our expectations because our car at the moment has reacted pretty well in Melbourne and in Bahrain, but we need to learn how it will react now in China. I think China will give us a good indication of how the season will be, and also the fact that all the other teams are pushing really hard to develop their car during the season. And as the season advances, it will get more and more competitive, so we need to be ready for that. We can still extract more speed and performance from our car, and China gives us an opportunity to do just that.”

Explain a lap around the Shanghai International Circuit.

EG: “Shanghai is a very front-limited track, which puts a lot of front load into the tires. Turn one is very fast and a very long corner – one which is very different to other corners of the season. It’s quite iconic to Shanghai. You arrive full speed, and when you enter into the corner, you have to wait very long into turn two. You have turn three, which has a very long exit, and it’s quite tricky on traction as you put a lot of lateral on the exit. You go through turns four and five, which is a very high-speed section, and then into turn six and seven, one of my favorite parts of the track. You really come into turn six with full speed and then change direction into turn seven. You have to prepare for turns eight and nine because this sequence is very important not to lose the rhythm. Then getting into turn 10, it’s a small 90 degree corner which exits to a very, very long straight into turn 11, which is the beginning of a very long corner. You go from very low speed to increasing the speed through the corner, and it’s a part of the circuit where it’s easy to hurt the front tires. It’s an important part of the circuit when it comes to the car’s race setup. Then one of the longest straights of the season is the backstraight, were you’re at maximum speed. You arrive into a very high-braking corner – the hairpin turn 14. Then the last corner is 90 degrees – a medium-speed corner –which is quite tricky on the exit because you have the curb which you can use quite a lot but, obviously, it has its limits. You’re always trying to maximize the track. It’s quite challenging.”

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Renault management preview the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix, Round 3 of the 2016 Formula 1 world championship.

Cyril Abiteboul: “In the first two races we were the first car to finish outside the points. This gives us a clear illustration of our target – to finish in the points – and know what we need to do to achieve this. China is an exciting market for us and one were Groupe Renault has big plans in progress. For Renault Sport we have exciting announcements to make. We have a new partner, a new partner initiative and also a credible and sustainable project which we hope will deliver some very exciting results over a long time frame. The first two races have given us a guide to where we sit relative to our immediate opposition. We have all the reasons in the world to push in 2016; although this is a long term plan we are by no means ignoring our first season.”

Q&A with Fred Vasseur

Two races into the season, what are your observations of watching the team in action?

FV: Honestly, I can say I am impressed. The push and drive from the team is strong. That is not to say there are not improvements to be made. As everyone is learning, I am a stern taskmaster and there are many elements and details we’ll address. The key to success in motor racing is not just one aspect, it’s focusing on every detail. By making many small improvements we will work forwards.

Where do you rate the performance on track?

FV: We are generally where we expected to be, but equally some way short of where we all want to be. We know it’s a long term project, but that doesn’t mean we will sit back. I want everyone fighting as hard for the position in front whether it’s P10 or P1. That’s how we’ll regain the success we want. In terms of race pace there are positive signs; we’re not so far from Williams and we’re not so far from finishing with points.

This is a long term project; how much is the focus on this season and how much on the future?

Either way, the focus is on being successful and delivering our maximum. We know that it’s unlikely that we will be on the podium or win races in 2016, but that is certainly our longer term aim. That doesn’t mean we are sitting back. We are determined to get the very best results at every race. We are racers, we will push.

What did you think of the driver performance in Bahrain?

FV: Kevin’s race was similar to the one he had in Melbourne. He started from right at the back and pushed all the way. He showed strong racecraft and delivered a consistent mistake-free race. We know he is well aware of the weighbridge rules for the future so we’re confident we won’t get the same penalty again. Jolyon on the other hand was not able to demonstrate his performance and that’s because of a component on the car failing. Clearly no-one wanted this to happen and it’s something we are addressing. We’re all very sorry there was just one car in action for the race.

What are the next targets?

FV: We have finished both races so far as the first car outside of the points so inside the points is where we need to be. For this we don’t only need to add performance to the car, we need to ensure our weekends are mistake-free in every aspect.

Q&A with Nick Chester

What’s the challenge of the Shanghai International Circuit?

NC: China is an interesting circuit in terms of layout. The sensitivity is akin to the first two races, in that they’re all heavy power tracks so the relationship between drag, aero and power are similar but they each have unique aspects. The high speed first corner leading into tighter turn two and three is challenging for drivers with a variety of possible driving lines.

