FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

Coolbox Racing with Red Bull’s Max & Alex

 

[MIKA27]

Inaugural Vietnam Grand Prix set to be postponed

Formula 1’s first ever visit to Vietnam is set to be delayed until later in the season due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

The Vietnam Grand Prix, which is currently scheduled as the third round on the 2020 Formula 1 calendar, looks set to follow the same fate as the Chinese GP, which has been postponed indefinitely.

Whilst no final decision on Vietnam’s fate has been made just yet, a source close to the race told MotorsportWeek.com that its postponement would be announced in due course unless the current situation rapidly improves – although that seems unlikely.

The country has suspended visa waivers for UK citizens, with visas only accessible via government-approved tour companies, therefore restricting access.

Whilst Vietnam has only reported 30 cases of Covid-19, it’s believed that figure is far higher with Vietnam sharing a 796-mile border with China and the location of the grand prix, in Hanoi, is just 200-miles south of that border.

The virus has already had an impact on F1 with the Bahrain GP taking the decision to race behind closed doors. The season-opening Australian GP this weekend is however going ahead as normal.

[MIKA27]

Renault reveals 2020 race livery, signs DP World as title partner

Renault has become the final Formula 1 team to unveil its full 2020 race livery, ahead of this weekend’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Renault launched its 2020 programme in Paris in mid-February and then undertook pre-season testing with an interim black scheme on its R.S.20.

Its 2020 race livery was formally presented during an event in Melbourne on Wednesday evening, along with signing of DP World as its new title sponsor.

The outfit will be officially known as Renault DP World F1 Team.

Renault will field Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon in the 2020 season as it strives to re-claim fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.

“We are delighted and honoured to welcome DP World to the Renault family,” said Renault Chairman Jerome Stoll.

“This is an extremely interesting and exciting collaboration across multiple disciplines.

“We look forward to working with DP World, a leading global logistics provider, to explore ways of improving our efficiency and mitigating our environmental impact.

“After the ambitions expressed by Formula 1 to become fully carbon neutral by 2030, we are constantly evaluating ways to reduce our carbon footprint and our turnaround time.

“We expect that working with DP World will reveal opportunities for tangible solutions to some of the logistical challenges faced by our F1 team’s supply chain and by extension, the automotive industry at a larger scale.

“We also look forward to cross-fertilising our engineering skills through shared innovation.”

[MIKA27]

How F1 is facing up to coronavirus and the Ferrari row

Direct from Melbourne, Australia, here’s what our experts have to say about the coronavirus health situation that Formula 1 is facing up to this weekend, plus what Max Verstappen had to say about the Ferrari 2019 power unit row.
In our video, which was recorded after watching Red Bull's 'Cooler Runnings' event, Alex Kalinauckas, Jonathan Noble and Andrew van Leeuwen discuss the media event, before moving on the serious topics.

Andrew is a Melbourne local, and also has some weather forecast tips for what to expect from this weekend!

[MIKA27]

Verstappen demands "level playing field" amid Ferrari row

Max Verstappen says Ferrari’s rivals just want a "level playing field", as the controversy over the FIA’s secret settlement with the Italian team continues.
Seven of F1’s teams recently issued a joint statement expressing their unhappiness at the way motor racing’s governing body reached a private agreement with Ferrari amid suspicions over the legality of its engines.

The teams, which also wrote a follow-up letter with key questions they wanted answered, feel that matters should have been handled differently and want full disclosure of the details about the arrangement.

Verstappen was famously outspoken about the Ferrari matter last year, using the word ‘cheat’ in comments made after the United States Grand Prix that prompted an angry response from Ferrari.

But speaking about the situation on the eve of the season opening Australian Grand Prix, the Dutchman said that the teams’ push for answers was purely because they wanted to ensure that all competitors were treated equally.

Asked for his response to what was going on, Verstappen said: “Well, I leave that up to the teams. I think for everyone it's important of course to have a level playing field. So that's what we all want and that's all I can say about it.”

Pushed on whether he felt that the FIA could be trusted in light of what has happened, he said: “Well, I think they – over the past – have been making the right decisions. So let's see what the teams and the FIA come up with.”

The seven teams involved in the matter – Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Renault, Williams, Racing Point, AlphaTauri – had wanted a response to their questions from Todt before this weekend’s Melbourne race.

British newspaper The Daily Mail revealed extracts of that response on Wednesday, when it said that Todt had taken personal charge of matters and elected for a private settlement.

“Three options were available — closing the case, bringing the matter before the International Tribunal or entering into a settlement — and such decisions fall to the president of the FIA, in accordance with the FIA judicial and disciplinary rules,” the report quoted the letter as saying.

“The president informed and consulted with several other key FIA officials as well as the Formula One CEO with the objective of building a consensus on how best to address the case.

“He [the president] solicited and received recommendations from the FIA technical, legal and financial teams and also took advice from an external experienced attorney.”

[MIKA27]

Albert Park 'gutter' re-profiled ahead of Australian GP

The 'gutter' that left Daniel Ricciardo's front wing in tatters on the opening lap of last year's Australian Grand Prix has been re-profiled ahead of this year's Albert Park race.
Ricciardo ran wide of the racing surface on the opening lap of what was his Renault debut in a bid to give himself space alongside a slow-starting Sergio Perez.

However, it proved to be costly decision, what Ricciardo later described as a "gutter ditch" just after pit exit tearing the front wing off his RS19 and destroying any hope of a strong result on home soil.

