FORMULA 1

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DHL becomes Formula 1's first official eSports partner

Despite new owners Liberty keen to bring in new partners and suppliers to Formula 1 that are not legacy linked to former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, global logistics company DHL today has not only renewed their partnership with the sport but have at the same time become the first official partner of F1’s new eSports Series.

While the length of the new partnership agreement was not disclosed the fact that it was signed ahead of the start of the 2018 F1 season in Melbourne is significant. In terms of the agreement, DHL will retain its position as the official logistics partner of F1.

“As logistics partner, DHL is in charge of the complex shipping of Formula 1 vehicles and equipment,” Arjan Sissing, head of corporate brand marketing at Deutsche Post DHL Group, said.” The brand is therefore an integral component of this highly emotional sporting and entertainment experience with global reach.

“As the first official partner of the F1 eSports Series, we are very pleased to accompany Formula One on its digital journey and to actively contribute to the expansion and emotionalisation of the product range for fans.”

As part of the new agreement, DHL fan festivals will be organised in F1’s core and growth markets including the involvement with the new eSports side of the business. Additionally,  DHL will continue to present the DHL Fastest Lap and DHL Fastest Pit Stop awards.
 
DHL first became a global partner of F1 in 2004.

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Alfa Romeo Sauber's 2018 F1 season trailer

 

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Mercedes says hypersoft a "survival" tyre

Mercedes avoided Pirelli's new hypersoft tyre in Formula 1 testing because it will just be a compound to "survive" on this season, according to team principal Toto Wolff.
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas ended the two weeks at Barcelona more than a second off Sebastian Vettel's pace, but did not pursue one-lap performance and only moved away from soft or medium Pirellis to try the ultrasoft.

Wolff dismissed it a a potential concern, claiming it was better for Mercedes' test programme as a whole.

"We decided not to use the hypersoft because we felt it is a tyre that is usable for one lap only, and that in testing it is about collecting data and understanding set-ups," he said.

"The hypersoft is just an additional big step in grip from the ultrasoft. It will be a qualifying tyre, and we felt that we would rather concentrate on the development work than on single lap.

"I think the hyper will be a qualifying tyre only, and you just need to hang onto it in the first couple of laps, and survive."

Wolff said that "every car" suffered blistering on the softer compounds in testing and reckoned that meant races they are used "can be exciting".

However, he also suggested that Pirelli's estimates of big steps between each compound would not prove to be accurate.

"What we have seen is that the steps in performance and in grip between the tyre compounds was relatively small," he said.

"Between medium and soft, soft and supersoft, supersoft and ultrasoft you could see tiny steps, between a tenth or two, sometimes no step at all.

  

"With some teams, like Williams, there was no step at all."

Pirelli's hypersoft appeared in Abu Dhabi in the post-season test last November, and Bottas said that offered sufficient opportunity to try the new-for-2018 compound.

He agreed with Wolff that the life of the tyres made it an irrelevant one to test on in Spain, claiming "they would only last one lap" on a high-energy circuit like Barcelona.

"They are grippier, based on what we know, so I don't think there's a risk," he continued. "We decided to focus on the tyres that are most likely to be [used] on that type of track."

Vettel claimed after testing that Mercedes' decision to complete race simulations only using medium tyres, which is not allowed in races, made its impressive long-run pace misleading.

Bottas admitted that it was not entirely representative, saying: "We know that testing was good, especially our long-run performance felt good and consistent.

"But it's only one track, one [set of] conditions, one type of tyre."

He added: "I think we definitely need to be cautious, it was unique conditions. We know Melbourne will be different, Bahrain and China will be different.

"We can estimate pretty well but we need to prove in Melbourne that the car also works there."

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McLaren says Ferrari broke gentleman's agreement over Mekies

McLaren says it is "unhappy" with the FIA after it announced Laurent Mekies is to leave his post with the governing body and join Ferrari, breaking an agreement among teams.
Mekies, the FIA's safety delegate and deputy race director for Formula 1 and F2, will start at Ferrari in just over six months, on September 20. He will report to technical director Mattia Binotto.

After last year's Marcin Budkowski case – when the former head of the FIA's technical department left to join Renault – the matter of gardening leave was discussed by the teams in a Strategy Group meeting.

It was agreed that 12 months would be an appropriate minimum wait for former employees of both the FIA and the F1 Group.

The fact that this deadline has been broken so soon after it was agreed has angered McLaren.

  

"We very unhappy with the FIA for losing yet another key employee to a racing team," McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Motorsport.com.

"Especially after it was agreed by all teams at the last Strategy Group meeting that no key technical FIA employees would be employed by a race team within 12 months of leaving the FIA.

"Ferrari went against the gentleman's agreement, and the FIA has not enforced it."

Other teams are known to have expressed similar views in private, although they have yet to comment publicly.

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WEBBER: RICCIARDO IS ON A TIGHTROPE

Mark Webber knows a thing or two about the Red Bull Formula 1 team and, ahead of the season opening Australian Grand Prix, is warning fellow Aussie Daniel Ricciardo that he is on a tightrope as new contract negotiations beckon.

Ricciardo has agreed with his team that in April he will make a decision on his future. The smart money is on Ricciardo extending with the energy drinks outfit, however, there may be alternative options. For him, at this stage of his career, only Ferrari or Mercedes would be options that could match or surpass what Red Bull have on the table.

Red Bull are in the throes of deciding their future engine supplier with Honda now in partnership with their Toro Rosso junior team. Their hopes are clear and the ball is in the court of the Japanese manufacturer.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Webber cautioned, “The stopwatch is important – the first part of the year is very important for him. He knows that. He is on a tightrope. There is no question. Any driver comes to that point in his career where it’s negotiation time again on contract – there is a little bit more in the air around the team.”

“I have been through that stability, in the middle of it where you are just knuckling down, and, obviously, right on the edge where you are waiting to renew your contract, whether it’s you stalling or the team stalling. I have been through both of those.

“At the end of the day, when the helmet is on, it can’t affect you, whether you have a five-year contract or a five-minute contract – you have to deliver. The team sees that. They are measuring everything now, there is nowhere to hide which is good for him because it sorts out the wheat from the chaff. That’s why he has had a long career and continues to have a long career because he deserves to be there.”

Webber explained why Ricciardo’s current team should be top of his list, “Red Bull, do they know how to put a championship together? Absolutely. They are crafty, in the trenches, they will use every trick in the book. They know what to do to put a long campaign together.”

And concedes, “It’s just whether Renault can sustain the blowtorch of the amount of horsepower and consistency and reliability that Mercedes have over the course of a long campaign.

