FORMULA 1

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Autosport Awards: Mercedes wins Racing Car of the Year

Mercedes' Formula 1 car responsible for extending its dominance to six consecutive drivers' and constructors' titles, the W10, has won the Autosport Award for Racing Car of the Year Award presented by Pirelli.
In the hands of 2019 world champion Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, the W10 won 15 of 21 grands prix this year, despite Ferrari initially looking the favourites following pre-season testing. 

Strong development and an increased understanding of the W10 meant it quickly returned to the fore, allowing Mercedes to seal the constructors' championship by October's Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes fought off an increased challenge from Red Bull and Ferrari following the summer break, making its achievement all the more special. 

Sir Patrick Head, who has designed nine F1 constructors' championship-winning cars, presented the award to Mercedes' chief engineer Phil Prew and chief designer John Owen. 

"There's no real secret [to our success], just hard work between Brackley and Brixworth, understanding each other's plants," said Prew.

Owen added: "Start of the season I thought it would be [closer]. I think some people had us down as third-fastest, and it was exciting and we thought it would be a tough year. We were as shocked as anyone else in Melbourne, I told our guys not to get used to it! Then we won the next and the next one. 

"We've had fantastic racing, let's not forget that. We saw Moment of the Year Award earlier and Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen were fantastic [in their Austrian Grand Prix battle].

The Mercedes W10 took the award ahead of the Audi RS5 DTM that took the manufacturer to a clean sweep of titles, the British Touring Car Championship's standard-setting BMW 330i M Sport, as well as the DS E-Tense FE19 that helped Jean-Eric Vergne defend his Formula E title in 2018/19. 

The 2019 Autosport Awards will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1 at 9pm on Monday December 9.

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Autosport Awards: Albon crowned Rookie of the Year

Red Bull star Alex Albon has won the Richard Mille Rookie of the Year at the 2019 Autosport Awards following a stellar debut campaign in Formula 1.
Albon was an unlikely addition to the F1 grid in 2019 having originally been signed on to race for Nissan e.dams in Formula E before getting the call-up to join Toro Rosso. 

The British-born Thai driver enjoyed a solid start to his campaign, earning five points-paying finishes, including a strong sixth in a chaotic German Grand Prix. 

When Pierre Gasly was demoted from Red Bull, Albon slotted into the role brilliantly at Spa to come from the back of the grid to finish fifth and carried that momentum to the end of the season by bagging a steady stream of top six results. 

Albon ended the year as top rookie in eighth in the championship and earned himself a second year in main Red Bull squad for 2020. His prize was presented to the driver by Haas team boss Gunther Steiner, who reflected on Haas's difficult 2019 season and his hopes for '20.

"I was happy with Formula E [before an F1 chance this year], said Albon. "But I got into Toro Rosso, which was an amazing opportunity. Six months in, I felt really comfortable with the car and went into the summer break relaxed.

"I got a call from the guy [Helmut Marko], a 20-second conversation, to say I was in the big team [Red Bull] now. It's worked out really well, still a lot to improve - I know that. But I'm enjoying it."

Albon faced up against McLaren star Lando Norris and impressive Williams debutant George Russell, as well as breakout IndyCar rookie Colton Herta.

The 2019 Autosport Awards will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1 at 9pm on Monday December 9.

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Camilleri: Netflix series a game changer for F1

Ferrari chairman Louis Camilleri has praised the vision that Liberty has brought to Formula 1 – and thinks the Netflix series it facilitated was a significant boost to the sport’s image.
While Ferrari under previous chairman Sergio Marchionne was often at loggerheads with Liberty's long-term plans, new chief Camilleri is happier with the approach of the American media giants.

In particular, he thinks that the Formula 1: Drive to Survive series that was broadcast for the first time this year has offered fans an insight in to F1 that was not there before.

“With the advent of Liberty, they are a US company, they want co-operation and from that perspective they have done a good job,” said Camilleri. “They've gone up a sharp learning curve. They are getting there and they’ve made some wise moves.

“One example is Netflix. A lot of people had zero interest in F1 but, as a result of Drive to Survive, they have been attracted to finding out about the sport. That’s a great move. 

"I’m not sure commercially they got much value out of it, but from an image and human interest point of view [it was important]. Thirty years ago the human element was much more prominent in F1 but it’s becoming less over the years.

"With the budget caps and new technical regulations, I’m hoping that the human aspect will come back to the fore. The younger generations want authenticity and a human connection.”

Ferrari, along with Mercedes, did not take part in the first Netflix series, but on the back of the success of the documentary both teams did allow the streaming service access to their team on race weekends this season so they will appear in the next series.

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Verstappen: Red Bull's 2020 start key to my future

Max Verstappen thinks both Red Bull’s Formula 1 title hopes and his own future with the team rest on a strong start to 2020.
The Dutchman is well aware that in recent seasons his outfit has often been playing catch-up against rivals who start campaigns in much stronger shape.

He knows it cannot afford to do that next year if it is to mount a serious title bid, during a campaign where he has to make up his mind about what he does from 2021.

Reacting to comments from his team boss Christian Horner that this year was Verstappen’s best in F1, he said at the FIA Prize Gala: “For me it had to be the best year. That is just natural. I think just the experience you gain over the years it definitely helps you a lot.

“The package this year, in the beginning, it was a bit of a struggle. We could not really fight for victories. Podiums were also quite hard. So it was all about trying to be as consistent as we could be.

“We just hope that we can be more competitive next year. We know that we have to be competitive from the start and want to be able to fight for the title. So we are putting all our efforts into that. It's not going to be easy, but we're going to go for it. We're going to try everything we can.”

With Verstappen out of contract at the end of next year, he is an obvious candidate for Mercedes if the German car manufacturer loses Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari from 2021.

But despite the looming silly season, Verstappen says he would not think too much about his future yet – although says Red Bull’s performance early next year would be crucial for him.

Asked whether he was considering all options for the future, he said: “To be honest, I don't really think about it too much. I know there are other possibilities of course after next year.

“I have one more year under contract. But I think what is more important is that we just see what happens in the beginning of the season. And then from there onwards we'll see what happens.”

He is adamant, however, that he has faith Red Bull can deliver him a world title at some point.

“Well, that's what I believe. That's why I'm with the team,” he said. “I think, you know, they've shown in the past, they could do it. So it's not something which is just wishful thinking.

“It's not easy. You know that the competition is very strong. But like I said before, we're going to try everything next year, because it's going to be an important year, and then we'll see what happens.”

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Alonso hits back at "self-centred" suggestions

Fernando Alonso has hit back at suggestions that he is a ‘self-centred’ driver – pointing out that the kind of troubles Ferrari faced between teammates this year never happened when he was there.

Ferrari endured a run of headaches in 2019, with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc clashing over slipstream assistance at Monza, team orders in Singapore and Russia, and then crashing into each other in Brazil.

Speaking ahead of the FIA Prize Gala in Paris, Alonso laughed off a suggestion that he had a reputation for being ‘self-centered’

“I think the reputation is always one thing and the facts are different,” said the Spaniard, who won the 2018-19 WEC title.

“When you see crashing teammates, and things like that, as we saw this year and you see every year between teammates, and then my images, you will see the slipstream [I gave] at Monza and slipstream in Spa.

"I know these collaborations. So when we talk about reputation, it is better if we look at the facts.”