It was actually a path in the grass between pit exit and the circuit, which has since been re-profiled with fresh bitumen.

"The asphalt path located on the verge between the pit exit and the track has been re-established and smoothed out," read the FIA race preview.

According to the pre-race notes the left-hand barrier between Turns 2 and 3 has also been moved closer to the track.

[MIKA27]

Why Racing Point is more than just a 'pink Mercedes'

Will Racing Point make significant progress in 2020 before it morphs into Aston Martin next season?
The pink car's pace in Barcelona testing certainly suggested that it will be in the mix at the sharp end of the midfield – and that if it really does show some pace, there might be a little controversy.

In many ways this weekend's Australian GP will be the real start of Racing Point's tenure under Lawrence Stroll. When the Canadian saved the then-Force India team in the summer of 2018 some elements of the 2019 car were already fixed, and in a way that saved money – when the design process began the team was struggling, and didn't have a lot of resource to spare for its longer term future.

By the time that future was secure, it was too late to revisit the 2019 model from scratch, and inevitably that compromised the team last season in what was a tight midfield battle.

This year there are no excuses. Stroll has ploughed money into the growing the team, enabling technical director Andrew Green and his colleagues to take pretty much any direction they wanted for 2020, while also keeping an eye on the challenging 2021 project.

The strategy they chose was a bold one. Believing that there was little more to be gained from the concept they had pursuing they dumped it and switched to the route pursued by the most successful team, namely Mercedes.

It was a roll of the dice, potentially a way to get a jump on the rest of the midfield runners in one hit – but there was risk attached. If the team didn't get it right, understanding in detail how the Mercedes worked and translating those concepts to its own car while allowing scope for further development, it could backfire massively.

However, the really clever part was that if it went wrong, the pain would be short-lived. The 2021 car is a clean sheet of paper, so if the 2020 model flopped it would only lead to one wasted year – and indeed if it was a total disaster the team could abandon it early and focus on the new car.

It's a clever strategy, albeit one that has drawn complaints from rivals suspicious of the team's close relationship with its powertrain supplier. From the team''s point of view what it has done is totally logical, and legal.

"The things that we try to fix with this car I think we've we fixed," says Racing Point boss Otmar Szafnauer. "We've been buying gearbox and engine from Mercedes for quite some time, ever since we stopped buying from McLaren.

"And we had a tricky situation with Mercedes, because we ran a high rake concept that was really developed by Red Bull. And from the days of the blown diffuser, which they ran a high rake then too, we copied the blown diffuser way in the day, and that required a high rake.

"But the Mercedes gearbox didn't lend itself to what we were trying to do. And forever we grappled with it - we were limited at the rear with the aerodynamic development because of the gearbox we were using.

"And this is the first year where we could actually take time and do what we always needed to do at the rear. And I think we fixed some of those problems."

The first sighting of the car in Barcelona triggered endless cynical comments about the Mercedes influence - 'Tracing Point' was one popular joke. Some pointed out how critical the team had been of the Haas/Ferrari model in the past.

"I don't think it's ironic," says Szafnauer. "We copied the Red Bull in the past too, but we copy it within the rules. So we see what they're doing. We take pictures, we try to understand it, we run it in the tunnel, and we do it ourselves. I think it's different.

"We're adding people, we're soon going to be at 500. And the people that we're adding is all about design, development, manufacturing. So we can develop our own car. So although everyone says, 'Ah you copied a Mercedes,' it's our own. It's our own design. It's our own development. It's our own wind tunnel model. It's our own concept.

"Yeah, we looked to see what's fast and thought, 'That's fast, can we do the same?' No different than we did with a Red Bull, when we ran a high rake concept. But the development is our own, and we will add another hundred people. So we can continue our own development, it's a little bit different than what they do down the road."

Szafnauer is adamant that the Haas/Ferrari relationship is different: "I mean, you can't have a couple hundred people and design your own car and develop your own car. It just doesn't work that way. It's not about buying [parts], we don't have a massive manufacturing capability either, we buy as well.

"But you know, we buy from people that machine it for us, but it's about design and development, it's the size of your model design and making capability for the wind tunnel, it's the size of your aerodynamic team. Our aerodynamic team total total is bigger than their entire team. So where are they getting it from? It's different, trust me it's different."

[dcbuss]

11 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

Why Racing Point is more than just a 'pink Mercedes'

Will Racing Point make significant progress in 2020 before it morphs into Aston Martin next season?
The pink car's pace in Barcelona testing certainly suggested that it will be in the mix at the sharp end of the midfield – and that if it really does show some pace, there might be a little controversy.

In many ways this weekend's Australian GP will be the real start of Racing Point's tenure under Lawrence Stroll. When the Canadian saved the then-Force India team in the summer of 2018 some elements of the 2019 car were already fixed, and in a way that saved money – when the design process began the team was struggling, and didn't have a lot of resource to spare for its longer term future.

By the time that future was secure, it was too late to revisit the 2019 model from scratch, and inevitably that compromised the team last season in what was a tight midfield battle.

This year there are no excuses. Stroll has ploughed money into the growing the team, enabling technical director Andrew Green and his colleagues to take pretty much any direction they wanted for 2020, while also keeping an eye on the challenging 2021 project.

The strategy they chose was a bold one. Believing that there was little more to be gained from the concept they had pursuing they dumped it and switched to the route pursued by the most successful team, namely Mercedes.

