FORMULA 1

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MASSA: WILLIAMS MADE DECISIONS FOR 2018 PUTTING MONEY FIRST

Felipe Massa believes that his former Williams team erred when they made money their priority for the 2018 season, and as a result – with the inexperience of Lance Stroll and rookie Sergey Sirotkin – they are suffering the consequences.

Williams are a shadow of what they once were and this season they have dropped further down the pecking order, the back of the grid has been their domain so far this season. Their young drivers struggling to come to terms with a below par car.

Massa, who raced for the team from 2014 until the  said in an interview, “It’s true that the team was suffering from the financial situation and I think they made decisions for 2018 putting money first. But this is not enough to make a competitive championship.”

Massa was set to  but stayed a year longer when the Grove outfit were contractually bound to provide their rookie (at the time) Lance Stroll with an experienced teammate. Massa fitted the role and was lured back.

The veteran Brazilian provided a benchmark for Stroll to work from and there is no doubt that the young Canadian benefitted from the input and advice from the wise old head, despite the .

Massa has no regrets, “All I can say is that I came out with my head held high. I have a good relationship with everyone at Grove and I hope that the best for the team comes out as soon as possible.”

“I can add that I’m happy to have made my decision last year. I chose the right time and now I’m enjoying my life. I hope Williams can recover,” he added.

With regards to the current pecking order and the resurgence of Ferrari and Red Bull, both teams having won races in the first three races while Mercedes have yet to score a victory, Massa admits he is surprised, “To tell you the truth I didn’t expect it.”

“I expected Mercedes to be far ahead of Ferrari, and I think even Red Bull could be fighting them. What we saw in the first races was great for the sport because we did not see just one team winning.”

“I am happy that Ferrari has started well. In the Maranello team they have made several changes in the last two years and many thought they were backwards.”

“They have shown that they have a large group that knows how to work very well. This makes me happy because I’ve always been a Ferrari fan,” added Massa who raced for the Scuderia from 2006 to 2013, winning 11 times for the Italian team.

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THE SAD DEMISE OF THE MIGHTY WILLIAMS TEAM

Williams is a very important team for Formula 1, the third most successful team in the sport’s history with 114 wins in 43 seasons, 128 pole positions, 133 fastest laps, 312 podiums, 33 one-twos, nine constructors’ and seven drivers’ world titles.

You could argue that with nine constructors’ titles they are indeed the second most successful ‘team’ because only Ferrari have more with 16 title triumphs, while McLaren have eight. The latter have more grand prix wins than Williams.

Today they are a shadow of the formidable outfit they were, the decline has been slow and painful over the past couple of decades.

Today – as the Formula 1 circus sets up tent in Baku ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Williams are near the bottom of the pecking order and the light at the end is dim for the Grove outfit.

This year, with the least experienced drivers on the grid and a woefully uncompetitive car, in the FW41, the team is set for their worst season ever.

The story of Sir Frank Williams is legend, how he struggled in the early seventies with low budget F1 projects that delivered little, but in the late seventies in partnership with Patrick Head the team went on to become a powerhouse throughout the eighties and nineties.

Their drivers are icons of the sport and included the likes of Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve – all who became F1 world champions in Williams colours.

Such was the power of Williams in 1992, after winning the world title with Mansell they allowed him to leave because they would not countenance the Briton’s salary demands.

At the time that was the credo that Williams lived by: it’s all about the team not about the driver.

In those days they could say that because of who they were and what they achieved – they were the Mercedes of their day.

They had Patrick Head producing a string of race-winning cars and then along came Adrian Newey who weaved his magic and helped produce another spate of superb championship winning cars.

This was the team that could pick and choose drivers while not busting the bank no matter who they lured to their cockpit. Ayrton Senna famously offered to drive for them for free so good were their F1 race cars in the early nineties.

The rot may have begun when they allowed Newey to leave for McLaren. Had they had the foresight at the time they would have broken the bank to keep him, given him substantial shares or partnership, anything to hold on to the genius like Red Bull have done over the years.

Williams did not and I believe they are still paying the price.

Whatever the case, Newey departed having helped Williams to 59 race victories, 78 pole positions and 60 fastest laps all from 114 races from 1991 until the end of 1996. In these seasons, four of their drivers went on to clinch world titles.

Newey’s departure to McLaren in 1997 was not the end of Williams’ success, although some will argue that the FW19 that won their final F1 title in 1997 had the great designer’s signature all over it.

Since then they have not won another championship. Instead, they have twice been runner-up and third on five occasions – in a 20-year period. Their last victory was with Pastor Maldonado at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, prior to that they last won a race with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004.

Important to note, that from 1979 until 2005 they were only twice outside the top five in the constructor’s championship, a period when they were the sport’s perennial front-runners.

It would be fair and honest to say that these have been two decades of a long drought for Williams, Barcelona 2012, being the only victorious interlude.

Fast forward to 2018 and they now have Paddy Lowe heading the technical side of the team and Claire Williams at the helm as deputy team principal, while 76-year-old Sir Frank has little hands-on input into the team as he did in its heyday, even after the accident that paralysed him.

The first three races of the season have cruelly exposed the shortcomings of a team who this year heralded the arrival of former Ferrari designer Dirk de Beer and the FW41 the first car built under Lowe’s watch. Problem is that the car is a lemon.

Although there was a sliver of optimism after the Chinese Grand Prix when the performance of their car was not as woeful as in the first two races.

Nevertheless, Lance Stroll has labelled it the slowest car on the grid while Sergey Sirotkin said he felt like “an idiot” driving around off the pace and at the back of the field.

Clearly, they have some big problems on their hands. Their new car needs a solution to get it back into the mix and right now they do not have the drivers to help the engineers resolve the problem.

By Lowe’s own admission, the inexperience of Stroll and Sirotkin does not serve them well in this time of crisis. While their reserve Robert Kubica may have the experience, he has returned to the sport after six years and is hardly in touch with how a modern F1 car should behave.

As a team insider said, “Robert has the experience from the past, but he does not have the know how to evolve and develop the current generation cars because his previous benchmark was a 2011 Renault F1 car. Things have changed immensely since then and when he steps into today’s cars it is as if he is a rookie too.”

Taking on two pay drivers is a sign of the times for Williams – they need money. With Martini pulling the plug at the end of the year they really needed a strong season not only to keep their drivers’ backers happy but also to attract a title sponsor.

As a public company, Williams has to answer to shareholders and soon they may have explaining to do, particularly if results on track start to scare off investors. Company shares peaked at €25.30 per share in January 2013 and are now trading at €17.50 per share.

No matter where your loyalties lie their slow and painful demise has been a hard sideshow to digest because Williams at the back of the grid on a regular basis, as their plight may be this year, is hard to stomach because we so desperately need more teams to punch at the sharp end of proceedings and at one time they were ‘The Boss’ in F1.

It would be a very sad day for ths port if Williams fades away into oblivion, as did those grand teams of the past that are only a fond memory today. Lotus, Brabham, Tyrrell, Cooper, BRM and Ligier are just some that immediately spring to mind.

For now, as a fan of Formula 1, I sincerely hope that the clever folk at Grove can find that ‘magic button’ and start on the journey which will return Williams to where they belong: winning and challenging for titles

 

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ALONSO TO QUIT FORMULA 1 AT THE END OF THE YEAR?

A report in Spanish publication Diario Gol suggests that a disgruntled Fernando Alonso is set to quit Formula 1 at the end of this season and focus on his quest for the Triple Crown of motorsport.

Much was expected of McLaren’s new era with Renault power. Management and Alonso himself believed that ditching Honda and becoming a customer team of the French manufacturer would catapult them from mid-pack oblivion to race winners.

They believed they would find the ‘magic button’ that has eluded them for the past six years and challenge Red Bull but this has not transpired and instead, they face another hard slog nowhere near where they expected to be, which in turn has left their star driver disenchanted and reassessing his future.

Both Alonso and his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne are only contracted to the Woking outfit until the end of this season.

The Diario Gol report goes on to suggest that McLaren will use Alonso’s vast experience to develop their current car for the remainder of the season and then engineer his departure from the team.

