FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN CONFIDENT ALONSO FIT TO RACE IN CHINA

McLaren team are confident that Fernando Alonso will be shown the green light for his return to racing action this weekend in China.

With the McLaren-Honda driver sidelined in Bahrain with chest injuries following his huge Melbourne crash, Spaniard Alonso has been giving insight into his recovery to followers of his social media accounts.

On Twitter, his latest posts are photos of his former wins for Ferrari and Renault in Shanghai.

On Facebook, he published videos of himself enjoying downtime at his home with his entourage including physio Fabrizio Borra, and on Instagram he showed a photo of what appears to be a big bruise on his back.

“Gradually increasing the training session,” Alonso wrote on Saturday. “Mainly indoor bicycle and elastics — the ones you are allowed with a broken rib! Happy with how things are going.”

Alonso will not be cleared to race in China until a meeting with FIA doctors on Thursday.

“We are confident that Alonso will pass the test, but the FIA will have the final word,” McLaren team boss Eric Boullier is quoted by El Mundo Deportivo newspaper.

[MIKA27]

FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Sahara Force India looks forward to round three of the 2016 season in China.

Q&A with Vijay Mallya

Team Principal, Vijay Mallya, reflects on the opening couple of races ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

Vijay, the team was out of luck in Bahrain, but there were some positives…

“Bahrain was a missed opportunity. Two front wing changes in the space of two laps put us on the back foot and prevented us from playing a part in the outcome of the race. It’s disappointing because we know the car has the speed to be right up there fighting for points. So that’s the positive we must focus on as we prepare for the upcoming races.”

What can we expect this weekend in China?

“It feels as though we’ve yet to unleash our true potential this season. Both the races so far have been heavily compromised, either by our own mistakes or outside circumstances, so I’d like to see what we can achieve with a clean, trouble-free race to the flag. When things go to plan, we know we can compete well inside the top ten and I expect everyone in the team to be pushing hard to reverse our recent fortunes.”

Did you enjoy watching the close midfield battle in Bahrain?

“The battle in the middle of the pack is too close to call this season and it means that there’s even more pressure on teams and drivers to deliver, especially in qualifying. It’s going to be very exciting for the fans and that is what we want to see in Formula One.”

Drivers look ahead to Chinese Grand Prix weekend

Nico Hulkenberg: “When I think of the race in Shanghai I always remember the impressive towers on the main straight and the cool paddock buildings by the lake. It’s definitely a circuit with a special character and its own personality. The city of Shanghai is also a cool place to visit and I enjoy trying real Chinese food and exploring such a different culture. I’m always fascinated by big cities and feeling the buzz of the place.

“The track is also famous for the never-ending turn one. It’s a tricky corner because it’s easy to go in too hot, especially during qualifying, and it’s a corner that eats your tyres. In fact, looking after the tyres is always hard work because turn 13 is another long right-hander that takes even more life out of them. The rest of the lap has a bit of everything from low-speed to high-speed, which makes it challenging to find a balanced set-up.

“My expectations for this weekend are high and, after the disappointment of Bahrain, I hope we can have a clean race in China. There’s good pace in the car and reaching Q3 in Bahrain was proof of that. We had to work very hard with the car set-up to find the sweet spot, but we learned a lot of things that will carry over into this weekend.”

Sergio Perez: “I’ve always enjoyed going to China. Shanghai is an interesting city to explore and you always get huge support from the fans. They always wait outside our hotel every day just to say hello and give us special gifts.

“They did a great job with the track design in Shanghai because there is a good mix of corners. Turn one is what everybody talks about and it’s my favourite part of the lap. It’s such an unusual corner and you have to judge your speed perfectly because you can lose a lot of time if you don’t attack it enough. Then, on the back straight, we always see lots of drag races and it’s a question of who will brake latest going into the hairpin.

“After two disappointing races I want to get my season started properly in Shanghai. The results in Australia and Bahrain could have been so much better, but things just didn’t work out for me. That’s part of racing and I know things will turn around soon. It was a similar situation as the start of last year before my luck started to change. The atmosphere in the team is still upbeat and everybody is pushing to get more performance from the car. We made a good step in Bahrain with the upgrades so we are definitely moving in the right direction.”

[MIKA27]

SAUBER DRIVERS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

After coming back from the Middle East with a short stop-over at its headquarter in Hinwil, the Sauber F1 Team travels to China for the upcoming Grand Prix weekend.

The third round of the FIA Formula One World Championship is taking place from 15th to 17th April on the Shanghai International Circuit.

Marcus Ericsson: “The Chinese Grand Prix brings back good memories from last season. We had a strong race weekend there, finishing with both cars in the points. I put in a good performance with some nice battles on track. In the end I saw the chequered flag in P10. For this year’s race weekend on the Shanghai International Circuit, I feel confident that we can build up our performance from Bahrain and make another step forward there.”

Felipe Nasr: “My first Formula One race weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit was quite positive last year. We improved the car during the whole weekend and, after a top ten qualifying, I finished the race in eighth. Looking back to the Bahrain Grand Prix about a week ago, I hope that the team was able to sort out the issues I had with the C35. The objective is clearly to be more competitive. I am looking forward to the Chinese Grand Prix as the track characteristics should suit our car.”

Track facts:

The Shanghai International Circuit has the longest straight on the whole race calendar, where a good top speed is important. The track has an interesting mix of low, medium and high-speed corners. In addition to that, it has several technical sections where unique corners, such as T1 and T13, lead straight into further corners requiring a good car balance and precise driving. Good traction is a must.