“Then they have a big decision to make at Red Bull of what they do with their engine themselves. That’s going to be another thing playing out in Daniel’s decision-making process. They might have a different engine next year with a Honda, or stay with Renault, they have got a lot of thinking to do at Red Bull in terms of what power unit they use,” added Webber.

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ALAN JONES WILLIAMS FW07/01 TO BE AUCTIONED

The Williams #27 Chassis FW07/01 was raced eight times by Alan Jones and Clay Regazzoni during the 1979 Formula 1 World Championship season is now fully restored and will be auctioned by racecarsdirect.com

The FW07 was Williams Grand Prix Engineering’s first attempt at a ‘ground effect’ car. Following on from the success of the Lotus 79 Patrick Head, the teams Chief Engineer since its formation in 1977, along with Neil Oatley and Frank Dernie took these aerodynamic principles and with the help of a wind tunnel at Imperial College (London) set about honing his design for what would become the FW07.

It was the FW07 that would ultimately propel Williams into a championship winning team in only its second season since the car’s debut. Between its first race in April 1979 at the Spanish GP until its last outing at the USA GP (West) in April 1982 the FW07, and its subsequent ‘B’ and ‘C’ adaptations, scored an incredible 300 points, securing Williams its first Drivers Championship and first two Constructors Championships.

The car you see here is #27 Chassis No FW07/01. It first debuted in April 1979 at the USA GP (West) in Long Beach although it did not take part in the race but remained on static display. During the next race of the 1979 calendar, the Spanish GP at Jamara, the car finally had its maiden outing driven by Australian Alan Jones. Unfortunately, a gear selection problem forced a retirement on lap 54 although Jones did record the second fastest lap of the race.

By the Belgium GP that year, the sixth race of the calendar, the FW07’s were a front-running car. By lap 24, with Jones driving, the FW07/01 took the lead of the race for the first time and held onto it until lap 39, at which point Jones had to retire after suffering an electrical fault. This was the first time a Williams constructed car had led a GP.

Piers Courage had done the same in 1969 at the Italian GP but at the time was driving a Williams entered Brabham. It took three further races for Williams to secure its first race win.

On 14 July 1979, at the British GP held at Silverstone, Swiss driver Clay Regazzoni, in the sister car the FW07/02, was victorious after Jones had to retire following a water pump failure. With updates to the FW07 becoming available Jones was due to race the newer chassis, the FW07/03, with the FW07/01 car available as a spare. Having spun off at Copse during the Thursday morning test session Jones switched to the spare car.

During the afternoon timed session Jones continued in the FW07/01 whilst the team checked over his race car, during which time Jones recorded an average speed of 146.8mph and recorded the first sub 1m 12s lap with a time of 1m 11.88s. This lap was over six seconds faster than the previous year’s fastest lap, held by Nikki Lauda in his Brabham-Alfa Romeo.

On the Friday morning Jones returned to his race car but during a brief halt in the session, after Patrese crashed his Arrows at Becketts, switched back to the FW07/01. During the Saturday morning test session, Jones decided to settle for the FW07/01 as his race car having decided that out of the two available to him this one was running well and had the better engine following the installation of a new Cosworth DFV V8 for the occasion.

Having qualified in pole-position, in the process setting a lap record, and after building up a commanding lead in the race during which time by lap 25 the FW07/01 had lapped nine other cars, it was a disappointing end for Jones during what was a glorious weekend for the team when a water pump failure forced him to retire the car on lap 40 after leading the GP from the start.

Two races later, however, at the Dutch GP in Zandvoort, Jones and the FW07/01 finally secured the victory they so richly deserved. Like Silverstone Jones alternated between the race car and the spare, which was again the FW07/01. During Friday’s timed session Jones was out in the spare car and this continued through to the first session of the following morning.

By the afternoon timed session Jones was back in his race car with Regazzoni in the FW07/02. Jones would eventually put his car on the front row of the grid behind Arnoux who was in pole position in the Renault. However even though Jones had a new engine in the FW07/04 the team were concerned with its performance and, with an hour to go before the race, as a precaution switched Jones back to the FW07/01. It was an eventful race for Williams. Regazzoni tangled with Arnoux in a first corner incident and subsequently lost his front wheel and by half distance, even with a gearbox issue, Jones was managing to stay behind race leader Villeneuve.

On lap 47 Villeneuve spun his Ferrari allowing Jones to take over the lead of the race which he held until the chequered flag with 20 seconds to spare over second place Scheckter in the second Ferrari. This victory, the first for the FW07/01, and a hat-trick for Jones secured Williams their fourth consecutive win following Regazzoni’s win at Silverstone and Jones following this up with wins in Germany and Austria.

In all FW07/01 went on to race eight times during the 1979 season and helped secure third place for Jones in the Drivers Championship and fifth place for Regazzoni, each driving the car four times. Williams also finished a highly commendable second to Ferrari in the Constructors Championship an achievement made all the more worthy considering this was the FW07’s maiden year.

Since being retired from GP racing the FW07/01 went on to successfully race in the 1980 Aurora AFX British F1 Championship. During this time the FW07/01 achieved four pole-positions and three victories, with Eliseo Salazar and Emilio de Villota securing two and one wins respectively.

After this stint in the Aurora series and other various race outings, the FW07/01 was exhibited as part of the Williams Grand Prix Collection, home to one of the largest private collection of Formula 1 cars in the world. FW07/01, along with its sister car FW07/02, took pride of place in a collection that spans the entire history of the Williams Formula 1 team.

In 2013/2014 the car underwent a complete ground-up restoration by John Cadd of JC Historics. John started his race career at Williams in 1979 coincidentally at the same time that the FW07/01 made its debut. He was initially part of the test team and subsequently formed part of the race team. John continued this role until he took over custodianship of the Williams Grand Prix Collection which he continued to do so for the next ten years.

The restoration project took over 1000 man hours and painstakingly restored the FW07/01 as close to original spec as is possible, in some cases with original Williams parts. When original parts were not available replacement items were manufactured to the highest racing standards using original drawings or templates.

Both engine and gearbox have been completely rebuilt by specialists Geoff Richardson Engineering and BPA Engineering Ltd and the car now wears the livery that it ran with when Alan Jones and the FW07/01 won their first race together at Zandvoort in 1979.

Now fully restored and powered by the ubiquitous Ford sponsored Cosworth DFV (V8) engine the #27 FW07/01 is back on the track where it belongs so that others can admire this truly historic car as was the case over three decades ago.

