Formula 1 - 2017

[MIKA27]

Sponsor talks going 'very well' after Renault deal - McLaren

McLaren boss Zak Brown says negotiations with new sponsors has been going well since the announcement that McLaren will split with engine supplier Honda and switch to Renault for the 2018 season.

Brown admitted their Honda plight had scared potential sponsors away and that was one of the reasons behind the need to switch engine supplier, as nobody wanted to partner with a team at the back of the grid, demanding top-tier money based on their history and brand.

"Fortunately, I have experience in this area but I knew that during the season, we wouldn't find any new partners when you have the problems we had," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

"We could not sell to potential sponsors the story that things will get better next year. That was one of the reasons why we needed a new engine supplier."

But things are looking more positive with a Renault deal signed according to Brown, despite the team having yet to turn a wheel with the French manufacturer's power unit installed.

"We had to prove we are willing to change things and keep our drivers. People still believe in McLaren, they believe in Renault, and they believe in Alonso and Vandoorne.

"So I can say now that our discussions with new sponsors are gooing very well."

[MIKA27]

Ocon expects ‘a lot’ of driver moves in 2019

Esteban Ocon is preparing himself for a key campaign in 2018 as he is expecting a lot of opportunities to open up in the driver market for 2019.

Valtteri Bottas, Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo are all out of contract at the end of next season and just one change among the top three teams could spark a chain reaction throughout the rest of the Formula 1 grid.

With that in mind, Mercedes-backed Ocon wants to continue to impress with Force India to give himself the best possible chance of moving into the upper echelons of Formula 1.

"2019 is going to pretty open for everyone," Ocon said to Sky Sports.

"I think there are going to be a lot of movements so if you do a strong job and a good season, then there will be opportunities there. I want to start the season strongly with the experience I have gained this year, and then we'll see."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is viewed by many as the future of Formula 1, but Ocon feels he can compete with him for that particular title after winning the battle back in their F3 days.

"I was quicker than him, for sure," Ocon added. "I got a lot more poles than he did. I don't know if I'm quicker than him now, but I think so.

"You can't really compare any more, you need to be in the same car to fight together.

"Maybe it's going to happen at some point, I don't know. But he's really doing a good job at the moment and he's one of the best drivers on the grid."

[MIKA27]

Sirotkin now favourite for 2018 Williams drive

Sergey Sirotkin has emerged as the favourite to drive for Williams in 2018, with Robert Kubica no longer in the frame, Motorsport.com has learned.
Williams has spent the last week evaluating data gathered during the Abu Dhabi Pirelli test, where it ran Sirotkin and Kubica.

Kubica had been favourite to make a sensational return to F1, with Williams impressed by his feedback and the way he fitted into the team and built up strong relationships.

However, it has emerged that based on pure performance, data suggests Sirotkin is the stronger candidate.

Williams has insisted throughout the process that its decision on the driver to partner Lance Stroll next season will be based on performance.

Talks with the 22-year-old Russian, who has performed reserve duties for Renault this year, are now at an advanced stage.

However, it is believed there are several details yet to be ironed out before the final contract is signed.

It is believed Sirotkin brings substantial backing with him, understood to be in the region of £15 million, from Russia’s SMP Racing, which was founded by Boris Rotenberg, who controls SMP Bank.

Should the deal fall through, former Toro Rosso and Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat is believed to be the back-up option.

However, it is believed Kubica is no longer in contention for the race seat, ending his hopes of returning to the grid for the first time since 2010.

Motorsport.com understands Williams reserve Paul di Resta, who stood in for the injured Felipe Massa in Hungary this year, is also out of the running.

Williams is remaining tight-lipped and not making any official comment regarding its 2018 driver line-up.

MIKA: I don't know Sergey, but this is why Williams continue to fail... They chase Money versus skill usually. They get what they deserve IMO. They are long gone from being champions.

[MIKA27]

Kvyat's start aggression created "unnecessary pressure" - Tost\

Former Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat put himself under "unnecessary pressure" by taking too many risks during grand prix starts, according to team boss Franz Tost.
Kvyat was demoted from the main Red Bull team to Toro Rosso last year, following a Russian GP where he twice collided with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel on the opening lap.

He also had two major first-lap incidents in 2017, eliminating McLaren's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Max Verstappen at Turn 1 in Austria and colliding with teammate Carlos Sainz at Becketts in the British GP.

"Sometimes he was too aggressive at the beginning of the race," Tost told the official Formula 1 website.

"The first corner was his weak point. He wanted too much in the first 100 metres – success by any means!

"That puts you under pressure – unnecessary pressure – and that never works."

Considerably outscored by fellow Toro Rosso driver Sainz since the demotion, Kvyat was dropped from the Red Bull programme in the closing stages of the 2017 campaign.

He is viewed as a contender, but not the favourite, for the sole remaining seat on the 2018 F1 grid, with the Grove-based Williams team.

Despite his outfit having released the Russian, Tost said that Kvyat was deserving of "another chance" in F1.

"I am still convinced that Daniil has a very high natural speed. He was sometimes even faster than Daniel Riccardo [at Red Bull], but somehow last year and this year he couldn't show the potential that is within him.

  

"He was involved in many incidents – but in his defence I also have to say that he had many reliability issues and that didn't help build up confidence.

