FORMULA 1

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Why we love... the Canadian Grand Prix

The so-called 'European season' might be just two races old, but it’s time to make a very popular trip across the Atlantic for the Canadian Grand Prix. Here's why we love going racing in Montreal…

1.    The circuit is made for overtaking

The Canadian Grand Prix has been the scene of some epic races, and that’s thanks in part to a circuit layout that challenges drivers and provides overtaking opportunities. Broken down into its most basic form, the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is essentially straights and chicanes - plus one hairpin - so there are plenty of opportunities for slipstreaming, and big braking zones.

The best passing opportunity comes ahead of the final corner, with a long run out of the hairpin that can see a following car pick up a tow. And even if they don’t get close enough to make the move stick into that last chicane, there’s another opportunity under braking for Turn 1.

But those aren’t the only locations for moves. The hairpin itself is a big enough braking zone to see drivers willing to take a lunge. And with concrete walls waiting on the outside of most corners, the slightest mistake can be punished. But one wall has a habit of standing out above the rest…

2. The 'Wall of Champions' is a constant threat

The final chicane is a tricky enough corner as it is, with cars decelerating from over 300km/h for a tight right-left with big kerbs on each apex if they get it slightly wrong. But on the exit, there’s an iconic piece of track.

In trying to carry as much speed as possible through the corner and onto the pit straight, drivers have to get as close to the barrier as possible. Time can be won and lost in this corner, and a whole lap can be ruined right at the end if they get it wrong.

In 1999 alone, no fewer than three drivers’ champions hit the wall on the outside of the final corner. Home hero Jacques Villeneuve was joined by Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill in crunching the concrete.

Villeneuve had actually already done so in 1997, too, and since then, others such as Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button have hit the wall. It’s not just limited to past or future champions, of course, with race-winners Rubens Barrichello, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ralf Schumacher and Pastor Maldonado also falling foul of the final chicane.

3. Cars always get pushed to the limit

Not only do the drivers sometimes struggle with the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, their equipment can find it hard going as well. With lots of long straights and big stops, plenty of emphasis is placed on power unit performance and braking.

By the end of the race, brakes can be a problem as drivers struggle to slow their cars, which is disconcerting at the best of times, let alone when there’s a wall waiting on the exit of so many corners.

While the left pedal is getting worked hard, so too the right pedal is crucial as drivers spend so much of the lap at full throttle. As a result, Canada is often a venue where teams introduce a power unit upgrade in search of more straight-line performance.

This year, Ferrari brought their power unit upgrade forward by two races to Barcelona, but will be hoping to exploit their straight-line speed advantage, and it remains to be seen if Mercedes, Renault or Honda have opted for an update to counter the Scuderia’s threat.

4. The fans are ALWAYS noisy

At present, North and Central American Formula 1 fans only have three races on their continent, and with the United States and Mexico paired back-to-back late in the season, Canada stands alone in June.

That means spectators travel in huge numbers to Montreal for the race weekend, and as we’ve seen from North American sports fans so many times, they’re going to make themselves heard. The atmosphere produced at the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is one of the best of the season, with packed grandstands surrounding Turn 2 and the hairpin usually seeing plenty of action.

Support is strong for all of the teams, and the bridge onto the Ile Notre-Dame is always full of fans wearing a wide variety of team kit - current and old - as they file into the circuit, hoping to shout some words of encouragement to any drivers arriving at the same time.

5. The city rocks

The fans flood to Montreal because not only is the event at the track so spectacular, but the city itself is an awesome place to be.

Downtown in Canada’s second-largest city is just across the Saint Lawrence River in which the Ile Notre-Dame sits, and it’s an eclectic venue.

While the old town offers up cobbled streets, cosy bars and cafes, classy restaurants and stunning architecture such as the Notre-Dame Basilica, there’s also the business district, a lively nightlife scene and the imposing Mont Royal itself that overlooks the city.

Montreal comes alive with F1-specific events during race week, and at different locations fans can take in live music as well as activities like a pit stop challenge, as the city really embraces the Grand Prix.

And from a wider sporting point of view, Montreal Impact ply their trade at Saputo Stadium by the Olympic Park - itself with links to the circuit location as another host site in 1976 - and the Montreal Alouettes CFL team are also in pre-season action around the time of the race.

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VETTEL: I WILL DO MY UTMOST TO GET A GOOD RESULT

Sebastian Vettel is not revealing much in his preview of the forthcoming Canadian Grand Prix, the German towing the usual PR line while the Scuderia struggles to find the sweet spot with their package.

Pundits expect the power-friendly Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to suit the finicky Ferrari SF90, which would be a change from the form they have shown in the first half-dozen races of the season where the Mercedes W10 has been literally unbeatable.

When the Reds have been on the pace, or even setting it, bad reliability, driver mistakes and strategy blunders have haunted them.

Vettel said ahead of the weekend in Montreal, “Canada is a race we drivers really look forward to. We race on an island right in Montreal, a fantastic place full of fans that ensure a unique atmosphere. Usually, the track starts off really slippery and it takes quite a while to rubber in and provide a decent level of grip.”

