FORMULA 1 - 2016

[MIKA27]

Hamilton: I don’t look at Ferrari and wish I was there…

Lewis Hamilton has dropped a clear hint that he plans to see out his Formula 1 career with the Mercedes team in order to remain an ambassador for the brand beyond the sport. 

Having made his F1 debut in 2007 with McLaren, Hamilton became a world champion in only his second season in 2008, but after failing to replicate that achievement in the ensuing years decided to make what many considered to be a 'risky' switch to Mercedes in 2013. 

However, with Mercedes harnessing the latest V6 Hybrid regulations introduced from 2014 to perfection, Hamilton – chased by his team-mate Nico Rosberg – has notched up two further titles in 2014 and 2015. 

Though the end of his current contract is still some way off in 2018, speculation is already rife that Hamilton may use it as an opportunity to take on another new challenge, most notably fulfilling a dream of joining Ferrari. 

However, though Hamilton says the prospect of racing the 'red car' would be something to savour, he says he currently doesn't have a desire to swap roles with Sebastian Vettel. 

“Without a doubt when I grew up watching F1 I saw the red car, it looked awesome," he told Sky Sports F1. "A Ferrari, whether it's a road car or an F1 car, look awesome. There's something particularly very special with the Italian passion for that team. But I've been with Mercedes since I was 13, more than most drivers at my age. I honestly don't, at the moment, look over at Sebastian in the Ferrari and think 'damn it I want his seat'." 

Though Hamilton has previously stated he is unlikely to return to F1 in any periphery capacity – such as a team manager or a commentator -, Hamilton is tempted by notion of ending his career as a Mercedes driver to ensure he retains a lifelong association with one of the world's most iconic brands. 

"I look at my team, the Silver Arrows, and think I'm a part of this history which I will be for way beyond my time and I want to continue being a part of it. When I stop racing, I still want to be a part of it. 

"What I love about Mercedes when you look at Sir Stirling Moss, when you look at all drivers still today in their old age, they are still with Mercedes, you're with the brand for life. 

“They take you under your wing, they look after you, you're part of it forever. I can't imagine myself not being a part of that."
 

[MIKA27]

ROSBERG VS HAMILTON WITH FERRARI AND RED BULL STALKING IN MONACO

One winning streak ended with a bang for Nico Rosberg in Spain but Monaco’s tight, metal-fenced streets could see the continuation of another remarkable run for the Formula One championship leader on Sunday.

Only one man — triple world champion Ayrton Senna — has won more than three times in a row in the Mediterranean principality’s showcase race but Rosberg is on the cusp of stepping up alongside the late Brazilian (Provided Hamilton doesn't take him out again).

The Mercedes driver, whose hopes of an eighth successive win ended at the previous race in Barcelona when he and triple world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton collided on the opening lap while fighting for the lead, completed his hat-trick last year.

Four wins would still be one behind the Brazilian, who won five in a row and six in total, but still a sequence that multiple champions like Graham Hill, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher never managed.

Monaco is a home race for most of the drivers but even more so for Rosberg, the German-born son of Finland’s 1982 world champion Keke, who grew up and went to school there and this time returns in the form of his life.

“I have memories from every corner going right back to my school days and I always have great support there from my family, my friends and the fans, which gives you that extra boost through the weekend,” he said.

“It’s been amazing to win there for the past three years — but I know it will be tough to repeat that with Lewis, the Ferraris and the Red Bulls all so strong now.”

Hamilton has not won since he took his third world championship in Texas last October, and the collision at the Circuit de Catalunya left him 43 points behind the German with 16 races remaining, but he is still the bookmakers’ favourite.

Monaco — the glamour highlight of the season — is also special for him, a race the boyhood Senna fan has always loved, and he needs to start reeling in Rosberg as soon as possible.

“Barcelona was the worst feeling but, like I always say, the true test is how you get back up when you’ve been knocked down,” said the Briton, who won in Monaco with McLaren in 2008.

“It was a tough moment for all of us after the race but it’s now chapter closed and looking ahead to Monaco. It’s an incredible feeling making a car dance through those streets, one of the purest thrills you can have in a racing car. I’m approaching this weekend with only one result in mind.”

Ferrari and resurgent Red Bull can hope to be contenders as well at a track where outright engine power matters less than driveability. The new ultrasoft Pirelli tyres, making their debut, could also help.

Both the current Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen — second in the standings and 39 points off the pace — have won in Monaco before, but not for the Italian team, whose last victory there was with Schumacher in 2001.

Red Bull, whose Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo set the race lap record last year, had already targeted Monaco as their best chance of a victory before 18-year-old Dutch driver Max Verstappen won in Spain on his debut with the team.

