FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

HÄKKINEN: FERRARI WAS NOT IN THE SAME RACE

Writing in his Unibet column double-F1 World Champion Mika Hakkinen believes that Lewis Hamilton versus Max Verstappen will be the highlight in part two of this season, while questioning where Ferrari were during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Other observations he made include:

Valtteri will come back strongly after the summer break;
Everyone – even Lewis – thought Max would be impossible to catch;
Ferrari was not in the same race;
Vasseur smart to sign the 2007 World Champion.

This is the full transcript of what Hakkinen had to say after the thrilling race at Hungaroring:

The World Championship may have been dominated by Mercedes for the first eight events of the season, but the last four Grands Prix have been exciting, unpredictable and memorable.

One of the reasons is that Red Bull Racing has developed their car into a race winner, triggering Max Verstappen’s victories in Austria and Germany. In Hungary last weekend the close nature of the battle between Red Bull and Mercedes could not have been clearer, producing a fascinating battle between Max and Lewis.

It is strange to think that Max has never been on pole position before because he is in his fifth year in Formula 1 and already won seven Grands Prix.

His qualifying lap on Saturday was really impressive, the high-downforce Hungaroring circuit really suiting his car, but his qualifying advantage over Valtteri Bottas was only 0.018s. To show how close that is, Mercedes worked out that this was the equivalent of 1.06 metres at the finish line!

Valtteri will come back strongly after the summer break

Valtteri did a fantastic job with that qualifying lap especially as he missed the first practice session on Friday due to a technical problem with his car, and the second session was ruined by rain. With only final practice to prepare for qualifying Valtteri really did well out to out-qualify Lewis.

His race was ruined by a collision with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari on the first lap of the race which resulted in an early pit stop. These last two Grands Prix in Germany and Hungary have been hugely frustrating for Valtteri. The speed is there, but sometimes you need a little luck in order for everything to come together; I have the feeling that he will come back strongly after the summer break.

With Max’s teammate, Pierre Gasly starting in 6th and both the Ferraris not quick enough in Hungary, this race quickly became a duel between Max and Lewis. It was really fascinating, especially when Lewis tried, and failed, to overtake Max around the outside of Turn 4 on lap 39.

This is a flat-out left-hand corner and, even though Lewis had fresher tyres, it was still a brave thing to try. It did not work out and the result was that Mercedes really had to think of a different strategy.

Everyone – even Lewis – thought Max would be impossible to catch

That change in strategy turned out to be perfect because when Mercedes brought Lewis in for a second pit stop with 23 laps of the race remaining, I think everyone – even Lewis – thought Max would be impossible to catch. He was 22 seconds ahead, but Lewis started to chase him hard, finding more than one second per lap.

A lot of people have wondered whether Red Bull Racing could have brought Max in for fresh tyres, but this would almost certainly have meant dropping behind Lewis. Sometimes track position is everything, and you cannot blame Max for hoping he could hold the lead to the end.

he problem, however, was that his hard compound tyres were worn out for the last ten laps of the race. He described them as ‘dead’ and this meant he really could not fight Lewis when the overtake came four laps from the end of the race.

Ferrari was not in the same race

Although Sebastian Vettel finished third, Ferrari was not in the same race in Hungary. They should be back in contention in Spa and Monza, where their straight-line speed will matter, but it is clear that their car is just not competitive from race to race. Not only have they been unable to beat Mercedes they are now behind the Red Bull Honda package in terms of competitiveness.

Sunday was another strong result for my friends at McLaren, Carlos Sainz finishing 5th and fighting with the Ferraris on lap 1, but I should also mention Kimi Raikkonen’s performance in finishing 7th for Alfa Romeo Racing.

With 12 races completed Kimi has scored points for his team in eight races, against only one points finish for his teammate Antonio Giovanazzi. This is why a driver of Kimi’s speed and experience is so useful to a team. He knows what to do, how to manage the car during a race and produce the results.

Vasseur was smart to sign the 2007 World Champion

When you consider that Alfa Romeo has 32 points in the World Constructors Championship, only seven behind Renault, the fact that Kimi has scored all of them bar one shows how right team boss Frederic Vasseur was to sign the 2007 World Champion.

Formula 1 now heads into a one-month break before the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, and this includes a two-week shut down for the factories. The second part of this year’s World Championship should be quite different from the first.

I expect Ferrari to be pushing really hard for a win in Spa and Monza, but Red Bull and Honda will also be continuing to develop their car and Mercedes cannot take their domination for granted any longer.

We have just had four really exciting Formula One races and I fully expect we have many more to look forward to before Championship ends in Abu Dhabi on December 1st.

[MIKA27]

WOLFF: WE’LL HELP VALTTERI MAKE A ‘SOFT LANDING’ SOMEWHERE

Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff says he would help Valtteri Bottas find a new seat in 2020 should he decide to promote Esteban Ocon to be Lewis Hamilton’s teammate in 2020.

The Mercedes boss says he will use the August break to decide between Bottas – a driver Wolff has backed since his early career – and has been Hamilton’s teammate since 2017, and Esteban Ocon for 2020.

Wolff says he will look after both Ocon and Bottas, no matter what decision he makes about next year, “We are responsible for both the juniors and those who drive our car now. We will not do anything that complicates their future career.”

“Whatever we decide, we will take into account the possibilities of a driver to go somewhere else. Whether that is for Esteban who wants to make progress somewhere else or for Valtteri who can make a ‘soft landing’ somewhere. He deserves that,” Wolff added.

