Formula 1 - 2017

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HORNER: GOOD DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IN CONCEPT WE HAVE

Red Bull have opted for a visibly less complex front-wing concept than their rivals Mercedes and Ferrari, but team chief Christian Horner confirmed that this was a deliberate strategy employed by their ace designer Adrian Newey.

Horner told BBC, “It’s still early days. The regulations are still very immature. We’ve chosen a different concept. I believe there’s really good development potential in the concept that we have.”

The concept he refers to is to have a basic front wing package which can be developed from race-to-race and tweaked according to the nuances of each race track the F1 circus visits, in other words a modular aero solution.

Horner explained. “I think development is going to be incremental at every event. Looking at the amount of notes Adrian has taken away from this weekend, for sure it’s going to keep our design office pretty busy.”

“There’s a lot of positives to take out of Australia, at a track where we have not been competitive for the last couple of years. I’m sure that we can build on this over the coming races.”

“We have a good basis and a good direction and as the regulations are quite immature, I think things will move quite quickly. So I honestly believe we will get ourselves into a competitive situation this year,” added Horner.

Red Bull had a forgettable Australian Grand Prix weekend, with local hero Daniel Ricciardo compromising his race with a crash during qualifying, while Max Verstappen had a lonely race to fifth.

The pair were not quite in touch with the pace setters, out classed in qualifying by Ferrari and Mercedes, but on the positive side the Bulls appeared stronger in the race.

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Formula 1 set for noisier, cheaper engines in 2021

Formula 1 is set to switch to noisier and cheaper engines from the 2021 season, following a meeting of stakeholders on Friday.

Various stakeholders and representatives from outside F1 met to discuss the future power unit that will eventually replace the current hybrid-V6 system which was introduced in 2014.

Amongst those in attendance were representatives from current suppliers Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Honda as well as other manufacturers not currently involved, including the Volkswagen Group through Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali and former engine supplier Cosworth.

Although no firm decision was made, the FIA confirmed an outline agreement which includes making them much cheaper and noisier – one of the main complaints against the current formula.

There remains a desire from the parties involved to "maintain F1 as the pinnacle of motor sport technology, and as a laboratory for developing technology that is relevant to road cars," therefore it's unlikely the hybrid system will be dropped in its entirety, but could be simplified.

A statement added: "Future power units [must] be powerful, while becoming simpler and less costly to develop and produce," whilst also "improving the sound [and] a desire to allow drivers to drive harder at all times."

FIA president Jean Todt added: "I was very pleased with the process, and the fact that so many different stakeholders were able to agree on a direction for the FIA Formula One World Championship in such an important technical area.

"Of course, now we must sit down and work through the fine details of exactly what the 2021 power units will be – but we have begun on the right foot, and I am looking forward to working through the process to come up with the best decision for Formula One into the future."

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Verstappen backs return to V10 engines

Max Verstappen has added his support to the popular request of Formula 1 returning to V10 engines in the future.

The noise levels of the current turbo hybrid V6 power units have failed to impressed since their induction in 2014 and the FIA recently acknowledged the issue at a meeting between the constructors.

V10 engines have not been used since 2005, but Verstappen would like to see them return in order to enhance the experience for the fans.

“I think it would be very nice to have a V10 engine or something, with the lovely sound,” Verstappen told Motorsport.com.

“[The current engines are] nice for me in the car, but I think it’s not really impressive for the fans, if you compare it to a V10 or V12.”

However, Verstappen was less receptive about the idea of making Formula 1 all-electric racing.

“Let’s keep things how they are for the next 15 years. I would be fine with that," he said. "After that they can make the whole thing completely electric.

"After that I’m going to do other things”, Verstappen added. “I already have some things in my mind I would like to do, but of course this is still quite far away.”

“I hope that the sport is still using a petrol engine by then. One that also makes some sound.”

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Magnussen: Haas VF17 very encouraging

Kevin Magnussen was encouraged by the performance of the VF17 in Australia, despite the American team finishing with a double DNF.

Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, recently claimed that the Ferrari engine powering the VF17 is on a par with Mercedes, perhaps even better.

Magnussen also shares the confidence in the car, and its pace was really encouraging to see.

"I’d rather have to sort out reliability than sort out an underperforming car. Performance-wise, it’s there. We just need to make it run," Magnussen said.

"It’s still very encouraging when you see the car is fast.

"It’s really good news that the car is as competitive as we had hoped for."

However, Magnussen was also keen to stress that the team cannot afford to be complacent after one race and the hard work must continue.

"There’s obviously no guarantee it’s going to be as competitive again," he warned.

"We need to work hard to get the most out of it and make it competitive again in China. The car was there, it was performing.

"It was just on my side I had a bit of a tough weekend. I didn’t get enough track time and there were too many issues with reliability that meant I didn’t have a good weekend. It’s positive, though."

MIKA: Well thus far the car "IS" competative, unfortunately Magnussen is not....

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How Ferrari’s last title-winner has inspired 2017 F1 design

The Australian Grand Prix-winning Ferrari SF70H features an aerodynamic tweak that harks back to its last Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship-winner in 2008.

F1 development is cyclic, with solutions used in the past often returning years later in a slightly different guise in order to suit new regulations.

This year, Ferrari has returned to a design it last used in 2008, albeit with a little help from their rivals, and the Scuderia has made further refinements…

Ferrari SF70H, S duct inlet nose

On the face of it, Ferrari’s design seems very similar to the solution run by Mercedes and Toro Rosso last year (below), with the inlets placed further forward and internal pipework granting a passage for the airflow.

Mercedes W07 nose

But, on closer inspection, the team has made a change to the internal pipework, crossing them over one another (red arrows), which should give the airflow much more freedom as it’s channeled toward the outlet, where it draws nearby airflow that would ordinarily detach from the surface back toward the chassis.

Ferrari SF70H, S duct

The premise of this new style of ‘S’-duct can actually find its roots in a solution used by Ferrari in 2008 (below), with air drawn in under the nose ejected out over the chassis surface to limit airflow detachment.

Ferrari F2008, nose back comparison

This trend to a more forward positioning of the inlets is a clever interpretation of the single cross-section regulations, whereby no holes must be present if a slice were to be taken at any point through the side of the structure.

It allows the designers to place the inlet in a more desirable location, in order that it can have a positive effect on the airflow in that region, rather than being limited by a point between 150mm forward of or on the front wheel centreline like the solutions used in recent years.

Ferrari F2008 (659) 2008 nose with S-duct detail

 

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IRVINE: TODAY’S DRIVERS ARE GOOD BUT NOT ON SCHUMACHER’S LEVEL

Speaking to Motorsport-Total, former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine has labeled Sebastian Vettel an “arrogant, well educated kid” while insisting that no driver of the current generation is in the league of his former teammate and Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher.

Irvine was a Ferrari driver from 1996 until 1999, years he spent playing second fiddle to Schumacher at Maranello. The Irishman insists that Schumacher is in another class when compared to Vettel.

He explained, “Michael was quite exceptional. Even when things were going really bad, he worked with Todt to hold the whole thing together, which was quite amazing.”

“In my day there was, after [Ayrton] Senna’s death, only Michael. No one could drive a car like Michael Schumacher. That is what helped Ferrari at the time, because they could never point a finger at him. Rightly so because he was never to blame.”

“When we were teammates I knew I was not as good as Michael. When I saw Michael drive I realised he could do things I could not do with the car. Mika [Häkkinen] was perhaps better than the rest of us but Michael was better than him too.”

Of today’s drivers, Irvine said, “Vettel is a arrogant, well educated kid and damn good driver, but not on Michael’s level, Lewis [Hamilton] is a damn good driver, but everyone knew Michael was on a different level.”

However the Irishman is adamant that arrogance is part of the DNA of successful Formula 1 drivers, “This is how we behave. I was just like that, and so is Lewis [Hamilton], look at [Fernando] Alonso, these guys are arrogant, that’s what drives them to get into Formula One.”

“When they arrive in Formula 1, with so much admiration feted over them, their narcissism is kindled, their arrogance, and all the other horrible qualities which do not make us nice humans.”

“Today who is the best? Vettel, Alonso or Hamilton? Ultimately it’s only your personal taste,” opined Irvine who made 146 grand prix starts, winning four times as a Ferrari driver.

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GIOVINAZZI REPLACES WEHRLEIN FOR CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Italian rookie Antonio Giovinazzi will again replace Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber in the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix due to the German’s fitness issues, the Swiss-based Formula One team said on Monday.

Sauber are hoping Wehrlein, who withdrew from last month’s season-opener in Australia, could be back for the third round in Bahrain or Russia after that.