It was a roll of the dice, potentially a way to get a jump on the rest of the midfield runners in one hit – but there was risk attached. If the team didn't get it right, understanding in detail how the Mercedes worked and translating those concepts to its own car while allowing scope for further development, it could backfire massively.

However, the really clever part was that if it went wrong, the pain would be short-lived. The 2021 car is a clean sheet of paper, so if the 2020 model flopped it would only lead to one wasted year – and indeed if it was a total disaster the team could abandon it early and focus on the new car.

It's a clever strategy, albeit one that has drawn complaints from rivals suspicious of the team's close relationship with its powertrain supplier. From the team''s point of view what it has done is totally logical, and legal.

"The things that we try to fix with this car I think we've we fixed," says Racing Point boss Otmar Szafnauer. "We've been buying gearbox and engine from Mercedes for quite some time, ever since we stopped buying from McLaren.

"And we had a tricky situation with Mercedes, because we ran a high rake concept that was really developed by Red Bull. And from the days of the blown diffuser, which they ran a high rake then too, we copied the blown diffuser way in the day, and that required a high rake.

"But the Mercedes gearbox didn't lend itself to what we were trying to do. And forever we grappled with it - we were limited at the rear with the aerodynamic development because of the gearbox we were using.

"And this is the first year where we could actually take time and do what we always needed to do at the rear. And I think we fixed some of those problems."

The first sighting of the car in Barcelona triggered endless cynical comments about the Mercedes influence - 'Tracing Point' was one popular joke. Some pointed out how critical the team had been of the Haas/Ferrari model in the past.

"I don't think it's ironic," says Szafnauer. "We copied the Red Bull in the past too, but we copy it within the rules. So we see what they're doing. We take pictures, we try to understand it, we run it in the tunnel, and we do it ourselves. I think it's different.

"We're adding people, we're soon going to be at 500. And the people that we're adding is all about design, development, manufacturing. So we can develop our own car. So although everyone says, 'Ah you copied a Mercedes,' it's our own. It's our own design. It's our own development. It's our own wind tunnel model. It's our own concept.

"Yeah, we looked to see what's fast and thought, 'That's fast, can we do the same?' No different than we did with a Red Bull, when we ran a high rake concept. But the development is our own, and we will add another hundred people. So we can continue our own development, it's a little bit different than what they do down the road."

Szafnauer is adamant that the Haas/Ferrari relationship is different: "I mean, you can't have a couple hundred people and design your own car and develop your own car. It just doesn't work that way. It's not about buying [parts], we don't have a massive manufacturing capability either, we buy as well.

"But you know, we buy from people that machine it for us, but it's about design and development, it's the size of your model design and making capability for the wind tunnel, it's the size of your aerodynamic team. Our aerodynamic team total total is bigger than their entire team. So where are they getting it from? It's different, trust me it's different."

Again, it underscores IMHO the real issue...and I’m beginning to see this as close to a smoke screen issue.  It just takes the focus off of Lance.  

[avaldes]

58 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

Cost and Schedule.... Doesn't that dictate performance?

Meaning you can control any two out of those three. If you want to control Cost and Schedule, you are going to lose Performance. If you want Performance and Schedule, you are gonna Pay for it. If you want Cost and Performance, you are going to have to wait.

In Formula One, you have a set schedule....so you can either have top performance at a price (Mercedes), or you can have a lower cost and live with second place. If Ferrari threw the same money at the team as Mercedes, all things being equal they should be even.

[rckymtn22]

McLaren withdraws from Australian GP

McLaren Racing has pulled out of the Formula 1 season-opening Australian GP after a team member tested positive for COVID-19.

TSN.ca Staff

 

Zak Brown , The Canadian Press

McLaren Racing has pulled out of the Formula 1 season-opening Australian GP after a team member tested positive for COVID-19. 

The team issued the following statement Thursday morning:

McLaren Racing has confirmed this evening in Melbourne that is has withdrawn from the 2020 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, following the positive test of a team member for the coronavirus. The team member was tested and self-isolated as soon as they started to show symptoms and will now be treated by local healthcare authorities.

The team has prepared for this eventuality and has ongoing support in place for its employee who will now enter a period of quarantine. The team is cooperating with the relevant local authorities to assist their investigations and analysis. 

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, and Andreas Seidl, team princical of McLaren F1, informed Formula 1 and the FIA of the decision this evening. The decision has been taken based on a duty of care not only to McLaren F1 employees and partners, but also to the team's competitors, Formula 1 fans and wider F1 stakeholders.

 

RM22: The season will be now suspended, don't think F1 has a choice now.

[MIKA27]

Australian GP pushes on with event despite F1 cancellation

Mar 13, 2020, 8:46 AM

Australian Grand Prix organisers plan to push on with the rest of its event, despite the expected imminent cancellation of the Formula 1 race.
Following a meeting of F1 team principals agreeing with the FIA last night not to go ahead with the opening round of the championship, an official announcement about the fate of the grand prix has not yet been made.

However, in a statement obtained by Motorsport.com from the Australian Grand Prix corporation on Friday morning, it was made clear that all other activities were proceeding as planned.

“The gates will open at 8.45am and track activity will commence as scheduled at 9.10am,” said the statement. “Ancillary events, sponsor functions, the hospitality program and all activations and fan engagement activities will commence as planned.

“The broader implications arising from the McLaren withdrawal are being discussed with the FIA and Formula 1® following lengthy discussions overnight.

“There will be a series of ongoing discussions with key stakeholders through the morning and updates on any changes to the program will be communicated as promptly as possible.”

