FORMULA 1

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Red Bull must keep momentum into winter, says Horner

Red Bull boss Christian Horner thinks it essential that his team carries its current strong momentum in to the winter if it is going to have any hope of beating Mercedes and Ferrari in 2020.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit has made solid progress this season, its first with Honda power, and has won two grands prix with Max Verstappen.

But with its performance now regularly on a par with Mercedes, Horner is clear that it has to keep up that level of form and not fall back over the winter as it develops its 2020 challenger.

"This year was always going to be a transnational year with a new engine partner," he said. "I have to say all compliments to Honda with all the progress they have made this year with performance.

"I think we have made good progress throughout the year, we have had a couple of wins, we have achieved a couple of poles although only started on pole once, and we have been contender to win a few races this year.

"In Monaco we were very competitive, Hungary as well, we were in a position potentially to win that race, and here again we have been that competitive.

"So we are on the right trajectory. It is important that we carry the momentum into the winter and then into the beginning of next year."

Although stability of the rules for 2020 means there is little reason to believe Mercedes will not be as strong next year, Horner sees signs that things are closing up at the front – which could hint at a brilliantly tight battle.

"They [Mercedes] have had such a period of dominance, and congratulations to Lewis Hamilton on a phenomenal achievement with his sixth world championship," he said.

"They are the benchmark and it feels like the grid is concertinaing a bit. Usually a regulation change spreads it apart. It might be ironic that 2020 might be the closest year we have, with a three way battle, before everything changes for 2021."

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Breach of fuel-flow rule would be "foul play" - Wolff

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff believes that if Ferrari has been exploiting the type of fuel-flow system addressed by the latest FIA technical directive it would be a case of "foul play".
Last weekend, the FIA responded to an enquiry from Red Bull about fuel-flow sensor systems, which suggested that it was possible to pulse fuel into the engine at a higher than legal rate during the gaps between sensor measurements.

The enquiry was typical of the type made when a team believes that a rival might have such a system and wants to test the waters with the FIA.

The subsequent technical directive from Nicolas Tombazis made it clear that such an approach would be against the rules.

Ferrari had a disappointing weekend in Austin, inevitably leading to speculation that it may have been forced to respond to the technical directive and adjust the way it runs its engine.

Team boss Mattia Binotto, however, insisted the technical directive had changed "nothing" on its power unit.

The bosses of Ferrari's two main rivals both made it clear that they believe that such a system would have been a clear breach of the rules, rather than exploitation of a grey area.

"If somebody was doing what the technical directive clarified, it would have been foul play," said Wolff.

"And the way the technical directive was formulated it was a severe breach of regulations, so there is not even any talk about any grey areas."

Wolff confirmed that the numbers showed that the Ferrari package was behaving differently in Austin.

"We just had a discussion about the data from the race, and the speed trace looks very different to the last few races, whether that's down to the technical directive or down to another issue, I obviously don't know, because we can't look into what Ferrari has done."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner implied that his team and Honda would have been forced to develop such a system had it been allowed.

"The TD was very clear," said "I think that is not to say that anybody was doing anything, but if they were it would obviously be illegal.

"The power unit is an incredibly complex piece of machinery both from a hardware and software perspective, and the clarifications that we have requested were standard stuff that goes backwards and forwards continually between the teams and the FIA.

"So it is always good to get clarity before wasting effort."

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Hamilton: Verstappen 'beef' was squashed ahead of US GP

It’s one of the most compelling rivalries on the grid: the grand champion versus the exciting prospect who wants to steal his crown. But Lewis Hamilton has said that any tension that might have been bubbling up between him and Max Verstappen, following the pair’s opening lap fracas in Mexico, has been put aside.

Hamilton and Verstappen made light contact between Turns 1 and 2 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez last month, with Hamilton later saying the Red Bull driver was a “magnet” for such situations – with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel firmly agreeing the Dutchman needs to be left more space in the post-race press conference.

Verstappen responded by calling Hamilton’s comments “silly” and saying that he was clearly in his rivals’ heads – but the newly crowned six-time world champion said the two put whatever tension there was between them to bed ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

“I spoke to Max before the race,” explained Hamilton, “and I was like, ‘Dude, you’re such a great racer, man, let’s squash whatever happened between us, whatever beef, let’s just get rid of it. Let’s go out there and have a great race, man’.

“He’s the champion of the future and I’m going to work as hard as I can to stop that from happening for a while, but I’m enjoying racing with him.”

This season has seen tantalising glimpses of what could become a classic F1 rivalry, with the pair staging a thrilling battle for victory in Hungary, which ultimately went the way of the Mercedes man.

Then, following their Mexican contact, the pair were at loggerheads again in qualifying in Austin, when Verstappen angrily reacted after they nearly collided in heavy traffic.

Next up, of course, is Brazil, where the duo finished one-two last year, separated by just 1.4s. They may be on good terms, but don’t expect either to give an inch if they find themselves in a similar situation again…

 

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DRIVER MARKET: Williams to wait until after Abu Dhabi to confirm 2020 line-up

George Russell is already signed up for a second season at Williams in 2020, but the identity of his team mate has yet to be formally confirmed. Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams says we’ll have to wait until the end of the year before we find out who it is…

Alfa Romeo completed one of the few remaining pieces of the 2020 driver line-up jigsaw earlier this week with confirmation Antonio Giovinazzi would be staying on alongside Kimi Raikkonen for a second season.

That just leaves one Red Bull and two Toro Rosso seats – set to be split between Alexander Albon, Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly – and a seat at Williams, which is being vacated by one-time race winner Robert Kubica.

Nico Hulkenberg had previously been linked with a move to the team, with which he made his debut, but it has emerged that is highly improbable.