What went wrong for Jolyon in Bahrain?

NC: It was a hydraulic pump that failed which is an extremely rare occurrence. The pump was just over a tenth of the way through its normal working life; usually if a component fails it’s very early in its life or near the end. We’re working with our supplier to ascertain the cause and have quarantined the batch of components until we can understand the issue. It was a great shame for Jolyon to have missed the race like that.

What’s the feedback from Kevin’s race?

NC: It was good race from Kevin to finish just shy of the points from a pit-lane start to eleventh. He didn’t put a foot wrong and the three-stop strategy worked well. The R.S.16 performed well on the super softs in the race. Were it not for the penalty, Kevin should have started from a reasonable position on the grid and that could well have led to points.

Where’s the performance of the R.S.16 relative to the opposition?

NC: On race pace there’s a very close group in the midfield; we saw this in Australia and we saw this in Bahrain. It means we need to maximise every opportunity we have and every performance increase we can find could mean the difference between finishing just shy of the points or scoring. Our qualifying pace has been behind our race pace in relative terms, so this is an area of focus, but one which goes hand-in-hand with the target of overall performance gains.

How much has been learnt with the new tyres and tyre rules?

NC: We’re learning the compounds and how best to manage the potential allocations. It’s not been a huge surprise that everyone tends to run more on a softer compound than last year. There are different strategies available for those who want to do a stop less and run on a harder compound like we saw in Bahrain. There’s some variance but generally teams are dropping down one compound.

Anything in the treat cupboard for round three?

NC: We do have some small aero parts to try, however we will have more further down the line with more aero and engine updates which should mean a tangible step forward. There’s a tight spread of cars ahead of us so we don’t need a lot to make a decent improvement.

Circuit data, Shanghai

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director: “For China most teams have opted for a mix of the three compounds available – Medium, Soft and Supersoft. Laptime and degradation evaluation will be carried out during the second practice session to determine the best race strategy – a two stop using medium and soft or perhaps a more aggressive three stop with soft and supersoft.”

Pirelli tyre selection

• Medium: The Egg Fried Rice of the Pirelli tyre selection. A solid ingredient to any race weekend but certainly not the most punchy of tyres.
• Soft: The Crispy Aromatic Duck of the round rubber rings. Delivers good things but doesn’t always last as long as you’d want.
• Supersoft: The Sweet and Sour of the tyre allocation. Sweet when it delivers its peak performance. Sour when its shorter performance life ends.

Circuit notes

Turn 1

The first corner complex sees the track tighten back on itself, with the driver braking and shifting down through the gears. The driver will be on the brakes for some 3secs in this complex, but the track can be bumpy and unsettle the car especially in the entry phase. Turn 1 leads straight into turn 2 and can be viewed as a single, increasing radius corner which places a lot of load on the front tyres. Good tyre management here helps with tyre durability.

Turn 7

A high speed spoon curve taken in seventh or eighth gear. The g-forces here are around 4g as the driver accelerates while turning. Good high speed change of direction required from the car.

Turn 9

Braking into turn 9 is tricky – transition from high speed corners into heavy braking. Exit is important as it sets the car up for turn ten on to the following straight.

Turn 11

The Turn 11 to 13 complex is a mirror image of the first corner and the driver will again be on the brakes for another 2secs, giving another significant opportunity to recharge the battery.

Turn 13

The exit from Turn 13 is critical as the 1.3km back straight sees the ICE at maximum revs and wide open throttle for around 20secs, or approximately 20% of the lap. Getting a good exit is not easy though as the corner is banked.

Turn 14

The hairpin at the end of the straight requires the drivers to brake from over 320kph to just 60kph. The energy going through the brakes at this point will be massive – an average of 700kW over the 3secs braking distance. Although this is one of a few heavy braking areas around the track, these are well spread over a lap so the brakes have sufficient time to cool – it’s not a harsh track on braking.