“The track is also known for being stop-and-go, with long straights and heavy braking points, split up by a few slow corners and some chicanes where you need to use the kerbs a lot.”

“The final part of the lap is usually the key: you have to brake perfectly at the big hairpin so that you get the best exit to have a lot of speed on the long straight that leads to the pit lane or the final chicane. This is where you can try and overtake.”

“Last year, I started from pole and won the race, 40 years after Gilles Villeneuve won here. I will do my utmost to get a good result,” added the four-time F1 World Champion.

Lots of words that mean little in a sport where the talking is done on track. Obligations to provide media soundbites invariably without soul or meaning. Why bother?

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HAMILTON’S SPIRIT ANGEL HARRY SHAW DIES

Terminally ill five-year-old Harry Shaw who was sent a Formula 1 car after he inspired Lewis Hamilton’s victory in the Spanish Grand Prix has died.

The post on Harry’s charity page said: “On 1 June 2019, five-year-old Harry Shaw took his last breath after a tough 10-month battle against Ewing’s Sarcoma; a rare bone cancer.

Harry Shaw, from Redhill, Surrey, who had a rare form of terminal cancer, died on Saturday.

A post on a JustGiving page set up for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity said Harry took “his last breath after a tough 10 month battle”.

The youngster had recently moved back to his home for his final days.

Hamilton described Harry as his “spirit angel” as he dedicated his victory to him on 12 May.

Mercedes then arranged for one of its cars to be sent to Harry’s home.

“Losing Harry means our happy family unit of 4 now becomes 3. We lose our firstborn child; our two-year-old daughter Georgia loses her brother who she will probably never remember; and the wider family lose their first grandchild and nephew.

“We would like to say Harry died in peace and comfort; to an extent he did, dying at home in his own bed surrounded by his toys and the people he loved.

“But the actual truth is the last few weeks of Harry’s life were marked by terrible pain and suffering that no human, not least a 5-year-old boy, should endure.”

Harry, who had Ewing’s sarcoma, had said in his video message on Instagram: “Hello Lewis Hamilton. Good luck winning the race in Spain and thank you for the gifts. Lots of love from Harry and goodbye.”

Harry’s parents were told he had just one week left to live in April.

Charlotte Shaw, Harry’s mother, said Hamilton’s gifts “brought smiles into his life at a time when there’s a limited amount of fun to be had”.

She said it was “so special to see Harry enjoying himself”.

MIKA: This is so damn sad and gut wrenching. 

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STROLL: THE GOAL IS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST FORMULA 1 TEAMS

Racing Point is owned by billionaire Lawrence Stroll and a consortium of his close mates, and while the Pinks have not been plug-and-play this season, the owners intend transforming the former Force India team into winners.

With a nod to their roots in Canada, the team was officially launched in Toronto as Sportpesa Racing Point and big plans are on the cards for the Silverstone based outfit.

Although it is well known that the team was bought to provide Lance Stroll a decent car (unlike the Williams he drove last year) in which he can shine. However, the journey to recovery from the shambles of their previous owners to respectability is ongoing.

Ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, Stroll senior explained, “We first wanted to restore the financial stability of the team and give the engineers the means to develop the car.”

“For now, we want to continue fighting in the middle of the pack, aiming for fourth place in the constructors’ standings. In the longer term, the goal is to be one of the best teams in the paddock and aim for victory.”

While cash-strapped Force India were always able to deliver beyond their means for their drivers, this year the team has slipped down the pecking order as part of the inevitable hangover from the Vijay Mallya era.

Stroll continued, “In 2018 they did not have all the funds necessary to prepare the car for this year. We knew that the first races would be difficult, but we will try to make changes faster than the other teams. Maybe not as fast as the big teams, but as fast as we can.”

Although Stroll senior assures that the team will now have sufficient financial resources to compete with success, the setbacks of recent years have resulted in delays, both in the development of team structures and with the cars.

There is clearly a need to make up for lost time and it’s not just about money.

Team principal Otmar Szafnauer knows his mandate, “My priority for the next few years is to produce the fastest car possible while making the team the best place to work.”

“To this end, the construction of a new factory will be very important and we hope to be able to get there in time for the 2021 season,” added  Szafnauer.

Although his fortune is estimated at $2,6-billion, Stroll could hardly have acquired the F1 team on his own, but instead roped him heavy hitting associates to back the enterprise:

• André Desmarais, Chief Executive Officer of Power Corporation, a Canadian company with interests in financial services, communications and energy, with investments in a wide variety of companies.
• Jonathan Dudman, from Monaco Sports and Management, an IMG-based company that represents athletes and other celebrities. Lance Stroll is one of their clients.
• John D. Idol, fashion entrepreneur, who has led brands like Polo Ralph Lauren and DKNY. Associated with Lawrence Stroll, he took the direction of Michael Kors in the early 2000s.
• John McCaw Jr., telecommunication investor. He has been a shareholder in several sports teams (Seattle Mariners, Vancouver Canucks and Grizzlies), and owns the PacWest team in the IndyCar series.
• Michael De Picciotto, director of the private bank founded by his family. He has also been managing Engel & Völkers real estate company for several years.
• Silas Chou, investor in fashion. He has also been a partner of Lawrence Stroll for several years and they have worked together to revive brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors.

