Formula 1 - 2017

[MIKA27]

Vijay Mallya: Renault's Abiteboul 'may have to eat his words' over predicted Force India struggles

Force India Formula 1 chief Vijay Mallya thinks that Renault's Cyril Abiteboul "may have to eat his words" after predicting that privateer teams will struggle through 2017.

All teams have invested great resources in gearing up for the 2017 season amid one of the most radical regulation changes in recent memory, as the F1 grid fields faster, more aggressive cars.

Abiteboul told reporters at the launch of Renault's new F1 car on Tuesday that he expected 2017 to be "an arms race" as teams rapidly introduced upgrades to their cars throughout the season.

"I really feel for the teams who are under-resourced because clearly when I see this car that we are presenting today is not the car that will test in Barcelona and the car in Barcelona is not the car that will race in Melbourne," Abiteboul is quoted as saying by RACER.

"Race by race we've got an introduction of new parts. I really feel for those teams that will have to keep that resource, the regulations will be very difficult for small teams. I think most of the car build budget for Force India will be gone by now just to cope with the new regulations.

"So that is something that we are also taking into account. With the level of resources that we have we should be easily capable of beating teams like Haas, like Force India and so on and so forth."

Speaking at Force India's unveiling of the VJM10 car on Wednesday, Mallya responded to Abiteboul's comments by expressing his belief that the team could carry through the momentum from 2016 when it came fourth in the constructors' championship, its highest finish in F1.

"Many commentators of the sport have always said that we punch well above our weight and to add to that, the world champions for the amount of money spent is a huge compliment,” Mallya said.

“It speaks volumes for the passion, the creativity, the talent of my team and everybody at the factory. This passion is only going to get more intense, and the passion to improve further is going to be pretty radical in 2017.

“If we did not dream big, we would not have finished fourth in the world championship last year. To be in the company of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari is a huge accomplishment in itself.

"We have always dreamed big. We have never had conversations even in private that we cannot break into the top three. That is going to be our objective. We will certainly give it our best shot.

"I read an article this morning where Renault’s Cyril Abiteboul said teams like Force India may struggle in an arms race. Good luck to him. He may have to eat his words. It’s not the amount of arms you have, but the quality of your weaponry."

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Suspension protest on the cards for Australian GP - Force India

Force India technical director Andy Green believes a protest against trick F1 suspension systems could overshadow the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Debate between teams about clever hydraulic suspension devices run by Mercedes and Red Bull has been ongoing since Ferrari wrote to the FIA at the end of last year to query their legality.

Following the latest talks earlier this month, F1 race director Charlie Whiting is expected to issue a technical directive before next week's first pre-season test explaining how much suspension systems can influence aerodynamics.

With the suspension developments being a key area of potential performance gains, and Ferrari still not happy with the situation, Green now thinks that a resolution may only come with an official protest in Melbourne.

When asked at the launch of his team's 2017 F1 car about if he felt the matter could go that far, he said: "Yep. I definitely can see it happening."

Green clarified, however, that Force India would not be a part of any action among teams to get a ruling on the matter.

"We will stand back and see how it develops and then react to it like we normally do," he said.

Waiting game

Green said Force India has been evaluating its own advanced hydraulic system, but said its introduction would depend on what the FIA's final ruling on the matter was – and whether the characteristics of Pirelli's 2017 rubber required it.

"We have been testing various concepts for a while now," he said. "Each has got some merits.

"For us we really want to see how the tyres perform, what the balance of the tyres is, and where the weakness of the tyres is so we can then attack that with a mechanical solution – or try to help it with a mechanical solution.

"For us we cannot have all the options on the table ready and waiting, depending on what Pirelli's tyre performs like. So we have to wait.

"We are going to wait until we run the car, wait until we understand what the tyres are doing and then we will attack it with something.

"And hopefully in that time, the FIA will give everybody some guidance about what is and isn't allowed, because that is what we need at the moment. There is too big a grey area."