Giovinazzi, a Ferrari-backed driver who is the first Italian to race in Formula One since 2011, made an impressive debut in Melbourne when he finished 12th.

“For me the most important is that I can train intensively to ensure a 100 percent performance from my side as soon as possible,” said Wehrlein, who raced for now-defunct Manor last year and has Mercedes ties.

“I will then be well-prepared for my first complete Grand Prix weekend for the Sauber F1 Team. Hopefully this can be in Bahrain but, if not, then we will take the time it needs until Russia to make sure I am completely ready.”

Wehrlein injured his back in a crash at the “Race of Champions” event in Miami in January, and took time off to recover.

He tested in Spain in March and was cleared to drive at Albert Park for Ferrari-powered Sauber before pulling out on the Saturday before final practice.

“My fitness level is not as it should be for a full race distance because of my training deficit,” the 22-year-old said at the time.

“Therefore, the Sauber F1 Team has decided not to take any risks. It is a pity, but the best decision for the team.”

This year’s cars are taking corners much faster due to fatter tyres and aerodynamic changes, subjecting the drivers to greater G-forces, and several drivers have worked hard over the winter to add upper body strength.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff tipped Wehrlein (a Mercedes backed driver) to come back strong, “I feel for Pascal, because he has had all the bad luck. I’m impressed with the maturity he has shown to inform Sauber that he wouldn’t be able to perform at the level required in Melbourne.”

“That took courage and selflessness, which I know earned him a lot of credit within the team. Now, he needs to build up his fitness and come back strong. I have no doubt that when he’s back in the car, he’ll prove he’s still the same Pascal,” added Wolff.

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ROC: ALL DRIVERS COMPETING IN FUTURE WILL WEAR NECK PROTECTION

In the wake of the repercussions of Pascal Wehrlein’s accident during the Race of Champions event in January, all drivers will be required to wear HANS, Simpson or similar approved Frontal Head Restraint devices.

Wehrlein has not fully recovered from his spectacular crash during the event in Miami, and as a result has been forced to miss out on the season opening Australian Grand Prix, as well as the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix and most likely the Bahrain Grand Prix a week later.

A study of images and video footage from the event showed that Wehrlein (and several other drivers) did not wear a HANS-device or similar neck protection equipment and his injury happened to be neck related.

When approached for comment on the matter, a ROC spokesperson responded, “Race Of Champions takes safety very seriously, as proven by its safety record over 28 years. In light of the incident at the ROC event in Miami, all drivers competing in future ROC events will be required to wear Frontal Head Restraint devices.”

“The ROC Miami event (a National Status event with International participation) was held under the General Regulations of ACCUS with the support of USAC – United States Auto Club – (incorporating the International Sporting Code of the FIA) these do not mandate drivers to wear a form of Frontal Head Restraint (FHR), including HANS device, in competition. ROC always strongly urges its competitors to wear an FHR device and does provide these to competitors and passengers that don’t have their own. However, in Miami, the final decision was ultimately made by individual drivers, most of whom wore one.”

“ROC would also like to emphasize that all passengers at ROC are required to wear an FHR device and that all passengers did wear FHR devices at ROC Miami.”

“ROC uses a Simpson harness, which is different in appearance to the traditional HANS device. All cars used are also compatible with HANS, Simpson and similar FHR devices.”

When asked to confirm the absence of a neck safety device on Wehrlein when he crshed, the spokesman added, “Based on the low speed and historically over 28 years very low risk environment at Race Of Champions, a number of drivers choose not to wear the Hans device at the event in Miami, which was their right.”

It also emerged that Wehrlein ignored the wishes of his own manager not to attend the race and rather focus on preparations for the new Formula 1 season, but the German driver chose otherwise.

MIKA: And here is the crash

 

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WOLFF: I FEEL FOR PASCAL BECAUSE HE HAS HAD ALL THE BAD LUCK

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has backed Sauber’s German driver Pascal Wehrlein to “come back strong” after having to miss the opening race of the season in Australia due to fitness issues.

Wehrlein, a Mercedes-backed driver who raced for now-defunct Manor last year, was withdrawn by Sauber for the March 26 Melbourne race and replaced by Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.

The Swiss-based Formula One team have yet to say who will compete in China this weekend.

“I feel for Pascal, because he has had all the bad luck,” Wolff said in a Mercedes team statement on Monday ahead of the second round of the season in Shanghai.

“I’m impressed with the maturity he has shown to inform Sauber that he wouldn’t be able to perform at the level required in Melbourne. That took courage and selflessness, which I know earned him a lot of credit within the team.

“Now, he needs to build up his fitness and come back strong. I have no doubt that when he’s back in the car, he’ll prove he’s still the same Pascal.”

Wehrlein injured his back in a crash at the Race of Champions in Miami in January, and took time off to recover.

He tested in Spain in March, and was cleared to drive at Albert Park before pulling out on the Saturday before final practice.

“My fitness level is not as it should be for a full race distance because of my training deficit,” the 22-year-old said then in a team statement.

“Therefore, the Sauber F1 Team has decided not to take any risks. It is a pity, but the best decision for the team.”

This year’s cars are taking corners much faster due to fatter tyres and aerodynamic changes, subjecting the drivers to greater G-forces. Several drivers have worked hard over the winter to add upper body strength as a result.

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BOULLIER: CHINA WILL EXPOSE THE WEAKNESSES IN OUR PACKAGE

The Chinese Grand Prix will expose McLaren and Honda’s weaknesses more starkly than last month’s season-opening race in Australia, according to Formula One team racing director Eric Boullier.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso ran in the top 10 but failed to finish in Melbourne on March 26 while the Spaniard’s new Belgian team mate, Stoffel Vandoorne, was 13th but last on the road.

“I can predict that we won’t be as fortuitous with our pace, compared to our rivals, as we were in Australia,” Boullier said in a team preview.

“The characteristics of the Shanghai International Circuit are very different from Melbourne, and its long, fast straights will likely expose the weaknesses in our package more than Albert Park did.”

McLaren and engine partners Honda endured a difficult pre-season with reliability problems limiting their mileage in testing.

The former champions had hoped to take a big step up in 2017, after two years of struggle with Honda in the new V6 turbo hybrid era, but instead are looking likely to go back down the pecking order.

They finished sixth last year after ending 2015 ninth.

While Alonso exceeded expectations in Australia, he has not spared Honda in highlighting the lack of performance compared to rivals with Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault power units.

“We are last in terms of performance,” he told reporters in Australia. “In normal conditions on a normal circuit we should be last and second last.”

Honda’s F1 head, Yusuke Hasegawa, recognised Australia had been tough and agreed with Boullier that another difficult weekend was in store in the second race of the season.

He said, with more than a hint of understatement, that there was “room for improvement when it comes to performance”.

“We expect the Chinese Grand Prix to be even more challenging,” added Hasegawa. “The race is always a bit of an unknown due to the changeable weather conditions, which affects the set-up and balance of the car.

“The track itself also places a lot of stress on the power unit with its slow- and medium-speed corners, and two very long straights. The key will be preparation and set-up.”

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel leads the standings after winning in Melbourne with Lewis Hamilton second for champions Mercedes.

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JOS VERSTAPPEN BEATEN UP IN CLUB BRAWL

Former Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen was beaten up in a brawl at De Weerd club in Roermond, where he received several blows after an altercation with a fellow patron.

1Limburg quotes several sources with regards to the incident, while police confirmed,  “Around 18:00 we received a message about the conflict.”

Security personnel at the beach club style venue asked those involved to leave the beach club, but the police spokesperson added, “A man with significant injuries to his face refused to leave. He was then taken in to custody be police.”

He was released later in the evening.

According to police the man was 45-year-old Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull F1 driver Max Verstappen, who had “had a black eye and a cut on his face.”

An eyewitness reported that Verstappen got into an argument with a man “when a friend stepped in, it was like a flash in the pan” that resulted in the former F1 driver taking several blows which led to his injuries.

It is not certain if Verstappen himself fought back or threw any punches himself, but eyewitnesses say he emerged the worse off of those involved in the brawl.

His lawyer Marcel Heuvelmans said that Verstappen was a victim and that  he was attacked by another man. He added that they were considering reporting the attacker for assault.

Heuvelmans explained why Verstappen did not leave as requested by security, “He was going to be picked up and if you are a victim, why would you have to leave?”

Verstappen senior has a history of violence. Last year his father Frans, Max’s grandfather, reported that he was beaten by Jos, but later he retracted his statement.

In 2008 Verstappen appeared in court in Tongeren, Belgium, charged with assaulting his wife Sophie Kumpen. 