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Horner: Final '21 rules will be "nowhere near" June draft

Formula 1's final 2021 car regulations will be "nowhere near" what is expected to be signed off this month, according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

The negotiations about the sport's next rules overhaul are close to finalising and, despite some teams pushing for an October compromise, Horner said earlier last month that the new regulations are set to be signed off in June.

But the Red Bull boss is under no illusions that what the sport's chiefs and the teams agree now will become the final regulations that come into play in two years' time.

When asked if the rules' sign-off can be expected in June, Horner said: "I'm sure something is going to be presented. It will probably nowhere near what actually gets signed. I'm sure the regulations will change and evolve.

"Something will come out in June, it will change in September, October, probably in November, and yeah, there's plenty of ground to cover, but there is a watershed where something will be put in front of us fairly shortly and then the fun really begins."

Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul admitted there was still ground to cover before all parties are ready to agree on what he labelled the "key principles" for the 2021 rules.

"Will we have a signed contract by FIA, Formula 1 and all 10 teams by end of June or mid-June for the World Motor Council? No, obviously no. But in my opinion there has been a lot of groundwork already covered," Abiteboul said.

"I think it's all about trying to agree what will be the key principles for 2021, from a commercial perspective, financial perspective, the key principles on the technical side and the sporting side.

"And in my opinion we are probably 80% or 90% from that point, from that milestone, so with enough faith and enough goodwill from all participants and probably a bit of a push from the key stakeholders, FIA and Formula 1, there is no reason why something cannot be presented at the World Motor Sport Council that will be advanced enough to give useful guidelines for the remainder of the year, so that we have a complete set of guidelines for the end of the year."

Williams' deputy team principal Claire Williams agreed with Horner that anything that is agreed on next month will only be the start of further discussions to finalise the ruleset.

"Clearly we're getting close to '21. When we first started these negotiations, it was a long time ago and we're now at that point where we need to have that full set of regulations so that we can plan and prepare out businesses for that season," she said.

"I'm sure there are going to be some further negotiations after that point."

Williams conceded an scenario in which the final regulations change too much from what it is originally agreed was a real worry for a smaller team like hers.

Williams added: "For a team in our position clearly when it comes to the technical regulations we wouldn't want too much movement after that.

"People are going to start working on those, people are already working, and we don't need to be wasting resources with a huge change subsequent to the issuance of the first draft.

"I don't think there's much choice. We have to get those regulations out and so I believe it should be done and I'm sure it can be done."

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Ferrari finally joins Formula 1 Esports Series

Ferrari will compete in the Formula 1 Esports Series and ensure that all 10 teams will compete in the 2019 edition.

The Scuderia was the only outfit not to compete in the first two seasons of the Esports series, but Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto recently admitted it was "seriously" looking at entering.

All 10 F1 teams will now take part in July's Pro Draft that allows the squads to select at least two drivers to represent them in the Pro Series.

Ahead of its third season, F1 has committed to offering a larger cash reward for the Esports champion and will expand into China for 2020.

F1's Head of Growth and Esports Julian Tan said Ferrari's inclusion was a "major milestone" for its Esports programme.

"It's really exciting to see that all of F1's teams have bought into the vision, that they see the huge potential of esports within Formula 1 and that they recognise the importance of the programme as part of our wider objective of reaching out to a new audience," said Tan.

"It's one of the first projects outside of the racing that has the participation of all 10 F1 teams and we're really excited to have Ferrari on board and to complete the grid.

"We're really looking forward to working with all of the teams to make this season a success."

Ferrari was also absent from Netflix's F1 documentary Drive to Survive - alongside Mercedes - but F1 is keen for it to be involved in the second season.

Tan underlined Ferrari's appeal to such projects, and says the F1 team enhances the Esports programme's "authenticity".

"From the very beginning the north star for the programme was to align the world of Esports, which is booming, with the magic of Formula 1, and the closer those two worlds are aligned, the more special the product we're able to deliver," said Tan.

"Having Ferrari come in and complete the grid is another step forward in confirming the authenticity of what we're doing and it helps to provide another touch point for fans of Formula 1 and gamers in a broader sense as well."

Several drivers from the first two seasons of the Esports series have announced on their social media channels that they will not return for the third campaign.

Tan says the potential for returning drivers, such as champion Brendon Leigh, is "very much under wraps at the moment, but for sure you can expect to see a few familiar faces".

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Latifi to make Williams practice debut on home turf

Lance Stroll won’t be the only Canadian F1 driver in action in Montreal this weekend. Compatriot Nicholas Latifi – Williams’ reserve – will get his first practice outing with the team in Friday’s opening session.

Latifi, who currently leads the Formula 2 driver standings, made five FP1 appearances with Force India/Racing Point in 2018, but his only Williams track time to date has been at this year’s Bahrain and Barcelona in-season tests.