Alonso says that he was always honest with himself in his switch to WEC about his limitations, and how much he needed to learn from teammates Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima.

“It was not a problem to share with these two guys because obviously, they had the experience in endurance,” he said. 

“They taught me a lot from the first day of testing. They knew about the car and you knew about the circuit, and they knew about their approach on long distance races. I was the one always making the mistakes or making the questions.

“It's not that I was happy jumping out of the car, because I always want to drive, but every time that I was jumping out of the car and they were going in, it was like less stress for me because I knew they were doing the right things. So it was a lot of trust between us.”

Alonso’s next challenge in motorsport is an assault on the Dakar Rally. And despite an intensive test build-up, the Spaniard admits he faces a tough challenge.

Asked if he felt ready, he said: “Listen, if I go there, to enjoy the experience - yes. If I go there to make the most of it - yes. But if I think of it in terms of winning Dakar, I don't feel ready.

“I'm perfectly aware of both my lack of experience. I think you know, there are races that I attempted, like Indy, or Le Mans or Daytona, I felt quite competitive and that I could good fight for victory. In Dakar I don't think I'm at that level.

“But I will play a different strategy. I will not be the fastest but hopefully I will be in a good position in the end.”

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Lauda named Personality of the Year at FIA prize-giving

The late Niki Lauda was honoured with the Personality of the Year Award at the end-of-season FIA Prize Gala in Paris on Friday night.
The three-time world champion, who played an instrumental part in turning Mercedes into a dominant force in F1, passed away shortly before this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

But the spirit and character that he carried throughout his life was remembered with the Award, which was voted for by FIA accredited media.

Max Verstappen was awarded the ‘Action of the Year’ prize by fans for the spectacular battle he had with Charles Leclerc at the British Grand Prix.

Just a fortnight after the pair had come to blows at the Austrian Grand Prix, they had a thrilling fight at Silverstone in July. It included a moment when Verstappen was edged wide at Club before regaining the position around the outside.

Speaking on stage, Verstappen said: “This was only one move from that race, but we had a lot of fights. It was cool.

“A bit of off track, a bit of wheel-banging, which I think is quite cool and normally it doesn't really happen in F1.”

Red Bull’s Alex Albon was voted as the Rookie of the Year by the FIA Drivers’ Commission, having made an impressive step up to F1 this season with Toro Rosso and Red Bull.

“It’s been something I could never imagine,” said Albon on stage. “Getting the call from Toro Rosso was a dream come true.”

The Mexican Grand Prix was again awarded the Promoters’ Award for its efforts in promoting and marketing its race.

Circuit chiefs have collected the trophy for the past five years, achieving something no other race has managed.

F1 chairman Chase Carey said that Mexico's unique approach to trying ideas – which this year included a special podium – was key to its success.

“This year, the organisers outdid themselves with an amazing prize giving, when Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes was lifted up to join him on the actual podium,” he said.

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Technical director Chester leaves Renault F1 team

Renault Formula 1 chassis chief Nick Chester is leaving the team as part of the major restructuring of its technical department.
Chester has been part of the Enstone team since the start of the century, joining the then-Benetton outfit as a race engineer and going on to hold multiple roles as it morphed into the Renault works team, then Lotus and then Renault again.

Until now, Chester had been a key part of Renault's technical leadership, which is headed by executive director Marcin Budkowski, but has now begun a period of gardening leave ahead of his formal departure.

His role was thrown in doubt last month when Dirk de Beer was hired as head of aerodynamics, as Renault sought to address the shortcomings that have led to its slump in form this season.

After finishing fourth in the constructors' championship last year, Renault targeted cutting the gap to F1's leading teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, but instead slipped to fifth and was beaten by its engine customer McLaren.

Renault's managing director Cyril Abiteboul paid tribute to Chester's "commitment, technical insight and enthusiasm" since the works team's revival in 2016 and the role he played in moving up the F1 grid since that.

"We would like to sincerely thank Nick for everything and wish him every success in the next stage of his career," said Abiteboul.

Chester added: "I have enjoyed 19 years in a team with great spirit and have worked with an incredibly loyal and talented group of people. I am looking forward to a new challenge and wish everybody in the team all the best for the future."

Chester joins Peter Machin, formerly head of aero, in leaving Renault because of its reshuffle.

Renault had already announced that leading F1 engineer Pat Fry will join in 2020 once he is free of his contractual obligations with McLaren, whose fortunes Fry has helped transform.

When de Beer was hired, Vince Todd was named interim deputy head of aero with a full-time appointment from a rival team due to be made next year.

James Rogers, Renault's principal aerodynamicist in charge of future car projects, was promoted chief aerodynamicist at the same time as de Beer's appointment was announced.

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Autosport Awards: Norris voted British Competition Driver

McLaren Formula 1 star Lando Norris has been named the British Competition Driver of the Year at the 2019 Autosport Awards.
Norris has enjoyed success before at the Autosport Awards, winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 2016, and securing National Driver of the Year honours in ‘17. He stepped up to F1 this year after a sole year in Formula 2, in which he finished runner-up while also carrying out FP1 duties with McLaren at numerous races.

The 20-year-old vindicated McLaren’s belief in him by showcasing consistent form across the 21-race calendar, tallying up 11 points-scoring finishes on his way to 11th in the standing on 49 points - just three points off of a top 10 placement.

Though actually coming off as second-best rookie in F1 behind Red Bull’s eighth-placed Alex Albon, Norris beat experienced hands in the likes of Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) and Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) in the standings. He also out-qualified teammate Carlos Sainz Jr 11-10 across an impressive maiden campaign. 

Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, a previous winner of the Autosport Young Driver Award, was on hand to present Norris with his accolade.

Norris said: "I've learned a lot from Carlos, we've had good times this year, lot's of fun. The team has taken the step forward it needed this year and I can't wait for next year."

Norris beat fellow F1 rookies Albon and George Russell, as well as World Endurance Championship star Mike Conway in the category. For the first time, this Award excluded drivers nominated for the International Driver of the Year Award.

The 2019 Autosport Awards will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1 at 9pm on Monday December 9.

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Sainz: ‘A lot of satisfaction’ that switch to McLaren was the ‘right move’

A stunning sixth place in the drivers' championship in his first year with McLaren vindicated Carlos Sainz’s decision to move to the squad from Renault. But the Spaniard has said that the “good vibes” at the team were plain to see even before the 2019 season got under way.

Sainz secured the highest championship finishing position of his career in 2019, claiming P6 thanks to a last-lap move on former Renault team mate Nico Hulkenberg for 10th place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Sainz’s efforts alongside team mate Lando Norris also saw McLaren jump from sixth in the constructors’ standings in 2018 with 62 points to fourth (their best finishing position since 2012) with 145 points in 2019.

And asked after the race in Abu Dhabi to reflect on his decision to leave Renault and join McLaren, Sainz said: “Obviously I have quite a lot [of satisfaction].

“I had good feelings when I moved to McLaren, even if things did not look very promising at the end of 2018. I did have some conversations with a lot of engineers, a lot of people – Zak [Brown] and all – and I don’t know, the project itself just gave me good vibes.

“I don’t know if it has anything to do with the good results, but those good vibes translated very quickly into results and a change in approach by McLaren, a very big change in the structure of the team.”