He was found innocent of assault, but guilty of threatening Kumpen in text messages and of violating a previously issued restraining order.

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Renault preview the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Round 2 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, at Shanghai International Circuit.

Renault Sport Racing Managing Director, Cyril Abiteboul: “To illustrate that the 2017 season is well and truly underway, we now head to China for the start of the first back-to-back combination of races.”

“Race one in Australia showed that we have the pace but not necessarily the complete execution with the R.S.17. We definitely had potential to finish in the points at Albert Park, so that is what we should have achieved.”

“Clearly, this latest generation Formula 1 has intensified the need to deliver at maximum potential in every regard. We need to ensure that the car is in the right place at the right time, whether that our strategists finding the best clear air on track, our mechanics and every component on the car is faultless, our pit stops occurring as quickly as possible and our power unit is being harnessed in the most efficient manner possible. We must always deliver at the top of our game.”

“At short term, the main point is reliability. We didn’t have any ERS but we did experience other issues – most notably Jolyon’s brakes in the race – so we clearly have work to do. The big positive we take from Melbourne is that we have the pace to be where we want to be: fight for points. If we do everything right, we will fight for fifth place in the championship by the end of the season.”

“The performance of the power unit seems to be delivering at the level we expected and we know there is more to come. In due course we will revert to the 2017-specification MGU-K and we will also introduce upgrades but this will only happen if we achieve the reliability level we need.”

“In China we want to achieve what we didn’t in Australia; make it into Q3 and finish in the points. It’s a completely different circuit and last year it wasn’t a great race for us so we want to do much better.”

“China is important for Formula 1 and it’s important for Renault. It’s a market of growth for Renault with Formula 1 providing part of the framework for this growth. We will have strong activations off track and then following the Grand Prix we will present something entirely new and forward-looking at the Shanghai Motor Show.”

“Motorsport is an area of exciting development in China with plans to double the number of FIA certified circuits over the coming decade. Renault Sport is contributing to this growth with our Road to Champion programme in conjunction with Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company and Formula Racing Development, our partner for Asian Formula Renault. Over 40,000 drivers have already applied to be part of the 2017 programme so it’s a very exciting initiative. Our 2016 winner, Marcus Song Xu Jie, will be joining us in Shanghai as will Renault Sport Academy driver Sun Yue Yang.”

“Closer to home we have a new appointment at Enstone with Naoki Tokunaga appointed as Chief Transformation Officer from April 1. Naoki has most recently served as Technical Director at Viry and was previously Deputy Technical Director at Enstone so he knows both our operations intimately. His new role is in line with our evolving structure as we adapt to the current needs. We have now reached the 600 mark in terms of headcount at Enstone so there has been a significant increase in resource over the past 15 months.”

After the R.S.17’s first race, Chassis Technical Director Nick Chester looks to Shanghai with a sense of optimism.

What’s the general feedback after the first race?
NC: We feel we have made a good step forward since last year. The R.S.17 is able to fight in the mid-field. We need to improve the car balance which will come with track time. We are still learning how to get the best out of the car under the new regulations and there is a lot of potential to come.

What’s on the must try harder list?
NC: We are very early in the development curve so there’s a lot of improvement to come across the board, both with car components and how we get the best out of it in terms of set-up. We didn’t get the set-up balance in the sweet spot in Albert Park and that affects how much the drivers can extract from the car as well as how it uses the tyres. We need to focus on the strategy lessons learnt as finding clean air to make the most of your tyre strategy looks to be even more important than before. We need to focus on our pit stops. There are also a number of minor improvements we can make to the car. There’s a big to-do list.

How did the 2017 driver line-up work in Melbourne?
NC: Nico is new to us and he is a very quick driver with precise feedback and knows what he wants from the car. A lot of his feedback was echoed by Jolyon which makes the development path more straightforward. Jolyon was very unlucky with a difficult weekend and we didn’t give him a car that was working properly and it affected him in qualifying and in the race. We have rectified the problem for China.

What’s the challenge of the Shanghai International Circuit?
NC: China is an interesting circuit in terms of layout. It’s quite a demanding circuit in terms of power – especially with the long back straight. It is a relatively smooth circuit so easier to setup for in terms in terms of ride than Melbourne. As usual we will need to trade off downforce and drag to arrive at the optimum wing level. We will continue to learn more about the tyres which seem very durable.

A second shy of the points in Melbourne, Nico Hülkenberg is determined to finish higher in Shanghai.

What is your frame of mind heading to China and Shanghai?
NH: I’m going to be pushing all the way for points. Australia was slightly frustrating as we could have done better with the pace we had in the car but traffic was an issue for most of the race. Our tyre strategy didn’t help us either. It looks like we’re in the midfield with some of our rivals slightly ahead, but certainly in reach, and Shanghai is a very different track from Albert Park, so let’s see what happens.

What’s your take on racing the Shanghai International Circuit?
NH: The track is famous for the never-ending turn-one / turn two combination. It’s a tricky corner because it’s easy to go in too hot, especially during qualifying, and it’s a corner that eats the front-left tyre. This combination really sucks you in as the corner goes on a long time after a really fast entry, but you are shedding speed thereafter as it gets tighter and tighter in a corner that seems to go on forever before spitting you out into the downhill, tight turn three.
Historically, looking after the tyres has been hard work because turn 13 is another long right-hander that takes even more life out of them. The tyres and the cars are very different this year so we’ll have a lot to learn on Friday this year.
The rest of the lap has a bit of everything from low-speed to high-speed, which makes it challenging to find a balanced set-up. There’s a big long straight where you have enough time to complete your tax return and have an expresso as you’re going in straight line with your foot hard down for so long, then you wake up and you’re hard on the brakes. It’s really important to get your braking right there as it’s a pretty important corner.

What are your thoughts one race in with your new team?
NH: I feel totally at home and I know we can deliver good things together. It’s clearly a big operation at the start of a long adventure and it’s great to be part of this. Everyone’s working hard together and I know we can achieve great things in the future.

After a frustrating Australian Grand Prix Jolyon Palmer is aiming for more laps and a better vibe in Shanghai

What’s the plan for China?
JP: It’s a clean slate approach for me as Australia was a bit of a shocker. Fortunately the team were able to find the particular gremlin which affected me over the weekend so I’m heading to Shanghai as if it’s my first race of the season. Nico’s shown the race potential so let’s get out there and make points happen.

What do you need?
JP: More time in the car is all that’s needed to lead to a much better weekend. It’s as simple as that. Albert Park was a really frustrating start to the season so I’m looking to get more laps on the board and more progress in the race. Obviously, there were many factors out of my hands in Australia, so the team’s checked over the car very carefully to ensure we don’t see a repeat of any of the same issues. From my side, I’ll be avoiding the walls very keenly too!

What are your thoughts of the Shanghai International Circuit?
JP: It’s a track made up of a long first corner, some fast corners in the middle sector and then a super-long back straight. To put a perfect lap together is not easy as there are a lot of different sections. We’ve seen some good races there in the past, degradation has been historically high – especially on the front left because of the long right-hand corners – so it will be interesting to see how the latest rubber fares.

Are you looking forward to driving the R.S.17 around there?
JP: We should really get a keen appreciation of the downforce. In the first corner we should be able to attack with a lot more speed – and the entry to it should be pretty fruity. The middle section should also put a smile on our faces. Every track we visit this year will be exploring new limits and China should be a great example of this.

Other than the racing, what else do you look forward to in Shanghai?
JP: There are very passionate fans in China so I’m looking forward to returning and meeting them again.

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Force India preview the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Round 2 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, in Shanghai.

Vijay Mallya: “I was proud of our performance in Australia. We achieved our objective of getting both cars home in the points and we’ve got our season underway. Psychologically it’s an important boost to get points on the board at the first race.

“Our new livery certainly caught everybody’s attention in Melbourne. Sergio and Esteban were in the thick of the action and both drivers took their opportunities to overtake. Sergio’s experience showed as he delivered another fantastic drive, while our new recruit, Esteban, earned his first point in Formula One. To leave Melbourne with both cars in the top ten was a tremendous team effort.

“Our expectations for Shanghai are similar to Melbourne. The development curve is going to be steep for all the teams so it will be interesting to see the pecking order at the end of the weekend. The midfield pack is exceptionally close at the moment and we need to work hard to stay at the front of that fight.”

Sergio Perez: “Every time I visit China I see big enthusiasm from the fans. They wait outside our hotel and make special gifts for us. It always gives me positive energy. The size of Shanghai impresses me too. It’s very international and there is so much to see and do. I always make an effort to try the local food.