Motorsport.com has been told that F1 personnel were informed on Friday morning to treat things like a ‘normal day’, amid the dramatic news last night of McLaren’s withdrawal.

McLaren driver Lando Norris took to social media overnight to voice his disappointment at the news: “While I’m gutted that I can’t race, the most important thing right now is everyone’s health.

“We’ve been doing everything we can to limit spread and that has naturally involved me being around as few people as possible. My only thoughts are with the team and everyone in the world fighting this.”

Formula 1's teams are heading in to the track ready to pack up their equipment, with uncertainty about where F1 goes from here.

Motorsport.com understands that in the wake of the team decision, star drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen have already flown out of Melbourne.

MIKA: Some conflicting news reports, some stating the event has officially been cancelled completely. Really feel for the fans who have paid for tickets to fly over and book accommodation. This event should have been called off weeks ago.

[rckymtn22]

Just reading on the BBC that they are reporting from two senior F1 sources the race is off , but on the F1 page nothing but crickets.

[MIKA27]

REPORTS FROM OVERNIGHT:

Hamilton ‘very shocked’ F1 is pressing ahead with Australian GP

Reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton says he is “very shocked” that Formula 1 is pressing ahead with the Australian Grand Prix amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has prompted the postponement or cancellation of some major sporting events.

Italy’s Serie A is off until at least early April, other events have been held behind closed doors, while on Thursday the NBA confirmed its suspension until further notice.

Formula 1 has postponed April’s planned Chinese Grand Prix, and next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix will be a participants-only event at the behest of race organisers, but the upcoming round in Australia is going ahead as it stands.

The majority of drivers on Thursday were reluctant to go into details on the situation, emphasising their support of the FIA and Formula 1, but Hamilton expressed his opinion on the predicament.

“I felt OK travelling out here,” he said. “Naturally being on a flight with a lot of people and stopping at an airport full of people, I didn’t really think too hard on it, I was just trying to make sure that I was taking all the precautions I could and not touching things and using hand sanitizer.

“I am really very, very surprised that we are here. I think in motorsport it’s great that we have racing, but I think it’s really shocking that we are all sitting in this room [in Melbourne].

“There are so many fans here today and it seems like the rest of the world is reacting, probably a little bit late, but we have already seen this morning that Trump has shut down the borders with Europe to the States and you are seeing the NBA being suspended, yet Formula 1 continues to go on.

“It’s a concern I think for the people here – it’s quite a big circus that’s come here and it’s definitely concerning for me.”

When asked why he felt the race was still going ahead, Hamilton quipped: “Cash is king.

“I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t add much more to it. I don’t feel like I should shy away from my opinion.

“The fact is we are here and I just really want to be as careful as we can be in touching doors and surfaces, and I hope everyone has hand sanitizer.

“I just hope all the fans stay safe and I hope we get through this weekend and we don’t have any fatalities or things in the future.”

Sebastian Vettel, sat alongside Hamilton in the press conference, harboured similar views to the Mercedes driver.

“You realise that a lot of sport competitions get postponed and cancelled, and it’s fair, like Lewis said, to ask the question why,” he said.

“Obviously we have to trust the FIA and FOM to take precautions as much as they can, but I think the answer that nobody can give you at the moment is how much you can control what’s going on. As a matter of fact, we are here and you just try to take care as much as you can.”

Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen added that: “I don’t know if it’s the right thing that we are here, probably not, but it’s not up to us, it’s not our decision.

“I think it would have been purely the team’s decision we probably wouldn’t be here.”

 

F1 drivers will "pull handbrake" if virus situation worsens

Sebastian Vettel says Formula 1 drivers would have no qualms in "pulling the handbrake" on the Australian Grand Prix if the coronavirus situation escalates.
While F1 waits on the results of tests on at least five team personnel who have shown symptoms of the virus, there is an uneasy feeling in the paddock about the risks the sport is facing is going ahead with the season opener.

Australian health chiefs have made clear that any team which has an infected staff member will likely be put in quarantine, and that could be enough for the race to be called off.

However, Vettel also says that if things got worse in Melbourne – and staff were taken ill or worse – then the drivers would be strong enough to stand up and push for the race to be abandoned.

"I hope others would agree, and we hope it doesn't get that far, but if it were to get that far then for sure you pull the handbrake," said the German.

"I think we are a group of 20 guys and I think we've got together over the last years for various circumstances on various topics, and I think we share common opinion on big decisions and that.

"I would qualify it is a very, very big decision and ultimately, as I said before, you look at yourself. And we would, I think, be mature enough to look after ourselves and pull the handbrake in that case."

F1 drivers have been in contact with the sport's bosses regarding how best to deal with the coronavirus situation in Australia.

It is understood that drivers' body, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), wanted assurances that F1 would minimise the chances of the virus being transmitted between fans and the drivers – which is why autograph sessions and close contact events have been canned.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the GPDA urged everyone in the paddock to work together to try to get through the difficult circumstances.

"The GPDA has full trust in the Australian health authorities, the FIA, F1 and our teams to act with the best intentions to safeguard the health, welfare and safety of fans, officials, drivers and wider communities," it said.

"The GPDA has been in contact with F1 and FIA throughout last week and we know they are working hard and thoroughly on this challenging task.

"We are all in this together and no one takes this situation lightly. But [we] feel the responsibility falls on everyone, the locals as well as us global travellers, to be especially vigilant and cautious in these difficult times the coronavirus pandemic brings upon us all.