This will then free up a seat alongside Vandoorne, in 2019, for their bright young rising star Lando Norris, the 18-year-old reportedly  with the team promising him a F1 drive should he win the Formula 2 championship this year.

Such a scenario makes sense for the beleaguered team as they will thus rid themselves of Alonso’s hefty pay packet while Vandoorne and Norris will spearhead the team into a new era and into the future.

This will free up 36-year-old Alonso to focus on a WEC (including Le Mans) programme and at the same time afford him another crack at the Indianapolis 500 – the two races he needs to win, to add to his Monaco triumphs, and become the second Triple Crown winner in the history of the sport.

Graham Hill is still the only man to have accomplished the unique feat to date.

The report adds that Alonso will only remain in Formula 1 beyond 2018 if he can secure a seat with Ferrari or Mercedes.

A return to Maranello is highly unlikely as his departure from the Italian team at the end of 2014 was far from amicable and Sebastian Vettel will hardly welcome the divisive and highly political Spaniard back into the fold.

The report speculates that if Hamilton and Mercedes are beaten this year in the championship, the Silver Arrows bosses may be tempted into ousting Valtteri Bottas and hire in a big name driver to ‘motivate’ the Englishman – enter Alonso into the equation…

However, a move to Mercedes is unlikely to be countenanced by their four times F1 World Champion, while it is well known that the team’s non-executive chairman Niki Lauda is .

Alonso has clearly stated that the reason he remains in Formula 1 is to win a third World Championship title,  but the truth is that for him to do so he needs a car that can challenge and beat Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. Barring a miracle McLaren will not be doing so anytime soon, something that has for sure not escaped Alonso.

Despite the speculation presented in the report, it is common knowledge in the F1 paddock that Ferrari and Mercedes will not hire Alonso, thus his dream of a third title will remain just that.

Facts are that he has not won a race since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix and he has not celebrated on a F1 podium since 2014.

However, that the winner of 32 grands prix will quit – after the season finale in Abu Dhabi this year – is a far more likely prospect, because there is simply little, if no light, at the end of the tunnel for Alonso where he is now and the doors are firmly shut for him with the Big Three teams.

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Renault expecting 'really close' season-long McLaren battle

Renault's Chief Technical Officer Bob Bell says the French marque is expecting a "really close" season-long battle with engine customer McLaren, but admits they were relieved to be so close to the British team at the start of the year.

Although Renault is behind McLaren in the standings – just three points separate them – the manufacturer has out-qualified its rival at each Grand Prix, and beat it to the chequered flag in Bahrain and China.

Bell admitted Renault was initially "worried" it'd be behind customer team McLaren and was therefore relieved with the relative pace in the opening rounds, but remains wary of McLaren's development potential.

"I think we are reasonably pleased with how we have positioned ourselves to McLaren – which we were very worried about when they came on board with the [same] engine," Bell is quoted as saying by Racer.

"It's going to be nip and tuck with them all season and McLaren are going to develop – McLaren are very good at developing to recover any losses from the start.

"It's going to be really closely fought. We had hoped to be a little bit further ahead at the start but this isn't an exact science and we know we can do a good development job in season."

Bell also admitted Renault was "disappointed" to have fallen further back from the top three teams and with such a tight midfield battle, scoring consistent points had now become harder than ever.

"We had hoped to take a bit more lap time out of the top three teams over the winter and we haven't," said Bell.

"If anything they might have moved further ahead, so we are a little bit disappointed about that.

"If the top three teams score points, that only leaves the final four placings for teams to get points and there are four teams around scrabbling for those. It is going to be really tight and difficult.

"Clearly Toro Rosso and Haas have done a great job over the winter and are making life very difficult for us, but it's surprising how far back Williams have fallen and you could say the same about Force India. 

"They might make a significant jump forward at some point, in which case it will become even harder [to score points]."

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Daniil Kvyat completes wet F1 tyre test for Ferrari

Daniil Kvyat returned to contemporary Formula 1 machinery on Friday as he concluded running during the two-day private tyre test at Fiorano.

Kvyat completed 118 laps on Pirelli's Full Wet tyres in the SF71-H, with the circuit artificially watered to allow for wet conditions.

It followed on from reserve driver Antonio Giovinazzi’s 124 laps on Intermediate tyres on Thursday.

The two-day outing marked the first of Pirelli’s in-season tyre tests, which are set to take place at regular intervals across the remainder of 2018.

Under current regulations, Pirelli is permitted up to 25 days of running per season in order to develop its tyres for future campaigns.

The running is split between all 10 current teams, who supply current-year cars, with action taking place at various venues across the year. Teams are not permitted to run any upgrades, whilst data from the test is shared between all squads.

It marked Kvyat’s first appearance in Ferrari’s contemporary Formula 1 car, having joined the team as a development driver at the start of 2018.

Kvyat’s started 72 races for Red Bull and Toro Rosso between 2014 and 2017, taking two podium finishes, but was axed following last year’s United States Grand Prix.

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Red Bull cautious on win prospects for Azerbaijan GP

Both Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo are remaining cautious over their prospects ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The high-speed nature of the Baku City Circuit has typically accentuated the weaknesses of Red Bull's package, with supplier Renault still behind engine rivals Mercedes and Ferrari.

Verstappen, who has suffered a difficult start to 2018 amid a sequence of mistakes, retired from last year's event due to a power unit failure.

“Last year was a very unfortunate weekend for me," said Verstappen. "It was a shame because the car felt really good but I encountered a lot of problems which ultimately meant I missed out on a potential podium, perhaps even a win.

"I’m hoping this year I can make up for that lost opportunity.

"It’s a nice circuit even though it isn’t ideally suited to our car. The straight is so long which means we miss out on some valuable time there. Last year I think we managed to drive around our problems really well and therefore be competitive come the race day."

After winning the last event in China, Ricciardo is hoping the momentum of a race victory will help carry his form onto the streets of Baku, where just like in Shanghai, the Australian pulled off some of his trademark audacious moves to take the chequered flag.

"Last year in Baku was crazy in so many ways for so many people," added Ricciardo.

"Just like last week in Shanghai, the team had an awesome strategy and made some great calls in the race. Did I think we would carve our way all the way up to first? No way, but everyone in front was dropping like flies, I was making some good overtakes and there was just all this momentum keeping me going.

"Crossing the line I was a bit confused, thinking how did we just win that race but also ecstatic. It was crazy, fun race and definitely one to remember.

"With a street circuit, you have to love it, but you also have to respect it and understand it. I understand that to be fast, you have to be on the limit, but put yourself there and it can bite you."

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Rosberg steps back from Kubica management role

Robert Kubica says that former world champion Nico Rosberg has taken a step back from being part of his management team, after they worked together last year in efforts to land the Pole a Formula 1 race seat.
Rosberg took an active part in helping lead negotiations with Williams as the Grove-based outfit pondered a replacement for Felipe Massa.

In the end, the team opted for Sergey Sirotkin and Kubica was handed a reserve driver role.

With the Williams situation having been settled, and Rosberg ramping up his other business activities that now includes investment in Formula E, Kubica said the pair's working relationship has changed.

"We did have a close work together at the end of last year, and we are in a good relationship, but for now, because in the end I am doing what I am doing and he is very busy and he has his family, let's say we are not working as close as we were last year, " Kubica said in an interview with Motorsport.com.

"But we are still in touch."

Kubica has made it clear, however, that it was not the case that Rosberg and he had formally split – and that it was only ever really intended for the German to help with the specific talks at the end of 2017.

"It is just that this period was very intense and now it's a completely different situation," added Kubica.

"It is not a situation that Nico has been working and now is not working. It is just that the situation is that he is not as present as he was."

When asked if it was possible that he and Rosberg could work again on projects in the future, Kubica said: "I think it doesn't depend only from my side.

"A lot will depend on the situation and also it is kind of new everything for me to be back in paddock. So we will see what the future will bring and then we'll move on."

Kubica has retained his ties with long-time manager Alessandro Alunni Bravi, who continues to represent him on the legal and administrative front.

