Formula 1 - 2017

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The honeymoon is over - but Liberty and F1 will be a happy marriage

Liberty’s honeymoon, it is clear, is over.

Plenty lately has told us so. The disputes over the future of engines, The drop in prize money for the first time in however long. Certain changes to ‘the show’, such as those involving Michael Buffer, not meeting universal approval.

The honeymoon always was going to end. Honeymoons always do. In this case F1 reality and politics were inevitably going to collide with its best laid plans, and pleasing all of the people all of the time is unattainable.

Bernie Ecclestone, for once, was on the money that perhaps also Liberty didn’t manage expectations. “They shouldn’t have made so many predictions as to what they could do,” he said recently.

Yet Bernie and others are starting to opine beyond that. That they don’t like where Liberty is trying to take F1 either.

“They need to wake up,” Bernie added elsewhere. “It’s almost like giving a dentist a doctor’s job. I’d always treated F1 as if it were a 3-star Michelin restaurant. It isn’t proper to treat F1 like a fast food restaurant. That’s the US standard. It’s far below F1’s. Everyone who has been involved in F1 for the last 40 years expects a higher standard.”

And after the Abu Dhabi race we had the latest manifestation, when a new F1 logo was launched. Now, I’m more historically nerdy than most (and older than a lot of you) but even I couldn’t pinpoint when the previous logo was introduced as it passed at the time with so little comment (the consensus is 1994). Similarly I cannot recall anyone expressing particular attachment to it prior to it entering the ether that Liberty was about to change it.

But the change was greeted roundly like the passing of a close family member.

At least one argument against was nonsensical – the well-worn ‘why change x when we haven’t changed y’. Well it’s possible to think about more than one thing at the same time – and all noises Liberty makes suggest it is seeking to improve the fundamental offering also. Changing the logo is by its nature low hanging fruit – easy and quick. Changing matters such as technical regulations and financial distribution is a hornets’ nest so takes longer.

The new logo is more of the emoji-friendly modern sort that many brands are moving towards. I thought it looked pretty good on a dark background such as in its intro film (I admit the red-on-white looks a little tacky). And, bottom line, it’s only a logo.

Yet more to the point, as someone or other noted amid logo-gate it’s hard to recall the last F1 change that didn’t result in a round of derision. The resistance to change is odd, given it’s hardly the case that things in F1 are going swimmingly. The declining interest, lack of competiveness, overtaking and fair financial distribution we know about. As well as the paucity of new younger fans attracted in lately.

Some inside and outside F1 advocate something like a return wholesale to 2004 – high-revving V10s, refuelling, the old logo…

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be of course; “people always glorify the past,” noted Toto Wolff in this ilk over the Abu Dhabi weekend.

They will point out that TV viewing figures and ticket sales were higher in the early to mid noughties (though also the disappearance of F1's TV coverage behind paywalls hardly helps). But there is another thing going on herein potentially as the GPDA chairman Alex Wurz noted when the first fans’ survey findings were published in 2015.

“We have people who followed F1 for the first time in the 2000s, when there was refuelling, and they hark back to that era as the best – as all of us do for the times we first became interested in a sport.”

In addition Wurz observed that “there are no new fans to counter-balance their views”.

And while the past can offer hints simply aping the past is almost never the whole answer, in F1 as in anything else. The past has the benefit of existing, of tangibility, while the future always will be hypothetical. But the trouble is things always change over time.

“When sea changes are coming politicians rarely see them,” said Steve Richards discussing the political realm in his recent BBC4 monologues. “They look to the past for guidance rather than the future.

“No one knows what’s going to happen next but we do have a past to guide us – [but] it’s a treacherous guide.”

And there has been a sea change among young people in recent years. Their attachment to the automobile itself is in decline (in most developed markets the purchase of cars and numbers taking driving lessons and tests are falling). The young person’s expectations also have evolved in terms of how to access content and its interactivity.

And we had from Liberty one example of trying to attract young people as they are, rather than as they were, in the Abu Dhabi weekend with the final of the inaugural F1 eSports Series. For the uninitiated, this is the competition of the F1 video game.

You’re reading the words of someone who hardly can be described as a ‘gamer’. It is pushing a decade since I last played any video game in anger – even then I stuck to motor racing and football ones.

But believe it or not the action was absorbing, and had a thrilling conclusion as Brendon Leigh chased down Fabrizio Donoso and passed on the final lap in a stunning move. Much of the paddock was absorbed too. “Quite a big crowd out to watch the F1 eSports race. Really enjoyable. Genuinely great fun,” noted Will Buxton.

They weren’t the only ones. “The F1 media centre was as excited about the F1 eSports final as it is for some real races. Great final lap,” said Jonathan Noble.

“Big cheer in the media centre for Brendon’s move for the lead!! This is top stuff,” added Luke Smith of this parish.

We may recall also that one of Liberty’s aims when taking over was increasing the amount of F1 content outside of the on track sessions themselves, including between rounds. Well this provided three hours of live TV – three races plus qualifying sessions in a single weekend – and was broadcast also on the F1 Facebook page (at the last look it had 188,000 views). And that was just the final.

Moreover it gets right to the matter of attracting young fans. An activity young people primarily participate in, interactive and accessible, both in content and participation.

An eSports competition isn’t all of the answer of course, or even a fair chunk of it. But it is a move in the right direction.

And Liberty knows it is a way in with the crucial demographic.

“It’s a massive opportunity for the Formula One brand and our interest in growing the fanbase and keeping a younger fanbase, engaging people in different ways and creating excitement,” said F1 commercial chief Sean Bratches during the eSports final coverage.

“We’re trying to broaden the scope of how fans can interact with Formula One.

“The opportunity to really engage in the pomp and circumstance around eSports being relevant to a much bigger audience and really broaden our fanbase in many many ways is encouraging.”

“We’re trying to activate this brand in as many ways as we can to engage as many people as possible, and this is one demonstrable example of how we can do that.”

As an observing Fernando Alonso noted too this has the great advantage of accessibility. We can only guess how many gazillion gamers there are around the world and this particular competition started with 60,000 entrants. “We all have a gamer inside,” Nando noted. The 60,000 figure only will rise in years to come.