"To this end, the GPDA would respectfully suggest that we all, our Australian friends, fans, race community and drivers maintain a safe distance and avoid one to one contact like selfies, autographs and shaking hands.

"These proposed steps to mitigate risk are in line with relevant guidance provided by public health authorities."

MIKA: Hamilton is right in his astonishment "Cash is King..." 

I'm a massive F1 fan but even I believe it should have been cancelled, postponed weeks ago.

It seems the drivers would have pulled the pin as there are reports that Sebastian Vettel and Kimi have already left the country (Unconfirmed) 

UPDATED @09:30 am

Twitter: Leonid Karakolov
@LKarakolov

Kimi and Seb are boarding on a plane  to Dubai right now #AustralianGP

[MIKA27]

Why 'stronger' Ocon is relishing racing return in 2020

Two hours. That’s how much sleep Esteban Ocon would operate on from Friday to Saturday or a Grand Prix weekend in Europe last year. Either side of that, he would pull a long shift in the simulator, assisting Mercedes with their set-up after practice, and then jump on the first flight out to spend the rest of the weekend embedded with the team. It was all part of his plan to leave no stone unturned in his bid to return to the F1 grid. And it worked…

Ocon has talent – and plenty of it. His speed behind the wheel is proven. He may not have scored more points during two seasons alongside the highly-rated Sergio Perez, but he did show he had the speed, particularly on a Sunday, to race him hard, emerging with a slight edge at the end in terms of pace.

You can’t get to F1 – and get the best seats – without backing. Mercedes stepped in here, choosing to put significant resource behind a European F3 and GP3 champion, which culminated in his debut with the Mercedes-powered Manor team in 2016 and two years with Force India (which became Racing Point midway through his second year). But it’s how you use that backing that is important. Pascal Wehrlein had it, but the former Mercedes junior is no longer involved in F1. Ocon doesn’t want to go the same way.

When he lost his seat at Racing Point, a Renault deal looked set to happen before falling through as they snapped up Daniel Ricciardo instead. It could have all been over for the Frenchman.

But he refused to be beaten, and he would not make the same mistakes twice. So aside from doing everything he could to maximise his Mercedes reserve driver role, he would talk to Team Principal Toto Wolff a lot to make something happen. They were consistently in touch. “I was massively involved compared to the year before,” admitted Ocon, as we chatted in the Renault hospitality unit.

“There was no chance I wasn’t going to be involved. We didn’t want to make the same mistake. I had chats with Alain [Prost, Renault ambassador] and Cyril [Abiteboul, Renault Team Principal]. I said ‘OK, this time we have to be clear, we need more communication than we had in 2018 because if it happens again, it’s over for me.

"Through lack of communication and lack of understanding from one side to another, we just missed out [for a Renault seat in 2019]. It was very disappointing, it was one of the hardest years but it made us stronger and we didn’t do the same mistake.”

Abiteboul gave him the good news of a seat at Renault next to Ricciardo, but Ocon refused to believe it was done until he had the contract in his hand. “I wanted it in front of my eyes!” He had to wait two agonising weeks for it to get it. He received it on email, printed it out – once he eventually got his printer to connect to his phone – signed it and sent it off. There was no glamour signing in the office with Abiteboul and a shining pen for the cameras.

Now the hard work started. Fortunately, Mercedes released him for the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test that bookended 2019 – something Ricciardo was notably refused by Red Bull the previous year, just ahead of joining Renault.

“That was very important,” says Ocon. “Cyril and Alain wanted me to have that, as Daniel didn’t have that chance. He was lacking a bit of experience with the team and a bit of time running. It was a great chance, it has helped me to arrive at testing ready.”

Ocon benefits from having spent time at Enstone as reserve driver in 2016, but that hasn’t stopped him spending plenty of time at the factory over the winter, reigniting those old relationships and getting to know the new faces, with the team having been on an extensive recruitment drive since he departed.

The talk turns to targets for the season and Ocon is modest. “A good year for me would be to start near Daniel, I see him as one of the best,” he says.

“I’m not putting myself under any pressure, but starting near him and then improving during the year and try and get closer to him [is the aim]. Because I didn’t race for a year, there’s a bit of time for me to get back in. I want to score points every race and score a podium at some point.”

Ocon is very respectful of what Ricciardo, a seven-time race winner, has achieved in Formula 1 and is aware that the Australian presents the sternest challenge yet as a team mate.

“I stopped [racing] for a year so I’m looking at everything he does. Yeah, it’s important for me to be at his level straight away and it’s a great chance for myself to measure myself against one of the best.”

But what will happen when they come wheel-to-wheel on the track, fighting for the same piece of asphalt? Both Ocon and Ricciardo have had contact with team mates in the past. Ocon collided with Perez at Baku and at Spa during their time together at Force India, while Ricciardo collided with then Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen in Baku and in Hungary.

Ocon, who also collided with Verstappen when being lapped by the race leader in Brazil in 2018, has shown signs of sheer-bloody mindedness when at the wheel and it was clear that he and Perez just didn’t get on. But he's not expecting a repeat with Ricciardo.

”It can’t be bad with Daniel,” he says. “Everyone gets along well with him. So that should be alright. He always has a smile, is always pretty cool. It was not amazing with Checo, but you have less [good] feelings with some drivers than others.”

Throughout the interview, Ocon insisted he feels “no pressure” ahead of his return and that “he’s not stressing” and judging by his demeanour, you’re inclined to believe him. The determination he showed throughout his year out with Mercedes, the hands-on approach he took to the negotiations to secure his future and his supreme speed on track stand him in good stead.

