FORMULA 1

[MIKA27]

Red Bull: "Anomalies" causing 2020 F1 car to "misbehave"

Red Bull says its current Formula 1 car has some "anomalies" that is causing it to "misbehave" in certain conditions.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit had started the season hopeful that it had made a step with its RB16 to be able to challenge favourite Mercedes.

But so far it has been unable to properly threaten the world champion outfit and its drivers Max Verstappen and Alex Albon have struggled to get on top of their car’s tricky characteristics.

Although Verstappen pulled off a brilliant performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix to finish second behind Lewis Hamilton, his Red Bull bosses are under no illusions of the step the team needs to take.

“We have some anomalies with a car that isn’t behaving as we expected it to,” said team principal Christian Horner. 

“A great deal of work is going into understanding that and addressing that for the future races. So [Verstappen’s] recovery I thought was very strong, but still Mercedes have quite a lot of pace in hand as we see." 

Red Bull’s struggle to understand the RB16 has manifested itself in the team making sweeping setup changes to the car in a bid to get on top of its problems. Both drivers have also suffered spins throughout the opening races as a result of the car proving especially difficult on the limit.

Horner said that Red Bull’s key focus was on understanding why in some conditions the car was strong, while in others it was less predictable. 

"I think we've got something misbehaving aerodynamically,” he said. “It's obviously a matter of understanding that and addressing that.

"In certain conditions, the car is behaving as expected. But I think we've actually got some very good data from this weekend. So obviously, the team will be working hard to understand it and resolve it as quickly as we can.”

With Mercedes looking well clear at the front of the field, many are suggesting already that there is little hope of anyone beating the German car manufacturer to the title this year.

Asked by Motorsport.com if he felt the gap was closable, Horner said “It's a significant gap, but it depends on how much performance we can unlock on RB16.

“We know that we've got the fundamental basics of a decent car here. It's just not behaving as our simulation tools predict that it will.

“We need to understand that, and make sure that we're achieving what it should be doing, which hasn't been the case. I think there's a lot of good data from this weekend, and the team's working very hard to understand it and get on top of it."

[MIKA27]

The Ross Brawn column: Copying in F1 is standard – Racing Point have just done a more thorough job

Mother nature intervened to create an enthralling start to the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton judging the wet-dry conditions to perfection to secure an eighth victory at the Hungaroring. Formula 1 Managing Director, Motorsport, Ross Brawn discusses the key talking points from the race.

Hamilton shows his class again

There’s just something about Lewis Hamilton and the Hungaroring. The driver and track work in perfect harmony – and not even the weather could stop him taking another dominant victory and snatching the championship lead.

I’m running out of superlatives to describe Lewis, so consistently impressive has the Mercedes driver been since he joined the Silver Arrows. In Hungary this weekend, he was utterly dominant.

Perhaps what has impressed me most is that while a lesser driver would likely get distracted by the other important issues Lewis throws himself behind, such passions only seem to motivate the Briton even more.

He has been at the forefront of the push for greater diversity and inclusion in this sport. He believes in this essential cause and is doing everything in his power to create change. And alongside that, he is performing at the peak of his ability, week in, week out, during his day job. He is a remarkable individual.

Red Bull hit highs and lows

When you’re running to catch up, you often stumble, and that’s what appears to be happening to Red Bull right now. They have delivered a massive effort technically to try and find some improvements. Some of the developments seem to work, some of them don’t.

When you’re working at such a pace, you can hit roadblocks, and we’ve seen them stumble with issues in the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix. They are an experienced team, which is very well resourced, and they recovered on Sunday, but they need to make up ground - and quickly.

They showed their depth and expertise on Sunday, when they had to repair Max’s heavily damaged car at speed, with the start of the race fast approaching. It was stunning.

I have seen recoveries like that in the past, often less public as they happened inside garages, but it was an achievement as extraordinary and impressive as anything I’ve ever seen.

The Red Bull mechanics weren't only slick on pit stops this weekend, they also pulled off a remarkable grid slot repair on Verstappen's RB16

Verstappen makes up for mistake

I think Max felt massive guilt towards the team for putting them through such drama ahead of the race and he was not about to let them down again after they completed that remarkable fix.

Max is simply exceptional – and he showed that in the way he rescued a result no one in the team on the grid will have felt was possible, let alone after the difficult weekend they had had up until that point.

It is that kind of performance which shows why Red Bull are so desperate to give him the car that he needs to challenge consistently at the front. They know that if they can do that, they have a chance of challenging Lewis for the Championship.

This is an intense season, with the races coming up thick and fast, and both Max and Red Bull will know they need to react quickly as they can’t let Lewis get away from him. Do that and the title will be lost.

Racing Point revel in new status
There have always been teams that punched above their weight in Formula 1 – and Racing Point are the latest team to achieve the feat. They showed huge promise early in the weekend, and I am sure they will be disappointed not to convert that promise into a podium.

But when you’re at the front, when you are with the big boys, everyone punishes your mistakes. Every movement and decision is critical. They have to adjust to being at the front end of grid. But that in itself is a measure of how far they’ve come this season.

They have made the headlines off track, too, with Renault protesting the legality of the car. My view is copying in Formula 1 is standard. Every team has, in normal times, digital photographers in the pit lane out there taking thousands of photos of every car for analysis, with a view of copying the best ideas. We used to give our photographers a shopping list.

The FIA experts have a tough job on their hands to rule on the legality of the Racing Point cars

Racing Point have just taken it to the next stage and done a more thorough job. There is not a single team in this paddock which has not copied something from another. I’d ask every Technical Director in the paddock to raise their hand if they haven’t copied someone else. You won’t see any hands. I have certainly copied others.

Last year, Racing Point had access to, and could use, 2019-spec Mercedes brake ducts because they were not a listed part. This year, brake ducts are listed parts, so you have to design your own.

However, Racing Point cannot forget the knowledge they acquired using the 2019 Mercedes brake ducts. I think it is illogical to think they can wipe their memory banks. It is a tricky problem and one for the FIA experts to resolve.

The triple header has been a success

I’m absolutely delighted with this season starting in the way it has, and commend F1, the FIA, the promoters, teams and all the support staff for the tremendous hard work and the responsible approach they took to get the show back on the road.

We are the first international sport to get going and we can be proud – but we can’t be complacent. This virus is something we will be facing in different forms and different ways for quite some time.

There are massive challenges ahead of us, but I’m encouraged by what I have seen. It’s great to see racing back. I had forgotten how much I missed it.

Moving forward, we will be adaptable, as every country we are set to visit presents a different challenge. We will continue to work hard to ensure the highest levels of safety for our staff, but for now, I think we should be proud of what we have achieved and the three brilliant Grands Prix we have enjoyed.

[MIKA27]

‘One DNF and the gap is gone’ – Wolff not getting carried away despite dominant 2020 opening

Three races of 2020 down, three Mercedes wins in the bag. But if many are already predicting an easy run for the Silver Arrows to their seventh straight double championship, Team Principal Toto Wolff isn’t, claiming the team’s current advantage over their rivals is “nothing”.

Speaking after Lewis Hamilton’s Hungarian Grand Prix victory over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – which came off the back of wins for Valtteri Bottas at the season opening Austrian Grand Prix, plus a victory for Hamilton at the Styrian Grand Prix follow-up – Wolff was asked what it was like to see his competition falling apart in the face of Mercedes’ dominance this season.

“I'm not sure I'm seeing the competition fall apart,” replied Wolff, “because you can see that Red Bull was struggling all through the weekend and then they had a pretty decent race car, a car that didn't look like it could start and the mechanics did a really awesome job on the car there.

“The gaps are nothing. If you look at the driver points’ standing, it's 30 points that after three races we have with Lewis to Max. So you have one DNF and all the gap is gone, so we just need to keep going.

“We mustn't be carried away with thinking we are the greatest, because then you start quickly losing.”