“I’m really excited to take part in my first FP1 session with the team,” said the 23-year-old. “The fact that it’s at my home GP will definitely add an extra bit of excitement but nonetheless the goal still remains the same. I want to do a good job for the team and give them the feedback they need to guide them going into FP2.

“I feel really well prepared after the three days of in-season testing I have had, along with all the work I have conducted at the factory this year, I can’t wait to hit the track!”

The Toronto native will take over Robert Kubica’s car for his 90 minutes around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, and – along with team mate George Russell – will be charged with race preparation work and testing new components on the FW42.

Latifi has won three of the eight 2019 F2 races to date, with victories in Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Spain.

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VILLENEUVE STARTS RACING SCHOOL TO HELP EMERGING TALENT

1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is starting a racing school with the goal to provide cost-effective coaching and mentoring for young talented drivers intent on making it to Formula 1.

“FEED Racing France” is the name of the racing school Villeneuve has established near former French Grand Prix circuit Magny Cours. He and Patrick Lemarie, once a test driver at BAR, are the chief executives.

The project is clearly serious and appears well funded as Villeneuve revealed to Motorsport-Magazin, “All our money is invested in it at the moment.”

Increasingly getting a drive on the Formula 1 grid needs not only talent but also money. Drivers with less of the former will have to dish out more of the latter. For many young drivers, even from well-heeled families, they simply do not have the money it takes to make it through the feeder series’ and then on to F1.

Furthermore hundreds of thousands if not millions will need to be invested by parents to get their kid through karting and through the junior racing series’ which are prohibitively expensive.

Villeneuve continued, “Not long ago when parents came to me and asked: my son wants to race, what should I do? I would say: tell him to do something else.”

“Nowadays young drivers don’t even dream of F1 anymore. For many, the future is at most the Porsche Cup, because they cannot get anywhere financially, so they are not even permitted to dream with their potential.”

“In the past – you needed talent, and money was a nice addition – now you need money, and if you have talent, is a nice bonus, but not essential however without money you won’t do it.”

Villeneuve’s racing school will provide an intensive course for young drivers plus a chance at a fully funded Formula 4 season  at €11,500 for a five-days with Villeneuve’s instructors

The last phase of the five-day course, will see a shootout for the fastest lap and the winner of this will race again in the autumn in a final for the fastest drivers. 2019 is the first year for the school, with the first courses already been.

With this system Villeneuve wants to uncover the most talented drivers, the best of which will win a year in the British Formula 4 Championship with top team Carlin, funded by Villeneuve’s school.

The 48-year-old explained, “It’s not this modern thing with half a day… no, they’re with us to drive, and we want them to be independent. Self-learning will help them find out for themselves what they need, and if they don’t, they will not have what it takes to make it to F1 levels anyway.”

“They sit down, listen, study with the others, and try to figure things out. We’ve realized that after two days, they are already clear and understand what is required, and they go on to really made progress as a driver. ”

“It’s also a way for parents to find out if their child has what it takes and also the manufacturers and teams to evaluate drivers. They can send ten kart drivers who they think are good, and we’ll evaluate them before they go off spending on contracts.”

FEED Racing France is open to everyone with the British F4 mandated minimum age of 14 and even open to novices as Villeneuve revealed, “We already had three with us, who have never held a steering wheel in their hands, the first two days were a bit difficult, but at the end they were not far off.”

“If our champion wins in Formula 4, then we’ll do anything to help him, we cannot promise anything because everything is out of our hands right now, so there is not a million for this but if we have someone who is really special, then we will do everything we can to keep going,” added Villeneuve.

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PREVIEW: HAMILTON AND MERCEDES SEEK SEVENTH HEAVEN IN CANADA

The sevens are aligning for Lewis Hamilton in Canada with another of Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 records in his sights as, unbeaten in 2019 Mercedes, aim for a seventh win in seven races this season.

Montreal has been a happy hunting ground for the five times F1 World Champion and Sunday could see the Briton equal Schumacher’s seven Canadian Grand Prix victories between 1994 and 2004.

Yet Hamilton, who leads Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas (in the #77 car!) by 17 points in the standings after four wins out of six, can take nothing for granted at a power-sensitive track named after Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel won from pole position in Canada last year and Mercedes have suggested the high-speed circuit could again favour Italian rivals whose season has yet to get into gear.

“We are beginning to see more clearly the strengths and weaknesses of our car. In the past six races, we were very strong in the corners but lost time on the straights,” said principal Toto Wolff.

“This will make Canada a huge challenge for us as the track characteristics could favour our opponents – there are many long straights, and fewer corners in which to make up lap time.”

Hamilton, who took the first Formula 1 win of his career at the circuit with McLaren in 2007, indicated after winning the previous race in Monaco that a Mercedes engine upgrade was expected.

While Mercedes have kept a lid on their plans, the timing would be right since the rules allow each driver three engines per season and Canada comes a third of the way through the 21-race championship.