“The trend now is we’re coming stronger and stronger,” said Ricciardo. “Monaco is for me the best circuit to drive one… there’s no circuit on the calendar that gives me that same feeling, that same adrenaline and that feeling of wanting more.”

[MIKA27]

F3 TEAM PREMA LINKED WITH F1 ENTRY

A next new team for Formula 1 could now be on the horizon, according to Auto Bild Motorsport.

The publication suggested that Prema Powerteam, a lower-category Italian outfit that fields Lance Stroll in F3 and Mick Schumacher in Formula 4, could be first in line to emulate the successful new ‘Haas’-like model.

“Stepping into formula one is not something you just decide to do,” a Prema spokeswoman said. “The circumstances have to be right and everything has to fit.”

There are signs that time is now.

Prema has linked up with Theodore Racing, an F1 team of the 70s and 80s. Then, Theodore was run by Hong Kong millionaire Teddy Yip, and now it is headed by his son, Teddy Yip jr.

Theodore has also entered Indycar this year with the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team.

[MIKA27]

HARYANTO ADMITS MANOR DRIVE NOT SECURE

Rookie Rio Haryanto has admitted for the first time that he might not make it through the 2016 season.

Although backed by the Indonesian government and highly popular in his native country, it is understood the rookie is only paid up at Manor until mid-season.

But his manager Piers Hunnisett told us in February: “All is confirmed for a full season.”

There are signs, however, that the full season for Haryanto is in fact not guaranteed.

The Indonesian government has launched a novel text message fundraising campaign.

And his teammate Pascal Wehrlein said recently: “I really hope that he can do the whole season to the end and doesn’t have to stop after the first half.”

When asked by F1’s official website if his seat depends on the success of his fundraising, Haryanto said: “I have no answer for that right now.

“No question, I would like to stay and finish the season here,” he added.

Haryanto is at least giving himself the best possible chance, casting off the pre-season impression that he would be destroyed by fellow rookie Wehrlein.

“He is a future Mercedes driver,” said Haryanto, “and when I am not far off his time – wow – that’s always fantastic for me.”

[MIKA27]

FIA STILL KEEN ON MAKING F1 ENGINES LOUDER

Formula 1’s governing body is backing development of a “sound generator” to spice up the muted tones of the current generation of power units.

After the turbo V6s fitted with energy recovery systems replaced the screaming V8s of old, the sport reacted for 2016 by mandating extra tailpipes for the wastegate.

Bernie Ecclestone said in Barcelona that he thought the sound was indeed “better than before”.

But the FIA is still working together with teams to improve the sound even more, with the federation’s engine chief Fabrice Lom confirming that it is in effect a “sound generator”.

“The results so far have been very good,” he said.

He admitted that the sound it will make is “not 100 per cent natural but not artificial” either, as it substantially improves the “intensity and quality” of the tone.

“We use the exhaust gases, even though this is limited because of the recovered energy,” Lom added.

[MIKA27]

VASSEUR SAYS SHIFT TO 2017 CAR IS DELICATE MATTER

A decision is looming about how Renault will handle the transition from 2016 to 2017, team boss Frederic Vasseur has admitted.

It is widely believed that, with the French marque having taken over Lotus at the eleventh hour, Renault regarded 2016 as little more than a transitional season as it focused much harder on preparing for the new rules for 2017.

Asked if 2017 is a perfect opportunity for Renault, team boss Vasseur admitted to El Confidencial: “Yes, but we have to make a decision on the splitting of efforts between this year and next.

“It is delicate,” said the Frenchman. “On the one hand, we can really focus on the new rules, which is an advantage, but on the other hand it is very important for a racing team to have pressure ahead of each race.

“So if we give up in the short term, we could lose the competitive spirit,” he added. “On the other hand we must find the best way to prepare for 2017.”

Vasseur said that while the new rules are positive for Renault, Mercedes for example is less happy,  “Everyone is playing their own game. The position of each team is based on self-interest, so that what Ron (Dennis) wants is different to what Toto (Wolff) wants.

“But then I think the common interest calls for more aggressive cars with more sound and bigger tyres,” added Vasseur.

Although new to F1, Vasseur is no stranger to the paddock after building up the successful GP2 outfit ART.

“In the sporting way not much has changed except I spend more time on politics and the media now,” he said. “I’m losing weight because I have no time to eat!” Vasseur laughed.

F1 is now setting up in Monaco, where it has emerged that Renault has decided to release one version of its new engine upgrade for both the works team and customer Red Bull.b Insiders talk of a 35 horse power and half-second per lap boost.

“We have a thousand people concentrated on winning a tenth each week,” said Vasseur. “If the engine is a couple of tenths, it would be a very, very big step forward. But it will not put the car at the front of the grid.”