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Wolff and his team, with ‘electrical noise’ issues at the Austrian Grand Prix having forced the team to quickly find solutions to their problems. But it was partly because of overcoming those issues that Wolff felt even more satisfied with his team’s tally of three wins from the first three races.

“I think it's important to pick up every point and I've always said that every session needs to be optimised, and every race weekend needs to be optimised to collect points,” said Wolff. “And in a way, the achievement of the team scoring three victories out of three races is something we can be proud of.

“We have solved the problems that we had in Spielberg 1, and we need to be happy with how it panned out so far. But the gaps are never big enough in order to get comfortable and we need to continue to work. There's another three races that will be very important and hopefully good ones for us, but I'm relieved once it's done – and we haven’t even done 20% of the championship yet, so we have to continue to push.”

Despite Wolff’s caution, Mercedes enjoy a 66-point lead over closest rivals Red Bull after the opening three Grands Prix of the season.

[MIKA27]

‘I screwed everything up' – Norris blames his first proper mistake of 2020 for P13 finish

A botched start for Lando Norris in the Hungarian Grand Prix ruined the Briton’s chances of a points finish, as he fell from eighth to 14th by the time he reached Turn 2 – a glitch the 20-year-old called his “first proper mistake” of the season.

On a weekend where McLaren hadn’t been able to match their searing Red Bull Ring pace – which saw Norris star in both the Austrian Grand Prix, where he claimed his maiden F1 podium, and the Styrian Grand Prix, where he surged from P8 to P5 in the final two laps – the 20-year-old had managed to outqualify team mate Carlos Sainz on Saturday.

But some over-eagerness with the loud pedal in the greasy race start conditions saw him plummet down the order to P14 by the time the pack reached Turn 2, while McLaren’s decision to keep Norris out for an extra lap on his intermediate tyres as the majority of the pack pitted early in the race for slicks left him P18 – and with a long race ahead of him to recover to 13th by the flag.

“I lost out at the start,” said Norris. “The team did a good job… but I was the one who let down the team, in terms of probably getting the worst start I ever got in my life. Why was that? Because I just wanted to go forward, and when you try and go forward in the wet, you go backwards. It’s as simple as that.

"I got a bit eager with the [throttle] pedal and I just screwed everything up. It’s such a difficult track to overtake on I couldn’t do anything more after that. I tried coming back but P13 was the best I could do.”

Sainz had a better time of it, with a late-race pass on the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc giving the Spaniard the final points-paying position – although having aced his own getaway, Sainz felt that P10 was a scant reward for his efforts, after he was hampered in the pit stops.

“I think a point is not what we wanted, especially after such a strong start,” said Sainz. “We were up to P8, P7 something like that, and we missed out again in the pit stop. We had a very slow release from the box, not down to the fault of our team, just a lot of traffic in the pit lane and we lost a lot of positions there, and we had to recover back to the points.

“But still the balance was not ideal in the race, the balance hasn’t been ideal the whole weekend and it’s just a matter of now analysing it and seeing where we can come back stronger in Silverstone.”

Despite Norris’ disappointment, meanwhile, the Briton – who made up for his mistake by helping his mechanics to strip his car after the race – still sits fourth in the drivers’ standings after the season-opening triple header. And Norris felt he could look back on a “very positive” start to his 2020.

“If I look at the big picture, I think they’ve been still a very positive three weeks,” he said. “The things I really wanted to improve on as a driver I’ve done much better at, but I’m still not the driver I need to be. I still made the mistake today, which probably didn’t cost me a huge amount of points – I would have been probably where Carlos was and scored one or two at most – so not the end of the world.

“But I think in the long run, you want to be scoring whenever you have the opportunity to, and I think today we did have the opportunity to get those one or two [points], which could prove quite costly come the end of the season.

“So it’s just probably the finer details. I mean, the start’s not 'finer details', it’s a pretty big thing, but the first two races were perfect, this one is the first one I made a proper mistake on, and a big error so I’m just going to work on those things, we’ll review everything from the past few weeks and try and do a better job in Silverstone.”

[MIKA27]

Wolff not playing role in Aston Martin/Vettel discussions

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff insists that he’s not playing a role in trying to get Sebastian Vettel into the rebranded Aston Martin team in 2021, despite his position as a shareholder in the British sportscar manufacturer.
Wolff is also a close friend of Racing Point and Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll, as well as being – through his Mercedes role – the supplier of engines and gearboxes to the Silverstone-based outfit.

Wolff acquired a 5% interest in Aston Martin in April, stressing that it was a personal investment not related to his day job at Mercedes.

Four-time world champion Vettel is in talks with Racing Point over joining the team for next season after Ferrari opted against renewing his contract beyond this year. 

Vettel confirmed that he is in “loose talks" with Racing Point, but said he has not signed any agreement with the team.

“My shareholding in the car company is not related at all to the F1 racing team,” Wolff said when asked by Motorsport.com. “I’m not involved in any discussions between Lawrence Stroll, Otmar [Szafnauer] and Sebastian.

“Obviously I know Sebastian very well, and I’ve been part of some let’s say social gatherings, but no more than that.”

Wolff acknowledged that Vettel will bring a lot of benefits to Aston Martin, should – as many observers predict – he eventually replace Sergio Perez.

“I think Checo is a very valuable part of the team, he has been a good driver, a known quantity for Racing Point.

“And Sebastian on the other side is a four-time world champion that brings a lot of speed, a lot of engineering expertise, and an important marketing tool to the table.

“But in the end it will be Lawrence’s decision what the best line-up will be for his racing team.”

[MIKA27]

Horner “struggles to understand” Albon criticism

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner says Alex Albon doesn’t deserve to be criticised for his early season performances in the 2020 Formula 1 season.
Albon finished fifth in Budapest after failing to make Q3 when caught out by a lack of running with a set-up introduced on Saturday morning.

His charge into the top five from 13th on the grid followed a solid fourth in the Styrian GP, where his first stint was compromised by tyre issues.

Inevitably, Albon has been under pressure to match the form of teammate Max Verstappen, while his clash with Lewis Hamilton in the season opening Austrian GP led to suggestions that he could have been more patient, despite the fact that the Mercedes driver was penalised.

“I’m very pleased,” said Horner when asked to rate Albon’s progress in Hungary. “I mean it's been a difficult weekend for Alex, the car spec has been changing a lot from session to session, and when you haven't got the experience, as he doesn't, that's harder to deal with.

“So I think actually in the race when he managed to find his rhythm and pace was very, very good and comparable with Max. His overtaking was strong, and against Ferraris and whoever else he was passing out there I thought he did a super job today.

“And if you look at his pace in clear air, it was pretty decent. I think we're very, very satisfied with Alex's performance today.”

Horner admitted that the team hasn’t made Albon’s life easy.

“He's had a tough start to the year in that we haven't given him a car that suited him, and Max's ability to drive around problems sometimes masks them.

“And I actually think that Alex has driven very well in the races this year, and hopefully as we improve the car, the Saturdays will improve.

“But his race craft, his race pace in in Austria last week, if you look when he was in clear in the second half of the race, and his performance in the race today, and I think he's done a great job, and I struggle to understand any criticism of him that you guys may have.

“We know we've got to tidy the car up and make life hopefully easier for the drivers and move us closer to Mercedes. They have a phenomenal car at the moment. And it's down to us close that gap and try and catch them.”

[MIKA27]

Radio rule stopped Mercedes from easing Hamilton's stall concerns

The Mercedes Formula 1 team was unable to calm Lewis Hamilton’s pre-race fears about his engine stalling in Hungary due to the same radio traffic restrictions that led to Haas drivers being penalised, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has revealed.
When Hamilton completed his formation lap and arrived on pole position he told the team “the engine keeps sounding like it’s going to stall.”

The pit wall knew that he wouldn’t have an issue, and thus could just concentrate on the start. However the restrictions on “coaching” on the formation lap meant that they couldn’t tell him.

The same rule, based on a 2017 technical directive relating to drivers driving the car alone and unaided, led to both Haas drivers receiving 10-second penalties, because their engineers told them to pit for dry tyres on the formation lap.

