FORMULA 1

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CAREY: WE WANT THOSE MAGICAL CITIES, MAGICAL COUNTRIES

With the Formula 1 expanding significantly into Asia over the past decade, Chase Carey will continue to seek fascinating and magical grand prix venues around the world while holding true to the sport’s core foundation which is Europe.

While attending the FIA’s Sport Conference in Manilla, Formula 1 boss Carey told veteran F1 journo Deiter Rencken, “I’d say there’s a handful of things that are important for us. First, we want to make sure it’s right for a race. We’ll build all the things all around it but it starts with having a track that can provide a great race.”

“Today there are probably circuits that are not conducive to providing the most exciting, best racing, there are some that are fabulous. To start we want a track that is going to deliver a fabulous, exciting race.”

“Second, we want a site that is going to capture the world’s imagination. We’re in the great cities around the world – we want to use the phrase: destination cities. We’re in places where you want people when they look at it on the TV are excited and think it looks spectacular, really capture people’s imagination and if they go to it it’s even more special.”

“So we want those magical cities, magical countries that really intrigue and fascinate the world.”

“I think we want a balance of races around the sport. We’re a global sport, we really are unique… there are sports which are followed around the world, the Premier League has a following around the world but it’s competition is in the UK – we compete around the world with drivers and heroes from around the world.”

“We’re, in many ways, like a World Cup, unique competition, and we do it nine months a year every year, not two to four weeks every four years. We want to have a balance of events around the world, make sure we continue to build on the foundation, which is Europe for us.”

“We don’t want to have growth and not recognise the importance of that foundation, so take advantage of being able to grow it in America and Asia, while continuing to build on the foundation in Europe,” concluded Carey.

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Daniel Ricciardo set for Canadian Grand Prix grid penalty

Daniel Ricciardo is set to take grid penalties for the Canadian Grand Prix after Red Bull confirmed they will have to replace the MGU-K, which failed en-route to his win in Monaco.

As early as lap 18 Ricciardo reported a loss of power, causing the Australian to lose around 160hp from his Renault power unit, which allowed second-placed Sebastian Vettel to close in on the race leader.

For the remainder of the race, Ricciardo's pace dropped off but due to the nature of the Monte Carlo circuit, he was able to fend off the Ferrari of Vettel and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to clinch a seventh career victory.

“He will definitely be taking some penalties in Montreal, we haven’t heard at the moment just how many,” chief designer Adrian Newey told Reuters.

"One of the things there is whether the battery was damaged or not in Monaco, so until we know that from Renault we don’t know exactly what we’re facing.

"The [MGU] K is definitely a penalty."

There were rumours circulating after the Monaco Grand Prix where it was claimed Renault believed the MGU-K was in a salvageable state, however, Newey laughed off any such suggestion.

"I rather doubt it," added Newey, "considering it caught fire and was a burnt out, charred wreck. I would be somewhat surprised at that one."

After suffering the first MGU-K failure in Bahrain and the latest failure in Monaco, this means Ricciardo will take his third component in Montreal.

The 2018 technical regulations allow three power units per season but only two MGU-Ks per driver, this includes two energy stores and two control units without racking up a 10 place penalty for the next race.

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McLaren keen to show off improvements in Canada

McLaren says it is keen to demonstrate the progress it has made in recent weeks at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, off the back of its non-score in Monaco.

Fernando Alonso retired from the race with a gearbox failure while Stoffel Vandoorne struggled with poor tyre performance that left him mired down in a lapped 14th position.

Vandoorne believes the team is improving with every race and with the rumored Renault power unit upgrade on the way with a supposed extra 30 horsepower, the Belgian is keen to make up for the poor result in Monaco and a lacklustre start to the season.

"I feel that we’re improving step-by-step, and I hope we can show this in Canada," said the 2015 GP2 champion.

"We had an unfortunate situation in qualifying in Monaco where we had no choice but to send the car out with a small issue, and it influenced our grid slot and then the rest of the weekend. As well as solid preparation, we need a little bit of luck on our side this weekend, for both myself and Fernando. 

"I love street tracks – they’re the circuits I enjoy racing on most as they’re the biggest challenge for a driver. There are definitely more overtaking opportunities in Montreal than in Monaco, so there’s more chance of capitalising on any action that happens.

"We’ll be working hard in every area to bring everything together for race day, hopefully along with some points."

Alonso believes it will be a tough race for the Woking-based outfit, but is hopeful the improvements coming to the MCL33 will help them overcome the deficit to their rivals and take advantage of everything which comes their way.

The Spaniard will head to Montreal for his 300th Grand Prix after testing with his Toyota LMP1 team testing at Le Mans ahead of the world-famous 24-hour event the following week.

"I’ve always enjoyed racing in Montreal," added the double-world champion.

"It has the best combination of a great track, challenging street circuit characteristics, and it’s a fun city to visit. I’ve enjoyed some great races in Canada and I won there in 2006, so it’s a special place for me. 

"Even more so this weekend, when I’ll be celebrating my 300th grand prix.

"This will certainly be a tough circuit for us, but we’re making progress with our package race-by-race.

"A little bit of the drama or changeable weather conditions we’ve seen in Canada so many times in the past could offer us some opportunities – it’s up to us to take advantage of every possibility."

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Formula 1 considering switch to 18-inch tyres for 2021

Formula 1 is reportedly considering a switch to larger wheel rims as part of its major 2021 regulation change, which is set to completely overhaul the sport under Liberty Media's long-term plan for the future of F1.

Included in the '2021 Vision' is a new engine formula aimed at bringing in new manufacturers, a budget cap, revised aerodynamic regulations to increase overtaking, a new revenue-share model and weekend format changes which could see the introduction of a Saturday sprint race to determine the grid.

Whilst a switch to 18-inch wheels from the current 13 inches might seem inconsequential, it would have a major impact on the look of the cars as well as the suspension layout.

F1's sole tyre supplier Pirelli has been keen to make the switch, but failed in its efforts in 2015 to convince team bosses it was the right move. The tyre manufacturer claims that bigger rims have more in common with current road car technology. They are currently used in Formula E and the World Endurance Championship.

The FIA's Charlie Whiting confirmed the switch is being discussed as part of the planned 2021 rules change: "It is part of the package that we are discussing," he said.

Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera also discussed the matter in Monaco and said the Italian company is ready to make the switch, but hinted that it wasn't key to Pirelli remaining in the sport, with its current deal ending in 2019.

"We are open [to it]," he said. "They have to find the right regulation, and have the teams ready to adopt it.

"There are a number of issues of aerodynamics, of suspension and so on. When the teams are ready, we are ready.

"For us it is always [a matter of] technology. We are happy with 13-inch [tyres], we are happy with 18-inch. The bigger they are, the better it is. But the technological challenges are different."

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Sergio Perez keen to forget Monaco with strong showing in Canada

Sergio Perez says he's eager to put the disappointment of Monaco behind him by showing what Force India can do in Canada this weekend.

Perez looked set to score in Monaco after qualifying a strong ninth, however a problematic early pit-stop cost the Mexican driver time and dropped him down the order which, around the tight streets of Monte Carlo, is nigh on impossible to recover from.

Perez eventually finished outside the points in 12th and is looking to make up for that disappointment in Montreal where he has often done well, including a fifth-place finish in 2017 and a podium finish in 2012.

"I was disappointed not to get the result I think we deserved in Monaco," said Perez. "The car was quick, but the luck wasn’t on my side.

"We are becoming more competitive with each race weekend and I want to get back in the car to forget Monaco.

"I enjoy visiting Canada and I have some very good memories from Montreal. I finished on the podium there in 2012 in one of the most exciting races of my career, and I’ve had some other strong performances there, including last year."

In contrast, team-mate Esteban Ocon is hoping to replicate his Monaco performance this weekend after taking his second points finish of the season with sixth place.

"I am feeling very happy after Monaco," said the Frenchman. "It’s great to finally get a good result after a few difficult races and I feel my season has only truly started now.

"We have taken some good steps forward since the start of the season and I am looking forward to more races like the one we had in Monaco."

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How F1 deals with its toughest braking challenge

The Canadian Grand Prix is the most demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar for brakes.
Featuring four braking zones defined as 'hard' by Brembo – Turns 6, 8, 10 and 13, and further three braking events – two medium and one light – while almost a quarter of the lap time is spent slowing the car.

Although mechanically the operation of F1 brakes remains broadly the same, the systems have evolved significantly over the past 20 years to deal with the challenge of a circuit like Montreal.

Front brake disc width (28mm)

In 1998, the FIA introduced rules restricting the brake system to calipers with a maximum of six pistons and no more than two pads.

The maximum brake disc diameter was set at 278mm, and maximum thickness at 28mm.

For last season, because of the higher speeds, the widening of the cars and, in particular, the wider tyres that increased mechanical grip under the new regulations, the permissible disc thickness was increased to 32mm.

Major progress has been made in brake disc material and Brembo, which supplies multiple F1 teams including Ferrari, has been among those at the forefront of development.

In 2013, Brembo introduced the new CER material to replace the old CCR type, which offered gains in terms of performance and wear and reduced maximum wear of 4-5mm on the hardest tracks to around 1mm.

Brembo brake discs evolution 2005-2015

The ventilation has also improved, with the number of holes increasing over the years, from a 100-hole disc to 1200 and then to the current maximum 1400 for the 32mm discs.

Brake pedal assembly and brake disc and caliper arrangement

With the introduction of the current Energy Recovery Systems technology in 2014, F1 adopted brake-by-wire technology for the rear brakes thanks to the demands of harvesting energy from them.

F1 cars have separate brake cylinders for the conventional front axle brakes and the brake-by-wire system at the rear to allow the brake bias to be adjusted.

Brake by wire system

This Brembo diagram explains how the brake-by-wire system works.

The brake pedal [1] controls the braking of the front and rear axle via two separate brake cylinders, with the driver able to adjust the bias between the front and rear end.

Under braking, the system works at the front as in the past with the pump pressurising the fluid acting on the pistons, the pads and the discs to slow the car.

The rear brakes uses electronics to manage the system, which includes a 'compliance chamber' [6] that gives the driver more feel.

The system is controlled by an electronic control unit [7] that slows the motor generator [7] and, through an actuator [8], creates pressure in the rear brakes [9].

The braking effort at the rear is through a combination of the pressure on the brakes and the deceleration effect of the MGU-K being charged by the heat energy being recovered.

The extent of the latter is dictated by how much energy is being recovered at any given time, with F1 regulations stipulating a maximum yield of 2MJ per lap.

At the front end, the traditional six-pot calipers remain [10], but at the rear the discs are smaller by up to 12mm and some have four pistons.

5 pistons Brembo brakes caliper

In 2014, Mercedes, McLaren, Sauber and Red Bull all cut back to four pistons on the rear brakes and 260mm rather than 278mm diameter discs, as well as a reduction in width to 26mm.

This was because of the decreased demand on the brakes thanks to the braking caused by harvesting energy, as fewer pistons reduces the amount of pressure that can be applied to the pads.

Brake-by-wire system, depicts what happens when ERS not working (defaults to manual brake system)

In that year's Canadian Grand Prix Mercedes was running first and second when both cars lost use of MGU-K and, as a result, had to use the rear brakes conventionally without the braking effect of harvesting or the management by the brake by wire system.

This eventually cost Nico Rosberg the lead to Daniel Ricciardo, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton retired shortly after jumping ahead of his team-mate at the first pitstop with rear brake failure thanks to the extra loading created by using the brakes conventionally.

Mercedes W05 and W06 rear brakes comparison

As a result of those problems, Mercedes subsequently reverted to a six-piston caliper, although McLaren, Red Bull and Sauber continue to use four.

In the recent Monaco Grand Prix, when Ricciardo lost the use of the MGU-K, he also had to adapt to the loss of braking at the rear being created by harvesting energy.

"The rear brakes got really hot, so I went six or seven per cent forwards with the brake balance," said Ricciardo after his victory.

"That's a lot. Maybe we go one or two per cent change during the race, so we had to go a long way forwards and I had to lift a lot before braking to save the brakes and put less energy through them."

McLaren MP4-8 1993 drive-by-wire detail overview

The introduction of brake-by-wire technology in F1 came 22 years after McLaren introduced the first fly-by-wire throttle technology in 1992.

At the Brazilian Grand Prix early in the season, the McLaren MP4/7 ran with electronically managed hydraulic actuators instead of the traditional throttle cable.