[MIKA27]

MASSA SAYS MERCEDES STILL AHEAD OF RIVALS

Felipe Massa is in a realistic mood about Williams’ chances ahead of this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

The British team was third overall in 2014 and 2015 but has clearly fallen behind both Red Bull and Ferrari this year.

“I think we will be behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull,” Massa told UOL Esporte. “After that I think we’re in a good position.

“I like Monaco. Or, I like it when we are competitive, but if you get caught behind, no one likes Monaco!” he smiled, referring to the near-impossibility of overtaking on the Principality’s fabled streets.

The impression recently is that it may not be Mercedes or Ferrari but in fact Renault-powered Red Bull with the best chassis overall so far in 2016.

Massa said: “I don’t think there is enough data to say that Red Bull is the best car. I think the Mercedes is also a very good car.

“They (Mercedes) show it in every situation and at every track. The Red Bull is also good, better than the Ferrari maybe,” he added.

MIKA: By the way, that pic of Massa isn't photo shopped, that's the size of his head

[MIKA27]

JOS VERSTAPPEN STILL INVOLVED IN SON’S F1 CAREER

Jos Verstappen has admitted that while he has taken a step back, he is still closely involved in his son’s meteoric Fotmula 1 career.

It has been suggested that while Toro Rosso was happy for the former Benetton driver to be closely involved, Red Bull has asked Jos to take a step back now that Max has moved up to the top team.

“He (Max) already worked alone in Barcelona,” Jos is quoted by Finland’s MTV. “I know he is ready for it — he won the race so I think he is quite ready.”

“Whether my work is over? I don’t think so. I still try to guide and coach him in the right direction,” he said.

For his part, 18-year-old Max has admitted that a bit of luck played a role in his Barcelona breakthrough, but also true is that Red Bull legitimately beat Ferrari in Spain.

If that will still be the case in Monaco, Max was quoted by Finland’s Turun Sanomat as answering: “We will find out in qualifying.”

MIKA: It's great for parents to be apart of their kids success but I feel Jos is a lot like Hamiltons father hanging about for the limelight until the day they get the flick..

[skalls]

On 5/23/2016 at 10:16 PM, MIKA27 said:

I have a lot of respect and admiration for Sauber but that comment is indeed rich.

I dare say alot of jealousy from some teams like Sauber and Williams especially. Pay Symmonds turned his comments around last week and said it's great for F1 but weeks prior was bagging the hell out of HAAS,

I think HAAS has been brilliant for formula 1 and I hope more teams copy this model.

I understand the desire to build everything from the ground up.  I get that and respect that as well.  But so very few teams succeed that way, The Haas model has made them go straight to the mid-field.  Instead of struggle for a decade in the back.  

 

I don't think it'd work for every team, but it's clearly working here.

[Bartolomeo]

7 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

FIA STILL KEEN ON MAKING F1 ENGINES LOUDER

Formula 1’s governing body is backing development of a “sound generator” to spice up the muted tones of the current generation of power units.

After the turbo V6s fitted with energy recovery systems replaced the screaming V8s of old, the sport reacted for 2016 by mandating extra tailpipes for the wastegate.

Bernie Ecclestone said in Barcelona that he thought the sound was indeed “better than before”.

But the FIA is still working together with teams to improve the sound even more, with the federation’s engine chief Fabrice Lom confirming that it is in effect a “sound generator”.

“The results so far have been very good,” he said.

He admitted that the sound it will make is “not 100 per cent natural but not artificial” either, as it substantially improves the “intensity and quality” of the tone.

“We use the exhaust gases, even though this is limited because of the recovered energy,” Lom added.

Amen....

[MIKA27]

MONACO GRAND PRIX FACTS & STATISTICS

Reuters facts and statistics for the Monaco Grand Prix, Round 6 of the 2016 Formula 1 World Championship, in Monte Carlo.