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How Toro Rosso is using its LMP1 weapon

Brendon Hartley’s FIA World Endurance Championship experience with Porsche brings a “fresh and unique insight” to the Toro Rosso Formula 1 team, according to technical director James Key.
Hartley raced the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 from 2014-2017, winning the world championship twice, and brings significant experience in how to get the maximum performance out of such technology.

Although the technology that forms part of F1’s current V6 turbo hybrid engine packages and those used by Porsche are different, Hartley has brought some new ideas about how to use the electrical energy and also manage fuel and tyre use.  

“The great thing with Brendon coming in is that he’s got a different take on things,” Key told Motorsport.com.

“The way he had to save fuel, save tyres, use energy is a completely fresh input into this, so there’s definitely some valuable insight into what we are doing that we wouldn’t have had if we’d taken more of a standard approach with a single-seater driver.

“The technologies are different enough that there’s no technical transfer, but it’s more the process that you go through and the way that you look at it.

“I think it’s been good for Honda, but it’s been good for the whole team to get that fresh and unique insight.”

Hartley believes that he can offer a particular advantage in terms of how to maximise fuel efficiency.

  

“I think where it can be an advantage is I’m quite used to having to be very efficient because we were so restricted on fuel there,” said Hartley when asked by Motorsport.com what he can bring to Toro Rosso and Honda.

“So if we get to a race where we are very restricted on fuel, I feel like it’s a good strength. Obviously, working on such a project is all valuable; all experience is good experience.”

But Hartley also believes the driver can have less input in F1 than in LMP1 because of the reduced complexity of the hybrid systems.

He cites the fact the Porsche had four-wheel drive thanks to the electrical power being deployed via the front wheels as the main reason for this.

“There’s less input in F1 because it’s not a four-wheel-drive car,” said Hartley.

“Having 4WD and electric engine controlling just the front axle and the combustion engine only controlling the rear, there was a lot of driver input to make these two work seamlessly.

“There’s a few things to manage in the race and behind the scenes, but generally speaking there’s not so much for the driver and there’s enough simulation and enough behind all the teams that they get it right pretty much from the word go.”

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ROSBERG LAUNCHES KART ACADEMY TO HELP YOUNG DRIVERS

Retired 2016 Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has announced the formation of the Rosberg Young Drivers Academy, with his former karting mentor, to help young talented drivers at a grassroots level.

With support from Petronas, Rosberg has teamed up with his former karting mentor Dino Chiesa, who led the “Mercedes-Benz McLaren” MBM team for Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in 2000 and 2001.

Rosberg said of his new Italy based project, “Dino is the best in the karting world and I believe in the performance of Dino’s own Kart Republic chassis, which we will use.”

“He was my boss in all of my international karting years, and the most successful year was when Lewis and I were on the team, with MBM and Dino leading us to great success.

“We’ve been friends since then, so it’s something special to support the stars of the future together now. We look forward to joining the karting world together.”

The Academy has signed two drivers to get it off the ground, 13-year-old British driver Taylor Barnard and 18-year-old Italian Lorenzo Travisanutto.

Chiesa said of the project, Chiesa added: “Today the development of a driver is not only turning the steering wheel.”

“It’s more than that. It’s more about engineering, marketing and media. That’s why I believe that Nico and I are a good mix to support talent,” added Chiesa.

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HAMILTON: WE’VE LOST PERFORMANCE SINCE MELBOURNE

When the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship kicked-off in Australia, Mercedes appeared to have the upper hand, however three races into the season Lewis Hamilton believes his team have lost the edge and no longer have the outright fastest car on the grid.

Hamilton powered to an  in Melbourne, seven tenths faster than his closest rival. He then proceeded to dominate and control the early part of the race until a safety car intervened and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel  an unlikely victory.

Since then Ferrari have locked out the front row in  and , Vettel winning in the desert and Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo outsmarted their rivals to  in Shanghai. Mercedes drivers have yet to win a race so far this season.

Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, despite the mediocre start to their season Hamilton is adamant that his goal is still the title,”My thinking has not changed, my goals are still the same.”

But added, “It is clear from that we are not the quickest. We’ve lost performance since Melbourne and maybe more so this weekend. We are the second, or third fastest team at the moment so we have some improving to do but that’s not impossible.”

“I think what this team has shown over the years that we are great at staying united and continuing to power on and keep working.”

Mercedes decision making from the pitwall during the heat of battle is questionable. They threw away a sure victory in Down Under, outfoxed by smart thinking from the Ferrari pitwall.

In China, they  Hamilton during the safety car period during the race there as did Red Bull, but they missed the opportunity to do so and paid the price.

The reigning F1 World Champion finished fourth and acknowledged, “I definitely like I was on top of my A-game [in China]. I came prepared exactly the same as always, I just struggled with the car. Rather than blame it on weather or strategy, or anything else, I just… I was uncomfortable in the car this weekend, well Saturday and Sunday.”

“To not have the pace, the pace level that I normally have, I got to take it upon myself to try and figure it out and move forward. But of course, it’s been a joint effort, but definitely on my side we struggled more,” added Hamilton as the Formula 1 circus heads to Baku.

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LOWE: WHAT WE HAVE DONE HAS NOT BEEN GOOD ENOUGH

Arguably the biggest disappointment of the early part of the 2018 Formula 1 season is the dismal performance of Williams at a time when many expected the Paddy Lowe era to kick in and catapult the Grove outfit back up the pecking order and into points-paying positions.

Lowe,  last year, was expected to galvanise the team, while the addition of highly rated former Ferrari-designer Dirk de Beer to their technical department, but their first car – the FW41 – has been a lemon with both their young drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin struggling.

Reviewing the first three race, Lowe said, “I wouldn’t say that there has been a lot of depression because that is not the way to dig yourself out of a situation. It is about going away, analyzing and understanding where you are. Then understanding what you have to do. And focusing the organization around that.”

“Which is exactly what we are doing because we are not where we hoped to be and intend to be in terms of competition, but it is of our own making.”

Stroll has made it clear that this year’s car is a  relative to the car he drove last season with reasonable success, while rookie Sirotkin said he felt like “an idiot” as he too battled to find the sweet spot.

Lowe conceded, “Clearly what we have done has not been good enough. We made some small parts of that plan already deployed [in China] in terms of tests and evaluations of stuff we did, which gave us a lot of information, a lot of data, and including some improvements.”

“So it may be not all that noticeable, but there is some small progress in the car that we were running in qualifying.”

According to Lowe, Shanghai offered a sliver of hope to the beleaguered team, “Based on P3 performance, there was some hope we might get at least one of the cars into Q2. We narrowly missed that.”

“There is a sense of optimism already that we can make solid progress and rapid progress. We have already started down that road. I couldn’t put a time frame on that. It is all work in progress.”

“It is a wide statement but we are absolutely not content with our current position within this season, so we want to make some substantial progress within this season, indeed within this first half-season,” insisted Lowe.

Williams now head to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix where last year  of a chaotic race to claim his first podium against the odds.

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FORCE INDIA: WE’VE SORTED THAT OUT THE CORRELATION ISSUES

Last year Force India were the darlings of Formula 1, a true David versus Goliath story, best of the rest with one of the smallest budgets on the grid, their drivers Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon the men to beat in the intense midpack battle.

But his year they have slipped down the pecking order, correlation issues between the factory and the race track pinpointed as the cause of their downward spiral.

Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, deputy team chief revealed to Racer, “We brought some parts to Bahrain which we couldn’t use because we had a correlation issue and we needed to get that baseline back in place.”

“That’s what we’ve done. So I think what will happen is the parts that were brought to Bahrain will be reintroduced later on as we can develop the correlation bit that we lost out on.

“It’s constantly improving but we’re going to have to go back now and feed the data back in to CFD and wind tunnel so that we can correlate track, CFD and wind tunnel. We’ve had a miscommunication but I think now we’ve sorted that out.”

A clear admission that the team are on the back-foot at this stage of the season, but Fernley insists that the setback will not delay their upgrades during the course of the season, “No, no. We’ve just got to tweak it a bit, so no real delay to anything.”

, the team were only bettered by the Big Three, and at one point during the chaotic race a podium or two looked possible for the team but a ‘ between their drivers on the day scuppered their chances.