It may get tasty with Ricciardo at times, with both keen to assert their authority in what is a big year for them, but the Frenchman is better equipped to deal with such situations and must control his determination. This could very well be a great year for Ocon – and if that happens, it may also bring the very best out of Ricciardo, too.

[MIKA27]

Leclerc says he ‘has the speed’ for 2020 title bid

Charles Leclerc was feeling cautiously optimistic at the dawn of the 2020 Formula 1 season, telling reporters in Australia that he believed he had the speed to take the fight to Lewis Hamilton and his rivals this season, and claim the ultimate prize.

Asked on Thursday at Melbourne’s Albert Park if he felt a title tilt was a realistic prospect from him in his third season in the sport, Leclerc replied: “It’s always difficult. I think Lewis is very, very strong at the moment, and I’ve still got a lot of things to learn.

“But I think the speed is there, and I’ve shown it on my good weekends,” he added. “Now it’s all about consistency and I’m trying to do the best job I can to work on that and to be better at that. And then yes, I think we’ve got chances.”

Leclerc finished fourth in the drivers’ standings in 2019, one place and 24 points up on team mate Sebastian Vettel. But with a year at Ferrari now under his belt, the Monegasque said he was feeling more comfortable and confident within the team – especially after a strong winter’s preparation, during which he signed an extension on his Ferrari contact to keep him at the Scuderia until at least 2024.

“Coming to here, it’s obviously a bit different for me [compared to 12 months ago],” said Leclerc. “I know everyone in the team, I know how the team is working and I feel also a lot more ready. I’ve prepared myself more than ever during the winter season. I knew what to expect, so I know what to prepare for, and I think this has made quite a big difference. So I definitely feel more ready in general, and I can’t wait to be back in the car.”

As to how that car – the 2020-spec SF1000 – will perform over the weekend in Australia, Leclerc said the team had achieved their goal of adding more downforce compared to last year’s SF90, heralding the machine as “quite quick around the corners” (a view borne out by our data) – albeit not as fast in a straight line.

“As I said in Barcelona, we added downforce on the car and as a result we lost speed on the straight,” said Leclerc. “But that’s what we expected. Now, time will tell if we did it too much or not. But for sure, we are going quite quick around the corners…”

[MIKA27]

Gallery: 2020 F1 helmet guide from every angle

Often the easiest way to identify a driver is from their unique helmet design and this season is no different, with plenty of new designs on the 2020 Formula 1 grid, some more personal than others!

Lewis Hamilton

Valtteri Bottas (Standard)

Valtteri Bottas (Australia-spec)

Charles Leclerc

Sebastian Vettel

Max Verstappen

Alexander Albon

Carlos Sainz

Lando Norris

Daniel Ricciardo

Esteban Ocon

Pierre Gasly

Daniil Kvyat

Sergio Perez

Lance Stroll

Romain Grosjean

Kevin Magnussen

Kimi Raikkonen

Antonio Giovinazzi

George Russell

Nicholas Latifi

[dcbuss]

Well done Sebastian. 

[MIKA27]

The lowest low on a shambolic day for Formula 1

Formula 1 has had plenty of low moments in its 70-year history but the inaction, confusion and sheer lack of authority across 24 hours in Australia was its lowest.

This was not a situation caused by an unexpected accident or a weather event but instead a virus that has been spreading rapidly in recent weeks, causing travel delays and widespread concern.

Formula 1, along with governing body the FIA, pressed ahead regardless – with little in the way of communication – as those teams based in the worst affected areas (Italy) managed to get out of the country and into Australia.

As early as Thursday there was an air of caution in the paddock as everyone questioned whether the event should be going ahead, given the nature in which some countries were shutting down, while other major sporting events pulled the plug.

That concern had been heightened by the fact that a handful of Formula 1 team personnel self-isolated in case they had the virus, having reported feeling unwell.

Just after 10pm on Thursday evening McLaren Racing issued a statement in which it confirmed that one team member had tested positive for the virus. As a result it withdrew its participation from the remainder of the weekend and immediately threw the event itself into doubt.

From Formula 1 and the FIA there was total silence, as rumours that a statement was imminent failed to materialise, meaning many journalists stayed awake through Thursday night as the situation evolved, chasing contacts and information.

As Friday the 13th trickled through the early hours senior figures gathered in Formula 1 to discuss the matter and a vote was split 5-5 on whether to proceed with the race. Mercedes, Red Bull Racing, Racing Point, AlphaTauri and Williams voted yes, while Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Haas, Renault and the already-withdrawn McLaren said no. As that situation developed five became two, with Daimler instructing Mercedes to pull out, meaning its customers also went.

Even before that development the fact that only 10 cars were going to race meant that there would not be a race, given that the Concorde Agreement states that 12 cars must be entered for a grand prix.

But until the relevant documents were submitted to the FIA – who initially refused to say a word on any matter before relenting – they could not yet cancel the grand prix for the commercial agreements meant they would be liable.

Meanwhile the Australian Grand Prix Corporation pressed on with its own plans and in a matter of moments the situation changed, suggesting that the event would go ahead with the support categories but without any spectators. But by the time this decree had been issued fans had already gathered at the gates, which were due to be opened at 08:45, as they waited to be allowed in. The gates remained closed, information communicated was sketchy at best, before the call was issued by the government not to let any fans in. By which time a large group of people had congregated in a confined space, having used public transport, as well as all manner of other outlets such as hotels, cafes, restaurants etc. Likewise for all Formula 1 personnel, who early on Friday were informed to proceed with the event as usual.