[MIKA27]

MERCEDES PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

The 2016 Formula One World Championship continues this weekend with Round Three, the Chinese Grand Prix, from the Shanghai International Circuit

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “After two races, we find ourselves in a strong position. Our car has proven itself to be competitive in a range of conditions once again – but also reliable even at this early stage, which is a tremendous achievement. But there is a long way to go and we have by no means been flawless in every area so far. With Ferrari increasingly breathing down our necks, as we saw in Bahrain, there is zero room for error. Remaining energised is now more important than ever – and we all have plenty to keep us on our toes in that respect. With just two races down and nineteen to go, I wouldn’t say there is momentum on one side or the other. But what is clear – and very exciting for the team and the sport – is that we have two drivers high in confidence who will provide us with plenty of entertainment over the coming months.

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical): “The Shanghai circuit places an entirely different duty on tyres relative to Melbourne and Bahrain. However, we have the same three compounds available, so it will be interesting to see how the competitive order plays out. It’s the first time we’ll see the SuperSoft compound used at this track, thanks to the new regulations, and that will likely create a more extreme example of what we saw in Bahrain, where the best qualifying tyre is unlikely to be a great race tyre. Every team is bound to want to qualify on the SuperSoft – but if it grains in the race, we could see cars stopping in the first five laps. There will be plenty of analysis to do on Friday and we could see some interesting calls on qualifying and race strategy. What makes this all the more difficult for the teams is the unpredictability of the conditions. It can be quite warm in Shanghai – but it can also be as cool as Belgium. That variability can make life tricky in terms of both setup and strategy work, so it’s always a challenging weekend. We like going to Shanghai, however. It’s an interesting city and traditionally one of our stronger circuits, with four poles and three wins from the last four races. We look forward to another good battle between our drivers and with Ferrari once again.

What’s New in China

Throughout the 2016 Chinese Grand Prix weekend, the front wing end plates of both Mercedes-Benz F1 W07 Hybrid Formula One cars will carry special branding to celebrate a shared passion for innovation between China and Official Team Partner Qualcomm.

The Chinese characters translate directly as “Enjoy the Future Now” – illustrating the ambition of both China and Qualcomm to bring the future forward faster as essential accelerators of progress, unlocking what’s next for the entire mobile tech industry.

[MIKA27]

TORO ROSSO PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Toro Rosso preview the Chinese Grand Prix, Round 3 of the 2016 Formula 1 world championship, in Shanghai.

“Max Verstappen, “I like China, I remember I had some good overtakes there! The first four corners of the circuit, Turns 1 to 4, are a very special part and tricky to get right. Another part of the track that I enjoyed last year was Turn 6. I did a good move there! I couldn’t overtake Perez on the straight, so I had to do it somewhere else… I got a good exit out of Turn 5 and, approaching Turn 6, where you normally brake late – as it’s a hairpin – I managed to overtake him by braking even later than usual. It’s a big relief when you finally get passed a rival and I was very happy. Turns 7, 8, 9 and 10 are hard on the tyres, so you have to save the rears a bit to get good traction out of there. Another thing I remember from this circuit are the overtakes at Turn 14 – I prepared myself well down the long straight each time and in the end managed to get by from very far! Unfortunately, last year I had a little issue on the main straight with only a few laps to go… And had to retire. I will try not to think about it this year and fight to see the chequered flag in the best possible position.”

Carlos Sainz: “In China you drive down the main straight and arrive to a couple of very long corners, Turns 1, 2, 3 and 4, which actually feel like two corners, not four. It’s quite a special section and it’s where I had my first mistake of the season last year, as I spun. I also remember going side by side with four cars at Turn 6 at the start of the race, which was interesting as its tight there! Turn 7 is only flat in quali. From Turns 7 to 10 there are a lot of changes of direction before arriving to a second long corner, Turns 12 and 13, that take you to the back straight – it’s exactly like the first corner of the track, but in the opposite direction. I also recall the back straight being a very long one, but DRS helps a lot to overtake. Arriving to Turn 14 is one of the toughest braking zones; it’s very bumpy and difficult to get a reference point. Finally, I’d like to mention the massive downhill as you exit the last corner into the main straight. It’s something you don’t realize when watching on TV, but the car bounces off quite a lot there. All in all, an interesting track where I hope to score some good points, something I haven’t been able to do yet this season.”

[MIKA27]

WILLIAMS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Aerodynamic performance is tested at the Chinese Grand Prix thanks to the circuit’s 1km back straight and its combination of sweeping turns. The back straight is a great place for overtaking, but not the only opportunity on the track. The layout’s demanding corners test the Pirelli tyre whilst fans cheer on their heroes in the 24,000 capacity grandstand.

An addition to the calendar in 2004, the first sequence of corners on the track have been described as one of the hardest in Formula One as fast entry speeds are quickly discarded under heavy breaking due to a tightening track for almost 270° before quickly changing direction. The Chinese Grand Prix is host to the continuing growing fan base in Asia.

For Shanghai, Pirelli have made available the supersoft (for use in Q3), soft and medium compound tyres for dry-weather running. The intermediate and wet tyres are also available. Pirelli have allocated three sets of tyres to each driver, but each driver can now choose their remaining ten sets from the available compounds. In China, Williams has chosen to allocate each driver with different sets of tyres. Valtteri will be racing with two sets of medium tyres, four sets of soft tyres, and seven sets of supersoft tyres. Felipe will be racing with one set of medium tyres, five sets of soft tyres, and seven sets of supersoft tyres.

Pat Symonds: “The Shanghai International Circuit has quite long straights with average corner speeds on the low side. However, Turns 7, 8 and 13 do exercise the high-speed characteristics of the car. The long duration of the corners puts a lot of energy through the tyres, therefore tyre wear is generally the limiting factor for strategy choice. Whilst in 2015 we generally saw two-stop strategies, experience so far in 2016 shows that teams are pushing to more aggressive strategies due to the freedom of tyre choice. The championship is extremely close, therefore we must keep pushing to remain competitive.”