Fernley acknowledges that the Pinks have dropped down the order and this time out it will be tough for a repeat performance, “I don’t think we’re there yet to be fighting for fourth in Baku, but I think we’re realistically fighting about the sixth-quickest team at the moment. That’s where I would see it today.”

Force India are not the only Mercedes powered outfit to feel the heat from their rivals. The Silver Arrows appear to have  at the sharp end of proceedings, while Williams have been  and now battle with Sauber for the wooden spoon.

Fernley reasoned, “The thing is what’s happening at the moment is probably the most consistent program has been Renault. They’re constantly there.”

“The other person that keeps coming through is [Fernando] Alonso in terms of race points – not necessarily qualifying but he keeps it clean and he’s come through.”

“So I think if you look at the haul of points that they’ve got, the teams like Toro Rosso and Haas are a bit up and down like us.”

“It’s in that area, and once we get through that consistency bit, if we could have stayed ahead of McLaren I think we would have stayed ahead of them and finished in the points, and the same thing would have happened in Bahrain. So I think we’re looking fifth or sixth-ish.

“I think with all due respect, Renault are nailing it at the moment in terms of doing a good job. They are very consistent across the board,” added Fernley.

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ABITEBOUL: THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SHORTAGE OF SPARE PARTS

The Red Bull crew were universally praised for getting Daniel Ricciardo into qualifying less than two hours after the Renault engine went up in smoke during FP3 during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, but behind the scenes, it was not all plain sailing.

While praising the remarkable work by his team, Red Bull team chief Christian Horner suggested at the time that Renault’s spares bin was lacking, “They took only an hour to get an engine that wasn’t fully dressed, to get that turned around and on the car and get it out of the garage with just 45 seconds prior to the cut off.”

But Renault chief Cyril Abiteboul insisted, “No, there is absolutely no shortage.”

“No, no, no. We are just making sure to have the best parts available when we fit an engine into a chassis. Let’s be clear, we were not expecting to have any particular problems at this point of the season.”

“That’s why sometimes it requires a bit of juggling around between the different customer teams, but we have done that precisely to make sure he had the best hardware currently available.”

A day later, Daniel Ricciardo went on to score an unlikely victory for the team, the first for Renault this season.

Abiteboul also revealed that Renault powered drivers were able to employ a qualifying mode of sorts in Shanghai, “There was a step but it’s more in qualifying than in the race. So that’s something that maybe helped everyone on Saturday.”

“But that’s not in the race. The improvement in race trim will come a bit later in the season, in particular with power unit number two.”

Asked when Renault powered teams can expect the roll-out of the second edition of the current power unit, Abiteboul responded, “As late as possible. Equally, I want some performance as soon as possible but obviously with the sporting regulations you want to introduce your power unit number two as late as possible.”

“Before that, we will be able to talk a little bit more about fuel and these types of things because you can change fuel so that maybe coming a bit earlier than that,” explained the Renault F1 boss.

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BERGER: PORSCHE ARE CONSIDERING FORMULA 1 FOR 2021

According to former Formula 1 driver and team owner Gerard Berger, Porsche will decide in May whether to embark on a Formula 1 programme in 2021.

Led by Liberty Media, F1 stakeholders are set to thrash out a package of rules for 2021 aimed at reducing costs, simplifying engine rules while seeking to entice more manufacturers to the highest level of the sport.

While changes to the rules have created a split in the paddock, on one side Liberty’s supporters and on the other a cabal headed by Ferrari and Mercedes.

At the same time the proposals have piqued the interest of manufacturers such as Aston Martin, and now it appears that Porsche are also showing interest in how matters evolve and if indeed an attractive scenario does result from the looming negotiations they could enter the sport as an engine supplier, if not full blown works team.

Berger told Auto Bild, “Porsche are considering Formula 1 for 2021. They are waiting for the new engine rules, which must be finalised in May, after which they will make a decision.”

The legendary German marque were active in Formula 1 from 1957 to 1964, with American driver Dan Gurney winning their only grand prix when he triumphed in France in 1962, before the manufacturer’s management decided to pull the plug on their programme, citing high costs for the reason at the time.

In 1983, TAG badged Porsche turbo engines were used to power McLaren to two constructor championships in 1984 and 1985, and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986, scoring 25 victories between 1984 and 1987, with 19 wins for 1985 and 1986 World Champion Alain Prost, and six for 1984 Champion Niki Lauda.

Traditionally Porsche have focused their motorsport efforts on endurance sportscar and GT racing where their success is virtually unmatched. Their most recent LMP1 sportscar programme, using hybrid turbo engine technology, was hugely successful. 

Meanwhile Volkswagen Group – Audi and Porsche – have been part of the thinktank that is concocting new F1 engine regulations and are said to have a on a testbed at their HQ in Zuffenhausen which could be adapted to the new 2021 era.

Porsche have not commented on Berger’s recent remarks, but it should be noted that the German manufacturer terminated their LMP1 project at the end of last year and committed to Formula E starting in 2019.

However, there is a school of thought within the organisation arguing that the electric series is more suited to Audi (who already have a presence in the series) than Porsche’s more sporty imgae which would be ideally suited to F1.

Porsche’s deputy chairman  late last year, “F1 could be one of the right places and is always a good topic to think about. And I think we are in quite good discussions regarding the new engine.”

Asked if plans to reduce costs and simplify engines could attract Porsche to F1, Meschke replied, “Absolutely. We have to cut costs in F1, and it’s a good way to reach this target.”

Spare a thought for the fact that a full-blown and unrestricted Porsche 919 recently smashed the Spa-Francorchamps , lapping faster than the quickest Formula 1 car around the hallowed venue…

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Manor boss Booth leaves Toro Rosso role

Former Manor Formula 1 team boss John Booth has confirmed his departure from the Toro Rosso team, having worked as its director of racing since 2016.
Following his exit from Manor's F1 operation at the end of 2015, Booth briefly returned to F1 with Toro Rosso two years ago to help work its drivers and team operations.

But with Manor having ramped up its efforts in sportscars after stepping up to the LMP1 category, Booth has decided to step back from F1.

Speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com, Booth said: "Let me put it this way: My involvement with Toro Rosso came to a natural end. Maybe I look too old for Formula 1 now. Is that enough?"

Booth denied suggestions that his exit had anything to do with Honda's arrival as a team partner and the fact it was throwing more resources at the project: "Let's explain it this way: At my age, you get tired of all these flights and hotels and so on.

"On the other hand I like to travel privately... I might even go back to Japan sometime."

He added: "From now on I will fully concentrate on our program in the LMP1 class. We have a lot planned, even though we won't have a chance against Toyota.

"We don't have a hundred million euros. And in the LMP1 it's the same as in Formula 1: you can buy performance."

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Mystery surrounds Vettel's secret third paddle

Ferrari is at the centre of fresh Formula 1 technical intrigue with the appearance of a mystery new paddle on Sebastian Vettel's steering wheel.
The new element, which features only on the German's car and is not being used by Kimi Raikkonen, has fuelled speculation that the team has found a clever way to boost its performance through the changing of some car settings.

The team tried to keep the presence of the paddle a secret, but it was spotted after the German's pole position lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix when he stopped on the grid for post-qualifying interviews.

It features on the right-hand side of the wheel, above the clutch and gearchange shifter.

Ferrari has been tight-lipped on what the paddle is for, but it has denied early rumours that it is being used to alter engine map settings to help keep its exhaust blowing in corners when off-throttle.

Such behaviour is unlikely, though, with the FIA having made clear pre-season that it would clamp down hard on teams that tried to change engine settings to deliver off-throttle blowing.

Speaking about Renault's blown rear wing and what teams were and were not allowed to do, Whiting said: "I don't see any problem with it provided we are sure they are not operating their engine in a false mode - a mode that wouldn't be normal."

Rotary sensor

The Ferrari paddle may however be linked to some kind of setting that needs to be changed mid-corner – either on differential, engine mapping or energy control - because its positioning appears deliberate to allow it to be used when the steering wheel is being turned.