The frontrunner is Nicholas Latifi, Williams’ reserve driver who is set to secure a high enough finish in this year’s Formula 2 championship to secure a super licence (he's currently second) that permits him taking up the role should it be offered.

The Canadian has completed a series of first practice session outings for Williams this year, including at the last two events in Mexico and the USA, and will be in the car again before the season is out.

Speaking about the team’s plan for their driver announcement, in the context of Latifi driving the car recently, Williams said: “The plan was always to have Nicholas Latifi in the car for these practice sessions that you’re seeing him in, in the next couple of races and in Mexico as well. It’s no clear indication.

“We’ve made it very clear in the media that we won’t be making our driver announcement for that second seat for 2020 until after Abu Dhabi this year.”

Williams are currently last in the constructors’ championship, having scored just a solitary point courtesy of Kubica in Germany.

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Mika Hakkinen reflects on 1999 F1 title triumph

It has been 20 years since Mika Hakkinen claimed his second Formula 1 World Championship. In this video produced by McLaren the Finnish legend reflects on the Japanese Grand Prix victory that secured him overall honours in the 1999 season.

MIKA: What a legend!

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Vettel, Hamilton frustrated by 2021 car weight increase

Formula 1 champions Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton say series officials must address the impact of the increasing weight of cars in order to avoid a negative effect on the quality of racing.

Formula 1 presented its overhauled 2021 sporting, technical and financial regulations at the end of last month, with the vast majority of developments receiving approval.

But the minimum weight of the cars – including the driver – will increase from 743kg to 768kg, mainly due to the use of 18-inch tyres, additional safety measures, and more standardised components.

When the duo began racing in Formula 1 in 2007 the minimum weight was just 605kg.

“I think the cars are a lot more spectacular since 2017,” said Vettel. “Now we know what the cars can do now it was quite slow before that.

“The wrong direction in my point of view is that the cars are so heavy, related to in a way some of the safety measures but I think everybody accepts that and the power unit.

“That is really I think the biggest difference if you make a big compare to where we are now and where F1 was 20 years ago and maybe further.

“Certainly the going up trend in weight is the wrong direction. I think that’s our collective opinion as drivers, it’s my opinion.

“Because the cars are already very heavy and obviously with the measures for 2021 they will get even heavier.”

Hamilton fears that the job facing Pirelli – which will switch from supplying 13-inch to 18-inch tyres – will be even tougher due to the additional 25kg. 

“The cars are already getting heavier and heavier I just hope they don’t keep adding weight, which it looks like they will,” said Hamilton.

“It just slows the cars down, makes the tyres harder, the tyres are a huge element.

“We are struggling to follow and then the tyres overheat because the cars are too heavy and they are pushing it more in that direction. I think it just makes Pirelli’s job even harder into 2021.

“I think what’s really important is the target letter, and they’ve never had a good target letter in terms of what to deliver in the tyres. So the GPDA [Grand Prix Drivers' Association] is working closely with the FIA to make sure that the target is better.

“I don’t know who wrote it last time but it was terrible, well it wasn’t great. So hopefully they’ll be able to get a better target letter which is more in the direction to help us race better.”

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McLaren completes 18-inch F1 tyre test at Paul Ricard

McLaren duo Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris got their first taste of 18-inch tyres after assisting Pirelli with its 2021 test programme in France this week.

Pirelli is poised to introduce 18-inch rubber as part of the 2021 regulatory overhaul and has already started preliminary testing with the tyres.

Following on from last month’s test with Renault reserve Sergey Sirotkin, McLaren regulars Sainz Jr. and Norris got behind the wheel at French Grand Prix venue Paul Ricard this week.

Unfavourable weather conditions restricted Sainz Jr. to just 39 laps on Thursday before Norris added another 106 laps in sunnier and warmer conditions on Friday.

Mercedes is set to assist Pirelli with its next test, in December, before all teams participate through 2020, when the company will be permitted 25 days of running.

All data gathered during the respective tests is shared between all teams to ensure no-one can gain a competitive advantage.

Formula 1’s 18-inch switch will come one year after Formula 2 makes the move, with the junior category to run the larger sizes next season as part of the company’s preparations.

Pirelli has spent much of its 2019 test days honing its 2020 products but there remains doubt over whether the new tyres will be used, following criticism in Austin.

Drivers ran the 2020-specification C4 compound during practice but it was not favourably received, prompting suggestions that the 2019 tyres could be retained.

However, Pirelli expects conditions at next month’s post-race test in Abu Dhabi to be more representative, with practice in Austin having taken place in unseasonably cold weather.

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Prost admits Renault “still not in a very stable situation”

Renault Formula 1 team non-executive director Alain Prost is confident the Enstone outfit can hang on to fifth place in the World Championship despite a “tough season”, during which he admits it has lacked stability.
In recent weeks the focus has shifted from challenging McLaren for fourth place to securing fifth, in the face of a strong challenge from Racing Point and Scuderia Toro Rosso.

The team’s hopes took a big hit after Suzuka, when it lost sixth and 10th places after its brake balance system was deemed illegal as a driver aid.

In Austin Daniel Ricciardo earned “best of the rest” honours with sixth and Nico Hulkenberg took ninth, following another double score for the pair in Mexico the previous weekend.

Renault now has 83 points to the 65 of Racing Point and 64 of Toro Rosso with two rounds remaining.

“It’s not over but we are more confident for sure,” Prost told Motorsport.com. “After what happened when we lost the points in Japan – it makes quite a big difference, because it’s not only losing points, it gave more points to the others. So we really deserved to be where we are.

“At least at the end of the season we need to show something, because it’s good for the morale of the people. We have had a very tough season.

“We have been good most of the time for the second part of the season in races, but sometimes you have accidents at the first corner or whatever. With a little bit of luck we can fight more with McLaren.”