Felipe Massa: “I think Shanghai is a nice track and it’s always fantastic to go back to China. I have a lot of fans there, and I always enjoy going to see them. We get people waiting outside the hotel all day, so it’s really amazing to be with them. I’m really looking forward to that. The fans always have a lot of gifts for me and my family, which is amazing. I’ve had good races there, including last year when I finished fifth. I look forward to another good race, and maybe even finishing on the podium.”

Valtteri Bottas: “China is a good track to drive. It has a massive long straight, which boosts overtaking. It has some high-speed corners which I very much like, and our car is not bad in those kind of conditions either. The weather can normally play a part in the China race weekend. It’s still the beginning of the year, and we are still looking to see improvements in our performance all the time. I’m looking forward to going to China and meeting all the fans. We have great support over there, and I thank our Chinese fans for that.”

[MIKA27]

Haas mechanic credited for saving Grosjean’s race

Romain Grosjean would not have achieved his fifth-place finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix had it not been for the actions of a quick-thinking Haas mechanic.

Team principal Guenther Steiner praised the mechanics who changed Grosjean’s left-rear wheel for replacing a nut which had not attached successfully. Had he not done so, the loose nut would have forced the team to retire the car.

“In the third [pit stop] we had an issue with one of the wheel nuts,” Steiner explained. “I give credit to the crew member because when he went to put the wheel on, he realised something was wrong and took it off again.”

“Had he not fixed it, the car probably would have been stopped after the first two corners from the wheel being loose. So we had an issue, but we solved it and maybe lost two seconds and it didn’t make a difference anyway. The mechanic and his actions stopped us from making an even bigger mistake.”

Grosjean lost around four seconds in that stop compared to his other two. The Haas crew (pictured practising with Esteban Gutierrez) performed their first race pit stops in Bahrain as Grosjean made his sole tyre change in the Australian Grand Prix while the race was suspended.

“I would say two out of the three pit stops were good,” said Steiner. “We still can improve, but we were in the ballpark.” Grosjean’s quickest pit stop was 1.6 seconds slower than the fastest of the race.

The team is still trying to get to the bottom of the problem which ended Gutierrez’s race.

“We had an issue with his brake disc and are still investigating why it actually broke,” said Steiner. “We are working with the brake manufacturer to have a better understanding of the issue and avoid it in the future.”

“I spoke with Esteban after the race and he said, ‘Guenther, these things happen. There’s nothing we can do.’ He understands why he’s had to retire from each race and now he’s more determined to get to the end and earn points.”

[MIKA27]

#AskToto - F1 qualifying, Ferrari & Mercedes F1 team dynamics

We put your #AskToto questions to Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Toto Wolff. He rates Ferrari's Maurizio Arrivabene's sense of humour, he explains why the Mercedes F1 team have switched Nico and Lewis' engineers and what's his verdict on F1 qualifying for 2016?

[MIKA27]

Inside Grand Prix 2016: China - Part 1/2

Part 1 of Inside Grand Prix China includes the following topics:

People and country: China

Lewis Hamilton

Williams Martini Racing

Track preview: Shanghai International Circuit

Inside Grand Prix 2016: China - Part 2/2

Part 2 of Inside Grand Prix China includes the following topics:

Teddy Yip

The F1 helmet

Social Media

[MIKA27]

Scuderia Toro Rosso Pick’n’Mix Games: Office Race

Third Grand Prix, and third ‘PicknMix’ challenge for our drivers! This time, we go racing in the office, on chairs! Watch the video to find out who wins!

[MIKA27]

Manor F1 team now 'actually competing' with rivals for first time

Manor racing director Dave Ryan claims there is "a fantastic feeling" within the team as it finally proves it can be competitive in Formula 1.

A Mercedes engine deal and significant chassis improvements have brought considerable strides at Manor, which toiled at the back in 2015 after its last-minute rescue from administration.

In last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix, Pascal Wehrlein outqualified both Saubers, both Renaults and a Force India by taking 16th.

He then ran as high as seventh as pitstop strategies unfolded in the race, proving competitive with the cars he had beaten in qualifying, before finishing 13th.

"It's just a fantastic feeling to be actually competing and looking around at cars and thinking 'We've got him, we've got him'," said Ryan, who remains aware the team has to keep its feet on the ground.

"We just have to take little steps at a time. We made a reasonable step in Bahrain, and for the next race in China we have to consolidate, not get ahead of ourselves because as the old saying goes 'one swallow doesn't make a summer'.

"We have to make this a process we carry through, and we have to learn how to operate at this level as a team."

Ryan feels the performance gain from the opener in Australia to Bahrain was already substanial.

Wehrlein had headed the Saubers, Valtteri Bottas's Williams and the Haas after a fast start in Melbourne but fell back to finish 16th.

"I'm really pleased for the team as we've come a long way since Melbourne," said Ryan, when asked by Autosport about how Manor had so far fared.

"We did a good job there, but it was our first race, with all the wobbles that go with it, and to see the progress everyone has made, both in the garage and the way we are operating, the way the drivers are responding, it's just terrific.

"We feel it's a good reward for the work that has gone in.

"Obviously we needed to improve the car from where we were in Melbourne, and we have; we needed to improve how we operate as a team, and we have."

Although effectively the man in charge, Ryan does not take too much credit for the upturn.

"Essentially if you've a good core of people it's about listening to them, working with, and letting them see how it can be different," he said.

"Everyone knows what they have to do, and if they don't then it's a question of working with them.

"You don't want everyone running around like busy fools. You want them to be doing the job they are here to do.

"If we start doing things routinely then it all starts coming together."

HOW MANOR HAS IMPROVED

A comparison of Manor's last three Bahrain GPs puts its 2016 gains into perspective.