"Being the victim of too many incidents killed the performance he would have been able to show.

"Maybe a short break – to get organised again – and probably we will see Daniil back at his usual performance level with another team."

Having replaced Kvyat and Sainz - the latter loaned to Renault - with rookies Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso ended 2017 with a completely different line-up to the one it had at the start of the year – which Tost admitted was "hard to swallow".

The team suffered a late-season disappointment when it missed out on sixth place in the constructors' championship, with Renault edging ahead in the Abu Dhabi finale.

"We see from other teams that to be successful a certain proportion of stability is crucial," Tost said.

"This is a luxury we hardly ever had – particularly not this season. To change two drivers during a season is hard to swallow, as it has a big impact on the performance of the team."

[MIKA27]

Mercedes F1 team needs 'disruption' in 2018 - Toto Wolff

Mercedes Formula 1 team boss Toto Wolff believes his team needs "disruption" between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in order to perform at the highest level.

Hamilton and Bottas got on well during their first season together as team-mates, resulting in a change of atmosphere at Mercedes after the tension of three years of title fights between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Wolff made it clear that he wants to have both of his drivers in contention for the championship in 2018, as that will help to raise the level of the whole team, even if it proves difficult to manage.

"I don't think we need to avoid a stressful situation," said the Austrian.

"We need to acknowledge that, if two team-mates can fight for race wins and a championship, that this will be a rivalry.

"And we need to be conscious and acknowledge that that is the case.

"We are not trying to build a new family here, we want to be the most effective racing team, and an effective racing team needs stress, needs tension, needs disruption as much as it needs calmness and a positive attitude and mindset.

"But like everywhere in life you want to have the mix of both, probably the recipe for success."

Wolff praised Bottas for turning his 2017 season around - ending the year with pole position in Brazil and victory from pole in a straight fight with Hamilton in Abu Dhabi - after a difficult run of races prior to the summer break.

"The best ones are the ones that recover from bad moments," he added.

"Maybe in a few years we will look back and say this was an important moment for his racing.

"The only thing we can do as a racing team is to stay transparent and fair to both of them, support them where we can, but eventually they are alone in the car, and Valtteri pulled himself out of it."

Wolff said that heading into the winter on the back of a victory was the perfect scenario for Bottas.

"[It was] very important, because he had a very strong qualifying session and a very strong race that he was in control of all the time, fair and square racing between him and Lewis," he said.

"Carrying positive momentum with the race win through the winter, after a difficult time, is probably for him just what the doctor ordered.

"He's a hard Finn. I could never see, visually, that it was impacting him - he said that, but I think with the strength of his character, he crept back.

"And every race, there was better performances. In Brazil the qualifying was good, the race less so, but he knew that, and then he delivered an exceptional weekend in Abu Dhabi."

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE AND STEWART HONOUR ONE OF THE GREATEST F1 PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rainer Schlegelmilch is a pioneer among F1 photographers, creating portrait and action work that broke new ground during a career that spanned from 1962 to 2017, when he retired.

A new film, which I have produced through my new vehicle Allen Content, tells the story of Schlegelmilch’s work, with contributions from two men inextricably linked with him; Sir Jackie Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone. It will premiere this weekend.

“We were all blessed by his lenses,” said Stewart. “He just was always in the right place at the right time.”

Ecclestone, who at one point signed Schlegelmilch as F1’s official photographer, said: “He’s a nice guy. His work is super and one photograph is better than a thousand words.

“You look at it and everyone sees something different in a photograph. I see these photographs and, having been there, it brings back good memories. He’s done a fantastic job as long as he’s been in Formula 1.”

Rainer Schlegelmilch: Freezing Speed: Motorsport TV, Saturday 16th December, 8pm. UK time (see local listings for details in other countries) and available on MotorsportTV OTT platform

[skalls]

Mika, thanks again for covering this post again this year.  

I think it was a good year of racing but sadly the new cars we have, and will have for at least another year or two will make overtaking damn hard.  Just hoping Renault gets their engine more reliable, next year should be really interesting.

And I hope Honda finally gets their crap sorted out since they are likely going to need to power RBR in 19 lol.

[Baldy]

2 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Sirotkin now favourite for 2018 Williams drive

MIKA: I don't know Sergey, but this is why Williams continue to fail... They chase Money versus skill usually. They get what they deserve IMO. They are long gone from being champions.

Completely agree. 

I was a huge Williams fan back in the day especially when Jacques Villeneuve was racing for them.  I'm also a proud Canadian and generally support Canadian athletes.  However I have little respect for Stroll.  I prefer a man to make it on merit rather than bribery.  How much money did Stroll cost Williams this year in constructor winnings?  How much in damages to the car?  How much in reputation?  Is this offset by the cheque that Stroll's dad wrote to them?  I sure hope so.  Unfortunately it looks like they are going done the same route with Sirotkin.   If this is the route they are going, they are doing it wrong.  They should have reached out to Maldonado. 

So sad to see a once proud team stoop to this.  The trend in F1 is for an A and B team that happens to race at the same time and venue.  I can see a time where there's effectively 4 teams on the grid consisting of A and B teams with a few so call "independents" to fill in the grid.  I'd rather see Williams as a B team to Mercedes or McLaren than to sell themselves out like this. 