Prost admitted that it was taking longer than expected to rebuild the Enstone-based team, which Renault bought at the end of 2015.

“We know where we are, but it’s very different to explain outside. Because you’re trying to build something, sometimes you lose a bit. We are still not in a very stable situation because as you see we are changing the organisation.

“But we keep going. I’m not at all pessimistic for the future, but it takes a little bit more time to be there.”

Prost said that the team did a good job in Austin: “This race shows that sometimes how much difference you can have between qualifying and race conditions.

“We knew that without any incident we could beat the McLaren, we may have stayed out with Nico a little bit too long, but we thought that normally the one-stop would be good.

“You saw that for everybody it was maybe a surprise that we had to stop twice. That’s the only regret, but we were very pleased to have the two cars in the points.”

Ricciardo encouraged by Renault recruitment drive

Ricciardo said is encouraged by the recent key staff recruitments announced by Renault as it shows that the management accepts that further change is needed in order to progress.

Last weekend Renault confirmed that former McLaren and Ferrari man Pat Fry is coming in 2020 in a senior technical role, while Dirk de Beer will be the new head of aero as part of a further reshuffle.

“When I came into the team there were still a few moving parts,” Ricciardo said when asked by Motorsport.com. “And I think this year for sure, it still hasn’t been perfect. So there’s still some moving parts going on to try and, I guess, tidy some areas up.

“So I guess with Pat coming in – I haven’t met him yet, I haven’t worked with him before or anything – he’s obviously got a lot of experience, so I’m looking forward to that.

“And I think more so just from what I see with the team in terms of them recognising there is still some, I guess places where we can be better, so the fact they are acting on that, I like that initiative from them.

“And we’ll see if it’s obviously, the right calls and decisions. But just taking kind of the courage to make change, I respect that.”

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Wolff vows to handle Bottas contracts "better" in future

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says he can handle Valtteri Bottas’s contractual situation “better” in the future, after the Finn called his career-long uncertainty “a pain in the ass”.
Bottas has been retained by Mercedes for 2020, which will extend his spell with the team to at least four seasons, but was made to wait on a decision by Wolff over whether to keep Bottas or promote Esteban Ocon alongside Lewis Hamilton.

Since joining Mercedes in 2017, Bottas’s future has been decided on a year-by-year basis, and he admitted it has had an effect on him after missing out on this year’s title as teammate Hamilton clinched a sixth championship at the United States Grand Prix.

“There was definitely uncertainty for 2020 at some point,” said Bottas. “Lots of rumours.

“I had no idea what was going to happen. I just had to wait. As an athlete, as a driver, it’s not an ideal situation.

“You can’t be completely with peace of mind and focus on the job and feel mentally free and in the right place.

“It’s tricky. When that continues, year after year, every single year of your career, at some point it’s getting a pain in the ass.

“It’s definitely nice to get the contract signed. But, it’s going to be the same story next year.

“I’m not too worried at this point because the pace is good, I enjoy the driving, I enjoy working with the team and hope they appreciate that as well.”

Bottas’s extension with Mercedes was announced ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, when F1 returned from its summer break.

Prior to that Bottas had scored four pole positions and two wins from 12 races, but trailed teammate Hamilton by 62 points in the championship after crashing out in Germany and then breaking his front wing on the first lap in Hungary.

In the seven races since the break and his future was confirmed, Bottas has not claimed any poles but has scored another two victories and trimmed Hamilton’s advantage to 57 points.

Bottas is enjoying the strongest end to a season in his four years with Mercedes but Wolff believes there will be a benefit to improving how he manages the contractual process next year.

Both Hamilton and Bottas will need new deals beyond 2020, while Ferrari's drivers and Red Bull's Max Verstappen will also be on the market. 

“With Valtteri there is a better way to deal with that,” said Wolff. “Now, in retrospect, you can say it probably had an effect. And I will try to consider that, and make a better job in that respect. 

"I think 2021 the door is wide open, no drivers are contracted to any team, that’s super exciting, and I guess that the driver carousel is going to start pretty soon.”

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Massa: Leclerc could win first title before Verstappen

Former Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa says he would not rule out Charles Leclerc winning the drivers’ championship before Max Verstappen.
The Brazilian, who took 11 victories for Ferrari during an eight-year stint at Maranello, says that he has been hugely impressed with the way that Leclerc has settled in there.

And he thinks the qualities that the Monegasque driver have shown in only his second season of F1 point to him having what it takes to win the world title soon.

“He's a very talented guy, but the thing that strikes me most is his head, and his ability to handle pressure,” Massa told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview.

“I do not know whether he is faster or slower than Verstappen, but the seven pole positions in his first year of Ferrari say a lot. He made some mistakes, but I think we all have to consider his still limited experience in F1 and it was his first year in a top team.

“He is a future world champion, and I think we will not have to wait long. I do not exclude that he can achieve that goal even before Verstappen.”

Massa says that it is easy to underestimate the pressure that comes from racing for Ferrari, which is what has made Leclerc’s campaign even more impressive.

Asked how hard it is adjusting to life at Ferrari, Massa said: “You have to be ready in many respects. You must learn to handle the pressure of the media, the fans, and the one that you put on yourself when you realise that you drive for Ferrari.

“It is not a simple thing, and Charles has handled this aspect perfectly. He's a good guy, and is more clever than he is given credit for.”

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Vettel counters Brawn’s criticism of current F1 cars

Sebastian Vettel has countered Formula 1 boss Ross Brawn's criticism of the sport's move to faster, wider high downforce cars in 2017.

When explaining the 2021 aero rules and the attempt to make it easy to follow and overtake Brawn queried the move made for 2017, which was agreed on while he was still enjoying a temporary retirement.