Furthermore, the fact that the paddle has a rotary sensor means it is something that can be adjusted in incremental steps, rather than simply being an on-off switch.

Speaking on the latest episode of Motorsport Show, technical analyst Craig Scarborough said: "When I first noticed this, I put it away as one of those little changes, but there's something unusual about this paddle.

"You can see there's a rotary sensor there, so it's a variable thing. So it's not him switching something off, it's him demanding either something increasing or decreasing around the car."

Steering wheel push

Ferrari is no stranger to making tweaks to controls at the back of a steering wheel.

When the FIA changed the rules ahead of the 2017 season to allow only a single clutch paddle and increase driver influence on the launches off the start line, teams introduced several modified systems.

Ferrari brought in a single long, offset wishbone (above) to allow the drivers better feeling and ability to control the traction from the rear wheels amid rules that forced linear relationship between paddle application and throttle.

Prior to that, it was possible for the clutch paddles to be mapped to give a wider window in which to make the perfect start.

But during pre-season testing last year, Lewis Hamilton ran with two paddles for the clutch that allowed the driver to place his fingers inside for greater control (above).

These were refined for the first race of the season from the testing spec (left) to the proper spec (right).

For May's Spanish Grand Prix in 2017, Ferrari introduced a similar solution on Vettel's steering wheel (above), which was initially built in titanium and then in carbon fibre.

Vettel retained the system until last year's Singapore Grand Prix, when he made a poor start and then collided with Max Verstappen, after which he reverted to the same system as Raikkonen for the Japanese Grand Prix.

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RED BULL DRIVERS PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Red Bull drivers preview the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, Round 4 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Baku City Circuit.

Daniel Ricciardo: “Baku is different to other street circuits – because there are places where you can pass. Actually, lots of places where you can pass. As opposed to Monaco and Singapore where there’s not many places to overtake really.

“The trickiest thing in Baku is braking. There’s so many braking points where you have to commit and you have to brake as late as you can – but there’s no room for error. Once you’ve committed to that braking point, if you’ve locked a wheel, you’re in the wall. I’d say the hardest part about Baku is finding the limit with braking, and just having that confidence.

“You have Turn One, Turn Two and then the DRS straight. We’re honking down there, and then you see the wall coming, coming, coming and your instinct is to brake, brake, brake, brake. You need a lot of confidence to leave it late. That’s the biggest challenge with Baku, being able to really attack the braking, it’s such a high-speed circuit. Monaco is not that high-speed, it’s more about cornering, and Baku is more braking.

“With a street circuit you have to love it – but you also have to respect it and understand it. I understand that, to be fast, you have to be on the limit – but put yourself there and it can bite you.

“Last year Baku was crazy in so many ways for so many people. Just like last week in Shanghai the team had an awesome strategy and made some great calls in the race. Did I think we would carve our way all the way up to first, no way, but everyone in front was dropping like flies, I was making some good overtakes and there was just all this momentum keeping me going. Crossing the line I was a bit confused, thinking how did we just win that race but also ecstatic. It was crazy, fun race and definitely one to remember.”

Max Verstappen: “Last year was a very unfortunate weekend for me. It was a shame because the car felt really good but I encountered a lot of problems which ultimately meant I missed out on a potential podium, perhaps even a win. I’m hoping this year I can make up for that lost opportunity.

“Baku is a cool place so I enjoy going there and driving the track. It’s a nice circuit even though it isn’t ideally suited to our car. The straight is so long which means we miss out on some valuable time there. Last year I think we managed to drive around our problems really well and therefore be competitive come the race day.

“The castle section looks great on TV and is also a lot of fun to drive. It is really tight so you have to be precise turning in as there is no room for error, especially with the wider cars we have now.

“I still haven’t managed to get out and see a lot of Baku. The hotel is right next to the paddock, so as well as being really convenient it also limits what you see of the city over a busy race weekend. I have heard the local food is really tasty so I’ll do my best this year to get out and find some delicacies.”

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FORCE INDIA DRIVERS PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Force India drivers preview the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, Round 4 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Baku City Circuit.

Sergio Perez: “It only feels like yesterday we were racing in Baku, but I guess it’s a bit earlier in the calendar this year. It’s already a track with a big reputation and I have special memories from 2016 and our podium. It’s a track where we have always been competitive so I want to go there this year and score points.

“The first few races haven’t gone very smoothly for me. I think I’ve been unlucky, especially in Bahrain, but I know it sometimes happens in racing. The last race in China was really disappointing because I lost out on lap one and there was no way to recover to the points. Our pace was competitive and we took another step forward with the car performance, but things just didn’t work out on race day.

“The progress we have made since Melbourne was visible in Shanghai and I’m feeling happier with the balance of the car now. We are catching up and getting back to our normal position. I think Baku will be interesting because it’s all about good top speed and being confident on the brakes. I love the challenge of street tracks and I really enjoy driving in Baku.”

Esteban Ocon: “Baku is a cool event. It’s so fast with the longest straight of the year, which is quite unusual for a street circuit. It produced probably the best race for fans last year. I love the atmosphere of city races and it’s a really interesting place to explore. I also enjoy the delayed schedule because we wake up later in the day and there is more chance to have a good night’s sleep.

“My first race in Baku last year was pretty eventful. So much happened in the race and it was definitely a missed opportunity for us. We were competitive so I hope we can be quick again this year. The racing down the main straight was really cool and if you pick up a tow you can find a huge speed advantage. It is a place where you can go three or four cars wide, which is insane. It’s not the sort of racing you often see in Formula One so it’s quite exciting when it happens. There are good overtaking opportunities so you can make up a lot of ground even if you’re at the back.

“Baku is definitely a great chance for us to score points. The car is improving with each race and I can see how hard everybody is working to find more performance. At every race this year we’ve had new items to test and it’s the same this weekend. It’s still early days in the season and if we can unlock the potential in the car I think we can be up there fighting consistently at the front of the midfield.”

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HAAS PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Haas F1 Team debuted in the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2016, becoming the first American Formula One team since 1986.

Also debuting in 2016 was Baku City Circuit, home to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. These two newbies have grown up together, and the two are set to meet again on April 29 for the third annual Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The youngest team in Formula One heads to one of the newest tracks in Formula One intent on continuing its disruptive presence. Three races into the 21-race schedule, Haas F1 Team is seventh in the constructors’ standings with 12 points while holding a nine-point advantage over eighth-place Sauber with just a single point separating it from sixth-place Toro Rosso.

Haas F1 Team drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen have taken the pace they displayed in winter testing at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya and maintained it through Formula One’s stops in Australia, Bahrain and China. Both drivers have appeared regularly in the top-10 in qualifying, and this has translated to running among the top-10 in grands prix with their Haas VF-18s mixing it up with the likes of Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull as they seemingly lead the midfield charge.

The midfield is comprised of Haas F1 Team, McLaren, Renault, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Force India and Williams. This group has always been competitive as it strives for best-of-the-rest status behind the Big Three of Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. But this season has seen the level of competiveness rise to new heights, with the third-year effort from America continuing to raise eyebrows and the height of the midfield.

Baku earned high praise after its inaugural race, with Grosjean calling it “a beautiful city and a beautiful track.” Magnussen echoed those sentiments, saying it was “a pretty cool race with lots of action.”

Action was in abundance in last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. From the onset of the 51-lap race, drivers were bouncing off one another and the walls. And the contact was throughout the field, with dustups between the front-running Mercedes and Scuderia Ferrari drivers, intrasquad battles amongst Force India and Sauber, along with a host of mechanical issues – some self-inflicted – that created a topsy-turvy race before reaching its halfway mark.

Magnussen, in particular, took advantage of the chaos, racing to as high as third before finishing seventh, which ended up being his best result of 2017. Grosjean, meanwhile, rallied from his 16th-place starting spot to finish 13th.

Improvement has been the name of the game for Haas F1 Team in 2018, and the organization plans more of the same in its return to Baku City Circuit. Magnussen looks for his third straight point-paying performance while Grosjean seeks to turn his pace into points for the first time this season.

And just as Haas F1 Team has grown into a points-paying contender at each grand prix, Baku has grown its grand prix into a premier event that contends with Formula One’s most storied venues.