It might even provide talent for the real thing. All teams use simulators as a key part of car development and McLaren already has signed an eSport gamer up. Alonso’s now got his own eSports team. Super Formula and Super GT driver Jann Mardenborough started out in gaming.

While in this, and a few other things, things are moving apace.

“There’s more to come,” promised Bratches.

“There’s been so many opportunities I think that lay fallow in this sport, and so many opportunities to exploit they are manifold. We’re relaunching our digital platforms, brand new responsive web, social capabilities, we’re going to launch a live and non-live OTT product, we’re going to foster a greater environment around eSports, we’re going to launch four fan festivals in cities around the world, we’re going to broaden the opportunity for engagement with fans at the circuit.”

And no, before you shout, it’s not just about off the track either.

“We’re very focussed on the racing,” Bratches continued. “We want to make it more competitive than it is, we want to bring the back of the grid up closer to the front of the grid, bring more overtaking. We have Ross Brawn, he is developing a team to make it more exciting.”

Not all of its changes so far have quite worked (see the revolving podium in Mexico). We can debate the detail and the methods. There is a growing impatience in the paddock also for meat on the bones rather than mission statements. Although the goodwill therein remains for now.

But whatever else is the case it hardly can be said that Liberty’s not minded of the right things. It seems at least to get it. Not something that could be said indisputably of its predecessor.

And while of course the existing body of fans should not be ignored it’s also hard to understand what exactly they have to fear from this. More fans? Therefore a healthier and more sustainable sport?

Liberty’s honeymoon is indeed over. But the signs remain that its marriage with F1 will be fruitful.

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Sirotkin deserves F1 drive, says Renault's Permane

Renault trackside operations director Alan Permane has backed Sergey Sirotkin's credentials for a Formula 1 drive ahead of the Russian's test with Williams.

Sirotkin, a race winner in GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5, has had a number of test and practice outings with the Renault F1 team over the past two years – but was overlooked for a 2018 race drive as the French marque signed Carlos Sainz alongside Nico Hulkenberg.

The Russian currently remains under contract with Renault, but has been permitted to test with Williams in the post-Abu Dhabi GP test and will drive the FW40 on Wednesday.

While Robert Kubica is favourite for the Williams drive, the Grove-based team's chief technical officer Paddy Lowe confirmed Sirotkin was “on the shortlist”.

Asked whether he felt Sirotkin deserved an F1 drive, Permane told Motorsport.com: “I think so. Honestly, genuinely.

“I know I’m always likely to say that, because he is working with us, but I think he’s got the pace. I really do. And certainly he’s got, let's say, the work ethic.”

Permane felt Sirotkin had been unlucky in terms of race weekend mileage in 2017, as his Renault car had suffered early failures in Sochi and Barcelona FP1 sessions.

“This year he’s had some really bad luck with us. We haven’t done a good enough job for him, honestly, on Fridays. He’s driven the car four times and I think twice it completely failed on him,” Permane said.

  

“But in that time, if you look at his laptime, certainly compared to [Jolyon] Palmer in Malaysia in the wet and compared our immediate competitors, he does a good job for someone who doesn’t drive the car very much, he was very quick.

“On the other side of things out of the car, I can’t fault him at all. The effort he puts in, the feedback he gives in the office, what he is happy to do work-wise with the engineers, there are absolutely no problems at all.”

Renault's regular driver Hulkenberg backed up Permane's assessment of Sirotkin, saying: “He is a very humble guy. He is very down-to-earth. I think he is a very hard-working guy, too.

“Unfortunately he’s had quite a bit of bad luck. Whenever he had a chance to run in P1 a few times there were technical issues or the weather was bad, there was always something.

“I feel a little bit for him, that he never got to show what he can do, because I think he is quite a skilled driver.”

He added that Sirotkin “definitely deserves a chance” and said he would “for sure” consider the Russian for the Williams seat.

When Renault was still evaluating Kubica, it fielded him and Sirotkin in a 2012-spec car in Valencia on different days, and it was widely reported that Kubica had set the quicker laptime.

Sirotkin said at the time that “what was written was partially true”, but Permane felt Sirotkin had been done a disservice.

Asked about the reports, he said: “I don’t think they were fair at all. I don’t think the press got correct information or anything.

“And honestly, to compare across two days, it doesn’t mean so much. Especially when you go to a circuit like Valencia or Paul Ricard, where they are not used very much, the track is changing rapidly.”

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Hypersoft "the best tyre" since Pirelli's F1 return - Hamilton

Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken highly of the new hypersoft compound he trialled in Abu Dhabi testing, calling it the “best tyre” Pirelli has produced since its return to the sport.

Pirelli announced during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend that it would be switching to a wider, seven-compound range of F1 dry tyres for next year.

The Italian company, which has served as F1's exclusive tyre supplier since 2011, has moved all of its existing range “one step softer”, while also adding compounds at both ends of the scale.

As a result, the pink-walled hypersoft has replaced the purple ultrasoft as the softest option available.

Hamilton was among the drivers to try out Pirelli's 2018 offerings in the first day of the post-Abu Dhabi GP test, and while he felt that the rest of the compounds on offer were “still a bit too hard”, he was full of praise for the new hypersoft.

“We've got a good early understanding of these 2018 Pirelli tyres,” Hamilton said.

“On early impression, the new hypersoft is the best tyre that Pirelli have produced since returning to F1.

“I found that the other compounds are still a bit too hard for my liking but we're moving in the right direction.”

Hamilton logged 136 laps of the Yas Marina Circuit on Tuesday and said he and the Mercedes team “collected lots of data and feedback to ensure we head in the right direction over the winter”.

He finished the day third in the timesheets, just under eight tenths down on Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who set the best time of the day on the hypersoft.

However, the Finn admitted he didn't feel “a big difference” using the 2018 range of tyres.

“I don’t think there’s a big difference, it’s a small difference,” Raikkonen said. “It didn’t feel like a lot of difference.”

Quizzed specifically about the ultrasoft and hypersoft compounds, he said: “It [the feeling] was good, obviously they have good grip around here, and it was for sure a faster tyre.”

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Honda: Toro Rosso partnership will be "more equal" than McLaren

Honda says is new Formula 1 partnership with Toro Rosso will be “more equal” than its arrangement with McLaren.