The change was lobbied for by the GPDA, who wanted to have quicker and more spectacular cars.

However, there was no focus on the time on the possible consequences for following other cars and this overtaking.

"These cars from 2016 to 2017 had a huge increase in downforce, and it is worth thinking back on that experience because it was done for reasons I don't understand," said Brawn.

"The huge increase in downforce was 'let's make the cars go faster, let's make F1 better.' But what we have actually done is made it worse because the cars can't race each other.

"It's an example of an unthought-through programme. So the cars are very quick now, but they're not raceable."

Asked by Motorsport.com if he agreed that the move was a mistake, current GPDA director Vettel denied that it was.

"Not at all." said the German. "I think the cars are a lot more spectacular since 2017. Now we know what the cars can do, it was quite slow before that.

"Obviously we had very little drag, and it was great in a straight line, but that's not the exciting bit for us.

"And it felt a bit slower than some years earlier. So I don't think that was the wrong direction.

"The wrong direction from my point of view was that the cars are so heavy, which is obviously related to in a way some of the safety measures, but I think everybody accepts that, and the power unit.

"I think that really is the biggest difference if you really make a big compare between now and where F1 has been 10 or 20 years ago, or even further."

Renault's Nico Hulkenberg said it has always been hard to follow rivals, although he acknowledged that it became even tougher in 2017.

"Honestly for me in 10 years of F1 to follow another car is never pretty," he said. "Every year you have difficulties. You have different magnitudes.

"But I think it's true that since the '17 generation cars it's gotten worse and more difficult to follow cars, especially again in '18 and '19, the more downforce they find the harder it gets for the car behind, just proportionately you lose more, so it becomes harder and harder.

"A mistake? I don't know. I wouldn't go that far."

Hulkenberg's teammate Daniel Ricciardo pointed out that the wider track introduced in 2017 compounded the problem of overtaking.

"The cars look sexy, big and wide, they look awesome," he said. "They look better than they did in 2016. But my concern was just the width in itself. The tracks weren't made wider, yet the cars were, so there's less room to overtake.

"Not even overtake, but in F1 you look for the tiniest little bit of clear air when you're following a car. If he's on the apex kerb you try to take a bit more apex kerb to just get some clear air on your front wing. Having wider cars, it's harder to find that clear air.

"That alone, even taking the downforce out of it, means it harder. That was maybe not the best thing to do. We all learning moving forward."

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Mick Schumacher: 'What my dad was to Sebastian, he is for me'

As a young racer, Sebastian Vettel looked up to Michael Schumacher, using his countryman’s sensational success as inspiration for his own journey to the top of world motorsport. When he got there, the pair became firm friends, winning several Race of Champions titles together. Today, the German is one of the grid's elder statesmen and, it's been revealed, an inspiration and sounding board for none other than the seven-time world champion’s son, Mick.

This year has been a breakout season of sorts for Schumacher Jr, who is nearing the finale of his rookie F2 campaign with PREMA – and won his maiden F2 race in Budapest in August.

As a member of Ferrari’s Driver Academy, Schumacher - who drove his father’s title-winning F2004 over the German GP weekend, and tested for both Ferrari and Alfa Romeo in Bahrain - has seen Vettel operate up close over the course of this season.

And speaking to Motorsport-Magazin.com, he explained what the four-time champion means to him.

“I’ve got a great deal of respect for him,” said Mick.

“We talk a lot about motorsport. I try to get tips from him and put them into practice. He’s been in the sport quite a few more years than me, so every conversation we have helps.

“I think what my dad was to Sebastian, he is for me: someone that I’m close to, with whom I can talk about motor sport.”

As for his inaugural F2 campaign, it’s a case of triumphing through adversity for Schumacher, who has had ups and downs this season: “I sometimes think, ‘oh s***, but also know that it’s a learning process. The hard times make us stronger," he said.

“If at some point, you join Formula 1 and then suddenly find that nothing’s going right, then the pressure is enormous. These are situations that can completely break a driver. However, the person who has been through it all before and has overcome hard times is inured to it and can handle the situation better, in my opinion.

For now, he’ll stay learning and growing with Ferrari, for whom the Schumacher name will always be emblematic. Schumacher said the only year he’s not competed for an Italian team was 2015, when he drove in Formula 4 – and praised the “passion” of F2 squad PREMA and Ferrari, too.

“The passion they have for motor sport is just terrific. You appreciate that all the more at Ferrari. Walking around Maranello or Fiorano feels really special. It’s just one big happy family. You feel good when you’re there, part of the Ferrari family.”

It’s clear how important family is to Schumacher. And how important his family is to Formula 1. But it wasn’t, until now, evident that Vettel was such a crucial part of that relationship.

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BUXTON: Why Giovinazzi deserved his contract extension

Antonio Giovinazzi will return to Formula 1 for a second full season with Alfa Romeo in 2020. And, says Will Buxton, he’s worthy of another chance to prove his worth…

To say that Antonio Giovinazzi had a tough start to his Formula 1 career would be an understatement. His practice run-outs for Haas were littered with mistakes and crashes. So frequent were his errors, some questioned whether the step up was too much for him. Sublime in junior formulae, there was little doubting his pedigree, but at the wheel of Formula 1 machinery he often appeared about half a second behind the car, reacting just a touch too late to catch the all too inevitable step over the limit. He appeared all arms and elbows. And not in a good way.

His call up for Sauber at the start of the 2018 season saw a promising debut in Australia after a last-minute substitution for the injured Pascal Wehrlein but, come China, all the good he’d done his reputation was shattered by those same, familiar shunts. Perhaps F1 really was a step too far.