Guidelines were never issued. Advice was thin on the ground. There was no procedure in place. The safety and health of everyone involved was pushed as priority but there was no care for that. They can try to pull the wool over our eyes but we are not sheep. Everyone failed in their duty.  

Finally, at 10am local time, a statement was issued by Formula 1 and the FIA, in which the race’s cancellation was finally confirmed. But that should have come at least seven hours prior. And even then the Australian Grand Prix Corporation issued a separate statement revealing that it was Formula 1 that triggered the cancellation. No one individual was quoted in either press release. Cash is king…

What the hell happens next is anyone’s guess.

MIKA: The FIA summed up

 

[MIKA27]

Horner: More delays to start of F1 2020 season now “inevitable”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it is inevitable there will be further delays to the start of the Formula 1 season after the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled.

F1 and the FIA issued a statement on Friday morning confirming the cancellation of the Melbourne race after one member of the McLaren team tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday evening. Teams had been engaged in talks overnight discussing the possibility of racing, with three outfits understood to be in favour, only for the event organisers to make a final decision and call off the race.

While there has been no official decision yet taken on the status of next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled to take place behind closed doors, Horner said it was “fairly inevitable” the race would not be going ahead.

“That’s yet to be confirmed I believe, but it’s difficult to see how teams will go to Bahrain,” he added.

Motorsport.com understands other teams have already made clear they will not be racing in Bahrain next weekend. Uncertainty remains for most of the early-season rounds as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to impact global sport and travel routes.

The Vietnam Grand Prix is scheduled for April 3-5, with the opening European round set to take place in the Netherlands on May 1-3.

Horner said it looked likely there would be further delays to the start of the new season, but was awaiting confirmation from the race promoters on the matter.

“I think inevitably, there is going to be some discussion about postponement,” Horner said when asked by Motorsport.com if the season needed to be put on hold. “We need to wait to see what the promoter has to say. I’m sure they’re getting it from all angles.

“They’re more informed than we are of the situation with the early European races, Vietnam, etc. Inevitably there is going to be a delay.”

[MIKA27]

Williams fears prize fund hit if F1 races lost

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams fears that a series of cancelled races could impact the financial situation of the Grove team.
If events are cancelled Formula 1 won’t keep the hosting fees that are paid in advance by the promoters, and which contribute to the overall income which is shared by the teams and Liberty. Other income streams could also be hit if multiple races fail to take place.

Williams stressed that it was a priority to “safeguard our business,” and that it’s not year clear what the loss of races would ultimately mean for the teams.

“We're obviously, like F1, like everybody in every responsible business, monitoring the situation incredibly closely,” she said when quizzed by Motorsport.com. “We've got a steering committee at Williams.

“That's been in place for a couple of months now to make sure that we're acting responsibly and safeguarding everybody that works at Williams, and doing what we need to do based on the World Health Organisation's guidance. And that's all we can do at this stage.

“We have not got a case at Williams, we haven't. But we've got to make sure that we safeguard our business. And that comes in a variety of different ways to ensuring that we've got the capability for remote working, should we need to send our people home.

“I suppose the main consideration for any team is around manufacturing, because you can't manufacture parts at home. So if we have to shut down our factory that can be incredibly difficult.

“There's also the consideration around if we don't go to races, then what happens with prize fund money? Does that then decrease, which obviously would be incredibly difficult to manage? And I suppose at the moment, we're just hoping that that is not the case. And obviously, we're having conversations about insurance if it is the case, but it's not an easy situation to manage. We're in discussions at the moment [regarding insurance].”

Although teams will spend less if they are not travelling to races Williams insisted that some costs will stay constant: “You’ve still got wages to pay. Most teams, their wage bill is the largest proportion of their monthly expenditure.”

Williams says that F1 and the FIA have done the “best job” they can in the circumstances, and that they have to take their lead from the authorities.

“I think it's an incredibly difficult situation,” she commented. “I think for any business in whatever industry that you're operating in, it's incredibly hard to handle. And I think that they've done the best job they possibly can to act responsibly and to do what's required.

“They're managing it in close collaboration with the relevant authorities. And at the end of the day, I believe here it's up to the Australian Government to make the final call. And that final call has happened, and we're here racing. As far as I'm concerned, there is no case of corona in F1. And so therefore, we are playing it literally probably hour-by-hour. (Recently updated - Australian GP has been cancelled)

“There are meetings going on regularly. I believe there was a meeting this morning with F1 and all our media people. And then we obviously have our team principals’ meeting which is scheduled every Saturday of race weekends, and I'm sure corona will be top of the agenda for discussion on Saturday morning, if we don't have a meeting prior to that.”

Williams said that in recent weeks teams had been “consumed’ by the coronavirus and its possible implications.

“Of course, it's our responsibility and duty of care to make sure that everybody knows what they should and shouldn't be doing. From increased hand-washing and contact with people and keeping themselves safe and making sure that if they do experience any symptoms that they're managing that appropriately. And we're giving all of our personnel the right support in order to do that.

“It has been a big piece of work that I'm sure all teams up and down the pit lane have been consumed by over the past many, many weeks, now that we're into this situation. And it's simply about keeping all your personnel as safe as you possibly can while we continue to go racing.”

MIKA: Of course this would come from Williams...

You need to score points in order to get 'any" money. 