In 2014 it was in the best form of its previous Marussia era and would eventually score points in Monaco with Jules Bianchi, while the '15 Sakhir race came early in a season compromised by its near-closure in the winter.

Gap to pole 4.125s (2014), 6.142s (2015) 3.313s (2016)
Gap to fastest lap 4.805s, 5.448s, 0.966s
Highest pos during race 17th 16th 7th
Cars behind at finish None* (2014) None (2015) Sauber, Force India (2016)

[MIKA27]

Special Feature: Ayrton Senna's first bitter rivalry

Long before he locked horns with the likes of Alain Prost in Formula 1, Ayrton Senna endured his first fierce rivalry in Formula Ford.

Long before he locked horns with the likes of Alain Prost in Formula 1, Ayrton Senna endured his first fierce rivalry in Formula Ford. Andrew van Leeuwen sat down with Senna's first bitter rival, Rick Morris.

Chances are you haven’t heard of Rick Morris. A career Formula Ford racer, Morris might not be a household name. But back in the early 1980s, Morris was the thorn in Ayrton Senna's side.

The year was 1981. Senna, having relocated to the UK from Brazil to chase his F1 dream, was signed up as Van Diemen’s lead factory driver for its Formula Ford 1600 campaign.

By then, Briton Rick Morris had already become a staple of the European Formula Ford scene. What started as a one-off race with Motor Racing Stables had led to Morris buying a £400 Formula Ford in the early 1970s, before he was drafted into the Hawke factory team in 1975.

After a brief stint with PRS, Morris was lured over to Royale for the 1980 season to work alongside young gun engineer Pat Symonds – now of Williams fame. Morris was then promoted to full factory status for 1981 – where his primary target was to take it to Van Diemen and their new Brazilian karting guru Ayrton Senna.

“I spent the year battling with Alfonso Toledano and Senna,” recalls Morris. “My car was better on the faster circuits; I won the Thruxton races, I won two of the Silverstone Grand Prix races, and I beat Ayrton both times at Brands.

“We had a lot of wheel-banging. He was an absolute arsehole during that year. Completely self-centred. ‘You blocked me Rick’… ‘I didn’t mean to Ayrton’.

"We used to call him Harry, because his mechanic Paddy, a legendary Van Diemen mechanic with very long hair, started calling him Harry.

“Ayrton was such a funny bugger. He wouldn’t test in the morning when it was cold. His gloves were always inside out sitting on the radiator.”

A lesson in determination

According to Morris, racing against Senna was a relentless endeavour. Between the Brazilian’s natural talent, and his commitment to his craft, Senna didn’t let up. And Morris had to learn to play along if he wanted to compete.

“Van Diemen had this thing where they could always use the Snetterton circuit at half past five when everyone else had pissed off home, and they had it for half an hour or 45 minutes. So they were going around and around,” explains Morris.

“But that taught me a lot. There was the old Russell Corner; it was a flat-out chicane with kerbs either side. I figured that if the car wasn’t too stiffly sprung, you could go through there flat. It hurt your arse, because the car was bouncing over the kerbs, but it meant I could stay with the Van Diemens.

“They always left me behind on the hairpin before the bridge, particularly Ayrton with his karting experience. He was great off that corner, but I couldn’t do it, I just didn’t have the traction in the Royale. But I’d get him through Coram, and I’d get him through Russell, then I could stay in the tow onto the straight.

“It taught me that there is always a way. If you’re determined enough, you’ll find a way.”

Rocky relationship

While it was Senna who ultimately came out on top in 1981, (Morris: “I was leading that for most of the year, then I had an accident which f####d me up”), the rivalry with the Englishman left a bad taste in the Brazilian’s mouth.

What irked Senna most was that Morris wasn’t a professional. He was a family man, well into his 20s, with a day job. Senna, meanwhile, had already dedicated his life to motorsport – and didn’t take kindly to being pushed to the limit by a part-timer.

“When I was dicing with Ayrton, I won the Brands round before the Festival. I had a photo of him being really pissed off. He later signed it for me, and said ‘I really f###ing hated that!’” recalls Morris. “He didn’t feel like anybody should be giving him any grief.”

Once they weren’t racing against each other, however, Morris and Senna’s relationship changed.

“We did eventually become friends, but only after the 1981 season had finished and Ayrton had moved on to FF2000.

“The friendship came through Mauricio Gugelmin. He and I, we were great mates. He was very talented too, but a completely different temperament to Ayrton. Even though we were bashing the hell out of each other, Mauricio and I were mates. He wasn’t the sort of guy that would come over and say ‘you f###ing c###’, he was a nice guy.

“He was living with Ayrton, they had a house near Virginia Water in the UK. So I spent a lot of time with Ayrton during 1982; he was doing FF2000, and if the races didn’t clash he would come to our 1600 races with Gugelmin.

“Ayrton was still making his mark then, but people started giving him things. I remember he won a race in a Mercedes somewhere, and was given a 190 2.3 16-valve thing. I still remember he came up to me at Brands when we were racing 1600s, and the joy on his face… ‘Rick, come and look at this. They gave me this. You have to see it’.

“Anyway, I have photos of my son Stevie, who was born in 1981, sitting on Ayrton’s shoulders in the paddock in ’82. Ayrton has a big smile on his face, he liked kids. His wife actually came over with him in ’81, Liliane, but she didn’t like the cold. They divorced soon after. She was a lovely girl, but she was very quiet. And Ayrton wasn’t thinking about his wife, all he thought about was racing. He was very self-centred…”

Was it obvious, even at that stage, just how good he would go on to be?

“Yeah, but you had plenty of these kids coming in,” says Morris. “He was obviously the best of the ones there at the time, but I didn’t realise he was going to become the legend that he was.”