Ferrari, Renault and Honda have already introduced their upgraded engines. A main concern for the champions will be tyre management, with Hamilton struggling on the wrong choice in Monaco.

“We need to learn from Monaco… because this situation in Montreal, you lose the race,” Wolff told reporters at the time, cautioning also against too much confidence after such an unprecedented start to the campaign.

“We must never be carried away by saying we are just flying at the moment and it’s going to continue like this,” said the Austrian.

Ferrari were out of sorts in Monaco, despite Vettel finishing second for the team’s best result so far this season, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen posing the biggest threat to Hamilton but hit with a time penalty.

“It’s a fun track, at least you can overtake if needed and I always enjoy going there,” said Verstappen, who was third in Canada last year behind second-placed Bottas.

“I expect Ferrari to be more competitive in Canada, so for us it may be a bit more difficult, but as always we will try and maximise the result.”

Bottas, beaten into third in Monaco after a pitlane clash with Verstappen that cost him second place and Mercedes a sixth successive one-two, will be fired up to claw back points from Hamilton.

While rivals talked up Ferrari’s prospects, team boss Mattia Binotto has sounded less optimistic.

“We know we’re not competitive enough right now,” he said. “And for the time being we haven’t got any more changes coming on the car that will have a significant effect on the problems we have encountered since the start of the season.”

Away from the leaders, the Racing Point team (previously Force India) will be looking for a strong first home race under their Canadian ownership.

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RENAULT: WE NEED A RESULT THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS OUR LEVEL

Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo share their thoughts on the challenges of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while Cyril Abiteboul and Chassis Technical Director Nick Chester give the latest on the team and on the 2019 package.

Cyril Abiteboul, Team Principal: “If we only looked at the result from Sunday, we would not have the full story of our only Monaco weekend. The potential was there to achieve a better result; we just need to look at the fifth place Daniel was holding until the safety car came out after Charles Leclerc and Nico’s incident.

“It was an encouraging weekend, with continued improvement on the chassis, confirmed progress for the power unit, pit stops matching the best and numerous successes for our Renault Sport Academy drivers, the breeding ground for our future generation of drivers, including Anthoine Hubert and Victor Martins who won in Formula 2 and Formula Renault Eurocup respectively, while Guanyu Zhou and Caio Collet were both on the podium. We must now target a result in Canada that accurately reflects our performance level.”

Nick Chester, Chassis Technical Director: “Montreal is a power sensitive circuit but there are lots of big stops over a short lap, so finding the right balance between drag and aero efficiency is key. There are some chicanes in the middle of long straights and riding the kerbs can shorten the lap further and improve lap time. We have some aero and mechanical items coming through for Montreal. Our main focus will be concentrating on getting every different element to work in harmony – the midfield is so tight now that we need to maximise the overall performance.”

Nico Hülkenberg: “I love the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. The circuit is great, the city is really cool and the Canadian fans create a superb atmosphere. Montréal always embraces Formula 1 when it comes to town and there’s a real buzz about the place. The circuit itself is a mix of a permanent track and a street course based on an island, which makes it unique. It has a nice flow to it: long straights, fast sweeping corners, hairpins and big kerbs to ride.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “It’s good to go straight into Canada on the back of racing on a street circuit as we’re already quite dialled in. The circuit is usually a little dirty in the early running as it’s not used that often, but once it’s rubbered in we’ll be up to speed. Canada will always be a memorable place for me, as it’s where I won my first Formula 1 race in 2014. We had to battle from sixth on the grid and were fortunate with some problems for other cars ahead of us, but nevertheless, winning for the first time was incredibly special and something I’ll never forget!”

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ECCLESTONE: HE IS NOT WITH US AT THE MOMENT

Ahead of the much anticipated ‘Schumacher’ documentary set to be released in Germany this year, a trailer featuring former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone as well as the legend’s wife Corinna and 74-year-old father Rolf Schumacher.

In a trailer screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ecclestone says, “He is not with us at the moment. But when he gets better, he’ll answer all the questions.”

Schumacher has been rigorously kept from public since he suffered life-threatening head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013, and updates on his condition are rare, however it is believed he is receiving constant care in a tailor-made room in the family home in Switzerland.

Michael Schumacher’s father Rolf, says, “He knew what he wanted as a child. That was no wonder, that was the skill he had worked for himself.”

Corinna adds: “Michael is a fighter and will not give up.”

Schumi is the sport’s most successful driver of all time, a true legend of the sport whose fate has devastated his legions of fans and left a black-hole in our sport.

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Three things to look out for in the Canadian Grand Prix

 

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Analysis: Was this the best Ferrari F1 car in history?

Ferrari dominated the 2004 Formula 1 season with its F2004, crushing its rivals by winning 15 of that year’s 18 races and sealing both world championships early.
Such dominance seemed inevitable by the time the season was in full swing, but the F2004's leap in performance compared to its predecessor was so big that Ferrari was convinced it had done something wrong when it hit the track for the first time months earlier – even if drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello were sure the pace was genuine.

In this video we tell the story of how Ferrari tried to get to the bottom of what it thought had gone wrong with the build of the car, which would take Schumacher to his seventh and final driver's world championship title.

