FORMULA 1

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Losing MGU-H a 'backwards step' for F1 - engine chiefs

Formula 1 engine manufacturers believe that the removal of the MGU-H for 2021 is a “backwards step” – but remain wary the sport has to strike a balance between technology and entertainment.

Formula 1 is set to retain power units under the next regulatory cycle in 2021, but the MGU-H – the part of the system that recovers heat from the turbo – will be removed.

Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell accepted that decision but says the systems the manufacturers will now develop seem counterintuitive to the technological advancement that has already taken place.

“I think the MGU-H has been blamed for the lack of noise, for high complexity,” said Cowell.

“It’s been referred to as a miracle. There are four technology companies that have made it work and get 60 per cent of their electrical energy to then power the [MGU]-K.

“It contributes five per cent of the thermal efficiency of the power unit and to make up the power difference we’re going to have to increase the fuel flow rate, which I think is a backwards step.

“It’s not progress, so, my view is the H should stay because the development has been done.

“Removing it removes a lot of energy, which is a lot of car performance. Yeah, it feels like a backwards step when the development work’s been done.

“We will all now start developing anti-lag systems. The MGU-H is the most marvellous anti-lag system on a turbocharged engine because it gives you speed control.

“That’s been removed so we’ll now have to come up with various devices and systems and that will probably involve burning some fuel in the exhaust which doesn’t feel like the most honourable thing to do, as an engineer.

“But, as I’ve said previously, it’s a balance between technology and entertainment. We’ve got to get that balance right.”

Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto echoed Cowell’s viewpoint but was more forgiving of the reasons behind the removal of the MGU-H.

“Looking ahead, we know that we know we need to find a compromise,” said Binotto.

“The compromise based on what are the main objectives of 2021: spectacle; noise; simplification; cost.

“When you are dealing with compromises, there may always be different opinions and I think somehow we may accept the MGU-H to be removed but certainly removing the MGU-H doesn’t mean that we fully need to standardise the power units and the engines.”

Honda engine guru Toyoharu Tanabe added that: “We will miss the MGU-H. The direction from the FIA we respect, we respect the other manufacturers’ direction, but we think we will miss the MGU-H, such a high pinnacle of technology for the future and relevant to the production car as well.”

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Ferrari's Spain tech push went beyond banned winglet

Ferrari’s halo-mounted mirrors courted fresh controversy in Spain last weekend, but this was just one of several new technical solutions introduced by the Formula 1 team.
The legality of Ferrari’s wing mirrors was first put under the microscope in Azerbaijan.

Ferrari added three small tabs to the upper trailing edge after rivals lobbied the FIA over the visibility of the SF71-H’s floor strakes, which contravened a rule stating no bodywork can be seen in the area ahead of the sidepods and floor from above.

Ferrari SF71H mirrors comparsion

It then became the first team to take advantage of the FIA’s technical directive clarifying the use of mirrors on the halo, and the housings and mountings that can be used.

Ferrari installed it in controversial circumstances in Spain, with the main mirror housing connecting point fine but the winglet that ran across the top more contentious.

The defence was that the winglet was a “minor local reinforcement”, as demanded by the FIA’s technical directive, but the FIA viewed it differently.

Charlie Whiting, Ferrari SF71H with mirrors on halo

The winglet, which race director Charlie Whiting said would have carried an aerodynamic benefit, however small, must disappear for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari’s innovation did not end at the mirrors though, with other refinements made as the team bids to maximise this year’s challenger.

It introduced the sort of longitudinal floor holes already seen utilised by McLaren this season.

Ferrari is looking to work that part of the car harder, with the holes working together to minimise ‘tyre squirt’.

This phenomenon is destructive to the diffuser's performance if left untreated and is something that Ferrari is clearly keen to manage.

Also at the rear of the car, Ferrari has employed a new suspension upright.

Ferrari SF71H rear suspension

It has a much more aggressive transition, allowing a wider, flatter surface that is designed to improve the aerodynamic output of both the component and the rear wing behind.

The diffuser was also revised, with the outer feathered section less square than its predecessor and a ramped central section that tapers more heavily.

Ferrari SF-71H rear diffuser and aero paint

 

 

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"Suffering" Grosjean an "easy target" - Haas

Haas Formula 1 team principal Gunther Steiner says Romain Grosjean has become an "easy target" and his Spanish Grand Prix crash penalty is unfair.
Grosjean will take a three-place grid demotion at the Monaco GP as a punishment for triggering the first-lap pile-up in Spain that took out his Haas, Nico Hulkenberg's Renault and Pierre Gasly's Toro Rosso.

The stewards criticised Grosjean's decision to accelerate when he began spinning at Barcelona's Turn 3, insisting he could have kept his car on the outside of the track rather than looping into the path of the rest of the field.

Steiner said the penalty was like "kicking a guy in the face when he's on his knees" and felt Grosjean had been treated more harshly than other drivers would have been.

"He tried to get out of the way," Steiner argued.

"He said: 'I had the decision to make: do I stand still or do I go through?' And he went through and he knocked two [cars] out.

"If he had stood still, we don't know, maybe he would have knocked five out.

"It's never a good place to be, in the middle, whatever you do - that's my point of view. For me it's a start incident - whatever you do, afterwards it will be wrong.

"He didn't do anything stupid at the start. It's not that he tried to overtake, or brake late, or that he understeered into anybody.

  

"His car spun around and, yes, it doesn't look good if someone accelerates when you're in the middle of the track, but it's a millisecond decision that he needed to take.

"I feel sorry for them [Gasly and Hulkenberg] that they got taken out, but he wasn't trying an overtaking manoeuvre.

"In the moment his reputation is not the highest one. He's an easy target."

The incident followed Grosjean crashing while trying to warm his tyres behind the safety when running sixth in the preceding Azerbaijan GP, and extended his non-scoring run to nine races.

"I went to see him immediately because I could imagine how he feels - not good, obviously," Steiner added.

"I always say it's not how you got down, it's how you get up again. He just needs to keep working at it and he'll get back.

"We need to help him. I said to him, 'I cannot blame you for this. You tried to get the best start you could, it didn't work out, move on. Focus on Monte Carlo, we know you're strong there, just try to do your best.'