Some then were surprised at his signing for 2019, but a year in the simulator back at Maranello had done wonders for the Ferrari junior’s craft and standing within the Prancing Horse’s corridors. Yet with Sauber having become Alfa Romeo, and Ferrari thus having a closer relationship, Gio’s placement at the squad should have come as little great shock. Indeed, Kimi Raikkonen – never the most effusive of drivers – spoke in positive terms of the impact that the Italian had made on Ferrari’s 2018 season, and how he was looking forward to teaming up with him on track.

It is fair to say that the first half of the 2019 season, from a results perspective at least, didn’t come up to the standards the Italian or the team had expected. With a car at times capable of fighting at the higher reaches of the midfield battle, and Raikkonen having scored in five of the first eight races of the year, it took Giovinazzi until the ninth round to get out of the blocks – although it must be said he had more than the lion’s share of mechanical misfortune.

But to look simply at the stats would be to ignore the work going on behind the scenes, as the Italian’s feel for the car and knowledge accrued in his time at Ferrari allowed him to work alongside Raikkonen in developing a baseline to both his and the Finn’s liking and that would form the foundation of the team’s strong start to the season.

While it is fair to say his points haul would look slightly better were it not for Alfa’s penalty in Germany for irregularities over its race start clutch maps, that it stands at a seemingly paltry four to Raikkonen’s 31 paints a disappointing picture. But again, to regard the statistics on their own is to ignore the wider context that, since the summer break, the Italian’s form has improved substantially while the comparative performance of the car at his disposal has tailed off as rival teams have made greater strides in the development race.

Antonio has, however, out-qualified his world champion team-mate in four of the past five races and is the only Alfa driver to have scored any points at all since the summer break. And while the mistakes are still there (his retirement in Spa a much-needed wake-up call at a critical juncture of the season) his craft has perhaps never been better.

Does it need work? Undoubtedly. For if we note that he has out-qualified Kimi repeatedly of late we must, by the same token, state that he has failed to finish ahead of him in the race on any one of those occasions when they’ve both seen the flag.

What though, of the looming presence of Mick Schumacher in the Ferrari Academy? The German F2 racer has already tested for Alfa, and his name and benefactor alone mark his ascent to Formula 1 as a nigh-on certainty should results go his way through 2020. His destination would, presumably, be Alfa Romeo.

Gio thus has a year to prove his worth once more. Kimi Raikkonen will be 41 by the end of 2020 when his current contract runs out. Will he stay on beyond that? Who knows? But with a rules revolution on the horizon for Formula 1 in 2021, Antonio Giovinazzi has 24 races to prove that he has what it takes to not only cement his long term future in the sport, but crucially to lead Alfa Romeo into F1’s new era.

[TheGipper]

I would think Latifi is an obvious choice for Williams.  Russell really isn't their driver, as he's probably got a future in a Mercedes seat long term.  If Williams thinks they have a better future beyond 2020, they need to have a young talent they can develop for themselves.

I wonder if Hulkenberg regrets pricing himself out of the market.  He's not going to pull down much of a salary as a reserve driver for whoever.

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18 hours ago, TheGipper said:

I would think Latifi is an obvious choice for Williams.  Russell really isn't their driver, as he's probably got a future in a Mercedes seat long term.  If Williams thinks they have a better future beyond 2020, they need to have a young talent they can develop for themselves.

I wonder if Hulkenberg regrets pricing himself out of the market.  He's not going to pull down much of a salary as a reserve driver for whoever.

I think Hulkenberg will not be in F1 any longer, which is sad as he seems to be one of the nicer guys on the grid.

Surely he'll move to Formula E or Le mans again where he actually scored a podium. He has had the worst luck in Formula 1, quite odd really. 

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F1 unveils plans for net-zero carbon footprint by 2030

Formula 1 has unveiled its “ambitious” strategy to ensure that it has a net-zero carbon footprint by the end of the next decade, as part of a wider proposal to make the sport eco-friendlier.

Environmental issues, and their impact on the world, have become a wider social discussion in recent years, with World Champion Lewis Hamilton having voiced his concerns earlier this season.

The initiative, launched today (Tuesday) will cover Formula 1 cars, on-track activities, and the rest of the sport’s operations.

Formula 1 and the FIA have been working across the past year with sustainability experts, Formula 1 teams, promoters and partners to result in an “ambitious yet achievable delivery plan.”

It has outlined that “carbon reduction projects will begin immediately to start the journey of becoming a more sustainable sport.”

By 2025 Formula 1 has vowed to “move to ultra-efficient logistics and travel and 100 per cent renewably powered offices, facilities and factories” while all events will be sustainable.

Single-use plastics will be eliminated and all waste reused, recycled or composted.

Formula 1 will also “provide incentives and tools” to ensure fans can reach race venues in a “greener way” while providing “opportunities for local people, businesses and causes to get more involved in the action during a Formula 1 race weekend.”

“Over its 70-year history, F1 has pioneered numerous technologies and innovations that have positively contributed to society and helped to combat carbon emissions,” said Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey.

“From ground-breaking aerodynamics to improved brake designs, the progress led by F1 teams has benefitted hundreds of millions of cars on the road today. 

“Few people know that the current F1 hybrid power unit is the most efficient in the world, delivering more power using less fuel, and hence CO2, than any other car.

“We believe F1 can continue to be a leader for the auto industry and work with the energy and automotive sector to deliver the world’s first net zero carbon hybrid internal combustion engine that hugely reduces carbon emissions around the world.

“In launching F1’s first-ever sustainability strategy, we recognise the critical role that all organisations must play in tackling this global issue. 

“By leveraging the immense talent, passion and drive for innovation held by all members of the F1 community, we hope to make a significant positive impact on the environment and communities in which we operate. 

“The actions we are putting in place from today will reduce our carbon footprint and ensure we are net zero carbon by 2030.”

MIKA: Well, there goes re-fuelling out the window!