When asked if he felt it would be unfair if the Mercedes and Red Bull systems are outlawed at this stage, Green said: "Will it be unfair? The rules are the rules."

Grey areas

Green believes that F1 chiefs had lost a good opportunity to prevent the suspension matter reaching this point by not clarifying matters long ago, and potentially outlawing the trick systems when they were being developed for the first time.

"I think I would have liked some more clarity on the suspension side for sure," he explained. "I think that really had muddied the waters and it is unnecessary. It is under the skin. I don't think it is great for the show.

"The fans don't know any difference and it can be incredibly complicated the systems that are being run – and expensive.

"For us they are marginal gains for quite substantial expense. I would have liked to have seen all of that nipped in the bud a bit earlier, and not been allowed to develop to where it has got to now."

[skalls]

The Sauber, Williams and Renault cars looked pretty good.  The penis nose on the Force India is meh to me.  Ugly car, and the vertical fin appears to be an afterthought.

Looking forward to the Merc reveal tomorrow.

[MIKA27]

Daniel Ricciardo reveals his 2017 helmet design

New season, new lid. Daniel Ricciardo reveals the 2017 helmet design that he will wear for the campaign ahead.

 

[skalls]

And Merc broke the trend of fins.  Damn sexy looking machine.

I'm actually really curious what needy cooked up for rbr.  These cars are mostly looking the part so far.  Not sure they are going to result in better racing though.

[avaldes]

I hate the "sharkfins." I'm glad they banned them previously and I hope they do again. The fact that Mercedes stayed away is a good sign. Now if we could just get back to 19,000 rpm naturally aspirated 3.0 liter motors...I would be happy again.

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MERCEDES UNVEIL THE W08 BEAUTY

If the new Mercedes Formula 1 car, dubbed the W08 EQ Power+, goes as good as it looks, their rivals had better start worrying that the Silver Arrows, driven by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, does not once again dominate the sport as its past three predecessors have.

Hamilton and Bottas peeled back the covers on the new car during a launch event come ‘fliming day’ at Silverstone on Thursday to reveal an eye catching race car, with immense detail seen on the aero areas as well as sporting a revamped livery.

MIKA: Simply stunning in every way..

[MIKA27]

9 hours ago, skalls said:

And Merc broke the trend of fins.  Damn sexy looking machine.

I'm actually really curious what needy cooked up for rbr.  These cars are mostly looking the part so far.  Not sure they are going to result in better racing though.

 

2 hours ago, avaldes said:

I hate the "sharkfins." I'm glad they banned them previously and I hope they do again. The fact that Mercedes stayed away is a good sign. Now if we could just get back to 19,000 rpm naturally aspirated 3.0 liter motors...I would be happy again.

Mercedes undecided on full shark fin after testing T-wing

Mercedes says it is undecided about whether or not it will adopt a full shark fin on the engine cover of its 2017 Formula 1 car, after trialling a radical raised T-wing at Silverstone on Thursday.

The Brackley-based outfit caused a stir at the launch of its W08 when its new challenger was fitted with a high T-wing in front of the rear wing for its afternoon running.

The concept is very different from the solutions adopted by other teams, who have all so far opted for a more standard shark fin to help channel airflow over the rear wing.

    

When asked by Motorsport.com about its plans for the new car, engineering director Aldo Costa said the T-wing was one idea being looked at, but that a normal shark fin would also be evaluated during Barcelona testing.

"We have seen many pictures of other cars, but from now until the first race we will have a continuous programme of evolution," he said.

"As you have seen, the launch spec was without the little T-wing, and then we tested it – and then we will carry on in Barcelona day by day testing different configurations. We will have as well a longer tail configuration to be tested in combination with new rear wings for Melbourne."

F1 teams have widely spoken about an aggressive aero development race in the early stages of the season, and Costa revealed that the Mercedes would likely have all-new wings by the time of the season-opening grand prix in Australia.