- Lap distance: 3.337km (78 laps). Total distance: 280.286km
- Race lap record: Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull 1:18.063 (2015)
- 2015 pole: Lewis Hamilton (Britain), Mercedes
- 2015 winner: Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
- Start time: 1200 GMT (1400 local)
- Red Bull’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen became Formula One’s youngest winner, at 18 years and 228 days, at this month’s Spanish Grand Prix.
- His victory ended a run of 10 successive wins for Mercedes, who had both cars retire after a first lap collision. One more win would have equalled McLaren’s 1988 record.
- It also ended championship leader Nico Rosberg’s bid for an eighth win in a row.
- Mercedes have won 36 of the last 43 races.
- Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton has 43 career victories, putting him third in the all-time lists and one win ahead of Ferrari’s four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel.
- Schumacher holds the record of 91, with Alain Prost on 51. McLaren’s Fernando Alonso has 32 wins, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen 20, Rosberg 18 and McLaren’s Jenson Button 15.
- Rosberg has more wins than any other non-champion in the history of the sport.
- Ferrari have won 224 races in total, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Red Bull 51 and Mercedes 49. McLaren have not won for 62 races, a run that dates back to Brazil 2012.
- Mercedes have been on pole in 41 of the last 43 races.
- Hamilton’s pole position in Spain was the 52nd of his career. Vettel has 46.
- Williams are the only team to have scored points with both cars in both races this season.
- Rosberg has won the last three Monaco Grands Prix.
- Only four drivers have ever won three in a row in the principality: Graham Hill, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Rosberg. Senna has a total of six victories at the principality – more than any other driver.
- Ferrari have not won in Monaco since 2001, with Michael Schumacher. They have, however, set the fastest lap in six of the last 12 races.
- The driver on pole has won 10 of the last 15 races in Monaco. In 1996, Frenchman Olivier Panis won from 14th on the starting grid — the lowest winning start position to date.
- Since 1950, only 10 times has the race been won by a driver starting lower than third.
- Six former Monaco winners will be on Sunday’s grid: Rosberg (2013, 2014, 2015), Vettel (2011), Button (2009), Hamilton (2008), Alonso (2006, 2007), Raikkonen (2005)
- Apart from becoming the youngest race winner, Verstappen is also now the youngest driver to have led a race, and youngest podium finisher. He was already the youngest driver to start a grand prix and youngest points scorer.
- Verstappen is also the first Dutch race winner, and only the second to appear on the podium. The other was father Jos.
- Spain was the first double retirement for Mercedes since the 2011 Australian Grand Prix.

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Lowe: Trio of possible winners at Monaco

Mercedes technical director Paddy Lowe believes that the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix will be contested between themselves, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Hoping for an improvement from their disastrous Barcelona outing, Lowe explained that Circuit de Monaco is an interesting track as it doesn’t necessarily demand power and pace from a car.

"It's set to be an intense battle between ourselves, Ferrari and Red Bull, so we'll need a perfect weekend to come out on top," he said.

"Monaco is a unique circuit requiring unique characteristics from the car, so you can never approach this race with absolute confidence in the performance of your package.

"That confidence is something which may only grow through the weekend, as the team fine-tunes the car and the drivers dial themselves in to the track.

"Of all the circuits on the calendar, this is the one where practice is most crucial. If the drivers are to get that ultimate qualifying lap, which is so important given the difficulty in overtaking around Monaco, they need all the track time they can get to find their rhythm."

The 54-year-old is also wary of the ultra soft compound 2016 debut, feeling that this weekend's practice sessions will be the most important ones of this season.

"This weekend sees the first appearance of the Ultra Soft tyre – which will be particularly interesting given that even the Super Soft has arguably been too hard for this circuit in recent years," Lowe added.

"We're looking forward to seeing what kind of lap time improvement that might bring – and perhaps even a new lap record."

[MIKA27]

Alonso: Qualifiers will be more important than the race

McLaren driver Fernando Alonso has expressed his desire to make it into Q3 for a second time this season at the Monaco Grand Prix race weekend.

Making it into the third round of qualifiers for the first time since his return to McLaren, the two-time World Champion ended the Spanish GP disappointingly after an engine failure forced him to retire.

The Spaniard is hoping that their constant reliability issues will avoid them at this weekend’s race and he is eager to secure more points for his Honda-powered team.

"The most obvious characteristic of the Monaco circuit is that qualifying is probably more important there than at any other track," Alonso told Crash.net.

"Getting through to Q3 in Barcelona for the first time since the McLaren-Honda partnership was reunited was definitely a boost for the team, so our aim, of course, will be to replicate that to give ourselves the best possible chance in Monaco.

"Monaco is a very demanding race, so reliability and strategy will be key in order to maximise the potential in our chassis and power unit at this circuit. After a disappointing result in the race in Spain, I'm pleased to see that our work completed at the test was encouraging.

"I hope that can translate to a positive performance for the whole team next weekend. It's definitely one of the best races of the year."

[MIKA27]

Grosjean to pay tribute to Bianchi at Monaco

 

Romain Grosjean will pay tribute to Jules Bianchi at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix by wearing a special helmet in honour of his fallen compatriot.

Bianchi passed away last July at the age of just 25, succumbing to the injuries he suffered in a horror crash with a recovery vehicle at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix which left him in a coma from which he never woke.

Monaco is a special place for Bianchi as it was at the street circuit that he registered a ninth-place finish in 2014, his best result in Formula 1, and Marussia’s only points in their four years in the sport.

Under this backdrop, Grosjean, who was a pallbearer at Bianchi’s funeral, has decided to honour the Frenchman with a special designed helmet.