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F1's sustainability plans will benefit wider society - Jean Todt

FIA President Jean Todt has backed proposals outlined on Tuesday by Formula 1 in which the championship aims to have net-zero carbon footprint by 2030.

Environmental issues have been a discussion point in recent years and on Tuesday Formula 1 unveiled its plans for a more sustainable and eco-friendly sport.

“Our commitment to global environmental protection is crucial,” said Todt, who has been at the helm of the governing body since 2009.

“The FIA welcomes this Formula 1 initiative. It is not only very encouraging for the future of motorsport, but it could also have strong benefits for society as a whole.

“This strategy is in line with initiatives started some years ago by the FIA with the creation of the Environmental Accreditation Programme, more recently with the FIA Environment and Sustainability Commission, and researches on renewable racing fuel.

“Furthermore, in 2014 we introduced the hybrid power unit in Formula 1, which was essential for the development of motorsport highest category.

“It is the same reason that led us to maintain this philosophy within the framework of the Formula 1 regulations applicable from 2021.

“With the involvement of the teams, drivers, F1’s numerous stakeholders, and crucially the millions of fans around the world, the FIA and Formula 1 are committed to driving development and ensuring motorsport grows as a laboratory for environmentally beneficial innovations.”

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Red Bull expects 2020 to be its most expensive year

Red Bull says it expects 2020 to be its most expensive year in its Formula 1 history, due to the costs involved in development and research ahead of the 2021 season.

Formula 1 is introducing a $175m budget cap for 2021 but spending will be unrestricted next year, leading to expectations that top teams will spend heavily before the new regulations come into force.

Teams will also be continuing to develop their 2020 cars through next year in parallel with the respective 2021 programmes.

“Obviously now the 2021 regulations are clear we have a team – an advanced team – starting to investigate the regulations,” said Horner.

“It makes it an incredibly expensive year as we’re developing under two types of regulations, and obviously before the new financial cap comes in as well.

“2020 will be an expensive and busy year, certainly off-track as well as on-track.”

Formula 1 chiefs have dismissed suggestions that leading teams can spend heavily in 2020 by pointing to restrictions on windtunnel and CFD time, but Horner laughed off such a notion.

“You have an unrestricted and uncontrolled amount of spend [that] you can spend on research and development in other areas [in 2020],” said Horner.

“I stand by what I said previously in that it would have been better to introduce the cap first and then the regulations a year down the line, because then the budget cap would have constrained the amount of spend.

“Next year looks to be our most expensive year in Formula 1.

“There is an argument to say those teams with more resource will benefit from that [more spending] as they go into 2021.

“Inevitably when there’s a big regulation change somebody gets it right and somebody, others, undershoot, and you just want to make sure you’re at the top of the curve rather than behind it.”

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Massa and Fittipaldis star at Ayrton Senna festival in Sao Paulo

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, his grandson Pietro and ex-Ferrari star Felipe Massa all starred as Sao Paulo’s streets echoed to the sound of Ayrton Senna’s F1 cars last weekend.

In front of a crowd of thousands at the Sao Paulo Fan Festival, run ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, Senna’s 1984 Toleman TG184 and 1985 Lotus 97T were driven by the star names.

Emerson Fittipaldi told Motorsport.com: “For me, it is an honour to be able to drive the Senna car here in Sao Paulo, where we started. It was fantastic, with a lot of emotion. The car is exactly as Ayrton drove, with the same belt and the same seat. Even the position was perfect, because it was the same height as me.

“The mechanic who is here was with Ayrton in his first victory, so it’s a lot of history with Lotus. It’s time to relive those joys Ayrton gave us, with so many triumphs and so much pride in being Brazilian.

“It was a very big party before the Brazilian GP. We need to have a Brazilian back in F1.”

More modern F1 machinery also ran at the festival too, with Esteban Gutierrez in a 2017 Mercedes and Renault’s Brazilian junior driver Caio Collet in a 2012 V8-powered Lotus-Renault E20 car. 

Collet damaged the nose of his car during his run (below).

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F1 announces Official Sponsorship deal with Expo 2020 Dubai

Formula 1 today welcomed Expo 2020 Dubai, the next World Expo, as an Official Sponsor with a 14-month association that will run from the climax of the 2019 season and throughout next year’s race calendar.

Expo 2020, which takes place from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, will be the largest event ever staged in the Arab World and is set to welcome 192 participating countries and host 25 million visits from across the globe over 173 days.

The sub-themes of Expo 2020 are Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, which are also topics that Formula 1 has a deep interest in. Formula 1 is a global sport and has a wide-reaching fan base – the perfect stage to showcase the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. The association is seen as an ideal fit, combining the World’s Greatest Show of human brilliance and achievement and the greatest racing spectacle in global sport.

Its F1 sponsorship will involve activations to raise awareness of Expo 2020 and will include trackside and digital advertising at seven Grands Prix in 2020. To kick-start the association, the first trackside advertising will be seen at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2019.

Murray Barnett, Director of Sponsorships and Commercial Partnerships, Formula 1 said:
“We are excited to be working with Expo 2020 Dubai – the largest coming-together of nations, multilateral organisations, corporations in the history of the region. One of the defining features of Formula 1 is that our events help celebrate the countries we race in. Expo 2020 does the same for 192 countries in one incredible destination. Just like the World Expo, Formula 1 celebrates culture collaboration and innovation. We are very proud to be promoting Expo 2020 in the lead-up to the event across some of our landmark Grands Prix in 2019 and 2020.”

Anthony Ward, Vice President of Marketing, Expo 2020 Dubai, said:
“Expo 2020 Dubai will be an unmissable global celebration that will showcase human ingenuity, international collaboration and futuristic, breakthrough innovations – all of which we see in Formula 1 action throughout the season. With F1‘s like-minded audience, we look forward to building global awareness ahead of Expo 2020’s opening next October through this exciting collaboration with one of the world’s most popular global sports."