“Our seventh place finish in Melbourne was very satisfying. We beat some cars that had better pace because we made the right decisions with the strategy. Our performance in Melbourne showed that we have done a good job over the winter, but there are still areas where we need to improve. The upgrades we have coming during the next couple of races should help. It’s about improving the overall balance of the car.

“The seventh place in Melbourne represents my best ever start to a season with this team and I have a good feeling for the races to come. In the last few years we’ve shown that we can develop the car well and that’s going to be especially important this year. We’ve already made a big step forward since pre-season testing.

“I enjoyed racing with these new cars. Yes, overtaking is not easy, especially with the shorter braking distances, but Melbourne has always been a difficult track for overtaking. I was happy with my fitness, too. The cars are much more physical, but I felt strong after the race and I believe I’m in the best shape of my life.”

Esteban Ocon: “My first race weekend with Sahara Force India was a great experience. It was a very busy week and I had to learn a huge amount and get up to speed quickly. In Melbourne I said that I am on a big learning curve and the same will be true in China. I still need to build my speed with the VJM10 – it’s about exploring the limits of the car and understanding how to manage the tyres during qualifying and the race. What we learned in Melbourne will certainly make things a bit easier this weekend, but you never stop learning in this sport.

“I was happy to score my first point in Australia and it’s a great way for the team to start the season, especially with a strong result for Sergio as well. It shows that we have a solid base on which we can build. I’ve settled in nicely to this team and I’m working well with my engineers and my car crew. It’s important to feel comfortable and I like the way we do things. It’s a very open atmosphere and the team understands what I need from the car.

“I visited China last year but I’ve never driven at the Shanghai circuit. So it’s going to be another new track for me to learn on Friday. After the street circuit of Melbourne, it will be nice to go to a track which is the complete opposite with lots of open space. I think the car should be more suited to Shanghai, but it’s hard to know until we get there and drive. The goal, once again, is to score some points.”

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MCLAREN PREVIEW CHINESE GRAND PRIX

The Chinese Grand Prix takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit, which is one of the most expensive purpose-built F1 facilities in the world. Completed at a cost of $450m, the 5.451km/3.367-mile layout is shaped like the Chinese character ‘shang’, which stands for ‘high’ or ‘above’

Fernando Alonso: “Australia was a bit of a surprise for us, as we didn’t expect to perform at the level at we did, although on paper, ultimately, the results show the reality. We know there’s a lot of work to do and we aren’t delivering what we had aimed for pre-season, but equally we’re pushing hard behind the scenes. Despite there being a few fly-aways at the start of the season, we’re still expecting to upgrades at every race, including China.

“In Shanghai last year everyone had their eye on the tyres as wear is typically high there and we often saw graining, but it’ll be interesting to see how the new compounds perform on this type of track. The weather is often unpredictable and temperatures can change a lot over the weekend, so it’s something all the teams have to manage with the balance and set-up of the car.

“Shanghai is a really quirky track – Turn One is actually my favourite corner on the whole calendar – and it provides a good test for the driver with a high average speed compared to the street circuit of Melbourne. I’m looking forward to seeing what the new cars are capable of there, and I hope we can at least have a trouble-free race and see where we are when the chequered flag falls.”

Stoffel Vandoorne: “Although the race in Australia was disappointing for us in terms of where we finished the race, for me it was a big milestone in my career and I’m glad I’ve got my first official race start as a McLaren-Honda driver under my belt. I learned a lot and had to react quickly to various challenges we faced over the weekend, and I’m proud of the way we handled them to get the car home.

“Finishing last is never what we would want, and China will be equally difficult for us, but I know we have some new parts for this weekend and as usual we’ll be pushing hard to get the maximum out of our package. The circuit is a new one for me, so I’m looking forward to driving it for the first time for real and not just on the simulator, and getting to grips with the changeable conditions.

“The Shanghai track has very different characteristics from Melbourne and from the next race in Bahrain, so I’m keen to get on top of that early in the weekend and work hard on set-up. It’s a mix of low- and medium-speed corners and then the long, fast straights, so it has a bit of everything. Getting as much time on track during the practice sessions will be important, so I’ll be aiming to learn as much as I can on Friday and will see what we can do over the rest of the weekend.”

Eric Boullier, Mclaren-Honda Racing Director: “The Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park was undoubtedly a difficult grand prix for McLaren-Honda, but also an event from which we were able to take a number of positives. Our pace on Saturday was better than expected and Fernando in particular was able to take advantage of a higher grid position to give us more muscle during the race, until his unfortunate retirement.

“Shanghai is known to be an unpredictable weekend for a number of reasons: it’s tough on cars, tyres and power units and the weather is often precarious, but I can predict that we won’t be as fortuitous with our pace, compared to our rivals, as we were in Australia.

“The characteristics of the Shanghai International Circuit are very different from Melbourne, and its long, fast straights will likely expose the weaknesses in our package more than Albert Park did. However, we will of course attack the race with our usual fighting spirit, and the most important thing will be to ensure reliability with both cars before focusing on performance.”

Yusuke Hasegawa, Honda R&D Co. Ltd Head Of F1 Project & Executive Chief Engineer: “Although the season opener in Australia was a tough race weekend for us, it allowed us to judge our current position on track. There were both positives and negatives to take away. We were able to confirm certain reliabilities on our power unit, but we also know that we still have room for improvement when it comes to performance.

“We expect the Chinese Grand Prix to be even more challenging. The race is always a bit of an unknown due to the changeable weather conditions, which affects the set-up and balance of the car. The track itself also places a lot of stress on the power unit with its slow- and medium-speed corners, and two very long straights. The key will be preparation and set-up.

“Once again we will work together with McLaren to ensure we do our best and extract the most from our package. It’s important we gather as much information as possible. It’s a long season and we are looking for progress at every race.”

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HAAS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Yin Yang is the concept of duality forming a whole. You can’t have day without night and, similarly, you can’t have good without bad. Balance is achieved when these competing interests are placed together.

Haas F1 Team comes into the Chinese Grand Prix April 9 at Shanghai International Circuit seeking balance. After both its drivers failed to finish the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the yang of a double DNF (Did Not Finish) in the first round of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship needs to be offset with the yin of a points-paying performance in Shanghai.

Drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen are emphatic such a result is possible. Their disappointment in Australia was neutralized by the speed and potential of the Haas VF-17. The second-generation racecar built by Haas F1 Team was quick enough to be at the top of the midfield behind only the sport’s giants – Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.

Proof was Grosjean’s sixth-place qualifying effort, which placed him ahead of Williams, Toro Rosso, Force India, Renault, McLaren and Sauber. It was also the best qualifying performance in Haas F1 Team’s history, with the American outfit having made its debut in last year’s Australian Grand Prix.

Grosjean was unable to capitalize on the stellar qualifying effort, as a water leak ended his race after only 13 laps. Magnussen, meanwhile, also felt the speed of the Haas VF-17, but in trying to wring the most out of the Ferrari-powered machine, he went wide at turn 12 during his qualifying runs, shackling himself with a 17th-place starting spot.

Deep in the field and jockeying for position on the opening lap, contact with the Sauber of Marcus Ericsson sent Magnussen into the turn-three gravel trap. Magnussen powered through the gravel and eventually returned to the track, but well down the running order. Then 11 laps short of the finish, a right-front tire puncture forced Magnussen to retire his racecar.

Nonetheless, both drivers were effusive about the Haas VF-17 after the race.

“There’s huge potential in the car,” Grosjean said.

“The car is there,” Magnussen added. “We just have to make it finish and score points.”

With the racecar proving to be the yin of their Australian Grand Prix, Grosjean and Magnussen rightly carry optimism and experience into China. Grosjean has five career Formula One starts at the 5.451-kilometer (3.387-mile), 16-turn circuit.

Three times he has finished in the points, with his best result being a sixth-place drive in 2012. Magnussen has two starts at Shanghai, with a top finish of 13th in 2014.

Achieving points in China will involve continuing the pace set in Australia while solving the conundrum presented by Shanghai’s “snail corners” and its massive backstraight. The snail corners both look like a snail and force drivers to take a snail’s pace around them – at least by Formula One standards. These corners, which comprise turns 1-4 and turns 11-13, are juxtaposed with the 1.4-kilometer (.869 of a mile) backstraight – the longest in Formula One. There, drivers eclipse 320 kph (200 mph) before heavy braking into the turn-14 hairpin. Securing the downforce needed to maximize these vastly divergent elements, along with the other in-between aspects of the track, is akin to balancing on a razor blade.