Guenther Steiner, Team Principal

Magnussen has had a strong start to the season and he comes into Baku with back-to-back point-paying finishes. What do you attribute his performance to this year?
GS: “He likes the car and the car is good and that combination has given him confidence. He doesn’t have to overdo things. He believes in himself that he can do a good job with a good car.”

How helpful has it been for Magnussen to have continuity with Haas F1 Team, as it’s the first time in his career where he has been with same team for multiple years?
GS: “I think being with us for two years now has a lot to do with it. The first year, he figured out everybody. He knows who is who. He likes the atmosphere around the team. He hasn’t had this before and, now, coming into the second season is something new, and it’s helped pull the talent out of him.”

Grosjean has had the pace this season, but not the results. In your role as team principal, how do you ensure one side of the garage is operating at the same level as the other side of the garage even if the results are different?
GS: “It’s actually not a problem. While Romain hasn’t had the results he would’ve liked and we all wished we had, for one reason or another, there was never a lack of performance. There are no issues within the team. We have a good team atmosphere and Romain will get the results he and we want. I have no doubt about that.”

So far this season, we’ve seen both Haas F1 Team drivers racing near the front of the field in close proximity to one another. That’s obviously a good thing, but it also presents a new challenge with two drivers under the same roof wanting the same position. How do you manage this dynamic?
GS: “It’s not an easy thing to manage, but it’s a nice thing to manage. Sometimes you need to manage emotions, but I think we have good ground rules in place between the two drivers. They’re pushing each other in a different place and it’s more obvious. It seems like we could always have two cars in the points if everything goes right, and that’s really the only thing that has changed. Before, there were more ups and downs and we weren’t always in contention to finish in the top-10, but having a solid car in the VF-18 allows us to always compete for points.”

The Haas VF-18 has proven quick, thanks in part to its Ferrari engine and also to its overall balance. What are your expectations of the car at Baku City Circuit, which melds two different tracks into one layout?
GS: “We showed in the first three races that we can be competitive at the high end of the midfield, and we’re very confident we can be there in Baku, as well.”

Three races into 2018 and we’ve seen two Scuderia Ferrari wins and one Red Bull win with defending champion Mercedes still looking for a win. It seems there’s parity among the big-three teams, as well as throughout the midfield. What is your take on the competitiveness of this year’s Formula One field?
GS: “It’s very competitive. The Big Three, as we call them, are in their own league, but there is a group of teams behind them who are very strong, us included. It’s a very interesting championship.”

It appears that the fight for the top of the midfield is wide open. Can Haas F1 Team be best of the rest?
GS: “Yes, that is what we’re going to the racetrack for. We haven’t been best of the rest yet due to circumstances, some of which were self-inflicted, like Australia, but I’m sure that moment will come.”

What needs to happen for Haas F1 Team to maintain the speed it has shown early in the season through the rest of the Formula One calendar?
GS: “We need to keep on doing what we’re doing. Every race we learn more about the tires and we build up our knowledge base of the tires from this year, and we have planned for upgrades on the car. Our whole plan this year is different from last year. Last year, we knew we wouldn’t have many upgrades because we decided early in the season that we wouldn’t bring that many updates as we turned our focus to next year’s car. But this year, we made the decision early in the season that we will bring more updates. So, it’s down to how good are our updates, but also how good are the updates of the opposition?”

Baku City Circuit is a track where fuel consumption is high. Is there anything you have to do during the race to ensure your drivers have enough fuel to finish the race?
GS: “Yes, we have to do some lift-and-coast, but everyone is in the same boat. Now, that’s something you sometimes have to do anyway to save a little bit with your tires. But on these high-power circuits, we do have to do some lift-and-coast. All four engine manufacturers are very similar in this regard, so it’s nothing special, but it’s still something we need to look after.”

Fuel levels are set to increase in 2019, from the current allotment of 105 kilograms (27.3 gallons) to 110 kilograms (28.6 gallons) in order for drivers to use the full power of their car’s engine at all times. What can a driver do with those five extra kilograms (1.3 gallons) of fuel? Does it give them the freedom to push as hard as they want, whenever they want?
GS: “On a lot of the circuits, yes, the drivers can push as hard as they want because they have more than enough fuel to go the distance. But on some other circuits there is still some lift-and-coast, and lift-and-coast is sometimes done for other reasons, not only for fuel consumption. Sometimes, it’s to save your brakes or to save your tires. But in theory, most of the tracks with a 110-kilogram limit allow you to be wide open for the whole race. It does add some strategy to the race, as you can either go wide open or save tires, and whatever suits you or your car better, then that’s the choice you make.”

Romain Grosjean

You’ve had the pace this season, but not the results. Does knowing the capability of the car and team allow you to persevere and look ahead to the next race because it provides the next opportunity to get the results you want?
RG: “Yes. I think the car is really good, and the team has done a good job. We haven’t had much luck yet. We’ve had three races where we were looking at points, and three times where we haven’t scored. Knowing that we’ve got a good baseline and a good car is very exciting. I know it’s going to come our way at some point. Hopefully, that’s going to be in Baku.”

The Haas VF-18 has proven quick, thanks in part to its Ferrari engine and also to its overall balance. What are your expectations of the car at Baku City Circuit, which melds two different tracks into one layout?
RG: “Baku is definitely a different circuit from the rest. There’s that massive long straight line – where top speed plays a key role – and then you’ve got the very twisty part around the castle, where the balance needs to be good. It’s going to be a good challenge. It’s not a race where we were very competitive last year. It’ll be interesting to see how much progress we’ve made. It’s a really exciting grand prix – a lot can happen. There are always good opportunities, so we’ll try to get them there.”

Three races into 2018 and we’ve seen two Scuderia Ferrari wins and one Red Bull win with defending champion Mercedes still looking for a win. It seems there’s parity among the big-three teams, as well as throughout the midfield. What is your take on the competitiveness of this year’s Formula One field?
RG: “I think this year it’s been pretty good. There’s a nice battle at the front, then there’s quite a significant gap, then there’s the midfield battle, where one race it’s the Renault that’s the fastest, the next one it’s a Toro Rosso, another race it’s the Haas or maybe the McLaren. That makes it super exciting. We need to get everything super right – down to the last tenths of a second – to be qualifying in front of the others and race from there. It’s pretty exciting. Obviously, the front is a different situation, where Mercedes hasn’t won yet, but they’re still up there fighting really hard.”

It appears that the fight for the top of the midfield is wide open. Can Haas F1 Team be best of the rest?
RG: “I’m hoping so. We’re working on that. If we do achieve that at the end of the season, it would be amazing.”

What needs to happen for Haas F1 Team to maintain the speed it has shown early in the season through the rest of the Formula One calendar?
RG: “It’s development of the car, bringing updates, and making sure we exploit the platform 100 percent as much as we can. That’s really what we need. We’re competing against big teams, and they’re going to bring updates. We need to stay there as well.”

Baku City Circuit is a track where fuel consumption is high. Is there anything you have to do during the race to ensure you have enough fuel to finish the race?
RG: “There are a few things we can do in terms of modes and how you use your engine and how you drive, as well. You can lift and coast before the braking to save some fuel. As soon as there’s a safety car in the race, fuel is not a problem anymore. If there’s no safety car though, fuel can be a bit of a challenge.”

Fuel levels are set to increase in 2019, from the current allotment of 105 kilograms (27.3 gallons) to 110 kilograms (28.6 gallons) in order for drivers to use the full power of their car’s engine at all times. As a driver, what can you do with those five extra kilograms (1.3 gallons) of fuel? Would it give you the freedom to push as hard as you want, whenever you want?
RG: “Yes, I think it’s a good decision. Fuel saving is not something you necessarily want to do as a Formula One driver. You want to be pushing from the first lap to the last lap. There are times when we have to manage the tires, which does manage the fuel, so maybe no fuel limitation and a slightly better tire would be the perfect combination to get a 100 percent exciting race.”

What is the most challenging part of Baku City Circuit?
RG: “It’s a very challenging circuit. I would say the section around the castle, where the road is tiny. It’s quite tricky to drive with a wide car.”