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Abiteboul: Need for ‘stronger technical leadership’ sparked Renault aero restructure

Renault’s recent bolstering of their aerodynamics department, with the return of ex-Ferrari and McLaren man Pat Fry, was catalysed by 2019’s “struggles” and a need for better leadership in their technical department, says Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul.

“I think it’s fairly straightforward what we’re trying to achieve," he commented. "This year has been marked by an amount of satisfaction, but also some struggles. It’s clear that this position of P4 that we had last year is going to be challenging to retain this year, to say the least, against [McLaren].”

Renault managed to secure fourth place in the 2018 constructors’ championship with 122 points over Haas’s 93, while this year the yellow team sit at 83 points after 19 races, compared to fourth-place McLaren’s haul of 121 points so far.

“We’re also in a close fight against Toro Rosso, and Racing Point, so [we've had] a number of challenges. We’ve been focussed on growing, in terms of quantity, making up the numbers, it had to be done.

"But in parallel we need also to look for a bit stronger technical leadership and making the team stronger in that area where we were a bit lean at that level – so that’s exactly what we’ve done by restructuring our aero department with a mix of external recruitment and internal promotion.”

The Enstone/Viry-based squad, which returned to F1 as a ‘works’ team in 2016, enjoyed consecutive years of improvement having bounced from ninth in 2016 to sixth the following year. But with P5 in their sights in 2019, Abiteboul admitted that it’s not enough, given their leading infrastructure and investment.

“The aero department is a big department with very nice facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, so they know they need to deliver more,” he added.

The pressure will well and truly be on Renault in Brazil, however, as they haven’t quite cemented fifth in the constructors’ championship above Racing Point and Toro Rosso.

And their only point in Interlagos during the hybrid era has been delivered by the outgoing Nico Hulkenberg, back in 2017.

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5 Reasons We Love... The Brazilian Grand Prix

Nineteen down, two to go and both championships have been won. But there is still plenty to play for at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. Here's why we love going racing at Interlagos…

1. An iconic venue

Interlagos is steeped with history (more on that later) but it is also a venue that has become synonymous with Formula 1.

The sight of the whole field barrelling through the Senna S at the start of the lap is one that just fits, while the wide, flat kerbs and short lap all just add to the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace’s uniqueness.

It might be one of the highest venues on the calendar - behind only Mexico City - but it’s also one of the shortest at 4.309km, as only Mexico and Monaco cover less distance. And yet within that is 43 metres of elevation change between the highest point on the approach to Turn 1 and the lowest point at Turn 5.

The undulating pit straight that is flanked by a high pit wall and big grandstands leads to a cauldron-like atmosphere on the grid, that also make the pre-race happenings and the post-race podium even more special.

2. A country with rich F1 history

Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Felipe Massa, Rubens Barrichello, Carlos Pace… Brazil has had a habit of delivering exciting racing drivers.

The circuit might be named after Pace, but Senna is still worshipped like a God in the country, and Sao Paulo is no exception. The Ayrton Senna Institute is based in the city, while his grave is located in Morumbi Cemetery just a few miles from the circuit.

But Interlagos was also the scene of some of his most breathtaking victories, including in 1991 when he finally won his home Grand Prix for the first time and could barely lift his arms above his head such was his pain after battling gearbox issues during the race.

Piquet and Fittipaldi join Senna as Brazilian world champions, but drivers such as Barrichello and Massa have come so close to adding to that tally and have provided the Brazilian fans with magical moments in the past. Only the United Kingdom and Germany can boast more world championships than Brazil, with the total of three individual world champions level with Germany and second only to the UK.

3. The fans

We have highlighted the fans at a number of races recently, but each of those venues have had their own unique atmosphere and Interlagos is no different.

As referenced in the first section, the atmosphere on the grid is spine-tingling as the fans stand steeply above all those working on the track ahead of the race. When a Brazilian driver is pushed towards the front of the grid, it somehow goes up another level…

The whole first sector is flanked by fanatical supporters, all spending the majority of the race on their feet from the run out of Juncao to the finish line and down to Turn 4.

So many drivers enjoy loud encouragement at Interlagos and will do so this weekend by an almost football-like crowd, but those flying the Brazilian flag receive something else.

4. Memories of dramatic championship deciders

Interlagos used to be the final race of the season, and with that came some of the most dramatic title deciders in history.

More recently, the championship has either been sealed already or gone down to the last round in Abu Dhabi, but if we rewind to 2012 Interlagos saw the culmination of an epic battle between Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Championship leader Vettel was hit and spun on the opening lap, opening the door for Alonso, but the German fought through in a damaged car to score the points needed to take a third consecutive crown.

It was more heartache for Alonso who had similarly missed out in an absolute epic in 2007, when Lewis Hamilton looked set for the title before a gearbox glitch dropped him down the order early in the race, and a fightback proved in vain as Massa moved over for Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen to snatch the title from the two McLaren drivers by a single point.

Yet, somehow, an even more sensational finish to a season was to come a year later, when underdog Massa won in dominant fashion but the weather intervened to spice up the race. Hamilton, needing only fifth place to win the title in his second season, had dropped to sixth behind Vettel in the rain but passed a labouring Timo Glock - who was on slick tyres - at the final proper corner of the race to re-gain fifth and the points needed for a stunning title win.

The sight of a tearful Massa pumping his chest in front of the emotional home support remains one of Interlagos and F1’s most iconic podium images.

5. Unpredictable weather

A big part of those championship deciders has been the weather, especially in both 2008 and 2012. The first one of those was almost scripted with rain hitting the circuit late and causing all sorts of chaos.