McLaren and Honda agreed to end their relationship after three challenging seasons, with McLaren switching to Renault and Honda signing a three-year deal with Toro Rosso.

“We’ve been the ones making the majority of requests [of Toro Rosso] so far,” said Honda F1 project leader Yusuke Hasegawa in an interview on the Japanese manufacturer’s official website.

“But it’s fair to say this will be a more equal partnership than it was with McLaren in terms of leadership. And that’s not just because of the size of the team.

“Obviously Honda as a company is huge but we had little recent F1 experience - so from that point of view McLaren was still leading us.

“That won’t be the same with Toro Rosso.”

Hasegawa said Honda “needed the change” and is excited about the prospect of an opportunity to evaluate the performance of its engine in a different car.

“From a technical point of view it’s good for us to know more about other things, like new cooling situations or how the top speed of a different car design is affected by drag,” he said. “It is very important to understand what the standard is.

“We are working quickly to swap teams. We have to prepare things before February, so it will be a very busy winter.

“The installation is the biggest job for us, to get the engine to fit to the chassis.

“We need to make many modifications, which is a big job, especially in this limited amount of time. Honda and Toro Rosso - from both sides - are doing a very good job.”

“Development is ongoing on the power unit. It will remain the same power unit concept from this year, so we are able to use the current one as the starting point.

“We only know things as the McLaren-Honda way, but this will be another opportunity to expand our understanding and experience of a different way of working.”

Though Honda is moving to a smaller team in Toro Rosso, Hasegawa does not expect the pressure on his team to ease.

“People tell me we’ll have much less pressure at Toro Rosso but I don’t think that’s true,” he said.

“In my mind we simply need to prepare the best engine and nothing is going to slow that down.”

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Autosport Podcast: Will Bottas repeat Rosberg's F1 title surge?

The latest Autosport Podcast delves into Valtteri Bottas's Formula 1 season-ending Abu Dhabi victory and whether it can have the same impact as Nico Rosberg's strong end to 2015.

Rosberg's success laid the foundations for a good start to his title-winning 2016 season, and after a difficult second half of '17 Bottas will be hoping this victory will have a similar impact.

Glenn Freeman and Scott Mitchell join Edd Straw to discuss the significance of Bottas's victory, and if the comparisons with Rosberg stand up to scrutiny.

Lewis Hamilton's failure to win a race in a season after clinching the world championship in five attempts is also discussed, as is the significance of Renault clinching sixth in the constructors' standings.

The controversial new F1 logo, and the widespread criticism of it, are also tackled - as are some of the reasons why the decision was made to change it.

The Autosport Podcast is available to subscribe to free via iTunes and other podcast suppliers - simply search for 'Autosport'.

 

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ALFA ROMEO RETURNS TO FORMULA 1 WITH SAUBER

Alfa Romeo will return to Formula 1 with Sauber in 2018 after the two organisations agreed to a wide-ranging technical partnership, which will see the Swiss team become known as Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, with the Italian car brand to be their new title sponsor.

Sauber are powered by Ferrari engines and Sergio Marchionne, the president of the Maranello marque and the Fiat-Chrysler empire, has been intent on returning the Alfa Romeo brand to Formula 1 for the first time since 1985.

Marchionne said in a statement, “This agreement with the Sauber F1 Team is a significant step in the reshaping of the Alfa Romeo brand, which will return to Formula 1 after an absence of more than 30 years.”

“A storied marque that has helped make the history of this sport, Alfa Romeo will join other major automakers that participate in Formula 1. The brand itself will also benefit from the sharing of technology and strategic know-how with a partner of the Sauber F1 Team’s undisputed experience.”

“The Alfa Romeo engineers and technicians, who have already demonstrated their capabilities with the newly-launched models, Giulia and Stelvio, will have the opportunity to make that experience available to the Sauber F1 Team.”

“At the same time, Alfa Romeo fans will once again have the opportunity to support an automaker that is determined to begin writing an exciting new chapter in its unique, legendary sporting history.”

Pascal Picci, Chairman of Sauber Holding AG, added, “We are very pleased to welcome Alfa Romeo to the Sauber F1 Team. Alfa Romeo has a long history of success in Grand Prix racing, and we are very proud that this internationally renowned company has chosen to work with us for its return to the pinnacle of motorsport.”

“Working closely with a car manufacturer is a great opportunity for the Sauber Group to further develop its technology and engineering projects. We are confident that together we can bring the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team great success, and look forward to a long and successful partnership.”

Sauber Statement:

We are delighted to announce that we have reached a multi-year technical and commercial partnership agreement with Alfa Romeo. The Italian car manufacturer, which is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), will be joining the Sauber F1 Team as Title Sponsor from 2018 onwards. By doing so, Alfa Romeo is returning to Formula One after more than 30 years of absence from the sport.

The partnership, which includes a strategic, commercial and technological cooperation between Alfa Romeo and the Sauber F1 Team, will enable the exchange of engineering and technical know-how, and provide new opportunities for the two organizations within Formula One and beyond. From 2018, the team will be known as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team. The 2018 F1 car will bear the Alfa Romeo logo, and will be equipped with the 2018 Ferrari power units.

About Alfa Romeo and Formula One:

Alfa Romeo took part in Formula One from 1950 until 1988, as both a constructor and engine supplier. Already in its debut years in 1950 and in 1951, Alfa Romeo won the inaugural World Championship of Drivers with Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio. From 1961 until 1979, Alfa Romeo participated as engine supplier for several F1 teams.

After returning in 1979 as constructor, Alfa Romeo ranked 6th as best result in the constructors’ championship in 1983. The company withdrew from Formula One in 1985, returning as Title Sponsor of the Sauber F1 Team after a 30-year absence.

MIKA: This is great news IMO! 

Sauber will be using 2018 spec engines. Hopefully this will give them a decent boost, of course, aero, chassis would need further developing to gain a bigger advantage, but I see no reason why they now won't be competitive, in the very least, midfield and a podium here and there.

Think back to 2012 - C31 (Yes, different era), but Sauber came 6th overall in the world championship, 4 podiums, Perez scored podiums in malaysia, Canada, Italy and Kobayashi a podium in Japan. So... it can be achieved and I for one, would love to see these guys in the mix more often.