"He's suffering but he just needs to get back on the horse and get going again."

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Raikkonen engine failure unlikely to prompt another change

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen should be able to avoid an engine change for Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix after the problem that caused him to retire in Spain last weekend.
Raikkonen failed to finish the Spanish GP after suffering a loss of power on lap 26. The Finn was initially instructed to stop the car, but he was able to nurse it back to the pits.

It is understood a wiring problem cut the power to the left-hand cylinders on Raikkonen’s Ferrari V6.

As this is not a terminal problem with the unit itself, it should continue to be used in Monaco, having only just been introduced at Barcelona.

Ferrari replaced Raikkonen’s internal combustion engine, turbocharger and MGU-H after a problem in Friday practice in Spain.

Those components should have lasted until the end of the Monaco race before being replaced for the seventh round in Canada, where Ferrari plans to introduce its upgraded engine.

This means Raikkonen is likely to have to wait to receive the performance boost, with the German GP in July the next logical opportunity.

Waiting until Germany would mean Raikkonen completes six races with the engine components fitted in Spain.

That cycle of races should be Ferrari's minimum target given drivers are limited to three of those components over the 21-race season before being penalised for more changes.

Raikkonen would still need to take a fresh, fourth engine before the end of the year, but this strategy would likely restrict him to just one race with a grid penalty.

However, it would mean Raikkonen contests four races with an older-specification engine than Sebastian Vettel, if his teammate can get Ferrari’s upgraded unit in Canada as planned.

Raikkonen’s Spanish GP retirement was his second non-score in five races and leaves him 47 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

The 2007 world champion failed to finish in Bahrain after a botched Ferrari pitstop that left a pit crew member with a broken leg.

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Oliver Rowland hopes to persuade Williams F1 team to 'take a punt'

Williams young driver Oliver Rowland hopes he can convince the team to "take a punt" and promote him to a Formula 1 race seat for the 2019 season.

Rowland made his official F1 test debut in Spain this morning before handing over the FW41 to Williams reserve driver Robert Kubica on Wednesday.

The 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 champion spent the last two seasons as Renault's development driver but switched to a Williams role after failing to land an F1 race seat for '18.

"It's difficult to know their situation," Rowland told Autosport about his Williams prospects.

"Obviously we're going to try to see what we can raise but my job has to be to do the best I can do.

"Look at Valtteri Bottas, when he was here, he did a similar thing. He didn't race anything and focused on his development role here.

"That's what I'm looking at. I'm British, that helps in a British team.

"They need a step up, so I'm hoping they might take a punt."

Williams is last in the championship after five races and struggling with what team consultant Alex Wurz claims is an aerodynamic stall at the rear of the car.

This week's test is the first opportunity to trial development on-track since pre-season, and Williams chief technical officer Paddy Lowe believes that increases Rowland's responsibility and chance to impress.

"We've got a range of new parts to try and Oliver is our first filter of those," he told Autosport.

"We'll base quite a lot of our decisions Tuesday night around that for Wednesday with Robert.

"It's a great opportunity for Oliver to show that discrimination and understanding around what he's testing, as well as seeing how he is on pace, which we shouldn't forget is still important."

Lowe said Williams has been "very happy" with Rowland, who he says has done a "great job" with his simulator work so far.

"It's an important day on Tuesday and we'll see how that goes," said Lowe.

"Then we can review, and there's the opportunity to do the second young driver day in Hungary in July."

Rowland believes "feedback, consistency and showing you can approach things in a mature manner are going to go the furthest" in impressing Williams in this test.

"There's not much pressure to do an amazing lap time because of where they seem to be at the moment," he said. "I'll still try, maybe we'll bring some new items and improve.

"Tuesday and Wednesday they are going to have a good idea of where I am compared to [the team's race drivers and Kubica].

"On the simulator I know I do a good job, I'm fast and consistent, and I know I'm everything they wanted.

"I need to do the job on track, and see where I am compared to these guys."

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ARE FERRARI BENDING THE RULES A LITTLE TOO FAR?

Ferrari are being scrutinised on several fronts after their Halo mounted mirror concept was deemed illegal, now they are being suspected of tinkering with the battery in a manner that has given them a power boost in qualifying, as well as the long oil burning saga that raises its head every time a red car puffs.

The Halo mounted mirrors had an elaborate winglet add-on which was “clearly not related to looking at cars behind you” and has since been banned as from the next race in Monaco.

Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting explained the reasoning behind the ban, “It’s a liberal interpretation of the word ‘mounting’ that’s how they become legal, because there is no bodywork allowed in the area in the upper part of that.”

“The interpretation hinges on whether we think that’s a mounting or not. We somehow think not so we’re going to take some action on that.”

“They [Ferrari] think it [the winglet] contributes to the rigidity of the mirror. It’s just a matter of interpretation and such a tenuous interpretation is not something we’re happy with.”

When asked to confirm that the Ferrari mirrors were indeed banned, Whiting replied, “Yes, you could say that. If it was a clear breach of the regulations, they wouldn’t have been allowed to use it [in Barcelona]. But we’ll clarify that to everybody.”

And the winglet mirrors be in Monaco? “No. If we do we’re probably going to see the stewards about it. The technical directive will make it clear.”

“I doubt they would be there if there wasn’t a measurable aero advantage, but these days that doesn’t have to be big,” responded Whiting when asked if the system provided Ferrari with an advantage.

Meanwhile, Auto Motor und Sport report that teams are considering protesting Ferrari in Monaco as the Italian team are believed to have a unique way of extracting around 20 bhp from the car’s battery. An exploit that has FIA engineers baffled for now.

Add to that the belching of smoke episodes amid the oil burning saga, throw in the extra paddle on Sebastian Vettel’s steering wheel and it is clear that Ferrari are either pushing the envelope or pretending to do so for whatever reason.

MIKA: Bending and breaking the rules are two different things. This is F1 so "Bending the rules" is part of the sport. EVERYONE has done so over the decades. Well done if they are and I'm not even a Ferrari fan.