On 02 June 2017 the FW07/01 was invited to Silverstone to mark 40 Year of Williams. In front of over 50,000 spectators, the FW07/01 lined up alongside other iconic cars from the team’s Formula 1 history. Starting with Williams first car, the Patrick Neve March 761/7 followed by the FW06 and the FW07, this car being one of two 07’s invited to take part in the event, and culminating in the Massa/Stroll 2017 FW40 some 18 cars in all lined up in The Wing paddock.

On a day where the FW07/01 took to the track alongside cars such the 6 wheeled FW08B, Mansell’s 1992 Championship winning FW14B and the FW40, the FW07/01 rightly took its place as part of the unique heritage that only a team like Williams can offer.

Special thanks to Jonathan Williams and Dickie Stanford at Williams Heritage for their invaluable input into this project.

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ALLISON: WE LOOK IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL AT WHAT OTHERS ARE UP TO

There is the perception that Formula 1 teams like to present that when testing they are totally in their own world, minding their own business and care less what their rivals are up to, but this turns out to be a myth as Mercedes technical chief James Allison revealed.

Ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Allison reflected on the eight days of preseason testing in Barcelona and the gamesmanship that goes on behind-the-scenes, “We might pretend that we are focused only on ourselves – but we fool no-one.”

“We look, in excruciating detail, at what the others are up to. Our strategists pore over all the available information, trying to deduce the pecking order from the patterns in the lap times and GPS traces.”

“Our aerodynamicists and designers examine a huge and growing archive of photos, looking for interesting innovations. We listen to the pit-lane gossip and try to build up from the myriad nonsense whether there are any repeated themes that have a ring of truth to them.”

“The sadder ones amongst us even read the end of day press releases, trying to see between the lines of quotes for any hint that a team is sounding a little smug, or whistling to keep its spirits up.”

“Some of this we do because we are obsessives – because we love the sport and because we can’t help ourselves. But some of it carries real value.”

“The end result of all this effort is a composite picture of the strengths and weaknesses of our opposition, which in turn feeds our own development decisions in the weeks and months ahead.”

With regards to his team’s prospects for Melbourne, Allison said, “We think we have learned that we are starting on a solid footing. [The W09] has been reliable, it has been predictable, it doesn’t overheat, it has been pretty well balanced, and it seems like it is fast enough to compete at the sharp end of the grid in Melbourne.”

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Romain Grosjean's pre-2018 F1 training programme

 

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McLaren adds flip-flop brand to its Halo for Australia

McLaren has teamed up with British lifestyle brand Gandys for next week’s Australian Grand Prix, which will see the brand's logo adorn the MCL33's Halo for the season-opener.

The company, started by two brothers who lost their parents in the 2004 Tsunami, began selling adventure clothing to raise funds for orphans and eventually opened the first Orphans For Orphans foundation kid’s campus in Sri Lanka in 2014.

The deal holds some humour though, as many initially compared the halo head protection device to a flip-flop, due to its three-prong design, and the first item designed and sold by Gandys in 2012 was a flip-flop.

The two companies will team-up and sell a limited-run ‘halo-edition’ flip-flop, with 100 per cent of all profits going directly to the Orphans For Orphans foundation.

"We’re delighted to have Rob, Paul and the team at Gandys join us for the Australian Grand Prix," commented John Allert, McLaren chief marketing officer.

"The placement of the logo, on the MCL33’s Halo, was not only perfect from a branding perspective, but also a great opportunity to underline Gandys’ charitable commitment to providing a safer, more protective environment for those at risk. 

Gandys co-founder Rob Forkan added: "We were absolutely thrilled when McLaren came to us with this idea. When the brand was created, Paul was living in Melbourne, and I went out to surprise him on his birthday to tell him about the idea for Gandys. After managing to persuade him to return to the UK and start the brand, it’s really exciting to be going back. In fact, it will be the first time we’ve return to Melbourne, so it’s great to feel we have come full circle! 

"On a personal note, as huge fans of Formula 1 and McLaren, this was an opportunity that was simply too good to pass up. We can’t wait to see Fernando, Stoffel and the whole team in action in Melbourne next weekend."

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Williams: Wrong to assume Kubica outperformed race drivers

Williams Formula 1 deputy team principal Claire Williams has warned against using pre-season test pace to judge the outfit's 2018 line-up decision, after reserve Robert Kubica had outpaced than the team's regular drivers.
Kubica was a strong contender for a 2018 Williams drive alongside Lance Stroll towards the end of last year, but lost out on the seat to Russian rookie Sergey Sirotkin and joined the Grove-based team as reserve driver instead.

He shared the new FW41 with Sirotkin on the second day of the first week of Barcelona pre-season testing, before splitting duties with Stroll on day three of the second week.

He ended both days in question as the top Williams on the timing screens, leading Sirotkin by three tenths and Stroll by six – and held the best FW41 laptime of the test before Sirotkin narrowly surpassed it on the final day.

Asked what the team's Barcelona laptimes said about the 2018 driver line-up decision, Williams said: “I think it probably says that it’s been a very challenging test schedule, not least because of the weather.

“People may go out and they may do a run on a soft tyre in perfect conditions and then the other drivers may not have that opportunity, because the weather might not be so great, or we’ve chosen to go for a different set-up direction that isn’t necessarily the optimum one.

“So I don’t think you can necessarily judge, not to that level of detail.”

  

The team ran Kubica and Sirotkin back-to-back in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi last year, in what Williams described as “an extensive evaluation, probably the most exhaustive we've ever done, when it comes to considering our driver line-up”.

Elaborating further on the Barcelona test results, Williams said: “I think you can look at the timesheet and go 'wow, Mercedes are at the top'. That’s probably about right.

“But I think when you are looking and trying to compare drivers, within one team during a test session, while you don’t actually know yourself the programme that the engineers are running and if you don’t take into account the weather conditions right there and then when they are doing their [fastest] lap...

“I think it’s very difficult to sit there and to say: 'Have Williams potentially made the wrong decision because the reserve driver has set the fastest lap?'

“No, I don’t think that that’s right."

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How Renault has coped with the halo's aero impact

Renault's innovative developments to offset the aerodynamic impact of the halo on its new Formula 1 car are discussed in this clip from Motorsport.tv's weekly show The Flying Lap.
Craig Scarborough and Peter Windsor talk about how the Enstone F1 team has specially modified the RS18's air intake and roll hoop structures to manage the turbulence created by the FIA's controversial new mandatory safety structure.

Scarborough also discusses how even the drivers' race helmets have been specially sculpted to further streamline the airflow coming off the halo into the air intake box behind their heads.

"Renault have done two quite interesting things," says Scarborough. "The most obvious is they've put a little down-facing winglet on a strut on the roll hoop – just to grab the air and direct it down into the duct, which we don't see very often around the roll hoop area, so that's unique.