Williams: based on performance = based on financial performance.  The driver with the highest $$ gets the seat. 

[Baldy]

4 minutes ago, skalls said:

Mika, thanks again for covering this post again this year.  

I think it was a good year of racing but sadly the new cars we have, and will have for at least another year or two will make overtaking damn hard.  Just hoping Renault gets their engine more reliable, next year should be really interesting.

And I hope Honda finally gets their crap sorted out since they are likely going to need to power RBR in 19 lol.

I agree about the new cars and overtaking but I like the new cars.  Hopefully they'll change the regulations and design in a way that allows cars to follow closely and at least allows a chance of overtaking.  The biggest problem is the majority of tracks that doesn't allow overtaking.  I'm not one for overtaking for overtaking sake, however I'd like to see a skill driver at least have a chance or make an attempt at overtaking.  A processional race is not why I get up at 6:00am Mountain time to watch F1.  The most interesting part of the the Abu Dabhi GP for me was the short, insignificant battle between Stroll and Grosjean and I'm a fan of neither.  Wouldn't it be nicer to see this with the front runners on track rather than hoping for a botched pitstop or a mechanical issue.

Honda and the Japanese are a proud people.  They will rebound back.  For the sake of pride and honour, in the long run, the disaster that was Honda the last 3 years may benefit F1 and especially Red Bull.  Honda will NOT pull out of F1 so long as they are an embarrassment.  They will spare no expense to get back to the top to save face.  Which means that there's a greater chance they will stay in F1 longer to the benefit of Red Bull.  Red Bull's divorce to Renault next year is all but done in my books.  As for my McLaren, they may yet regret switching to Renault.....just ask Red Bull. 

Speaking of McLaren, why the hell I'm I still cheering for them?  There's not much there, besides name and reputation, that made me a fan of McLaren.  Mercedes....hmmmm.   Red Bull....hmmmm.  LOL.  Maybe I'm just getting too old to switch.

[skalls]

You cheer for McLaren bc both Stoffel and especially Fernando were punching well above their weight.  If you put Fernando in a Merc OR Ferrari, he wins the title last year.

[Baldy]

Been a McLaren fan since the late 80s when I first got into F1.  Huge fan of Alonso still not certain about Stoffel yet.  I'll reserve judgement until I see him in a more reliable car.  Hard to get a feel for a driver who's constantly in the pits, is 100 grid position back, or is being lapped due to having a lawnmower engine.  Mind you my Honda lawnmower engine is very reliable so I shouldn't be insulting lawnmower engines.

 

[MIKA27]

2 hours ago, Baldy said:

I agree about the new cars and overtaking but I like the new cars.  Hopefully they'll change the regulations and design in a way that allows cars to follow closely and at least allows a chance of overtaking.  The biggest problem is the majority of tracks that doesn't allow overtaking.  I'm not one for overtaking for overtaking sake, however I'd like to see a skill driver at least have a chance or make an attempt at overtaking.  A processional race is not why I get up at 6:00am Mountain time to watch F1.  The most interesting part of the the Abu Dabhi GP for me was the short, insignificant battle between Stroll and Grosjean and I'm a fan of neither.  Wouldn't it be nicer to see this with the front runners on track rather than hoping for a botched pitstop or a mechanical issue.

Honda and the Japanese are a proud people.  They will rebound back.  For the sake of pride and honour, in the long run, the disaster that was Honda the last 3 years may benefit F1 and especially Red Bull.  Honda will NOT pull out of F1 so long as they are an embarrassment.  They will spare no expense to get back to the top to save face.  Which means that there's a greater chance they will stay in F1 longer to the benefit of Red Bull.  Red Bull's divorce to Renault next year is all but done in my books.  As for my McLaren, they may yet regret switching to Renault.....just ask Red Bull. 

Speaking of McLaren, why the hell I'm I still cheering for them?  There's not much there, besides name and reputation, that made me a fan of McLaren.  Mercedes....hmmmm.   Red Bull....hmmmm.  LOL.  Maybe I'm just getting too old to switch.

The day you quit McLaren and change a team, is the year McLaren return to their former selves.  Don't be an Alonso and be so unfortunate to change teams and go from bad to worse!  As for HONDA... No doubt about it, they will get there eventually, they have shown in the past to be formidable so I have no doubt it will happen sooner than later. Perhaps I'm just wishful thinking? For the sake of the sport, i hope it comes true.

[MIKA27]

BROWN: I HAVE TO GIVE OURSELVES A 1 OUT OF 10

McLaren chief Zak Brown is not one to mince his words and in a recent interview acknowledged that his team performed well below par in 2017, but at the same time is upbeat that next year will see a turnaround in fortunes for the sport’s second most successful team as it enters an important new era.

Asked by Auto Motor und Sport to score McLaren’s season, Brown was brutally honest in his response, “If you just rate the results, then I have to give ourselves a 1 out of 10. We finished ninth in the world championship…”

But at the same time, he also mentioned the positives, “It was a great season in terms of teamwork, team morale, our Indy 500 adventure, our fan base and the continued existence of our driver pairing. If we look back on this year’s McLaren story, we’ll probably want to delete it, but we may also say that it is the start of a new era.”

Much has been written about the failings of McLaren-Honda. The first two years were a nightmare for the partnership, but things got worse in 2017 as reliability and performance were glaringly elusive.