"The car in essence from now until Melbourne will change all the aerodynamic surface," he said.

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BOTTAS: I’VE NEVER DRIVEN A CAR WITH THAT MUCH DOWNFORCE

Valtteri Bottas drove a Silver Arrows for the first time on Thursday, describing it as the best looking car he had ever seen and was astounded by the performance.

“I’ve never driven a car with that much downforce,” the Finn added, after doing a few laps around a wet and windy Silverstone circuit for promotional filming after the presentation of the new Mercedes W08 car.

The sport’s most dominant team, who have taken both championships for the past three years, are likely to have another winner on their hands as Formula 1 enters a new era with wider cars and fatter tyres.

How often Bottas, who has yet to win a race after four seasons at Williams, might stand on top of the podium remains an open question.

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton won 10 of the 21 races last year, one more than Bottas’s predecessor Nico Rosberg who took the title and then retired, and said on Thursday he felt better prepared than ever.

Some observers fear the Briton could run away with the championship, with Hamilton already the clear favourite in the betting odds.

Bottas said he had to believe he could beat the Briton, regardless of the reputation of a man who has won more races (53) than any driver apart from seven times champion Michael Schumacher (91) and also started on pole 61 times.

“The stopwatch is not going to lie,” he said. “We will see very soon how everything goes.”

“But if I thought that I couldn’t compare or be quicker than Lewis, I would rather stay at home. I do believe in my skills and that it is possible — but I do need to go step by step, day by day, race by race.”

“It is a big learning curve for me, and we still haven’t done a single lap together in the same car, so it is only guessing how we will compare. But we will find out soon.”

The Finn said he had no real plan for how to beat Hamilton, and would just take his normal approach to the job and do the best he could, “I’m feeling good, and as usual I will do every single thing I can and trust my talent.”

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HAMILTON: I’M FEELING IN A POSITIVE PLACE WITH THE TEAM

Triple Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has affirmed his contentment with Mercedes while welcoming his new teammate Valtteri Bottas to the team on the occasion of the team’s launch event for the W08, the teams 2017 car, combined with ‘filming day’ at Silverstone.

Hamilton said, “I welcome Valtteri to the team and I know that the team will be giving us both everything they can to win the championship.”

As for his off season he said, “It’s been a fantastic winter and an exciting training season for me,” explained Lewis of his preparations for the increased physical demands of 2017.

“I’ve added a new element to my training regime that has kept it really enjoyable and I’m in great shape. Then I’ve visited the factory and that has been super encouraging to see the way in which everybody is working.

“After all the success we have had, people could be sitting back and resting on their achievements. So it’s inspiring to see how everybody is pushing even harder than ever and taking nothing for granted at all.

“This is the most exciting period of the year when the car comes together – and my privilege as a driver is then to get to feel what it’s like and what all the team has worked for.

“There’s not too much point setting goals until we’ve really driven the car, so I’m going to go with the flow until we understand the possibilities.

“I’m feeling in a positive place with the team – we talked about a lot of stuff over the winter, I was able to get some things off my chest and now we are communicating better than ever and continuing to grow together.

“I’m the best equipped I have ever been to work with my team-mate and manage the relationship with my experience and maturity,” added Hamilton who will be seeking his fourth F1 world title in 2017.

Hamilton was the first of the two drivers to drive the W08 at Silverstone, on the day, in damp and cold conditions to bag publicity video footage for the team.

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WOLFF: THIS IS THE TIME TO STAY HUMBLE

Mercedes motorsport chief Toto Wolff was upbeat but cautious as his team unveiled the W08, their Formula 1 car for the 2017 season, during a ‘filming day’ come launch event at Silverstone.

Wolff said in a team press release, “The new rules for 2017 were designed to make the fastest F1 cars ever through a big increase in aerodynamic performance. They should be more physical to drive and hopefully more spectacular for the fans to watch. The proof will come in the opening races but we have probably achieved that target.”