Inadvertently or not, Wolff has become the sport’s puppet master thanks to the totally dominant team he has turned Mercedes into over the past decade. Every driver wants a cockpit with the Silver Arrows.

The Mercedes boss could turn any of their backroom boys, which apart from Ocon also includes George Russell, into a potential superstar by promoting them to the silver cars.

Or how about offering the seat to a billionaire’s son (three or four would jump at it right now) for a bid starting at say $50-billion for a full season alongside Hamilton? One could think of three very rich paddock regulars who would have a stab at it.

In truth, Wolff could lure any driver he wished to the team even Fernando Alonso, but why upset the bandwagon on which Hamilton is racing towards breaking all-time records previously held by F1 legend Michael Schumacher?

Mercedes are spoilt for choice, as the F1 world waits on Wolff to howl.

MIKA: HAAS, Renault, Alfa? I could see Bottas with Kimi in the same team  

[MIKA27]

ALESI: MICK SCHUMACHER WILL DEFINITELY MAKE IT TO F1

Mick Schumacher will “definitely” make it all the way to Formula 1 predicts Jean Alesi, a friend of Mick’s famous father Michael Schumacher.

This year, 20-year-old Mick and former Ferrari driver Alesi’s 19-year-old son Giuliano are competing in Formula 2. Schumacher scored his breakthrough F2 victory last weekend in Hungary.

“I think it took some time to take the passion given to him by Michael and express it in [Mick’s] own way,” Stefano Domenicali, who worked with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, told Corriere della Sera.

Jean Alesi, a family friend of the Schumachers, agrees: “He will definitely make it to Formula 1. It was not easy for him to get used to who his father is in Formula 1, but it has made him more mature.”

Schumacher is already a member of Ferrari’s driver development academy and has even tested the 2019 F1 car.

Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said his maiden win in Hungary was a poignant moment, “Looking around under the podium, seeing Corinna and many old colleagues, it was like going back to the past.”

“Having a boy so full of vitality in our school is a pleasure, and thanks to his commitment and passion, he has already become integrated with the group. He has a strong character but is a team player,” Binotto added.

MIKA: Great to see Mick doing well and I really hate how everyone places him on his fathers pedestal. Must be a lot of pressure.

Mick is 20 years old and whilst he is young, I don't think anyone can expect him to be as great as his father. 

[MIKA27]

WILLIAMS: MORE UPGRADES HAVE JUST BEEN APPROVED

Williams is now planning to take another step forward in the wake of recent races, the struggling British team finally put some substantial upgrades on its car, which has been easily the slowest overall in 2019.

George Russell, clearly the most competitive Williams driver, qualified and finished 16th in Hungary — an obvious step forward.

It follows Robert Kubica’s point at Hockenheim, the first and only for the team this year, after the disqualification of the Alfa Romeos.

“It has been a brutal season for us, so I suppose we should gladly accept any kind of reward,” said team boss Claire Williams. “But Alfa Romeo have submitted their appeal so I think we’re going to have to wait and see.”

However, Auto Motor und Sport claims that Williams actually made a 9 per cent step forward in terms of downforce in Hungary, amounting to a little more than eight tenths.

“That was a first step. Now we need to do more,” Russell said.

Team boss Claire Williams says the team will oblige, “More upgrades have just been approved by the development department. Now it depends on how quickly we can do the production.”

[MIKA27]

DANNER: RICCIARDO AND HULKENBERG ARE PRISONERS OF THEIR CAR

Former F1 driver Christian Danner believes that the Renault at their disposal is not helping the causes of their drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg who cannot strut their stuff due to the limitations of the RS19.

Danner told RTL that both Ricciardo and Hulkenberg are frustrated with the current situation at Renault, “They are prisoners of their car.”

“Again and again we see flashes of their class, Ricciardo has had a little more good fortune than Hulkenberg who at Hockenheimring crashed while in a promising position, of course, was really stupid,” added Danner.

Meanwhile, Renault’s development has been slow and troubled, and according to Racing Point team manager Andy Stevenson, Ricciardo’s frustration with life at Renault is showing.

For 2019, the Australian switched from being Max Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull to the French works team, declaring that he needed a new challenge.

Stevenson was commenting after Ricciardo supposedly broke a “gentleman’s agreement” about not overtaking rival cars on the lap before qualifying flyers.

“It seems that Daniel is beginning to get very frustrated that he is in a Renault rather than a Red Bull,” he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, after Ricciardo tried to pass Sergio Perez on the last corner of a qualifying warm-up lap in Hungary.

Stevenson said the “gentleman’s agreement” about such moves was made in Monaco, “There was a discussion between the drivers and the FIA and that’s when the gentlemen’s agreement was made.”

In the race, Ricciardo’s frustration showed again when he displayed the middle finger to Kevin Magnussen after a scrap and blurted over the radio, “This c*nt is taking the piss, moving under braking.”

MIKA: One can blame Renault sure, but Dan made his choice by chasing the money and now he has to wait and ultimately suffer.

As for K-Mag, he is a little shit.

[MIKA27]

F1 TEAMS NOT KEEN ON EXTRA COSTS OF REFUELLING

In the background of discussions plotting the future of the sport, Formula 1 teams are pushing back on proposed new regulations – for reasons of cost.

One idea that could be scrapped even before it makes a return is the re-introduction of refuelling. FIA President Jean Todt and most drivers are keen on the idea, as it will reduce the weight of the current heavy cars at the start of races.

But Racing Point boss Otmar Szafnauer told Auto Motor und Sport he is opposed to the idea because of the money, “It costs $2.5 million to buy the equipment.”