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BOTTAS: I’VE MET MY PERFORMANCE TARGETS

With three second places from five races, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas believes he is hitting his targets for the Formula 1 season even if victory has so far eluded him while his teammate Lewis Hamilton has won twice in the same period.

Bottas would have been a winner in Azerbaijan last month but for suffering a puncture three laps from the end while leading.

In Spain, he followed home race winner Hamilton to claim the team’s first one-two of the campaign, Bottas finished 22 seconds adrift of the winner on very worn tyres after a massive 47 lap stint on a single set.

“I think this year I’ve been meeting more or less my targets with the performance for the beginning of the year,” Bottas, whose future beyond 2018 remains uncertain, told reporters after Sunday’s race.

“I think I’ve been able to really continue good performance since the very end of last year. There’s been no weekends that I’ve been really way off the pace, like there was a few last year. So I think I’ve learned from those. I just need to continue my development, there’s never things that you can’t learn more.”

Bottas won the 2017 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after an uneven first year at Mercedes following his move from Williams to replace retired 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg. Hamilton won nine races to Bottas’s three in 2017.

He started the year with a crash in qualifying in Australia, collecting a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change that left him 15th on the grid. He finished eighth.

The Finn bounced back by outqualifying Hamilton in Bahrain and China, finishing second in both races, and was runner-up again on Sunday in a race the champion dominated.

Had he not drawn a blank in Baku, the 28-year-old would be a lot closer to Hamilton than the current 37 points.

He has had some criticism too, with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo — among those most likely to replace him — saying after Bahrain that he would have tried to pass Ferrari’s race winner Sebastian Vettel rather than settling for second.

“I think there’s been quite mixed races and the end results haven’t been really I feel sometimes quite there, that I feel would have been possible with the pace we have. The gap to Lewis was huge (in Barcelona), but there were many things that affected that,” declared Bottas.

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BARCELONA TEST DAY 2: BOTTAS TOPS AHEAD OF GIOVINAZZI

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas topped the timing sheets at the end of the second and final day of Formula 1 testing in Barcelona, with Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi second fastest.

Bottas’ best lap time of 1.16:904 was set on the Pirelli supersoft tyres during the course of the day in which he completed 139 laps.

A tad slower was Giovnazzi who completed nearly three race distances, his 148 laps were more than any other driver managed on the day.

McLaren’s young reserve driver Lando Norris was third fastest, recovering after stopping out on track earlier in the day.

Bottas’ time was the fastest ever in testing at Barcelona, although it was about eight tents of a second slower than the track record set by teammate Lewis Hamilton in qualifying for last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Kevin Magnussen of Haas, Charles Leclerc of Sauber and Pierre Gasly of Toro Rosso also took part, with most other teams using junior and development drivers.

Gasly took over the Toro Rosso cockpit for the afternoon session from Formula 2 regular Sean Gelael. The pair finished ninth and twelfth respectively.

Williams used reserve driver Robert Kubica, who at the weekend was back in an official F1 session for the first time since almost losing his hand in a rally accident in 2011.

Jack Aitken had an impressive and hassle-free first test for the Renault, ending the day sixth and completing 120 laps in the process.

On his Red Bull test debut, 22-year-old Jake Dennis ended the day 10th, his best time came towards the end of the day in which he managed to complete 75 laps.

McLaren and Force India ran two cars as they ran tests for Pirelli tyre test, for Stoffel Vandoorne and Nicolas Latifi respectively.

Max Verstappen had the fastest time with Red Bull on the first day of testing on Tuesday, clocking 1: 17.538.

What the teams said:

Toro Rosso

Sean Gelael: “It was a long session this morning. I stayed in the car a lot and completed 83 laps! It was really fun, especially because yesterday, sadly, we had much less running. I’m really happy with today, I think the team had interesting ideas and developments, so that should hopefully be valuable for the upcoming races. It was a pleasure for me to contribute with a lot of race simulations, hopefully the testing items we ran will be successful and will make the car quicker!”

Pierre Gasly: “It was a quiet afternoon for me. We did 39 laps because we had a couple of issues, so I didn’t have a lot of running but we still managed to test a few things and get more answers to try and find the right direction to improve our package. I think we found some interesting results and now I am fully focussed on Monaco, I’m excited to go there for my second home race!”

Jonathan Eddolls, Chief Race Engineer: “After a difficult beginning to the Barcelona test, the team re-grouped and responded with a fantastic start to the second day of testing. Due to the limited running yesterday, Sean drove for us in the morning and completed a number of high priority test items. The main items covered were a mix of aerodynamic testing and characterisation, cooling evaluation, tyre testing and a number of mechanical setup tests. We scanned quite large changes with the aim of understanding the full operational envelope of the car and we have found some very interesting directions which we need to analyse and explore further. It was really the first time Sean got to do proper running in the TR13 and he was up to speed very quickly. It’s good to see that his feedback on the car was well aligned with our race drivers. Pierre took over in the afternoon, starting with some short runs with aerodynamic rakes fitted, but unfortunately we had an issue with the steering on the car, which took quite a while to change, so he didn’t get out properly until 4pm. From this point onwards things ran smoothly and we covered the plan by shortening the runs somewhat, so we still managed to gather all of the required data.
“To sum up, although we had a couple of small issues over the two days, we still managed to cover all of the major test items we had planned. We are coming away with some interesting setup directions to consider and a lot of data to go through over the coming days.”

Masamitsu Motohashi, Honda F1 Deputy Technical Director: “This has been our first chance since we were last here in Barcelona back in March, to be able to test ideas without dealing with the pressures of a race weekend and as such it has been useful. Over these two days, on the PU side, we worked mainly on energy management topics, evaluating how best to balance power between each component. Now we will apply the lessons learned in future races.”

Red Bull

Jake Dennis: “My first day in the RB14 went really well. Obviously it’s a big step up from what I’m used to in GT racing but I got used to the speed and the grip quite quickly and we managed to get through the whole run plan in the end. The morning session went pretty smoothly and then in the afternoon I managed to get quite a few laps under my belt, which was good. It was nice to change a few things to give me a proper representation of the difference between the simulator and real life. So we have a few things to work on back in Milton Keynes to help Max and Daniel and make it even more realistic for them. But overall, super happy, a big thanks to the team for giving me the opportunity, and hopefully I’ll be back in the RB14 soon!”