“Of course, in terms of relative performance, it’s clear that any rule change brings with it a big reset but also a big opportunity. This is the time to stay humble and keep our feet on the ground. None of the teams has raced under these rules and we all have the same points right now: zero.”

“But the dominant feeling in the team right now is one of excitement – the factory is buzzing with anticipation. It has been a really motivating challenge to develop a brand new car concept and I have never seen our determination to succeed higher than it is right now.”

“Of course, we had a curve ball from Nico late last year that left us scrambling a little bit in the winter. But we found a great solution with Valtteri and I am sure that he will form a strong partnership with Lewis.”

“They have both been working hard in the factory with the technical teams and, although we have a different dynamic to manage than in recent seasons, I don’t expect the competition between them to be less intense. And that’s how we like it.”

“This year, in-season development will play a big role in determining the championship outcome. None of us know where we will stand at the first race but I am confident that, whatever that position is, we have the people and the capability to deal with every challenge that comes our way. This will be the season where our full works team can show its true strength,” concluded Wolff.

[MIKA27]

Applying the finishing touches to the Mercedes W08

Catch further glimpses of the new Mercedes W08 as the team’s paint shop apply the finishing touches to the 2017 car, ahead of its official launch.

 

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Bob Fernley expecting Esteban Ocon to thrive at Force India

Force India deputy team boss Bob Fernley believes new recruit Esteban Ocon can thrive at the Silverstone-based operation this season.

Mercedes-backed Ocon, 20, has joined Force India in place of Nico Hülkenberg, having made his Formula 1 debut mid-2016 with the now defunct Manor outfit.

Ocon claimed successive titles in Formula 3 and GP3 prior to his F1 promotion, as well as test days and practice runs with Mercedes and Renault respectively.

The Frenchman also carried out a handful of test sessions for Force India in 2015.

“I think we’d had very good tests with Esteban and also his simulation programmes that we did showed him to be very talented,” Fernley told Motorsport Week.

“You mustn’t forget his history, he won GP3 and F3 in his first years, he ticks a lot of boxes.”

Fernley also expects Ocon to be firmly in the mix from the outset, rather than taking time to assimilate himself within his new surroundings.

“I don’t think so, I don’t think today that you can afford to do that,” Fernley said on Ocon potentially taking time to adapt.

“I think we have to invest heavily in him, which we have done over the winter with simulator time.

“We’ve got significant test programme for him in Barcelona [testing], I think Esteban will hit the first race running so I’m very optimistic.”

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Renault engine fails after just six laps

Toro Rosso were forced to cut short a filming session in Italy after their new Renault engine failed after just six laps.

The Red Bull junior team were preparing for their launch of the STR12 on Sunday, but plans had to be shelved after mechanics failed to revive the engine to continue their shakedown at Misano.

Toro Rosso have switched from Ferrari to Renault as their engine suppliers, but the early signs do not look particularly good after its first showing.

It has since been revealed that the problem was related to the energy recovery system and Renault are now analysing the issue ahead of testing next week.

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Mercedes brush off suspension protest talk

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff is completely unfazed by the prospect of a protest in Melbourne concerning the ongoing suspension row.

Ferrari sparked the debate after they wrote to F1 race director Charlie Whiting questioning the legality of the pre-loaded suspension system used by Mercedes and Red Bull.

And while Force India believe that there could be a backlash at the season opener in Melbourne, Wolff said it was nothing more than the usual pre-season whinge from other teams.

"There have been discussions in the TRM [Technical Regulations Meeting] around suspensions and legality," Wolff said when asked by Autosport in a Q and A session.

"As far as Mercedes is concerned, I am very confident and comfortable with the situation.

"We know what the rules say and what you are allowed and not allowed to do.

"It is the usual kicking at the beginning of the season, and it is not something that is worrying for us."

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Massa to debut the FW40

Felipe Massa will put Williams’ new FW40 through its paces on the opening day of pre-season testing.