Another proposal that could founder is the addition of a 22nd race next year.

One idea to ease the strain of the extra race was to increase the annual allocation of engines from three to four per driver.

But Haas boss Gunther Steiner said: “Every additional engine just costs us money.”

Not just that, even the proposed monetary compensation would not be enough.

The German magazine claims Williams would receive just $800,000 extra for the 22nd race, which “would not cover the additional costs.”

[MIKA27]

SZAFANUER: RENAULT HAD BETTER WATCH OUT

Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer says it is only a matter of time before the team, successors to now-defunct Force India, get back to being best of the rest behind Formula 1’s big three.

If the standings question such optimism, with the Canadian-owned outfit languishing eighth out of 10 going into the August break after 12 of 21 races, the American has plenty of perspective.

He has been to the brink and back, as chief operating officer of a Force India team that punched above their weight to finish fourth in 2016 and 2017 before last year running out of money.

“We’ll get there,” Szafnauer told Reuters at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. “We have the same people, the same process, even better tools and more funding so it’s just a matter of time.

“The second half of the season should be a lot closer to where we’ve been in the past,” he added. “Renault had better watch out.”

Renault’s well-funded manufacturer team, fourth last year, are now sixth and only eight points ahead.

This time last year, Szafnauer announced that Force India had been rescued by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and investors in a deal that saved 405 jobs and kept the Silverstone-based team on the road.

The Vijay Mallya-owned team had gone into administration with only 240,000 pounds ($292,056) left and gross wages of 2.2 million due at the end of the month. Keeping the staff on board through the crisis was key.

“The run-up to that (salvation) could have been where everybody said ‘you know what, I’ve had enough. I’m out of here’,” recalled Szafnauer. “Leading up to it a lot of people had all sorts of opportunities and we all stuck together.”

Racing Point Force India, the name shortened this season, finished 2018 seventh overall despite starting from scratch after Hungary as a new team.

Szafnauer would not rule out fourth as a target even for 2019, however much of a tall order that seems with McLaren there already and pulling away.

“I still think its possible but it’s difficult,” said Szafnauer. “Not because we’re that far away, but because the competition in the midfield is really intense and we’re really only fighting for a few points or tenths.

“If the top three teams do what they should do, the top six (race) positions are gone. You’re only fighting for a handful of points and there’s a lot of us in that midfield that could get that handful.”

Mexican Sergio Perez and Stroll’s son Lance drew a blank last weekend and Racing Point are 51 points behind McLaren but only 12 adrift of fifth placed Toro Rosso.

Szafnauer said the situation was still in line with expectations, even if the tally was flattered by Stroll’s surprise fourth in a chaotic German Grand Prix.

“We took such a hit last year because of the difficulties that we had,” he said. “We were on the back foot because when we were making decisions back in May and June (2018) about this year’s car, we had no money.

“So we compromised this year’s car and I didn’t really understand the impact of those compromises until this year. Now we’re trying to unravel some of those things because we do have funding that we can spend on performance, which is what we’re chasing now.”

Szafnauer indicated Perez would stay next year alongside Stroll, who was at Williams last season and when asked whether he envisaged a change, he said: “I don’t think so.”

“Lance is young and learning, has a lot of potential. It’s a totally different team for him and that takes time to gel with everybody and settle in but that’s happening at a good rate.

“We’re teaching him things about how we go about our business and Sergio is helping with that. Sergio’s been here a long time so I think it’s a good mix, a good combination.”

The team boss had no plans to move on either, despite interest from others, “I want to see this place succeed and do better than it has in the past.

[MIKA27]

Formula 1 making 'good headway' with second US race - Chase Carey

Formula 1 boss Chase Carey says “good headway” is being made with proposals to add a second grand prix in the United States.

Liberty Media, which acquired the sport in early 2017, has sought to expand Formula 1’s reach, with the United States regarded as one of its key markets.

Proposals to hold a Miami Grand Prix for 2019 were unveiled but ultimately postponed, and then altered, with the district around the Hard Rock Stadium now mooted, as opposed to Biscayne Bay.

“We’ve been quite public about our goal with the opportunity in the US,” said Carey during Liberty Media’s Q2 conference call on Thursday.

“Our TV audience has grown well [in the US], digital has been a positive surprise, and there’s more fans here than people believe there are. We’re excited about these opportunities.

“We’ve talked about adding races in destination cities like Las Vegas or Miami. We’ve been engaged for the last year there.

“We’ve made good headway, we are continuing, I have meetings next week with parties there, had meetings a month ago, I think we feel it’s important, we feel we’re making steps.

“Down the road we are talking to new team entrants, as we firm up the business model for team ownership, we have Haas as a US team, we’d love to add a high-profile US team, down the road you’d love to have a US driver, that probably takes longer.

“It continues to be a priority and we’re making good headway on it. We look to potentially add [to] that, probably the first step would be adding that race in a city like Miami or Las Vegas.”

Formula 1 has yet to define its 2020 calendar though it is expected to feature a record-breaking 22 events, with Vietnam and the Netherlands joining, and Germany departing.

“In terms of the calendar, we do expect… I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, we expect to announce the 2020 calendar in the next few weeks,” Carey confirmed.

“I think it’s largely finalised now. In general what I’d say about the calendar is we expect the number of races over the next few races to increase a bit.

“I think there’s a limit to how much but I think we do expect it to go up marginally.”

Carey expects the expanded schedule, and future deals, to bring in further revenue for the championship.