The pressure the driver felt in the throttle pedal was created by an external spring, marked in yellow.

Canada's brake demands

Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve puts very different demands on the brakes to the previous race at Monaco.

In Monaco, the challenge is to cool the brake caliper because there are multiple, regular braking events but not from high speed.

Mercedes F1 W08 brake duct at Canadian GP

Ferrari SF70H brake duct, captioned

The lack of high speed running also means teams must run the maximum size of brake duct to keep the brakes cooled.

In Canada, cooling the disc and managing the wear is the most important thing.

The above images show the Mercedes and Ferrari brake cooling configuration from Canada last year, with the maximum number of ventilation holes.

Many drivers have suffered braking problems at the circuit, for example Heinz-Harald Frentzen crashing out late in the 1999 race after suffering a failure.

Based on data released last year by Brembo, the maximum deceleration in Montreal is 4.8g, with the braking zone for the hairpin particular demanding.

Of the seven braking points in Montreal, the most critical being is braking zone into the final right/left chicane that exits by the 'wall of champions'.

Cars hit the brakes at around 322km/h and brake for 1.6s to slow to around 148km/h.

This takes only 49 metres, with 4.7g deceleration and a force on the brake pedal of 161kg.

The Turn 8 right/left chicane requires cars to slow from around 297km/h in 47 metres and 1.62s, at 4.8g deceleration with 160kg force on the pedal.

The hairpin at Turn 10 is the best overtaking opportunity, with a 63 metre braking zone to go from 292km/h to around 68km.h in 2.44s.

Each Formula 1 team uses around 10 sets of brake calipers per season, as well as 140-240 brake discs and 280-480 pads.

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MCLAREN PREVIEW THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

McLaren team and drivers preview the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 7 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Fernando Alonso: “After a disappointing race in Monaco, I’m already looking forward to heading to Canada. It’s a great track and a real test for the driver and the car. It’s claimed many top drivers in the ‘Wall of Champions’ and the Safety Car often plays a role in the outcome of the race.

“I’ve always enjoyed racing in Montreal. It has the best combination of a great track, challenging street circuit characteristics, and it’s a fun city to visit. I’ve enjoyed some great races in Canada and I won there in 2006, so it’s a special place for me. Even more so this weekend, when I’ll be celebrating my 300th grand prix. This will certainly be a tough circuit for us, but we’re making progress with our package race-by-race. A little bit of the drama or changeable weather conditions we’ve seen in Canada so many times in the past could offer us some opportunities – it’s up to us to take advantage of every possibility.”

Stoffel Vandoorne: “I really enjoyed racing in Canada for the first time last year, and I feel well prepared to tackle the streets of Montreal again. It’s a completely different track to Monaco, but a lot of the principles are the same – narrow streets, close barriers and tight racing. I hope we can have some fun this year and get in the mix. I feel that we’re improving step-by-step, and I hope we can show this in Canada. We had an unfortunate situation in quali in Monaco where we had no choice but to send the car out with a small issue, and it influenced our grid slot and then the rest of the weekend. As well as solid preparation, we need a little bit of luck on our side this weekend, for both myself and Fernando. I love street tracks – they’re the circuits I enjoy racing on most as they’re the biggest challenge for a driver. There are definitely more overtaking opportunities in Montreal than in Monaco, so there’s more chance of capitalising on any action that happens. We’ll be working hard in every area to bring everything together for race day, hopefully along with some points.”

Eric Boullier, Racing Director: “Canada has been a great race in McLaren’s history, and we all love going racing there. The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve is a great street track, unlike any that we see on the calendar today, and is a really tough challenge for the engineers, mechanics and drivers. It’s a circuit that is notoriously unpredictable, and all the teams work hard to set up their cars for its demanding characteristics. Even then, a lot is still left to chance, which is why the drivers, teams and fans alike are huge fans of this grand prix. We know it won’t be an easy weekend for us, but it’s important we focus on getting ourselves in the most representative grid slots we can to be able to fight on Sunday. We’ve had a couple of difficult weekends, so hopefully in Montreal we’ll be able to see further progress and bring home some points – and the raft race trophy!”

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TORO ROSSO DRIVERS PREVIEW THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

Toro Rosso drivers preview the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 7 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Brendon Hartley: “I’ve never been to Canada before and I’ve been told by every driver that this track is one of the highlights on the calendar, so from one highlight on the calendar to another – from Monaco to Montreal. And it’s also partly a street track, which I love, although this is a lot faster than Monaco and the barriers aren’t as close, apart from in a couple of places. So far, my only experience of the track is on the simulator, with Toro Rosso and also in the past with other teams and manufacturers.

“Aside from the racing, everyone tells me the city is good fun, it’s a great race to be part of and the track has provided amazing racing over the years. The aero update introduced at the last race looks to be working well and the team has been working very hard behind the scenes to bring all the performance we can get, so I’m optimistic about the coming weekend.”

Pierre Gasly: “I’ve never ever been to Canada in my life, but everyone tells me the Grand Prix in Montreal is one of the best of the season, because there’s a great atmosphere and the town is really super. So I’m looking forward to experiencing it for myself for the first time.

“The circuit looks exciting with some long straight sections, so some overtaking opportunities. It’s a complicated track, with the walls never far away and the famous final chicane with the “Champions’ Wall.” This is a race where you take off a lot of downforce to get good top speed, which means the car won’t be easy to drive. Even if there are not many corners here, it’s a complicated track to drive, but everyone seems to like it so I’m looking forward to it. Of course I speak French, so the people there will understand me, even if I’ve been told the accent and even the vocabulary over there is something a bit different!”

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FORCE INDIA PREVIEW THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

Force India preview the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Round 7 of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Île Notre-Dame in Montreal.

Sergio Perez: “I was disappointed not to get the result I think we deserved in Monaco. The car was quick, but the luck wasn’t on my side. We are becoming more competitive with each race weekend and I want to get back in the car to forget Monaco.

“I enjoy visiting Canada and I have some very good memories from Montreal. I finished on the podium there in 2012 in one of the most exciting races of my career, and I’ve had some other strong performances there, including last year.

“Montreal is a cool city with a fantastic atmosphere and I always see a lot of Mexican fans in the stands, which is always special for me. I am really looking forward to being there because it’s one of those really fun events with lots of fans having a big party in the city.