It also prevented AlphaTauri’s Daniil Kvyat – who wanted to pit for slicks – from being able to discuss the strategy with his team.

“Lewis reported a problem on the formation lap where he said he thought the engine was going to stall,” Shovlin said in a Mercedes video.

“What it actually was was a sensor issue that was only affecting the engine around the idle control, so when he was sat there, waiting to go off on the formation lap.

“Now It wasn't a problem, it wasn't going to stall and there is a protection that will actually stop the engine from stalling anyway, if you were in that situation, but we couldn't tell him it was okay.

“And that's because of the rules that prevent you talking to the driver during that entire formation lap. So we knew it was fine, but he had to sort of worry a bit until he got off the line.”

Bottas start issue explained

Although Hamilton was potentially distracted by the problem, it was teammate Valtteri Bottas who got away badly after edging forward before the lights went out.

The Finn said he was caught out by a light on his dash, and Shovlin explained that was a consequence of how race starts are practised.

“His issue was actually that he reacted to one of the lights on his dash that flickered,” said Shovlin. “And that's because he practises starts using his steering wheel over the weekends.

“And to simulate the lights going out for the start grid, the lights on the dash on the steering wheel go out. And that was why he sort of reacted to it, it distracted him.

“Luckily, he was able to pull the clutch and avoid a jumped start. Now there's an automatic system that will detect where the car is and when it's left the grid box, and the car can sit within a reasonably wide position on that grid box without detecting it.

“And because Valtteri hadn't moved far, he was still within range. So the system didn't think it was a jumped start because he was still within his box when the lights actually went out.

“What it did do though was cost him an awful lot of places, because resetting and getting ready to go meant that everyone else was off and around him by the time he was getting up to speed.”

[MIKA27]

Spanish Grand Prix unaffected by new coronavirus restrictions

The Spanish Grand Prix is still set to go ahead as planned on August 16 despite a reintroduction of restrictions in Catalonia following a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is set to host the Spanish Grand Prix next month following back-to-back races at Silverstone, forming the third leg of a triple-header.

But concerns have grown in recent weeks about the running of the race following a spike in COVID-19 cases that has prompted officials to reintroduce restrictions in Catalonia.

Last week, those living in Barcelona were asked to remain at home for 15 days, with a ban being placed on meetings of more than 10 people, as well as a suspension of cultural activities and recreational sport.

It led to suggestions that F1 could stage an additional grand prix at Silverstone in place of the Spanish Grand Prix if the lockdown in Catalonia became more severe.

But Motorsport.com understands there are currently no arrangements for F1 to hold a third race at Silverstone in August 16, with its plans for the Spanish Grand Prix being unaffected.

The circuit in Montmelo lays outside of the lockdown area in Barcelona, meaning those attending the race at the circuit would be unaffected by the restrictions currently in place.

A spokesperson for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya told Motorsport.com: “Everything is going ahead as planned.

“We are not affected by the restrictions. Everything is controlled and reinforced with F1, the FIA and circuit protocols, which are very strict.”

F1 would seek an alternative venue for the event should there be a need for the race to be cancelled, but is yet to take any steps towards doing so.

Teams are also yet to make any alterations to their plans to travel to Spain for the grand prix, although some may need to tweak accommodation plans due to the reach of the lockdown area.

F1 has implemented a strict biosphere at the first three races of 2020 this month, undertaking regular COVID-19 testing for all attendees.

The first two positive COVID-19 cases among event personnel were reported in Hungary last weekend after over 10,000 tests, with swift action being taken to minimise the risk of it spreading.

The closed event protocols will remain in place for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on August 2, which will be followed by the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix one week later at the same circuit.

[MIKA27]

Grosjean apologises for "elephant in the room" comment

Romain Grosjean has apologised to Haas for speaking out of turn in suggesting that the future of his Formula 1 team was in doubt.
The Frenchman’s contract runs out at the end of this year and he suggested ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian GP that an "elephant in the room" over his future was that Haas may not continue in F1.

Those remarks annoyed team principal Gunther Steiner, who said it was not right that a driver should comment on such matters.

In the wake of the events, Grosjean has now said sorry for his behaviour, as he ruled out the prospect of the situation becoming another point of drama in F1’s Netflix series Drive to Survive that has followed Haas closely.

“I’m sorry if I said anything wrong,” he said. “I didn’t want to create anything. So, no, there’s no Netflix episodes, there is no problem.

“I said something that I shouldn’t have said, and then... you know I’m sorry for the team. And all good.”

Steiner said he was not too angry over what Grosjean said, but more amazed that his driver has chosen to bring the subject up.

“I mean, I was never upset about it,” he explained. “You know me. I react to something and I get over things pretty quick. I mean, I’m not upset. It was just like... I was amazed when I read it, because I wasn’t there obviously.

“So I asked, but I’m fine with him. I have no problem. If I get anybody mad if I say something not appropriate, I would have everybody mad at me, but I get over things pretty quick.

“I think he realised. It was a tough question and he answered in a way, maybe, after thinking he didn’t want to answer. And he didn’t maybe mean what he said, you know. I have no problem."

[MIKA27]

Williams to bring "powerful" British GP upgrade for both cars

Williams will hand both its Formula 1 drivers a "powerful" upgrade for the British Grand Prix which it has been alternating across its cars so far this season.
George Russell got use of the developments for last weekend’s Hungarian GP and proved its potential as he secured 12th place on the grid, outqualifying the Red Bull of Alex Albon.

While the team is still struggling to understand why its race pace is not as strong, the low fuel performance has been encouraging so far.

Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson reckoned that the parts, which Russell used in Austria and Hungary, were key in helping the Briton shine on Saturday at the Hungaroring.

“It is quite powerful here, so probably Nicholas was always going to find it a little bit harder here relative to George,” he said.

“That is why he felt the need to really go for broke in a Q2 lap, but it didn’t quite pay off.”

Williams is unable to define exactly how big the advantage of the upgrade is, but knows it is good enough to have decided to get in on both cars from the British Grand Prix.

Asked about the time difference with it, Robson said: “They have been alternating it. We had wet qualifying [in Austria] so it is hard to say, but I think that having both experienced it on and off, they are very convinced that it is a clear advantage.

“So they will both be furnished with it in the next race at Silverstone. But I couldn’t put a number on it.”

Williams upgrade push

The upgrades that Williams has been running are both mechanical and aero.

In terms of the aerodynamic side of things, for the season opening Austrian GP Latifi and Russell used different rear wing configurations.

Latifi used the high downforce option, whilst Russell favoured the lower downforce, spoon-style rear wing.

For the Styrian GP, both drivers were fitted with the spoon-style wing and a new T-Wing design that featured longer endplates. In Hungary both drivers had the higher downforce rear wing and new T-Wing on the car.

For the Styrian GP, the team fitted Russell’s car with a new downwash chassis canard: but oddly only on one side of the car. A second was added on the other side of the chassis for both cars in Hungary.

Of most interest though is that the team has been using a new suspension upright throughout the course of the first three races, which has been alternating across both cars.

As seen in the picture comparison above, the upright’s design not only features a new, slimmer fairing, which will come with some aerodynamic benefits, but it also appears to have altered the geometry of the front suspension too.

This will not only help with the car’s handling characteristics, it will also have an impact on the behaviour of the tyre, from both a performance and durability perspective.

Also worth noting, as shown in this comparison, is the different front wing flap configurations that the team has at it disposal (red arrow).

The middle flap tips have been altered in order that the vortices shed from them work in a different way with the Y250 vortex shed from the mainplane juncture below.

[MIKA27]

‘Disaster’ says Raikkonen as Alfa Romeo continues F1 slump

“It has been a disaster but we just have to do things better. And we have to make the car faster – as simple as that.”