It’s a track that features plenty of yin yang characteristics. Balance is key, and it’s why Haas F1 Team is taking a balanced approach to the second race of its sophomore season.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

Even though the outcome of the Australian Grand Prix produced a double DNF, the weekend as a whole seemed to go well at least in regard to the speed of the car. Are you cautiously optimistic that you have a car capable of fighting at the top of the midfield?
GS: “We are cautiously optimistic. We need to still prove that our performance wasn’t a one-off. It’s very tight in the midfield. On a good day, you could be on top, but on a bad day, you could be at the back. The other midfield teams have shown that this can happen. I think we surprised a little bit with our performance, especially Romain qualifying sixth with his lap, which was four-tenths faster than (Felipe) Massa’s. That’s pretty good.”

You were not alone in suffering a DNF at Australia, as five other teams had drivers who failed to finish. Reliability is important and it will come as the year progresses and more is learned about the racecar, but at this stage of the season, will you take speed and potential over reliability?
GS: “Absolutely. If you’ve got speed, you can get reliability. It’s not good not to have it in the beginning, but not to have speed would be much more difficult to fix than the reliability.”

Haas F1 Team impressed everyone last year with a sixth-place finish in its debut at the Australian Grand Prix. How important was Grosjean’s sixth-place qualifying effort this year in dispelling any notions that Haas F1 Team’s way of doing things wasn’t sustainable?
GS: “There will always be doubters. We’ll always be told that next year will be more difficult, and then we have to prove it again. You have to prove yourself every year in Formula One. Again, qualifying sixth in the first race of 2017 quieted our critics a little bit. They will come back, but we proved we didn’t just get lucky last year.”

Grosjean’s sixth-place qualifying effort came as a surprise to many in the paddock, as there were questions about how Haas F1 Team would fare in its second year after it had to simultaneously race its 2016 car and develop its 2017 car. Did the qualifying performance surprise you?
GS: “I would say yes. We were hoping to get into Q3, but we weren’t sure because it’s so tight in the midfield. Then to be sixth, with this distance to our next competitor, four-tenths, it surprised us. Obviously, we need to keep it up, or we need to try to do it again, to prove that this is where we should be. It will be difficult to keep that pace, or that distance, or even get into Q3 all the time because it’s very competitive.”

Ferrari won at Australia, and Haas F1 Team runs the same Ferrari engine as the version that carried Sebastian Vettel to victory. Can you talk about the gains made by Ferrari with its 062 engine and what it means for Haas F1 Team?
GS: “With the engine, there is not just one area that is better, it’s the whole package that has improved from last year. It’s now as competitive as a Mercedes engine, if not better. Ferrari won in Australia, but everybody is developing and trying to get better. It’s always going to be a development race. They’ve made a good step, and without that help from Ferrari, we wouldn’t be where we are.”

The engine has improved, but so has the car, and it was again built in collaboration with Dallara. How has Dallara incorporated what it learned from last year’s car into this year’s car?
GS: “We just did what everybody does, but I think we made a bigger step. For us and Dallara, modern F1 was new last year. We made some mistakes and we were a little bit conservative on some parts, but we learned quickly. We’ve done a lot of things better than last year. What came out is a car which seems to be competitive.”

There was a lot of talk about the start of this year’s Australian Grand Prix, specifically, how it would go since drivers need to release the clutch based on feel instead of with a program supplied by the team’s engineers. Can you explain what drivers need to do to release the clutch this year compared to what they had to do last year and why it’s so challenging?
GS: “Last year, the engineers set the clutch bite point and it was a procedure. If you followed the procedure correctly, and if the mapping was right, everybody should’ve had a good start. This year, the engineers cannot interfere with the clutch. The drivers are on their own. Like anybody starting off at a set of traffic lights, with the clutch you need to make sure that your tires don’t spin and that you don’t stall. The F1 car, the clutch is on a paddle on the steering wheel, and also you cannot stall because there’s an anti-stall device, but you lose a lot of time if that engages. It’s just more for the driver now to get the right feeling and to handle it manually, and also mentally. It’s a big stress knowing that you’re in control of it and not an electronic set of data.”

China marks the first stint of back-to-back races, as Bahrain is the very next weekend. Considering that China and Bahrain are both flyaway races, how difficult are the logistics of moving a team across an ocean when you only have two days to pack up from one venue and arrive at another?
GS: “It is very challenging. Some of our freight back to the U.K. to rebuild parts was delayed, so that didn’t help. Instead of having three days to rebuild stuff, we just had one. Otherwise, it’s very well organized from Formula One Management how this stuff travels. People are used to it, but it is challenging. You need to be well organized and all F1 teams are highly organized operations. We are prepared for it. People work hard day and night. With something like the freight coming in late, you need to rewrite your plans. You need to give the guys a few days off before the freight comes so they can work those last days before jumping on the plane and going again.”

Explain the level of sophistication with today’s Formula One car. Why can’t a problem be fixed in the garage during the race in the same manner a problem with a NASCAR Cup Series car can be fixed during the race?
GS: “If something breaks in a Formula One car, they are so highly sophisticated that it’s quite a process to determine all that’s wrong and then, normally, there’s not enough time to fix it. Plus, your mechanics are involved in all the pit stops, so when something goes wrong, you can’t pull three or four guys to fix an issue because, by regulation, they’re needed for the pit stop with the other car that’s still running on the racetrack. To try to fix the car just to come in last, 20 laps down, doesn’t make any sense.”

Romain Grosjean

Even though the outcome of the Australian Grand Prix produced a DNF, the race weekend as a whole seemed to go well, which was best exemplified by your sixth-place qualifying effort. How is the Haas VF-17 to drive and what makes you so optimistic going into the Chinese Grand Prix?
RG: “The car felt good to drive from the first lap. We made some setup changes and things reacted pretty well, so that was very positive from the weekend. I felt comfortable all weekend long in the car. Qualifying was, of course, a good moment with the new tires and the new cars running on full power with an empty tank, everyone just going for it. It was pretty exciting in that aspect. I was very pleased with how the car was. Even on high fuel in the race the car felt good. It’s a shame we did not finish the race, but things are good and we keep our fingers crossed that she’ll be as good in China as she was in Australia.”

You were not alone in suffering a DNF at Australia, as six other drivers failed to finish. Reliability is important and it will come as the year progresses and more is learned about the racecar, but at this stage of the season, will you take speed and potential over reliability?
RG: “It’s always good to have a fast car, one that’s maybe not 100 percent reliable, over a slow car that is reliable. I wouldn’t have much fun finishing the grand prix in 15th, but if I’m always fighting in the top-10 and having some good results, sometimes having an issue at the beginning of the year is not a huge deal. We’ve got the performance, which is what we want. Of course, it’s not ideal not to finish the race – that’s not what we want. But again, if the car is fast, we can aim for some good points and the reliability is something we know we can fix.”

In five career Formula One races at the Shanghai International Circuit, you’ve had three point-paying finishes and all of them came from a top-10 starting spot. It shows how important qualifying is, but it also seems to showcase your talents. Is there something about Shanghai that plays to your strengths?
RG: “No. Shanghai is a tricky track because it’s very different from the early stages in the year. It’s a front-limited circuit, meaning that the car needs to work well with front tires. If it doesn’t, then it gets very tricky. Overtaking in Shanghai is not impossible. There’s the long backstraight with DRS helping overtaking maneuvers. In general, if the car is good in qualifying, the race should be quite good. If not, then in the race you’re going to struggle. If you qualify in the top-10, you should finish in the top-10. If you’re not, then it’s harder.”

There was a lot of talk about the start of this year’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, specifically, how it would go since drivers need to release the clutch based on feel instead of with a program supplied by the team’s engineers. How did it go? Is getting it right akin to balancing on a razor blade?
RG: “It’s not easy. Starts are complicated. There are a lot of equations taken into account. It’s pretty tricky to know exactly what to do. We’re not yet the best, but we’re going to keep working hard on it. We have some room for improvement. Race starts this year are going to be tricky. I was actually surprised there weren’t any big dramas at the start of the Australian Grand Prix. It may happen in the year.”

Can you explain how you released the clutch last year and what you have to do this year to get a proper start and why it’s so challenging?
RG: “Last year, you could shape the clutch map to the clutch. They were a bit rigid where you could drop the clutch – there was a big range on the drop. This year, we have to be leaner. If your travel is 10 centimeter, generally you release one centimeter – that’s 10 percent of the clutch. There’s not a place where you can play with a flat map. Therefore, you drop it in a good region, and you have to drop it in a perfect percentage for the grip of the track.”

What does it feel like to nail a start?
RG: “You know the engine revs have dropped down to a good place, you feel like you can go on power, and it all just goes to the track and the car is moving forward pretty quickly. It normally happens in the first, I would say, 30 meters. You know then if you’ve nailed it or if it’s just going to be a difficult start. From there you can react. You can overtake the car in front of you or you just protect your position and make a bit of queue.”