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SANTANDER CONFIRMS END OF FERRARI SPONSORSHIP

As we reported earlier this week Santander is ending its long-running sponsorship of Ferrari and Formula 1 at the end of this season and teaming up with the Champions League instead, the Spanish bank confirmed on Wednesday.

The announcement came in a statement confirming a new three-year partnership with the UEFA competition.

The Statement said: “At the end of this year, Santander will conclude its successful sponsorship of the Formula One racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, which it has supported for the last eight seasons.”

“The bank will also conclude its corporate sponsorship agreements with F1 which have helped increase Santander’s brand recognition around the world over the last 11 years.”

Ferrari finished runner-up in this year’s Formula One championship.

Santander’s sponsorship of Formula 1’s oldest and most successful team coincided with the arrival there in 2010 of Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso, who has been at McLaren for the past three years.

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BRAWN: THE OLD F1 LOGO WAS NEITHER ICONIC OR MEMORABLE

The new Formula 1 logo was revealed to the world during the podium ceremony after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and it would be fair to say that many fans and most drivers were not terribly enthused by the new look.

After the race Lewis Hamilton questioned why the old logo was ditched, “I think the one that we already had was an iconic logo I think. Just imagine Ferrari changing their logo, or Mercedes changed their logo. I don’t think the new one is as iconic but maybe it will grow on us.”

F1’s motorsport chief Ross Brawn has come out in defence of the new logo and had a dig at the one it replaced, “Over the past few days the question was asked as to whether the logo is really a major priority and the answer is yes.”

“Apart from the commercial aspects, the new logo is much more flexible in terms of its use, especially when it comes to its application on merchandising and in the digital world. It has impact.”

“The old logo was neither iconic or memorable. It was important to let Formula 1 fans see that we are entering a new era. Our sport is changing and must look to the future and also outside its own environment if it is to attract new fans, especially among the young.”

“We believe this logo exemplifies this desire: in a world where visual communication is ever more important, we must also move in this direction,” added Brawn.

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LOWE: I’M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT KUBICA’S SPEED

Robert Kubica kept on course for a Formula 1 comeback after ending the final test of the year on Wednesday with the quickest lap by a Williams driver over the two days at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The 32-year-old, who has not raced in Formula 1 since a 2011 rally crash but is favourite to replace departed Felipe Massa, was seventh fastest overall on the second day of a Pirelli tyre test.

His lap of 1:39.485 seconds compared to a 1:39.580 best by Lance Stroll a day earlier, with both drivers using the new hypersoft tyres.

Sergey Sirotkin’s best of 1:39.947 on Wednesday morning was on the soft compound. Kubica was 1.3 seconds slower on that compound on Tuesday.

Williams technical director Paddy Lowe told reporters that the times could be misleading, “I’m not gonna talk about speed. I’m sure you want me to give some answers about that but it’s not something we are not going to discuss.”

“It’s a really complicated topic, performance and speed, so to read a timesheet is quite misleading. So I’m not going to talk about that. We haven’t even analysed it for ourselves.”

Lowe was clearly impressed with Kubica, “He’s a very, very professional guy, very knowledgeable, very experienced, and that was a great benefit during these evaluations.”

“We wanted to see Robert as he hasn’t driven a current car, or current tyres, so of course it was interesting to see how he got on with that. No problems. He’s absolutely fine. Good driving, no complaints, no issues. All went well.”

Several drivers are vying for the most coveted seat still available on the 2018 Formula 1 grid, including Paul di Resta and Daniil Kvyat.

But keeping to the script they outlined a month ago, Lowe insists, “We’ll take the decision at the time we are ready. When we have all the information and we are ready to declare it.”

“The drivers we brought to this test doesn’t mean that it’s the drivers under consideration for racing next year.”

“This was a tyre test, which is an opportunity to look at two different drivers as well as for Lance to look at the new tyres. That was the purpose.”

“Of course it gives us more information about drivers, but it’s not setting a definition from the pool from which we will pick race drivers,” added Lowe.

Kubica, who partially severed his right arm in a freak rally accident at the start of the 2011 season, completed 100 laps on Tuesday and 28 laps on Wednesday.

He told reporters after the first day that he felt “confident and comfortable” in the cockpit of the Williams FW40.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was top of the overall timesheets at the end of the final day, which brought the 2017 season’s track action to a close.

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WOLFF: LIKE FERRARI WE WILL LEAVE FORMULA 1 IF…

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that he has yet to see a clear vision for the future of Formula 1 from Liberty Media and, like Ferrari, he would consider withdrawing his team from the sport if the new owners do not stick to the ethos of the sport at the highest level.

In an interview with Kronen Zeitung Wolff was asked what Liberty Media have done for the sport since they took over earlier this year, he replied, “Nothing! Erratic actions like Michael Buffer in Austin does not make the sport any better.”

“We do not see any visions. Nobody knows where the journey is going. All we know now is that sales, profits have fallen sharply.”

Earlier this month, Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne warned, “[Formula 1] has been part of our DNA since the day we were born. But if we change the sandbox to the point where it becomes an unrecognizable sandbox, I don’t want to play anymore.”

Asked if leaving the sport was also an option for Mercedes, Wolff said, “Such a scenario is quite possible. Just like Ferrari, if we do not see what Formula 1 stands for, then we have to ask ourselves the tricky question: not if, but where we want to operate in motorsport at the highest level?”

In the interview, Wolff gave insight into his team and the eight titles they have scooped in the past four years, “There is extremely hard work behind it all. The goal of never giving up the top position is what makes the team so successful.”

And admitted that, as a 30 percent shareholder in the Mercedes F1 project it has been one of his best investments, “From the financial point of view, it is one of the best. At that time I also had to take risks, pay the purchase price. However, with [Lewis] Hamilton’s commitment, decision-making became easier. But in truth, the fun drives me to work.”

Mercedes this year were challenged by Ferrari, but still overcame. Management styles between the two teams are vastly different, prompting the question: would he consider being team chief at Ferrari.

To which he responded, “If you look at another woman, you are unhappy with your relationship. I do not want to think about it because that would mean that my focus has changed. Daimler has created incredibly good conditions, I’m totally satisfied.”

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Sebastian Vettel ends Pirelli tyre test quickest in Abu Dhabi

Ferrari topped both days of Pirelli's post-Abu Dhabi tyre test as Sebastian Vettel posted the quickest time on Wednesday using Pirelli's new Hypersoft tyre.