Power Unit notes

• The two long straights and bursts between corners bring the total percentage of wide open throttle time to over 40% of one lap.
• Shanghai is unusual as there is a very long straight, but a relatively low percentage of the lap is spent at full throttle. This dichotomy is quite unusual as most circuits are one or the other: either a ‘power track’ such as Monza or Montreal, or ‘driveability track’ such as Hungary or Monaco.
• The average speed over a lap will be 200kph, putting Shanghai in the middle of the table for lap speeds.
• Race fuel saving will be low, one of the easiest tracks of the year in this respect.
• Shanghai is one of the most efficient circuits and close to the maximum amount of energy will be stored in the battery per lap. This will allow us to optimize the amount of energy transferred directly from the H to the K or to the battery.
• The circuit is situated in an industrial zone next to several factories, some of which produce concrete, which leads to a high concentration of dust particles in the air. Air filters and the turbo will be checked after each practice session to prevent blockages and, therefore, a relative loss of power.

Technical notes

• Circuit length: 5.451km
• Race distance: 305.066km
• Race start time: 14:00
• Full throttle time per lap : 46s in Q and 43s in the race
• Fuel consumption: 1.78 kg/lap with no lift-off required
• Energy recovery : Recovered by the MGUK in brake phase is 1.4MJ with possibility of recovering the maximum FIA allowed 2MJ with overload (using the ICE to charge the battery via the K in part throttle)
• Longest time spent at full throttle: 20s on the back straight
• Percentage of lap spent braking: 23%
• Pitlane length: 350m
• Brakewear: Low
• Difficulty for PU : Medium
• Aero level: Medium

Shanghai Notes

We know Shanghai is large, but it is actually the biggest city in the world by population. It is also the largest container port. More than 24 million people live in the city.

Noel Coward wrote a play in Shanghai. Private Lives was written in the Cathay Hotel (now Peace Hotel) in 1930.

Since 1921, Shanghai has lost over 180cm in height due to growing skyscrapers and an ever-increasing population. Ironic considering Shanghai means ‘on top of the sea.’

Shanghai cooking is sweeter than other areas in China and they consume more sugar than any other part of China.

The Shanghai Maglev train has a top operational commercial speed of 431 km/h (268 mph), but it has been known to reach 501 km/h (311 mph). A current generation Formula 1 car in its lowest drag configuration with a long straight could probably hit 360 km/h (223mph), but it would obliterate the train though the corners.

Back in the 1930s, when the Foreign YMCA on Nanjing Lu was a popular leisure destination, men and women swam on alternate days, because the men insisted on swimming naked.

Hundreds of Shanghainese parents assemble in People’s Park every weekend for the Shanghai marriage market with the resumes of their unwed children to negotiate potential hook-ups.

Memory Lane

The 2005 Chinese Grand Prix, the race of that season, was won by the newly-crowned World Champion, Fernando Alonso, driving for Renault. His win meant Renault won the Constructors’ Championship. It was the final race to be won by a car with a six-speed gearbox.

What we’ve been up to…

Jolyon has been spending time back in the UK after his two weeks in Australia integrating with the surfer community followed by his rather short Bahrain Grand Prix. He’s been at Enstone in the simulator and training hard.

Kevin’s been focused on his training back in Denmark since Bahrain as well as playing the traffic light recognition game.

Esteban left Bahrain before the Grand Prix to be in action in the DTM test in Hockenheim. Esteban drove on the first and second days of the test, Tuesday and Wednesday, in sometimes damp conditions ahead of the season start at the same venue on the weekend of May 6-8.

What we will get up to this week

Wednesday in Shanghai sees the Shanghai Renault Sport Night taking place at Bar Rouge on The Bund where drivers and management will announce an exciting new initiative for motorsport in Asia as well as the plans from high profile partners.

Jolyon will be looking forward to sweet and sour chicken with egg-fried rice whilst Kevin prefers to visit his favourite Japanese restaurant in Shanghai.

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Chinese Grand Prix, Round 3 of the 2016 Formula 1 world championship.

Daniel Ricciardo: “The straight at the Shanghai International Circuit is super long which makes it pretty different compared to other tracks. Coming off that straight, you then have to brake for one of the tightest corners on the calendar – you go from one of the highest speeds to the lowest. Turns 1, 2 and 3 are like one big corner, really long and uphill, and this makes it really tough on the front left tyre, it’s one of the toughest circuits for that which can be interesting.

“As a city, Shanghai is cool, but it’s hard for us to get to because the track is quite far away and the traffic can be pretty bad. We usually get one night to go into the city to eat out and get a view of the skyline.