What can happen if you botch the start, other than losing positions? Stalling the car? Inducing so much wheelspin you spin out?
RG: “If you get a lot of wheelspin, you just stay on your position, which is not great. If you drop the clutch too quickly, then you’ll get the anti-stall, so the car won’t actually stall, but when that happens you need to pull the clutch back and release it again. Normally, you’re pretty stressed, so you release it too quickly again the second time and you get the second anti-stall. It’s a bad way to start.”

Starts have always been important, but are they even more so this year since the car’s aerodynamic advances have made them so fast and their wake so turbulent that it’s even more difficult to pass?
RG: “Some races this year, qualifying and the start will be the key. Take Monaco, there’s no way you’re going to overtake there. Race starts and qualifying will be very important. Some other races, maybe China, Bahrain and Russia, you may actually see some good fights out on track. It’s always going to be important, but not as much as at some other venues.”

When you’re in the wake of another car, what happens to your car as opposed to when it’s in clean air?
RG: “When you follow another car, you lose downforce. It’s basically like you’ve got smaller wings or just less grip on the car. Therefore, it’s harder to get closer. The closer you are to the car in front, the worse the effect is.”

What is your favorite part of the Shanghai International Circuit and why?
RG: “I love turn one, just because it’s a challenge going flat-out into the corner, then downshifting into second to finish up. It’s a pretty cool corner.”

Is there a specific portion of the Shanghai International Circuit that is more challenging than other aspects of the track?
RG: “Turn one is a pretty challenging part. It’s such a long corner, you can actually make some difference. Then being up on the backstraight, that long right-hand side corner, going onto the throttle, as well, is important because you’ve got one-and-a-half kilometer of straight line. You need to be as early as possible on the power.”

Kevin Magnussen

Even though the outcome of the Australian Grand Prix produced a DNF, you appeared comfortable with the car and happy with its pace. How is the Haas VF-17 to drive and what makes you so optimistic going into the Chinese Grand Prix?
KM: “It’s really good news that the car is as competitive as we had hoped for. There’s obviously no guarantee it’s going to be as competitive again. We need to work hard to get the most out of it and make it competitive again in China. The car was there, it was performing, it was just on my side I had a bit of a tough weekend. I didn’t get enough track time and there were too many issues with reliability that meant I didn’t have a good weekend. It’s positive, though, that the car is competitive.”

You were not alone in suffering a DNF at Australia, as six other drivers failed to finish. Reliability is important and it will come as the year progresses and more is learned about the racecar, but at this stage of the season, will you take speed and potential over reliability?
KM: “Yes, I think so. The most important thing is to finish the race, otherwise you get nothing out of anything. It’s still very encouraging when you see the car is fast. I’d rather have to sort out reliability than sort out an underperforming car. Performance-wise, it’s there. We just need to make it run.”

There was a lot of talk about the start of this year’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, specifically, how it would go since drivers need to release the clutch based on feel instead of with a program supplied by the team’s engineers. How did it go? Is getting it right akin to balancing on a razor blade?
KM: “There wasn’t much difference with people getting it wrong or getting it right. Most people made a decent start. That was a bit surprising. I thought more people would get it wrong. It’s different, but it’s not really too bad. It’s made it a little bit more variable, but not too much. It’s still doable.”

Can you explain how you released the clutch last year and what you have to do this year to get a proper start and why it’s so challenging?
KM: “Last year, you just had to release the clutch pedal to about halfway. It didn’t really matter if it was spot-on as long as you were sort of past 10 percent and under 90 percent – you were somewhere in that middle zone of where the clutch was performing. All you had to do was react quickly.”

What does it feel like to nail a start?
KM: “The most important thing is to be at the limit of the grip of the rear tires, not to go past it. If you go past it, you get wheelspin. You’ll have a little bit of wheelspin initially, but then you need to catch that, and make sure you go just on the limit of wheelspin.”

What can happen if you botch the start, other than losing positions? Stalling the car? Inducing so much wheelspin you spin out?
KM: “It’s more that you just lose positions, which is annoying.”

Starts have always been important, but are they even more so this year since the car’s aerodynamic advances have made them so fast and their wake so turbulent that it’s even more difficult to pass?
KM: “I think some tracks are going to be easy enough to overtake. Melbourne has always been really tricky to overtake. It was perhaps even trickier than normal. Some other tracks are going to be easier than last year because our straight-line speed is a bit lower, there’s more drag, so the DRS is going to have a big effect, which means overtaking is going to be easier. In China, for example, and Bahrain, it’ll be interesting to see how it works out there, because I think it should still be possible to overtake.”

When you’re in the wake of another car, what happens to your car as opposed to when it’s in clean air?
KM: “You lose a lot of grip. The downforce is obviously disturbed by the turbulence from the car running in front. The closer you get, the bigger the turbulence is from that car. You get more disturbance in the aerodynamics and you lose grip.”

What is your favorite part of the Shanghai International Circuit and why?
KM: “I’d say turn one is pretty good fun. It’s a very unique corner where you turn in at very high speed and you end up at very low speed. It’s an incredibly long corner and pretty unique for that. The rest of the track is pretty straightforward.”

Is there a specific portion of the Shanghai International Circuit that is more challenging than other aspects of the track?
KM: “I would say turn one is the only non-traditional element, the rest, as I said is pretty straightforward.”

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Round 2 of the 2017 Formula 1 World Championship, in Shanghai.

Max Verstappen: “I always enjoy to go back to China as it’s a special place and it’s a very nice track. The food, I mean, I have good experience of it already in Holland but you always have to try the real stuff when you are in China. I do have to be careful with my diet not to eat too much Chinese though as I really like it.

“The country has a lot of history and I would actually quite like to visit the giant pandas sometime. I’m just looking forward to going there at this early stage of the season as everything is still very new and nothing has really been decided yet.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “Shanghai is a track that has definitely grown on me over time. When I first went there it wasn’t one of my favourites and I wasn’t normally that competitive but since I’ve been with Red Bull Racing the circuit has been a real strength of mine and I’ve had some good results. Now I really enjoy the circuit and going back there.”

“The city is quite far from the track but I try to take time to visit as it’s a pretty cool place. It’s a very international city with a good nightlife and some great restaurants, you really can find anything and everything there.”

 

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F1 is "authentic" again, says Wurz

Formula 1 is back to being "authentic" thanks to the 2017 cars leaving drivers happy and challenged again, claims GPDA chairman Alex Wurz.

With the bigger wings and larger tyres set to result in cars smashing lap records this year, drivers have talked about the new generation of machinery being much harder to take to the limit.

And after the hard-fought season-opener in Australia – which swung Sebastian Vettel’s way after Lewis Hamilton got trapped behind Max Verstappen – Wurz is in no doubt that fans should celebrate the fact they are seeing genuine racing again.

The Austrian, who has been in charge of the GPDA since 2014, says his feedback from drivers is encouraging – even though he admits some areas, like the gap between teams, could be improved.

“The drivers like the cars,” Wurz told Motorsport.com. “It is authentic and that comes across, which makes it much easier to sell.

“If you hear a multiple world champion short of breath on the radio, because he is pushing and he can push all the time, that doesn’t require anyone to explain that it is physically tough and challenging to drive.

“Every lap they were pushing. That is cool. So I think the direction we are going is definitely one that is good.”

Areas to improve

Although happy with how the cars have developed, Wurz does admit that there are areas that F1 should be looking to address – like the gap between the top three teams and the rest.

“If I would have a wish list, I would say that if we manage now to get the field a bit closer together in terms of first to last and the top teams, that will bring a bit more competition,” he said.

“And then the excitement will build up itself, so it will be competitive, authentic and exciting. We are heading in this direction.”

He also believes better use of camera angles and on-board shots are essential to make the sport more exciting.

“The TV feed is already better because they have an on-board camera that shakes a bit, so the perception is it is faster, the cars are faster - you can see it,” he said.

“If the TV feed would go away from the old-school business model of big wide opened lenses to have few very fast shots, to capture the speed of the car for the eye, I think with these things, the sport will go in the right direction. And then it is up to the new owners to promote and promote and promote.”

Overtaking issue

Wurz is well aware of the unease among fans that the lack of overtaking in the Australian GP has prompted – but thinks that the issue of passing a complicated one.

“I can immediately understand that some guys say we cannot overtake, but this [subject] is often debated,” he said.

“No one in the world can think that if we have the best guys in the cars that we all want, to be closer together in terms of competitiveness, with one not being very far ahead and without having artificial interference into this game, that overtaking will be easy.