“The track itself is not easy. There are a few corners that can easily catch you out and it’s difficult to get a clean lap. My favourite part is the final chicane: you arrive there from a very long straight and you have to jump on the brakes and be really precise. It’s easy to make a mistake and the Wall of Champions is there with no run off. A mistake can cost you the whole lap, or the whole race even, because there is no margin for error.”

Esteban Ocon: “I am feeling very happy after Monaco. It’s great to finally get a good result after a few difficult races and I feel my season has only truly started now. We have taken some good steps forward since the start of the season and I am looking forward to more races like the one we had in Monaco.

“The Montreal circuit is definitely one of my favourite tracks and it’s a fantastic event. The atmosphere in the city is great: the whole of Montreal becomes a giant motorsport festival. You feel the energy and excitement everywhere in the city.

“I always say I like chicanes and that’s almost all you have in Montreal. It’s a challenging and very technical track and I really enjoy driving on it. My favourite corner is the final chicane, with the Wall of Champions so close to you. It’s a very tricky corner and it’s very easy to get it wrong.

“Last year we had a really good weekend in Montreal, fighting with the Ferraris and coming away with a good result. We seem to do well on tracks like this so hopefully we can continue to score points and keep our momentum going.”

Vijay Mallya, Team Principal: “We prepare for Montreal feeling confident of another strong showing. I remember our performance there last year and I think we will be competitive again. Esteban is on a high after his excellent drive in Monaco and we’re starting to score some good points. I’m pleased with the car developments we have made recently. We got both cars into Q3 which shows the progress we have made bringing more pace to the car. Montreal has traditionally played to our strengths so there’s plenty to be optimistic about as we head to Canada.”

Nicholas Latifi to make FP1 debut in Canada

Nicholas Latifi: “I have no doubt that driving in the FP1 at my home Grand Prix will be one of the biggest highlights of my year! As much as I will be looking to enjoy the opportunity I know I am there to do a job for the team. I’m hoping to give them as much valuable feedback as possible to help push along the program going into FP2.”

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WOLFF: F1 THE ONLY TRUE GLOBAL PLATFORM THAT COUNTS FOR MERCEDES

There have been some whispers in the paddock suggesting Mercedes may get fed up with Formula 1 in the future, sell up and walk away from the sport, but according to the organisation’s motorsport boss Toto Wolff, such a scenario is unlikely in the foreseeable future.

Speaking in Berlin at the Bild-100-Sport conference, Wolff told delegates which included F1 chief Chase Carey, “Formula 1 is part of our core business. The first Mercedes was a racing car. Formula 1 is not just a marketing platform for us. There is a direct technology transfer from the championship.”

“We also value the sporting nature of our brand. That’s why we want to stay in the series because it’s the only true global platform that counts for us. It is clearly the top class in racing.”

At the same time, Wolff explained why the company has launched a Formula E campaign starting next season, “Electrification is happening, and it is a good message for every brand. Three years ago, I would not have given Formula E a chance but that has changed.”

“The series is aimed at a young, urban target group. The organisers have done a good job. For us, it’s like a start-up we’re interested in. But it is complementary to Formula 1 for us, not a competition,” added Wolff.

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WILLIAMS: IMMENSE DISAPPOINTMENT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

Claire Williams has revealed how targets set out by her team have not been met this year instead they are enduring one of their toughest ever seasons, she cites budgets of the Big Three teams and the folly of sport as the reasons for their decline.

To repair the damage the ill-conceived FW41 has done to their current campaign, while stunting the future technical direction of the team under Paddy Lowe, it the team’s (once) highly rated chief designer Dirk de Beer who ‘jumped or was pushed’ as they say.

The Williams deputy team chief admits that winning was not a realistic target for the team, but being worst of all after six races was certainly not on the agenda, “We did not approach the season thinking we were going to win.”

“We are not naive. We all know deep down that competing with Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull – with the constant progress they make, with the budgets, the staff and all the resources they have – is a colossal challenge.”

Typically before the start of the season, Williams would have targeted fourth place behind the Big Three, but a “radical new design” backfired dramatically as the FW$1 must rank as one of the worst cars produced at the factory.

“I think we had realistic goals, so to speak now of immense disappointment would be an understatement. But it’s not the end of the world. It’s sport and all teams have ups and down.”

Statistics show that Williams won a world championship title since Jacques Villeneuve was champion for them over two decades ago in 1997. Since then they remained among the frontrunners until the end of 2003 when they finished second in the world championship.

Since then the decline has been steady with small ups and downs on the graph, in 2009 they were ninth in the championship, eighth a year later and then ninth again in 2011.

There was a renaissance of sorts in 2014 and 2015 but never again were they the race-winning powerhouse they once were, a team that amassed 114 victories and 16 world championship titles.

This year they are tenth in the standings, their pay driver policy has also backfired as there is little experience to help dig them out of the hole, Martini title sponsorship stops at the end of this season and the unplanned loss of two senior technical staff members in recent months adds to their predicament.

Before Monaco Williams told reporters, “When you are winning it’s fantastic and when you are not then you have to re-organise and regroup, and it’s always about how you cope with those challenges.”

“At the moment there is a huge spirit within Williams to get this fixed. People can tune in and they can see our performance on the TV and then think: What on earth is going on at Williams?”

“But anyone who thinks that Williams is on its way out or in a spiral of decline or any other analogy you want to use, would be very wrong,” she added.

MIKA: Williams can't use the BIG TEAMS excuse when you see th elikes of HAAS, Force India, Toro Rosso all doing so well.

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WOLFF: MERCEDES TEAMS GET UPDATED POWER UNITS FOR MONTREAL

Mercedes knew they would be hardpressed at the Monaco Grand Prix at a venue which was never going to suit their car which is more comfortable having its legs stretched than reigned in on the narrow confines of the harbourside circuit.

Heading to Montreal Silver Arrows team chief has revealed that, like their rivals, they will be unleashing the second update of the current power unit as they target the top step of the podium at a venue that has been knind to them over the years.

Wolff said in his preview of his weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, “Canada marks the one-third point of the 2018 season. After six races, we can see that we are in a stronger position in both championships than we were 12 months ago.”