"Then they've done something that's also quite clever. The drivers are now wearing Schuberth helmets, and they have a custom crown spoiler that comes off at the back. That now merges from the helmet perfectly into the headrest so the driver's head isn't affecting the airflow."

Windsor and Scarborough suggest these developments, coupled with other innovations around the front wing and 'exhaust blown' rear wing during pre-season testing, show how sophisticated Renault has become since taking over the underfunded Lotus operation at the end of 2015, indicating that it is now finally getting back to the cutting edge of F1 development.

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Toro Rosso relishing Honda freedom compared to previous suppliers

Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost says he has seen “a big difference” between his team's newfound status as Honda's primary Formula 1 partner and its time as a rank and file engine customer.
The Red Bull-owned Italian outfit has used engines by Cosworth, Ferrari and Renault since its arrival in grand prix racing, before joining Honda on a three-year deal starting from 2018.

Ahead of the team's first race with the Japanese manufacturer, Tost has explained why Toro Rosso's new partnership has so far been unlike the relationships with its previous suppliers.

“It is a big difference, believe me,” Tost told Motorsport.com. “This starts already with a design of the car. In the past, we just got a power unit and suppliers said: 'Look, this is the power unit, with the pipes, with all the aggregates, just put it into your car.'

“And now our designers are sitting together with the Honda engineers, they think 'OK, how can we create the oil tank, for example, in front of the engine, how to put it in a best possible way into the chassis'.

“Or the exhaust system. This is a big impact to the aerodynamics on the side of the car. Also, when you get the hot air from radiators to the back, how, where do you get it out?

“In former times, we just had to find the way from our side, and now we are discussing it together with Honda.”

  

There was acrimony between Toro Rosso and its previous partner Renault towards the end of their final season together, as the team and the supplier found themselves at odds over the causes of poor late-campaign engine reliability.

Tost reckoned the new Honda partnership was “the first time” that his team had this much input on the engine side, and said Toro Rosso engineers relished the freedoms they had in setting up the power unit.

“You should have seen the smiling faces of the engineers when they came back from dyno run with the gearbox and the power unit,” Tost said. “They said: 'Hey, we could change the mappings during the running'.

“You know before we just got it, we got the mappings and everything was in a black box and we couldn’t do anything. Even if we said 'well, maybe this is better” or 'this is better', they said 'take it and that's it'.

“And now we have an impact. And we can say 'look, let's try this and this way, maybe we can get a performance advantage'.

“And this helped a lot both sides, and therefore for Toro Rosso it was absolutely the best to decide [on] this cooperation with Honda.”

While Honda has had a rough time in F1 since its 2015 return, Toro Rosso's new Honda-powered STR13 car has enjoyed a smooth run in pre-season testing.

But Tost says it's the car the team will prepare for 2019 that he has particularly high hopes for.

“I am expecting a lot from next year’s car,” he said. “Since nearly one month we are working on next year’s car, and we get more and more better ideas how to place the different parts of the power unit in the best possible way for the chassis.

“From the placement side, from the thermic side, from the aerodynamic side, from the weight distribution. These are important factors for the performance of the car.”

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F1 2018 PREVIEW: RED BULL PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1 season in Australia in March 25, we deliberate whether Red Bull can break the Mercedes-Ferrari stranglehold and become title contenders again.

2017 Recap

Solidly, but not particularly impressively. In 2016, Red Bull were the main challengers for Mercedes but Ferrari’s revival last year left the Austrian team adrift in third. There were three wins – Max Verstappen edging Daniel Ricciardo 2-1 on that score – and 12 podiums to celebrate, but 13 retirements cost them any chance of fighting Ferrari.

Daniel Ricciardo

Back for a fifth season with the team, Ricciardo has plenty to look forward to on the back of nine podium finishes in 2017. The Australian will have to up his game, though, if he is to continue to get the better of the improving Verstappen.

Ricciardo: “Getting in the RB14 for the first time was really sweet, hearing it fire up and seeing it with the new bodywork gets you excited for the year. The RB14 compared to the RB13 at this stage last year is a lot different, to start with, getting into the car is a lot harder. I can’t wait to get the season started, I’m hanging out to get back on the track and these new cars are very fast, looking forward to seeing you all out there!”

Max Verstappen

His first full campaign with Red Bull saw him enhance his reputation as one of the quickest and most daring drivers in the paddock. He only enjoyed four top-three finishes, though, which is something he needs to improve heading into 2018.

Verstappen: “We are hoping to have made a large step forward this year and be competitive from the start, to have a fast car from Race 1 and continue for the rest of the season would be great.”

The To-Do List

• Plot the downfall of Mercedes and Ferrari. Red Bull slipped behind Ferrari in the pursuit of Mercedes, and they risk being distanced further this year. Powered by a Honda engine, they have to improve their reliability and turn the title fight into a proper battle.
• Agree a Ricciardo renewal. Since joining the team in 2014, Ricciardo has been a solid performer, finishing third in the drivers’ standings twice, but his future is uncertain. Red Bull have set a deadline to agree a new deal beyond this season, now all they have to do is meet it!

How will they fare?

Ricciardo is confident the gap is closing to Mercedes after impressive outings during testing in Barcelona.

He was fastest on day two of the second week of pre-season work, getting plenty out of the new hypersoft tyre to leave Lewis Hamilton in his wake.

Red Bull have the talent in the cockpit. If the power unit can deliver competitive performances then Ferrari – and maybe the Silver Arrows – will have a real challenge on their hands.

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F1 2018 PREVIEW: FORCE INDIA PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula One season in Australia on March 25, we take a look at how after their sustained progress in the sport, can Force India break the top three? We assess their chances.

2017 Recap

Force India cemented their status as the best of the rest with a second successive fourth-place finish in the constructors’ championship, achieving a record points total of 187.

Fantastic reliability saw them get both cars into the top 10 on 16 occasions, with Esteban Ocon finishing every race until a collision with Romain Grosjean spoiled his perfect record in Brazil on the penultimate race weekend.

Sergio Perez

Force India provided arguably the most fascinating intra-team rivalry in 2017, with Perez and Ocon pushing each other all the way and occasionally over the edge – their two collisions at Spa were probably a step too far for two teammates. But it is the Mexican who ultimately came out on top, finishing 13 points clear of Ocon in the drivers’ championship and ending the season seventh.

Perez: “There are still plenty of things that I can improve, to become a stronger driver. I do think that this year I’m going to be stronger than I was last year. I’m working on my weaknesses that I had last year and also on my strengths. That helps. With experience, you can understand a lot more things.”