The German's 1:37.551, set in the morning, wasn't beaten or even close to beaten as Valtteri Bottas finished second fastest, more than nine-tenths down on Vettel – although times mean very little given it's a tyre development test.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of the Force India duo who split their running. Carlos Sainz was sixth for Renault.

Williams once again ran Robert Kubica and the Pole was almost two seconds down on the quickest time as he trialled the Hypersoft. He only had a handful of runs (28) as Sergey Sirotkin completed much of Williams' running.

McLaren once again ran two cars with Stoffel Vandoorne eighth and Lando Norris 12th.

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Tech analysis: Mercedes rivals' early push to catch up in 2018

With both Formula 1 drivers' and teams' titles going to the Mercedes camp, closest rivals Ferrari and Red Bull have ramped up 2018 development, aiming to prevent the same outcome next year.

The curtain has come down on another F1 season, in which a relentless rate of development has helped swing the balance of power from race to race.

In the final few grands prix of the season, with the pecking order largely settled, crews up and down the paddock have set about understanding concepts for their 2018 challengers, sacrificing time during free practice sessions in order to get feedback from their drivers and get full-scale, real-world data.

Red Bull

Red Bull RB13 push rod suspension

Red Bull has been evaluating a new suspension set-up since Austin (above), in an effort to improve the ride and handling characteristics of next year's car but also to optimise the car's pitch characteristics, allowing the team to refine the aerodynamic concept.

Red Bull RB13, front wing comparison

In Abu Dhabi, Red Bull accelerated preparations for 2018, trialling a totally revamped front wing that was tested in tandem with the suspension layout.

The changes centred on a more conventional wrap-over-flap arrangement (blue arrows), while the primary flap (red arrow) was also turned down and connected to the mainplane and neutral central section juncture - as is commonplace up and down the grid.

This also required the shape of the adjoining mainplane sections to be altered, all of which adds up to a revised vortex being shed from the region (Y250).

The revised wing also deals differently with the outer portion of the wing, as it was increased in width (yellow highlight). This section of the wing is usually reserved for shaping the airflow around the front tyre, improving the shape of the wake being generated, pulling it away from the floor to improve downforce and reduce drag.

Lastly, and connected to these changes, was a different approach to the inner endplate canards, as the twin, twisted configuration used throughout 2017 was replaced with a simpler version.

Ferrari

F1’s development cycle is as much about recognising your opponents' strengths and weaknesses as your own.

More often than not, we see design trends appear up and down the grid as one team finds a solution that becomes of interest of all their competitors.

This season, one such area has been the diffuser, a focus for designers given the much larger volume made available to them with the revised regulations. As such, we have seen teams treating the periphery of the diffuser in a different way.

2017 diffuser edges

Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Renault and Toro Rosso have all chosen to reduce the overall width of the actual diffuser, utilising a series of extra vertical surfaces formed by multiple Gurney trims to form a more complex outer wall that sees high pressure from the upper surface injected into the edge vortex.

The idea is to change the vortex's properties, improving downforce and reducing its susceptibility to ingress from air squirted laterally into its path by the tyres as they deform under load.

Williams FW40, Ferrari SF70H and Ferrari SF15-T diffuser upstands

It’s something that has been worked on extensively by Ferrari already over the last few years, albeit in a different way, as the Italian team loaded the upper surface of the diffuser's upper corner with an array of different flaps in order to affect the pressure gradient, consequently pulling airflow through the diffuser at a different rate while having an effect on the edge vortex.

Ferrari SF70H new diffuser, Abu Dhabi

However, having noted the move toward this trend by its competitors, Ferrari trialled its own version during free practice in Abu Dhabi.

In an ironic turnaround, considering Sebastian Vettel’s comments in Singapore about Red Bull’s deflectors - which are essentially a carbon copy of Ferrari's design - it is Red Bull’s design that the Scuderia’s diffuser bears the most significant resemblance to.

[MIKA27]

Piquet to be honoured at Autosport Awards

Three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Nelson Piquet, will be honoured with the Gregor Grant Award for Lifetime Achievement in Motorsport at the 2017 Autosport Awards ceremony this Sunday in London, England.

Piquet will be in attendance at the ceremony to accept the award, which has previously been given to racing icons such as Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Sir Jackie Stewart and Sir Stirling Moss, Alain Prost and Emerson Fittipaldi. The Award has been presented as part of the annual Autosport Awards since 1989.

Widely regarded as the “biggest night in world motorsport”, the Autosport Awards event was first held 1987, and previous winners and attendees include Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Colin McRae and Niki Lauda.

Born Nelson Souto Maior, Piquet used his mother's surname to hide his early racing from his disapproving parents. Piquet entered F1 in 1978 hired by Brabham boss Bernie Ecclestone to serve as teammate to Niki Lauda.

In 1981, with three race wins and seven podium finishes in the Brabham BT49, he became World Champion for the first time.

“It is an honour to be offered this award and join a very special list of winners. I’m very proud that Autosport has chosen to reflect on my racing career and I am looking forward to meeting old friends at the event,” Piquet said.

In 1983, Piquet raced his turbocharged BMW-Brabham BT52 to three race wins and, after a season-long battle with Renault's Alain Prost, bagged his second World Championship.

He completed his trio of title wins four years later, by beating his Williams teammate, Nigel Mansell, after a season-long battle. With a total of 204 race starts, 23 race wins and 60 podiums during a 13-year Formula 1 career, he remains one of only 10 drivers to be crowned World Champion three times.  

  

This year’s Awards will include a new presenter line-up, featuring F1 legend David Coulthard and leading broadcaster Lee McKenzie, as well as a glamorous red-carpet entrance to welcome nominees and winners from all over the globe. Fans will be able to watch the Awards on a live global broadcast on Motorsport.tv, Autosport.com and Motorsport.com.

Piquet will be joined on the night by the stars of global motorsport. Among the nominees for the prestigious Awards are Lewis Hamilton for International Racing Driver of the Year, having claimed his fourth F1 World Championship win this year, and Fernando Alonso for Rookie of the Year, following his stellar Indy 500 debut in May that set the racing world alight. 