“I think we actually are very excited about the demand interest, the number of places that want to host a race, obviously supply and demand, is important,” he said.

“We value our historic relationships but it is important to carve out opportunities to add a new race when the demand is there and the appetite is there for stepping up for that.

“I think there’s some places where, and I’ve touched on this before, we inherited situations where we were not receiving what we should be receiving when we came in.

“I guess between the supply and demand being in our favour, the increase in our race calendar, and addressing a couple of places where we are not receiving what we can and should be we do expect this to be an area of [revenue] growth for us.”

[MIKA27]

Toto Wolff wouldn't want to 'burn' George Russell with 2020 Mercedes seat

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has explained that not wanting to “burn” George Russell is the reason why he is not under consideration for a 2020 Formula 1 seat at the team.

Mercedes is currently evaluating whether to retain Valtteri Bottas or promote long-term junior and reserve Esteban Ocon, who has started 50 grands prix for Manor and Force India.

Russell joined Mercedes’ junior programme ahead of the 2017 campaign, went on to secure back-to-back titles in GP3 and Formula 2, and has tested Formula 1 machinery with the manufacturer across the past three years.

The 21-year-old stepped up to Formula 1 this season on a multi-year deal with a Williams team that has regularly found itself mired at the back of the grid amid problems with its recalcitrant FW42.

Russell has impressed both on- and off-track but Wolff reckons a Mercedes seat in 2020 would be too soon for the Briton on his development path, making a comparison with rivals Red Bull to underline his point.

“I think you have got to consider that these guys come into Formula 1 at a very young age and there are exceptions to the norm, such as Max Verstappen, that have been given an environment at Toro Rosso to learn and make mistakes, and even at Red Bull he was given the room to make mistakes,” said Wolff.

“He has also been given the possibility, even though he was extremely talented and well developed by his talent, he was given the possibility to learn, which is certainly a strength of the Red Bull and Toro Rosso situation.

“I don’t think that you are given the possibility to learn in a Mercedes.

“You are being put in a car that is able to win races and championships in a high-pressure environment.

“I think it can go terribly wrong for a young driver who has the talent to become a World Champion if he is thrown in that environment against the best driver of his generation who has been with us for seven years, and I wouldn’t want to burn George.”

Russell has spent 2019 largely marooned at the rear of the field on account of Williams’ struggles, and Wolff has suggested that his protégé’s rookie season will have an influential factor moving forward.

“I think he is in a very good place with Williams,” said Wolff.

“He has helped them to come back, to form, learn and appreciate when a car functions well. He saw me after qualifying [in Hungary] and he was very happy that they now have more understanding of how to tune the car.

“It is these moments that he needs to learn to appreciate so that one day if he is given a car that fights for championships and race [wins] he appreciates that situation as well.

“So I think it [a 2020 Mercedes seat] would come too early, and on top of that we try to be respectful to all contracts we sign, and we signed a contract, we knew what we were doing and we made it with Williams and this is where he is and this is where he has got to learn.”

[MIKA27]

F1 still has no better solution for oil spills - Masi

Formula 1 race director Michael Masi says there is still no better way of soaking up oil on a race track than the cement dust solutions used today.
Masi faced some frantic moments before Saturday morning's final free practice session at the Hungarian Grand Prix when he had to get track workers to sort out a car-wide oil slick that had been left from the Formula 2 race.

And although the amount of dust put down appeared excessive, Masi is clear that it remains the quickest and best way to ensure cars can run again.

Asked by Motorsport.com about if there were alternatives out there, Masi said: "At the current point it is a fantastic solution and works really well, particularly when you have got the big brushes pounding in the bitumen, it just works.

"It is something that is used the world over and has been done for a very long time. At this point I haven't seen another solution that works.

"We knew the first couple of laps were going to be a bit dusty, as we saw on TV, but after that, the other way that I learned many years ago is that as soon as you get cars running over the top of it, it is the best solution and we saw that quite clearly.

"Lewis Hamilton's lap was two seconds or so faster than the day before."

While television pictures of the clean-up operation showed Masi looking a bit agitated at what was happening, he insists that was because he was eager to get the matter sorted as quick as possible so practice could start.

"There was probably a car's width of an oil slick from the entry, all the way through and then on the kerb and everything else. It was not a small one to clean and that is why I was more animated in terms of getting as many resources there as possible to deal with it.

"I wanted to ensure with the circuit there was a sufficient amount of kitty litter and oil soak there, and getting effectively extra in until we were happy that the surface was as good as it was going to be.

"In the end the clean up was well done, but there was a significant amount of oil between the track and then the kerb. It was animated more to get everything running knowing how the clock was winding down."

[LLC]

Great to see Mick doing well and I really hate how everyone places him on his fathers pedestal. Must be a lot of pressure.
Mick is 20 years old and whilst he is young, I don't think anyone can expect him to be as great as his father. 

I’d love to see Mick in F1 one day and capable of competing at the highest level but I hope they don’t rush it. So far in his first F2 season he has been quite average vs the top drivers in that series. I hope he can build on last weeks win.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

HORNER: WE DIDN’T MESS UP, MERCEDES HAD THE QUICKER CAR

Looking back on a spell in which Max Verstappen won two of the last four races, Red Bull boss Christian Horner told the official F1 website that the only reason his team lost the race last Sunday was that the World Champions still have the better package.

Horner explained in the interview, “To the layman, it may seem that Red Bull got their strategy wrong. We didn’t. Mercedes just had the quicker car and the ability of a free pit stop opened up to them.”