[MIKA27]

Boullier ‘not sure Ferrari is a threat’

Eric Boullier reckons McLaren can take on Ferrari at the upcoming Monaco GP as he is “not sure Ferrari is a threat.”

On a race-track where horsepower counts for little, the Racing Director heads to Monte Carlo positive about McLaren’s chances.

Last season the Woking team scored their first points of the championship in Monaco as Jenson Button crossed the line in eighth place.

This season, Boullier expects both drivers to be inside the points.

He told Autosport: “On paper we could be between six and eight, I think.”

However when it was suggested that McLaren could line up behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, he all but wrote off Ferrari’s chances.

“Ferrari, not sure. Not sure Ferrari is a threat,” said the Frenchman.

“Red Bull, definitely, Toro Rosso, who have quite a good car, and Mercedes.”

And the reason he believes McLaren could get the better of Ferrari is because Boullier rates McLaren’s chassis as the third best on the grid.

“Last year we were third, but close with Williams and Ferrari,” he added.

“Now it is Mercedes, Red Bull, ourselves, then Ferrari, Toro Rosso and Williams.

“They are clearly behind now.”

[MIKA27]

Whiting admits Baku's Turn 8 could be problematic but not unsafe

FIA race director and safety delegate Charlie Whiting has admitted that Baku's Turn 8 could prove problematic when it comes to incidents and vehicle recovery, but insists the circuit isn't unsafe.

The tight corner, which runs uphill past the famous city wall, is barely wider than two Formula 1 cars side-by-side and will present a real challenge for the drivers, but Whiting insists a thorough review of safety was considered before it was given the green-light to feature in the final layout.

"I don’t think there is any reason to have any safety concerns about any part of the circuit, any more than we have for any track because we’ve looked at the safety of every element of the track in great detail [and] we’ve discussed it an awful lot," Whiting said.

"All of the measures that have been asked for have been put into place."

Speaking exclusively about Turn 8, Whiting admitted vehicle recovery will be tricky, but no more so than Singapore's Turn 18 which is a 90-degree left-hand turn which runs under the grandstand and is often the scene of several accidents during the race weekend.

"Turn 8 in particular, of course if we have an accident on the outside of [the corner] it’s going to make recovery quite difficult, but it’s not too different to Turn 18 in Singapore for example, where they turn under the grandstand [and] that’s always been a problem corner [and] I think Turn 8 will be very similar," he added.

Whiting revealed that the circuit will feature two DRS zones along the main start/finish straight and then again between Turns 2 and 3.

"I think the run from Turn 12 to Turn 15 is going to be very fast, [and] the approach to Turn 15 is going to be quite spectacular," he said.

"Then the very long run, which is from Turn 16, through 17, 18, 19 and 20 – which is all flat out – will be quite amazing to watch. [The DRS Zones] will be on the approach to Turn 1 and then approach to Turn 3."

[MIKA27]

Monza plans to tear up first chicane

Track officials at Monza, the home of the Italian Grand Prix, are planning to replace the Rettifilio chicane with a new, high-speed configuration in 2017.

Documents published on the Lombardy regional government’s website* dealing with changes to the local environment reveal details of the planned changes for next year.

The Rettifilio chicane is the first braking point on the current layout and has existed in various formats since 1972. For next year the track organisers plan to convert it back into a straight.

Instead of negotiating the current Curva Grande, drivers will sweep through a new section including a right-hander and a chicane. The details of this change to the track were revealed in January, however at the time it was expected it would only be used for motorbikes.

But the new track design documents states there will be “no difference between the car and motorcycle configurations”. As the circuit still does not have a contract to hold F1 next year it remains to be seen whether F1 drivers will tackle the new high-speed configuration.

Other minor changes planned for the circuit included revised kerbs and new service lanes to aid the recovery of stranded vehicles and reduce the amount of time lost to red flags at the circuit.

[MIKA27]

"Brutal" Red Bull treatment will strengthen Kvyat - Wurz

Former grand prix driver Alex Wurz believes Red Bull's "brutal" treatment of Daniil Kvyat will make the Russian stronger in the long run.

Kvyat was demoted to Toro Rosso from Red Bull after the Russian Grand Prix, making way for Max Verstappen to join the senior team alongside Daniel Ricciardo.

Verstappen went on to win the Spanish Grand Prix, his first race with the team.

While Wurz believes the decision was harsh on Kvyat, he feels the Russian was given a fair chance by the energy drinks company.

"It is a very character-building period of his life," Wurz told Motorsport.com.

"And its not easy, but in the long run it will make him stronger. I hope he will recover, because it is a very brutal situation for such a young boy.

"I really like Daniil a lot. He is a good guy. He has the head and the heart in the right place. But also he is very fast."