Racing Car of the Year Award nominees include the championship-winning Mercedes F1 W08 EQ Power+ and close rival Ferrari SF70H, while M-Sport’s Fiesta WRC is in the running for Rally Car of the Year alongside the Hyundai i20WRC and Toyota Yaris WRC.

The winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award will also be announced on the night, with four young British drivers - Enaam Ahmed, Max Fewtrell, Harrison Scott and Dan Ticktum - hoping to claim the coveted award which offers the winner an F1 test and the opportunity to join the McLaren Young Driver Programme in 2018. The award was first won in 1989 by David Coulthard who will present the Awards this year for the first time along with renowned TV presenter Lee McKenzie.

The Autosport Awards are presented by Motorsport Network - the world's premier motorsport media and technology company. Motorsport Network is the world’s largest independent automotive and motorsport-related digital platform, connecting millions of people who love motorsport and cars. The network also creates key industry events including Autosport International.

[MIKA27]

Webber joins Australian Grand Prix board

Mark Webber will serve on the Australian Grand Prix Corporation board for the next three years, the Victorian government has confirmed.

The former Red Bull Racing star has been named as one of two new additions to the AGPC board, alongside Saltwater Hotels general manager Kimberly Brown.

“The Australian Grand Prix Corporation plays a huge role in driving our visitor economy and bringing visitors to our state,” said Victoria's Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren MP.

“Mark Webber and Kimberley Brown, both leaders in their respective fields, will undoubtedly add another dimension to the board and ensure our events continue to go from strength to strength.”

The appointment of Webber and Brown comes as Alan Oxley brings his 15-year stint on the board to an end.

Board Chairman John Harnden thanked Oxley for his contribution to both the Formula 1 and MotoGP events overseen by the AGPC, and welcomed the new additions.

“Alan has made a remarkable contribution, playing an integral role in the success we have achieved. We are sincerely grateful to Alan for his dedication and unwavering support,” Harnden said.

“Both Mark Webber and Kimberley Brown are outstanding individuals and will bring fresh perspectives to the board."

Webber becomes the second retired racer to join the board, the other being five-time 500cc champion Mick Doohan.

[MIKA27]

CAREY: THERE ARE NO FREE LUNCHES

Amid reports that Ferrari and Mercedes are not terribly impressed with the lack of vision for the future that Formula 1 find’s itself in, the sport’s chief Chase Carey is adamant that there is support for the processes they are implementing as Liberty Media plot a way forward.

It was revealed recently that the current ten Formula 1 teams will share $273-million as opposed to $316-million they received last year, amounting to a 13 percent deficit. A fact that has not gone down well in the paddock.

After the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Carey told reporters, “From the teams’ perspective, sure, everybody would like to have free lunches and get the growth without the investment. ”

“The world doesn’t work that way. I think that there is an understanding of and an appreciation for what we’re doing, and in many ways, we’re very much agreed on what needs to be done for the sport.”

“We were clear that really in the short term we’re investing in building the sport for the longer term. I’ve said it before: I think the sport has been underserved by a continual short-term focus. I think we’ve got some fresh momentum back into it.

“A lot of things that were not going in the right direction in recent years, but this year attendance is up, viewership is up and I think we’ve got a much more positive spirit behind it. The sport needed fresh energy and investment.

“To grow things, well, to use an American phrase, there are no free lunches. We didn’t have an organisation that was able to properly develop, to build the sport. We had no research, we had no marketing, we had no digital organisation and realistically if you don’t have capabilities like that, you are going to fall behind.”

“When you’re building a digital organisation, usually you have costs before you get returns. If you’re building research capabilities, normally you have to invest in those before you get to use them. It’s the reality of building capabilities that haven’t existed.”

“To do things like the Trafalgar Square demo, to do things at broader fan fests, requires investment. However, all are investments in the future of the sport,” concluded Carey.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari aren't ready for Formula E - Alejandro Agag

Formula E boss Alejandro Agag doesn't believe Ferrari are ready to commit to the all-electric series as it would represent a huge cultural shift in how they operate as a company.

Although manufacturers are rushing to join the series with Audi, Jaguar and Renault already involved, whilst Mercedes, BMW, Porsche and Nissan are set to join shortly, the fact Ferrari aren't actively developing an electric supercar means the series has less relevance to the Italian company compared to Formula 1.

Agag therefore expects it to be some way off before Ferrari looks at joining despite some whipsers from chairman Sergio Marchionne that the prancing horse is monitoring the series.
"It would be fantastic," he told El Confidencial. "But I think, for now, it would be a very big cultural change for them.

"Marchionne has said he is looking at it, but not for Ferrari but for Maserati perhaps. But I have never spoken to him, in fact I do not know him. I don't think it's imminent."

Agag reckons its inevitable companies like Ferrari will join as electric cars catch up to and overtake traditional combustion engine powered cars.

"I would love it but within five or ten years electric cars are going to be up there [with Ferraris]. I have seen the new Tesla Roadster that is 0-100kph in 1.9 seconds, I've seen nothing like that from Ferrari."

[MIKA27]

Hypersoft tyre delivering one second per lap advantage over Ultrasoft - Pirelli

Pirelli says its newest tyre, the pink-walled Hypersoft, is delivering a laptime gain of around one second over the Ultrasoft tyre, which during the 2017 season was its softest compound.

Pirelli introduced the purple Ultrasoft compound in 2016 in response to claims its Supersoft compound was too hard, but with teams getting better at tyre management and the new-for-2017 wider tyres lasting longer than anticipated, the tyre supplier has introduced the Hypersoft, which will become its softest compound in the range next year.

Although it's likely to be used mainly at street circuits, where the average speed is lower and therefore degradation isn't such an issue, Pirelli has been testing it this week at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit where Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton declared it "the best tyre Pirelli have made".

Pirelli's head of motorsport Mario Isola, says it's delivering huge gains of around a second per lap compared to its former softest tyre.

"We completed a record-breaking 2017 season, featuring 25% wider tyres and some of the fastest lap times ever seen, with two intense days of work at Abu Dhabi, during which the teams sampled the 2018 tyres for the first time.

"The whole test and all the drivers gave us very positive feedback," said Isola. "The new Pink hypersoft meets our initial expectations, with times that are about a second per lap faster than the Purple ultrasoft, but this obviously needs to be confirmed on other types of track as well.