What is your favorite part of Baku City Circuit?
RG: “Actually, the same part. It’s the most challenging one. It’s pretty high speed and you’ve got to get the right balance in those corners as well as the braking. It’s pretty exciting when you get it right.”

Describe a lap around Baku City Circuit.
RG: “You’ve got the first part of the circuit – big straight lines and then big braking into 90-degree corners. It’s not the most exciting, but it’s good for overtaking. Then later the track changes a lot. There are very tight corners, but flowing ones. Around the castle it’s uphill and very fast. The two last corners are downhill with a lot of camber before the long backstraight. It’s really two different circuits in one. The difference in the current-generation car is really in the braking points. You’re braking much later and carrying much more speed through the corners, like turns one, three, five and six. You’re going on power earlier. You just get a better grip around the track, and on a city circuit, it does make a lot of difference in how you drive and how you feel it.”

Kevin Magnussen

You’ve had a strong start to the season and you come into Baku with back-to-back point-paying finishes. What do you attribute your performance to this year?
KM: “The main thing is that we have a good car, a better car this year. I also think it makes a big difference that I’m with the same team for a second year, having that continuity. You have a totally different preparation and some experience to rely on.”

The Haas VF-18 has proven quick, thanks in part to its Ferrari engine and also to its overall balance. What are your expectations of the car at Baku City Circuit, which melds two different tracks into one layout?
KM: “Our car balance should be fine in Baku. It’s true that we do have a very good car this year – it’s very well balanced. But it’s going to be very difficult to predict how we’re going to be in Baku, as we don’t know what other people are going to bring in terms of special packages for that circuit. We’re going to try and get the most out of the car, but it’s going to be interesting to see what other people do.”

You ran as high as third in last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and a podium finish seemed possible. While it didn’t materialize, is a podium finish something that is within Haas F1 Team’s grasp this season?
KM: “Well, I think we were very lucky to find ourselves in third position in last year’s race – it wasn’t at all our natural position. We finished seventh, and even that wasn’t our natural position. We were pretty uncompetitive at last year’s grand prix in Baku, but we capitalized on other people’s mistakes. I’m sure we’re going to be more competitive and, hopefully, we’ll be as lucky as we were last year, as well.”

Three races into 2018 and we’ve seen two Scuderia Ferrari wins and one Red Bull win with defending champion Mercedes still looking for a win. It seems there’s parity among the big-three teams, as well as throughout the midfield. What is your take on the competitiveness of this year’s Formula One field?
KM: “I think it’s great to see Ferrari winning. It shows what kind of package we have in the power unit. It’s definitely, if not the best, then at least on par with the Mercedes. The close, competitive field that we have – especially around the midfield – is exciting. Of course, we want to be on top of it. It’s good for Formula One and the show that the competitiveness is so high amongst most of the field.”

It appears that the fight for the top of the midfield is wide open. Can Haas F1 Team be best of the rest?
KM: “At the moment, I think we are very even with Renault and perhaps a little faster than McLaren, at least in qualifying. The rest of the midfield, perhaps, seems a little more inconsistent, but they can definitely be up there with the rest of us on occasions. Renault is probably the strongest competitor in the midfield, but I think we have a car that can easily match them, and when we do well, beat them also. That should be our aim at the moment – to be fighting those guys. Obviously, we want to improve on last year’s result, which was eighth, and I think that’s a feasible target. We’re doing well at the moment, in terms of performance, but if we find ourselves in a good position halfway through the season, then maybe we have to reset our goals.”

Baku City Circuit is a track where fuel consumption is high. Is there anything you have to do during the race to ensure you have enough fuel to finish the race?
KM: “When you have high fuel consumption, you have to do lift-and-coast, which is sometimes tricky for the tires. It’s not a big problem to do, it’s just in terms of driving and technique, it has a big effect on tire temperature, so you may find yourself with problems. With lift-and-coast, you lose temperature in the brakes, and that goes into the tire, and you lose temperature in the tire as well. It can be a problem if you’re doing a long stint on a set of tires. Losing temperature can be difficult to gain back.”

Fuel levels are set to increase in 2019, from the current allotment of 105 kilograms (27.3 gallons) to 110 kilograms (28.6 gallons) in order for drivers to use the full power of their car’s engine at all times. As a driver, what can you do with those five extra kilograms (1.3 gallons) of fuel? Would it give you the freedom to push as hard as you want, whenever you want?
KM: “It’ll definitely help. Whether it means that we can run flat out for the whole race, that’s not guaranteed, at least at some tracks. Most of the tracks should be fine. You’ll be able to push flat out. I guess at some of the circuits it would mean we carry less fuel than the 110 kilograms, because we won’t need it at all the tracks. But surely at some tracks, I think we might still have to do some lift-and-coast – maybe very little. It’s great to see that we have that rule coming. It’ll allow us to not be restricted in terms of fuel, and being able to push flat out for the whole race. You’re still going to have to manage the tires, though.”

What is the most challenging part of Baku City Circuit?
KM: “The most challenging section is the very tight and twisty part around turn eight. You’re just taking a lot of curb there and the walls are getting close. There are corners everywhere – with walls – and it’s bumpy. It’s a really cool part of the track, and very unique. I don’t think there’s any other place that’s as tight as that section.”

What is your favorite part of Baku City Circuit?
KM: “I would say sector two, in all the narrow bits. It’s good fun and you have to be very precise.”

Describe a lap around Baku City Circuit.
KM: “It’s a mixture of Monza and Monaco, with great opportunities to overtake.”

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RENAULT PREVIEW THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Renault Sport Formula One Team previews the fourth race weekend of the 2018 Formula 1 season, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz share their thoughts on the Baku City Circuit, while our management and technical staff give the latest on the team and on the Renault R.S.18-R.E.18 package.

Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault Sport Racing: “Baku will mark the start of the next phase of our season push. We will debut some new chassis upgrades, specifically on the wings and bargeboards, which will be followed on the engine side in Barcelona. We are confident that the combination of these developments can allow us to maintain our performance. We need to remain focussed on making every single element work.”

Nico Hülkenberg: “It’s a positive start to the season, and it’s good to be at the front end of the midfield. It’s important to keep picking up a good number of points to make sure we are in the hunt. It’s about continuing on this upward trajectory and putting the work in to make sure we are ahead of our rivals.”

Carlos Sainz: “In general, I think these three first races have been quite positive and the whole team is showing great commitment to achieve our objectives. On my side, I have had the chance to try different set ups in the car and I’m confident we’re heading in the right direction. We have to keep up the good work and always try to improve to bring as many points home as possible.”

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RED BULL WARN RICCIARDO AMID TALK OF FERRARI DEAL ON THE TABLE

Daniel Ricciardo’s future beyond 2018 is still not decided, the Australian is keen to delay his decision as late as possible but his Red Bull bosses have warned that they are starting to get impatient as word has leaked out that the 28-year-old is locked in talks with Ferrari.

Red Bull F1 chief Christian Horner told Auto Motor und Sport, “We do not want to wait forever on Ricciardo, we have other good options. There should be a decision by the summer break [August] at the latest.”

However various sources in the paddock claim that behind-the-scenes Red Bull are pushing for an earlier decision, wanting some kind of confirmation from their driver before the Formula 1 circus heads to Canada in June. But apparently, this may not be possible…

Ricciardo’s shares have shot up since his victory in China last time out but in fairness, he has been on the Ferrari radar for some time, while Mercedes are also said to be interested should he decide to depart his current team.

Word in the paddock is that the Aussie has started talks with Ferrari for a possible place alongside Sebastian Vettel in the Italian team, replacing 38-year-old veteran Kimi Raikkonen who would then retire from F1 at the end of this season.

Furthermore, Ferrari are said to have penned a deal with Ricciardo barring him from negotiating with any other team, including Red Bull, until 1 July.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ricciardo is seeking a two-year deal and wants €27-million per year from the team he drives for beyond this season.

Motorsport Magazine report: “There are many different types of contractual options, but this one is said to be on both sides up to a defined date (believed to be June 30). Up until that time, neither party can officially negotiate with another.”