Honda opted for a revolutionary new design concept to address the problems they had with their first power unit and related components, but the writing was on the wall early on in the programme.

Brown recalled, “The first signs were there before testing, data was not promising. Then, after the first test with several engine changes, we realized that this was a big problem. There was something fundamentally wrong and there was no quick fix.”

“At this stage, we considered how to get out of there as quick as possible. We considered all options on the table: take a break, change the engine partner, ask other engine manufacturers to work with Honda.”

“We went through all the scenarios, but none of them was workable. During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, we made the decision: It was time for another engine.”

At this stage, Brown had just taken over as McLaren chief and explained, “I was new to the team and had to gain experience first. What surprised me the most is that I did not have to motivate the boys. They always give everything.”

“That’s the culture of this team. That’s why they have won so many world championships. Of course, we also knew that every bit of development this year will pay off next season. The team around Eric Boullier did a great job. Everything we developed in the factory worked well on the race track.”

Although engine development was out of their hands, McLaren produced a handy chassis in the MCL32 which many believe was as good as the best on the grid.

Brown pointed out, “With GPS measurements you can predict with 90 percent accuracy where you would be if you had more engine power. We could measure how much time we lost on the straights.”

“However what we don’t know is how the aerodynamics would work if we were cornering at 10 kph faster. Nevertheless, we had a good feeling of how we would perform with more power, but the truth is that this can only be validated on track.”

With the Honda era now behind them, a future with Renault is now the reality. But in 2017 the French manufacturer still lagged behind Mercedes and Ferrari when it came to performance, while reliability was at times woeful.

Brown downplayed concerns, “It is not more of a worry than it would have been with any other engine partner. Anyone who develops at the limit must accept the risks.”

“We look on the bright side: Max Verstappen dominated the Mexican Grand Prix with a Renault engine. Renault knows the problems and they know what they have to do. I am happy that they are doing development work now and not at the beginning of next year.”

Brown also shed light on the delicate situation of managing the team’s volatile and ambitious star driver Fernando Alonso, as well as highly rated rookie Stoffel Vandoorne.

“Both were frustrated,” declared Brown. “Every now and then, they showed it too. We had to understand that athletes show emotions, but their criticism was never destructive.”

“They always fought hard despite the disappointments. Stoffel could live with the situation because he knew his first season would be a year of apprenticeship. It was worse for Fernando because he wanted to win but it did not work out. I think Fernando is the best and most complete race driver in the world.”

“Stoffel had a very difficult season as a rookie because of reliability issues, he did not get to drive as much as he should. He had to learn many new things. Nevertheless, he was very close to Fernando in the second half of the season, even faster on some tracks. He is a great racer. We are happy with him.”

Young Lando Noris is being touted as ‘the next big thing’ in the sport, Brown declared, “Lando is the greatest young talent in motorsport and an upcoming Formula 1 star. That’s why I’m not afraid of the future.”

“We have a very good car, we look forward to our new engine, we have three excellent drivers, the full support of our shareholders and a racing team that is hungry. For me, the new season could start tomorrow,” concluded Brown.

[MIKA27]

HORNER: WE WON’T WAIT AROUND FOREVER FOR RICCIARDO

Daniel Ricciardo has made it quite clear that he is waiting to see how the land lies during testing, ahead of the 2018 season, before making a decision on his next career move, while Red Bull are keen to hang on to the Australian they do admit that they have attractive options should the Australian decide to go elsewhere.

Team principal Christian Horner told Racer, “I think Daniel knows what our strengths are and hopefully we’ll be in a reasonable position.”

But admits, “I think he’s at a stage in his career where he’s wanting to evaluate all of his options, which you can understand. The problem is we won’t wait around forever and we’ve got some very good options available to us, but our priority is to try and ensure we find a solution with Daniel.”

Horner also understands the reasoning behind Ricciardo’s reluctance to put pen to paper in haste, “I get the impression he’ll want to see relative engine performances next year. He’s had four years of frustration on that side of things, so I can understand him wanting to see how things are panning out.”

Red Bull have signed Max Verstappen until the end of 2020. They also have Carlos Sainz on standby at Renault should they need him in the future, as well as Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley with Toro Rosso.

[MIKA27]

2017 HAAS ANALYSIS: A SEASON OF TWO HALVES

A surprise package in their first season in F1, year two was a very different affair for Haas, as they contended with a difficulty curve that only got steeper.

Season Summary

As cliché as it sounds, Haas’ season was truly one of two halves. Their season before the summer break was nothing short of a triumph, already beating their points total from 2016 with 29 and holding P7 in the championship. Unfortunately from Belgium to Abu Dhabi, they only managed a further 18 points – one less than P9 McLaren over that span – and looked very much like a team still trying to find its footing in the sport.

Whether due to budgetary constraints or technical limitations, car development was clearly an issue, and while it’s perhaps a bit harsh to expect more from the second-year outfit, it would’ve been nice to see them capitalise on the struggles of the Renault and Honda-powered teams around them – which aren’t guaranteed to persist into next year.

Nevertheless, their improvement over their first season makes this one a success, but you have to wonder how long that lasts as the goalposts continue to move.