"All the 2018 tyres are a step softer than this year’s equivalents, in line with what the teams asked for, with the Pink hypersoft being two steps softer than the 2017 ultrasoft. We now look forward to getting back on track for the first official pre-season test of 2018 at Barcelona from February 26 to March 1”

[MIKA27]

The test results [for what they are worth]

A total of 25 drivers were in action last week in the F1 test in Abu Dhabi, with the test being to try some young drivers, and to try out new Pirelli rubber. The top six times over the two days were set using the new pink hypersoft Pirelli tyres which will be used next year, the first runners with the 2018 supersofts being the two Force Indias, which were seventh and eighth overall. The only other times set with different rubber were Sirotkin’s best, set on 2018 soft tyres, Harrtley’s best set on 2018 supersoft and Gasly’s best set on 2018 softs.

Each team had 20 sets for the test: 12 chosen by Pirelli and the other eight selected by the teams themselves. The tests ended with Ferrari 1-2 with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen setting the fastest times on day two and day one respectively. Vettel was two-tenths faster than Raikkonen, with Daniel Ricciardo third, more than half a second slower than Vettel. The two Ferraris did 217 laps between them. Ricciardo and Max Verstappen (who was sixth fastest overall with a 1m38.736s on day two) completed 241 laps between them, while the two Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were fourth and fifth quickest but completed 277 laps between them. Force India ran Perez and Ocon on the second day, having rented out a car on day 1 to Nikita Mazepin, who did 90 laps and recorded the 18th best time, a very decent effort for the young Russian, who was only eight-tenths off Ocon’s best. Haas ran both of its drivers and completed 161 laps with Romain Grosjean ninth and Kevin Magnussen 16th. Carlos Sainz was 10th fastest for Renault, four-tenths faster than Nico Hulkenberg, the clocking up just under 200 laps.

Eleventh fastest was Robert Kubica in the Williams, the only man to run on both days of the test. He completed 128 laps, with a best of 1m39.485s, which was a tenth faster than Lance Stroll’s best, although the Canadian did only 29 laps, while Sergey Sirotkin completed 86 laps to set the 17th best time of the test, half a second off his team-mates, but using different tyres. McLaren was 13thand 14th with Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne setting virtually identical times while completing 220 laps, while the team also ran Lando Noris and Oliver Turvey (22nd and 23rd), the team clocking 443 laps in total, far more than anyone else.

Sauber ran Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson, the youngster recording the 19th best time, a second faster than Ericsson’s best lap, while the team clocked up 243 laps.

Scuderia Toro Rosso ran its two regular drivers and the well-heeled Sean Gelael. They completed 241 laps between them.

[MIKA27]

Aston Martin bolsters F1 planning with staff shuffle

Aston Martin has ramped up plans to enter Formula 1 as an engine supplier from 2021 by moving its head of powertrain, former Ferrari man Joerg Ross, to work on its concept.

The British manufacturer, who will become Red Bull's title sponsor next season, is interested in F1's next engine rules cycle, but wants costs to be heavily reduced.

Aston Martin president and CEO Andy Palmer said he was "encouraged" by the direction of the 2021 engine plans that were presented by F1 bosses last month.

Ross, who worked for Ferrari as head of engine mechanics and then head of base engine between 2004 and ’07, joined Aston Martin in August but has since been moved to focus on the car maker’s F1 concept.

He will team up with ex-Ferrari man Luca Marmorini.

Marmorini, who held the same role as Ross at Ferrari during the mid to late 1990s, was previously taken on by Aston Martin as a consultant. That role has now been made permanent.

"I've engaged Luca full-time now to help us with developing the concept engine," Palmer told Motorsport.com.

"I've got Joerg Ross, he's already working for me on our internal engine development and is ex Ferrari Formula 1. He will work on the F1 project.

"So I've got two good people now to start thinking about our concept."

Palmer said Marmorini has already started working on Aston's F1 concept and hopes his experience in the championship will help Aston in the long term.

"Luca started his concept thoughts just last week so it's fairly early days," he said.

"But he's a good guy to have onboard and lucid about who he thinks we should work with, who we could work with, from his experience what didn't work so that will save us time."

While the independent manufacturers were in favour of the 2021 engine proposal, F1's existing manufacturers were less so.

Mercedes and Renault suggested the new rules could lead to an arms race while Ferrari was so unhappy, it threatened to quit.

"I'm surprised they have been as vociferous as they have been because I think it was pretty well signalled within those meetings," said Palmer.

"I don't know whether they fane surprise. I don't think it was a huge surprise. In those meetings, you had the incumbents and you had the challengers. The challengers are aligned and the incumbents are aligned.

"But everyone around the room accepted that the sport is broken. And we need to bring back the entertainment. The entertainment is about drivers racing, its not about the heat recovery on an engine."

[MIKA27]

Massa column: F1 farewell not the end of my career

In his final column as a Formula 1 driver, Felipe Massa reflects on the farewell weekend that capped off a 15-year grand prix racing career.

After the chequered flag at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix I decided to do something a bit special – that isn’t really covered by the FIA rules. But after 15 years of Formula 1, I am sure I will be forgiven.

Following the lap of honour, I went with my car to the start/finish straight with the two Mercedes drivers to celebrate with a spectacular burnout. I was delighted to receive the greetings from Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton, but above all have the opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has accompanied me on this long journey.

I feel that I am a very lucky person. I realised my ambitions by completing a career that fulfilled the dreams I had as a child. And when you live such a beautiful story, you have to thank those who helped you on that path. And that starts with my family, who didn’t miss any opportunity to give me the biggest support possible – especially in the most difficult moments.

I think the last races have shown how appreciated I was as an F1 driver. I was very happy with the results from both Brazil and Abu Dhabi, where I don’t think it would have been possible to bring home anything more.

It was important to end the long journey of my career on such a positive note, and up until the final metres of my F1 career, I’ve shown I am a professional who can make a good contribution to a team.

At the Yas Marina, we started the weekend with good pace, and we went into qualifying hoping to be able to get into Q3. It was a target we achieved – and being able to beat some other competitive cars shows the progress we made over the closing stages of the season. That left me particularly pleased.