“But if we look back to the 2000s, when people said the racing was so boring, and overtaking is so difficult: it was the most popular period of F1 because it was authentic, and cool.”

[MIKA27]

Are sponsors back in love with F1?

Force India is in the pink, but McLaren is still seeking a title sponsor. What's the current sponsorship climate like in F1 under the sport's new owners? 

The start of an F1 season traditionally sees a flurry of press releases announcing new and extended sponsorship and partnership details. The beginning of 2017 was no different, with announcements of deals both large and small arriving on a near-daily basis.

In the Albert Park paddock in March, there was a mood of optimism in the air. Not only were the VIP enclosures busier and more bustling than in recent years, but the paddock itself was packed and fizzing with energy.

We are in the honeymoon period of the Liberty ownership, a phase in which anything is possible, and the trackside atmosphere reflects that.

But is F1's change of ownership having an impact on the wider world, or is the sense of optimism restricted to the F1 bubble? Bernie Ecclestone and his occasional off-message comments were said to have been one of the obstacles facing blue-chip companies keen on entering Formula 1.

Now that the octogenarian has been relegated to emeritus status, has F1 become more appealing to sponsors?

One team that would give you a resounding 'yes' is Force India, who announced a late livery change - to pink, magenta, and silver - following a significant deal with water technology specialists BWT.

The partnership, rumoured to be worth £16 million, is said to be the largest single investment in the team's history, and represents a significant boost in the development race.

That Force India has been able to secure such a significant deal is interesting of itself. For the bulk of the team's short history, the majority of stickering on the car has been from companies owned by or linked with team owner Vijay Mallya and his string of business interests.

Mallya has spent the past few years fighting the Indian banks over alleged debts relating to the collapse of some of those businesses, and has received considerable bad press in the process.

In the meantime, Force India has been quietly been making a name for itself as Formula 1's 'little engine that could' - a team consistently capable of punching above its financial weight and delivering solid results in the championship.

Force India's efforts on track have managed to outweigh the bad publicity currently surrounding its owner Vijay Mallya, and the Silverstone-based team has been deemed an attractive investment prospect.

 

McLaren's case

One team currently suffering the effects of several years of subpar performances on track is McLaren, who has raced without a title sponsor since the Vodafone deal expired in 2013.

The dethroning of Ron Dennis led to some negative coverage for the team in the specialist media, but by and large McLaren has in recent years enjoyed a growing reputation as a leader in British manufacturing - thanks to the efforts of Automotive and Applied Engineering departments, rather than the results of its F1 team.

Ongoing partnerships with the likes of GSK have seen the McLaren brand retain its gloss and its reputation for technological and engineering excellence, but when it comes to stickering the Formula 1 car, by and large recent deals have been on the smaller side.

But the deals are coming in: in the past two months Logitech was announced as peripherals partner, New Era was named headwear partner, and the much anticipated BP Castrol technical collaboration was confirmed.

McLaren's current lack of sponsorship can be blamed on a lack of championship success in recent years, but at the sharper end of the grid, where Mercedes has dominated for the past three years, there hasn't been much movement on the sponsorship front since the sport changed hands.

Wihuri made the move from Williams alongside Valtteri Bottas, but given that it's a personal sponsor, that was only to be expected.

   

The top teams

Mercedes announced a supply deal with OMP Racing, and another with Axalta, but there were no massive winter deals with the world's biggest brands seeking to associate themselves with the reigning world champion team.

There was not much in the way of big-name sponsor news for Red Bull, Ferrari, or Williams either, to round out the top four.

The off-season saw an earphones deal for Red Bull Racing, while Ferrari did no press at all. Both Bombardier and JCB joined Williams in Lance Stroll-linked deals, but that was it for big deals at the head of the pack.

All in al, it was relatively slim pickings considering the projected growth of the sport we've all heard so much about.

In recent years the biggest sponsorship deals in Formula 1 - Rolex, Emirates, Heineken - have all gone to the sport itself, with limited pickings available to individual teams.

Thus far, the sport's new owners appear to be leaving the path clear for teams to seek funding rather than making the counter offers so familiar under the old regime.

 

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THANKFULLY MAX TAKES AFTER HIS MOTHER

Jos Verstappen sullied his already rock bottom reputation by involving himself in a brawl that resulted in a black eye and bloody nose for the former F1 driver and father of the sport’s brightest star Max Verstappen.

And now, sadly, the youngster is being tarred with the same brush that is tarring his degenerate father.

It’s well known that Jos has had numerous sordid episodes involving violence.

In December 2008, Verstappen appeared in court in Tongeren charged with assaulting his wife Sophie Kumpen (mother of Max).

He got away with the assault charges, but was found guilty of threatening Kumpen in text messages and of violating a previously issued restraining order.

After a 1998 incident in a karting track, in which a man suffered a fractured skull, Verstappen and his father Frans were found guilty in court of assault. Each were sentenced to five-year suspended sentences after reaching an out-of-court settlement with the victim.

On 29 November 2011, media reported allegations that Verstappen had assaulted his ex-girlfriend.

Last year in July, De Telegraaf reported that the former Benetton and Minardi driver physically attacked his own father, Max’s grandfather Frans Verstappen.

These are the actions of a serial scumbag, that he is not behind bars is an indication that there is something seriously wrong with the modern legal system.

However to point a finger at Max for the actions of his wayward father are absolutely unfair.

The kid is quite likable, has a cheeky sense of humour and a quick smile. Sure he has a steel resolve in the cockpit of a Formula 1 car, but that is expected of a top class Formula 1 driver.

Apart from a helmet flung in the Toro Rosso garage at some point of his tenure with the team, there is little evidence to suggest that the kid has a violent streak like his father.

Indeed he has been victim of his Jos’ physical and mental violence over a sustained period of time.

There is a a story that often does the rounds in karting circles, involving Max and Jos, concerning the time that the prodigy was leading a race in the rain at La Conca.

While enjoying a good lead he made a mistake and spun, he recovered well to make his way back to third place after a gutsy drive through the field.

After the race, in the weigh-station, his seething father approached him, stopped and punched the kid in the chest, then walked away without a word.

And apparently there are many such stories of how Max was subjected to his father’s wrath during his karting days.

Jos himself seems proud of the way he handled his boy and told the story of the karting world cup in Sarno.

Max qualified fastest and comfortably won the pre-final by a few seconds. But in the final he lost the lead from pole position, on lap two he attempted a kamikaze manoeuvre which went wrong. He retired from the race in tears.

“I was so upset with him,” recalled Jos in an interview. “I walked away out of the park, and went to the van and started packing the tent down. He was crying like a baby. He was really disappointed.”

“He said: Daddy, we have to go and pick up the chassis because it’s the last race of the day. I replied: No, I’m not going. If you want your chassis, you have to go and get it yourself.”

“He looked at me and knew I was angry. He got somebody else to help him put it in the van. Then we left the circuit, and he tried to start speaking to me. I didn’t say a word to him.”

“I said: Don’t speak to me. I’m really fed up with it and disappointed with the way you were racing. Please, don’t speak.”

“I didn’t speak to him for seven days. I ignored him. I was really pissed. I really wanted to teach him a point that it should hurt him. I wanted to show him that.

“He was also sick from what happened. And after a week, I started talking to him again,” added Jos who prepared his son’s karts from their home workshop.

Max himself said earlier this year, “There is nobody harder on me than my dad, no matter what other people say, it is never that hard, compared to him.”

A shrink would have a field day with this combination, and for sure Jos would be the villain of the piece. Thus criticising Max for the sins of his father are unfounded and unjust.

Jos was a non-spectacular Formula 1 journeyman, Max is a Formula 1 superstar.

I would venture that the bulk of Max’s DNA comes from the good side of his family, namely his mother Sophie Kumpen who in her karting days beat the likes of Jenson Button, Giancarlo Fisichella and Jarno Trulli.

So it would be safe to say that Max inherited his mother’s genes when it comes to his incredible racing instincts and, by all accounts, his amiable personality too. In other words: thankfully he takes after his mother!

No doubt Max feels indebted to his Dad for the sacrifices he made to ensure his son had the best of the best, the money spent was probably in the region of a million dollars over the course of a decade of karting.

But Jos is now a liability in the high profile life Max has carved out for himself, and the good-natured youngster certainly does not deserve to be singled out for his father’s misdemeanours.

Footnote: The saddest thing is that in karting there are thousands of Dads who traumatise their sons as they follow their dream of Formula 1 stardom. They behave like Jos but are never exposed because fame eludes them.