The good old days

The best part of four decades after beginning his career, Morris is still racing. He regularly commutes from the UK to South Africa where he races contemporary Formula Ford, and he recently travelled to Australia to race as part of a 50-car historic FF grid at the Phillip Island Classic.

But he also acknowledges that the motor racing world has changed.

The late 1970s/early 1980s were heady days for junior open-wheeler racing. Categories like Formula Ford didn’t have a control chassis, which meant manufacturers actually had genuine factory teams and employed young drivers.

It was an arms race, but it meant genuine opportunities for young talent to develop without always having to bring a huge budget.

“We used to live with the cars," says Morris. "I spent a lot of time as a works and development driver for Hawke, for PRS, for Reynard, and for Royale… and we were testing a couple of times a week.

“Not that I ever did it full-time; I used to have a job as well, to pay the mortgage. It was a bit different.

“In my days, it was all about talent. You couldn’t buy a better engine, you couldn’t buy a better car. The cars were so simple. The engineering was very basic.

“I started with no money at all; I grew up in a council estate. But the nice thing was, if you made an impact, and you were seen to be potentially good, the manufacturers had the money coming in, the engine builders wanted to lend you engines, so you could make your way.”

[MIKA27]

Hulkenberg says Formula 1 remains a "sexy" product

Nico Hulkenberg says Formula 1 remains a "sexy and good product" despite all the criticism it has faced over the past weeks.

F1 has been under fire since the start of the season over the shambolic situation with qualifying, which will return to the 2015 system for this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix after the elimination format failed to deliver a good show in Australia and Bahrain.

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association recently wrote a letter to F1 chiefs urging for change, as the sport lacked a clear leadership.

Force India driver Hulkenberg, however, feels there are still many positive things about F1.

"Everybody tends to talk negatively about the sport, but we still have very sexy and good product here," Hulkenberg told Motorsport.com. "You know, the racing is good.

"There are always things you can improve. For me, one thing that I really miss is the noise from the V10s or V8s. Sound is a big thing.

"I think the cars are a bit too heavy and therefore not dynamic enough now. But otherwise it is pretty much there. Maybe for the midfield or small teams it must become a bit more affordable."

He added: "I'm not saying its all right. But it's still a good product. It's still the pinnacle of racing. Of course there is stuff you can improve.

"But then again you will ask 100 people and you will probably get 60 different opinions. That's the problem. One wants to go left, one wants to go right. But at the end of the day what we have is not all that bad."

The German conceded that the qualifying controversy was far from ideal, though, and admitted it was "sad" situation to be in.

"I think there's always been controversy in this sport and it always been quite political," he said. "Things have been moved around and changed, but at the end of the day we are drivers who love the sport we care about the sport.

"That's why also the GPDA has come out with that letter. But at the end of the day it is not something in our power. We are hired to drive cars quickly and to perform, and we don't make the rules.

"But sometimes things are a bit... You know, some decisions that are taken that have been reversed again, moved left, right, up, down. It's sad to see and not ideal."

[MIKA27]

F1 Explained: Assessing car damage live!

Chief Engineer Trackside Simon Cole explains how the team assessed Lewis’ damaged car during the Bahrain GP.

[MIKA27]

VANDOORN ON STANDBY AS ALONSO NOT SURE TO RACE IN CHINA

Fernando Alonso hopes to be racing for McLaren at this weekend’s Chinese Formula One Grand Prix but the Spaniard says he is taking nothing for granted ahead of a fitness test at the Shanghai circuit.

The double world champion fractured his ribs in a crash at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 20 and the governing FIA’s medical team then ruled him out of the subsequent race in Bahrain.

He will undergo more tests at the Chinese circuit on Thursday before the third round of the 21-race season.

“It was disappointing to be told I couldn’t race in Bahrain, but I fully respected the decision of the FIA medical team,” he said on Tuesday in a team preview for the race.

“While I hope I’ll be back in the cockpit on Friday (for free practice), until I get the all-clear from the doctors to race, whenever that may be, we cannot assume anything. But I’m continuing to prepare for the race weekend as normal.”

The Spaniard was replaced in Bahrain by the team’s Belgian reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne, who ended up 10th to score McLaren’s first point of the season after team mate Jenson Button failed to finish. The Belgian remains on standby for China.

Alonso had stayed on at the Sakhir circuit to assist Vandoorne on his debut, and watched the race unfold from the pitwall, “It was positive to see that both cars ran quite strongly during the weekend.”

“It was also interesting for me to see the race weekend unfold from a different perspective, which helped me to understand everything that goes into getting the cars on track and learn a lot about the different processes,” added Alonso who has won twice before in China, once with Ferrari and once with Renault.

[MIKA27]

BOTTAS: I WILL NOT CHANGE MY STYLE

Valtteri Bottas insists he will not alter his racing style, even though he crashed with reigning champion Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain.

The Finn had to serve a drive-through and see two penalty points added to his super-license after colliding with Mercedes’ Hamilton at the race start.

Bottas laughed when asked by Finland’s Iltalehti newspaper if he had spoken about the issue with Toto Wolff, who is not only Hamilton’s boss at Mercedes, but also Bottas’ manager.

“Yes, Toto commented about it, but not at all negatively,” he insisted. “There is nothing else to say about it. He knows that it was just a competitive situation.”

Bottas said immediately after the incident that he doesn’t think it warranted a penalty.

He now tells the Finnish broadcaster MTV: “I saw that there was space and went for it, and he (Hamilton) didn’t see me. It happens.”

“I will not change my style, of course. I will take every opportunity that I see. It was pretty tight and perhaps I braked a bit too late, but I think sometimes it is penalised and sometimes it is not,” Bottas added.