[MIKA27]

McLaren confirms 14 team members quarantined in Australia

McLaren has confirmed that 14 members of its Formula 1 personnel have been placed in quarantine for two weeks in Australia.

One member of McLaren tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus on Thursday evening in Melbourne, forcing the eventual cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix.

McLaren released a further statement regarding the situation on Friday lunchtime.

“Overnight, 14 members of the team, in addition to the one confirmed case, were placed in quarantine at the team hotel for 14 days, in accordance with local health authority directives,” read a statement.

“These are individuals who had been in close contact with the team member who tested positive for coronavirus.

“These individuals are being supported by senior team personnel, who will stay behind with them during the quarantine period.

“Any other team members who show symptoms will be tested immediately and self-isolate, in line with our protocol.

“Other members of the team have been cleared to return to the paddock to pack down team equipment before travelling back to the UK.

“On arrival in the UK, no race team member will return to the McLaren Technology Centre for a period of 14 days, as a precautionary measure.”

Haas confirmed on Thursday that the four team members that were tested all returned negative results.

[avaldes]

Interesting article about wide versus narrow nose. I think we mentioned this a couple pages ago:

 

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.tech-tuesday-why-ferrari-have-bucked-the-trend-with-their-odd-one-out-nose.3FEzkw1zxF3sicqVEgbeZt.html

 

[BrightonCorgi]

Looks like the Canadian GP is in the cross hairs for cancellation.

[rckymtn22]

Canadian GP off; Montreal cancels events

The Canadian Grand Prix has become the latest major sports event in the country to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Canadian Press

 

Lewis Hamilton , The Canadian Press

The Canadian Grand Prix has become the latest major sports event in the country to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Montreal-based Formula One race was scheduled to take place June 12-14 before Wednesday's postponement.

Formula One said it hopes to reschedule the event this year.

Race organizers said in a statement that they were "saddened" to postpone the race and that the decision was made in consultation with Formula One and representatives from the City of Montreal, Tourism Montreal and provincial and federal governments.

"This postponement was not a decision that was taken lightly or easily," the statement said.

The postponement came hours after the CFL pushed back the start of its regular season in June. Last week, another major Canadian sports event scheduled for June — the Queen's Plate at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto — also was postponed.

The RBC Canadian Open, June 11-14 at St. George's Golf and Country Club in Toronto, remains on the PGA Tour schedule but Golf Canada and RBC said in a joint statement last week they are evaluating their options.

The Canadian Grand Prix attracts one of the biggest crowds in Canadian sports each year. Last year's three-day event had an announced attendance of 307,000.

Canadian Grand Prix president and CEO Francois Dumontier says certain government decisions, like keeping non-essential businesses and the Canadian border closed, left them with no choice but to postpone the race.

"The deadline we were given to make a decision coincided with the day we were supposed to start preparing the track. Before incurring costs, preparing the track, we had to be certain that we were going to have the race." Dumontier said.

"The majority of businesses who work with us are non-essential. That would've put in peril our chances to hold the race if it happened on June 14th."

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante announced Tuesday the city has cancelled all cultural and sporting events until July 2.

"It is a difficult decision because Montreal is a known destination for world class events and festivals," Plante tweeted. "And we will be there to support our partners."

The call on the race came sooner than originally expected. On March 24, Dumontier said he expected a decision between Easter and May 1.

When asked about a possible postponement last month, Dumontier said he hoped to hold the event toward the end of summer or the start of fall if it couldn't be run on its traditional June dates.

Canada was originally scheduled to be the eighth race on the Formula One schedule. The first seven races previously were postponed or cancelled.

The Canadian promoters said they "would have been honoured to host the first race on the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship calendar."

Dumontier, however, accepts they may have to wait until later in the year to host the Grand Prix.

"The calendar will be turned upside down," Dumontier said. "We're used to starting the summer with the race in June. We've had it in June since 1982. We'll have to make some concessions to show we are flexible. Maybe we will have to have it in the fall, it'll be colder."

The announcement comes after F1 said it was working with promoters on a revised 2020 schedule.

"We have been working closely with our friends at the Canadian Grand Prix over the past few weeks and support them in taking this necessary decision to ensure the safety of fans and the F1 community," Formula One CEO/chairman Chase Carey said in a statement.

"We always look forward to travelling to the incredible city of Montreal and while we will all have to wait a bit longer, we will put on a great show when we arrive later this year."

Organizers say purchased tickets will remain valid and spectators will be informed of their options once the race is rescheduled.

Two Canadian drivers — Lance Stroll of Montreal and rookie Nicholas Latifi of Toronto — have Formula One rides this season.

Stroll's Racing Point team and Latifi's Williams squad both announced Monday that their drivers are taking pay cuts with some staff going on furlough. The Williams pay cut for drivers is 20 per cent, while Racing Point did not disclose an exact figure.

The Canadian Grand Prix made its debut in 1961 in Bowmanville, Ont., and has, save three separate one-year breaks, been part of the F1 calendar since 1967.

Another major annual Canadian auto racing event — the Honda Indy Toronto, July 10-12 — still is on IndyCar's revised schedule, which was unveiled Monday.

"Conversations have been ongoing with Exhibition Place, City of Toronto, Honda Canada and IndyCar with the intention to hold the event on the originally scheduled date as planned," the race said in a statement.

"The event is subject to the guidance and mandates of federal, provincial and municipal authorities regarding public gatherings and travel. The health and safety of all associated with the Honda Indy Toronto will remain the priority."

[rckymtn22]

French GP is the next one up for postponement.