Nevertheless, it was an intriguing contest as Lewis Hamilton hunted down the Red Bull whose driver gave it all he had until his tyres cried enough and the Mercedes on fresh mediums was able to gobble up the gap of 20 or so seconds in the latter half of the race at Hungaroring to hand their star driver victory.

Verstappen was graceful in defeat as was his reaction to the reality that he did not have the ammo to fend off the #44 Silver Arrow and had to settle for second instead.

Horner said of the Dutchman, “He has driven with great maturity. Even at the end of the race, to lose the race with four laps to go is hugely frustrating.

“But I think he gets the bigger picture, knew the situation we were in and understands how the race is being read. He had the maturity immediately to understand what that situation was and I think he has really come of age this year,” declared Horner.

[MIKA27]

TODT: I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A LOWER F1 BUDGET CAP

Formula 1 will look to reduce the budget cap figure that will be introduced in 2021 which some believe is still way too high but better than nothing at all.

FIA president Jean Todt admitted at Hockenheim that only Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will be affected by the $175 million figure that excludes costs including driver salaries.

“I would have preferred a lower number,” the Frenchman said. “Only three teams will be affected or will have to restrict themselves. It would be better to have a limit that gives all the teams the same chance, but that was not possible.”

“At least now we have a foot in the door. This budget cap is better than none, so maybe in a second step we can reduce the amount,” added Todt.

The former Ferrari F1 chief also scoffed at suggestions that reintroducing refuelling would be too expensive, “The cars have become too heavy which is something we have discussed. I am pushing for analysing what it would mean if we introduced refuelling.”

“If we did that you would have a lighter car at the start of the race and a smaller car.”

“When I hear it will be more expensive it makes me smile. When I see the size of the [teams’] motorhomes I don’t think it is the price that will be the killer to introducing it.”

The biggest gripe, about limiting expenditure in this manner is whether a budget cap can be consistently and fairly policed by the FIA and designated officials tasked to keep this in check.

But Todt does not see a problem, “Two years ago, I was very sceptical we would finally agree a structure. Is it the best agreement? No. But I think it is the best compromise.”

He also admitted he was “expecting controversy” over the matter, but added, “I don’t think a reputable organisation can take any risks of cheating because of the risk of damaging their reputation.”

Which is somewhat naive coming from the FIA boss as the biggest manufacturers – including Mercedes, Nissan, Renault, Porsche, Audi, Chrysler etc – had no issue cheating emissions regulations, ultimately to their peril.

Teams and manufacturers, for that matter, cheat in motorsport all the time which gave birth to the age-old adage that “everyone cheats in racing, some get caught”

After all, it is a sport where winning at all costs is pursued relentlessly, where bending the rules is all part of the game.

[MIKA27]

ALONSO: I FEEL BAD THAT VETTEL THINKS I DON’T LIKE HIM

Fernando Alonso says it is not true that he doesn’t like Sebastian Vettel amid speculation that the retired double world champion might return to Formula 1.

In Hungary, Ferrari’s Vettel said of Alonso who he replaced at Maranello: “I don’t think he ever really liked me.”

But the Spaniard denies that and said so during an online chat with fans, “I heard that but it’s not true at all. I feel bad that he thinks like that. We always respected each other and had a very pleasant relationship. Perhaps it was because of the press, the situation, but I repeat that it’s the opposite.”

However, it is believed that Alonso’s famously mercurial personality could be why there has been little interest among the top teams in offering him a way back into F1.

“It’s always the opposite message that people who worked with me gave, but maybe I didn’t sell that message well,” Alonso acknowledged.

“I give everything for any team I drive for, every lap, every day. The best proof is that I drove for Renault and came back to them; I drove for McLaren and came back to them.”

At any rate, 38-year-old Alonso says he will be content if he retires without a third world championship, “All the dreams I had in F1 I had the immense luck to fulfil. Actually, it was even more than I dreamed.”

Alonso says his new goal is to demonstrate that he’s also the best in categories outside of F1. He revealed that his unannounced next challenge will “force me to devote myself to it for several months”.

“If it was easy, it would not be fun,” he said, amid speculation it could be the Dakar off-road rally.

Still, that hasn’t stopped the chatter about a potential F1 comeback, “I’ve been a little surprised by how many people have talked about it recently.”

“I had the best first half of the season possible. I won a world championship, Daytona, Sebring, Le Mans. If one day I want to come back, you will know it,” added the most missed man in F1.

[MIKA27]

HULKENBERG: I’M NOT READY FOR FORMULA E YET

Nico Hulkenberg says he is not ready to contemplate a switch to from Formula 1 to Formula E amid Silly Season gossip which has had him in the spotlight for the past few weeks.

It is strongly rumoured that if Haas shows the door to Romain Grosjean, the Frenchman will accept an offer he has already received from the all-electric series.

Renault driver Hulkenberg’s F1 future is similarly uncertain, but he insists: “I’m not ready for Formula E yet. I like what I’m doing. It will obviously depend on the opportunities available, but for now, I’m focusing exclusively on Formula 1.”

Renault is openly assessing its options for 2020, with Hulkenberg, linked not only with a move to Formula E with Porsche but also with Grosjean’s place at Haas, “There are always rumours, it’s like that in F1,” 31-year-old German Hulkenberg said.

“I’m still pretty confident about staying in Formula 1. There is not much that has changed since last week,” added The Hulk.

[MIKA27]

CAREY: WE WANT DESTINATION CITIES LIKE LAS VEGAS AND MIAMI

On Thursday, the sport officially confirmed that the Mexican Grand Prix is staying on the Formula 1 World Championship calendar until at least 2022.