Senior Projects Engineer Jeff Calam: “Today was very much an engineering biased day and we didn’t expect to rack up the kind of mileage we amassed yesterday or to target any kind of meaningful lap time. In the morning we were focused on aero mapping and after that we had quite a long stop over lunch to make some changes to the car. The downtime ended up being a bit longer due to red flags this afternoon but while we lost about an hour and a half it didn’t affect the programme we were running and we got through all the test items on the agenda. It was very useful day for Jake, too, and he was able to get a good feeling for the car and provided us with good feedback throughout. In all I’d say he did a very good job and did everything that we asked of him. No headlines for us today but the work we did and the data gathered will be of great value going forward.”

Mercedes

Valtteri Bottas: “Today was really interesting and we got through our programme fairly smoothly. We had a good baseline from last weekend and used it to work on different set-ups, trying out bigger changes than we normally would on a race weekend. We also tried to gather some information on the tyres, as we will see similarly smooth tarmac at Silverstone and Paul Ricard. I enjoyed being back in the car today, I’m looking forward to being back in action next week in Monaco.”

Andrew Shovlin: “We’ve had Valtteri in the car today and have had another very useful day of testing, with the car running faultlessly throughout. We had a fairly similar programme to Lewis, using the early part of the day to do a number of the aerodynamic test items, then getting into a programme of short run work before lunch and longer runs in the afternoon. There were a few cars that stopped on track in the afternoon causing red flags, which does impact on your plans. But, we have been able to complete almost all the important work we had planned and have made some good progress in further understanding the car and tyres. We have a very busy few days coming up, finishing our analysis from the race and test and getting stuck into preparations for Monaco to ensure we are ready for its unique challenges.”

Sauber

Charles Leclerc: “It was a productive day of testing for us. I feel comfortable on this track, as we have spent quite a bit of time here this season – for winter testing, the Grand Prix last weekend, and now the third test of the season. We tried out various car set-ups, and tested new aerodynamic parts. It was also interesting to drive on different tyre compounds and learn more about their behaviour. I am satisfied with the number of laps we completed. We collected a lot of data and will be able to learn from this and apply our knowledge in the upcoming races.”

Renault

Jack Aitken: “Today was an amazing experience for me driving a contemporary Formula 1 car for the first time. I was a little surprised how quickly I adapted to the car as I was up to speed quite smoothly in the morning. It was a busy day with a packed programme! We got through it really well, with both the team and myself able to learn a lot through the day. Overall, an awesome day with a lot of laps on the board and plenty of data to analyse so I’m a happy man.”
Alan Permane, Sporting Director: “We ran a similar programme to yesterday, the only exception being getting Jack acclimatised in the car. He got up to speed quickly in the morning session and ran consistently with very good feedback. As the day progressed, we began a mixture of runs on a range of tyre compounds, testing different stint lengths, as well as the usual aero and mechanical test item evaluations. Another productive day overall.”

Ferrari

Antonio Giovinazzi: “It was a tiring day. We did a lot of laps, but I really enjoyed it. Apart from yesterday, driving the Alfa Sauber, I hadn’t driven in an official test session since last year in Abu Dhabi. We had an interesting programme to work on, with various things to test and different tyre compounds to try. The test was productive and delivered a really big amount of data to correlate with that from the simulator. To be at the wheel of a Ferrari is always a privilege and it was a fantastic feeling.”

Williams

Dave Robson, Performance Projects – Principal Engineer: “We’ve had another very busy and productive day today with a lot of laps completed. We’ve run a solid programme with Robert, building on the ground work we did yesterday with Oliver in the car. Robert’s done a really good job and once again we’ve collected an awful lot of data that’s hopefully going to help inform how we set the car up and develop it in Monaco and beyond.”

Robert Kubica, Reserve and Development Driver: “There will be a lot of things to analyse and double check with all the data we gathered. It was an interesting day from a driving point of view but it will be more interesting for the guys back at the factory to look at the data and see what we can get out of it. With limited time we need to find the best way of fixing our issues. That’s not something we will be doing in 24 hours. I am happy to help and I did my best as always.”

 

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Todt backs Ferrari to drop quit threat

FIA president Jean Todt is confident Ferrari will remain in Formula 1 if they see a “good format” in place for 2021.

Ferrari have issued and reiterated that they will leave Formula 1 if the new regulations devised by Liberty Media and the FIA are not to their liking for the 2021 season and beyond.

But, recently, the Scuderia’s firm stance seems to have softened somewhat after more talks with the respective governing bodies.

And Todt is “convinced” his former team will continue to compete in Formula 1 for the foreseeable future.

“Ferrari is an iconic brand,” Todt said.

“There are several reasons for that, and one of them is that the sport is very important for them. Ferrari profits from racing and racing profits from them.

“I’m convinced that if we set up a good format, they will continue to be interested,” said the Frenchman.

But Todt was also keen to stress that the new rules must suit all teams, including potential new ones, and not just Ferrari.

“We have to do something that’s good for ten teams, not just one,” he insisted.

“More than half of the teams are in difficulty, and that’s not good for the premier discipline of motor sport.

“That’s why we have to do something about the discrepancy between the teams.”

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Renault fear fuel issue could ‘bite’ again

Cyril Abiteboul says Renault need to prioritising fixing their fuel pressure problem before it “bites” again.

Although a fuel pressure problem cost Nico Hulkenberg dearly in qualifying for the Spanish GP, that turned out to be blockage and not Renault’s usual problem.

The latter, though, did befall Carlos Sainz during the race forcing the Spaniard to back off in high G corners.

And unless Renault can find a solution, the team’s managing director fears it is a problem that they will see again.

“We had a bit of a warning on fuel pressure towards the end of the race,” Abiteboul told Autosport.

“And we had to manage it, and Carlos did that by going a bit easy in Turn 3, which is always a very challenging corner for fuel pressure.

“We don’t think it was related to Nico’s problems because we found an object in Nico’s fuel tank which was blocking.