Esteban Ocon

It was a hugely encouraging first full season for 21-year-old Ocon last year, and his goal will be to build on that this time around. Getting the better of Perez would be a good target for the Frenchman. As part of the Mercedes driver development programme, the rewards are potentially great if Ocon continues to progress in 2018.

Ocon: “There is a great atmosphere in the team, everyone’s working closely and I work closely with him as well so there are no issues.”

The To-Do-List

• Keep the peace. Feuding teammates make for a great spectacle for fans of F1® but can be a headache for team bosses. Force India have a pair of talented drivers on their books and fostering a healthy rivalry – without allowing it to boil over – can spur them on to success.
• Stave off the threat of any midfield chargers. With Renault expected to improve and McLaren something of an unknown quantity following a change of engine supplier, Force India will need to be on their guard to stay ahead of the pack and, hopefully, put some pressure on the big three.

How will they fare?

It’s all been very quiet at Force India during the close-season, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If they can get the best out of Perez and Ocon they should be able to finish fourth once again, but a top-three challenge is likely too big a step.

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F1 2018 PREVIEW: RENAULT PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula One season in Australia in March 25, we assess how Renault can re-establish themselves as a competitive team.

2017 Recap

Renault endured a miserable 2016 with just eight points, so 2017 could not have been much worse. Luckily for the French constructor they exceeded expectations with sixth place in the standings, scoring 49 points more than the previous year.

Nico Hulkenberg was the main man after his move from Force India and he duly delivered with 43 of their 57 points – finishing sixth in four races across the calendar.

Teammate Jolyon Palmer did not fare as well, though, the Briton only claiming one top-10 finish before being replaced by Carlos Sainz Jr in Austin.

Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg has been a perennial mid-table finisher since 2012, something Renault will hope changes in 2018 after a year settling into the team. He has a much more competitive teammate this year, so the pressure will be back on to deliver those points finishes again.

Hulkenberg: “I feel positive. We’ve collected a lot of miles and data over winter testing which isn’t always the case, so that’s really beneficial to the team. I have a year’s worth of experience with the Renault family so that’s a good advantage for the first race. We’ve certainly made progress, not just over the whole of 2017 but also over the winter. We won’t know anything, or where we’re at exactly, until Saturday’s qualifying. I’m ready for that challenge and excited to get down to it and give it my all.”

Carlos Sainz Jr

Having replaced Palmer with four races to go, Sainz immediately picked up some points in the United States. Much is expected of the Spaniard this time around, with team bosses no doubt keen for him to battle with Hulkenberg more than Palmer was able to. This will be his fourth F1 season, so he is now an experienced figure. it is time to help push Renault closer to Williams and Force India.

Sainz: “I’m ready and if there’s a race you’re ready for, it’s Australia. You’ve been thinking and preparing for it for months, so it’s a race which brings high levels of motivation. I’ve done my best to pass the time through the off-season, I’ve done a lot of training, driven at Rallye Monte-Carlo and enjoyed testing in Barcelona. But now the time has come to get down to it and we have to refocus the body and the mind to getting the best results in 2018.”

Team Principal, Cyril Abiteboul: Ahead of us is a very long 21-race calendar during which many things will happen. This puts a premium on stability and consistency, which we feel we have increased as we enter our third year as Renault Sport Formula One Team. We are totally realistic that the midfield is very close, but our objectives are to start the season in the way we finished 2017: united, dedicated, racing hard and pushing all the way.

The To-Do List

• Keep the banter flowing. Social media is just as competitive as on-track racing in F1® and Renault are undoubtedly the kings of Twitter. Their unique insights into life in the paddock need to continue as F1® looks to attract a new, younger audience.
• Take the next step. Having recovered from their 2016 slump, now is the time to reign Force India and Williams in. Renault have to be fast and competitive if they are to worry the front of the grid in 2018.

How will they fare?

Hulkenberg and Sainz possess the talent to lift Renault back into the hunt for podiums in 2018, providing the car underneath them can deliver.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: WILLIAMS PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1 season in Australia on March 25, we take a look at how Williams’ chances of troubling the sport’s big three this year.

2017 Recap

While Williams remained steady with another fifth-place finish last season, their points total dropped off by more than 50 and continued their path on a concerning downward trajectory.

The team finished third in the constructors’ championship in their first season using Mercedes power in 2014 but have suffered a year-on-year decline ever since.

Their highlight of last season was a podium finish for rookie Lance Stroll. The young Canadian is now the experienced head after Sergey Sirotkin was preferred to Robert Kubica to fill the seat left by Felipe Massa.

Lance Stroll

Stroll joined Williams in 2016 as a development driver and his efforts behind the scenes were enough to earn a seat for the 2017 campaign. He endured a difficult start to life in an F1 car, suffering numerous crashes during testing before retiring from the opening three races of the season. However, Stroll soon got to grips with the car and managed an unexpected third-place finish in Azerbaijan. Williams will want to see him reproduce that kind of performance in 2018.

Stroll: “All I can do is my talking on the track and I believe that when they look at the facts people can judge for themselves if it’s good or bad. I believe that so far it’s been a great journey.”

Sergey Sirotkin

Sirotkin was the eventual winner of a well-publicised battle to replace the retiring Massa at Williams. The Russian – a former Renault and Sauber test driver – saw off competition from the likes of Paul Di Resta and Robert Kubica, who did land a role as reserve driver.

Sirotkin: “I know where my level is, I know where my limitation is, and I’m sure if I do my best, it’s exactly what the team needs and it’s exactly what I want – not to exaggerate, not to over-impress or jump over my head or to do something extraordinary. I need to do the job I need to do and I know how to do. I believe it’s enough.”

The To-Do List

• Stroll will have to grow up quickly as he becomes the senior partner in this team alongside a rookie teammate only three years his senior.
• Keeping Kubica happy will also be key. He may have missed out on the drive, but his experience and knowledge of the sport could be of great value to his two young teammates. His decision to step aside on the last day of testing to allow the two race drivers more track time proves he can be a real team player.

How will they fare?

Williams look likely to be locked in another midfield battle in 2018 – very few people are tipping them as a potential surprise package.

Don’t be surprised to see them end up fifth again, but even that could be a challenge, with Renault and McLaren potentially set to make significant strides this season.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: MCLAREN PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the 2018 Formula 1 season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne on 25 March, we take a look at how McLaren is shaping up for the new campaign and whether they can hope for improvement after a series of disappointing years.

Throughout the two weeks in Barcelona, the spotlight was very much on McLaren and the start of their new Renault power era. And alas for the team’s long-suffering supporters it was not an ideal couple of weeks for the Woking outfit as they struggled with six stoppages, including a lost final morning for Fernando Alonso.