The news means that a jam-packed 22-race schedule for 2020 is now basically set. F1 business journalist Christian Sylt quoted F1 CEO Chase Carey as saying it will be released “in the next few weeks”.

The extra race next year is not universally popular among the teams and fans, but it is expected that the calendar in 2021 and beyond could be even busier.

“We expect the number of races over the next few years to increase a bit,” Carey is quoted by Forbes.

At the top of F1’s wish-list is a second race in the United States, with Carey eyeing “destination cities like Las Vegas and Miami”.

“I have meetings next week with parties there. I had meetings a month ago there. Down the road you would love to have a US driver. That probably takes longer,” he revealed. ”

Carey also wants an American F1 team with a bigger profile than Haas, “We have Haas as a US team. We would love to add to that with a high-profile US team.”

But from a sporting perspective, Carey says he is happy with the “spectacular” show put on by F1 before the August break. We’re excited about the growing competitiveness of Red Bull and Ferrari, plus Honda’s return as a winning engine supplier.”

[MIKA27]

Daniel Ricciardo surprised at Pierre Gasly's deficit to Max Verstappen

Daniel Ricciardo says he has been surprised by Red Bull replacement Pierre Gasly’s struggles to get on terms with Max Verstappen in Formula 1 this season.

Ricciardo drove alongside Verstappen at Red Bull for almost three seasons before he made the switch to Renault for 2019, with Gasly promoted from Toro Rosso as his replacement.

Ricciardo frequently trailed Verstappen in qualifying trim last year but Gasly’s deficit has been much more pronounced, with the Frenchman also struggling in race trim.

Gasly has only once beaten Verstappen in qualifying, which came in Canada, when Red Bull misjudged the Q2 cut-off time for the Dutchman, leaving him out of the session.

Gasly has taken just 63 points compared to the 181 amassed by Verstappen, who has taken two victories and a further three podiums.

“It’s a tough one with him now because it is… the reality is reality – he is a long way off Max,” said Ricciardo.

“So on one side they are happy with Max and the first pole for him [in Hungary]. But on the other hand I think deep down they know that they could be scoring a lot more points.

“I don’t know what it is at the moment with Pierre because last year he got some big results with Toro Rosso, which was clearly not as good a car as the Red Bull.

“So a tough one. I know Max as a team-mate I know he is…and I didn’t expect Pierre to come out and beat him.

“I’m not surprised that Max is beating him, but I am surprised at the gap.”

Ricciardo also stressed that he has “no regrets” over his move to Renault, in spite of the team’s current predicament compared to Red Bull.

“I watched the onboard of Max and it looked pretty planted, and with the Honda [engine] they are doing well,” he said.

“It’s a big contrast of where I am and where he is, so I don’t want to say that’s hard to take, but I’d rather be where he is than where I am [on the grid in Hungary].

“But equally I still don’t regret anything 12 months down the track.”

[MIKA27]

Liberty must avoid diluting F1 calendar, warns McLaren boss

McLaren Team Principal Andreas Seidl has cautioned against continued expansion of the Formula 1 calendar, stressing that the championship has to maintain a level of exclusivity.

Formula 1 expanded to 21 events for 2016, a number it has matched in 2018 and 2019, and next year is poised to increase further to 22 grands prix.

Liberty Media has already agreed deals with Vietnam and the Netherlands, while of the current events only Germany is set to drop from the roster.

Formula 1’s owners are keen to expand the calendar further but Seidl believes this risks lessening the prestige of a grand prix.

“Some details are still in discussion, but in principle we’ve given our support for an extra race in 2020,” said Seidl.

“[We also need to] keep in mind that we need to be very careful of how much more load we put on our people.

“We also need to remember that exclusivity of Formula 1 races is important, and the more races you add, the more that gets diluted.

“I would favour keeping the number of races where it is now and alternating them from one year to the next, in order to create possibilities for new venues to come in.”

Formula 1 is also in the process of finalising the overhauled 2021 regulations and Seidl has stressed that key figures must now make decisions, with the next crucial meeting planned for mid-September.

The 2021 regulations must be ratified by October 31.

“We’re keen to see these resolved as soon as possible,” said Seidl.

“The financial regulations were agreed and committed to in principle in June, which for us is the most important factor, because they contain the budget cap.

“We would’ve preferred to see both the Sporting and Technical regulations issued at the same time, however, these draft regulations are probably going to change very little over the next three months.

“It’s critical now that we don’t waste any more time, and get on with the job of implementing the new regulations to deliver an exciting new era for the sport.”

[MIKA27]

Sainz doubts McLaren will break out of F1 midfield in 2019

Carlos Sainz thinks McLaren's progress this year will still not be enough for it to escape the midfield battles over the remainder of the campaign.

Although the Woking-based outfit is in a solid fourth place in the constructors' championship, Sainz is sceptical of the team being able to make enough gains in the short term to shake off its nearest rivals.

"I don't think we are going to be able to break out of the midfield in the second half of the season," he said when asked by Motorsport.com about his predictions for the second half of the year.

"We might bring a few tenths to the car which will be great, but everyone else is going to bring them, so we need to be careful.

"What we need to make sure is that we learn the right steps to do on the car this year and learn them for next year. That is the main target for the second half of this season: learn about this car to make sure that we put all the things in the right place for next year's car."

Sainz's view on the prospects for the remainder of 2019 have been backed by his team boss Andreas Seidl, who thinks that despite his team's solid standing in the constructors' standings that the outfit must not imagine it is in the clear yet.