“I remember one year I was at a traditional Chinese restaurant with my mechanics and everything had spice in it, and I love my spice. The pork ribs were amazing! But then you would get something simple like soup or vegetables and it’s covered in chilli so you really need to like your spicy food to enjoy the local cuisine.”

Daniil Kvyat: “I think the Shanghai Circuit is actually a really interesting and technical track. Turn One is a unique corner and the fast changes of direction in the middle of the lap are challenging.

“My first race there was in 2014 and we had a wet qualifying which made it challenging as we had very different conditions for the race.

“Shanghai itself is very unique and a really big city. I used to live in Moscow which is big but it doesn’t compare to the size of Shanghai. I think it’s quite an international city, with many things going on there and some nice food. The river that runs through the city is so massive it actually looks like an ocean.

“The fans in China are also very passionate, we have a great group of fans there. I even saw some of them in Australia and they gave me some nice presents. It’s very cool to get this kind of support.”

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HAAS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Haas F1 Team enters the third round of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship an impressive fifth in the constructor standings thanks to back-to-back point-scoring finishes by Romain Grosjean. Not since Shadow Racing – another American team – debuted in 1973 with consecutive point-scoring finishes by Californian George Follmer has an organization earned two top-six finishes in its first two races.

Now Haas F1 Team – the first American F1 team in 30 years – has the opportunity to create even more history when it arrives in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix. Sunday’s 56-lap race around the 5.451-kilometer (3.387-mile), 16-turn Shanghai International Circuit will mark Haas F1 Team’s third career start, and beyond Grosjean earning another point-paying result, the ultimate goal is getting his teammate, Esteban Gutiérrez, to the finish and into the points as well.

While Grosjean earned a sixth-place finish in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and then backed it up with a fifth-place effort in the Bahrain Grand Prix, Gutiérrez has seen bad luck derail his chances to contend in similar fashion. Despite a pace in line with that of his teammate, Gutiérrez was collected in an accident not of his making in Australia after 16 laps, and in Bahrain, a mechanical issue sidelined him after only nine laps.

A glimpse of Haas F1 Team’s collective strength was seen in qualifying at Bahrain, with both drivers advancing out of Q1 and solidly into Q2, with Grosjean qualifying ninth and Gutiérrez qualifying 13th. It was the first time in Haas F1 Team’s history its drivers advanced to Q2 – another milestone achievement in the team’s nascent season.

Achievement in China means solving the conundrum presented by Shanghai’s “snail corners” and its massive backstraight. The snail corners both look like a snail and force drivers to take a snail’s pace around them – at least by Formula One standards. These corners, which comprise turns 1-4 and turns 11-13, are juxtaposed with the 1.4-kilometer (.869 of a mile) backstraight – the longest in Formula One. There, drivers eclipse 200 mph before heavy braking into the turn-14 hairpin. Securing the downforce needed to maximize these vastly divergent elements, along with the other in-between aspects of the track, is akin to balancing on a razor blade.

With the 13th Chinese Grand Prix serving as Round No. 3 on this year’s Formula One schedule, Haas F1 Team eyes a third-straight point-paying finish in its third race of existence. For Grosjean, the opportunity to score more points comes on his 30th birthday. And for Gutiérrez, a point-paying finish would come in his third career Chinese Grand Prix.

The numerology bodes well for Haas F1 Team, as three is an important number in Chinese culture. Pronounced “sān”, it is similar to the character of birth. Of course, immediately after birth comes growth, and since debuting in Australia, Haas F1 Team’s stature has grown at a considerable rate – a rate it plans to continue in China.

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JV: Shut up and drive

Jacques Villeneuve feels today's Formula 1 drivers should butt out of the politics and drive the cars.

This year has seen an uprise in drivers being willing to voice their opinions, even the very negative ones, about Formula 1's governance.

It resulted in an open letter from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association to the sport's bosses, in which they spoke of the "obsolete and ill-structured" decision-making process that "reflects negatively on our sport."

And all this was taking place while Formula 1 was generating negative headlines through its attempts to run an elimination qualifying format, another thing that was also widely criticed by the drivers.

But while some applauded them for sharing their thoughts, 1996 World Champion Villeneuve says they should "shut up" and get on with the job.

"The way the drivers have been complaining is terrible for F1, it's not their problem," he told Autosport.

"They should just shut up. It's not their problem how good or bad the show is on TV.

"They should just get on with their job.