Despite retiring at the end of last season, the Brazilian brought back into Formula 1 by Williams after the team lost Valtteri Bottas to Mercedes.

Massa brings with him a wealth of experience and, as such, will be the first of the Williams drivers to trial the 2017 car at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Rookie Lance Stroll takes over duties on Tuesday before Massa returns to the cockpit on Wednesday. Stroll will wrap up the opening four-day test.

For the second test, which takes place March 7 to 10, it is Stroll who will be behind the wheel for the first two days with Massa taking over for the final two days.

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Mercedes F1 W08 in full detail

It's the car they all have to beat – the Mercedes W08. The latest version of a lineage that's won the last three Formula 1 World Championships. Here are all the photos...

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1 W08 Hybrid

 

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360 Video F1 Reveal: See the New W08

Join Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas & Toto Wolff LIVE from Silverstone as they unveil Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport's 2017 Formula One World Championship challenger, the W08!

[Williamos]

J



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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MCLAREN MCL32 REVEALED… AND IT’S ORANGE

Over the weekend, McLaren have launched the MCL32 and with it ended speculation regarding the livery and colour of the car, indeed as expected orange is a large part of the new livery harking back to the team’s early days, in the sixties and seventies, when orange was the colour of their Formula 1 cars and Can Am machinery.

Press Release:

Dynamic orange and black livery reflects team’s glorious 50-plus-year history, and heralds new era led by Executive Committee and new senior management, featuring established world champion and exciting future star

A stunning new colour scheme that harks back to the team’s 1960s roots, a restructure in senior management, a new race driver, and a set of challenging but exciting new technical regulations all frame the genesis of McLaren-Honda’s newest Formula 1 challenger, the MCL32.

The MCL32 follows in the evolutionary footsteps of its two immediate predecessors, MP4-30 and MP4-31, but it has been overhauled in every area as the design team has looked to capitalise on a series of new aerodynamic regulations introduced for 2017.

The result is an extremely elegant but aggressive-looking race car, fitted with Honda’s latest-generation power unit, the RA617H, which has been thoroughly revised by the company’s team of talented engineers.

Most strikingly apparent is the MCL32’s new colour scheme, which blends old-school McLaren history with contemporary thinking on vehicle livery design. The MCL32 has been exclusively painted by long-term partner AkzoNobel Sikkens, in Tarocco Orange, a custom McLaren colour with a pearl sparkle, and a contrasting satin black and gloss white finish.

The new colour scheme is a particularly crowd-pleasing touch, intended not only to revisit McLaren’s past but also to kick-start a fresh chapter in the team’s history.

Zak Brown says: “McLaren has always been the team in Formula 1 for me, and I’m massively motivated to be able to help re-establish the team where I firmly believe it belongs: at the very pinnacle of Formula 1.

“Assisting us reach that goal will be a fantastic group of partners that have supported us throughout the years, ranging from long-term collaborations with SAP and Johnnie Walker, through to our newest partnerships with Castrol and Stratasys, both of which have been announced this year. I want to say on behalf of the entire McLaren-Honda team: a massive thank you to all our partners for all your amazing enthusiasm and support.

“Indeed, I’m hugely encouraged by the amount of attention this year’s McLaren-Honda launch has garnered, and by the number of our partners in attendance – not only at the McLaren Thought Leadership Centre in Woking [UK], but also at our concurrent event in Tokyo [Japan], which is taking place at a Hilton hotel; Hilton is one of our partners, of course.

“To everyone who has given us their support, today is the perfect opportunity to raise a glass of Chandon, which is another one of our partners, to celebrate the launch of our new car.”

Jonathan Neale adds: “It has been a challenging winter for us as a leadership team, but there’s a great sense of purpose and enthusiasm throughout the business this year, and that applies not only to the McLaren Technology Group but also to our power unit partner Honda.