Before the race, I thought that the start would be crucial to try to help us get into the points. We know how difficult it is to overtake in Abu Dhabi – and I was delighted to get past Fernando Alonso’s McLaren early on. Two weeks on from our long duel at Interlagos, I found myself again in a tough battle with my old teammate.

I was able to control the situation up to the pit stop without any particular problems. After the tyre change, I pushed a lot to try to prevent being undercut, and after my stop I returned to the track practically stuck to his car.

Unfortunately at that moment the charge of the hybrid part of my power unit was not ideal, and Fernando was able to get me. There was nothing I could do otherwise, but at least the points target did not escape me completely as I was able to come home in 10th.

After greeting a lot of friends at Yas Marina on Sunday evening, I'm going to take a rest. So many people have asked me what my future plans are, but it is still too early to give a precise answer.

I have several opportunities, and I will decide in a calm manner. The only certainty is that you will see me again in motorsport. It is the world I dreamed of as a child and in which I have been lucky enough to live up until now.

[MIKA27]

THE SEASON THAT WAS AND THANK YOU!

So that’s that! The season is now officially over with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the subsequent final Yas Marina test bringing an end to on-track action, while triggering hard graft ahead of the arms race as teams gear up for next season.

2017 was a season of two halves. The first half saw Ferrari take the fight to Mercedes and raised our expectations for an enthralling second half. But thereafter, Ferrari imploded while Mercedes raised the bar, particularly Lewis Hamilton who stepped up the ante to claim his fourth title – with three races to go the title was in the bag.

In years to come we will look back on 2017 and really the facts and stats show that the Silver Arrows trounced the opposition. The second half was hardly a contest.

Hamilton was mega in the latter half of the season, five victories in the final nine races of the season simply put him on another level compared to his rivals.

Earlier in the year, The World Champion was gracious in welcoming new team mate Valtteri Bottas, perhaps overly gracious and indeed the former Williams driver plugged in nicely, finding a comfort zone quickly and scoring two victories in the process.

But the comfort zone was an illusion, perhaps shrewdly engineered by Hamilton?

After the summer break, it was the proverbial ‘Hammertime’ and the Finn was nowhere compared to his teammate. His shock evident, as he wrestled with himself until he finally notched up another win at the ‘dead-rubber’ in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari were a one-man show with Sebastian Vettel leading the charge while his teammate Kimi Raikkonen occasionally pitched up, but five victories to the German and none for The Iceman are testimony to the lopsided balance of power between the pair.

On the contrary Force India had two feisty drivers slugging it out, at times to their own detriment, but provided a riveting sideshow. The team’s achievements amid the internal ‘civil war‘ to finish fourth in the constructors was a remarkable feat, after all, they run on the slimmest budget while their chief Vijay Mallya was in constant hot water of the legal kind.

On the other hand, Williams and Renault were decidedly disappointing.

The Grove outfit produced a problematic car that did their drivers no favours. Felipe Massa finally quit Formula 1 while Lance Stroll only survived at the highest level thanks to buckets of money, although he did shine in races of attrition – Baku and Monza – it was clearly a year or two too soon for the teenager at the pinnacle of the sport.

Renault as a team were way down on the benchmark similarly powered Red Bull team, that they finished sixth in the constructor’s championship was a tad lucky because Toro Rosso’s end of season driver changes and a mysterious bout of unreliability conspired against them.

As an engine supplier, Renault were clearly way behind Mercedes whose two customer teams ended up better than the French organisation’s works effort. Substantial pressure is on them to not only reduce the gap to the pacesetters but also eke out decent reliability for themselves and their clients.

Season two was a reality check for Gene Haas and his team. That he thought he could be a winning force, with the impressive project he mounted for Formula 1, was naive. Had he done a proper due diligence study of the sport, before diving into the pool of piranhas, he would have realised that mid-field mediocrity was the best he could have expected.

It was a third season of utter misery for McLaren and Honda, their protracted divorce attracted miles of media morsels while their star driver Fernando Alonso was good value for his frustrated quips and adventures beyond Formula 1. But in Formula 1, the team sank to depths previously unthinkable and time will tell if the new management’s decision to become a Renault customer was a shrewd one, or will simply compound the despair.

The jury is still out on Zak Brown and his merry men that now lead the sport’s second most successful team. Next season and the new Renault partnership will make them or break them.

Finally, Sauber were the perennial backmarkers that Manor and Caterham once were. Pascal Wehrlein was decent, but Marcus Ericsson was not. yet, ironically, the latter may remain with the team and the former is unlikely to be on the 2018 grid… go figure! (Again, like Stroll, money creates miracles!)

Nevertheless, the team needed a massive shake-up and thus it was farewell to Monisha Kaltenborn and hello to Frederic Vasseur, with it came a quick hello and goodbye to Honda, followed by the advent of Alfa Romeo. Time will tell where this one goes, but I think this is perhaps the best news yet for Sauber to return to the midfield and perhaps an occasional podium. It has been achieved before so I remain optimistic for the season ahead.

We now enter a couple of months of limited access to Formula 1 news, but that will not stop me from bringing you whatever I can find that is newsworthy while producing interesting analysis on the season gone by, what to expect in the year ahead. Of course, not so much over the holiday period. Everyone needs a break.

Finally, it is fitting to thank everyone reading this thread and occasionally contributing comments and articles. I do from time to time consider stopping, purely because it can be taxing, juggling work, single parenting et al, but at the same time, not posting would seem an injustice to a tradition I've now managed over the past 8 years.

Big thank you to all of you! 

[Baldy]

And another big thank you @MIKA27.  Appreciate the work you put into this thread and I hope you continue to do it.  However, should you decide otherwise that would be completely understandable too.

[MIKA27]

35 minutes ago, Baldy said:

And another big thank you @MIKA27.  Appreciate the work you put into this thread and I hope you continue to do it.  However, should you decide otherwise that would be completely understandable too.

Mate, THANK YOU for your comments and input over the year. 

[LLC]

Always look forward to the new posts and read the thread. Other than watching all the races with SKY coverage in Canada, this is where I get all my F1 news. Great job as always Mika.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

1 hour ago, LLC said:

Always look forward to the new posts and read the thread. Other than watching all the races with SKY coverage in Canada, this is where I get all my F1 news. Great job as always Mika.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You're welcome mate, anytime.

I think I might call it a day at 40K