Rating: 7/10

Romain Grosjean (The whiner) 

With the exception of Kimi Raikkonen, has any driver seen his star fade as much in 2017 as Grosjean’s? Previously bandied-about as a dark horse candidate for several open seats, the possibility of the Frenchman becoming a big-team driver seems to have evaporated completely after a season which saw him as likely to make news for his temper tantrums as his driving. That said there’s no doubting his spot as the lead driver at Haas, and maybe the car didn’t afford him enough opportunities to display his talents, but his own inconsistency in attitude and performance certainly didn’t help.

Rating: 6/10

Kevin Magnussen

After getting spanked by Nico Hulkenberg in his 2016 stint with Renault, Magnussen looked like he might be on his way out of the sport, but his effort this season has done much to halt his downwards trajectory. While not quite on Hulkenberg’s level, Grosjean loomed as another significant test for the Dane, and he did well to largely hold his own, winning the race head-to-head, even if he couldn’t convert that advantage into more points. No, he might not ever reach the levels of stardom he was tipped for at McLaren, but 2017 showed him to be a good-but-not-great F1 driver, who’s done enough to earn a lasting place on the grid.

Rating: 7/10

The Stats

• 2017 WCC Position: 8^th – 47 points
• 2016 WCC Position: 8^th – 29 points
• Best Finish: 6^th (Romain Grosjean, Austria)
• Average Finish: 11.22
• DNFs: 8
• Q3 Appearances: 5
• Points Australia-Hungary: 29
• Points Belgium-Abu Dhabi: 18
• Highest Qualifying Position: 6^th (Romain Grosjean, Australia)

 

[MIKA27]

Mercedes set to swoop for ex-Ferrari engineer

Mercedes are set to add former Ferrari engineer Lorenzo Sassi to their team ahead of the 2018 season.

Sassi, who was the chief engineer of Ferrari's power unit in 2017, was fired on the direct orders of Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne in July.

It came as a shock to many at the time given how well Ferrari had developed the engine to the point where Sebastian Vettel had a 14-point advantage in the World Championship standings at the summer break.

There was also confusion as to whether Sassi had been moved to a role within the Fiat Chrysler group instead, but he is now a free agent and Mercedes are poised to snap him up.

Both AS and Marca believe the deal is done and an announcement will be made in due course.

Sassi would be following in the recent footsteps of distinguished designer Aldo Costa and current Mercedes technical director James Allison in making the move from the Scuderia to the Silver Arrows.

[MIKA27]

Todt warns against "unfair" focus on new F1 manufacturers

FIA president Jean Todt believes it would be "unfair" on Formula 1's current car manufacturers if future rules overlook what they want and try to pander too much to those looking at entering the sport.

Proposals for tweaks to the engines rule for 2021 have caused some controversy, with Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari all speaking out against the ideas that they fear will lead to a dramatic increase in costs.

But equally, F1's rule makers know that if they do not make tweaks to the current engine rules then there is little hope of independents like Ilmor and Cosworth being able to join grand prix racing.

There remain hopes that both interest groups can be pleased, but Todt is clear that it would be a mistake to ignore the investment that current manufacturers have made in the turbo hybrid era in favour of companies that may not be able to afford to enter F1 anyway.

"What I feel would be unfair would be to undervalue the existing engine suppliers involved, and listen to those who may think they will come," explained Todt.

"For me, it is important in light of the existing situation to see what will be the best evolution of the engine for the future, but by respecting the investments of those who have made the investments so far."

Todt was a key supporter of the move to the turbo hybrid engines, but acknowledges that the power units have not delivered in all areas.

His belief that improvements are needed to sound, costs and complexity means that it is essential an evolution of the engine rules takes place for 2021.

"Clearly if you ask me what I feel about the engine – it has been one interesting exercise," he said. "I think it is too complicated.

"I think it is too expensive. But it is probably a very good first step to go to a next generation of engine, which will be one evolution from what we have now.

"I am against starting on a completely new development of engine but I think we should take what we have understood with this engine and allow the actual manufacturers who have been investing heavily to be able to enjoy what they have been investing for the next generation of engine, and also encourage newcomers to come."

[MIKA27]

DRIVERS UNITE AMID CONCERN OVER FUTURE OF FORMULA 1

Formula 1 drivers, including four times World Champion Lewis Hamilton, have shown rare solidarity by all signing up for the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) amid concern for the sport’s future direction.

GPDA chairman Alex Wurz told the BBC that the Monaco-based drivers’ organisation now had 100 percent membership “for maybe the first time in history.”

Hamilton, who clinched his fourth f1 world title with Mercedes this year, has not been a member in recent seasons while others who had been outside the body had included Ferrari’s 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Wurz said Formula 1, whose ownership changed in January with U.S.-based Liberty Media taking over, was entering “a period of evolution, change and perhaps even a degree of turmoil.”

And added “[The drivers] recognise they must be united and represented to face that challenge.”

The contracts between teams and commercial rights holder mostly expire at the end of 2020, as does the agreement on what kind of engine the sport should use.

Ferrari, Formula 1’s oldest and most successful team who also get special payments and enjoy a right of veto, have threatened to leave if they deem changes go against their interests.

Former F1 racer Wurz said the main concern was the risk of key values being diminished.