As a karting Dad and freind of mine remarked when discussing the latest Jos episode, “Good job it all worked out for Max and Jos, but a fair few father and sons hate each because of racing. I know a few very bitter Dads. Spent the house on karting and the kid is now working at McDonalds.”

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BROWN: MCLAREN IS NOT AN ENGINE BUILDER

Amid a well below par start to the season and apparently no end in sight to the problems, McLaren chief Zak Brown has denied speculation that his team will build their own power unit.

It is generally accepted that the Woking outfit have had talks with Mercedes regarding a Plan-B engine supply deal, should Honda fail to be competitive by mid-season.

Suggestions that McLaren Automotive could be galvanised to build a Formula 1 power unit appear to be well off the mark.

Brown explained why this is not a possible scenario for the team, “Automotive is a different business unit with some common shareholders who we work very closely with. Their engine is a McLaren engine but the F1 team has a different set of economic priorities and ways to go racing so that is not a conversation that we’ve had.”

“What we can do in ten years, who knows… but that is not a conversation [we are having]. We are not an engine builder, we are a racing team and a car constructor.”

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BROWN: THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ALONSO IS VERY HEALTHY

McLaren’s star driver and double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso is growing increasingly impatient, as he faces a third year at the wrong end of the grid, but his boss Zak Brown believes all is good between team and driver.

Alonso heads to the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix knowing he is going to be nowhere in the race, despite this the Spaniard remains positive, “I’m looking forward to seeing what the new cars are capable of there, and I hope we can at least have a trouble-free race and see where we are when the chequered flag falls.”

But behind-the-scenes it is known that the double F1 World Champion is highly disappointed with the situation, prompting his mate Mark Webber to predict that the Spaniard will walk out of the sport before the season ends. 

The Spaniard has also been vocal to media about the problems his team are enduring, doing little to hide his disdain for Honda’s failings and who he blames for the plight he and the team find themselves in.

Brown acknowledged, “I think Fernando wants to be very competitive, and if you look at any world champion driver, they are not satisfied unless they are winning. That is why we have them.”

“You would expect him to make comments about competitiveness.  I don’t think that is a surprise or unhealthy.”

“It is tough on all because and we get interviewed a lot, every once in a while you let a little emotion get to you and you say something that gets construed in the wrong way, but the relationship is very healthy,” added Brown.

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Toro Rosso preview the Chinese Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz has said tiredness is no excuse this early in the season, while Shanghai evokes happy memories for Daniil Kvyat.

Carlos Sainz Jr: Back-to-back race weekends don't really affect me in any way. You just approach each race with the same mentality, keeping in mind that you have two consecutive GP weekends. The toughest part is getting used to the time change quickly, but that's not usually a problem for me. You just go for it – this is the first back-to-back of the season so it's still early in the year to feel tired. I have to say that the paddock in China is the biggest one I've ever seen, enormous! Before a session starts, I usually give myself about a minute of time to go from my room to the garage, but here in Shanghai it's a minimum of three minutes because the distances are so big. This means I need to change all my routine and schedule for China.

Daniil Kvyat: It was a very nice feeling to stand on the podium in China last year, I have very good memories of that moment, it was cool! This was the second podium of my career, after achieving my first one in Hungary 2015 – definitely two big highlights. I have to say it's a track I really enjoy driving at – it has very unusual and unique corners like Turns 1 and 2, where you can take many different lines; then it also has long straights where you can have good battles and take advantage of the many overtaking opportunities; and the fans are also very passionate there, which is good. I always receive a lot of support from them, which is nice.

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Grosjean hopes new Haas staff will solve 2016 weaknesses

Romain Grosjean says the Haas Formula 1 team is "putting a lot of hope" in winter staff signings to avoid a repeat of last year's peaks and troughs.

The American team made a fantastic start to its debut season in F1 last as Grosjean scored points in three of the first four races, including a fifth-place finish in Bahrain.

Over the rest of the season Grosjean finished in the top 10 on only two more occasions, as one of its weaknesses as a start-up team proved to be data analysis and fixing set-up problems during a race weekend.

Asked by Motorsport.com if changes had been made within the team to address this, Grosjean replied: "That's what we're looking for, hopefully we're going to get all of that.

"We've got more people in the team, more engineers, more knowledge. Hopefully whenever it goes well it's easy to set up the car, but when it doesn't we've got more resource to work hard.

"[There are] some really clever people who have joined the team over the winter and we're really putting a lot of hopes in that."

Haas switched its focus to the 2017 car early last season, which contributed to its fall down the pecking order.

Grosjean said he knew others would expect the team to suffer from 'second season syndrome' but insisted he always believed it would get better, not worse.

"That is why we have got Gene [Haas, team owner] because he understands racing, he loves it and he knows the first year is great but the second year is a challenge," said Grosjean.

"It will take time to win so you always need to look one step ahead and with [team principal] Gunther Steiner we have a really good understanding of that.

"Whenever the car was in the wind tunnel and [with] the people we were starting to employ, I knew year two looked better than year one.

"The whole process was actually done in a very clever way, so year one wouldn't be awesome and year two just a drop."

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Palmer aware he is expected to be "blown away" by Hulkenberg

Jolyon Palmer says he is aware his critics in Formula 1 are expecting him to be "blown away" by new Renault teammate Nico Hulkenberg this year.

Palmer retired from the first race of the new season with a brake problem, after a gearbox issue in first practice and crash in the second session left him struggling throughout the Melbourne weekend.

Hulkenberg, meanwhile, fought for a point on his Renault debut but had to settle for 11th.

Asked by Motorsport.com if there was a feeling from some that he would be "blown away" by Hulkenberg this season, Palmer replied: "It's fair to say that's the expectation from a lot of people.

"It was the expectation this time last year as well and it wasn't the case. I always relish the challenge. It's always good as a driver to go up against a really top team-mate.

"Nico's track record is really good and a lot of people have been saying he could have a top seat, so to have him alongside me is a chance to prove myself really, and also learn from him as well."

Palmer said after qualifying in Melbourne he felt like "everything had conspired against me" when fuel surge limited him to one ultra-soft tyre run and he lapped 3.3s slower than his teammate.

The 26-year-old said "we can't read into" his deficit to Hulkenberg on the opening weekend.

"In pre-season testing we were quite close and Friday's running I think was quite comparable," Palmer added. "And then there was the crash and the aftermath has been a real different ballgame between me and him. I'll start afresh in China and we'll go again."

"Results will speak for themselves"

The 26-year-old British driver made his F1 debut last season with Renault after spending a year as its predecessor Lotus' reserve driver, and winning the GP2 title in 2014.

He finished 18th in the drivers' championship, scoring his first point in the Malaysian Grand Prix, and ended the season in stronger form than his then-teammate Kevin Magnussen.

Asked about the negative perception he has faced, Palmer said: "I'm used to it to be honest. Nobody thought I'd win GP2 and I won GP2. Nobody thought I'd make it to F1 and I did.

"Nobody thought I could be a match for Kev and I was. It'll probably carry on. It doesn't bother me. The results speak for themselves in the end.

"Sometimes in racing perception is quite different to results on paper, and people can think someone is better or worse than they are. If you look at the results, maybe that initial perception is not quite the full story."

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F1 teams facing set-up headaches with sensitive 2017 cars

Formula 1 teams believe they need a rethink about how best to approach set-up this year, with the new 2017 cars proving extremely sensitive to changes.

One of the characteristics that has emerged since winter testing is that relatively small tweaks to either car or tyre settings can have a big impact on handling.

It is why a lot of teams have struggled to find consistency with the feel of their cars over race weekends – with leading outfits Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull all enduring phases in either tests or practice where they fallen out of the ideal set-up window.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff believes that the way Lewis Hamilton struggled more than Ferrari with tyre degradation in Australia revolved around this setup characteristic.

"I believe that these tyres have a narrow window, and you need to keep them in that window in order for them to perform well," he said.

"If you're below the window or above the window, you lose performance. So that is different to the last years. It needs a new calibration for all of us and understanding of the tyres."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says his team needs to widen the operating window for its RB13, having struggled at times over the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

"I think we need to broaden the window," said Horner. "It's quite a narrow window at the moment, but at least the car is reacting to change, so we need to understand that and build on that."

Although Red Bull lost out to Mercedes and Ferrari in Australia, Horner remains convinced his team can make good progress with its car this year.

"I think Ferrari has done a great job on engine and chassis," he said. "They've had a strong winter. But the season is 20 races, not one, so let's judge the season as a whole at the end of the year.

"I believe that we have a good basis and a good direction and I think that as the regulations are very immature I think things will move quite quickly. I honest believe that we will get ourselves in a competitive situation during the year."