“Together, we’ve assembled a formidably capable team, but we still have work to do in order to fulfil our true potential. Together with our staff, the Board of Directors, and with the guidance and support of our Executive Committee Principals, we’re working extremely hard as we continue to put the essential elements of future success in place.

“The journey ahead isn’t going to be easy, and I’ve emphasised that to everyone. We’ve made progress in the past 12 months, but we’re not where we need to be and we expect on-track competition to be fierce. To win in Formula 1 requires any competitor to be good at everything. Thoughtful but relentless pursuit of excellence is required.

“So, do I believe we’ll be back at the front this year? Realistically, probably not quite yet, no. But do I think we’ll continue to make meaningful improvement as a team? Absolutely. And that’s our aim: to make progress by establishing the proper and correct, if sometimes difficult, changes that are needed to go forward.

“We can’t predict where that will leave us – particularly on the eve of a new season of regulatory upheaval and uncertainty – but as a team we have many talented and driven individuals and we’re restless about continuing to do whatever is needed to make us competitive.”

Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa, Executive Committee Principal, McLaren Technology Group, says: “The launch of a new Formula 1 car is always a time of anticipation and expectation. At McLaren-Honda, we’re fully focused on returning our team to the top step of the podium – a task we view as a multi-year project that requires thorough strategic planning and execution.

“Having analysed our corporate culture and structure with great care and attention, and having consequently made important improvements, we’re now confident that all the building blocks are in place, and that we now have the expertise, the experience, the energy and the enthusiasm successfully to make the journey back to the front.

“We knew changes were required – and, now, with Zak [Brown], Jonathan [Neale] and Eric [Boullier], and of course our drivers Fernando [Alonso] and Stoffel [Vandoorne], backed by a superb team of men and women in both Woking [UK] and Sakura [Japan], we’re fully equipped to tackle this year’s exciting changes to the Formula 1 regulations, and, in addition to that, we’re already liaising strategically with the new owners of our sport, Liberty Media, to improve its spectacle and success.”

Mansour Ojjeh, Executive Committee Principal, McLaren Technology Group, adds: “Over the past few months we’ve been working extremely hard to prepare for the new Formula 1 season – from every point of view – and the first visible output of that massive effort is a car that looks fantastic in my view.

“Its colour scheme incorporates a significant nod to our team’s founder, the great Bruce McLaren, but it’s deliberately not orange all over. The black stripes and white trims not only add to the overall aesthetic effect, but also reference more recent colour schemes as well as the traditional corporate colour of our much-valued power unit partner, Honda, whose engineers have been toiling night and day over the past few months.

“I’ve been involved in Formula 1 far too long to make precise performance predictions – more than 30 years – but I can say without fear of contradiction that we’re now in a very good place: we’ve got the right people, with the right attitude, motivated by the right kind of collaborative ambition, and we’re ready to continue to work as hard as is humanly possible to do what it takes to succeed. I’m proud of them all.”

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FERRARI LAUNCH THE ALL RED SF70H

Ferrari unveiled their new Formula One car, the SF70-H, on Friday with the minimum of fanfare after a disappointing 2016 season but plenty of hope among fans that the Italian team will return to winning ways.

The online presentation for a car that Ferrari needs to propel them back to the top, after failing to win any races last season, was short compared with some other teams’ offerings.

Ferrari finished third overall in the championship, 70 points behind runners-up Red Bull although the 70 in the SF70-H designation alludes to the sportscar company’s 70th anniversary.

Under new regulations Formula One cars are lower and wider this season, and with bigger front and rear tyres, that should allow them to shave several seconds off each lap.

Former world champions Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen are due to start pre-season testing for Ferrari in Barcelona on Monday.

Ferrari last won the constructors’ championship in 2008 and the drivers’ title with Raikkonen in 2007. Mercedes, who presented their car both online and on track at Silverstone on Thursday, have won both for the last three seasons.