"We have seen how quickly it can change and we have seen how close the others are in the race, so in the end it will depend upon track layouts and temperatures and things like that," he explained.

"It will also depend on how much more updates everyone will bring in the second half of the season and when everyone switches to next year's car.

"But it is good to have this gap at the moment in the points standing. For us it is important to not get carried away with that. It's heads down and make sure we keep fighting."

Although sceptical about the gains possible for this year, Sainz says the pace of the McLaren over a long stint in Hungary – when at a certain stage it was faster than Ferrari – has given tremendous cause for optimism.

"I was told on the radio that on the last five laps [of the first stint] we were faster than the Ferraris, so everybody was getting pumped up," he said.

"We are starting to see some progress on the car with the tyre management, so that last part of that first stint has given us hopes and ambition to know that we can keep closing on the top guys."

[MIKA27]

RED BULL SWAPS GASLY FOR ALBON

Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon will replace Pierre Gasly as Max Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate from the next race in Belgium until the end of the season, the Formula One team announced on Monday.

Under-performing Gasly will go in the other direction, taking British-born Thai driver Albon’s seat at the sister team where the 23-year-old Frenchman started out before being promoted at the end of last year.

The Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is on Sept. 1, the first race after Formula One’s August break.

“Red Bull are in the unique position of having four talented Formula One drivers under contract who can be rotated between Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso,” Red Bull said in a statement.

“The team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020.”

The switch-around marks a meteoric rise for Albon, who was racing in Formula Two last year and seemed destined for a future with Nissan in the all-electric Formula E series before Red Bull stepped in.

The energy drinks brand had dropped him from their young driver programme in 2012 but he has seized the second chance they gave him.

Last month’s German Grand Prix at Hockenheim was Albon’s first wet F1 race and he now finds himself in a winning car after just 12 grand prix starts.

Being up against Verstappen will be a tough challenge, with the sport’s youngest ever race winner the on-form driver and seen as a champion-in-waiting.

The Dutch 21-year-old has won two of 12 races this season and is third overall on 181 points while Gasly, the 2016 GP2 (now F2) champion, has struggled with just 63 points.

To add to his embarrassment, the Frenchman has been twice lapped by Verstappen.

Honda-powered Red Bull are third in the constructors’ standings but need both drivers finishing consistently high up to have a chance of overtaking Ferrari, who are 44 points ahead of them in second place with champions Mercedes far in front.

Team principal Christian Horner expressed his frustration at the most recent race in Hungary in which Verstappen started on pole position and finished second to Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton with Gasly only sixth.

“The start wasn’t great, the first lap wasn’t great and we shouldn’t be racing Saubers (the Alfa Romeo cars) and McLarens,” he said. “We need him to be racing Ferraris and Mercedes. The problem is he’s not in the mix at all.”

Gasly performed well last year at Toro Rosso and moved up to Red Bull when Australian Daniel Ricciardo decided to move to Renault.

His demotion means Toro Rosso now have two drivers rejected by Red Bull, with Russian Daniil Kvyat also promoted early in his career, then demoted and dropped entirely before being given a second chance.

“We’re excited to see Alex get the opportunity, and we’re happy to be working with @pierregasly again,” Toro Rosso said on Twitter.

Albon has got himself noticed this season with strong performances, singled out even in testing by team boss Franz Tost as the potential surprise of the season. The same age as Gasly, he has scored 16 of Toro Rosso’s 43 points from 12 races.

Red Bull Statement:

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing will race with a new driver line-up from the Belgian Grand Prix onwards.

Alexander Albon is being promoted to Aston Martin Red Bull Racing to drive alongside Max Verstappen, while Pierre Gasly will return to the Red Bull sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso.

Red Bull are in the unique position of having four talented Formula One drivers under contract who can be rotated between Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso. The Team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020.

Everyone at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing looks forward to welcoming Alex to the Team and supporting him during the next phase of his F1 career.

[MIKA27]

GOODBYE GASLY, HELLO ALBON

It’s a move that’s been long coming, and now it’s official: Red Bull have dropped Pierre Gasly.

Just 12 races into his career with the four-time world champions, apparently Helmut Marko and company and can had seen enough of the Frenchman to ascertain he wasn’t the man to help bring them a fifth, and really, fair enough.

From the first race this year in Melbourne, Gasly has simply not looked like a driver deserving of a seat in one of the grid’s few, truly decent cars.

His best finish being a fourth in Silverstone, he sits just sixth in the driver’s championship with 63 points, less than half the score of the man right above him in the standings (Charles Leclerc with 132) while McLaren’s Carlos Sainz, a man who would probably punch his own grandmother for the opportunity Gasly has had this year, is only five points behind in seventh.

Of course, it’s not just about the points Gasly has scored. Max Verstappen, a man (supposedly) in the same machinery, sits third in the standings – seven points off second – with two victories (and nearly another, had Mercedes not gambled successfully in Hungary), three podiums, and a pole position to his name.

Making matters worse, Verstappen was 0.529 seconds faster on average in qualifying (in sessions where they both set a comparable time), and lapped the Frenchman multiple times on Sundays, all-in-all not so much besting his teammate as thoroughly embarrassing him.

And really that was the problem. Red Bull don’t need another Verstappen – hell, they don’t even need another Daniel Ricciardo – but they do need someone who can be the Dutchman’s rear gunner. Unfortunately, Gasly was just a rear runner, and while that ensured he never rocked the boat across from the team’s number one driver, it also meant they left points on the table.