“But we also know that the battle is more fierce, with ourselves, Ferrari and Red Bull in the contention for race wins every weekend; there is not a moment to relax.”

“We expect a number of teams to take their scheduled second Power Units this weekend, including all the Mercedes-powered cars, and we are pushing hard to bring more performance to the car as soon as possible.”

“It will be a close-fought weekend – as it has been at every race so far this year. We’re looking forward to the challenge.

Looking back on the weekend in Monte-Carlo, where Lewis Hamilton finished third and teammate Valtteri Bottas fifth, Wolff said, “Monaco was a weekend of damage limitation for us – and we delivered on that objective with solid finishes for both drivers. We headed there expecting to have the third fastest car and that’s how it proved.”

“In that context, our results were satisfactory – but we don’t want to use the phrase “damage limitation” too many times this year. There has been lots of comment since the race about how interesting it proved – or otherwise.”

“I think it’s something we need to keep in proportion: sometimes football matches end nil-nil, sometimes they are six goals thrillers. It’s all part of the ebb and flow of a sporting season.

“Montreal is a venue that almost always delivers an action-packed race. It’s a circuit where overtaking is relatively straightforward, speeds are high and the cars are pushed to their limits; likewise, the concrete walls punish any mistakes heavily but the drivers need the confidence to use all of the track in qualifying, when it usually comes down to very small margins around a short lap.”

“In recent years, Mercedes has performed well in Montreal – and it’s one of Lewis’ most successful circuits, too. However, past performances bring no guarantee of success this year.”

“We will need to make sure we get the most from all the tyre compounds, including the HyperSoft, if we want to come out on top this weekend,” added Wolff.

Montreal has been a happy hunting ground for the team’s reigning world champion Hamilton who has won the race six times in: 2007, 2010 and 2012 as well as a hat-trick of wins from 2015, 2016 and 2017 and gunning for four in a row.

A year ago the Briton matched Ayrton’s Senna’s pole position record after claiming the top spot in qualifying at Ile Notre Dame.

No other driver of this current generation has won at the venue more than once, although title challengers Sebastian Vettel and Ricciardo have both won the race, the Ferrari driver in 2013 and the Red Bull driver triumphing in 2014.

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher holds the record as a seven times winner of the Canadian Grand Prix.

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F1's 2019 rule tweaks force teams to split development

Formula 1's rule tweaks for 2019 will force teams to split development focus between this year and next season's cars – with little scope for carry-over of parts.
Following a lack of overtaking at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, F1 chiefs and the FIA managed to push through a raft of changes aimed at helping cars follow each other closer next year.

The new rules include new front and rear wing concepts, plus changes to the bargeboards and brake duct concepts.

Although the changes appear to be quite minor from the outside, teams have quickly come to realise that it will require a change of approach in how they push forward.

Renault technical director Nick Chester said: "It's made it quite a bit harder because, had we stayed with the same regs, you could have pretty much carried on developing your 2018 car and it would have been very similar to your '19 car. The split would have almost not been there.

"Now it's a really definite split. Any work you do on an '18 wing now you're not going to carry forward into '19. It's changed our philosophy of how we do our split."

As well as the aero changes forcing a change of approach to wings, the increase in fuel allowance for next year will also force teams to build all-new chassis too – something Force India was originally planning not to do.

Technical director Andy Green said: "For sure the changes were much bigger than we anticipated a month ago. We weren't even thinking about 2019 a month ago because it was going to be a continuation of current regulations.

"Then, all of a sudden, one or two of the teams decided that they wanted more fuel, an extra 5kg. That really scuppered next year's plans because that is a new chassis. We weren't planning to do a new chassis.

"The new front wing, new brake ducts, new rear wing and new chassis is a significant amount of work for us. So we've already started allocating resource to it, which is going to have an impact on what we can do this year.

"We cannot do both. We are not a big enough team to be able to focus on that sort of project without taking some resource off this car."

Green said that with so much resource needing to be put into the 2019 challenger, it would limit the developments that would be added over the second half of this season.

"As soon as we get to the summer shutdown, we will probably get one more update and that will be it," he said "We will doing a large stint of the season with just optimising what we have got. I think it will be the same for a few teams, not just us."

[MIKA27]

FIA adds third DRS zone for Canadian GP

The FIA has added a third DRS zone at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in a bid to further boost overtaking at the Canadian Grand Prix.
With motor racing's governing body eager to do all it can to improve the spectacle this year, an extra DRS zone will run between Turns 7 and 8 in Montreal this weekend.

This new area is in addition to the traditional DRS zones along the back straight into the final chicane, and along the start-finish straight.

The FIA has been playing around with DRS zones this year – either extending them like it did in Spain or adding an extra one as happened in Australia.

F1 race director Charlie Whiting said that the FIA was not scared to experiment if there was a chance it could help make a better show.

Speaking in Australia about the extra zone there, Whiting said: "It was just to offer something else. We will try and do something more effective at other tracks where there's more opportunity to do that."

[MIKA27]

TILKE: THE TREND IS TOWARDS CITY TRACKS AND THIS IS GOOD

Formula 1’s track designer of choice Hermann Tilke believes that the sport at the highest level needs more city street circuits in the style of Monaco, Baku and Singapore which each bring a unique atmosphere to the calendar, but he also acknowledges the role of permanent racing venues.

Speaking at the FIA Sport Conference in the Philippines, Tilke stated, “The trend is going to the city tracks and this is really good for professional sport. The idea behind it is that it is really very unique, and every city is unique. If you go in the centre of a city then you cannot compare with others.”

“We have real street races, we have three in the calendar at the moment – Monaco, Singapore and Baku – and all these three are so different and so unique. This makes it really very interesting and for the high professional series like F1, it is the right way.”

“This means amateur drivers, it means a driver who is 60 years old and wishes to drive some kind of racing car or high-performance car. All these people have to be safe [on permanent tracks], it is not only F1. But as you see in Baku – that is a track built only for professional drivers.”

“You could never have old drivers or young drivers on this track, and that makes a difference. The investor of a [permanent] track wants to use a track for everybody – not only F1.”

A permanent race track facility takes massive investment not only for the venue itself but also infrastructure surrounding the area and can take up to three years to construct in an ideal world, while a street circuit can be mounted at a fraction of the fee.