"In a classroom, how many of your classmates would be able to make educated decisions? Not many.

"Take a group of 20 drivers. Take maybe two of them and the rest should just shut up.

"So why would you want to give them power?"

The Canadian does, however, have an opinion of his own on the rules.

"They should stop changing the rules full stop," he explained.

"In all the noble sports like tennis and football, the rules haven't changed in 100 years, even when it is boring, and people respect it."

As for how he would like to see qualifying run, "one lap on its own [in qualifying] was great.

"We just need something old school. Just something normal.

"Some days you'll have great qualifying sessions and somedays boring qualifying but that's the way it goes."

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WILLIAMS JOINS CALLS FOR FAIRER SHARE OF F1 POT

Williams said it will seek a more even distribution of revenues under Formula One’s next commercial agreement, joining calls by other teams ahead of negotiations to replace deals that expire in 2020.

“We have to bide our time,” deputy team principal Claire Williams told reporters on Monday after the former world champions published 2015 results showing significant improvement in revenues.

“I imagine we will all start negotiating new terms… well ahead of 2020 and I hope that a revision and a re-distribution is something that’s tabled as part of those discussions.”

Formula One teams have individual deals with the commercial rights holder CVC, represented by Bernie Ecclestone, which replaced the confidential ‘Concorde Agreement’ that previously governed the way the sport is run and revenues shared out.

Struggling smaller F1 teams like Sauber and Force India have long argued that the distribution is skewed in favour of leading manufacturers, who receive special payments regardless of how they perform on the track.

Figures obtained by specialist media showed that Ferrari, the only team to have been in the championship since 1950 and the most successful, are in line for a $70 million special payment in 2016.

That, combined with revenues dictated by performance and a championship bonus, means Ferrari will be paid a total of $192 million.

That is $20 million more than champions Mercedes and compares to $87 million coming to Williams for finishing third in the past two seasons — beating Ferrari in 2014 and Red Bull last year.

Asked about the figures, Williams said all the teams had signed up to the current terms but hoped the landscape would change.

“I very much hope so because I am a firm believer that sports should have equitable platforms to be successful,” she said. “I wouldn’t have an issue if Ferrari got a heritage payment, but not as great as it is.”

Williams Grand Prix Holdings, which includes the F1 team, reported revenue of $178.2 million last year compared to $90.2 million in 2014. The operating loss (EBITDA) narrowed to $4.7 million pounds from $52.7 million.

The increase in revenue was due mainly to increased commercial rights and sponsorship income after a successful 2014 season. Income from the commercial rights holder is paid a year in arrears.

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WILLIAMS: F1 LEARNED A LESSON FROM QUALIFYING FIASCO

Formula 1 learned a lesson from the qualifying fiasco that overshadowed the opening races of the season in Australia and Bahrain, Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams said on Monday.

“I think that we have learned that we need to take more time to consider the proposals that come to us,” she told reporters at a breakfast meeting after her team published their annual results.

“You don’t want to play out scenarios like that in the public arena. They should be done behind the scenes. I do think we’ve learned the lesson.”

Formula One started the season with a new elimination format that was put to teams and accepted only weeks before the March 20 opener in Melbourne.

The aim was to shake up the starting grid, and provide more excitement during the Saturday session, but it was immediately declared a failure by both teams and fans who made their opposition evident on social media.

Instead of producing a shoot-out for pole at the end of the third and final phase, drivers were eliminated while sitting in the garages with minutes remaining on the clock and nothing happening on track.

The decision to revert, from this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, was taken last week when teams rejected a compromise proposal.

International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt and the sport’s commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone said they had accepted the move “in the interests of the Championship”.

They also welcomed a proposal by the teams to have a “global assessment of the format of the weekend for 2017”.

Williams expressed relief at the outcome, “It’s obviously what the fans want…it’s certainly what our partners want,.”

“I think it will give us a period of stability during which we can actually sit down with time to properly analyse what a potentially new 2017 qualifying system could look like. I think that’s what we need.”

Ecclestone told reporters in Bahrain that there had been tens of different suggestions about how to improve qualifying, and came up with another that would involve a Saturday race to determine Sunday’s grid order.

“We’re looking at all these things, which would be for next year obviously,” he told Sky Sports television. “We’ve made a big enough muck-up to do that for this year so we must not do that again.”