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Alfa clears up myth behind Kubica's uncorked champagne

Alfa Romeo has revealed the true story behind an urban legend that has built up surrounding Robert Kubica's champagne bottle from his victory at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix.
The Hinwil-based outfit, then under the guise of BMW-Sauber, took its only F1 triumph in Montreal in 2008 when Kubica headed home teammate Nick Heidfeld.

As a way of remembering its success, the team's factory has a display case that features all the champagne bottles from the 27 podiums it has scored in F1.

But Kubica's 2008 bottle is unique because it is the only one in its collection with the cork still in it.

The team says that a legend has built up – and one that new staff members are told on their first day at work – that the bottle is unopened because in his excitement of winning, Kubica forgot to uncork his champagne.

But, as Alfa Romeo explained in a team preview ahead of this weekend's Canadian GP, the real story behind the bottle is more complicated than that.

"It's a great Sauber story, one that shows the human side of Formula 1. It's a story new starters are told on their first days in the factory," said the team. "It's also not true."

The reality is that the winning champagne bottle became the centre of a row between BMW and Sauber over who should take ownership of it, with Kubica having actually sprayed it as normal before dropping it to team members.

"Sauber and BMW both wanted to keep the memento, the vessel of the sweetest champagne we had ever tasted," the team continued.

"We pleaded and begged but alas, on the occasion, it was the German giant that won 'The Battle of the Bottle': the original is proudly displayed in their Munich museum to this day."

With BMW taking ownership of the bottle, Sauber asked F1 to produce a replica bottle that Sauber could display at its factory – which is the one that is shown to this day.

"On the day, we chose to relinquish this precious memory to our partners," the team added. "That's what we did, with magnanimity and style. To go on building more great memories in the future.

"The trophy, that one we kept. From then on, we called it: "The one we didn't even give them a sniff of."

Kubica's victory in Montreal was the only win that the BMW-Sauber partnership would take, before the German car manufacturer and Swiss team split at the end of 2009.

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Canada could provide key answer over "confusing" F1 tyres

The Canadian Grand Prix could throw up some key answers on the role that downforce is playing in "confusing" tyre performance this year, reckons Williams engineering chief Dave Robson.
With a number of teams, including Ferrari and Haas, struggling to get Pirelli's 2019 rubber in to the right operating window, there is a growing belief that higher downforce levels are needed to help push more energy through the tyres.

That is one avenue that Ferrari in particular is looking at, with it suspecting that its aero efficient car is not working its tyres as much as it needs to.

This weekend's Canadian GP should throw some more light on the situation for all teams, reckons Robson, because traditionally teams have been forced to trim off downforce to minimise drag for the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve's long straights.

If taking that downforce off causes issues with tyres, because they are not being worked hard enough, then that could provide a clear answer on what is the best route for 2019.

"I think there is definitely the case that downforce and drag don't always do what downforce and drag should do in simple terms, because of the interaction with the tyres," said Robson.

"People would normally think about taking downforce off for Canada. But if you cannot get the tyres working then maybe they won't work as much as normal, so that will be an interesting data point."

Pirelli reduced the tread of its tyres by 0.4mm this year to eradicate overheating and blistering that teams and drivers did not like last season.

But one of the consequences of that change is that it has moved the operating window for the tyres to a higher temperature band, which has changed the approach teams need.

Renault's Daniel Ricciardo said: "It hasn't been that straightforward. I think even most qualifyings this year, I don't want to say we are not confident but I don't think we are ever really 100 percent sure about what we need to do on the out-lap and this is where the tyres will be.

"There hasn't really been a trend so far to really be 100 percent with it. There is still a bit to learn there for sure, and in a way that is nice because there are places you can improve in that area."

Robson concurred that teams have had to relearn a lot about the tyres this year, because how they behave changes so much on different tracks and surfaces.

"We find it appears different compound to compound, track to track," he explained. "And I think it was interesting listening [in Monaco] to all the other team's radios, because even by the second run in Q3, a lot of the drivers were still unsure what to do. And we see exactly the same as that. It is confusing, challenging – but it is all part of the sport.

"Getting the front tyres hot, that is the main problem – it is very difficult. Then you get this problem of you want one thing on Saturday for that one lap and Sunday you want something different, and you cannot change anything other than the way the driver drivers.

"It is frustrating. But it is the same for everybody, so it is case of making the most out of it."

[MIKA27]

FORM GUIDE: The favourites for pole, points and victory in Canada

Round Seven of the season takes us to Montreal, and a track the drivers almost universally adore in the form of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. But who on the grid has previous here that they’ll be hoping to convert into serious points on Sunday afternoon? Let’s run down the form guide.

Who’s the top tip for pole?

Only two members of the current grid have ever secured pole position in Canada. They are, slightly predictably, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, and they’ve got a full 10 between them, Hamilton having taken six – a record equal with Michael Schumacher’s tally – while Vettel has four. With that sort of form, those two are undoubtedly the leading protagonists – but special mention should be made of both of their team mates...