That was Kimi Raikkonen’s succinct summary of his Hungarian Grand Prix weekend and could be used to explain the season as a whole so far for Alfa Romeo. Raikkonen has yet to score a point and one more finish outside of the top 10 would mark the worst start to any of his 18 campaigns in Formula 1. Antonio Giovinazzi crept into the points in Austria but ostensibly had the high rate of attrition to thank. Alfa Romeo has suffered three straight Q1 exits and the C39 has been the slowest car in each qualifying session.

But delve deeper into the situation and this is more than Alfa Romeo having a sluggish start to the campaign. Its progress through 2018 was strong and towards the end of the season was occasionally F1’s fastest midfielder, having begun the year as a backmarker.

After its strong development and progress through 2018, in which with Charles Leclerc it starred, Alfa Romeo started 2019 in similarly bright fashion. As almost-rookie Giovinazzi got up to speed the more experienced Raikkonen used his tenacity to continue racking up points. But as the midfield teams developed Alfa Romeo began to regress. Alfa Romeo scored points at just one of 2019’s final six grands prix – a stunning fourth and fifth in the craziness of Brazil – and ended the year scrapping to escape Q1 rather than challenging for Q3. Take out that anomalous Brazilian madness and Alfa Romeo has picked up only five points (all via Giovinazzi) in the last 11 grands prix. In the same time frame over the first half of 2019 it managed 32 points. It has been left chasing shadows by upwardly mobile teams and on one-lap pace has fallen behind Williams.

The one-lap pace has in particular been a concern. It has dropped to being the slowest team for the last three races, ostensibly its predicament accentuated by Ferrari’s engine drop-off and having two drivers who are stronger on Sundays than Saturdays.

“In qualifying, for one-lap performance it was worse than what we expected but then I think it’s an area we are working to improve,” said Alfa Romeo’s Head of Trackside Engineering Xevi Pujolar.

“In the race, the pace was better and we were able to fight with the midfield competition so yeah, that’s an area that we were expecting more in qualifying and we are working on it.”

It has left Alfa Romeo playing catch-up in race trim in normal circumstances. Alfa Romeo’s grid positions so far this year have been P16, P18, P19, P19, P19 and P20. From there, points are always going to be a long shot.

“Looking at the data it is very clear the car was more competitive than our finishing positions would suggest,” said Team Principal Frederic Vasseur in Hungary. “We had the pace to challenge our direct rivals and some quicker cars, but starting from the back we were always going to be at a disadvantage. Both cars had good pace and we could have brought home a point or two with a bit more luck. With a better qualifying, we would have been in the thick of the fight for points.”

There have been mitigating circumstances. A cross-threaded wheel nut in Austria skewered Raikkonen, as did his penalty for incorrectly lining up in Hungary, while strategically Giovinazzi was compromised last time out when he took on Softs rather than Mediums. But the slow Saturdays are proving critical for Sundays.

“We just need to push really hard and get the maximum from the car,” said Giovinazzi in Hungary, repeating a much-worn platitude.

But given the condensed season, the C39’s poor one-lap pace, and absence of venues where an upset is likelier, Giovinazzi’s Austrian points already look crucial in the battle to avoid F1’s wooden spoon.

[MIKA27]

Hardest tyres for Mugello, softest for Sochi

Pirelli has confirmed the dry-weather tyre compounds that it will bring to September’s grands prix in Italy and Russia.

Pirelli has a range of five compounds available, ranging from C1s to C5s, and chooses three for every grand prix.

Its compounds for 2020 are the same as for 2019 after teams rejected the updated specification following last year’s post-season Abu Dhabi tyre test.

The Ferrari-owned Mugello circuit will host a grand prix for the first time in its history on September 13.

The venue features a range of medium- and high-speed corners and as a consequence Pirelli has nominated the C1s, C2s and C3s.

It mirrors the choice of compounds made for the British and Spanish grands prix.

Conversely for F1’s annual visit to Russia’s Sochi Autodrom the softest compounds will be used.

It will mark the first time this year that the C5 will be used at a grand prix, owing to the absence of other venues – such as Monaco and Singapore – where the softest compounds are typically run.

Formula 1 has yet to announce the composition of its calendar after Russia.

Further events are expected at Hockenheim, Imola and Portimao, with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi concluding the season, which is set to finish in mid-December.

The championship is set to avoid America entirely while the prospect of visiting Asia has substantially reduced in recent weeks.

[MIKA27]

Zanardi transferred to specialist facility to continue recovery

Alex Zanardi has been transferred to a specialist facility in order to continue rehabilitation and recovery from the injuries he sustained last month.

The ex-F1 racer and two-time CART champion suffered severe head injuries when he collided with a truck while out handcycling in his native Italy.

He was immediately transferred to Siena hospital and has had several surgeries to address the head and facial injuries that he sustained.

Last week the hospital confirmed that they were easing his sedation and on Tuesday announced that he has been transferred to another facility to continue his rehabilitation.

“Our professionals remain at the disposal of this extraordinary person and his family for further stages of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic development,” said the hospital’s General Manager Valtere Gioviannini.

“I sincerely thank the multidisciplinary team that took care of Zanardi by putting in place a great professionalism, recognised nationally and beyond.

“The athlete spent over a month in our hospital: he underwent three delicate surgical operations and showed a path of stability of his clinical conditions and vital parameters that allowed the reduction and suspension of sedation, and the consequent possibility of be able to be transferred to a facility for the necessary neuro-rehabilitation.

“I conclude by sending a big hug to Alex’s family, who have shown extraordinary strength: a precious gift that must be a fundamental travel companion of the new path that begins today.”

[MIKA27]

Magnussen heaps praise on Haas for pre-race tyre call

Kevin Magnussen says Haas made an “amazing” pre-race call for slick tyres and praised the team for its faith in him, after he picked up a point at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Magnussen was due to start from 16th at the Hungaroring, with Haas team-mate Romain Grosjean 18th, but both were called in at the end of a damp formation lap to take on dry-weather tyres.

The pair emerged at the rear of the field but as rivals pitted they cycled forwards to third and fourth respectively.

Grosjean dropped out of the points, having been hampered by sustaining wing damage when passed by Alexander Albon, but Magnussen held on to classify ninth.

That later became 10th when he – and Grosjean – were handed 10-second time penalties after stewards deemed that Haas had been in breach of the regulations by telling them to pit on the formation lap.

“The team took an amazing call before the beginning of the race, to call for slicks, that was an amazing call from the team,” said Magnussen.

It was really strong for them to give me that trust to put me out on dries in those conditions, it wasn’t easy and it was really risky, they gave me that trust and it worked out.

“I started from the pit lane and after a few laps I was P3 and fully in the race! I knew P3 wasn’t for us but it was amazing to be there, and I thought I’ll hang on to it as much as I can.

“I was trying to judge where I might be able to hang on as there’s no point trying to hang on to P3 or P4 as I’d lose too much time.

“Eventually it was P9, I opened a gap to a Ferrari – who would have thought that – and I was able to keep a McLaren away.

“It just shows what a good car we have in the race and it proves that the team has done an amazing job even though we’re struggling a bit in qualifying we are strong and we can do good races.”

Magnussen’s point was his and Haas’ first of the year, ending an absence from the top 10 that stretched back to last year’s Russian Grand Prix.

[MIKA27]

Does Perez’s future lie with Alfa Romeo amid Vettel links to Racing Point?

Sergio Perez is no stranger to silly season – the Mexican is now competing in his 10th Formula 1 campaign having typically signed one-year deals throughout his career. This season should have been different, though, as last summer, Perez signed a huge three-year extension to race for Racing Point until the end of 2022.

Complete that deal and he will have spent an incredible nine years with the Silverstone-based outfit. But the availability of a certain four-time world champion, in the form of Sebastian Vettel, and new lofty ambitions for his team as they prepare to rebrand as Aston Martin Racing in 2021, and suddenly, his future isn’t so concrete.

This year’s Hungarian Grand Prix weekend was not ideal for Perez. Two years after it emerged at the same venue that Perez had put the team, then known as Force India, into administration to save them, the Mexican was first bombarded with questions about his future – and then he felt unwell, to the point of feeling dizzy when driving and suffering neck pain.