“But it’s a problem that we’ve seen before, and that can happen in high-g corners like Turn 3, so that’s something that we need to fix, because there are a couple of races where it’s going to bite again.”

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Gasly will ‘keep pushing’ for 2018 updates

Pierre Gasly is keen to ensure that Toro Rosso continue developing their STR13 until the last race of this season.

While most of their rivals arrived on the Spanish Grand Prix with a host of updates for their 2018 challenges, Toro Rosso’s were minimal.

The team opted against a massive upgrade with reports claiming they will instead bring new parts to the next race in Monaco, and again in Canada.

Gasly, though, wants the Honda-powered team to continue developing the car throughout the season.

“From my side I’ll keep pushing them until the last race to bring me as much performance as I can,” he told Motorsport Week.

“It’s way too early to think about next year. I’m more like someone who tries to focus on what’s happening right now and maximise the potential we have now.

“Of course at some point more and more resources will go to next year’s car, but what I’m trying to focus on is to make the best of what we have.

“We see the other teams are competitive, Renault did a big step, Force India did a huge step in Baku, you can see the others are improving massively and we need to make sure we are improving as well.

“We should stay focused on this year, we saw we had good potential if we extract everything from the car as we did in Bahrain.

“That’s what we should target to do every weekend even if it’s difficult but I think the most important on my side is keep pushing them till the last race of the season to maximise our package.”

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Silverstone misses out on 1000th race

The good old British weather has prevented Silverstone from hosting the 1000th race in Formula 1 next April.

While Silverstone’s long-term future in Formula 1 is yet to be resolved, Liberty did have plans to bring the British Grand Prix forward to April 2019 to host the historic race.

However, those plans have been shelved due to concerns that the event could be seriously affected by rain and cold temperatures.

“Silverstone is the heritage of this sport,” Commercial boss Sean Bratches told Sky F1. “It’s at the nucleus of what we’re about, it was the home of the first grand prix.

“We have the 1,000th grand prix next year and we wanted to do it at Silverstone. I had good conversations with John Grant [BRDC chairman] but the consensus was that the weather is sub-optimal in April for a grand prix there.”

The 1000th race is now due to take place at China, subject to any late changes to the 2019 calendar.

“China is a great place to race,” Bratches said via Reuters. “It’s part of our future and we’re excited about going there for that particular race.

“Next year we’re going to celebrate it as the year of the 1,000th grand prix so you’re going to see integrations across the year celebrating this incredible milestone.”

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FIA says dumping blue flags 'on the agenda'

The FIA says the removal of blue flags is on its agenda, but admits getting the rule changed would be “quite something” as it would be a “hugely unpopular” decision amongst teams and drivers.

Formula 1 utilises blue flags as a warning to slower drivers that they are to be lapped by another car and, as per the rules, must move over without impeding. However they are a point of contention with back marker rivals claiming it damages their race, particularly if they’re involved in a battle for position at the time.

Meanwhile leading drivers are in favour of the flags, but often complain they’re not respected.

That has prompted a call that they should be removed, but the FIA has been reluctant to do so. However Charlie Whiting admitted this week that the matter is up for consideration.

“There’s been talk about that,” he said. “It’s been proposed a few times. [It would be] hugely unpopular with teams and drivers, of course. 

“It’s something that is on the agenda, so to speak. It’s not been rejected completely but it’s something that we would have to look carefully at to make sure that it wasn’t overly exploited. 

“But I think the principle, in many forms of racing, which they don’t have such a luxury, that it’s something we are going to discuss.”

Whiting added that getting the rule change approved would be difficult and when asked to put a percentage on it, he replied: “Less than 50 per cent I would say. But that’s just a figure. But I mean it’s not popular, as I said, I think it would be quite something to get that through. But we need to think through it carefully.”

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Lando Norris hopes McLaren can 'combine' MCL33 specs

McLaren Formula 1 test and reserve driver Lando Norris says that there are positive elements of the older-spec MCL33 that the team should strive to retain, alongside its recently-introduced upgrade package.

McLaren introduced a striking revised nose section at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, with race drivers Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne encouraged by the gains.

Norris completed test running in Spain on behalf of Pirelli on Tuesday morning, using the old-spec nose, and took the reins of McLaren’s MCL33, featuring the newer nose, on Wednesday.

When asked to compare the two respective packages, Norris said: “There’s definitely some differences.

“It’s positive I think in quite a few ways but there’s still some things with the old one which are always positive, so it’s trying to combine them and get both on one car which would make it even faster basically.

Norris using the older nose section on Tuesday

“I think in general [the new package has] a bit more downforce, it’s good for me having the confidence to push at Turns 1, 2, 3, all the high-speed corners, I think overall it’s definitely been a slight step forward.”

Norris reckons McLaren’s older-spec car was “slightly more forgiving” but believes that is a case of the team yet to fully exploit the latest upgrade.

“I wouldn’t say there’s many things which are weaker,” he said of the newer spec.

“I think in some ways [having] a bit more downforce with the newer package it becomes maybe a tiny bit more snappy or something, but overall I could still go through corners slightly faster or something.

“I think if I did make a mistake it’d be slightly more costly.

“I think the old one was a bit, not more predictable, but slightly more forgiving in some ways, I don’t think it’s maybe so much the downforce but [a case of] trying to maximise the newer package.”

[MIKA27]

Marcus Ericsson accepts he has to 'step up' F1 qualifying pace

Marcus Ericsson says he and Sauber have to work to provide him with more confidence over one-lap, citing rear-end instability as a hurdle to his points prospects.

Ericsson claimed Sauber's first points of the year with ninth in Bahrain and the team has scored points across the past two Grands Prix, with Charles Leclerc racing from 13th to sixth in Azerbaijan, and from 14th to 10th in Spain.

Ericsson, meanwhile, started from 18th and 17th respectively – five and three positions behind his team-mate – and was unable to break into the top 10 on both occasions.

“We could fight with everyone around us,” Ericsson said of his Spanish Grand Prix.

“We just need to qualify better, that’s the big, big problem for me – that I started too far back.

“I need to get a stronger rear end on my car, as I’m a driver that really leans on the rear of the car.