However, there was a brief moment during the final hours of testing there was a brief moment everyone in attendance were stunned as Alonso popped to the top of the timing screens with an incredible 1.16.720 lap time – it was 1.3 seconds quicker than anyone else had ever managed around the Spanish Grand Prix venue!

Shortly after the time was erased because the Spaniard missed the chicane during the lap and dropped down to second on the timing screens.

Nevertheless, it is fair to say the coupling of the Renault PU onto the back of the MCL33 has not resulted in an ideal birth for the car that means so much for the beleaguered team.

Couple that to the surprising admission by the team chief Eric Boullier that they may have been too aggressive in their design, “The whole concept aims to optimize the aerodynamic platform. Maybe we were a bit over the limit here and there. But we have to catch up, and you have to take some risks.”

Back to Alonso’s big lap on Friday… it still needed to be driven and in the two times F1 world champion they have a driver that given half a chance will bring home surprise results or, on the flipside, he is also the type of guy who will get so pissed off and walk away. Whatever case drama guaranteed among the papayas.

2018 is a massive year for McLaren because we now have the team the new regime has built, they need a good year. They would have wanted 1000 testing laps and not the problems they had which curtailed their track time, but it is still early days for the great team whose time appears to be running out.

2017 Recap

It was a season to forget for McLaren, who recorded just four classified finishes from their two cars in the opening seven Grands Prix.

The car was dogged by reliability issues, but star driver Fernando Alonso managed to finish the campaign with three successive points finishes.

However, the damage had been done and finishing ninth out of 10 in the constructors’ standing led to a split with engine supplier Honda.

Fernando Alonso

One of the most talented drivers on the grid, Alonso would arguably have more than his two world titles had a move to McLaren in 2014 not proved hugely unsuccessful. He will be busy this year as he juggles F1® and the World Endurance Championship as he continues his quest to complete the ‘Triple Crown’.

Alonso: “I think there’s more to come from the car in terms of performance and also of course with reliability, but now we have two important weeks back in the factory to prepare for the first race.”

Stoffel Vandoorne

The 25-year-old Belgian showed signs of promise in his rookie year, with only Alonso’s strong finish to the campaign meaning he did not outscore his illustrious teammate. Vandoorne showed plenty of potential at testing in Barcelona, particularly using the hypersoft tyres, which he will hope transfers to the 2018 season.

Vandoorne: “Obviously, there are a few areas we know we need to work on, and our car in Melbourne will be quite different as there are a lot of updates coming.”

The To-Do List

Eliminate small mistakes. A broken exhaust clip worth just $3.50 consigned Vandoorne to an entire testing session in the garage at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while a loose wheelnut sent Alonso spinning into the gravel on the opening day.

Make a strong start. McLaren were always playing catch up after a string of abysmal performances in the early stages of 2017 and can ill afford a repeat if they are to push the teams behind Mercedes and Ferrari.

How will they fair?

It is difficult to gauge the pace McLaren will possess this season with a “substantial” upgrade package planned in time for Melbourne, but Alonso appears confident.

“What I don’t have is any reason to believe we are not going to be competitive,” he said in Barcelona. “We have an engine that is not an experiment.”

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: TORO ROSSO PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1 season in Australia on March 25, we take a look at what is in the offing for Toro Rosso after an off-season of changes.

2017 Recap

Despite using five drivers across the course of the season, Toro Rosso managed to finish seventh in the constructors’ championship – just four adrift of Renault.

However, Carlos Sainz Jr was responsible for 48 of those points and is no longer with the team having been loaned to Renault for the final four grands prix of the season.

Daniil Kvyat was dropped for Pierre Gasly towards the back end of the year, but Toro Rosso will be hoping that decision stands them in good stead for 2018.

Pierre Gasly

The 22-year-old’s protracted move into a regular seat came at last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix and, although he failed to finish in the points in his five outings, expectations are high. Gasly, a GP2 champion in 2016, will be eager to make his mark.

Gasly: “It’s a big year ahead and I’m super excited about it all, starting testing and then the first race isn’t that far away. I just want to smash it for the 21 races that we have ahead of us.”

Brendon Hartley

Two races after Gasly got his first start, Hartley was put behind the wheel of an F1® car for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old New Zealander claimed his second World Endurance Championship title in 2017 in a campaign that included his first triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, showing he has the pedigree to mix it with the best.

Hartley: “It’s been a strong start to the partnership with Honda, so I think everyone’s really positive after the test days and we’re really looking forward to Melbourne.”

The To-Do-List

• After swapping Max Verstappen for Kvyat in 2016 and using five drivers last year, a settled line-up is needed if Toro Rosso are to avoid finishing towards the bottom end of the constructors’ championship. They have a mix of potential and experience with Gasly and Hartley and should stick with it.
• Honda’s return to F1 proved an unmitigated disaster with McLaren. Toro Rosso will need to work extremely closely with their new power-unit suppliers to hammer out any reliability issues like the ones that dogged the Woking-based team.

How will they fare?

Toro Rosso have enjoyed solid testing at Barcelona, with Pierre Gasly recording one of the best times on the hypersoft tyre, though it was over one and a half seconds slower than Sebastian Vettel. Their performance will largely depend on Honda, and whether they have improved sufficiently to power a competitive car.

MIKA: I personally think already, Toro Rosso will be up there battling it out with Force India.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: SAUBER PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1 season in Australia on 25 March, we assess Sauber’s chances of success in the first season of their partnership with Alfa Romeo and a return to updated Ferrari power.

Sauber took a good step forward in the second week of testing, the second version of the aerodynamic package was effective. The Swiss team were not only able to close the gap to the field, but with Williams already fight for the penultimate place.

Charles Leclerc finished 15th in the final test, but also ended in the gravel on three occasions. One excursion cost the team five hours of track time.

Similarly, Ferrari powered Haas will be the benchmark upon which Sauber will be judged, and with updated Prancing Horse power units there is a chance that the team will shake off the perennial backmarkers tag they inherited last season.

The Alfa-Romeo branding will attract a great deal of attention, thus the onus is on Sauber to deliver and move up the grid.

2017 Recap

Sauber have developed an unfortunate reputation as one of F1’s perennial strugglers, and 2017 was no different as they finished 10th in the constructors’ standings for the third time in four years.

Their five points were, at least, an improvement on the two-point haul of the previous season, with Pascal Wehrlein responsible for the sum of their total after top-10 finishes in Spain and Azerbaijan.

It was not enough for the young German to keep his seat for 2018, however.