Valtteri Bottas is qualifying like a demon this year. He’s been on pole three times out of six so far – that’s one more than Hamilton – while in the races where he hasn’t been on pole, the furthest away he’s been from the P1 spot is 0.390s (compare that to the Spanish Grand Prix, where Hamilton was 0.634s off Bottas in qualifying). Bear in mind, too, that a young Valtteri Bottas stamped his name as a driver to watch in Montreal in 2013 when he qualified an unwieldly Williams third in changeable conditions. So he’s in the mix.

So too is Charles Leclerc. He’ll be keen to overcome the embarrassment of failing to make it out of Q1 at his home race in Monaco last time out, while Ferrari’s rocket ship-like SF90 should, in theory, be well suited to the predominantly point-and-squirt nature of Montreal. He’s already got one pole to his name this year in Bahrain. Can he repeat the trick in Canada?

Who’s looking good for the win?

Vettel may only have two less pole positions than Hamilton in Montreal, but he’s got a mere two wins to Hamilton’s mighty six. Yes, Montreal is a track where Hamilton thrives, and alongside the Hungaroring, it ranks as his happiest hunting ground in F1 bar none. He took his maiden victory here in 2007, before triumphing again in 2010 and 2012 before taking a hat trick in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Only Michael Schumacher has won more times here, and Hamilton could equal Schumi’s record of seven Canadian victories this weekend.

Trying to prevent that happening will be… well, everyone of course, but chiefly, Valtteri Bottas and the two Ferraris. Bottas may never have won here, but since all the way back in 2015, he hasn’t finished outside of the top three in Canada.

As for the Ferrari boys, even Toto Wolff was admitting ahead of the race (with perhaps a touch of gamesmanship) that Canada’s layout would likely favour Ferrari rather than Mercedes. It was Vettel, after all, who ended Hamilton’s streak of wins here last year with a dominant victory, while a good qualifying for the Scuderia to lock-out the front row could allow one or other of Vettel or Leclerc to play rear gunner and hold off the Mercs.

That will be a tougher job this year with the greater DRS effect – but with Ferrari’s straight-line advantage said to be worth as much as three-tenths of a second on F1’s longest straights, the aim will be to qualify well and then ditch the silver cars sharpish in the race before either Bottas or Hamilton can slipstream their way back into contention. But best laid plans and all that…

Who’s a podium outsider?

Unfortunately for Red Bull, we think this is most likely their realm this weekend. The team haven’t won in Montreal since Daniel Ricciardo took his maiden triumph in 2014, and even the Aussie would admit that, had Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton not suffered MGU-K issues, he probably wouldn’t have had a sniff. Even in their ‘let’s crush the opposition’ years circa 2010-2013, Red Bull only won once in Canada, in 2013.

Podiums here they can do, however, having been on them for the past two years with first Ricciardo in 2017 than Max Verstappen last year. And given the way that Verstappen’s driving at the moment, you probably wouldn’t bet against him getting in on the champagne action at any Grand Prix this year.

Could a threat come from outside of the top three teams? If it did, we’d predict it coming from Haas this weekend. The American squad got hold of Ferrari’s updated power unit last time out in Monaco, with Kevin Magnussen using it to great effect to qualify sixth there.

True, Haas’ record in Canada is not sparkling – well, it’s horrible actually, with the team having scored just once here since 2016. But if qualifying and race conditions are as warm as predicted and the VF-19 can slide into its operational window, Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen’s cars – which they were both at pains to stress ahead of the Grand Prix were the fourth fastest on the grid – could be rapid.

Who’ll hoover up any points on offer?

Out of the teams hanging off the top three (other than Haas) it’s the Renault pairing of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg who appear well placed to take solid points here, given their respective records in Canada. Ricciardo, as mentioned, won in 2014 and podiumed in 2017 before finishing fourth for Red Bull last year.

Hulkenberg, meanwhile, hasn’t finished lower than eighth in Canada since he retired from the 2013 race, his record since 2014 being 5-8-8-8-7. Last year, he led home a Renault seventh-and-eighth ahead of team mate Carlos Sainz too, so that bodes well for the Regie (and Sainz, who'll tackle the race this year in the sprightly McLaren MCL34, and who's taken points in the past three Grands Prix this season).

On paper, we shouldn’t expect great things from Kimi Raikkonen, however. Although the Finn won here in 2005 and finished third a year after in 2006, since then he’s failed to finish higher than fourth in Canada despite driving Ferraris and fast Lotuses. In an Alfa Romeo that’s currently struggling for pace, life could be difficult.

[Baldy]

On 5/1/2019 at 6:12 PM, avaldes said:

Lance Stroll is such a wanker. I can't stand his smug attitude, knowing that he has not accomplished anything in F1 without the help of his dad. No talent punk.

I'm a Canadian.  A very proud Canadian.  But I'm with you 110%.  I can't stand this guy.  Believe you me hardly anyone in Canada cheers for this spoiled brat or his rich father.  I should also be cheering for Racing Point also as that is the closet to a Canadian F1 team that we got.  But nope don't like them either.  I do like Perez.  I think he's a talented driver who earned his spot in F1 based on merit. 