However, Formula 1 is keen to spread wings into Asia with a race in Vietnam already on the cards, while New York is always going to be a street race if it ever happens. Even Berlin is on the radar!

Over the years Tilke has designed many new circuits around the globe, including:

• 1995: Austria A1 Ring
• 1999: Malaysia Sepang International Circuit
• 2004: Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
• 2004: China Shanghai International Circuit
• 2005: Turkey Istanbul Park
• 2008: Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
• 2008: Spain Valencia Street Circuit
• 2009: United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
• 2009: Spain Ciudad del Motor de Aragón
• 2010: South Korea Korea International Circuit
• 2010: Russia Moscow Raceway
• 2011: India Buddh International Circuit
• 2012: United States Circuit of the Americas
• 2014: Russia Sochi Autodrom
• 2014: Thailand Chang International Circuit
• 2016: Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
• 2017: Kuwait Motor Town

MIKA: For the love of GOD! No more Tilke design tracks!! Bottlenecks, processions, wide run offs... where does the nightmare end!? 

People focus on just cars, aero, engines, BUT... track design is also so important and this association should have ended when Bernie was shown the door. If Liberty media are serious about keeping fan bases, they need to put track designs out to tender like any other project for consideration.

[MIKA27]

MARKO: MISTAKES DO NOT TAKE AWAY MAX’S TALENT AND SPEED

Helmut Marko has had plenty of good things to say about Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo’s tremendous victory at the Monaco Grand Prix but has until now remained tight-lipped about his protege Max Verstappen who again made a costly error during the weekend on the notorious streets of Monte-Carlo.

Verstappen has made errors in all six rounds of the championship thus far, the one during qualifying in Monaco perhaps the most expensive as Red Bull had the car to finish one-two at the principality. Instead, Verstappen crashed heavily and unnecessarily in the final stages of FP3 at which point he was the fastest man on track.

The damage to his RB14 was severe and he was forced to miss qualifying, he started from the back of the grid and toiled hard all day to finish ninth while his teammate Daniel Ricciardo scored a famous victory with a malfunctioning race car.

Motorsport-Magazine collared Marko ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and asked him the status of Verstappen in the wake of his Monaco misadventures, he said, “First: In part, the criticism is justified. China and Monte Carlo were just stupid mistakes.”

“But that does not take away his speed and talent. All we have to do is get through this patch and when he stands on the podium again the whole thing will blow away.”

Verstappen crumpled a race winning car and he knew it as Marko revealed, “I’ve rarely seen him so depressed as in Monte-Carlo. He took it very much to heart because it was again his teammate that won and the best for him was ninth place.”

“But the problem is not that he is out of control. It is only this unbridled ambition to always want to be best in every situation.”

“Back to Monte Carlo [FP3 crash]: he was already three tenths ahead in his lap time. If then in the swimming pool area a slower car gets in the way, he gets off the gas but he should then not still try to set the best time anyway.”

“He has to learn these things slowly now. Being patient and to estimate when it is important and when it is not important to push,” added Marko.

Ricciardo’s form, which has led him to two victories in the first six races, has boosted his shares substantially but he has yet to sign a contract extension with the energy drinks outfit.

Asked if the Australian is now the team leader Marko replied, “At the moment things are going much better for him. But team leaders… there is no favouritism or anything like that. Last year, at the beginning of the season, Ricciardo’s pace was a bit worse than Verstappen, but both drivers were treated the same.”

Ricciardo currently lies third in the points standings, with 72 points with Verstappen on 35.

[MIKA27]

ICKX: ONLY ALONSO CAN GET MCLAREN OUT OF THE HOLE

Jacky Ickx is the most illustrious of 24 Belgian Formula 1 drivers that have raced at the highest level and at 74 still follows the sport avidly, and although he rates young Stoffel Vandoorne highly he believes only Fernando Alonso has the capacity to lift McLaren from the doldrums.

The eight-times Grand Prix winner who raced for the likes of Ferrari and Lotus in their heyday, “In general, in Belgium they have high expectations for Stoffel, this is his second season at McLaren… the time that has passed never comes back, but I’m still positive and confident.”

“Stoffel is a fast driver, he has not lost his talent, he is the second driver on the team and there are many problems that we do not know about. He may be missing this opportunity to break the barrier and establish himself, like everyone else, as a number one in the short or medium term, but I still believe in him.”

“We do not live inside the team, we do not know what is happening there. McLaren does not occupy the place it usually occupies, it is facing big problems.”

Putting aside his sentiments, Ickx added, “To get out of the hole they are in they have concentrate and focus their energy on Fernando Alonso because he is clearly their number one driver.”

Vandoorne’s time at McLaren coincides with a new era for the team as they attempt to rebuild themselves into the powerhouse they once were. Last year, his rookie season was plagued with bad reliability and a woeful Honda-powered car.

This year McLaren have produced a sub-standard car, way off their preseason target of Red Bull, which has hampered Vandoorne as he has been comprehensively out driven by his veteran teammate as he was for most of last season too.

[MIKA27]

FIA REVEALS ULTRA-PROTECTIVE HELMET STANDARD FOR F1

The FIA has released a new top-end helmet standard that will bring about increased protection for racing drivers in all major championships, following over a decade of research to create the ultimate standard for helmet manufacturers to meet to further increase safety.

The latest standard, called FIA 8860-2018, outlines the design and performance requirements that the helmet manufacturers must achieve to provide equipment for the FIA’s top series. It will be mandatory for Formula One from 2019 and in other championships soon after.

These new helmets will offer a number of safety benefits, including advanced ballistic protection, increased energy absorption and an extended area of protection for drivers.

Laurent Mekies, FIA Safety Director, said: “The current top-end helmets are already the safest in the world but the new standard will take them to the next level. It is important for all of our safety research that we continually strive to improve and this is why we are requiring all manufacturers to meet this tougher standard for our championships.”

Throughout the research programme, FIA researchers worked closely with F1 helmet manufacturers such as Stilo, Bell Racing, Schuberth and Arai. It is now up to these manufacturers to deliver the production versions of the new helmets for the 2019 F1 season.

Stephane Cohen, Bell Racing Helmets Chairman, said: “The area of testing will be expanded compared to what we currently enjoy, which means that the overall protection of those helmets could be considered better and as usual the FIA will be at the forefront of helmet protection technology. This will be the most advanced standard in the world without any possible discussion.”