The party line is that both Perez and Lance Stroll both have contracts for 2021. But my sources say Vettel has been offered a deal that would bring him onboard next season, with the German left to take his time to mull that over. Three, naturally, doesn't go into two.

With Stroll’s father Lawrence owning the team, Perez was the one many felt would be out on his ear, despite his impressive loyalty to the team and the fact he’s the more experienced and - as the stats show - more successful of the two. Even though it’s unclear who would go should Vettel join, Perez has unsurpringly already received a plethora of interest from teams in other motorsport series, as well as from one F1 outfit, showing just how highly-rated he is.

Perez declined to name the F1 team who got in touch, but my sources suggest Alfa Romeo are the ones interested in recruiting the Mexican, in what would be a return to the squad – then known as Sauber – who gave him his F1 debut and put his star on the map, principally with his mega drive to second in the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix.

With one of the two seats at Alfa Romeo reserved for a Ferrari academy driver, currently Antonio Giovinazzi, as per the terms of their contract with engine supplier Ferrari, that would suggest Perez would replace Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn’s deal expires at the end of the season, when he will be 41 years old.

Alfa Romeo are struggling badly right now, while Haas and Williams are showing progress. There’s a good chance they could end this season bottom of the pile if they don’t get to the root of where their car is weak soon. Recruiting someone like Perez would be a real coup. Not only will he know much of the team well already, but his feedback is among the best in the business – and they need that now more than ever.

Could Perez and Giovinazzi be team mates next year at Alfa Romeo?

Why would Perez want to go there, though, if they are struggling so much? Well it’s a good question. He won’t want to leave Racing Point for sure, especially given they have the second or third best car on the grid right now and are in the ascendancy. But if he is forced out, he isn’t done with racing yet and Alfa Romeo would at least offer a haven while he reassesses his options.

That said, while I understand the Swiss team have made their interest clear, Perez has yet to pursue it because he remains committed to Racing Point.

Haas would also be a good option for Perez, the Mexican and his manager Julian Jakobi having already held talks with the American team about joining the team in previous seasons – but it never happened. But as it stands, this does not appear to be an option either side is currently pursuing.

These are uncertain times for Perez, at a moment when he shouldn’t have to worry about his future given the piece of paper he has signed. But right now, he’s driving at his peak, securing results so consistent he’s sixth in the drivers’ championship. And if there’s any justice in Formula 1, that should be enough to keep him on the grid in some shape or form. Whether or not it is in a car worthy of helping him add to his tally of eight podiums remains to be seen.

[MIKA27]

‘The excitement and adrenaline is back’ – Claire Williams on how her team have turned the corner

Q1 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, and the cameras pick up the Williams of George Russell looking fast, darting nimbly around the winding track. As he crosses the line with a time that would book him his second Q2 appearance in as many weeks, the airwaves explode: “That’s a lap! That’s a lap!”. And it’s those kind of moments, as Claire Williams explains to our F1 Nation podcast, that’s making being a Williams team member a happier experience this year.

After a faltering 2018 season, Williams really went through the ringer last year, their infamous missing of the first two days of testing – you’ve probably seen the F1: Drive To Survive episode about it – a harbinger of what was to come, as the team secured just one point that year – and that only after a post-race penalty had been handed to Alfa Romeo in Germany.

But with Russell and team mate Nicholas Latifi bonding well and appearing to enjoy the performance in their FW43s, ‘relief’ was the word Williams Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams chose to use when asked by F1 Nation host Tom Clarkson what the emotions were like in her team this year.

“There are quite a lot of emotions as you might imagine, because we have been through the mill for the past couple of years,” said Williams. “It’s been extraordinarily painful… and don’t forget we were also given a beating while we were down as well by some people, and it has been really difficult.

“The emotions are running quite high at the moment, and they’re a mixed bag of them. Relief, clearly, is flooding through the team. We did promise that we were going to deliver improved performance this year, and I’m so pleased that we managed to deliver on that promise, it was very important to us.

“The excitement is back, the adrenaline is back, sitting there watching the cars go out and knowing that they can do something other than come last in quali and last in the race. You quickly forget after two years what that does feel like.

“I just feel we can all hold our heads up a little bit higher because it’s never nice when you’re down and to have to try and keep holding your head up is difficult.”

Last weekend at the Hungaroring marked a milestone for the team, as Russell and Latifi secured Williams’ first double Q2 appearance since the 2018 Italian Grand Prix. And Williams was pleased to finally be able to offer her drivers a car they could put their trust in, after last year’s “very, very tricky” (in Latifi’s words) FW42.

“Knowing the issues we had last year – clearly the aero wasn’t where we wanted it to be, and the team, the aerodynamicists that we’ve got back at the factory have worked incredibly hard to get the flow structures right, get us better balance, get some more stability on the aero package and I think they’ve certainly achieved that,” said Williams.

“We’ve got some work to do, for sure. There’s some mechanical issues that we need to rectify around brakes and cooling, and again we’ve made steps forward in that. Nothing is perfect at the moment but we definitely made headway in the key areas we wanted to.

“That’s all contributed to... a much more stable race car with better brakes [and] the drivers have much more confidence in the car. They’re not fearful of it, almost, anymore, because it is much better from a balance perspective. They know that the brakes are there and that all contributes as well.”

[MIKA27]

F1 confirms Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola for 2020 calendar

Formula 1 has confirmed that three European venues not originally on the calendar – Nurburgring, Portimao and Imola – will hold 2020 grands prix as part of a rearranged schedule, with all American rounds cancelled.

The events have dates of October 11, October 25 and November 1 respectively, with Imola’s return set to take place across two days, rather than the usual three-day format.

It brings the number of confirmed races up to 13, though between 15 and 18 are still planned, with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi still slated to host the final rounds.

Events in Asia in November – most prominently Vietnam – remain possible but hopes have now ended for any grands prix to be held in the Americas in 2020.

Nurburgring, Imola back, Portimao joins

The Nurburgring only recently emerged as an option for Formula 1 after lengthy talks with Hockenheim collapsed.

It held grands prix annually during the peak of Michael Schumacher’s popularity in the country but dropped off the calendar after 2013, having already switched to a biennial event.

The event will be titled the Eifel Grand Prix, rather than the German Grand Prix, in spite of there being no other round in the country this year, on account of naming rights.

Holding a race at the venue so late is nonetheless a risk due to the possibility of wintry weather in the rural region – even as early as October.

The inclusion of Portimao and Imola had been long-awaited ever since the coronavirus pandemic worsened and prompted an overhaul of the original schedule.

Portimao hosted Formula 1 testing a decade ago but has never held a Formula 1 grand prix, with Portugal’s last race coming in 1996, when it took place at Estoril.

It will be the second new venue on the 2020 calendar, following on from Mugello’s debut on September 13.

Imola has hosted 27 Formula 1 rounds but last featured on the calendar in 2006 and it will take the title of Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, after the province in which the circuit is located, rather than the San Marino tag with which it became associated.

It will be the third Italian venue to feature on the 2020 roster – following on from Monza and Mugello – and its grand prix will be the 100th championship event to take place in the country.

The event is set to be run across only two days in order for Formula 1 to evaluate an altered timetable as it assesses a revised weekend schedule for 2021 grands prix.

The exact format of the weekend has yet to be determined.

Go West? Not this year

The championship has now abandoned efforts to race in America this year owing to the ongoing uncertainty regarding coronavirus, its restrictions, and associated finances and logistics.

The USA, Mexico and Brazil were always highly likely to drop from the schedule due to the worsening coronavirus situation in the respective countries.

Their events were scheduled for late October through mid-November respectively, allowing Formula 1 greater time to assess the situation, but a decision has now been made to cancel the rounds.

Canada’s hopes rested on managing to rearrange its June event in early October, prior to the onset of Quebec’s harsh winter, but this has proved unfeasible, and its event has been cancelled.

Restrictions on events and travel means it impossible to organise an event in Canada, in spite of its lower infection rate compared to its counterparts further south in the continent.