And it is not uncommon for rain to hit at some stage during a race weekend. Even if it is on Saturday it can have a major effect on events - anyone remember Nico Hulkenberg taking pole position as a rookie for Williams back in 2010?

It’s not even worth checking the weather forecast at this stage because a bit like Spa-Francorchamps it can just change out of seemingly nowhere, and deliver some thrilling races like in 2016 when Max Verstappen further announced himself with an incredible performance (pictured below) to finish second behind the equally outstanding Lewis Hamilton.

Interlagos + rain = a chance for the greats to shine.

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Charles Leclerc to take new power unit, Brazil GP grid penalty

Charles Leclerc will take a grid penalty at this weekend’s Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Ferrari forced into fitting a new power unit to his SF90 in the wake of his Austin failure.

Leclerc’s car suffered an oil leak on his installation lap during Saturday’s third practice session for the United States Grand Prix.

Ferrari reverted to an older power unit for the remainder of the weekend and sent the damaged engine back to Maranello for further assessment.

Leclerc, as with his fellow front-runners, had already reached his allocation of permitted engine components for the season, under the 2019 regulations.

On Tuesday Ferrari confirmed that Leclerc will take a new power unit at Interlagos, meaning he will sustain a grid drop, the full extent of which has not yet been determined.

“Charles will get a new Power Unit [in Brazil], as his was damaged on Saturday in Austin, which meant he had to use a previously used and less powerful version for the rest of the weekend,” confirmed team boss Mattia Binotto.

“Fitting a new power unit means taking a grid penalty in Sao Paulo, but we should be back to our normal performance level and show some fighting spirit to finish the season on a high note.

“That will be important in order to confirm we are making progress with our car and to take some of that momentum into the winter work.

“I know that our drivers and the whole team are fully focused on that.”

Ferrari has not confirmed the specification of engine that will be used.

Leclerc has led the way in qualifying through 2019, his first year with Ferrari, taking seven pole positions, two more than nearest rival Valtteri Bottas.

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Red Bull confirms Alexander Albon for 2020, Pierre Gasly stays at Toro Rosso

Red Bull Racing has confirmed that Alexander Albon will compete for the team in the 2020 Formula 1 season, with Pierre Gasly continuing to line up for Toro Rosso.

Albon stepped up to Formula 1 full-time in 2019 with Toro Rosso in the wake of Gasly being promoted to Red Bull in place of Renault-bound Daniel Ricciardo.

But Gasly struggled for speed and consistency, scoring just 63 points across the opening 12 grands prix, and regularly trailed team-mate Max Verstappen.

Red Bull instigated a seat swap during the summer break, with Albon stepping up to the senior team as Gasly returned to Toro Rosso, for whom he raced across late 2017 and the entirety of 2018.

It was confirmed in September that Daniil Kvyat would be staying at the Faenza-based squad into 2020, leaving Albon and Gasly as the sole contenders.

Red Bull has now duly confirmed that Albon will continue to race alongside Verstappen, with Gasly remaining at Toro Rosso, next to German GP podium finisher Kvyat.

Contracted drivers for 2020:

Mercedes: 44 Lewis Hamilton / 77 Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari: 5 Sebastian Vettel / 16 Charles Leclerc
Red Bull: 33 Max Verstappen / 23 Alexander Albon
McLaren: 55 Carlos Sainz Jr. / 4 Lando Norris
Renault: 3 Daniel Ricciardo / 31 Esteban Ocon
Alfa Romeo: 7 Kimi Raikkonen / 99 Antonio Giovinazzi
Racing Point: 11 Sergio Perez / 18 Lance Stroll
Toro Rosso: 26 Daniil Kvyat / 10 Pierre Gasly
Haas: 20 Kevin Magnussen / 8 Romain Grosjean
Williams: 63 George Russell / TBD

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Williams wary of human cost of expanded F1 calendar

Williams says it is wary of the human cost of Formula 1’s continuing push to expand its calendar, amid suggestions there could be 25 events within the next few years.

Formula 1 chiefs have been keen to add new grands prix to the schedule and next season’s roster will feature 22 events, with Vietnam joining and the Netherlands returning after a 35-year absence.

Under the revised 2021 Sporting Regulations a championship can consist of up to 25 rounds.

Liberty Media is attempting to bring Formula 1 to Miami from May 2021, while it has also held discussions over a second round in China, with Saudi Arabia also mooted as a potential destination.

As part of a compromise the weekend structure is set to be re-formatted in order to condense the current four-day timetable into three days from 2021, while in-season testing has been scrapped.

“25 is a lot of races,” said deputy team boss Claire Williams.

“Looking at 22 for next year is an awful lot and all the teams are having to look at the impact of that on personnel, just purely from a lifestyle perspective and having that work-life balance, it’s incredibly difficult.

“We’ve all got support personnel that we can rotate in and out.

“I think obviously for the bigger teams it might be an easier challenge from that perspective: they have a bigger budget in order to bring in more people in order to support that rotation. It is difficult.

“From a financial perspective though there is an offset, so obviously we go to more races, there is more money in the pot that then gets distributed. So really from an offset financial piece, it’s not the end of the world.

“It’s more managing people, the people we have working for us and not putting too much pressure on them for 25 weekends a year.”

Formula 1’s proposed restructured weekend schedule post-2021 has been designed in order to reduce the workload on personnel, but McLaren boss Andreas Seidl is unsure whether if will have the desired impact.

“It is still something we have to figure out in detail, the effect to the race team,” he said.

“It will definitely have a benefit for some of the race team but we are all aware that the most affected people from this heavy calendar are our mechanics.

“We have a discussion ongoing between the teams and F1 as well to have even further changes, but still, early days, at the moment what we can see doesn’t really affect the schedule of the mechanics.”