Press Release:

The 63rd single-seater designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari to take part in the Formula 1 World Championship is born out of a regulation change that is without precedent in this category of motor sport. Generally, in the past, regulations went in the direction of slowing down the cars. However, this year, the rule changes go in the opposite direction, meaning the cars have more aerodynamic downforce and more mechanical grip.

Aerodynamic Concept

On this topic, the Gestione Sportiva group has concentrated its efforts on finding the right compromise between downforce and aerodynamic resistance, or drag. The new Pirelli tyres are much wider than in the past, by 6 centimetres each at the front and 8 at the rear. This increased frontal area constitutes a “brake” on forward motion as does the increased downforce coming from the 2017 specification front wing, floor and diffuser. Countering this effect, the combination of downforce and the bigger footprint from the tyres translates into increased grip, leading to higher cornering speeds.

Chassis

There are several differences between the SF70H and Ferraris from the recent past: the lengthened nose and the arrow-shaped wing are a consequence of the regulations, as is the obvious fin on the engine cover and the more complex aero appendages ahead of the air intakes on the sidepods, whose unusual shape was designed in harmony with the front crash structure. Visible at the front is a duct that has an aerodynamic role, while behind the driver, the roll-hoop, which incorporates the engine air intake has been completely redesigned. Also updated is the suspension layout, which still retains a push rod design at the front with pull rods at the rear. The hubs and wheel nuts have been redesigned to facilitate the work of the mechanics when changing wheels during the pit stops. Finally, also as a function of the expected increase in performance this year, the power-steering and braking systems have been upsized.

Power Unit

In contrast to the aerodynamics, when it comes to the power unit, there have been few changes to the regulations. The main one concerns the amount of fuel that can be used by each car during the race: with the predicted increase in performance, with a bigger percentage of each lap spent at full revs, the permitted amount of fuel has increased from 100 to 105 Kg, although the flow rate is still fixed at 100 kg/hour. The 062 engine is a definite step forward compared to its predecessor, when it comes to chasing performance. The layout of some of the mechanical components on the hybrid power unit has been revised, while other areas maintain a similar layout to the 2016 car. On the sporting regulation front, the abolition of the “Token” system allows the teams more room for development over the course of the season.

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ARRIVABENE: A BIG EMOTION TO SEE LIVE A NEW FERRARI

The launch of the Ferrari SF70H was an emotional moment for Ferrari F1 team chief Maurizio Arrivabene, who hailed the effort by staff at Maranello to deliver the team’s 63rd single seater.

“It is always a big emotion to see live a new Ferrari, either a GT car or a Formula 1 car its the same emotion. Of course for me it is something special as I’m more involved with Formula 1.”

“Having said so, Looking at the car I think about the effort, the dedication, the professionalism, the passion of all the people in Ferrari that put together to build up this car.”

“The car is the result of a team effort and I’m very, very proud of this. The next two weeks we are going to be in Barcelona where we will follow our programme. And then in Melbourne we will see where we are,” added the Italian team chief.

The SF70H was put through it’s paces at Fiorano with Kimi Raikkonen at the wheel first, followed by Sebastian Vettel as the team got through their filming day in cold and windy conditions.

Mattia Binotto, Scuderia Ferrari Chief Technical Officer, said on the day, “Clearly a new season is a new challenge, especially with new regulations even more of a challenge and the challenge in F1 is always the same.

“It is not being good but being the first and being the first to develop faster than everyone else. The challenge is to speed up the development.”

The SF70H will run in anger for the first time when the Formula 1 pre-season testing kicks off at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, on Monday.

 

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ZAK: WE HAVE VERY WEALTHY OWNERS WHO WANT TO WIN

McLaren will enjoy a bigger budget this season but a long-awaited title sponsor for the Formula 1 team will have to wait until 2018, newly appointed executive director Zak Brown said on the day the team launched a decidedly ‘naked’ MCL32 for this season.

Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat holds a 50 percent stake in the team while Saudi-born businessman Mansour Ojjeh and recently ousted former boss Ron Dennis each have 25 percent.

Brown said Ojjeh and Bahrain’s Sheikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa had increased the budget in certain areas as the team, which last won a race in 2012, push to return to the top.

The former Formula world champions, who have Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Belgian rookie Stoffel Vandoorne as drivers, also stand to get more in prize revenue after finishing sixth last year. They were ninth in 2015.

“We have very wealthy owners who want to win. They are not going to let budget get in the way of us progressing up the field,” Brown told reporters at the launch of the team’s new-look orange and black MCL32 car.

“The partners that we do have make healthy contributions, Honda’s obviously a fantastic and big contributor to our racing team… and we have lots of other revenue streams inside McLaren Technology Group. So budget-wise we’re healthy.” added the American.

The search for a title sponsor, which Brown has identified as a necessity, will take time however.

The American has introduced a number of big sponsors to the sport and McLaren in his previous job as head of CSM Sport&Entertainment and its JMI motorsport arm.

“No miracles were going to happen in 2017. Most companies, any big decisions they are making are taken by October, November, December at the latest,” he said.

“2018 is when we need to deliver a title partner. I already feel that pressure because it takes a year. So I am counting down the days.

“I haven’t really seen any new sponsor announcements on any car, including those that have won the championship for three years in a row,” added Brown, alluding to Mercedes.

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ALONSO: WHAT HAMILTON SAID WAS STRANGE…

Fernando Alonso has had a dig at Lewis Hamilton’s complaint about sharing data with teammates, the Spaniard suggesting that the Briton might have been well advised to take a peek at Nico Rosberg’s data last year.

Hamilton said in a recent interview, “I go out, do my laps, do all my homework, [and] the other guy can see everything. I have asked my team. I don’t want to see my teammate’s [data].”

When asked about data sharing within the team, Alonso told Sky Sport, on the occasion of the launch of the McLaren MCL32, “[Hamilton] said many times that he was learning from the data.”

“Mercedes are one of those teams that are using more of the data between the engineers to help the drivers, so he said something that was a little bit strange.”

“If he was watching more data from Rosberg last year, maybe he would have won the championship!” said Alonso.
 

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VANDOORNE: I DON’T HAVE A SPECIFIC TARGET

McLaren rookie Stoffel Vandoorne is keeping an open mind about his first full Formula One season because, with new regulations that could shake up the grid, he has no idea what he might be able to achieve.

The 24-year-old Belgian, whose Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso is 11 years his senior, has time on his side but is still hoping success comes sooner rather than later for a team starved of victory since 2012.

“I don’t have a specific target,” he told reporters at the launch of the new orange and black-liveried MCL32 car at McLaren’s Woking headquarters on Friday.

“It’s the first time I actually go into a season without really knowing what is possible in terms of results,” the 2015 GP2 series winner said.

“This year is going to be very different. It’s Formula One where constructors fight against each other. We’ll have to see how the car will perform.”

Replacing the injured double champion Alonso in Bahrain last year and finishing 10th, Vandoorne became the 62nd driver to score on his race debut since the championship started in 1950.

It took two more races before either of the regular McLaren drivers, Alonso and 2009 world champion Jenson Button, joined him on the scoresheet.

Button has now left, ostensibly for a year’s sabbatical but with nobody really expecting the veteran Briton to return, and Vandoorne has stepped into his shoes after a year as reserve.

McLaren finished sixth overall last year but Honda say their engine has closed the gap and should start the season with performance comparable to Mercedes at the end of 2016.

That is still not enough to win, with champions Mercedes sure to have made another leap, but still a sign that the team is moving in the right direction.

“We know that the last few years have been not easy for McLaren-Honda but it’s a period where we are making progress,” said Vandoorne.

“The new regulations gives an opportunity for us to keep building on that and that’s my main focus, working very hard with the team. I will use a similar approach as I have done in the junior series.”