“Because the driver is effectively locking himself out of the market for that time, discussions for his post-2018 services are contractually ‘owned’ by the team (in this case Ferrari).”

“As such, he will be paid a fee. Between now and then he and Ferrari can negotiate about a future contract. This is all conventional F1 practice,” concluded the report.

In the light of this, Horner added, “Our priority is to continue working with Daniel, but if that does not work, we have attractive options. The most obvious is Carlos Sainz. He is under contract with us. And then there are a few young drivers.”

Horner is referring to the fact that Sainz is on loan to Renault, with the proviso that he steps up to the energy drinks outfit should Ricciardo be snapped up by a rival team.

Meanwhile, Ricciardo hinted that he is not seeking a long-term deal when he told The Times, “I feel like life is happening pretty fast. Each year something might change so I don’t want to tie myself down for four more years and then I’m like: I don’t want to do this any more.”

“Ideally I’d sign a two-year contract. I think two years I can definitely be comfortable with and then see it from there. That third year will be the rule change so I will probably wait and see what happens then,” added Ricciardo.

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F1 TEAMS ALLOWED TO MOUNT MIRRORS ON HALO

The FIA have authorised the use of rear view mirrors attached to the halo of Formula 1 cars with immediate effect, provided they pass mandatory tests.

FIA technical chief Nikolas Tombazis clarified the positioning and related requirements for attaching mirrors to the halo which must meet the governing body’s rear vision and sturdiness tests.

Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the FIA wrote in a directive, regarding mirrors attached to the halo safety device, which was sent to all teams: “We expect that you will be able to satisfy us that the installation is sufficiently rigid to ensure that the mirror does not vibrate too much, which would limit driver visibility.”

“We will not accept a dual mirror mounting (halo and traditional survival cell), as this could cause delays in the event a rescue team had to remove the halo following an accident.”

“We will not accept a cable or connectors to run through the halo fairing, hence in the rare case when a team is asked to mount cameras in the mirrors (position 1 of Drawing 6 of the Technical Regulations), that team would have to resort in using a mirror installation on the chassis or side pod.”

“We will not accept a cable or connectors to run through the halo fairing, hence in the rare case when a team is asked to mount cameras in the mirrors (position 1 of Drawing 6 of the Technical Regulations), that team would have to resort in using a mirror installation on the chassis or side pod.”

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WILLIAMS: OUR SPORT IS BASICALLY BROKEN!

Williams deputy team principal, Claire Williams has slammed the current state of Formula 1, claiming the sport is “broken” pointing to the fact that in the current era only three teams have the ability to win races.

It has been over 100 races since any team other than Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have won, Williams last scoring a victory at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix with Pastor Maldonado.

Speaking to Blick, the daughter of Sir Frank Williams said, “When I started, I really thought we could win again. Now I do not believe that anymore! These illusions are gone. Our sport is basically broken!”

Although her title is that of deputy, her father remains team principal but is unable to attend races and be at the factory daily, she runs the show

Williams continued, “It’s naive to believe that if you work hard you’ll be rewarded. Except for the three top teams, in future, nobody will win.”

“The financial discrepancy compared to Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull is just too big. It’s impossible to keep up and this is sad. If the new Formula 1 bosses actually put in place a $150-million budget cap from 2021, then we could survive.”

Williams currently have over 600 employees to put two cars on track for the 21 races of this year’s championship, despite this, they are struggling at the wrong end of the grid.

In 1992, when the team were world champions with Nigel Mansell, less than 200 people worked at their Grove headquarters and that season operated on a budget of around $50-million.

In the eighties and nineties, Williams were the team to beat. Only Ferrari have more F1 constructors’ world titles, while their 114 grand prix victories is only bettered by the Italian team and McLaren.

But this century the team has slid down the order and this season are at their nadir. To reverse the slide Williams took onboard Paddy Lowe to lead their technical department which includes former Ferrari designer Dirk de Beer.

Expectations were high for the team ahead of 2018, but their drivers 19-year-old Lance Stroll and rookie Sergey Sirotkin have yet to score a point. The FW41 has fallen well short of what is required to move the team up the pecking order, instead, they have slipped down to the wrong end of the field.

Williams pulled no punches when talking about their current predicament, “There are teams at the moment who have less money than we do but are doing a better job.”

“We brought in many good people in 2017, but our expectations were too high. All problems always start at home, in the factory,” added Williams.

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SYMONDS: IMPERFECT STRATEGY CALLS COSTING MERCEDES

Formula 1 Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds has pinpointed shortcomings that he believes have hampered Mercedes so far this season, suggesting that the world champion team is feeling the pressure as their once almighty engine advantage has been eradicated by their archrivals, Ferrari.

The Silver Arrows have yet to win a race this season and have been out-paced by the Reds during qualifying in Bahrain and China, suggesting that the performance gap has been reduced if not eliminated during the winter off-season.

In his review of the first three races, ahead of round four in Azerbaijan, Symonds said of Mercedes, “They’re still strong and still very, very capable of winning the title this year but perhaps more than Ferrari.”

“They are going to have races where they don’t get their tyres into the right working range and therefore they will not be as competitive.”

“Strategically, they’ve also had troubles. I won’t call them wrong, but I would say some imperfect strategy calls. I think that’s because there may have been imperfect calls before but with such a performance advantage you don’t really see them.”

“If you look back at the recent history of Mercedes, one thing that they’ve never quite got on top of is tyre management. We saw it a lot in the pre-hybrid era when they didn’t have the engine advantage they enjoy now.”

“If they didn’t get their tyre quite right, they didn’t have great races. I think things were masked from 2014 to 2016, simply because they had this big power advantage.”

“Then, last year we started to hear the car being called a ‘diva’. What’s that about?”

“In my mind, the difference in performance you get from one weekend to the next is not really explainable in aerodynamics or vehicle dynamics or anything like that. ”

“With an aero/chassis package, getting your set up just right might mean you’re hoping to pick up a tenth or so from Friday to Saturday qualifying. But when you get a big shift, when suddenly you’re not competitive, it has to be down to tyres,” ventured the former Renault and Williams technical boss.

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HAMILTON: LOSING THE F1 TITLE IN 2007 WAS UNBEARABLE

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed that losing the 2007 Formula 1 world title was one of the most unbearable moments of his career, but explained how the lows in his life have made him cherish the highs.

At the time Hamilton, a rookie, was embroiled in a four-way battle for the 2017 title with his McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari duo Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.

The Briton arrived in Shanghai, the penultimate round of the championship, leading by 12 points and after starting on pole looked to be heading for victory, but he stayed out too long on ageing tyres and as a result slithered off the track into a sand-trap within view of his pits.

Hamilton’s race was over on the spot allowing his rivals to close in on his points lead. At the season finale Brazilian Grand Prix, Raikkonen capitalised on Ferrari’s superior pace at Interlagos to steal the title.

Now, over a decade later, Hamilton told CNN, “I remember back in 2007, in China, it was unbearable the loss of the world championship and the race. I had qualified on pole and leading the grand prix… and so the mindset, the strength in which I have now I wish I had then, it would have changed my life a lot”

With regards to the highs of the lows of his career, in which he has won four F1 world titles and claimed 62 grand prix victories, Hamilton mused, “I don’t know, I think in life you remember the most painful things most, because it’s the most painful thing that can possibly happen to you, of course, you will never forget those.”

“If you did not have those you couldn’t appreciate the highs. And so my appreciation for the highs and my memory of the highs is greater, a sweeter tasting thing and a really happy place, but if I didn’t know where the bottom was I don’t think I’d be able to appreciate it as much.”

Asked if he watched races after competing in them, he revealed, “I don’t. Maybe it is something I will do when I retire. I don’t know.”

“The only things I do watch is when I arrive at a track I will watch the start, for example, of a couple of the races just to see how they went just to refresh my mind and recall what I experienced [the previous] year and the things I came up against.”

Sometimes I’ll go home after a grand prix in Europe and get back home on a Sunday night and try switch on the TV, if I am lucky the highlights are on but it is very rare that I ever get to see them,” added Hamilton ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, one of the few venues where he has yet to win.