[MIKA27]

KEY: CROSS-OVER BETWEEN RED BULL AND TORO ROSSO IS VERY LOW

Toro Rosso technical chief James Key says there is no longer much ‘synergy’ between the Faenza based team and the senior Red Bull outfit.

In the past, although Haas has now allied strongly with Ferrari, the rules allowed a closer collaboration between senior and junior teams.

“There are certain areas where there were synergies,” Key told Auto Motor und Sport. “In 2014 we had the same (Renault) engine, and same gearbox internals and hydraulics.”

But the situation has changed. Tighter rules meant Toro Rosso had to design the entire car separately to Red Bull, and the two teams no longer even share an engine supplier.

“Our cars are totally different in concept,” Key explained. “The rules require that each team develops its own aerodynamics. And that determines the majority of the rest of the car. Now we even have different engines so the cross-over between the two cars is very low.”

He said Toro Rosso and Red Bull went their separate ways technically because of the rules regarding aerodynamic synergies.

“I don’t know what Red Bull is doing,” revealed Key. “For example, I have no idea how their front wing works. Therefore, it was logical that we have drifted apart in terms of the car philosophy.

“You can see at a glance that it is really two totally different cars,” he added.

[MIKA27]

Shanghai Hopes - Jenson Button On The Chinese GP

Speaking ahead of the Chinese GP, McLaren-Honda’s Jenson Button shares his thoughts and memories of Shanghai International Circuit – a track at which the Briton secured a famous victory for McLaren back in 2010.

[MIKA27]

Chinese Grand Prix Preview: Mysteries of China

You'd be forgiven at this stage of the season for thinking that the F1 calendar is a little samey. And the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit that awaits us this weekend won't do a great deal to dispel the notion.

Many of the characteristics will be familiar, particularly when compared with the previous round in Bahrain and with the one that follows in Russia. A Government-backed Grand Prix in a country that might be termed a coming economy; a round that appears more motivated by national promotion than of making a successful event per se; a squeaky-clean and towering Hermann Tilke-designed facility that at its first visit felt like a distinct stride on from what had been seen before. Even now indeed no other venue rivals the Chinese one for vastness - paddock occupants reckon they walk further in the Shanghai weekend than in any other.

And a bit-of-everything layout, with a long straight - underlining the theme of vastness China's is reckoned to be the longest in the sport - and a big stop at the end created with overtaking in mind, as well as a trademark Tilke fast esses part elsewhere. Like the Bahrain venue we've just been to as well this one arrived on the calendar in 2004, and a little like that one it's thought even with its bit-of-everything quality as among Tilke's less free-flowing, being more tight and technical.

Not everything about the debut race in China was new though, as being hosted by a Communist state but one tempted by market capitalism and wanting to host a Grand Prix so to demonstrate to the world that it was outward-looking, there was a resemblance with the sport stepping beyond the Iron Curtain to visit then-Eastern Bloc Hungary for the first time in 1986 (which itself was probably the first politically-motivated built-from-nothing for F1 event in a country without much motorsport previous, that now are so familiar). Like that event too in its first race all the present locals gave the impression of having no idea what to expect, an impression that was shared in kind apparently by the sport's fraternity.

Also as in Hungary this event in China has lived on, and although sadly the early years' healthy crowds - no fewer than 270,000 came through the gates in 2005 - were not sustained, the slide has been reversed a little in recent visits, helped by more reasonable ticket prices and improved transport links. Indeed unlike some other 'new' rounds, it doesn't merely linger, it shows some signs that it might even be building something.

Some mystery redolent of 2004 is around this time though. It says something about how the 2016 season has gone so far that we enter round three still without a clear sense of where the land lies in the year's two big on-track battles: Mercedes vs. Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton vs. Nico Rosberg.

A closely fought race?

From what we have been able to discern Mercedes retains its pace advantage over the Scuderia in qualifying, though one that perhaps on the basis of Melbourne at least is a little smaller than before. But both rounds have suggested also that the gap narrows come the race, perhaps to almost nothing - a combined consequence probably of Ferrari not warming its tyres up as quickly for a single lap plus not running as aggressive an engine mode as the Merc in qualifying. And given everything else that went on in those two races to muddy the waters Rosberg was correct to warn after the last round that Ferrari "haven't shown what they are capable of yet".

The cooler temperatures in China than in Bahrain may be a relief to Ferrari which has of course lost a car to unreliability in both races this year (though it insists Sebastian Vettel's engine failure in Bahrain was peculiar), as well as reportedly had to open up its cooling in pre-season testing. It's also thought that the Scuderia's been running its engines conservatively for spells during race weekends and perhaps even during the races themselves. The track layout here however may be a relief to Mercedes as it's not especially tough on the brakes like Bahrain's is, and the Merc's brakes were marginal in Melbourne at least.

Then there is the similarly obfuscated intra-Merc drivers' battle. Lewis has qualified ahead both times in 2016, but Nico has won out in both races, thanks in part to Lewis's poor starts and bad luck in turn one in both events. In Bahrain though Nico did look the faster for much of the weekend, aside from the final lap of qualifying where Lewis pulled something out. Admittedly though, Lewis's damaged car in the race made comparisons therein impossible.

Has Hamilton lost focus?

Even so however there has been the inevitable extrapolating to conclusions from this meagre evidence, and with the equally inevitable alacrity if it involves concluding something nefarious about Lewis Hamilton. Kevin Eason for one has suggested that Nico's two victories from two this year indicates that Lewis "has taken his eye off the ball". Yet the problem with this is that uses only the outcomes, and of only two rounds, as its base. After all had Lewis not got two poor race starts this year (perhaps his fault) then not got baulked or hit at turn one both times too (not his fault) then the likelihood is that he'd be the one sitting atop the pile with maximum points, and everything in his garden would be rosy.