Formula 1 needs to hit 15 races to fulfil lucrative broadcast contracts and now it has options elsewhere that means it does not have to head to the Americas.

It will be the first time in championship history that an event has not been held anywhere in the Americas.

It also remains to be seen whether Formula 1 will ever return to Brazil’s Interlagos Circuit as its contract – which was unlikely to be renewed – expires after 2020.

Seven grands prix – Australia, the Netherlands, Monaco, Azerbaijan, France, Singapore and Japan – had already been cancelled.

Finale not yet confirmed

Formula 1 has long pencilled in the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix for late 2020 and traditional curtain-closer in Abu Dhabi for mid-December.

The events are usually separated from each other in the calendar, with the lucrative Abu Dhabi round having tabs on being the final event, but they will be paired for the first time this year.

No dates have yet been confirmed as Formula 1 is still working on holding two events in Asia, which has a knock-on effect on the Middle East events.

It had been hoped to pair the rescheduled inaugural Vietnam race with the postponed Chinese round across November 15/22, but China’s decision to cancel all international sporting events for the rest of 2020 has wrecked this plan.

As a result discussions are still ongoing, with Malaysia’s Sepang Circuit a potential candidate to replace China, while two events in Bahrain remain a possibility, prior to the Abu Dhabi finale.

[MIKA27]

Nurburgring hopeful some fans can attend October race

Organisers of Formula 1’s Eifel Grand Prix have confirmed that they are working on plans to welcome a limited number of spectators to October’s event.

It was announced on Friday that the Nurburgring, which last held a Formula 1 grand prix in 2013, will return to the calendar later this year.

The opening eight events on the calendar are set to be held as Closed Events – meaning no fans are permitted – though it is understood some spectators may be allowed at Mugello.

Organisers of the Russian Grand Prix, to be held at the Sochi Autodrom, are due to allow spectators and the Nurburgring is hoping to open its doors to some fans.

“Of course we are full of anticipation for the event and also a little proud that we were able to bring Formula 1 back to the Nürburgring,” said Nürburgring Managing Director Mirco Markfort.

“The possibility of a Formula 1 race at the Nürburgring had become more and more probable in recent weeks.

“In very cooperative discussions we have now succeeded in finding a joint construct that both sides can live with very well.

“It was always important to us that the event is also sensible from an economic point of view.”

Perennial German Grand Prix host venue Hockenheim dropped out of talks due to tighter restrictions in the Badem-Wurttemberg region compared to the rules in the Rhineland-Palatinate state in which the Nurburgring is located.  

It was also confirmed on Friday that Portimao (25 October) and Imola (1 November) will be part of the revised 2020 calendar, with all American events cancelled.

[MIKA27]

Sao Paulo ‘would have been ready’ for F1 in 2020

São Paulo’s mayor says conditions in Brazil would have been safe enough to hold a grand prix as originally scheduled in November, following the event’s cancellation for 2020.

Formula 1 announced on Friday that all four American events – Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil – will not go ahead this season.

In a statement it cited “the fluid nature of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, local restrictions, and the importance of keeping communities and our colleagues safe” in opting to abandon the American leg of the 2020 season.

Formula 1 has instead added events with rounds in Germany and Portugal, along with a further event in Italy.

A championship event has been held annually in Brazil since 1973, with São Paulo’s Interlagos circuit the permanent host for the last 30 years, when it replaced Rio de Janeiro’s Jacarepagua.

Brazil has been one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic but São Paulo mayor Bruno Covas believes an event in mid-November would have been feasible.

“We, over the past few weeks, have sent all the data to the organisation of the event showing that the reality of the city of São Paulo and the State is quite different from the Brazilian reality,” said Covas.

“The projection shows that, in November, we will be in a much better situation than the European countries where there are grands prix.”

Covas also confirmed that discussions are ongoing to ensure Interlagos remains on the Formula 1 calendar into the 2020s.

Its contract was due to expire following the 2020 event.

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has previously declared that the country’s Formula 1 event could be moved to a yet-to-be-built circuit in Deodoro, Rio de Janeiro, which has already secured a five-year MotoGP deal from 2022.  

Friday’s announcement brought the number of grands prix cancelled up to 11, with the American rounds joining Australia, the Netherlands, Monaco, Azerbaijan, France, Singapore and Japan.

[MIKA27]

McLaren set for iconic Gulf Oil sponsorship

McLaren is set to unveil a sponsorship deal with Gulf Oil, which will see the two iconic brands reunite in Formula 1.

Neither company has yet confirmed the deal, but McLaren was seen carrying out a photo shoot at a Gulf-branded petrol station on Thursday with an old F1 car and McLaren 720s.

The F1 car featured a Gulf decal on the rear-engine cover, whilst racing boss Zak Brown and driver Lando Norris were both present for the shoot, with the likely reason behind it to collect promotional material ahead of an official unveiling.

A source told MotorsportWeek.com that discussions between the two parties have been ongoing for months, with it made possible following McLaren’s split with former oil sponsor Petrobras.

The Brazilian oil giant pulled out of sponsoring McLaren after the country’s president Jair Bolsonaro criticised the five-year deal for being too expensive.

Gulf is seen as an iconic sponsor by many motorsport fans thanks to their famous orange and blue colour scheme, which has adorned many race winning cars, including several McLarens.

Gulf sponsored McLaren in F1 and Can-Am racing in the 60’s under founder Bruce McLaren, as well as the dominant F1 GTR in sportscar racing, winning at Le Mans in 1997.

McLaren teased the deal on Twitter with a blurred photo of the car featuring the Gulf branding before deleting it, but later re-posted the tweet with a different photo hiding the logo, with the caption “coming soon”.

[MIKA27]

Bottas needs to play mind games to beat Hamilton – Hill

Former Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill believes Valtteri Bottas must employ every tactic he can to beat Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, including mind games.

Although Bottas got off to a good start this season, he has since fallen behind Hamilton who has dominated the last two races to claim the points lead as he charges towards a joint-record seven titles, to match Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc both concurred that Bottas is the only driver who can stop Hamilton this year given Mercedes’ pace advantage.

Hill agrees and says Bottas must find another level if he’s to beat Hamilton – something he has failed to achieve since becoming Hamilton’s team-mate in 2017 – including employing mind tricks which some believe was the key to Nico Rosberg beating Hamilton in 2016.

“He just needs to find out how to pile pressure on Lewis,” Hill said, speaking in the latest F1 Nation podcast.

“If that means, I don’t know, doing psychological stuff that Nico alluded to, to make Lewis lose his equilibrium, maybe he has to do that.

“It’s finding a way to unlock that next level. I don’t know if you can psychologically unlock the next level – I think every driver’s got it but it’s accessing it.

“People like Lewis can get there. They might even have another level that they haven’t even been to themselves yet, that’s the worrying thing.

“I don’t know whether Lewis has actually been pushed that hard sometimes. I don’t know about Valtteri, but he’s got to find something, [some] inspiration from somewhere.

“Frankly, I don’t know what you do to upset Lewis. He seems pretty impregnable.”

[MIKA27]

Vettel would be fighting for second at Racing Point claims ex-boss

Sebastian Vettel would be fighting for the ‘Vice World Champion’ position if he were driving the Racing Point car, according to his former Toro Rosso boss, Gerhard Berger.

Racing Point are believed to have offered Vettel a contract for the 2021 season and it’s an option the four-time world champion is likely considering given their performance surge this season which has seen them become Mercedes’ closest rival in qualifying trim at least.

However on Sundays Racing Point’s race pace hasn’t quite delivered, with the team yet to score a podium finish, but Berger reckons with Vettel behind the wheel of the RP20, he would be in a position to fight for second in the Drivers’ Championship.

“Nothing against Racing Point drivers Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, but Sebastian Vettel would be driving to be ‘Vice World Champion’ this season in the ‘second’ Mercedes car,” Berger told F1-Insider, referring to the Racing Point as the ‘second’ Mercedes given its close appearance to last year’s W10.