McLaren have indeed undergone a significant change in structure in 2019, with the appointment of James Key as Technical Director and Andreas Seidl as Team Principal, who in turn made Piers Thynne his Production Director, Andrea Stella his Performance Chief and Paul James his Team Manager. They also have a new wind tunnel in the works.

And it seems that those changes are starting to pay off, with Sainz claiming McLaren’s first podium since 2014 at the Brazilian Grand Prix this year – while the Spaniard now wants to see the team “move forward” again in 2020.

“We’ve secured P4 in the standings, our first podium in years and all of a sudden it looks like the right move [to join Mclaren],” said Sainz. “I’m very happy, I’m very pleased to see a great group of people performing at a very high level and being so hungry and motivated to move forward still.”

McLaren will have an added motivation going into next year, meanwhile, as the team gear up for a return to Mercedes power for 2021, reuniting a partnership that previously yielded three drivers’ championships, one constructors’ championship and 78 wins between 1995 and 2014.

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DRIVER MARKET: Could Ferrari sign Hamilton for 2021?

Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Abu Dhabi was not surprising. The Mercedes ace has been at his crushing best this season, clinching a remarkable 11 Grand Prix triumphs and an historic sixth world title. But the chatter linking him to Ferrari, which gathered traction as the weekend went on – now that was surprising...

Hamilton leave Mercedes? Why would he do that?

A very valid question. For as long as Hamilton has been in Formula 1, he has enjoyed an open, honest and hugely successful partnership with Mercedes, first as an engine supplier to McLaren then as the works squad that have given him the car to win five of the last six world championships.

It’s the kind of dominance elite athletes dream of but only few achieve. The Briton is driving at his highest-ever level and showing no signs of slowing down, making him a man in demand and overwhelming favourite to win the title again next year. That’ll be seven, matching the great Michael Schumacher’s all-time record.

Sure, dramatic new regulations will be introduced in 2021, offering rivals the chance to knock Mercedes off the top of the tree. But in the last two major regulation changes (2014 and 2017) and a minor change with a new front wing (2019), Mercedes have come out on top every time.

Ferrari, meanwhile, have failed to come up with the goods time and again in that same period. Their last constructors’ title came in 2008, their last drivers’ in 2007 – both more than a decade ago.

So is this Ferrari stuff a lot of hot air?

There’s always plenty of hot air wafting around the F1 paddock. Always has been, always will be. Had it been a team other than Ferrari, this would most likely be hot air. But it’s not. It’s Ferrari, the team that every young racer will have had ambitions of one day driving for.

Moving to Ferrari would be a somewhat romantic move. We’ve seen a plethora of drivers succumb to the wooing of the Prancing Horse over the years – Schumacher the obvious example, the German lifting the squad to unprecedented success. But those who have followed haven’t had things go the same way.

Schumacher’s replacement Kimi Raikkonen won the title, but Fernando Alonso tried and failed in capturing his ultimate goal. And Sebastian Vettel is trying and so far failing to do what Alonso didn’t. Between them, that pair have six world titles, so are certainly no slouches.

If he went, Hamilton, would undoubtedly back himself to turn things around. He has form of making the right move, proving most people wrong when he left the bubble of McLaren for Mercedes’ new works project. The question is, how much does driving for Ferrari mean to Hamilton?

So you’re saying that it’s possible. But do Ferrari really want him?

“Knowing that [Lewis Hamilton is] available in 2021 can only make us happy,” said Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto, when sat next to Mercedes chief Toto Wolff in Friday’s press conference in Abu Dhabi and asked if would like to sign him for Ferrari. “But honestly it’s too early for any decision. We are happy with the drivers we’ve got at the moment.” It was a cracking response and flicked the rumour mill up a gear.

The next day, Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport ran a story saying Hamilton had met Ferrari Chairman John Elkann not once but twice this year. There’s been no official confirmation of those meetings. If they did meet, they could have spoken about the weather or the long lines at airport security, but it’s very unlikely that Formula 1 and Hamilton’s future didn’t come up at some point, formal or informal, right?

He will almost certainly be on Ferrari’s potential list of drivers for 2021, but it’s also likely there will be plenty of others, given that all but Esteban Ocon (locked in at Renault) and Sergio Perez (signed up to Racing Point) are on the market. Charles Leclerc is signed to a long-term deal with Ferrari, the exact length of which is unclear, so it’s logical that Vettel would have to make way to provide a vacant seat.

The four-time champion hasn’t been at his brilliant best this year, and his contract runs out at the end of 2020.

So what does Hamilton think about all of this chatter?

Handily, he was asked on Sunday in Abu Dhabi if Ferrari is a consideration and if he had met with Elkann. Rather than shying away from commenting on the speculation, he delivered a very eloquent – albeit ambiguous – answer.

“Naturally everything that happens behind closed doors is obviously always private with whoever it is you end up sitting with,” he said.

“For many, many years I’ve never ever sat down and considered other options, because we’ve been on the journey that we’ve been on and to be honest, I still think we’re on that path and I think there’s very little that’s going to shift it from that. But I think there’s no harm in…

“I know Toto is also looking at his options in terms of his future and only he will know what is the best thing for him and his family. So I’m waiting to see what he’s doing with that. Of course I think it’s only smart and wise for me to sit and think of what I want…

“Actually I want to keep winning… I want to keep being able to fight with these guys [Verstappen and Leclerc sitting alongside him] as well. I can’t really tell you what else is going to happen moving forwards.”

No surprise really, but his response almost certainly proves he’s been thinking about it…

Are Ferrari just playing games?

Possibly. Binotto certainly will know his comments on Friday will fan the flames of an already sizzling driver market before the 2020 campaign has even begun.

Ferrari have been soundly beaten repeatedly, so any opportunity to destabilise the happy Mercedes family must be taken if they are to have any hope of ending their barren run.

And what about Mercedes?

Wolff is engaging, too. He’s taken the approach of publicly accepting that Hamilton may have spoken to rivals or may do in the future. “I am totally okay with that,” said Wolff, whose own future appears uncertain as Hamilton alluded to above. “This is a free world and I recognise that everybody needs to explore career options and make the best decision for themselves, drivers and everybody else.”

But he offered a high percentage chance that Hamilton will indeed stay put. “I would rate it personally – and I’m leaning myself out of the window here – I would rate it at 75 percent, and I give you the number because I think from the rational, everything speaks for continuation of the relationship from both sides," he said. “But equally, there is a 25 percent chance that we are not in control of. So we’ll see how the next months pan out.

“As long as we able to produce a quick car and a powerful engine, we will always have an opportunity to decide who drives the car, and I think no doubt, Lewis’s priority will be to try and make it work with the team, and I will try to make it work with Lewis. But the most important is that we have a good car – then we are able to decide for ourselves.”

That last sentence is important. Wolff wanted to make clear this isn’t a case of Mercedes simply waiting for Hamilton to decide what he wants to do. He knows Mercedes currently have the best car and are operating best as a team, so they are an attractive proposition. And that means it’s actually their decision as to who they will put in the car.

And what about Hamilton? Is he playing, too?

Of course he’ll be playing the game – as every driver does. The interest from Ferrari works in his favour, as it’ll help him negotiate a better deal with Mercedes, should he choose to stay. A driver in demand costs more.

Mercedes have given Hamilton a lot of freedom in terms of dovetailing his F1 commitments with those outside of the sport – and how that evolves in the next round of discussions will be key.