“Especially in Spain with the adjusted Supersofts that were used, it feels like they were a bit more inconsistent and more peaky.

“Then I was struggling more with rear inconsistency and for me I really need that rear stability to feel confident when I drive.

“On heavy fuel and harder compounds it’s been a lot better but on super softs this weekend I was struggling with it.

“So I think that’s the focus for the coming weekends: to have a bit stronger rear end and that will help my performance.

“Then of course [it’s down to] me to do a better job in general on one lap as I need to step up there because in the race no doubt I could have scored points had I started a bit further up, but I need to start a bit further up to do it.”

Leclerc’s point in Spain ensured Sauber has scored in successive races for the first time since 2015 – a statistic that heartened Ericsson, who has been with the team through its lowest moments.

“I think every race this year we’ve taken steps, we’ve made progress every race, we’ve bringing updates every race that improve the car, we’re understanding more about this car,” he said.

“I think it’s very clear that we’re making progress, and every race now we are fighting in the midfield.

“It’s really, really promising, and the plan now looking forward is to bring updates every race and that will hopefully bring us better.

“It’s really fun to be there and fighting and racing again as the last two years we haven’t been there. It’s good, we just need to keep doing a good job.”

[MIKA27]

Honda assessing "options" to handle Hartley dilemma

Honda is evaluating how to handle the dilemma over engine components for Brendon Hartley after the Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver's high-speed crash at Barcelona.
Hartley required a complete Honda engine change after losing the rear and smashing into the barriers in final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

He missed qualifying but returned for the race with a complete new hybrid engine package - internal combustion engine, MGU-H, MGU-K, turbocharger, control electronics and energy store - and a new gearbox.

That moved Hartley onto his third MGU-H and turbo of the season, because Honda changed both parts after a problem in the Australian GP, and guarantees him a grid drop the next time he changes either component.

"We are thinking to make some options," Honda technical director Toyoharu Tanabe told Motorsport.com. "We will check the crashed power unit, but it looks like big damage.

"So, Honda will make options on the power unit side, and then we can work with the team on how we can manage the situation.

"Also, we don't know [what will happen] in the next race!"

Honda is believed to be bringing its first major update for June's Canadian GP, and given it is pushing to improve its energy recovery systems that almost certainly means a new MGU-H.

The turbo is also usually changed as part of a complete upgrade package.

That, or any other reason to change the parts, would trigger a 10-place penalty the first time an additional element is used and five places for each additional element after.

The question for Honda and Toro Rosso is whether Hartley takes the hit as soon as the upgrade arrives, or continues with the current parts to reduce the number of races the second and third specification of engine will need to complete.

If Hartley could make it to the summer break with the components fitted in Spain he could take a penalty in Belgium, which is a favourable place to take a grid drop because the Spa circuit offers more overtaking opportunities.

But as well as giving him a handful of races with a lower-specification engine, that plan would also require the current engine to complete eight events.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead to be honest," said Hartley, who still has one more free change of combustion engine, MGU-K, control electronics and energy store.

"I don't know what that means in terms of the new parts we introduced."

[MIKA27]

Bottas was close to "big trouble" in Spain - Mercedes

Mercedes has admitted that the decision not to pit Valtteri Bottas for a second time in the Spanish Grand Prix was "extremely marginal" and that the Finn was close to being "in big, big trouble".
Bottas stopped for medium tyres on lap 19 in Barcelona - six laps before teammate and race winner Lewis Hamilton - and had to run 47 laps to the chequered flag.

Mercedes opted not to bring Bottas in for new tyres when Vettel pitted under the late Virtual Safety Car, preferring to jump the Ferrari and gain track position, which ultimately paid off in securing second place.

"It's fair to say that it was extremely marginal," chief strategist James Vowles explained in a Mercedes video.

"It's fair to say that if the race had been a lap or two longer, we could have been in big, big trouble."

Vowles admitted the call left Bottas in a "very difficult position" and gave credit to the Finn for managing to bring the car home in second, maintaining a gap over Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Vettel.

"The last few laps of the race for Valtteri were very, very tense," Vowles recalled. "We knew that the front left tyre would be very much down to zero rubber remaining. And it's a very difficult call as to what's going to happen.

  

"But he had eight seconds of race time relative to the Red Bull behind, and what we were trying to do was very delicately use up some of that race time to slow down in some of the key corner sequences to make sure we looked after that tyre whilst not losing temperature in the rubber that was still actually left on it.

"It's a very, very delicate balance, and I really can't understate this, Valtteri did an absolutely incredible job. We put him in a very difficult position, and he dealt with it absolutely perfectly, taking that tyre just to the end of the race as we asked him to do."

Explaining why Mercedes had opted for the strategy in the first place, Vowles said he was confident Red Bull was "absolutely going to make the one-stop work" and did not want to give up track position.

"What we concluded based on all the evidence that we had is there was as strong possibility of Vettel taking it [the stop], and it's extremely unlikely that anything else would have happened if we took it, rather than just staying behind Vettel, and Red Bull, and therefore finishing lower than the P2 that was the potential in the car.

"We decided to take the risk, we took the tyres to the end of the race. It was extremely close, it was a very tight judgement call, but it ended up on the right side for us on that occasion."

[MIKA27]

Pirelli will not engage in F1 "bidding war"

Pirelli is keen to extend its Formula 1 deal beyond next year but will not be forced into a "bidding war".
The Italian tyre manufacturer has been F1's sole supplier since taking over that role from Bridgestone in 2010.

It is understood that the company's executive vice chairman and chief executive officer Marco Tronchetti Provera told shareholders on Tuesday that its participation beyond 2019, the end of its current agreement, is not guaranteed.

In the conference call, Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli's participation in F1 had worked well but it would not be held to ransom and is seeking similar commercial terms to its present deal.

He explained that it was not essential for Pirelli to stay in F1 given its huge presence in international motorsport.

As well as being the sole tyre supplier to the World Superbike Championship, Pirelli claims to support 460 car and bike events each year.

"As we have always said, Formula 1 is a good match for us and we are happy and honoured to stay there," a Pirelli spokesperson told Motorsport.com.