Marcus Ericsson

Ericsson is retained for a fourth season at Sauber despite having not contributed a single point since racking up nine in his first campaign with the team in 2015.

The 27-year-old Swede has always denied that his own backers were linked to a takeover of Sauber in 2016, but there is no doubt Ericsson has been afforded more opportunities than most to impress in F1.

Ericsson: “I still believe we are in the midfield, I think we are in the lower part of the midfield. The motivation is really high because we know that we have all the tools this year, we have a new car but also a new engine, a strong engine, and that was always a problem last year.”

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc has emerged as one of the brightest prospects in motorsport over recent reasons, winning the GP3 series in 2016 before being crowned Formula 2 champion last year.

The Ferrari junior will be aware of the need to impress, with predecessor Wehrlein left without a seat this year, but his primary focus should be outperforming teammate Ericsson.

Leclerc: “There are so many new things to me, so many parameters to the performance of the car that are new for me. Let’s hope we can catch up a little bit with the midfield during the season and then obviously I’ll have to improve as a driver, try to work on myself and try to get used to these cars as quickly as possible.”

The To-Do-List

Sauber have to make the most of their new technical partnership with Alfa Romeo. Long gone are the days of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica steering them to second and third in the constructors’ championship in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Increased reliability is of paramount importance for them.
Help Leclerc fulfil his potential. Being part of the Ferrari system means Leclerc may well have Kimi Raikkonen’s seat in his sights come the end of this season. With that kind of motivation, Leclerc could fly if given a car capable of fighting for points.

How will they fare?

Not finishing bottom of the constructors’ championship should be the priority for Sauber. They should look to pick off the likes of Toro Rosso and Haas, as well as McLaren if the fallen giants continue to struggle.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: HAAS PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1  season in Australia on March 25, we assess whether Haas can build on a successful second campaign at the pinnacle of the sport after a strong showing during preseason testing in Barcelona.

2017 Recap

Although Haas finished eighth in the constructors’ championship for the second successive season, the American team scored 18 points more last year.

A double retirement in Australia did not bode well but they quickly moved on and enjoyed a number of strong finishes, including two races (Monaco and Japan) where both drivers were in the top 10.

Their 47 points closed the gap to the teams above them, with Toro Rosso and Renault within 10 at the end of the season.

Romain Grosjean

The Frenchman was Haas’ marquee signing when they arrived in F1® two years ago but last season he scored one point less than in the debut campaign. His experience will be vital if Haas are to further develop in this term.

The closest he came to a podium last year was sixth in Austria, something Haas will want to improve on this time around.

Grosjean: “The VF-18 has a very good baseline. The feeling I get in the car is very good, which is the main thing. It’s a good-looking car. We know where we can update it and try to get more performance from it. We’re going to work on that. I think it’s the best car we’ve had so far for Haas F1 Team.”

Kevin Magnussen

After only five points finishes last season, Magnussen needs to up his game and provide more of a challenge for Grosjean and in turn push Haas onto another level.

It will be the first time Magnussen has driven the same car for successive years, so the pressure will be on to show he has learned from 2017.

Magnussen: “I think we made progress with the car. Hopefully, when we get to Australia, we have a package that we know and are happy with.”

The To-Do-List

• Improve reliability. Grosjean and Magnussen retired eight times across the 2017 season, something they cannot afford if they are to battle the mid-table teams.
• Channel the Ferrari speed. Haas are powered by the Ferrari 063 power unit in 2018 which should make them competitive, providing their VF-18 chassis does not hold them back.

How will they fare?

Challenging for the top spots is unlikely unless the reliability issues can be resolved, and even then a mid-table battle looks the best they can hope for.

Staying with Renault and Toro Rosso will be their main aim, while also closing the gap to Williams and fending off the improving McLaren.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: FERRARI PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula One season in Australia on March 25, we contemplate Ferrari’s chances of finally putting an end to Mercedes’ stranglehold and delivering a first world champion since 2007.

2017 Recap

The jostling for top spot between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton offered encouragement that Ferrari could pose a real threat to Mercedes last year, but his challenge faded after the summer break and Kimi Raikkonen’s long wait for a race win continued.

Vettel ended the season 46 points adrift of Hamilton and with Valtteri Bottas breathing down his neck, while the team finished 146 points behind Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.

Sebastian Vettel

Vettel is no stranger to success in F1, having won four straight world titles between 2010 and 2013, and last year represented his best season since joining the Scuderia. After a winless 2016, five victories in 2017 will have come as a welcome boost to the German. However, he will hope to mount a more sustained challenge against Hamilton this year, with Red Bull also expected to have made advances during the close-season.

Vettel: “We’re starting from a good base with our SF71H car. Now we’ll have to work on development to further explore and improve its potential. I have a lot of confidence in our team, I know how skilled and committed the guys in Maranello are.”

Kimi Raikkonen

Given Ferrari’s pedigree in F1 it seems incredible that Raikkonen was the last man to win the drivers’ title for the Maranello-based outfit way back in 2007. The goal for veteran Raikkonen this season must be to end his 94-race wait between Grand Prix wins. He is only five short of Riccardo Patrese’s record of 99.

Raikkonen: “Overall, I feel we have a good package. The car gives me a good feeling and, even if there are still a lot of things to improve, its reasonably easy to drive and it reacts to the various set-up changes. However, no one can say where we really are, compared to our rivals. We’ll have a better idea in a couple of weeks in Melbourne and then, in general, after the first few races of the season. I like racing and I can’t wait to start.”

The To-Do List

• Sustain a title challenge. 2017 started brightly for Ferrari with victory for Vettel in the opening race but reliability issues in the second half of the season scuppered their chances. Ironing out those problems will be key to their chances.
• Identify a successor to Raikkonen. The Finn is now 38 and Ferrari should have a good idea of who they wish to join Vettel in the team when he hangs up his overalls.

Ferrari certainly have the pace to compete with Mercedes but only with greater reliability will they trouble the sport’s dominant force. They should also be wary of any improvement from Red Bull.

[MIKA27]

F1 2018 PREVIEW: MERCEDES PRESEASON OUTLOOK

Ahead of the opening race of the 2018 Formula 1 season in Australia on March 25, and the obvious question to ask is whether Mercedes will remain the team to beat in the upcoming season, continuing to dominate as they have in the past four years.

2017 Recap

Just as in the three previous seasons, Mercedes proved the most dominant team in F1. However, Ferrari provided far greater competition than was managed from 2014 to 2016, with Sebastian Vettel looking like a serious title contender until two retirements in the space of three Grands Prix in the second half of the season.

Valtteri Bottas won the first F1 race of his career in Russia and only finished 12 points behind Vettel in third in the drivers’ standings, while Lewis Hamilton secured his fourth world title.