Hamilton will be 36 in 2021, which may seem old by F1 standards, but Kimi Raikkonen will be 41 by the end of 2020. Hamilton’s driving at such a high level – and seems to be loving racing just as much as when he came into the sport – that you get the impression there’s absolutely no need for him to stop soon.

He will want to capitalise on the fact he’s the hottest property around, as well as trying to convert his current peak form into more titles before the challengers of the likes of Verstappen and Leclerc inevitably start to beat him.

Hamilton is a smart guy and he’ll have an eye on his future. Sticking with Mercedes as an ambassador after his time in F1 would be a sensible business decision. He needs to weigh up how key that is with what he wants to do, whether it’s expanding his fashion and/or music interests, in the future. Or is it more important to wear the famous red overalls and tick that box?

Right now, staying at Mercedes is the most likely scenario, but there’s a long way to go – and plenty of formal and informal chats to be had over the next few months.

Could this be Ferrari's dream pairing for 2021?

What will Mercedes do if Hamilton does leave?

Wolff isn’t thinking about that scenario just yet. He said in Abu Dhabi that they will take time to understand what Hamilton’s “position and objectives” are before embarking on a “fishing mission with potential drivers out there”. But should Hamilton jump ship, Mercedes won’t panic. They will simply dust off the fishing gear and cast the net. In such a scenario, their first target might well be Max Verstappen.

The 22-year-old has been a revelation, and would be a fantastic long-term option for the German squad. Red Bull have failed to deliver a package capable of winning championships in the last six seasons, so how long will Verstappen wait around? And engine supplier Honda have only committed to staying until the end of 2021. Will the uncertainty force Verstappen to look elsewhere?

Will Verstappen tolerate another failed title bid from Red Bull in 2020?

Daniel Ricciardo is an option. The Australian and Mercedes held talks last year, before the Silver Arrows re-signed Valtteri Bottas. Might Mercedes think they can help Sebastian Vettel recapture his former glories? Do they trust Bottas to step up? And could that open the door for Carlos Sainz, who has had a mega season, or Mercedes junior George Russell? The world champions will have no shortage of options.

So now what?

Publicly, things will quieten down over the winter, but there’ll certainly be text messages, phone calls and probably the odd Powerpoint presentation flying around between drivers, their agents and team bosses. This is the long game and getting in early will pay off. So I suggest you sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

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Russell targets first-lap improvements in 2020

While on paper, George Russell didn’t enjoy as prosperous a debut F1 season as fellow rookies Alex Albon and Lando Norris, his strong performances in the Williams did not go unnoticed in the paddock. But despite impressing many with his mature performances in 2019, Russell was already targeting improvements for 2020…

Russell wasn’t able to campaign as competitive a car as his fellow Formula 2 graduates in 2019, but did complete a clean sweep in his qualifying battle against team mate Robert Kubica. But while Russell appeared to have the measure of his team mate on Saturdays, he conceded that Kubica – who scored Williams’ only point of the season in Germany – had had an ace up his sleeve come race day…

“My story of the last half of the season has been that of getting overtaken by Robert on the first lap, not making good enough starts, not being aggressive enough, then having stronger pace and struggling to overtake him before overtaking him at the mid-point of the race,” Russell said.

“The pace at the end [of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix] was very, very strong for us, I just need to improve on those opening laps.

“Equally I need the car underneath me as well, but it was a good way to finish the season.”

Williams’ Senior Engineer Dave Robson was nonetheless full of praise for Russell after the 2019 season finale, insisting that the 21-year-old had all the makings of a “truly exceptional F1 driver”.

“George has served his first season in Formula 1 in difficult circumstances,” said Robson. “However, his talent, drive and enthusiasm are obvious and it is clear that he has everything he needs to be a truly exceptional F1 driver. While he may not appreciate it fully yet, this year may prove to have provided him with some very valuable experience that will pay significant dividends in the future.”

Russell will have a new team mate to measure himself against for 2020, with F1 veteran Kubica leaving and 2019 F2 runner-up Nicholas Latifi taking his place. And with a tough season for Williams now behind them, the team will be hoping to provide their young guns with a much more formidable car in the forthcoming FW43.

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Vietnam circuit on target for January completion

The 2020 season will see Formula 1 arrive in Vietnam for the first time, as the drivers prepare to take on the all-new Hanoi Motor Sport Circuit. And ahead of the race, due to take place on April 3-5, the Grand Prix’s promoters have confirmed that the track is on course for completion in early January.

The Vietnam Grand Prix circuit – which, like Melbourne, will be a hybrid design mixing permanent and street sections – will run to 5.6km in length and feature a whopping 1.5km straight, with top speeds of around 335km/h expected.

The track is the first to have been originated by Formula 1’s in-house Motorsports team, working in partnership with Tilke – the company that gave us Austin’s Circuit of The Americas and who designed the layout for Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The circuit will also feature a 300m-long pit building, inspired by Hanoi’s Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, and built especially for the Grand Prix’s arrival, while several sections of the track have been designed to consciously mimic the characteristics of circuits like Monaco, the Nurburgring and Suzuka

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Honda delivered everything that was promised - MaxVerstappen

Max Verstappen has hailed the performance and reliability of Honda’s power unit in 2019, and praised the marque for delivering on its promises.

Red Bull split from Renault after 12 years and linked up with Honda, joining sister team Toro Rosso, which picked up the supply abandoned by McLaren post-2017.

The Red Bull-Honda partnership claimed three victories and two pole positions through 2019, all courtesy of Verstappen, with the manufacturer extending its Formula 1 commitment until at least 2021.

“What was important to me was that we had a reliable engine – something we’ve struggled with in the past – and we didn’t retire once because of a Honda issue,” said Verstappen.

“That’s something we need if we want to fight for the world championship.

“I am really impressed with how Honda work. There is no limit, they will do everything for you.

“There’s a lot of potential there. Throughout this year every goal they set, or everything they promised, they delivered and more.

“That’s what you want to see, so I’m very happy we’re continuing the partnership and I hope we can go even further next year.”

In spite of the gains Red Bull still finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, scoring 12 fewer wins than Mercedes, with 417 points to the champions’ 739.

“Mercedes is the dominant team and we are still behind because there are a few things missing from the car,” he said.

“I think we can also find more performance in the engine, but everybody wants to improve, and I’m the same.

“We don’t want to be on the same level as them, we want to be ahead of them.

“We all want to win – we have the winners’ mentality in this team and we want to get back to those days of Red Bull dominance. We want to win more races, which hopefully means we’ll be fighting for the title.”

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Eddie Jordan 'certain' Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff will move to Ferrari

Former team owner and television pundit Eddie Jordan says he is "absolutely certain" Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2021.

Hamilton's future has been a hot topic on conversation following news that he met with Ferrari chairman John Elkann recently – though Ferrari have downplayed the meeting as a 'social event'.

The six-time Formula 1 World Champion's Mercedes deal is due to expire at the end of the 2020 season, prompting speculation he could jump ship to Ferrari for his final few years in F1 and try and achieve success at a third team, having won titles with both McLaren and Mercedes.

Jordan, whose wild predictions are often accurate, believes it would be the right time for Hamilton to move and is certain it will happen.

"I’m absolutely certain that in 2021 Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari," he told Top Gear magazine. "It would be the right time for Lewis to go to Ferrari.

"He’s coming to the end of his career but he still wants to win his seven or more titles."