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ROSBERG: I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED TO DRIVE THE BEST CAR

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has established himself as the man to beat, having won all five of the last five grands prix, and more importantly the first two of this season and thus setting himself up as the favourite for the 2016 Formula 1 world championship title.But the German is not taking anything for granted while he enjoys a streak of superb form, “It’s great to start the season in such a positive way. But I’m just taking things step by step, race by race and targeting a lot more wins to come.”

“It’s important to enjoy times like these. I feel very privileged to drive the best car on the grid for the third year in a row and I intend to make the most of it,” said Rosberg as he targets his 17th Formula 1 career victory.

Speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Rosberg said, “I’m going to China now knowing I can fight for the win, which is a great feeling to have. It’s especially good in this instance too, as Shanghai is a track with good memories for me.”

“I took my first pole and win there back in 2012,” he recalled. “So I head into this weekend on a massive high. I’m looking forward to the next battle.”

“We haven’t seen the real Ferrari yet, so it could be a very exciting season ahead,” insisted Rosberg who clearly does not only see teammate Lewis Hamilton as his title rival but also quadruple F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.

With a maximum 50 points from two races, Rosberg leads the drivers’ standings by 17 points to teammate Hamilton’s 33, while Mercedes with 83 points scored thus far are already trouncing Ferrari by 50 points.

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VETTEL: I’M NOT A HERO

Quadruple Formula world champion Sebastian Vettel insists he has no desire to behave like a hero and does not understand the selfie generation.

While the reigning title winner Lewis Hamilton is commonly called a F1 “superstar”, Ferrari’s Vettel refuses even to sign up for Twitter or Instagram.

“I am a normal person like everyone else on the road,” he told the Die Welt newspaper supplement called ‘PS Welt’.

“I am no better, just because I can drive faster than other people. I’m not saving anyone’s life, I’m not a hero,” Vettel insisted.

A fiercely-private young father of – reportedly – now two children, 28-year-old Vettel says he cannot relate to the ‘selfie’ generation, “This generation that constantly takes photos of itself is beyond me.”

Vettel also admits to not totally relating to the modern iteration of the sport he excels in. “The new (F1) rules are, I would say, very futuristic,” he said.

“The cars have become more efficient in terms of consumption, but whether this thrills the audience or even the drivers, I am not sure,” added Vettel.

He also said the rules have become too “opaque”, further alienating the sport from its base, while he says the recent wrangling over qualifying was simply “embarrassing”.

“We must be careful not to lose the spirit of F1,” Vettel insisted. “Since I have been here we have done a great deal to improve the sport — some (changes) have succeeded, many have not.”

“Some things now are too artificial and the audience finds it hard to identify with that,” added the Ferrari driver who was vehemently opposed to the (now ditched) qualifying format introduced at the start of the season.

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PIRELLI DEMANDS SET TO IMPACT 2017 F1 RULES

Formula 1’s radical rules changes for 2017 may stumble at the last hurdle, Auto Motor und Sport reports.

Earlier, it emerged that eight of the 11 active teams actually now oppose the rules for much faster cars next year, fearing they will only increase costs and actually exacerbate the sport’s overtaking problem.

Explaining how hard it is for one car to follow another due to the aerodynamic ‘wake’, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says: “The same will happen next year, but much more. I think for F1 in general and for overtaking, adding downforce was the wrong decision.”

FIA official Charlie Whiting, however, has played down those fears by saying at least half of the slashed laptime next year will actually be due to “wider tyres” supplied by Pirelli, but that is precisely the problem.

Although Pirelli has signed a deal with Bernie Ecclestone for 2017 and beyond, the contract with the governing FIA is yet to be finalised.

One of the reasons for the delay is that Pirelli’s demands not only for more testing but an adequate test car to trial the bigger tyres for 2017 have not yet been met.

“If we are going to set them targets, they want the tools with which to achieve those targets,” Whiting admitted.

But he said that teams have vowed to supply Pirelli with a 2015 car modified to simulate 2017 levels of downforce. Where this car will actually come from, however, is still unknown.

“It would cost 10 million euros,” a source is quoted as saying.

The source explained that championship-contending teams will not want to waste that expense on a tyre testing car, while those further back on the grid simply don’t have the money.

“Who will pay for it?” Auto Motor und Sport quotes Force India’s Bob Fernley as wondering. “Will the wind tunnel testing count towards the 25 hour (per week) allowance?”