He added: "I can feel for him, but at the same time we also have to see that Red Bull supported him from childhood on. They've given him a chance.

"Many hundreds or thousands people would like this [kind of] chance. I hope for him he can turn the anger, which is completely understandable, into positive energy to come back stronger.

"He has a few races until the end of the season to do that."

The Austrian acknowledges that Kvyat's results with Toro Rosso will determine the Russian's future in the Red Bull programme.

"That really depends on his results. We are in a very performance-driven world and it's in his hands to recover and show that he is definitely worth a top drive and one of Red Bull's teams."

[MIKA27]

Haas "miles away" from unlocking full car potential

Haas is "miles away" from unlocking the full potential of its first Formula 1 car, according to chief engineer Ayao Komatsu.

The American squad has enjoyed a strong start to life in grand prix racing, scoring points in three of the first five races of the season.

Haas is currently sixth in the standings, ahead of established teams like Force India and McLaren.

But despite showing strong form right from the start, Komatsu reckons there is still lots of room for improvement.

When asked if the potential of the car had been unlocked fully, he said: "No way. Miles from it. One thing as a race team is designing a really good car [and another] is completely analysing and trying to get the most out of it.

"So to be honest I think the Bahrain qualifying result and the race result did us injustice to the car, but we still cannot get the best out of the car. Nowhere near the best out of the car at every single circuit.

"For instance in China, Russia we underperformed. We've been learning lessons every single time. There is just loads of room to improve," Komatsu told Motorsport.com.

Komatsu also says that luck has been on Haas' side so far and admits that having scored so many points has been a surprise.

"Yes, of course," he said. "P6 in Melbourne was a bit lucky. But we were there to take advantage. P5 in Bahrain again we did everything right from our side. But few other people did a different strategy choice. So again that benefited us.

"Even in Russia the car wasn't performing but again there was a lap-one accident. Romain managed to stay out of trouble again with his experience, and he drove a faultless race in difficult conditions. Again it's just everything needs to come together."

The Japanese, who worked with Romain Grosjean at Lotus before both joined Haas, says the Frenchman's input has been invaluable for the team.

"It's very, very important, because he gives us a benchmark. If he says there is a certain problem in the car, we know we have a problem to solve.

"If he says he is happy with the car, like for instance in Bahrain like he did in qualifying, with one set of tyre, qualifying P9, we knew it was a limit. That was car's limit.

"So it's really important that Romain gives us a benchmark. He's more confident than before in a way. Its very important."

[MIKA27]

Analysis: Barcelona sector times justify McLaren’s Monaco optimism

With the troubles of last season firmly behind it, McLaren-Honda's progress is allowing the team to actually look forward to race weekends with some degree of confidence this year.

And although it is still far away from its target of race wins, the strengths of its chassis and progress on the engine front mean that at some venues it can mix it towards the front end at least.

One of those best chances comes this weekend in Monaco, where the tight street circuit in Monte Carlo is being bigged up as a great opportunity for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button to show what they can do.

In fact, there is a sense of positivity about what can be achieved as the outfit chases what could be the best result since its partnership was renewed at the start of 2015.

Honda's F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa told Motorsport.com: "It's not just optimism. I don't think you can say we will be very strong, but I think our car has some strengths for Monaco – especially compared to places like Sochi and Shanghai."

  

Sector analysis

One of the best indicators for how strong a team will be in Monaco is to look at the performance of its cars in the final sector of the Barcelona race track.

The section, which comprises a mixture of medium and slow-speed corners with no long straight, is the perfect combination to simulate what is required to be quick in Monaco, where chassis quality and decent traction/acceleration outweigh out-and-out power.

Analysis of the qualifying pace through here for the Spanish Grand Prix therefore gives a good pointer to the merits of each chassis, and shows why McLaren has reason to be bullish ahead of the weekend.

Here then are the best times from each of the cars through Sector 3 in Spain:

1. Mercedes 28.736

2. Red Bull 28.931

3. McLaren 29.198

4. Ferrari 29.284

5. Williams 29.314

6. Toro Rosso 29.474

7. Force India 29.527

8. Renault 29.594

9. Haas 29.639

10. Sauber 29.791

11. Manor 29.966

  

Monaco pace

Allied to the GPS data, which showed just where McLaren was losing/gaining against the rivals, the Sector 3 performance was something that Alonso had noticed after qualifying in Spain.

"The third sector is quite a good reference. It was also a good reference in Russia, the last sector," he said. "There are not many straights, and we are behind a Mercedes and behind a Red Bull, but they seem to be very strong.

"Let's see in the next coming races if we can keep improving our efficiency and our mechanical grip as well.

"But we are in front of many of our competitors, which is probably a surprise for many people but not for us. It is good to be in front of Williams, Force India, and Ferrari in terms of chassis side."