The Austrian said the drivers wanted “to prevent any politics or power fights from ultimately compromising on-track performance. The drivers believe unity is fundamental for the sport’s success”.

Rule changes this year have made the cars faster and harder to drive, a move welcomed by those on the starting grid, while Liberty Media have brought in experts to address other issues such as improving the show and noise levels.

“We can’t be naive about the situation F1 is in, with its complicated governing rules and agreements between various key stakeholders,” said Wurz.

“Business decisions and political power fights have damaged the sport enough at exactly such vulnerable times over the last decade.”

“We are all particularly proud that the new cars, with their faster cornering speeds, had such great effect,” Wurz said. “The drivers love them and we have seen an instant increase in viewership and followers.

“The GPDA pushed for this rule direction for the last three years. Happy drivers are F1’s best sales tool.”

But concerns remain among the drivers. these are them:

• the increasing use of asphalt run-off areas and subsequent abuse of track limits
• the rise of pay TV and fewer viewers/followers as a result
• over-regulation and the penalty system
• the difficulty of overtaking and lack of track action
• negative press spirals due to political fights via the media
• the lack of noise from engines
• badly thought-out television camera angles that do not portray the speed and drama of the cars
• the differences in the budgets between the leading and other teams and the resulting gaps in performance

Wurz continued, “We are glad that Liberty and their technical research team followed the GPDA’s suggestion from more than a year ago, where we wished for a less sensitive airflow concept of aerodynamic-related rules in order to be able to race closer. That’s just one example and one of many the drivers have in mind.”

“We don’t need a seat at the table, because the drivers are in the driving seat anyhow. Besides, I would be surprised if any of the key stakeholders would invite the drivers to the F1 decision-making table.”

“The GPDA demands only that the sport remains the centre of attention and we want to hold everyone in the decision-making process accountable for their actions and decisions.”

“All adjustments to the sport should only be done and conducted in the best interest of the sport and not of any one individual. This is what unites the drivers; the sheer will to keep F1 as the pinnacle of motor racing,” explained Wurz.

French driver Romain Grosjean said earlier this year after being appointed a director of the GPDA that nearly half the grid at that time were not members.

“Missing quite a few of the paddock. Some just don’t give a damn… and I think it’s the wrong point of view,” the Haas driver said at the time.”

“There’s a big change in Formula 1 and if we were 20 drivers, out of 20 drivers racing, in the GPDA then we could have a very strong impact and we need to be all united to do something,” added Grosjean.

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TODT: F1 ENGINES ARE TOO COMPLICATED AND TOO EXPENSIVE

With Formula 1 owners and the sport’s top teams apparently squaring up for a battle to determine the future road-map for the future, FIA president Jean Todt warns that marginalising the current engine suppliers in an attempt to lure more manufacturers is a mistake while acknowledging that the current engine formula is too complicated and expensive.

Formula 1 has four manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda supplying the ten teams on the grid with very complicated turbo hybrid engines, the power unit template has not worked as expected and the huge expense, coupled to the technical sophistication has done nothing to attract additional manufacturers.

Todt was one of the chief advocates of the new engine Formula, and now four years down the road, he admitted, “Clearly if you ask me what I feel about the engine – it has been one interesting exercise. I think it is too complicated.”

“I think it is too expensive. But it is probably a very good first step to go to a next generation of engine, which will be one evolution from what we have now.”

Engine costs claim the largest chunk of a team’s hardware costs during the course of the season, coming in at around anything between $7.7 million and $10 million for a power unit and related elements.

But Todt warned, “What I feel would be unfair would be to undervalue the existing engine suppliers involved, and listen to those who may think they will come.”

“For me, it is important in light of the existing situation to see what will be the best evolution of the engine for the future, but by respecting the investments of those who have made the investments so far.”

As for the way forward Todt suggested, “I am against starting on a completely new development of the engine.

“I think we should take what we have understood with this engine and allow the actual manufacturers who have been investing heavily to be able to enjoy what they have been investing for the next generation of engine, and also encourage newcomers to come,” added Todt.

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WOLFF: EVERYONE IN THE TEAM WANTS VALTTERI TO SUCCEED

Amid a strong lobby to promote Esteban Ocon to Mercedes at the end of 2018, Silver Arrows chief Toto Wolff is adamant that his team are firmly behind Valtteri Bottas and making the Finn’s tenure with the team a success while giving him ‘homework’ for the winter break.

Mercedes backed junior driver Esteban Ocon has been one of the stand-out young drivers of 2017, his shares have soared as he was pitted against veteran Sergio Perez and it is fair to say that the young Frenchman was not overshadowed by the Mexican, especially in the latter half of the season.

Wolff told Turun Sanomat, “Esteban is one of our drivers and is therefore in the picture, but the team and all of our strength is behind Valtteri. If we to start thinking about other drivers, it would mean that the emotional side would not be 100 percent for Valtteri.”

“I can assure you, from the board to every team member, we all want Valtteri to succeed. Together with Lewis, he is our driver and we do not think of any others.”

“Valtteri just has to understand what he missed during the weekends when he lost out to Lewis, and on the other hand understand his strength of those weekends when he beat his teammate, for example in Sochi.”

Valtteri has it all, he needs to get the whole package together. He leaves for the winter break where he will take a very detailed look at this year’s experience and needs to work out where he can improve.”