Lewis Hamilton

After joining rival Vettel and Alain Prost on four world titles in 2017, Hamilton will be eager to push on and match Juan Manuel Fangio on five. As the number one driver in what is likely to remain the best car, few would bet against him.

Valtteri Bottas

Having happily played second fiddle to Hamilton in his new surroundings, more will be expected of Bottas this season. The Finn had a mixed debut campaign with the team and will need to show more consistency to retain his seat beyond 2018.

How will they fare?

Anything other than a fifth straight drivers’ and constructors’ championship double will be considered a failure for Mercedes. There has been no cause for alarm in testing, so it might take something very special from Ferrari or Red Bull to dethrone F1’s unstoppable force.

[MIKA27]

ROSBERG: THE WEAKNESS LEWIS HAS IS A BIT OF INCONSISTENCY

Nico Rosberg speaks from authority when he calls out a chink in Lewis Hamilton’s formidable armour but at the same time warns that when on form the four times Formula 1 World Champion is almost unbeatable.

Speaking ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix weekend, Rosberg said, “The weakness Lewis has is a bit of inconsistency. He has these periods when he is just not on it.”

“If you are able to pounce in those periods and really make the most of it, you can keep him down for a while longer. You have to make the most of it, absolutely, and Sebastian did that pretty well last year.

“When Lewis has his good weekends he is almost unbeatable, he is unbelievably fast and maybe the best guy out there.”

“The only way to beat Lewis is to be 100 percent with everything, do the perfect season. Otherwise, there is no chance.”

Last year Rosberg’s replacement Valtteri Bottas was not too shabby during the first half of the season but after the summer break, Hamilton upped it a gear or two and the Finn did not get a look in until after the title was decided.

Rosberg said, “I hope that Valtteri can be even closer to [Lewis] this year, because last year he showed some really big flashes of brilliance but it just lacked in consistency.”

“I think he can do it, I think he can really ramp it up even further and get very, very close. That is what we want to see, we want to see a good internal battle there.”

Mercedes start the season clear favourites, as for their rivals Rosberg opined, “Then Sebastian has to be the next one as a big challenger for Lewis. For Kimi, looking at last year, it will not be so easy but maybe he can find a little bit extra this year.”

“Then the Red Bull guys it depends on their car. If the car is good, those two are some of the most exciting prospects and when they are up in front there is always action happening,” concluded the 2016 Formula 1 World Champion.

Rosberg is to join Sky Sports F1 as a pundit for key races throughout the 2018 season, beginning with the opening race weekend in Melbourne.

[MIKA27]

RAMIREZ: VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEREZ BEATS OCON

Formula 1 veteran Jo Ramirez has never been one to mince his words and in the past has had some choice ones for Sergio Perez, now he has come out and pointed out that the Force India driver needs to raise his game to match highly-rated teammate Esteban Ocon.

When asked ahead of the Australian Grand Prix weekend how significant it is for Perez to beat Ocon this year, Ramirez replied, “It’s very important.”

“Esteban is getting better and he’s pushing. Unfortunately, Checo might not have been as focused as he should have been last year. Instead of marrying and having a child he should dedicate himself to F1.”

“Formula 1 is something you should have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You should think about it 24 hours a day because if you do not do that, the one next to you will be doing it.”

Perez versus Ocon was one of the tastier sideshows of the 2017 season. The pair brawled on track until the team put an end to the feud, but it was clear: in Ocon, Perez had himself a hardy rival who was going to be a test of his skills and temperament.

Ramirez pointed out, “Esteban has forced Sergio to change and now because of this he is more of a man. Sergio used to be a boy and he made many mistakes because he was young.”

“He’s changing now, he’s a father and he’s got more responsibilities. We hope this helps him in his career. I’d like to see that because unfortunately, we’re a long way from having another Mexican driver in Formula 1. We have him so we must support him,” declared Ramirez.

Ferrari are likely to be looking for a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen, perhaps even starting next year, and Perez may have an outside shot at the seat. But for any Maranello dream to become a reality, the Mexican needs to ensure that Mercedes-backed Ocon does not have one up on him in what could be a career-defining season.

Whatever the case the stage is already set for a second season of the intriguing Perez vs Ocon soap opera, in 21 episodes.

[MIKA27]

WEBBER: HOSTING THE FIRST RACE IS BRILLIANT CURRENCY FOR US

Mark Webber believes there is no reason why the Australian Grand Prix will lose its Formula 1 world championship season-opening status he calls for the sport of focus on improving how it promoted the grand prix stars.

Webber, one of two recent appointments to the Australian Grand Prix Corporation board, now has an official role overseeing the Albert Park race. Webber will share responsibility for ensuring it remains, as he says, one of the top three races on the calendar.

Spaking ahead of the forthcoming season-opening Melbourne weekend, Webber said, “It’s definitely in the top three events of the year. It’s incredibly popular with the teams and all the drivers and journalists and all the photographers, everyone who has touched and felt our event.”

“Yes, it’s the first race of the year, we are very fortunate to have that slot because there is a huge anticipation. The difference between the first race and the third race in terms of anticipation is ginormous. That’s brilliant currency for us. The event is in tremendous shape.”

“I think [Melbourne] has been so well received for two decades now. I would see absolutely no reason whatsoever to tweak that. We love that slot and teams are probably looking in the future to have testing in the Middle East on the way out to Australia – they [drivers] just think it’s ingrained that Australia is the first race.”

“This year was a disaster in Europe in many ways, especially the first week, which was snowed off. That, obviously, brought the topic back on the table.”

With Liberty Media now at the helm of Formula 1, they are intent on promoting the sport’s new image for the future and Webber has his own opinion on what needs to be done.

“People love watching the heroes,” ventured Webber. “We want to watch the best drivers in the world and that’s why I watch the sport, that’s why my dad watched the sport. Ayrton Senna, [Juan Manuel] Fangio, Jackie Stewart, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel – people are fascinated with watching people do things that they can’t do and will be never able to do.”

“These guys are phenomenally talented people and that’s why everyone goes around the world to watch them. When you are there live, you see them doing 330km/h, you see the speed, you see the aggressiveness of the cars, which is great. You see the consequences.”

“You need a bit of gladiatorial component, you have to have some consequences every now and again. It is not lawn bowls. These guys are taking risks, that’s why we are watching it.”

“They are there to take high risk, they love risk … that’s what it is about, which society is against now but we don’t subscribe to that, obviously, on the race track because we want to take high risk.”

“How do we demonstrate that?” questioned Webber who retired from Formula 1 at the end of 2013.