However in another bombshell prediction, Jordan believes Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff could follow Hamilton the prancing horse – though given Wollf owns a large stake in the Mercedes F1 operation, that would seem unlikely.

"Lewis would only go to Ferrari if someone could protect him against any possibility that Charles Leclerc could usurp him," added Jordan.

"The real belief that I think Lewis will go to Ferrari in 2021 is that Toto Wolff’s contract also expires at the end of next year. So Ferrari would bring Toto along too.

"Toto goes with him, because as I said, Lewis won’t leave himself exposed, and it will be his way of bringing an equaliser."

Wolff's contract expires at the same time as Hamilton's and although he has hinted at remaining with Mercedes, he's not yet committed to doing so.

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Review: Renault's F1 project hits a stumbling block

Renault’s Formula 1 project hit its first major stumbling block in 2019 as it slipped to fifth and failed to make in-roads on the front-runners. What went wrong, and what’s next? Motorsport Week continues its end-of-season review.

When Daniel Ricciardo jumped ship from Red Bull it was a genuine jaw-dropping move that stunned the Formula 1 paddock. Renault had secured a big-name signing. It was making gains with the engine. Its chassis was also on the up. Heading into 2019 it looked best poised to try and rattle the cages of the top three teams and pick up the pieces if an opportunity fell its way.

But instead it was usurped by McLaren, failed to take any silverware, and spent the year firmly entrenched within the midfield action.

It was a year in which not a lot went right for the manufacturer, which has its operations split across France (engine) and the United Kingdom (chassis).

Fundamentally it produced an uncompliant chassis that was not developed adequately, powered by an engine that, while substantially stronger than previous years, still lacks the ultimate might of the very best.

The signs were there early on when initial optimism started being played down, with the idea of podiums dismissed, and the emphasis that the target was on maintaining its position atop Formula 1’s midfield. Pre pre-season talk of reeling in the front-runners was shunted into the scenery.

Hulkenberg. Half a chance. Yep.

An indifferent display in Australia confirmed such expectations while in Bahrain a mixed performance ended in a horror show when a double MGU-K failure, attributed to a faulty conrod, halted its cars simultaneously with just a few laps left. It meant Renault had to focus on reliability over performance for a hatful of events and for much of the campaign Renault was left chasing its tail, left to fight with Toro Rosso and Racing Point while customer team McLaren pulled clear. A smattering of update packages did not yield the expected gains while the overall performance was fundamentally best at low-downforce venues, with Canada and Italy the best rounds for the R.S.19. That nonetheless at least demonstrated the gains made in the engine department after years of underperformance. A narrow operating window in qualifying did not help its cause, meaning Renault often qualified worse off than its ultimate race pace, leaving it on the back foot. By the time the sport left Abu Dhabi there was relief that it had scrabbled across the line to hold fifth in the standings, just six points clear of Toro Rosso.

“Speaking with the aero guys, the philosophy of how we designed the car, and especially the front of the car this year [was wrong],” said Ricciardo. “They are pretty confident that that was not the best way to go. Looking at some other teams, to develop the car we can change that and get a lot more out of it as the year goes on. With the updates we didn’t really get that much, so we have a bit in hand. We certainly have the resources and the budget to do so.”

Renault enacted changes by axing Peter Machin and Nick Chester, while recruiting Pat Fry (on gardening leave until mid-2020) and Dirk de Beer, as part of a wider reshuffle. It underlined where Renault felt it took a mis-step but to pin the blame solely on the aero department would be egregious. Renault’s reliability was still sub-par, operationally it did not take advantage of its chances – and was overly conservative with some strategies – while its drivers also have to take their fair share of the blame.

Ricciardo had a character-building season with Renault

Ricciardo accepted early on that he was struggling to rein back his style, reckoning it was more challenging to make a step down than a step up – pointing to his own move to Red Bull in 2014 and the ease with which Charles Leclerc joined Ferrari. The two-day Bahrain test facilitated his cause but he still made a few mistakes as he endured a scruffier season than perhaps might be expected.

What Ricciardo did do was bring a winning mentality to a team that was sometimes too conservative. Ricciardo pointed to the natural confidence that was lacking within Renault – compared to Red Bull – when he first joined, viewing its strong result in Canada as something of a turnaround, even if the pace thereafter was inconsistent. “I don’t feel like [when] they got into a slump, we were kidding ourselves and [thinking] this was where we belong,” said Ricciardo on the lows after a good result. “It was no, no, let’s get back to where we belong.”

Nico Hulkenberg had a fairly quiet season and needed to grab the initiative early on from Ricciardo, having already been handed a warning shot by team boss Cyril Abiteboul that it was now or never. Ricciardo soon held the edge though Hulkenberg can consider himself unfortunate to often be on the wrong side of the strategy game (losing out to some baffling decisions) that cost him points. Nevertheless, Germany epitomised his career: superb pace in the slippery conditions until a misjudgement left him on the side lines. With Esteban Ocon sniffing around Hulkenberg’s fate was sealed. There will be lesser drivers on the 2020 grid but Hulkenberg’s time has passed.

Performance at low-downforce venues highlighted engine gains

Renault’s season was also hindered by a couple of other misdemeanours and external factors. The automated brake bias saga in Japan cost it points, and did not aid its reputation, while speculation remains over its long-term future in the championship owing to a global decline in Renault sales. Its interim CEO confirmed nothing is off the table, including Formula 1, after a tumultuous 12 months for the Renault brand, following the Carlos Ghosn fallout and axing of successor Thierry Bollore. In Formula 1 terms it has also lost McLaren as a customer post-2020, meaning Renault will be flying solo on the grid. It can be viewed as a positive or a negative depending on your perspective.

“There’s been many tough moments,” assessed Renault boss Abiteboul. “There’s been good moments also. I think it’s important to take a bit of distance, so if you ask me, it’s really to manage, to learn about the resilience that you need in that sport.

“[We still want] to bridge the gap with the top teams. That will be the next difficulty and still the target for us. It’s a target for 2021. Everything in our programme has been built around that long-term target of 2021 because, in accordance to our strategy, that’s really the first opportunity to make that happen. But before 2021, there is ’19, there is ’20. And there is a short-term result and a short-term pressure that everyone is putting on all of us. And that’s fine. Again, that’s part of the sport.”

Renault may be looking forward to 2021, and the opportunity to reset, but if it is to realise its long-term ambitions it cannot afford to have another season of struggle.

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Verstappen rules out partnering Leclerc at Ferrari

Max Verstappen has ruled out the idea of him ever driving alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari – saying it is wrong for teams to have two 'number one drivers'.
The Dutchman is one of several top-line drivers who is out of contract at the end of 2020, and he has emerged as a leading candidate for either Ferrari or Mercedes if he elects to leave Red Bull.

With Leclerc under contract until the end of 2022 – and talks underway for his deal to be extended until 2024 – a move there for Verstappen would pit him against his long-time rival.

Speaking to Dutch channel Ziggo Sport, though, Verstappen reckoned that Ferrari was off the table for him because there would be little sense in him being slotted in alongside the young Monegasque driver.

Asked if Ferrari wouldn't want him because of the risk of trouble with Leclerc, Verstappen said: "I think that won't happen anyway. I think that you shouldn't have two potential number ones driving next to each other."