Maybe that doesn’t matter so much in a year where Mercedes are clearly going to win the constructor’s anyway (although you could make a good case they would be ahead of Ferrari with an average driver instead of Gasly), but for a team that is rapidly on the upswing, it would’ve jeopardised any future chance of challenging for the title.

So now Red Bull turn to Alexander Albon. A surprise to be sure, Albon was only a last-minute addition to Toro Rosso for 2019, and while very impressive for a rookie, has still been edged by Danill Kvyat in all the head-to-head statistics. Something tells me the Russian is probably feeling a little aggrieved right about now.

That said, it’s not necessarily the wrong decision. You could make the case Red Bull already know what they have in Kvyat, given his one-and-a-bit years at Red Bull previously, and given the general lack of stakes in 2019, there’s no real loss should Albon prove similarly below-par.

On the flip side, the ease with which Albon has adjusted to the big leagues of F1 could be the sign of something greater, and now we get to find out. Particularly at tracks like Singapore, Suzuka and Mexico, he should have a race-winning car beneath him, and while he shouldn’t be expected to best Verstappen, the opportunity will be there for him to make his mark.

In any case, the Pierre Gasly era at Red Bull has come to an end. However you look at it, it was an abject disappointment, and yet there is still the silver lining that he gets a further nine races at Toro Rosso. Who knows? Maybe this change of scenery will be just what he needs to revive his career, and in partnering Kvyat, he’ll have a very good source of inspiration.

In the meantime, Alex Albon will get his shot, and be subject to all the same pressures and expectations. There’s a very realistic chance I’m writing this article again come December, such is the life of Formula 1 drivers in general, and Red Bull drivers in particular.

[MIKA27]

VERSTAPPEN: NOT MANY DRIVERS ARE MORE COMPLETE THAN ME

Max Verstappen thinks he is now one of the “more complete” drivers on the entire Formula 1 grid despite his young age.

Always fast and feisty, many pundits and insiders are now saying the almost 22-year-old Dutchman has notably matured over the past 12 months or so.

But the Red Bull-Honda driver says he hasn’t changed his methods during that time and told Formule1, “I do the same as what I have done in recent years.”

“I think that if I would suddenly start doing different things, it means what I did before that was wrong. And that’s not true,” he added.

However, Verstappen does agree that he has become “more complete” recently, as he approaches the 100-grand prix mark with both youth and a lot of experience.

“I started out quite young, so I think that’s pretty normal. Most other drivers in Formula 1 started out at 21 or 22. If you look at the grid now, I don’t think that many are more complete than me even if they are 29 or 30,” explained the Dutchman.

[MIKA27]

JOURNOS PREDICT KUBICA TO LOSE F1 SEAT DUE TO THIRD-RATE CAR

Two respected F1 journalists are predicting that Robert Kubica is likely to lose his place on the grid with Williams after this season ends.

After an eight-year break with his permanent arm injuries, the 34-year-old Pole returned to Formula 1 this year with Williams but has struggled.

“George Russell is clearly the faster man at Williams,” said veteran Swiss journalist Roger Benoit, who writes for Blick newspaper.

“Waiting with a suitcase of his father’s money to replace him is Nicholas Latifi,” Benoit added, saying Kubica’s chances of keeping his seat for 2020 are just 15 per cent.

Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi, who writes for newspapers including Corriere della Sera, agrees.

He thinks Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi is also at risk of losing his seat for 2020.

“I have a problem writing about both because of my sympathy for these guys. Above all, it’s very difficult to understand their situations,” said Terruzzi.

“They both have difficult teammates to face, then there is the issue of the support they receive. Kubica consistently drives second-class equipment, which in the case of Williams means a third-rate car.

“I’m afraid that he will have a problem staying in Formula 1. I hope I’m wrong because drivers like Kubica appear only once in a while,” Terruzzi added.

[MIKA27]

STEINER: WE’RE NOT DEAD, DRIVERS STILL COME AND TALK TO US

Haas F1 team boss Gunther Steiner insists top drivers are “still interested” in driving for the small American team whose drivers are both facing an uncertain future.

It has been a particularly difficult fourth season for the team, due to problems with the 2019 Pirelli tyres, Haas’ controversial title sponsor, and the drivers.

Romain Grosjean looks likely to depart at the end of the season, but boss Steiner says Haas will not have trouble fielding a fully competitive lineup.

“You always meet adversity in racing, but I think people see the hard work we put into finding solutions,” Steiner told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

“So people are still interested in driving for us because as a team we are not weak.”

It is believed that the likes of Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg are linked with Grosjean’s potentially vacant seat for 2020.

Without mentioning names, Steiner said: “We’re not dead, drivers still come and talk to us. We have had a number of challenges but we are a team that can grow even though we are going through difficult period.

“Right now it’s just talk, so we have to wait a little longer,” added the team boss who has indicated he will be discussing the 2020 driver line-up with gene Haas during the summer break.

[MIKA27]

MAGNUSSEN TIES THE KNOT

Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen has used Formula 1’s August break to tie the knot with long-time sweetheart Louise Gjorup.

Danish media report that the pair were married in Nyborg, Denmark. The news broke after their friends posted photos of the low-profile event on social media.

Magnussen, 26, said in 2019 that he met his now-wife after re-assessing his life when he was dumped by McLaren following his F1 debut in 2014.

“When I got the rug pulled from under me, I suddenly had to consider some things in my life that I hadn’t considered before. And that was healthy,” he is quoted by BT newspaper.

“It occurred to me that life is even more beautiful if you can also look beyond motorsport.”