Delivering when it matters

Of course, how a car performs on one race weekend provides no guarantee of how it will show the following race.

It is well known that Ferrari under-performed in qualifying in Spain, and spent last week's Barcelona test trying to get to the bottom of what happened. Sebastian Vettel is confident for one that the issues have been solved and things will be better in Monaco.

But equally, the showing from McLaren in Barcelona's sector three was intriguing – because the pace was there even though Hasegawa says Alonso and Button were not particularly happy with things.

"The drivers were always complaining about the rear stability and traction," he said. "Because of that I didn't fully understand out our car performance.

"But from the laptime and from the competitiveness point of view, I think we improved very much I think. From the beginning of the season we have gradually stepped up."

If McLaren can then build on what it showed at Barcelona, its confidence for Monaco and a decent hauls appears well justified.

 

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James Allison on Monaco GP

 

Kimi Raikkonen previews Monaco GP

 

 

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Nico Rosberg – Risk Management at the Monaco GP

 

It`s all about risk management or in other words: 'hero or zero',” comments Nico Rosberg, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM Team Driver. In the latest track preview, Nico Rosberg and Andrew Shovlin, Chief Race Engineer, discuss the very unique challenges presented on the narrow Monaco street circuit.

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From Humble Beginnings | #ThisIsMcLaren

On 22nd May 1966, McLaren Racing Ltd competed in its first ever Formula 1 race at the Monaco Grand Prix. Hear from one of the team's original employees, Howden Ganley, on how the journey began from humble beginnings in an earth-floor workshop in New Malden, Surrey, and what it was like to work alongside the team's founder, Bruce McLaren.

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INSIGHT: HOW DO YOU WIN THE FORMULA 1 MONACO GP?

This weekend the F1 cars race on the streets of Monaco, one of the oldest and most prestigious races in all of motorsport. To win it at all is a considerable feat, but to win it three times consecutively, as Nico Rosberg has done, is quite something. This year he goes out to join a very select group that has won it four times in a row.

So what does it take to win Monaco? How much of it is the car, the driver or the engine? And how influential is the race strategy in the outcome of the race?

Narrow, with short stretches of track between corners lined with barriers, Monaco is unique and it’s not an easy race to win, even with the fastest car. The driver plays a larger role here than at many venues and those in the know say that it’s a track that favours drivers building up to their maximum, rather than trying to push too early. The engine has less influence than at many venues, but the best engine is still the best engine and driveability out of the low speed corners is very important.

There is a very high (80%) chance of a safety car; it can turn a race on its head and hand the advantage to a rival. That happened last year when Lewis Hamilton threw away the chance to win due to a request to his team to make a stop under the safety car near the end of the race and the team’s miscalculation of the shrinking time gap back to the next car, Rosberg, as Hamilton was held up by the Safety Car in the final sector.

Everyone tells you that to win Monaco you need to qualify at the front, but it’s not the case 100% of the time. In the last ten years we have had two drivers who qualified on pole but didn’t win the race; Hamilton last year and Massa in 2008, when ironically Hamilton won after pitting for a puncture he caused himself, but it was the ideal moment to stop.

Also we have seen drivers come through the field from the back to finish in the top six, like Michael Schumacher famously did in 2006 after he crashed at Rascasse in qualifying.

But just in case the lap in qualifying isn’t good enough for pole, is there anything that can be done on race strategy?

There is scope for teams that are kinder on their tyres than rivals, to pit early and attempt the undercut, at an early point in the race, knowing that their rivals will not be able to react and bring their car in because it will not make it to the finish from there on a single set of tyres.

In 2013 Mercedes were vulnerable to this, as they had high tyre wear. So they played a strategy of running at low speed, bunching the field up and protecting their tyres at the same time. It was the slowest race anyone can remember!

This year we will see the first ever appearance of the Pirelli Ultra soft tyres (with purple sidewall), which will be the favoured qualifying tyre. Strategists say that even the supersoft, which will be one of the two alternates, along with the soft, was too hard last year so the Ultra Soft should be the ideal tyre for the low grip Monaco track. The grip level comes up over the weekend significantly, so the lap times fall by multiple seconds from practice to qualifying.

This is the only race of the season where you prioritise track position over the fastest strategy; so you can have a mighty drop off in pace and still hold position on worn tyres, for example, which you can’t get away with one most F1 venues.

The only possible overtaking place is on the run between the exit of the tunnel and the chicane, but drivers must be careful as it is very dirty off line in the tunnel and they can lose grip by picking up dust and discarded rubber from the tyres.

For the last two years we have seen the majority of the top ten finishers all doing a similar one stop strategy. The benchmark time to stop is usually around laps 27 to 30. A car trying an undercut may come in a lap or two earlier than that.