Verstappen's remarks about a team not having two number ones would also suggest he does not see an opportunity to be Lewis Hamilton's future teammate at Mercedes either.

However, he thinks that such a call would ultimately be down to the team management – and Mercedes could well decide that the box office attraction of pitting Hamilton and Verstappen together would outweigh any negatives of friction.

"Well, who knows?" said Verstappen, when asked about the idea of being Hamilton's teammate. "At the moment I don't think about this too much.

"In the end it's always about what the team thinks. I can have an opinion about it, he can have an opinion about it. But in the end they decide what happens. So we'll see."

Verstappen says he is impressed with the job that Hamilton has done to take six world championship titles, but is equally well aware of how good the Mercedes car has been.

He believes that almost two-thirds of the grid would have been champion if they were lucky enough to be in Mercedes.

"That's because it's purely down to the car. Sixty percent of the grid, if they are in a Mercedes, they also would become world champion," he said.

He added: "I also have the confidence to say that if I would have been in that car, it also would have happened like that.

"But he [Hamilton] is certainly very good, absolutely, and he also belongs to the top Formula 1 drivers of all time. But what I wanted to point out was that the car is so dominant that, like I said, sixty percent of the grid [can win in it]."

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Yamamoto could land Red Bull F1 role in 2020

Red Bull and Honda have had discussions about a potential Formula 1 role for Naoki Yamamoto next season.

Two-time Japanese Super Formula champion Yamamoto made his F1 debut earlier this year, driving a Toro Rosso in the first practice session at the Japanese Grand Prix so Honda could field its own driver at its home race.

It also allowed both parties to evaluate Yamamoto's performance in a grand prix car, and the 31-year-old's impressive debut and his eligibility for a superlicence has made it possible for him to take on a role next season, although it is not clear if this would be for both Red Bull teams or something specific to Toro Rosso.

Honda's F1 managing director Masashi Yamamoto told Motorsport.com: "We confirm that we are having conversations about him with Red Bull and Helmut Marko.

"We have quite a good offer, but this is not only Honda's decision or the team's decision, we have to speak to Naoki himself as well of course.

"He's participating in different series as well. It's still ongoing."

Honda has waited more than a decade for one of its drivers to race in F1, with Takuma Sato the last in 2008.

The junior drivers Honda has placed in Formula 2 in recent years have not achieved the required results to step up to F1, but the manufacturer still sees value in establishing an opportunity with Red Bull for the best members of its driver programme.

"Of course it is a very good thing for Honda to make a base for future Japanese young drivers," said Masashi Yamamoto. "It's going to give a good influence to current young drivers we have, and other Japanese drivers."

Formula 3 race winner Yuki Tsunoda, tipped for a move to Formula 2 next season, is Honda's brightest prospect on the F1 ladder.

The 19-year-old scored one victory and finished in the top 10 in the new FIA F3 championship in his first season racing in Europe.

Tsunoda is much younger than more established Honda drivers like F2 race winner Nobuharu Matsushita, who still does not have enough points for a superlicence after four years at F2/GP2 level and a year in Super Formula.

Masashi Yamamoto admitted it is "really, really difficult" for Honda's proteges to prove themselves good enough to be in F1 because of the various skills required.

He believes Super Formula ace Yamamoto, Matsushita and "maybe" Tsunoda have the abilities needed to succeed in F1, but while ex-F2 drivers Tadasuke Makino and Nirei Fukuzumi are "really quick and very talented" they are unlikely to return to the F1 ladder in the short-term.

"Of course, the driving skill or speed is needed, but it's not only about that," said Masashi Yamamoto.

"If you see Jenson Button, he's quick, but also his personality, the way he reacts to fans and also the media as well, and also the team relationship, dealing with people. Those aspects are really important."

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New F1 teams shouldn't be "second-class citizens"

Formula 1 boss Chase Carey says new teams must not be forced to enter as “second-class citizens”, which will be helped by certain financial restrictions being removed from 2021.
At present, F1’s system for distributing prize money includes an equal payment to all teams that finish in the top 10 in the constructors’ championship for two of the previous three seasons.

That meant F1’s most recent new entry, Haas, had to wait until last year to receive the so-called Column 1 payment, despite being on the grid in 2016 and scoring points immediately.

F1's payment system will be tweaked for 2021 and while the equally-distributed participation pot will remain, the rule that excluded new teams from this for three years will not.

“If you come in, you should be part of the part of the sport, and not a second-class citizen," F1 CEO Carey said. “To come in as a second-class citizen, I think that's a deterrent.

“Once they commit to come in, [it is to] buy into a good business, not just a great sport. If I'm coming in, if I wasn't committing as a first-class citizen, as a part of the club, then it's a deterrent.”

While there are known to be parties interested in entering F1 from 2021 as part of the wide-ranging new rules that will be interested, F1 and the FIA have poured cold water on prospective new entries that have made their intentions public. This is because they have not been considered serious enough propositions.

However, Carey said that one of F1’s key priorities is making owning a team a “better business”, which in turn would help more realistic candidates emerge.

“Most of the people I've had preliminary conversations with want to see rules in place that provide the framework for a healthier business model,” said Carey.

“A fair level, or what they consider a fair level, of prize money distribution, and some disciplines and the cost that again make it more about how well you spend your money, not how much you spend.

“We want owning a team, like in other sports, to have franchise value. How do we make owning a team something that is a good business proposition and not just a pursuit of passion?”

Carey said F1’s priority is “quality more than quantity” and does not want teams to join just to struggle at the back, with governing body the FIA keen to see two more teams added.

FIA president Jean Todt said: “I do sympathise with the [existing] teams because if we've got 12 teams of course it takes some value off.

“We've had some interesting proposals to commit, we often have teams willing to commit and we have never really been convinced about the solidity of the teams.

“If we could be convinced that it's really a proper team willing to join, I would be quite happy to have 12 teams in F1. But with 10 teams, it can work. If you have 10 good teams competitive it can work very well.”

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Haas’s 2019 struggles have given me strength, says Magnussen

Haas’s on-track issues in 2019 are well-documented by now, the team having struggled to get their mercurial VF-19 into its ideal operating window on a consistent basis. But heading into the winter at the end of the season, driver Kevin Magnussen was choosing to take the positives from a challenging year.

Having finished fifth in the 2018 constructors’ championship with 93 points, 2019 saw Haas limp to ninth, taking just 28 points and getting outscored by everyone bar Williams.

According to Magnussen, the issue with Haas’s 2019 car was eventually traced to a lack of aerodynamic stability, which contributed to the team scoring just five times in 21 races. But even if results were hard to come by, as a driver, Magnussen believes that 2019 was nonetheless an instructive season for him...

“You always learn in any situation, but especially when it’s difficult you learn different things and you just have to approach your problems in a different way,” he said. “I think that gives you strength and some experience that you wouldn’t necessarily have gotten if you were just cruising and driving in a perfect car. So in many ways it’s also been positive, both for me as a driver and for the team as well.”

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi season finale – where both Magnussen and team mate Romain Grosjean once again failed to score – Magnussen also argued that Haas’s 2019 slump in form had been exaggerated by their over-performance in 2018, in what had been just their third season in Formula 1.

“Last year we got P5 in the constructors’ championship,” he said. “I think that’s pretty impressive. I don’t think many teams have done that in their third year. So we’ve got to take some confidence from that as well and just build on the experience that we have had this year and the learning that we have done and then just come back stronger next year.”