On another note, I sure hope Claire Williams do something right for once and NOT sell Williams to Mazepin as that is the only way Mazepin can get his son into F1.  It's bad enough that modern F1 have too many manufacturers and "B" teams but we don't need a raft of rich dads buying seats for their kids teams.  As sad as it may be and it maybe inevitable, I'd rather see Williams fold than sell to Mazepin. 

Sad and painful to see the state of Williams these days as F1 needs more of this "type" of independent team.  Kubicia needs to shut up and learned from Russell on how to be a team player in difficult circumstances.  His bitching and complaining is not helping.  The should be thankful that Williams gave him a chance in F1 after Renault showed him the door.  He knew what he signed up for and that no other team would give him a ride.  Williams only did it for $$.  Sad to see Paddy Lowe's name being drag in the dirt.  After a long and successful career, I'm pretty sure he did not became incompetent in 2 years.  There's more to this than we know.  Claire Williams should have been the one who fell on her sword for the good of the team.

As a long time McLaren fan, I'm happy they are doing better.  I think I'm more of a habitual McLaren fan than a passionate fan of them anymore. 

 

[In-A-Gadda-Davidoff]

16 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

That will be a tougher job this year with the greater DRS effect – but with Ferrari’s straight-line advantage

We keep hearing about this Ferrari straight away advantage.  How'd it work out on the straightaways of China or Baku?  You can have all the straight line speed you want, but if you can't make it turn with speed you are going to lose.  I want to see some competition, and so far the only competition is in the mid pack.  I'm hoping the Ferrari powered Haas can challenge for a podium this week.  Maybe Ferrari can bring something to the table this week that will challenge Mercedes.  For now though,  this is definitely a one team race to the finish.  

As a side note, I'm definitely getting sick of hearing Toto Wolff every race weekend spouting off about how this is the week that Ferrari has the advantage over Mercedes.  It would find it refreshing for once if they would just own their dominance.  Just say we aren't worried about the competition.  We are going to do what we do, and that is win.

[Lotusguy]

We keep hearing about this Ferrari straight away advantage.  How'd it work out on the straightaways of China or Baku?  You can have all the straight line speed you want, but if you can't make it turn with speed you are going to lose.  I want to see some competition, and so far the only competition is in the mid pack.  I'm hoping the Ferrari powered Haas can challenge for a podium this week.  Maybe Ferrari can bring something to the table this week that will challenge Mercedes.  For now though,  this is definitely a one team race to the finish.  
As a side note, I'm definitely getting sick of hearing Toto Wolff every race weekend spouting off about how this is the week that Ferrari has the advantage over Mercedes.  It would find it refreshing for once if they would just own their dominance.  Just say we aren't worried about the competition.  We are going to do what we do, and that is win.

I am now convinced that this “Ferrari advantage “ is just a PR stunt to desperately try and create some perception of competition in order to keep the audience at least a little bit interested.

It’s not working for me.

[Baldy]

To many pundits, technical people, teams and even Ferrari themselves are saying that they have the best power unit on the grid.  Many people that typically can't agree on anything.  I believe them and the speed trap don't lie.  However it takes the whole package to win a race.  The biggest problem with Ferrari this years is strategy and driver errors.  It's not just Vettel, even young Leclerc have made a few.  Mercedes on the other hand have been flawless from a strategy and driver perspective.  They are rightfully reaping the rewards of such excellence.

[avaldes]

Wow...just wow.

[Baccy]

8 minutes ago, avaldes said:

Wow...just wow.

I'm through with F1. This was highway robbery. I hope everyone else boycotts it too. There's no other form of motorsport with such a blatant level of political bias, and it's obviously favoring one particular driver and team. SMH

[Colt45]

12 minutes ago, avaldes said:

Wow...just wow.

I actually got to watch this one - shouldn't have bothered.

[Schumi5]

Full disclosure, I am a Tifoso, so definitely open to bias.  With that said, what an absolutely horrendous decision by the FIA.  Complete robbery.  Not just robbery of a win from Seb but more importantly, robbery from the fans and the sport.  I was enjoying the best race of the year and those last twenty laps would have been absolutely epic, a true battle between two champions on one of the best tracks of the year.  I would have obviously been pushing for a Ferrari win, but even if Hamilton managed a legit overtake, there is no doubt this would have a been an excellent spectacle for the sport.  An example of Formula 1 at its best at one of the few races of the year that are in prime viewing timeslots for North American fans.  A rare opportunity to see all that Formula 1 can offer at its best.

Unfortunately, we were left with yet another example of Formula 1 at its worst.  A stunning illustration of everything that is wrong with the sport and why so many are tuning out.  This is a difficult one to swallow.  Both Hamilton and Seb showed class and respect to each other which is admirable but what a colossal failure for the sport. 

[Baccy]

What makes it so bad is that it wasn't a spur of the moment decision. The stewards studied over the replay for a good 15-20 minutes then made this horrendous decision! Idk...