The pit lane at Monaco is long and slow at 60km/h so the time needed to make a stop is quite long at around 25/26 seconds. This, and the risk of losing time on slower traffic, encourages teams to make fewer, rather than more stops.

Teams will try to do whatever strategy they believe is the quickest and will allow them to run in as much clear air as possible.

The first lap is always very costly for the midfield and back of the field. With having to follow through the tight corners, it’s common for the cars in the bottom third of the grid to do a first lap which is 20 seconds slower than the leader, who is running in clear air.

Monaco – the key numbers

Qualifying is always important in F1, but the narrow nature of Monaco’s streets means pole position is perhaps more significant that at any other circuit. Since the 2004 race, the driver starting in first place has led 819 of 933 laps (88 per cent).

Lewis Hamilton, who was on pole in Monaco last year and last time out in Spain, could still tie Michael Schumacher’s all-time F1 record of 68 poles later this season, but he needs to take all of the remaining 16 poles to match that feat, starting this weekend.

One streak Hamilton will want to change as soon as possible is that on all three occasions on which he has started from pole so far in 2017, the world champion has lost the lead at the first corner.

Nico Rosberg is also hoping to bounce back from the lap one collision with Hamilton in Barcelona, which ended his streak of seven consecutive wins, that tied him for the second best in F1 history alongside Schumacher (from 2004), and two behind the out right record of nine, which is jointly held by Alberto Ascari (1952-1953) and Sebastian Vettel (2013).

Monaco is where Rosberg has his best track record in F1 and the German driver has won the event for the past three years, which made him the first driver to do so since Ayrton Senna won five Monaco races between 1989 and 1993.

One team that is hoping to improve its Monaco form is Ferrari. The Scuderia has not won the race there since 2001, and has only won it three times in the last 37 years. That 15-year streak is the longest that Ferrari has gone without a win at any of the current circuits on the F1 calendar.

Max Verstappen stats

In recognition of his first ever F1 win, and the records he broke in the process, Max Verstappen has earned his own special stats breakdown.

The Dutchman’s win in Barcelona, which he won aged 18 years and 227 days, meant he broke the records for youngest driver ever to lead a race (previously held by Sebastian Vettel at 20 years and 89 days from Japan 2007), and made him the youngest ever podium finisher and youngest winner – also previously Vettel at 21 years and 73 days, from his win at Monza in 2008.

Verstappen also became the first Dutch driver ever to lead a lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, and his fourth place on the grid at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya equalled Jan Lammers’ fourth for ATS at Long Beach in 1980 as the best qualifying by a Dutch racer in F1.

The Red Bull driver also equalled (and surpassed) his father Jos Verstappen’s claim to being the only Dutch driver to secure a podium finish for the Netherlands.
Verstappen’s win ended a run of 30 consecutive races in which the German anthem was played at some stage during the podium ceremony.

Until the Spanish race earlier this month, there had been no driver to switch teams in the middle of an F1 season and go to win on their debut for their new squad since Juan-Manuel Fangio went from Maserati to Mercedes and won the French Grand Prix back in 1954. The Argentinean driver went on to win that year’s world title.

As well as becoming the first driver to win in F1 with the number 33 on his car, Verstappen’s Barcelona triumph also made him the first driver to win a Grand Prix to have been born in the 1990s.

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HAMILTON: I STILL HAVE ALL THE RESPECT FOR NICO

Lewis Hamilton believes that the way he and his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg have handled the aftermath of their collision at the Spanish Grand Prix, indicates that the pair have matured and admits he has big respect for his rival – the pair having raced each other since their karting days.

Speaking ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton told media, “I think it’s shown the growth within Nico and I, we stood and spoke to each other today,” he said ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix. “In the past there would have been some kind of tension of some sort but it was just pure respect.”

“I told him that I still have all the respect for him and he said the same, so let’s keep racing, it doesn’t change the way we approach our racing, maybe we’re just getting old! We’re good at our jobs and we know it,” added the F1 world  champion.

“It was a racing incident and there will be many close racing incidents like that. There will be many racing incidents throughout our racing career together – particularly when you are fighting that close.”

“I’m not changing my approach, Nico’s not changing his, so we are going to just keep going. Of course, we are conscious we don’t want to have the same result as we did in the last one. But these things you learn from.”

“All you need to know is that the respect is still there,” he repeated.

Hamilton has yet to win a race this season and lags behind Rosberg in the championship standings by 43 points.

“It’s much easier leading the championship, it’s easier as you know you’ve got an advantage. You have that comfort buffer, I have zero comfort buffer now. Don’t focus on the what ifs, just focus on the now and move forwards,” added the Briton.

MIKA: Let's see Hamiltons body language this year when Nico beats him in Monaco again