If Magnussen had a difficult year, he at least scored 20 points – eight of those from his brilliant P6 at the opening race in Australia – compared to Grosjean’s eight. But Grosjean, too, was trying to look on the bright side, and carry Haas’s learnings from 2019 through into 2020.

“We couldn’t expect every year to get better from the previous years,” he said. “Somehow, this year’s been positive in terms of what we’ve learned, what we’ve managed to understand and what we need to do better for the future.

“So yes it’s been tough on track, it’s been tough for everyone… to know that you can’t fight for a good position is hard. On the other hand, I think it’s been very positive in the way of what we’ve learned and what we’ve put in place for the future.

“I’ve got faith in the team and I think they’re going to do a great job [in 2020],” he added. “We need to keep pushing, keep being honest with ourselves, and don’t lose track of what we’ve learned.”

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LONG READ: Why Hulkenberg has no regrets as he bids 'farewell for now' to F1

“This boy has unbelievable talent.” That is quite a claim. It’s less bold when you find out those words were spoken by a driver’s manager. But it was a widely held view that Nico Hulkenberg, a youngster from the little town of Emmerich am Rhein, had potential to do great things behind the wheel.

To be fair, that view wasn’t massively off the mark. Hulkenberg won Formula BMW ADAC, A1GP, Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 titles on his way to F1. He then stuck around for a decade – nine years racing, one year as a test driver – before making way (but not retiring, he says) at the end of this season.

But his results haven’t met his – or onlookers – expectations. In 177 starts, he failed to reach the podium once (which is a record no driver wants) and spent his career in midfield teams, despite being linked with top race-winning ones on multiple occasions early on.

His consistency is nothing to be sniffed at. Between 2013 and 2018, he always finished inside the top 10 in the drivers’ standings, peaking with seventh in 2018 in what was his second season with Renault. He took his first pole position in his first season, with Williams in 2010, and would have probably won the Brazilian Grand Prix with Force India in 2012 had the Safety Car not been deployed to snuff out his 50s lead.

The record that nobody wants

It just hasn’t happened for Hulkenberg. Things haven’t gone his way. But when we catch up on the roof of the Renault hospitality unit in Abu Dhabi, multi-million pound yachts bobbing up and down gently in the background, and the sun beaming down, Hulkenberg looks like a man at ease with where he’s at.

“I’m not the guy who says ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’, because it has gone,” he says pragmatically. “It happened, it’s the way it is. You have to learn from it. At some point, you need to close that chapter, move on and try to do better. Of course there are situations, if I were to relive them, which I would do differently. But overall, I’m happy. I’m not bitter.

“I would have loved to have a couple of podiums or victories to my name. But I was never fortunate enough to be in a top car. There were certainly moments to get podiums, but unfortunately there was always a circumstance that prevented it.”

There were times when Hulkenberg would bristle at the mention of his unwanted of record of most races without a podium. You could tell it hurt him. This wasn’t how it was meant to be. But with time and experience, he came to accept it. “Yes and no [it was frustrating],” he says. “But more no because I know why it didn’t happen. I would like to change the fact I have that record to my name, but at least I have one record (!) whether I want it or not, but I can live with it.”

He came agonisingly close to tasting that amber nectar on the podium in his home race at Hockenheim this year. At one point, he was second. That became fourth, but even then, he was given a chance to get the job done in a wet race where everyone was making mistakes. But then he became one of those – and suddenly he was in the barriers and out.

That one hurt. A lot. “For weeks, I was thinking about it, digesting it,” he says. “It was hard for me to accept how that race finished, with that incident. But at one point you have to wake up and be realistic - it’s gone and you have to move on. You have to find a way through.”

Delivering what he was recruited to do

Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul drafted Hulkenberg in to lead the French manufacturer’s return as a works outfit and said last month that the German had been ‘instrumental’ in the team’s progression, up towards the front of the midfield – peaking with P4 in the constructors’ championship last season.

This year has been tougher, with McLaren – who run Renault power – overhauling them. For Hulkenberg, having beaten Jolyon Palmer and Carlos Sainz in his first two years at Renault, he was outperformed by Daniel Ricciardo, and his final position in the drivers’ standings was his worst since his first.

“We tried hard, we made good improvements early on and some big gains, especially in 2017,” he says. “After that, it was a bit trickier. The progress, especially this year 2019, has been missing a bit. It’s been a tough year, but that’s the challenge of F1. All in all, I think I’ve been helpful with the team, I’ve always tried hard, I’ve certainly collected a couple of points, tried to push the team on and to do my bit well.”

But he admits he’s partly to blame – not helped by a car that suffered frequent unreliability and a lack of performance. “Personally, it’s been a challenging year, it’s been up and down,” he adds. “It was hard to get a good momentum going this season. We had signs of really good results, but then the next one was down again. There were also quite a lot of technical hiccups which were quite costly, so it’s difficult to groove yourself in, to find the right balance, and to always hit the sweetspot.

“I don’t feel 100 percent happy with everything I have produced this year. Certainly I’ve done a couple of mistakes on my side and not always found the performance that I wanted. But that’s why F1 is so tricky and challenging.”

Don’t say the word retirement

Even when Renault announced Esteban Ocon would be taking Hulkenberg’s seat next year, the jettisoned German retained hope he could find a home elsewhere on the grid. He came remarkably close at Haas, but they couldn’t land on mutually agreeable contract terms. Alfa Romeo would have been a good fit, but they stuck with Antonio Giovinazzi.

It means Hulkenberg is out in the cold. Is this the end? “It doesn’t feel like a retirement for me,” he says. “Yes, I won’t be on the grid next year, but it doesn’t feel like the end.” Right now, it looks like next season is going to be a year off from all forms of racing, offering Hulkenberg the chance to get off the hamster wheel for the first time in a decade – and just be normal. Unsurprisingly, he’s quite excited.

“2020 holds a lot more spare time for me, less travelling,” he adds. “Part of me is excited about that, closing this chapter of my life, it’s going to be a different schedule and rhythm next year, not having to go through the pre-season routine, winter testing, going to Australia. It’s going to be different.

“Part of me looks forward to that different life with more freedom. You do what you want, when you want. I want to take a good couple of months to myself to disconnect, take a step back, see where my interests take me, where the fire is, and then see if there are possibilities somewhere out there. It is exciting, that uncertainty, but I feel maybe the break will do me good.”

If this is the end of Hulkenberg’s time in F1, and we’re not saying it is, then he leaves having held down a career in Formula 1 for a decade – not many drivers can say they’ve achieved that. F1 teams aren’t known for carrying drivers who are past their sell-by date so it’s a fine accolade. He just didn’t quite hit the heights that everyone was expecting.

“I started to chase the dream of F1 when I was seven years old and if someone told me back then you’ll have a 10-year career, I would have said you were crazy but I would have taken it,” he said. “It’s good, I’m pleased. I’m okay with it. I’ve been pretty reliable and consistent in midfield teams. I don’t need to hide.”

 

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Charles Leclerc 'wouldn't have believed' 2019 F1 achievements

Charles Leclerc says his first year with Ferrari was “better than expected” but has vowed to be stronger in 2020.

Ferrari protégé Leclerc graduated to a race seat at the marque after just a solitary season in Formula 1 with Sauber, and took pole on only his second outing in Bahrain.