For what it's worth too Lewis has a good record at this circuit, with four wins in total as well as pole position in each of the last three visits. Nico though bagged his debut pole and win here in 2012. It may come as a surprise to hear that Vettel has won here only once, in the first ever win for the Red Bull big team in the sodden 2009 race.

In other good news for Mercedes in its fight with Ferrari track position remains important, even here at a circuit long since thought to make overtaking relatively straightforward. We found out last year - what with Nico's "he's going too slowly" barbs at Lewis - that without a large tyre 'offset' you'll likely fall victim to the dirty air of the car ahead.

Race starts are another thing with a fog around them in 2016 thus far. The Ferraris' lightening launches in Australia made some of us think they had something over the Merc, but come Bahrain not only did Nico get much the better start than Lewis the one Ferrari to launch (in Kimi Raikkonen's hands) had the worst launch of any of them. In China though the run to turn one is relatively short, as well as doesn't have a sudden stop when you get there, which will give some comfort to Lewis in advance.

Tyre trouble?

Strategy also has an air of mystery, particularly with the new third compound option for this year which does not yet appear to be near settling down. In cool Australia the medium compound ended up being the tyre to be on in the race; in warm Bahrain it definitely was not. With China expected to be cool, are the mediums again the way to go? Perhaps not, as last year here there was a clear pace advantage in favour of the soft over the medium, plus warming up the mediums was not easy - with this Vettel found out that an undercut on the medium was near enough impossible. This is one way at least in which China varies from Bahrain, in addition to the temperature difference while the Sakhir track surface is notoriously abrasive this one in Shanghai is notoriously smooth. Last year the Mercs therefore chose to bolt on softs and eke them out rather than go full pelt on the medium for their middle stints (which led indirectly to the Merc driver spat mentioned). It should also send the Mercedes even further ahead than normal in qualifying.

Whatever is the case though both Merc and Ferrari have selected plenty of sets of mediums for this weekend (Lewis for example is taking four sets compared with only one in Bahrain). Ferrari though, perhaps minded of its warm-up issues 12 months ago, has stacked slightly higher than its rival on supersofts.

This circuit can also shuffle the usual competitive order, as the track is 'front-limited' - as in unusually it puts more stress on the front tyres than the rears. This is mainly due to the lengthy turn 1/2/3 complex as well as that in turn 11/12/13, both of which double back on themselves. This combined with the cool ambient can make set-up choices tricky as well as throw up odd results if it all happens to suit your car. One thinks of Rosberg's never seen before or again in 2012 dominant weekend here plus two years ago Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's similarly isolated competitiveness to end up on the podium.

Best of the rest...

Another thing taken from the opening two rounds is that the midfield is likely to be far back from the big two teams - best of the rest in Bahrain Daniel Ricciardo finished over a minute after the victorious Rosberg. But we also know from the races so far that there's likely to be an absorbing battle among them.

Ricciardo and Red Bull has won out in this fight in both rounds, while of course we have the sport's good news story of Haas in there, with a swift car and a usually aggressive strategy. Williams and Force India have been disappointing so far this year but at least they have Mercedes power and a long back straight to help them this time. Toro Rosso has shown up well, but by contrast may struggle on China's lengthy straight given Mercedes's Paddy Lowe has revealed that the Faenza squad's 2015 Ferrari unit has the least grunt out there.

The weather has been known to shuffle things here too. Indeed rain fell in the 2006, 2007, 2009 (especially) and 2010 races.

There has been none since in races at least but currently forecasts suggest that there could be some around this time for qualifying. There will be even more relief than usual therefore among those at the front that the 'countdown' qualifying has at last been canned, as it was predicted to be manic on days that the rain fell.

And other than quali and all that, F1 in 2016 hasn't been all that bad on-track. There are reasons to think that in China things will continue in that vein.

[MIKA27]

Button to use second engine in China as Honda promises a fix

Jenson Button will take his second engine of the season for the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend after he suffered a failure on his first unit at the last event in Bahrain.

The Briton believes Honda took a step forward on the performance side at the last race, but warned they must not compromise on reliability.

"The Bahrain race weekend was bittersweet on my side of the garage," admitted Button. "Friday practice was a real positive, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it stick in qualifying and then suffered reliability issues in the race. Saying that, until the point when we lost power, the car had felt very good, and I’m hopeful that we can continue that momentum in Shanghai and make the most of the package we have.

"As always though, we need to work hard on our reliability. We’ve definitely seen an improvement in that area, but anything less than 100 per cent is never enough, and it’s important we take advantage of our progress to bring home the points we deserve and have something to show for all of our efforts."

Honda's Yusuke Hasegawa confirmed the need for a second engine - meaning both cars are now on their second units - and promised the issue that struck Button's car wouldn't repeat itself in future.

"There was a mechanical issue on Jenson's ICE which we will replace for the upcoming race weekend," he said. "The situation has been thoroughly investigated, and will be rectified in all future engines to be used."

[MIKA27]

Massa: Fan-base in China is wonderful

Sitting fourth on the Constructors Championship table, Williams driver Felipe Massa is excited to be heading to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix.

At the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Massa enjoyed a stint where he was in second place and was in contention for a podium finish. However an error in strategy caused the Brazilian to finish the race in 7th place.

Moving on from his disappointment in the desert, Massa said that he is looking forward to embracing the huge fan base he has in China.

"I think Shanghai is a nice track and it’s always fantastic to go back to China," he said.

"I have a lot of fans there, and I always enjoy going to see them. We get people waiting outside the hotel all day, so it’s really amazing to be with them. I’m really looking forward to that.

"The fans always have a lot of gifts for me and my family, which is amazing.

"I"ve had good races there, including last year when I finished fifth. I look forward to another good race, and maybe even finishing on the podium."