"But if it comes down to a bidding war, we would not stay at any cost."

Pirelli's F1 era has been defined by higher-degradation tyres that grand prix bosses requested to spice up racing.

It has introduced multiple compounds, with seven different tyres in the slick range this season ranging from hypersoft to superhard.

[MIKA27]

RICCIARDO: WHY CAN’T WE HAVE THE HYPERSOFT AT EVERY RACE?

Daniel Ricciardo suggests that Formula 1 should consider having the Pirelli pink band Hypersoft tyre at every race as currently tyre strategy has been marginalised to the point of every team doing pretty much the same thing, with safety car periods triggering differing strategies.

After a mundane Spanish Grand Prix, tyres were again thrust in the spotlight, prompting Ricciardo to tell reporters in Barcelona, “I don’t know why we can’t have the hypersoft at every race. Or at least we qualify on it and maybe figure it out after that.”

“At least we’ve got a qualifying tyre and then bigger differences in the race to create a bit more opportunity.”

“For the top six it was already obvious from Friday [at Barcelona] we were going to qualify on the soft [in Q2, to start the race on that compound] and try to do a one-stop with the medium. That’s no secret.”

“That’s what it is – just trying to create more options, more surprises because it’s a bit predictable for now,” added Ricciardo who lies fifth in the championship standings after five rounds, with victory in China along the way.

[MIKA27]

FIA CLARIFIES RULES ON REAR VIEW MIRROR MOUNTINGS

Ferrari were the first to push the envelope when it came to rules regarding rear-view mirrors mounted on the Halo device, their system – featuring winglets – was deemed illegal and since then the FIA have clarified the conditions of the ruling.

Teams were informed ahead of the race weekend in Baku that mirrors could be attached to the Halo, soon after Ferrari showed up with mirrors dangling from the Halo, but above that they crafted winglets which have caused all the fuss.

Although F1 race director Charlie Whiting insisted that the system used by Ferrari would not be allowed from Monaco and beyond, the team ran the ‘winglet’ mirrors throughout the two days of testing this week.

Nevertheless, as the matter has hit a gray area of sorts, the FIA took action to address the confusion while clarifying the criteria for Halo mounted mirrors going forward.

In a memo to teams, the FIA stated:

“Whilst the FIA accepts that teams will legitimately design the mirrors, housings and mountings to minimise any negative aerodynamic effects they may cause, we believe that any aerodynamic benefits should be incidental, or at least minimal,” said the FIA in a statement.

“In order to ensure this is the case all mountings must:

Provide a meaningful structural contribution to the mounting system. If you use more than one mounting you may be asked to satisfy us, by way of a physical test, to demonstrate this.
Be mounted to the lower and/or inboard surface(s) of the mirror housing.
“As the criteria for determining the eligibility of a mounting are to some extent subjective, the FIA would be available to discuss the legality of a new design before you introduce it in a race, to avoid wasting resource, time or money.”

“The FIA expect to have full compliance with the present technical directive by the next race.”

[MIKA27]

HORNER: F1 HAS THE ABILITY TO SHOOT ITSELF IN THE FOOT

A raft of new rules have been adopted by the FIA for Formula 1 which will come in 2019, although Ferrari and Mercedes have supported the tweaks Red Bull F1 chief Christian Horner believes that the decisions were rushed and not thought through.

During the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Horner did not mince his words with regards to the subject, “Sometimes this sport has the ability to shoot itself in the foot. The work that’s being done for 2021 is all good stuff.”

But some of the aero rules have been fast-tracked for introduction as early as the start of next season, “The problem is a snapshot of that has been taken, it hasn’t been fully analysed – there are no proven conclusions from it.”

“It’s then been rushed into a set of regulations which completely conflict existing regulations so now they’re scrapping around trying to tidy that up.”

“It just completely changes the philosophy of the car. The front wing will be wider, it will be different. The point that the air meets the car is the front wing and that then changes everything behind it: suspension, bodywork, absolutely every single component.”

“We talk about costs and being responsible, what’s just been introduced is a completely new concept, a completely new car that will cost millions and millions of pounds.”

“I just find it frustrating that decisions are made on zero evidence or zero conclusions, on theories and the burden of costs is passed onto the teams. Is it going to guarantee that the cars can follow closer next year? Probably not.”

“It was rushed after Melbourne because it was a race without a lot of overtaking. When has there ever been any overtaking in Melbourne?”

“And then we’ve had three great races, so shouldn’t we be looking at the tracks and tyre compounds and how they influence races rather than burdening the teams with what will be hundreds of millions in costs?”

“If you look at the nature of the circuits, long straights with big stops and hairpins like China, Baku and Bahrain – they were all good races. Those types of circuits always produce good races. Focus on what is creating good racing,” insisted Horner.

The new regs are likely to make cars about 1.5 seconds a lap slower on a 90-seconds lap time, but is being introduced to allow for drivers to be able to follow the car ahead without aero generated turbulence that currently negates efforts by drivers to hunt down and overtake on track.

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff revealed that the rules were not universally popular, “I haven’t seen [Horner] that livid. It seems to be upsetting them massively. I don’t know why for us it was a 50-50 decision. We wanted to be supportive of the work that’s been done and the direction looks correct.”

“I think the biggest factor is that the teams that are fighting for the championship this year will need to switch their development at a certain stage into next year’s aero regulation because it’s so different. That is complex and that is probably the biggest factor,” explained the Mercedes boss.

Ferrari technical director Mattia Binotto added, “It is a big change, a drastic change to the rules, to the aero. I think each team will be focused on trying to develop what are the new regulations, it’s quite a game changer.”

“I think that as a team we have a duty and a task to improve the show, to improve Formula 1. I think that certainly, the regulations may be a good step in that respect.”

“Overall I think from an egoistic point of view we could have stuck with what we had at the moment but I think that looking at the show and the good for the sport, it was the right choice,” concluded Binotto.

 

[MIKA27]

Williams understands FW41 flaws, not writing off 2018 season – Paddy Lowe

Williams technical chief Paddy Lowe insists the team aren't writing of the 2018 season despite their current situation, which sees the squad sitting last in the standings with just four points, whereas last year they had 18 points after five races.