“Perhaps the most important thing is for him to understand how Lewis got the tyres to work better on certain weekends. It’s not a big difference, it’s about a few hundredths,” suggested Wolff.

Credit to Bottas for taking the criticism on the chin and admitting his shortcomings, “I need to raise my game. I need to be performing better on average. I had some really good periods where I was performing well and being consistent, but I also had periods where I wasn’t performing as well as I should have.”

And echoed Wolff’s ‘homework’ for the off-season, “I need to learn every single thing I can from 2017, which I’m sure I will be working hard over the winter with the team, and then I want to be a better, more complete, driver.”

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HAMILTON: I HAVE THAT SAME MINDSET NOW FOR NEXT YEAR

In the wake of the 2017 season ending in Abu Dhabi, the season’s Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton was a very busy man making visits to Petronas HQ in Kuala Lumpur, the team factory in Brackley and more recently visiting workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen where he spoke about the season past and his plans for the holidays.

Hamilton’s challenge for the title got into gear after the summer break, but he is adamant that he had his eye on the title from the moment engines roared to life at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Asked when he felt confident of winning his fourth title, Hamilton revealed, “When I arrived for the first race. That’s my mindset every season. I have that same mindset now for next year. When I’m training and preparing for a new season, I firmly believe that we can be contenders for the next championship.”

“It may turn out to be not possible, but you have to have that mindset. If you go in with expectations of finishing fifth, it’s not going to work. You’ve got to gear yourself up to win.”

“Next year, McLaren will have Renault engines, then we may see four teams fighting for the championship. I think Red Bull will be quicker and Ferrari for sure will be fast again. We can’t stand still – we have to keep moving forwards.”

In summing up his year Hamilton said, “It’s been an amazing season but by no means a perfect one. There are always areas you can improve on. I won nine races and Valtteri won three, but there are 20 races, and a perfect season is when you win every single one of them. But it’s a positive thing, because it means you can always improve.”

“It was definitely one of the strongest seasons we’ve ever had. The beginning of the season was a little bit up and down, but the second part of the season was very consistent. Reliability has been the best it has ever been.”

“In terms of my performance, my starts were much better this year, and I was much more comfortable with this year’s car so that I was able to extract a lot more from it race by race.”

After a tense season and an appointment packed aftermath, Hamilton is looking forward to relaxing and recharging, “I go to the same place in the mountains every year. I have my dogs, I’m in the snow, and it’s very quiet and peaceful there. I spend most of the day sitting by the fireplace.”

“We go skiing, watch some movies and catch up with some TV series. I’ve never even seen any of Game of Thrones. My friends and especially my brother are huge fans, and I think I’m going to get into it in the winter,” concluded Hamilton.

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Williams expected to reveal driver line-up on Friday

Williams have reportedly pencilled Friday in as the day on which they will reveal Lance Stroll's new team-mate.

The Grove-based squad have a driver vacancy following Felipe Massa's retirement and the names of Sergey Sirotkin, Robert Kubica and Paul di Resta were all mentioned as a possible replacement.

However, it emerged earlier this week that Kubica is no longer in running with Sirotkin the clear favourite to land the seat due to his financial backing.

And now Russian's Tass news agency has revealed that Williams will make an announcement on Friday December 15.

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Force India understands its car better than ever before

Force India goes into next season with greater understanding of its new car than ever before thanks to work done during the 2017 Formula 1 season.
Technical director Andrew Green, in an interview with Motorsport.tv's The Flying Lap, says the same "injection of funds" that allowed it to accelerate development in 2017 has allowed it to build this knowledge.

"It made a real difference, not just for 2017 but we [also] did a huge amount of work for next year as well, trying to understand directions to go in," says Green.

"It allowed us to do that, which we've never been able to do before.

"We've always started the following season with roughly the same amount of knowledge that we finished the year before.

"Next year, we don't. We managed to bring so many new parts and development parts to the car to try and increase our understanding during the winter."

Green also says the team was boosted by being able to bring so many upgrades during the season.

"We were bringing parts to the track, significant changes to the car, every race," says Green.

"It really motivated everybody back at the factory to see that the parts they are working on can get to the track so quickly."

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McLaren feared staff exodus amid Honda struggles

Eric Boullier admits he was concerned staff would leave McLaren when it became clear in pre-season Formula 1 testing that Honda would struggle for third successive year.

Honda had revamped its engine design over the winter, but a problem with the oil system in testing was just the first of a series of issues that led to repeated breakdowns.

It was at that point racing director Boullier realised 2017 would be another difficult season and he was concerned about the impact that would have on the morale of the team.

"I went to the management, showed them the data and told them that we cannot accept another year like this," Boullier said in an interview with the official F1 website.

"We had a tough first year with Honda, we had a tough second year, and had expected progress good enough to get us back to where we belong – but Barcelona showed that we would go backwards and that was absolutely not an option.

"I obviously warned them about the consequences of another year of no results, where you keep everybody afloat.

"We have a new team, which has been reconstructed in the last three years: new people, very good new people – competitive people who used to win – and the danger was we'd lose them.

"The perception of a team is still very much based on drivers, because they are the faces of the team, but for me the real danger was losing those people. That was the discussion at the very beginning of the season."