Leclerc went on to score a further six poles, giving him a grid-best seven overall, and took back-to-back victories in Belgium and Italy, ending Ferrari’s nine-year drought on home soil.

Leclerc classified fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, on 264 points, 24 points in front of team-mate Sebastian Vettel.

“At the beginning of the season if you had told me I would have had seven poles and 10 podiums, I wouldn’t have believed it,” said Leclerc.

“It’s definitely better than what I expected, but looking back there were quite a lot of mistakes, so the target is to understand them.

“But I am satisfied about this first season and it has not been an easy season.

“In the first part we were struggling but I think we have worked well and improved in the second half of the season.

“I had two incredible wins and Monza was all of my dreams – to be on top of that podium with hundreds and thousands of Ferrari fans below, these experiences I will never forget them.”

Leclerc reckons that the year-on-year stability, and greater assurance of his own position, will assist his progress moving forward.

“This year was my first year in a top team and I have done a few mistakes, which cost quite a bit of points at the end of the season,” he commented.

“Normally I analyse all the mistakes I make so as not to repeat them twice and that’s the exact same as I will do now so that I can come back next year even stronger, more ready and to do less mistakes.

“So I think it will only get better from my side, for sure.”

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Lewis Hamilton received a 'stack of cease and desist' letters from Bernie Ecclestone

Despite being one of the biggest stars in motorsport, even Lewis Hamilton couldn't avoid Bernie Ecclestone's legal department prior to Liberty Media's takeover of the sport.

During his time as Formula 1 CEO, Ecclestone did his best to control every aspect of the sport, and its well known that his legal department were kept busy shutting down unauthorised websites using the F1 trademark, YouTube uploads and even trying to control fan footage.

That, according to F1's head of digital under Liberty Media, Frank Arthofer, even extended to Hamilton.

"A great story that Sean Branches, who’s my boss and runs the business at F1 tells, is [about] when Liberty bought the business [and] one of his first meetings was a lunch with Lewis Hamilton," Arthofer revealed at the SportsPro OTT summit as quoted by RaceFans.

"Lewis brought with him to that lunch a stack of ‘cease and desist’ letters from Bernie Ecclestone because Lewis was taking clips of his onboards and posting them on his Instagram channel.

"And Lewis Hamilton, as I’m sure most of the audience knows, is arguably the biggest star in the history of the sport and has a huge crossover potential across urban culture, music, lifestyle."

Things have been relaxed under Liberty Media – accredited sites like Motorsport Week can even film in the paddock now, which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago – and Arthofer therefore sees opportunity in relaxing those rules, particularly with drivers and teams.

"Working with the drivers and the teams in a more collaborative way to build the sport we think benefits not just Formula 1 but our partners, be that sponsors, broadcast partners and promoters," added Arthofer.

"[It] is a really, really important component of the strategy and probably something we’re still in the early stages of doing well."

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Alexander Albon eyes closing gap to Max Verstappen after 'abnormal' rookie year

Alexander Albon says he must get closer to Max Verstappen’s pace in 2020 off the back of his ‘abnormal’ rookie campaign in Formula 1.

Albon stepped up to Formula 1 with Toro Rosso for 2019, with no prior experience in the championship, and was drafted in to Red Bull Racing mid-season.

Albon impressed sufficiently to be retained by Red Bull into 2020 but trailed Verstappen in qualifying, with an average deficit of four-tenths, and finished ahead of his team-mate just once.

“I need to be aware of where I am,” said Albon in an interview produced by Red Bull.

“I’ve only had a year in F1 and less than half a season with the team, but the goal is to close the gap between me and Max.

“We want to start a bit stronger. The guys are already working flat out at the factory, we want to keep the pressure on Mercedes and Ferrari. I’m hoping we’ll come into Melbourne near the front.

“I’m feeling that next year will be a bit more normal. This year was my first year and it definitely wasn’t normal.

“The gap is shrinking and it’s looking positive for next year, we’ve got a good platform to work with, which is really important in terms of developing the car and we want to take the next step. It’s all going in the right direction, I want to mix it at the front next year.”

Albon also hinted that he will try and alter his build-up through a race weekend, accepting that he was overly aggressive at points in practice in 2019.

“I’ve learned not to listen to external noise too much, do my own thing and focus on myself,” said the Anglo-Thai racer.

“It’s a team sport but you have to approach your driving as an individual.

“I have to question where I can improve and what I need to do to improve. I need to take it a bit easier in free practice and try not to overdrive.

“We had a taster of what could be in Brazil and I want to build on that over the winter so I can be better next year.”

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Ferrari thought they had 0.5s advantage over rivals after pre-season testing

Ferrari held the belief that they had a pace advantage over their rivals heading into the opening race of the 2019 Formula 1 season, but experienced a "cold shower" when the opposite was true according to team boss Mattia Binotto.

Ferrari were favourites after pre-season testing with the SF90 topping the times and generally impressing, but Mercedes responded after the first test with a major upgrade package which was further tweaked for the first race.

Valtteri Bottas went on to qualify on pole by seven-tenths to Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in third and that's when it became apparent that their pre-season pace wasn't what they thought it was.

"We were certainly quick the first week [of testing]," Binotto told Autosport. "We thought we had a clear performance advantage on all the competitors to say the truth, that more or less in the first week we were half a second faster over other teams.

"If we look at the overall best lap time of the second week, when everybody was trying lower fuel configurations and was starting pushing on the engine mode, we did exactly the same laptime of [Lewis] Hamilton.

"[So] going to Australia we had a good level of confidence that we could battle for the victory. But once there it was a cold shower for the entire team."

Binotto is still keen to take the positives away from the year after Ferrari hit back after the summer break to dominate in qualifying and claim three race wins.

"The team had the right spirit," he added. "I believe that in the second half of the season we addressed positively the problems we had.

"This shows that the team is capable of developing and moving in the right direction."

Ferrari went on to finish second to Mercedes in the standings, but with a huge 235-point deficit as the Silver Arrows claimed 15 wins.

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Ex-Red Bull junior Dan Ticktum gets Williams F1 role

Former Red Bull protégé Dan Ticktum has joined Williams’ driver academy in the role of its Development Driver.

Ticktum, 20, will carry out simulator work for Williams and will attend two grands prix with “full driver integration” across engineering and marketing teams.

Ticktum, a two-time Macau Grand Prix winner, finished runner-up to Mick Schumacher in the 2018 Formula 3 championship, switching to Super Formula for 2019.

But Ticktum, who made his F1 test debut for Red Bull in Bahrain, lasted only a handful of events in the Japanese category before he was dropped by the energy drinks company.

Ticktum will return to a full-time race seat in Formula 2 next season with DAMS, the team with which 2020 Williams debutant Nicholas Latifi finished runner-up in this year’s standings.

Speaking about the announcement Ticktum said: “It is a privilege to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy, especially given Williams’ incredible heritage in our sport.

"The time in the simulator and experience working with the team will prove invaluable for my development.

“Being fully integrated into the operations will be a fantastic opportunity and I look forward to assisting wherever I can.”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, added: “I am delighted that Dan, another exciting young British talent, has joined the Williams Racing Driver Academy.

“His ability behind the wheel has been demonstrated with back-to-back successes at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 2017 and 2018.

“Dan’s technical expertise will prove invaluable to the team and we are looking forward to helping him grow and develop in 2020.”