[MIKA27]

Gutierrez: China to show Haas’ real power

After the Haas team claimed consecutive top six finishes at the start of the 2016 season, driver Esteban Gutierrez is hoping to build on that momentum at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Yet to finish a race this season, the young Mexican driver explained that the race in Shanghai will be a wonderful prelude for the rest of the season as teams are getting into the hustle and bustle of the new year.

After the Bahrain GP, Haas revealed that their goal is to score at every race. Although Gutierrez agrees, he added that they still have to keep their feet on the ground and not get too ahead of themselves as their plenty of worthy competition across the grid.

"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," the 24-year-old said.

"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.

"The different compounds are directly affecting the car’s balance, and our tyre 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."

[MIKA27]

Nasr keen to rediscover competitive pace in China

Felipe Nasr says he is hopeful Sauber can rediscover its pace lost to its rivals at the start of the 2016 F1 season after its underwhelming openers.

The Brazilian driver enjoyed a roaring start to his rookie campaign with two points finishes in his opening three races last year but after the opening two races in Australia and Bahrain his best result is a lowly 14th place in the Middle East.

After Sauber delayed the debut of its new challenger, the C35, until the second pre-season test in Barcelona the team has been playing catch up for race pace and outright qualifying speed.

Nasr is hoping to use the results from last year's Chinese Grand Prix – where Sauber scored a double points finish – as a solid base point as he looks to close the gap to his rivals.

“My first Formula One race weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit was quite positive last year,” Nasr said. “We improved the car during the whole weekend and, after a top ten qualifying, I finished the race in eighth.

“Looking back to the Bahrain Grand Prix about a week ago, I hope that the team was able to sort out the issues I had with the C35. The objective is clearly to be more competitive. I am looking forward to the Chinese Grand Prix as the track characteristics should suit our car.”

After its fast start to 2015 Sauber has remained rooted on zero points this season alongside MRT and Renault.

[MIKA27]

FERRARI NEED A SHANGHAI SURPRISE AMID MERCEDES CIVIL WAR

Lewis Hamilton has had more success in Shanghai than any other Formula One driver, which makes Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix the ideal location for the triple world champion to end Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg’s winning streak.

While Rosberg has started the season with a perfect 50 points from two races, and a run of five successive victories dating back to last November, Hamilton is ready to turn the tables.

The Briton has won four times in Shanghai and is on for three in a row after last season becoming the only driver to win the race in successive years.

“It’s not been a smooth start to the season for me, so to be in the championship position I’m in right now is actually pretty positive,” said Hamilton, who lies second in the standings after a second and a third place.

“Now we go to China for the next battle. It’s a track that’s been good to me over the years… so hopefully this race can be the turning point.”

Hamilton has not won since he took his third world championship in Austin, Texas, last October but the 31-year-old has started both races this season on pole position.

The decision to abandon a failed new live elimination qualifying format and revert to the 2015 version from Shanghai onwards is unlikely to make much difference to Mercedes’ domination of the Saturday session.

While Hamilton is still the bookmakers’ favourite, Rosberg has reasons of his own to be confident.

His first Formula One victory came in Shanghai in 2012 and he stands on the cusp of history with only three other drivers ever putting together a run of six or more wins in a row — two of them also Germans.

Sebastian Vettel managed nine with Red Bull in 2013 and Michael Schumacher seven with Ferrari in 2004. The other was Italian Alberto Ascari in the 1950s.

Mercedes have won the last eight races but Hamilton, 17 points behind Rosberg, is not the only threat to the championship leader.

Rivals Ferrari have yet to show their true pace, and might have won earlier without mishap, but Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen can count on plenty of local support in a country where red is a lucky colour.

In Bahrain Vettel did not even start, his Ferrari engine coughing out plumes of smoke on the formation lap, but there will have been plenty of work back at the factory since then.

“We are pushing very hard and we know that we can still improve,” Vettel said after Bahrain.

Ferrari’s most recent winner in Shanghai was Fernando Alonso, in 2013.

Now at McLaren, the Spaniard’s participation depends on him passing a medical on Thursday after being forced to sit out the race in Bahrain on doctors’ orders following his horrific accident in Australia.

“While I hope I’ll be back in the cockpit on Friday (for practice), until I get the all-clear from the doctors to race, whenever that may be, we cannot assume anything,” Alonso said on Tuesday.

Belgian reserve Stoffel Vandoorne, who scored a point on his debut in Bahrain, remains on stand-by.

[MIKA27]

MARCHIONNE TO BECOME EVEN MORE POWERFUL AT FERRARI

Sergio Marchionne looks set to add yet another executive role to his already well crowded plate and increase his power base with legendary Maranello marque.

Bloomberg, the business news agency, said the Fiat Chrysler and Ferrari president will soon also take over as Ferrari’s CEO, as Amedeo Felisa is tipped to retire.

Ferrari declined to comment, but the news follows the Maranello marque having lost almost a third of its value since being floated on the New York stock exchange last October.

Bloomberg said Felisa, 69, was one of the “closest aides for more than 20 years” of former president Luca di Montezemolo, who was ousted by Marchionne prior to the floatation.

If confirmed, Marchionne will add his new role as Ferrari CEO to his other titles, including chairman roles at companies CNH and SGS, vice-chairman of the Agnelli family investment company Exor and a director of Philip Morris.

The 63-year-old Italian-Canadian is famously demanding, sleeping only three or four hours a night and setting Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene the goal of immediately winning races in 2016.

So when asked if he has already let Marchionne down, Arrivabene told Welt am Sonntag newspaper: “You need to understand and interpret such statements correctly.

“Marchionne said he wants a Ferrari to be first on the grid and win in Melbourne, but I think we were very close to Mercedes and the victory,” he said.

“On the other hand it’s perfectly normal that big companies like Ferrari set high targets. For me it is therefore understandable that the bar is as high as possible.”