  

McLaren and Honda ultimately agreed to part ways, with McLaren switching to Renault power for 2018 and Honda teaming up with Toro Rosso.

Boullier said nobody ultimately left the team and there is now confidence that the outfit can move up the grid after the strong performance of the chassis in 2017.

"When you look at what we have achieved in terms of car performance – chassis performance – we know that we are back on the podium, at the top," he said.

"That for me is a huge reward – that we have achieved this in difficult circumstances. The other positive I take from the past three years is that the team is really joined now.

"We have been suffering so much for three years, but at the same time nobody has left the team. Everybody agreed that this team will be winning again.

"There is a huge trust and confidence in what we are trying to achieve and because of that we have gone up, up, up, keeping developing this car."

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Female racers 'disheartened' by Jorda FIA Commission appointment

Leading female racing drivers have called the appointment of former Lotus Formula 1 development driver Carmen Jorda to the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission "incredibly disheartening" and "a backwards step".

Jorda had recently attracted controversy with comments to the effect that women should compete in their own Formula 1-style championship because, in her opinion, they are unable to compete equally with men.

The appointment of Jorda - who in three seasons of GP3 Series competition never managed to qualify in the top 20 - comes amid reports that a London-based company is preparing to launch a six-race women-only championship, to begin in 2019.

IndyCar racer Pippa Mann, 2015 British GT4 champion Jamie Chadwick and GP3 racer Tatiana Calderon all expressed concern at the implications of the Jorda decision.

Mann drew attention to Christina Nielsen winning the IMSA SportsCar GTD title, Katherine Legge also taking IMSA GTD wins, Calderon scoring a World Series Formula V8 3.5 podium, and her own landmark 230mph lap of Indianapolis - the first for a female, in her only single-seater race of 2017.

"Against this backdrop of current and rising female racing talent, it is extremely disappointing to learn that a racer with no notable results in any of the categories in which she has competed, and who believes and is quoted as saying that she does not believe we as female racers can compete, has been appointed to the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission," Mann told Autosport.

"To me personally, the appointment of someone with these core beliefs, to a committee meant to further the cause of women in racing, is incredibly disheartening, and represents a true step backwards from the FIA."

Calderon (pictured below in GP3 this season) believes the Jorda news will "unite" other female racers who want equal opportunities.

"It was a bit of a surprise for everybody, especially because most of the females that are racing in big series at the moment disagree with her point of view," Calderon told Autosport.

"We definitely can compete at the highest level and there is absolutely no need for a female championship.

"What we need is what Dare to be Different [D2BD] has been doing and also the FIA Women in Motorsport with Michele Mouton, which is to promote female participation in all areas of motorsport, starting in karting, because we need more girls starting karting to be able to have more chances for one to go to the top.

"It's quite difficult, regardless of your gender, but when there are 90 boys and 10 girls the chances are very slim.

"I disagree with her view and what she wants to defend, but this [announcement] just unites the rest of the community of female drivers and engineers. We're going to fight to be the best of the best, not just of the females."

Mann also said that she is concerned Jorda's position on the commission, of which former World Rally Championship star Michele Mouton is president, could reflect the views of the FIA towards women.

"Most worrying of all, one wonders whether this appointment is in any way truly representative of the FIA's beliefs towards female athletes competing in motorsport in general," said Mann.

"I have the utmost respect for Michele Mouton, both in terms of her rally achievements and for her overall vision.

"I cannot begin to imagine the type of undue pressure and influence that must have been exerted upon Michele for her to allow this appointment to go ahead."

When contacted by Autosport, Mouton declined to comment directly on Jorda's appointment but said the FIA commission remained committed to "full participation" of women in motorsport.

"The goals and the values of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission have not changed since its creation in 2009 and we are strongly continuing to encourage, support and promote the full participation of women in all aspects of motorsport," said the 1982 WRC runner-up.

"The richness of the commission comes from its 30 members who bring their experience and share their points of view.

"From 2018, our strong European Young Women Programme will make a link with D2BD, so will be well promoted by Susie [Wolff] who is one of our commission ambassadors.

"We are also working towards an FIA Women Drivers' Academy, so we will have a good range of projects covering girls and women from eight to 20 years old, and the FIA shows that it is fully supporting women in motorsport."

Wolff: Women can compete on equal terms

Former Williams F1 test driver and Dare to be Different pioneer Susie Wolff emphasised motorsport as an activity in which women have equal chance.

"Motorsport, alongside equestrianism and sailing, is one of the three sports in which women and men compete together," Wolff told Autosport.

"In each, a large piece of equipment or animal is involved - it doesn't just come down to sheer strength or muscle mass.

"If you want to see more successful women in motorsport it's simply about increasing the talent pool - inspire more girls and women to enter the sport and offer support so that the best to rise to the top.

"Dare to be Different works closely together with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission; Michele and I share the same goals and are committed to helping create change in the long term - in the right way."

Chadwick, who this year switched to single-seaters in BRDC British Formula 3, said she had "nothing against" Jorda but that "it would be a shame" if she promoted single-gender competition in her FIA role.

"I think it will just lower the standard, I know on my best day I can compete equally with men," Chadwick told Autosport.

"If the right woman came along with money and talent they could make it to Formula 1."

MIKA: Yeah...Carmen Jorda.... Seriously don't understand this one!