Changes based on the new standard include:

1] Top of visor opening lowered by 10mm to incorporate advanced ballistic protection that achieves unprecedented levels of safety during impact from debris.
2] Extended areas of protection on sides to offer compatibility with latest single-seater headrests and closed car seat-side head protection systems, ensuring energy management is exactly where headrests are positioned.
3] Helmet shell construction using advanced composite materials to ensure it is not only tough but also resistant to crushing and penetration.
4]Test methods include variable crash speeds to account for different accidents and a range of weights to account for different mass headforms.

Under the new FIA 8860-2018 standard all helmets must withstand the following toughened tests:

1]Standard impact: Helmet impact at 9.5m/s. Peak deceleration on ‘driver’s head’ shall not exceed 275G.

2] Low velocity impact: Helmet impact at 6m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 200G with a maximum average of 180g.
3] Low lateral impact: Helmet impact at 8.5m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
4] Advanced Ballistic Protection: A 225g metal projectile fired at 250km/h. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
5] Crush: A 10kg weight falling 5.1 metres onto helmet. Lateral and longitudinal tests. The transmitted force should not exceed 10 kN.
6] Shell penetration: A 4kg impactor dropped onto helmet at 7.7 m/s.
7] Visor penetration: Air rifle fires 1.2g pellet at visor. Pellet must not penetrate the interior of the helmet.
8] Visor coating: Transmitter test to ensure colouration and vision is not significantly changed or distorted.
9] Retention system: Roll-off test and dynamic test to ensure strength of chin strap and its attachments.
10] Chin guard linear impact: Impact test with full headform at 5.5m/s. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
11] Chin guard crush: Hammer hits chin guard and measures ability to keep impact away from the head.
12] FHR mechanical strength: Test to ensure high strength of attachment points for Frontal Head Restraints.
13] Projection and surface friction: Test to ensure helmet surface uniformity and that friction is minimised. Shell surface also subjected to BARCOL hardness test for resistance to penetration.
14] Flammability: Helmet exposed to 790 C° flame; it must self-extinguish once flame is removed.

 

[MIKA27]

MCLAREN TURN DOWN TORO ROSSO DEAL FOR NORRIS

McLaren have reportedly turned down a bid by Toro Rosso to fast-track Lando Norris into Formula 1 by replacing underperforming Brendon Hartley in the Red Bull-owned team.

BBC report that the approach was made before the Spanish Grand Prix, with Red Bull touting a deal to replace Hartley with the 18-year-old, but McLaren rejected the idea and have opted to keep Norris on the Formula 2 path that he is currently on.

McLaren may also have feared losing their protege to Red Bull for the long term while putting the youngster in the limelight too early, something the team are keen to avoid.

If the Toro Rosso bid had worked Norris would have suited up in Toro Rosso colours and lined up on the grid for the Austrian Grand Prix at Red Bull Ring on 1 July.

In response, a McLaren spokesman said, “We are not surprised that other teams approach our drivers. They clearly believe they are as talented as we do.”

Toro Rosso were tapped for comment but have not responded.

However, it is likely the decision to approach McLaren for a loan deal for Norris would have been made at the highest level and ordained by the organisation’s driver boss Helmut Marko.

He famously promoted Max Verstappen to Red Bull, replacing Daniil Kvyat, for the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix which the young Dutchman went on to win.

Another stumbling block is said to have been Toro Rosso wanting a condition in the deal which would give them first option on Norris for next season which McLaren were supposedly not keen to do.

Norris, who is the hottest property on the fringes of Formula 1, currently leads the Formula 2 championship and is said to have a condition in his contract which would require McLaren to provide him with an F1 race seat next season should he win this year’s F2 title.

[MIKA27]

Mercedes delays planned F1 engine upgrade until French GP

Mercedes has postponed the engine update it planned to introduce for its cars and customers at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

The reigning Constructors’ Champions confirmed earlier in the week that its ‘PU2’ spec would debut to coincide with Formula 1’s visit to the power-hungry Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

Customer teams Williams and Force India were also set to receive the upgraded engine.

However, on Wednesday Mercedes announced that the introduction of PU2 has been delayed until the following round of the season at the returning French Grand Prix.

“Although we had hoped to introduce PU2 this weekend, a quality issue means that this has now been delayed by one race,” a Mercedes spokesperson confirmed.

“So all Mercedes-powered cars will be running PU1 for this weekend, too, before receiving new units in France.”

Mercedes heads to the Canadian Grand Prix atop the Constructors’ Championship, having taken victory at the event across the past three years.

Renault and Honda are set to bring updated engine components to this weekend's round of the championship, with the outcome of the upgrades set to be a factor in Red Bull's decision-making exercise for 2019.

[MIKA27]

Shorter F1 races, less practice amongst format changes being considered

Formula 1 is considering "fundamental" changes to the race weekend format which has remained largely unchanged for more than a decade, in order to ensure it continues to appeal to the changing consumption habits of a younger generation.

Steve Nielsen, F1's sporting director and former manager of several teams including Renault, Caterham, Toro Rosso and Williams, says it's imperative that the sport considers everything as it seeks to reverse declining television audiences.

Although weekend format changes are often met with a negative reaction amongst F1's current hardcore fanbase, Nielsen says Liberty Media is conducting fan-based research on a scale never seen before in the sport.

"One of the things we are actively engaged in is a huge amount of fan research," he said. "It isn’t completed yet, but what we want to know is what fans really want from Formula 1, from avid fans to people who don’t really engage with the sport, what they like, what they don’t like and what would make them watch more.

"The scale of this research has never been done in the sport before and it will have a big impact on how F1 is shaped for the future."

Every aspect of the race weekend from practice, qualifying and the race is up for discussion, with F1 potentially looking at cutting practice on a Saturday, keeping qualifying to determine the grid for an afternoon 'sprint' race which would then decide the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix, which could be shortened in length to attract new viewers.

"There are some fundamental questions being asked, of all of us, as well as fans. For example, we’re asking about what kind of weekend format we should be pursuing; how much free practice should there be; how many races should we have; should there be more than one Formula 1 race on a weekend, what should qualifying be? We have our own ideas but we want to gauge opinion, as many opinions as possible," added Nielsen.