The Austrian former team boss also reckons Vettel can rediscover his form in a Ferrari that isn’t capable of winning races, because it eases the pressure on his shoulders and says the result in Hungary is proof of that.

“Sebastian seems to be completely free in his head again, as if he wanted to prove to Ferrari that by not extending his contract they have made a huge mistake,” he added.

“With this bad car, he no longer has the pressure to win [races]. In Hungary he was his old self again. [Charles] Leclerc didn’t stand a chance.”

Vettel finished fifth in Hungary with Leclerc 11th, but currently has just half the points of his younger team-mate following Leclerc’s podium in Austria, though the following weekend Leclerc crashed into Vettel, forcing both to retire.

[MIKA27]

Triple-header races can't be new F1 standard, warns Seidl

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has warned that triple-header races must not become the new standard for Formula 1’s future calendars despite their enforced frequency through 2020.
F1 is set to begin its second triple-header of the season next weekend at Silverstone, after running races on three consecutive weekends in Austria and Hungary earlier this month.

A third triple-header is scheduled at the end of the summer as part of the push to bolster the calendar after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of much of the planned races this year. F1 trialed its first triple-header back in 2018, only for the teams to urge that it could not be repeated in the future due to the stresses it placed on staff members.

McLaren F1 team principal Seidl said that while the triple-headers were necessary in 2020 to boost the calendar and help increase the sport’s revenues, it could not be seen as a new standard for future seasons.

“We’re going now into the triple-header with these two races in the UK, which is obviously for the UK teams is not as bad as for some other teams,” said Seidl. “At least we have the possibility to arrive at the track as late as possible with only a short travel, and having a break between these two Silverstone races.

“Then we go into another triple-header, and then at the moment I think on the schedule there is another triple-header later on, which I think then is tough. Given the special circumstances we are in this year, it’s something we simply have to get through this year.

“But at the same time, this cannot be the new standard going forward also in future seasons.”

Teams are currently trying to keep its staff fresh during a run of nine races in 11 weeks, with some opting to rotate roles were possible over the triple-headers. For Seidl, the biggest challenge facing the teams was the sheer amount of time they had to spend on the road through this season, getting fewer opportunities to return home between races due to the strict biosphere protocols.

“I don’t think that the biggest challenge is actually the work we have to do out here at the track,” he said. “It’s also tough work, but I think the biggest issue is being away from the families and the kids and so on, for each team member.

“Going through this first triple-header after this long break we had, I think it’s also not the biggest challenge yet. We need to be aware that the longer we go now in the season, especially the triple-headers that are coming later on, that will be a big challenge for the team.

“What we do from a team side is try to make travelling, accommodation, and everything we can provide to the team here at the track and back at the hotels as comfortable as possible and as good as possible, simply to get through as a team in the best possible shape.

“At the same time, I think everyone inside the team understands that this is a special season, under special circumstances after this virus broke out. We all understand also that it’s absolutely necessary for the existence of the teams that we do these races this year.

“I simply hope that with everything we do together with the team, having an open ear also, listening to where the problems are within the team or each team member, and we hopefully manage to get through in a sustainable way.”

[MIKA27]

Why police warnings to British GP F1 fans are serious

As part of Formula 1's efforts to get in a 2020 season despite the pandemic, Silverstone is getting ready to host two F1 races. But the track, local police and Lewis Hamilton have had to issue serious warnings to fans - here's why.
Just over 70 years ago, 150,000 spectators arrived at a former Royal Air Force base in Northamptonshire for what was a major moment in motorsport's history.

The first world championship Formula 1 race might have been an Alfa Romeo walkover - a level of domination even greater than we see today with the mighty modern Mercedes squad - but it ultimately went down as the formalised start of an incredible journey.

From a series of important but essentially unconnected events in the grandes epreuves, grand prix racing expanded into a pre-World War 2 European championship. Shortly after racing resumed following the end of hostilities, Formula 1 (initially known as Formula A) was introduced and then some of the leading GPs were selected to form the world championship, starting with that May 13, 1950 race at Silverstone.

Since then, it has expanded to its current gigantic scale, with events (in normal years) on five continents making up a 20+ race calendar that spreads from March to December.

In 2020 F1 will race at Silverstone twice, the 70th Anniversary GP following next weekend's British GP. It will echo what happened so historically with the first ever repeat race taking place earlier this month at the Red Bull Ring, where the Styrian Grand Prix followed one week after the Austrian GP season opener. This reflects the understandably distorted nature of F1's 70th anniversary year, thanks to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reason for the Styrian and 70th Anniversary races existing is all about F1 hitting its targets for the number of races that can feasibly be staged given the tough circumstances of this deeply unpleasant year. Not only are eight races needed to declare a championship result, but the more events F1 can hold, the less it will have to potentially refund broadcasters that pay so handsomely for the right to screen the on-track action. That, in turn, contributes so considerably to F1's coiffeurs - from which the teams' prize money is shared.

So, F1 will be running two races at the home of grand prix racing in Britain - but as with all the rest of the races held this year, they are surrounded by seriousness.

Both the British and 70th Anniversary GPs will be held behind closed doors. But in recent weeks, Northamptonshire Police and Silverstone itself have issued stark warnings to fans, telling them they must stay away and not try to catch a glimpse of the action or the competitors.

It hasn't escaped their attention that F1 screened short shots of small groups of fans sitting on the hillsides at the Red Bull Ring - which it must be said does have different topographical considerations that meant long-distance observation was possible. And while this demonstrates the passion of the fans, showing their efforts may not have been the wisest move...

The warnings to stay away from Silverstone are reinforced by home hero Lewis Hamilton. While recognising the contribution fans make to his performances and how frustrating it is for those who love watching F1 action being denied the chance attend the Silverstone races, he says no one must risk their own safety - and that of others - in 2020.

"It's not my job to come up with rules and tell people what to do," Hamilton says, when asked about the situation regarding police warnings for the British GP by Motorsport.com during last weekend's Hungarian GP.

"What I see on TV is people out trying to live their lives during this difficult time, but this thing continues to spread. So, I always just try to encourage people to keep their distance and remain at home.

To try and ensure nobody without permission can get near the Silverstone events, Northamptonshire police will create an 'exclusion zone' around the site. This does not mean local residents or staff at Silverstone Park will be prevented from accessing their homes or workplaces, but demonstrates how event organisers are clamping down on unauthorised access.

"And us holding an event, which we're really trying to remain [focused] and always keep our distances from everyone whilst we're doing our job - I can understand people will want to go and watch from a distance, just to get the sound of the car or to get a sneak peek of the car. But if that means that you're in a crowd of other people, that's definitely not a good thing, and I wouldn't advise that."

Any potential for viewing into the circuit from perimeter roads will be closed, while local traffic control measures will be put in place at either end of the Dadford Road, which leads to the main Silverstone entrance. Nearby laybys will be closed to discourage anyone planning on abandoning their cars and trying to walk close to the track, the footpaths at the rear of the site will also be closed and any cars parked in laybys will be removed. The airspace over the track is also closed to anyone attempting to fly drones - a serious problem for modern sporting events even in 'normal' years.

"I want to reinforce our previous messages - there will be an exclusion zone around the circuit and F1 fans must not travel to it, but should instead join the millions watching the races on TV," says Northamptonshire Police superintendent Dennis Murray, the event commander for the two Silverstone races.

"My officers will be out and about to target anybody intent on committing crime and there will be teams of officers tightly controlling the area. It will not be possible to watch the race from the perimeter fences and anybody attempting to do so will be removed."

'Elite sport' is an important definition when it now comes to hosting events such as the British and 70th GPs in the UK. There are certain dispensations that have been applied for professional sports as the pandemic has progressed, examples of which led to the resumption of football's Premier League and English cricket's summer test series.

But these must be held under strict conditions, and it's the same with F1 action taking place. The work completed within Silverstone's walls is governed by the FIA's Return to Motor Sport guidelines, but everything outside the track's immediate perimeter must be tightly controlled by organisers. This is why the track and Northamptonshire Police have been so stark in their warnings.