The team has struggled to get on top of its FW41 which follows a new high-downforce philosophy, unlike previous cars which have focussed on top-speed and therefore performed best at circuits with long straights such as Baku, Monza and Malaysia.

Lowe admitted the team knew the car was flawed when it first hit the track during pre-season testing in February and they have been working to better understand why that is.

"From the minute this car ran it was clear there was some issues we had to deal withsaid Lowe during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.

"We haven’t yet brought anything [to the car] that solves those issues so we shouldn’t expect it to be any better. But we will do in due course."

Lowe says the design team now have an understanding of what they believe the problem to be and are working on correcting it – and are therefore confident of recovering some of the lost ground in the championship later in the year.

"There are issues which we understand – we think – we can never guarantee anything in this business," he added. "The good news about that is that as you uncover issues and are able to solve them it gives you greater hope for the future. That’s within this year, not writing off this season.

"We've put in place a programme, which we call a recovery programme, to bring the car to the level that we intended [at the start of the season]."

[MIKA27]

Pirelli skips step with German GP tyre compounds

Formula 1 tyre supplier Pirelli has confirmed its compound choices for July's German Grand Prix – which will feature a non-linear approach for the second time this season.

The Ultrasoft, Soft and Medium tyres will be taken to the event at Hockenheim, meaning the Supersoft step will be missed out.

It mirrors the approach taken by the company for the Chinese Grand Prix, having diverted from its usual strategy of taking successive compound steps.

Pirelli revealed during testing that Formula 1 drivers had been pushing for compounds to be skipped, having commented that some compounds are too close to each other in terms of performance and wear.

As per usual, one set of the softest compound (in Germany’s case the Ultrasoft) must be saved for Q3, while either the Softs or Mediums must be run for one stint of the 67-lap Grand Prix, assuming dry conditions prevail.

Of the remaining 10 of the 13 sets available for each driver, they are permitted free choice from the nominated compounds.

[MIKA27]

Guenther Steiner warns Liberty over F1 calendar expansion

Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner has warned Formula 1 owners Liberty Media that it “needs to be careful” over the expansion of the calendar, amid the impending inclusion of a Miami Grand Prix.

Formula 1’s schedule has gradually grown over the years, with this season’s calendar containing a record-equalling 21 events – compared to 17 just a decade ago.

Miami is poised to join the roster next October and while the future of several events is in doubt – most pressingly the German Grand Prix – races in Copenhagen and Vietnam have also been mooted.

The expansion of the calendar has led to the inclusion of a triple-header for the first time in the sport’s history, with events in France, Austria and Britain to take place across successive weekends.

Steiner believes Liberty must be careful not to push teams to their limits – and also be wary that spectators may not wish for such a busy schedule.

“I think there is maybe one Grand Prix not happening next year and then we are back to 21,” said Steiner.

“There’s always coming and going. I think 22 would still be possible but it’s getting difficult. We will find out this year when we have the triple header, how difficult this is.

“We will struggle and maybe find out that there is a separation point for the public. We need to be careful.

“I think Liberty is very good, they monitor it very well and at the moment, what Liberty is trying to do is get not the quantity of the races up but get the quality up.

“If we get Miami, if we get Copenhagen, I think as a global sport, these are good places to go to. 

“I think first we have to see what the triple does. We have done double headers with one week in-between, we know we can do it, we will do a triple one but at what price? What is coming out when you do the post-mortem. What was the price to pay to do it?”

Steiner added that the potential inclusion of a Miami Grand Prix is not necessarily a benefit for Haas, the only team currently licensed in the United States.

“I think F1 is so global that it doesn’t really make a real difference,” he said.

“In the end Haas wants to get the brand recognised globally. In the US it is well known, everybody knows Haas.

“For us it’s more to get F1 known in America, to get more TV audiences in America and the general public, that’s what we hope from it.”

[MIKA27]

Bottas wants "at least" two-year Mercedes deal

Valtteri Bottas wants to avoid another one-year deal with Mercedes and firm up his Formula 1 future for "at least" the next two seasons.
The Finnish driver won three races in 2017 after Mercedes signed him from Williams on a one-year deal to replace Nico Rosberg.

He earned a contract extension for 2018 but he and teammate Lewis Hamilton both need to negotiate new deals to remain with Mercedes.

Bottas said that he was in "no rush" to secure his future and that talks had not started in earnest.

"I would like to stay with this team, hopefully for a long time," he told Motorsport. "That is my target. As long as I keep performing like I've been performing this year so far, naturally it should be OK, all good."

Bottas joked that if Mercedes only offers him another one-year deal then "we need to talk", and reiterated he hopes to secure a multi-year agreement.

"I always kind of had one-year deals, so I would naturally like to know at least for the next two years what I'm going to do," he said.

The 28-year-old said he was not interested in receiving an offer from another team to gain leverage in discussions and said he had a good relationship with team boss Toto Wolff.

"We speak a lot," Bottas said. "We are very open always about my performance, about the car performance. We haven't yet talked anything about next year, we think it's still a bit early."

The teammate dynamic at Mercedes is much more positive with Hamilton and Bottas than it was when Rosberg was driving for the team.

That fractious relationship led to high-profile on-track incidents, whereas Hamilton and Bottas have a much more harmonious partnership.

"It started off well but it's only got better as we got to know each other," said Bottas. "We have very good respect both ways.

"After last race [when a debris-induced puncture for Bottas handed Hamilton the victory], straight after he came to me and said, 'You did a really good race and you deserved to win'.

"We are good teammates. We want to help the team together and work together, but we also want to win. He is a pretty complete driver, I feel like I'm getting more and more complete all the time."

Bottas is third in the 2018 standings after five races, 37 points behind his championship-leading teammate.

However, he would be almost level with Hamilton at the top had he not lost victory in Baku.

"It was, for a single race, maybe the biggest disappointment," said Bottas. "Leading three laps before the end and then that gets taken out of you, it's tough.

"Knowing how the championship table would have looked, it was hard, but I can't change it. Now I have this amount of points and that's what I need to work from."