"Viewing figures were declining. There has been an improvement but Formula 1 needs to change to engage with a wider audience. There are many people under the age of 30 for whom Formula 1 is of little interest. We need to retain the core values of the sport, while at the same time appealing to a younger audience.

"If we neglect that the sport will be in trouble. It is a difficult line to walk but that is what we have to do. Perhaps that does mean a shorter race, or slightly less free practice, more sudden-death situations. People engage with sport in a lot of different ways and they don’t necessarily want to give up a Sunday afternoon or a Saturday afternoon to do it. So every idea has to be on the table."

[MIKA27]

Force India set to race new front wing

Force India is on course to race its new front wing by the French Grand Prix at the latest, as it plays catch-up with its 2018 developments.
Although the Silverstone-based outfit endured a difficult start to the season, it has begun to make progress with its car – and received a morale boost with Sergio Perez's podium finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The next step will be to debut a new front wing, which has been delayed while the team ensures there are enough spares to allow both drivers to have it.

There is a chance the wing could be used in Canada this weekend, but if that does not happen then it will definitely be ready for the race after in France.

Technical director Andy Green said: "We think now it is ready to race, we just don't have enough of them. We didn't want to risk the wings until we have some coming through, which will at the latest be Paul Ricard."

Green said that testing of the new front wing after the Spanish Grand Prix had delivered some encouraging results.

"We did a lot of testing of it in the post Barcelona test, and that proved to us that it was at a high enough level now that we want it on the car," he explained.

"Around Barcelona it was a good step forward. So we would be confident then, with the updates we are bringing in Paul Ricard, that we should take another reasonable step."

Season compromises

Perez talked recently about the team needing to make compromises with its set-up so far this year to compensate for the rear end stability issues it has suffered.

Green says that as well as that issue clouding things on track, there have been other factors back at base that have slowed things down.

"I think part of the issue was not having the car that we wanted at the beginning of the year," he said. "Checo talks about compromises as far as setup is concerned, but we have compromises in terms of manufacturing as well.

"So, there were parts that we really wanted on the car that we couldn't have, so we had to wait."

When asked whether that was a time issue, Green replied: "It was budget related."

[MIKA27]

Honda reveals details of Canadian GP engine upgrade

Honda has revealed its Formula 1 engine upgrade for the Canadian Grand Prix is centred around improvements to its internal combustion engine.
The Japanese manufacturer has been expected to give partner Toro Rosso an update for the power-sensitive race, which Motorsport.com reported Honda hoped would be worth around 27bhp.

Honda stressed it would be careful not to hurt the reliability of its power unit in the pursuit of performance but, ahead of the Montreal race, technical director Toyoharu Tanabe confirmed Honda's upgrade - focused around its internal combustion engine - would be implemented.

"We are introducing an updated PU for this event, fitting it to both cars," said Tanabe.

"The updates are mainly to the ICE, focusing on improving performance. The Montreal circuit is known for its long straights, where over 60% of the lap is spent at full throttle.

"There are slow corners after the long straights and this means that good driveability is again important as is rapid turbo response.

"All these features mean that the power unit is one of the key elements here, which is why it has traditionally been the venue for engine manufacturers to introduce updates."

Red Bull will use the Canadian Grand Prix to assess the performance of Honda's power unit compared to current supplier Renault as it weighs up whether it should switch engine provider for 2019.

Renault, which has made it clear it is unhappy at Red Bull for delaying a decision over its supplier, is also expected to introduce an update for the race.

[MIKA27]

Stroll set to stay at Williams for 2019

Claire Williams has suggested Lance Stroll is in line for a new contract after “living up to expectations” during his Formula 1 career so far.

Stroll’s P8 in Baku is as good as it has got for the Grove-based team this season as both he and rookie Sergey Sirotkin have struggled with an extremely uncompetitive FW41.

But, as attention starts turning toward driver line-ups for next season, Williams feels Stroll still has a very bright future ahead of him and has performed well for the team.

“He has worked very hard to improve the points he had to improve,” Williams said.

“He’s under a lot of pressure, getting criticism that is not deserved and I think he’s showing tremendous maturity in dealing with all of it.

“I am very proud of the work he has done for us and I hope that we will soon be able to give him a car that will allow him to show his full potential. 

“I honestly believe he has a great career ahead of him in Formula 1.”

When asked how that relates to his future with the team, she replied: “We’re not talking about a contract yet, but we think Lance has lived up to our expectations so far and we do not like to separate from drivers without good reason.”

Stroll is back on home soil this weekend as he returns to Montreal, the scene of his first-ever points finish in Formula 1 last season.

[MIKA27]

Montreal key to future use of hypersoft, says Pirelli

Pirelli says that the upcoming Canadian GP will be an important test for the hypersoft tyre – and the race will help determine where the new compound will be used later in the season.
The pink tyre made its race debut in Monaco, but the unique nature of the circuit means that Pirelli sees Montreal as a better proving ground for other venues.

"It is important for us to understand the behaviour of the hyper in Canada," Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola told Motorsport.com.

"That will drive the choice for some other races later in the season.

"Every time you run a tyre you learn something. Now we have knowledge of the hypersoft in a circuit that's not Abu Dhabi or Barcelona, where we already tested.

"But Monte Carlo is quite a difficult circuit. It's not so wrong to take conclusions, but we need to collect more information.

"Canada is a different track, it's more about traction for example, so we need to understand how is the degradation from the rear, rather than the front."

Isola says there were no surprises with the performance of the hypersoft in Monaco, although the tyre was avoided by drivers who qualified outside the top 10, and who had a choice of what to start on.

"The graining was not unexpected, especially with a bit cooler temperature, and on a high fuel load the hypersoft was prone to graining. To be honest, it was quite in line with our expectations, and the data collected on Thursday.

"The hypersoft was designed for street circuits. It is quite extreme, you can see from the level of grip and the lap time.

"We already saw during the [November] test in Abu Dhabi and the pre-season test in Barcelona, that the step in grip of the hypersoft is quite high. The drivers feel the step in grip, and obviously they also feel the step in degradation.

"During the in-season test in Barcelona the most popular comment was the grip is very good in Sector One and Two, from Sector Three we start to feel degradation. Sector Three is all about traction, so this is the normal behaviour of a very, very soft compound.

"In Montreal we will have more data, and that will be very important to understand where we can use the hypersoft."