"The government requirement is that you can run this event if people are not present," explains Silverstone managing director, Stuart Pringle. "It therefore flies in the face of that completely if we allow people to be present - and that includes congregating at the front gate to see whether they can catch a glimpse of drivers coming in and out. [And] you won't because they're staying on-site in motorhomes, the vast majority of them.

"And there's a lot of concern in the community around Silverstone - as there is a lot of concern in the community around Anfield [where Liverpool fans congregated to celebrate the team's Premier League triumph], or a lot of concern in the community around the Ageas Bowl in Southampton [which hosted the first England vs West Indies test match]. It's that these sporting events should not be a magnet to bring people to their locality and increase the risk of transmission of this virus.

"The plan we've put together is to comply with the government requirements. And we are doing it and we're doing a thorough job. We're just getting the messaging out there - get it out early, get it clear and get it backed up with a bit of authority - so that everybody knows you're serious."

There are two takeaway points from the words of the world champion, chasing a seventh win on home soil in 2020, the Northamptonshire Police superintendent and the Silverstone boss.

F1 fans in the UK simply must not be tempted to sneak a visit to the home of the British GP even though movement restrictions have been eased and because a grand prix is a largely-outdoor event.

Not only does it risk the cancellation of the event itself, but above all else, anyone tempted to do so would be risking their safety and that of others.

[MIKA27]

What next for Sergio Perez in F1 if Aston doesn't want him?

What’s the next step for Sergio Perez should the Mexican’s services not be required by Aston Martin in Formula 1 next year?
That’s one of the big questions to emerge from the news that Sebastian Vettel is considering an offer to join the rebadged Racing Point team.

There are various scenarios that could yet play out. Vettel could decide not to go to Aston after all, or he could be signed for 2022 and take time out to recharge his batteries, leaving Perez and his backers another year to find an alternative home.

Then we have to consider the possibility, however unlikely, that Lance Stroll isn’t part of the Aston line-up next year – either he’s benched as reserve, or he’s found a seat elsewhere with a promise of a return a year or two down the line.

Perez and his backers certainly intend to stay with the Silverstone team in 2021, and are working hard to make that happen. However, if he is let go, on the basis of a contract that gives team boss Lawrence Stroll the option to change his mind and pay suitable compensation, then he has to look elsewhere.

There’s no question that Perez is a great talent and would be an asset to any team. However, inevitably any discussion of where he goes revolves around marketing, and the Mexican sponsorship that comes with him. Concluding a deal involving his services, even just an extension of an old contract, is an incredibly complex process.

It’s clear too that there aren’t many options after the recent driver market shuffles. However, that support from Carlos Slim and Telmex means that two obvious opportunities are still available to him, at Haas and Alfa Romeo, and in both cases the loose ends tie neatly together.

It’s easy to forget that Perez was a Ferrari young driver back in 2011 and 2012. With what could be fortunate timing, Telmex recently harked back to that time when it announced a new deal with the Ferrari Driver Academy.

The general idea of the relationship is “to identify young, promising motorsport talents in Mexico and Latin America, giving them a pathway to becoming part of the young driver programme of the Maranello-based team.”

Thus there is already a relationship between Slim and Ferrari, and extending it to encompass Perez is not a stretch. And that means placing him at either Alfa Romeo or Haas – both of which have had their own histories with Mexican support.

The most straightforward deal would be with Alfa Romeo. Perez is well known in Hinwil, having driven for Sauber in 2011 and 2012, and with some success given his experience at the time. Just as it was for Kimi Raikkonen a return would be a case of full circle.

The ownership and management has changed, but renewing the links with Telmex and other Mexican sponsors would not be difficult. Don’t forget too that Esteban Gutierrez drove for ART in both F3 and GP2, and thus current Alfa boss Frederic Vasseur knows Slim and the Telmex folk well.

So who would he replace at Alfa? One place is reserved for a Ferrari junior, currently taken by Antonio Giovinazzi, and given the logjam of talent at FDA there is no shortage of guys waiting to step up. Logic suggests that Perez would step into Raikkonen’s seat – whether Kimi is ready to walk away is a question only the Finn knows the answer to right now.

The other option, Haas, is a more complicated one. As Romain Grosjean made all too clear last weekend with his “elephant in the room” comments, the future of the team remains in doubt.

Last year Gene Haas made his frustration obvious over the ever-increasing costs of competing, and diminishing returns in terms of results. He was also badly burned by the Rich Energy fiasco, and he now finds himself stuck with not just the engine and gearbox of the mediocre Ferrari SF1000, but many other elements as well – more than Alfa Romeo.

All of this has given him good reason not to commit to signing the Concorde Agreement and thus close the operation at the end of 2020.

The alternatives are to sell the team in its entirety, take on a partner/investor, or find major outside backing that means his own commitment is much less, making continuing under the Haas banner less painful.

Slim and Telmex could in theory fill all three options, and don’t forget that they have already had a relationship with Haas, back when Gutierrez drove for the team in its first year in 2016 – although that ended uncomfortably with the Mexican’s departure.

If that history can be overcome and the partnership between the parties renewed, then Slim could be the perfect saviour for Haas.

An outright sale is possible, but unlikely. Slim may have access to massive funding, but he’s spent wisely on racing over the years, and has always got good deals. He’s known to regard team ownership as a bottomless pit of spending, and while in his case the old adage of “how to make a small fortune in motor racing is to start with a big one” hardly applies given Telmex’s wealth, he’s not prone to wasting cash.

However, this could be the right time to invest. The cost cap and other rule changes are set to level the playing field as we head into 2022, and there is light at the end of the tunnel for a team in Haas’s position.

Of course, for Haas much depends on Ferrari getting its sums right and improving its power unit, and that’s a gamble Slim would have to take (as he would by simply backing Perez at Alfa).

If an outright sale did happen, we could perhaps see Haas morph into “Escuderia Telmex F1”, with Perez alongside an FDA driver. That would be of considerable interest to Ferrari, as hitherto Haas has chosen its drivers independently.

It would in turn encourage an even closer technical relationship with Maranello than Haas enjoys at the moment, making the Telmex outfit into a pukka B-team in the way that AlphaTauri works with Red Bull.

Williams is also for sale, and there’s an argument that Telmex could do a similar thing at Grove and forge close links with Mercedes. However George Russell and Nicholas Latifi are set there for 2021, and there’s no shortage of alternative routes in terms of investment.

The frustration for Perez is that Alfa and Haas both represent a step down from where he would have been with Aston Martin. Neither has had a great start to the 2020 season, and Ferrari’s downturn is a part of the cause.

The more appealing wildcard for Perez is Red Bull. Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have endlessly expressed their support for Alex Albon and downplayed the chances of a return for Vettel, but at the back of their minds they probably expected the German to still be available in September/October should they decide they need to make a change after all.

If he isn’t, and they do, will they recall Daniil Kvyat or Pierre Gasly to the main team for a second chance? It’s possible of course, but if they decide for once to look outside the camp then Perez could be a perfect option to run alongside Max Verstappen in 2021.

He’s a points-scoring machine, which is exactly what Red Bull and Honda require if they are to fight for the constructors’ championship, and they also need a second car consistently near the front in order to have strategic options when taking on Mercedes.

And then there’s the financial side. Given that RBR is losing its substantial Aston Martin title sponsorship at the end of 2020, a considerable amount of space will be available on the car, and so a Perez deal could have a lot of appeal in that respect.

The complication is the timing. The team wants to, and of course should, give Albon a decent chance. But while the races are coming thick and fast we will be in September before you know it, and concluding a deal with Perez and his backers won’t be the work of a moment – and they may well be a long way up the road with a Haas or Alfa option by then. So at what stage would Marko and Horner pull the trigger and start negotiations?

It's a fascinating scenario. And if the reported July 31 deadline for Stroll to cut Perez loose is accurate, things could start to happen soon…